Standing By | Acts 23:11

“That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, ‘Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.’” (Acts 23:11 NLT)   The apostle Paul was blessed with a tremendous circle of friends and fellow laborers for Christ. He ga…

Philip on the Spot | Acts 8:35

“So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.” (Acts 8:35 NLT)   According to Acts 8, Philip led a thriving ministry in the city of Samaria. Crowds flocked to hear him preach the gospel and watch him perform miraculous signs. Countless people believed his mess…

The Unlikeliest Hymn | Acts 16:25

“Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.” (Acts 16:25 NLT)   In this week’s devotions, we’re going to look at the book of Acts—specifically, the people, situations, encounters, and experiences that laid the groundwork for the c…

Where Is God When I Feel Lonely? | Acts 27:23–24

“For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’” (Acts 27:23–24 NLT)   One of the vexing ir…

What Makes the Bible So Special? | 2 Timothy 3:16

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT)   Martin Luther said, “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs a…

Does God Give Second Chances? | Galatians 4:4–5

“But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.” (Galatians 4:4–5 NLT)   Some people are keenly interested in researching their family tree. Per…

How Can I Make a Difference for God? | 2 Chronicles 16:9

“The eyes of the Lord search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. What a fool you have been! From now on you will be at war.” (2 Chronicles 16:9 NLT)   Before he became a great evangelist, D. L. Moody found himself in a conversation with another ev…

What Does It Mean to Carry Your Cross? | Luke 9:23–24

“Then he said to the crowd, ‘If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.’” (Luke 9:23–24 NLT)   One of the most comm…

Why Does God Allow the Devil to Do Evil Against Us? | Job 1:6–8

“One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. ‘Where have you come from?’ the Lord asked Satan. Satan answered the Lord, ‘I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.’ Then the Lord asked Sata…

Casting Doubt | Genesis 3:1

“The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the Lord God had made. One day he asked the woman, ‘Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?’” (Genesis 3:1 NLT)   Shortly before he died, the comedian W. C. Fields was spotted flipping through the pa…