Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living©
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
(Acts 2:42 (NIV))
Have you ever wondered why the early church was so strong in its faith? It all boils down to one simple word – devotion. They devoted themselves to what they believed in. They devoted themselves to learning more about Jesus. They devoted themselves to being with each other so that they could learn from each other and encourage each other. They devoted themselves to remembering what Jesus did for them every time they gathered together for a meal. Most importantly, they devoted themselves to prayer. They knew that prayer is a powerful weapon against the enemy and they used it frequently.
How do we compare with respect to the churches mentioned in Acts? Do we have the same devotion? Do we eagerly learn all that we can about God’s Word and His Son? Do we eagerly fellowship with each other so that we may learn from each other and encourage each other? Is our version of breaking the bread mean that we have a potluck dinner after a Sunday service?
Think about those questions.
Now, be honest and reflect upon your prayer life. Do we devote ourselves to prayer? I know that we all have little things that we pray about routinely, but are we truly dedicated and devoted to a powerful prayer life? Do we pray earnestly when we are alone? Do we prayer collectively when we are together, or are our unified prayers more of a routine that is led by the pastor and we simply wait for the conclusion?
All of these things make for a strong church. When we fall short in one or in all of these areas, then we are not fulfilling what was intended for the Body of Christ as it fulfills its purpose in this world.
Does your church share the devotion described in Acts? Do you want it to? It is simple to get it started.
Are you devoted?
Copyright 1998 – 2010 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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