A Really Special Favor

Acts 15: 11 "We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the special favor of the Lord Jesus."

In the early church, the elders were having a disagreement over whether the Gentile converts needed to first adhere to Jewish laws and customs. Paul and a few others make the case that the gentiles are not bound to the Jewish law. Then Paul declares that everyone is saved the same way-by special favor of Jesus-not through the law.

For some reason we are easily led to believe our good works lead to our righteousness. Even when we know better, we find ourselves feeling good about what we have done or are doing and we think these good works put us in a better standing before God. When that happens, pride is quick to rise up. We need to remember our salvation is completely through Christ and is his gift to us.

Thank you Jesus for your gift of salvation. Amen.

Agabus from Antioch

Acts 11: 29 "So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could."

At the church in Antioch a dude named Agabus predicted a famine for the entire Roman world. The church then decides to pool together their money to send to other Christians around the empire to help them-before the famine has even begun!

Right now our world is in a tough spot economically. What do most people want to do? They want to hunker down and hoard what they have. I feel that way. I want to save everything I can and cut down on as many expenditures as possible. But look what the early church does. Before the famine even strikes, they begin thinking about others and acting on their beliefs! I need to have faith and act more like them even in these uncertain times! Thanks Agabus!

Dear Jesus, help me to step out in faith even when times are uncertain. Amen.

The Big Bad Lion

1 Peter 5: 8 "Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour."

Peter is giving some instructions to some younger Christians and he tells them to watch out for the devil. Peter describes the devil as a roaring lion who prowls around looking for his next lunch. This image is similar to that given in Job when the devil has been going back and forth across the earth looking for a victim.

Satan is my enemy and is just like a hungry lion looking to devour me. In the wild, animals use good defense systems to thwart hungry lions. They use camouflage and speed to defend against predators. What defenses am I using to keep the devil at bay? I think my defenses are the word of God, prayer, my meal group, my church and my family. All of these tools are necessary and helpful in my defense against the lion.

Dear Jesus, help me use the defenses you give me against the devil.