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Serving God in Silence
It’s humbling to know that there are people willing to give their best without expecting anything in return. They are those who serve others in secret. They are those who gladly offer happy sacrifices without any complaints or bitterness, without counting the efforts that they made. Those people are humbly serving God in silence. They are willing to give their life just for others to feel accepted and loved. And no one applauded them in public, but in the Heavenly realms, angels were celebrating, and God Himself was pleased. In the present day, we can’t easily determine who are those who truly serve God with all their hearts. We never…
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God is Patient
For about forty years he endured their conduct in the wilderness; and he overthrew seven nations in Canaan, giving their land to his people as their inheritance. All this took about 450 years. Acts 13: 18-20, NIV God wasn’t in a hurry. He was so patient with His people. The word that Luke used in Acts 13:18 was ‘He endured,’ meaning that God extended His understanding and love for His people despite their complaints and negative behavior. The Israelites spent 40 years in the wilderness not because it was God’s plan but because their hearts were hard and stubborn. God needed to teach them and walk with them along the…
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God Will Bring You To A Safe Place
He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me. Psalms 18:19-20, NIV David knew that God would rescue Him and would bring him to a safe place despite the overwhelming situation he experienced. He knew that God would save him because he delighted in him. God saw his deeds and his heart. And he rewarded him because of his righteousness. This verse is a perfect reminder for us especially when feel like we are in an unknown battle. When our hearts are…
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God Hears Your Cry
In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. Psalms 18:6, NIV This is David’s cry to God. In His distress, he didn’t dwell on the bad things that happened. Instead, he called to the One who could help Him. He cried for it just like how you cried to God every time you badly needed Him. The good thing about David was that, even though his heart was not okay, he knew deep within that God heard his voice. He knew that God cared for Him. So, if…
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Rely On The Holy Spirit
The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. Acts 13:4, NIV Barnabas and Saul were sent by the Holy Spirit for a special mission. This calling wasn’t just something that is made up of human desires, but God Himself anointed them to preach the gospel to other places. It is important to note that they didn’t simply came up with their own plans, but instead, they choose to rely on the Holy Spirit to guide and lead them. This is a powerful reminder for us to seek the Holy Spirit. We may have our plans, but…
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They Pursued God’s Presence Above Anything Else
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Acts 13:2, NIV When Barnabas, Saul, and other leaders in Antioch gathered, they worshipped the Lord and fasted. While they were on their knees, and while their hearts were in a posture of worship and surrender before God’s presence, the Holy Spirit instructed them about what to do next. These leaders may have experienced many supernatural things with God, but they didn’t fully rely on what they already received. Instead, they continued to seek God’s instructions and guidance. They still ministered before…
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A Man Named ‘Manaen’
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. Acts 13:1, NIV In this verse, a man named Manaen was mentioned. He was someone who grew up with Herod the tetrarch. This was the same Herod who beheaded John the Baptist. Imagine, they grew up together, but they lived a totally different life. Herod became selfish and prideful about his position. But here comes Manaen, who became a Christian and followed the ways of Jesus. Sometimes, we believe that people who grew up in the same environment will have…
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God Is Always In Charge
Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. Acts 12: 23-24, NIV King Herod was against the early Christians. He even killed James and arrested Peter. But God moved by sending an angel to rescue Peter from prison. After that, King Herod continued to boast about what he had and failed to glorify God. The Bible said that an angel struck him down and was eaten by words. He had a very sad ending. The disciples went through so much fear and experienced…
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When You Find It Hard To Believe That God Answers Your Prayer
“You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” Acts 12:15, NIV When Peter was arrested by King Herod, the early church fervently prayed for Him. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to Peter and set him free from prison. Peter then went to the house where the Christians gathered and to their surprise, they didn’t believe what the servant named Rhoda said. She recognized Peter’s voice and said to the disciples that he was knocking at the door. They won’t believe her that they even said to the servant that she’s out of her…
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What True Wealth Means
One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth. Proverbs 13: 7, NIV This world may treat material things as an indicator of wealth, but sometimes, a person may look rich physically but have nothing on the inside. They may pretend to have all the things they want, but deep down, their hearts say the exact opposite. On the other hand, there are people who pretend to be poor yet very rich on the inside. They are those who are very generous and enrich other people’s lives. Sometimes, we tend to respect those who look wealthy and disregard those who appear…
