"The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord....When [Barnabas] arrived and saw the evidence of God's grace, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts." Acts 11:21, 23
A "great number" of people came to the Lord in Antioch because "the Lord's hand was with" those who shared the message. When Barnabas came He saw "evidence of God's grace" at work in this new church. The church at Antioch was an amazing group of believers. They responded to news of a famine with a generous offering and later they became the mission base for Paul's campaigns throughout the gentile world. This amazing ministering and missionary church was God's work from the start. All the people and leaders had to do was stay faithful, submissive, and receptive to God. Would God do the same thing in Copperas Cove? Will we be faithful, submissive, and responsive?
Father, I long to see our church become like the church in Antioch. Please put your hand on us and pour out your grace so that 'great numbers' are brought to the Lord, taught, and led to be ministry and mission-minded.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
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While reading about the famine in Acts 11,it reminds me of what we studying right now in our Genesis study.GOD is responsible for the famines.This is a hard teaching to accept because GOD is love.But HE loves so much that HE will allow us to suffer to grow us and prepare us for future events.HE taught the Egyptians to store up food through Joseph,but they did not listen.There will be another famine in the end of days.Kay Arthur says because of Amos 8:11 it will be a famine from the Word of GOD.So like Joseph during years of plenty, we should be storing up not food but the Word of GOD on our hearts so we can survive the famine.
ReplyDeleteHoly Father, I pray that I am storing up your Word and will be able to remain faithful and obedient to YOU as Joseph was during the famine.All honor and glory to YOU.
Wow Be a Berean,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you. I pray the same for myself and my others brothers and sisters in Christ. I also pray that we all see the lateness of the hour. May we preach the word in season and out of season because there is coming a time or it may be upon us now that people will not endure sound doctrine but heap upon themselves teachers that will scratch their itching ears. May we preach while we still have this small window of opportunity. Love in Christ Francie