Today's Devotion
November 18, 2010
Fertile Ground
Today we read what the Gospel can do to people. Salvation changes the heart of man giving him a divine love for others. The first century church is a good model to follow.
“And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:42-47 NKJV)
The word translated steadfastly means to be devoted to someone or something. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ doctrine, fellowship, and prayer. Finding common ground in the Savior, they became a unified body of believers.
O’ how we need to be unified in these areas. Not that we can’t have different opinions on some of the deeper things in God’s Word, but all believers should find common ground in the Savior. The fundamentals of the faith should draw us together.
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1-3 NKJV)
This is important for many reasons, but particularly for the furtherance of the Gospel. Notice that the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. Ok, you might argue that those were different times and a different situation, but you are just proving my point.
What is different is the level of unity and love demonstrated in the body of Christ. Look they took care of each other as needed, they continued walking in holiness and devotion, and they maintained fellowship. This did not go unnoticed.
The Scriptures tell us they had favor with all the people. Their walk supported their talk! There was nothing about the people that inhibited the Gospel message. What we read in this passage we dream about, “The Lord added to the Church daily.”
It might be fun to see lost souls converted every day, amen? Don’t you long to see the power of God working in that neighbor or that loved one? Well a unified, loving body is fertile ground for the Gospel message.
While I am not big on telling people a personal testimony as part of a Gospel presentation, I am big on having a visible testimony that supports the claims of the Gospel. Why would anyone believe he can have peace with God when the messengers are fighting with each other? Not likely right? However, beyond even that problem, there is the problem of God’s displeasure. The Bible tells us that our desires are not realized when our motives are bad.
“You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend [it] on your pleasures.” (James 4:2-3 NKJV)
God is not going to bless believers who are not abiding in Him (John 15:5). If the church continues to walk in pride and self-seeking, there is little to no hope of seeing the great movements of God’s Spirit like those of former times.
So, let’s do something about this. How? By humbling ourselves and continually seeking the Lord’s blessing. Don’t think that as one person you can’t change things. Well, by yourself you can’t change anything, but with God you can change the world!
Begin by loving people. Love demands humility, and there is something wonderfully powerful about a humble heart. This is one quality that invisible has a way of being visible. I think the reason for this is its rarity. Pride is rampant but love is fleeting. Love will therefore stand out.
Learn to walk in humility, and people will begin to change as they see your good works. One thing I have noticed, people don’t act prideful around truly humble individuals. The behavior of the humble shames that of the prideful, and they modify their ways. Think of the influence this can have among a body of believers.
One can influence another. Then two can influence four, and so on. You can make a difference. “. . . Submit yourselves to [your] elders. Yes, all of [you] be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5 NKJV). If we have God’s grace, there is nothing we can’t do for with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26).