Acts 19

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Devotional

And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”

– Acts 19:1-2

I get the sense when I read these words that Paul had been looking forward to this moment for quite some time. He wastes no time, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

Once again, Paul was a man on a mission. Would to God that He would stir our hearts with the same zeal for this mission!

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

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Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Acts 18

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Devotional

…but took leave of them, saying, “I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing.” And he sailed from Ephesus.

And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up and greeted the church, he went down to Antioch.
After he had spent some time there, he departed and went over the region of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.

– Acts 18:21-23

These words reveal a man on a mission. Paul clearly had it in his heart to minister in Ephesus back in Acts 16. More than 2 years has passed between the words of Acts 16 and these here in Acts 18. And though Paul has a date to keep in Jerusalem, he clearly could hardly wait to get back to the open door at Ephesus.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

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Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Acts 17

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Devotional

Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures,

– Acts 17:2

There is so much in Acts 17 that I truly love. Paul’s witness at Athens is a passage I could spend hours on. But as I read the opening of Acts 17 again for, I don’t know how many times, the words “as his custom was” caught my attention.

These four simple words give us such great insight into the method of evangelistic ministry for Paul. He had a custom. Enter a new city, search for a synagogue, and attend Sabbath services there to preach the Gospel. A simple method that effectively worked in Lystra, Iconium, Derbe, Thessalonica, Berea, Corinth, Ephesus, and who knows where else.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

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Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Acts 16

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Devotional

Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”

– Acts 16:6-9

This example of the sensitivity to the Spirit and His leading is one of my absolute favorites in Scripture. We move from the “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us” in Acts 15, to the “they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit” and “the Spirit did not permit them” of Acts 16. And then came the vision of Paul in the night, and in the following verse “after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.”

As a side note, notice the use of “they” and “them” in verses 6-9, and the change to “we” in verse 10. From one sentence to the next, Paul’s traveling band of ministers added a 4th co-laboerer named Luke.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

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Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Acts 15

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Devotional

For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:

– Acts 15:28

“It seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us.” I love these words. So many times over the last 18 years of ministry I have found myself gathered with other leaders in the church praying about a decision we are wrestling over… and on more than a few occasions our decision has been made simply upon the “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us” scale.

Thank God He tenderly leads us by His Spirit and grace.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Acts 14

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Devotional

Then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded the multitudes, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.

– Acts 14:19

A few years after this event Paul would write to the Christians from this region of Churches saying, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” I wonder if this truth did not flash through Paul’s mind as they drug him outside the city to be stoned.*

*If you’re wondering the connection, maybe go back and reread Acts 6 and 7.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Acts 13

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Devotional

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

– Acts 13:2

It doesn’t matter how many times I read through Acts, I am always filled with anticipation when I get to the 13th chapter. The journeys of Paul are to me some of the most beautiful depictions of faith and obedience in the Bible.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Acts 12

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Devotional

Then, as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Peter.

– Acts 12:18

This is what we refer to as a “Biblical understatement.” “there was no small stir among the soldiers” when they got up the next morning to find that their prisoner was not in prison any longer. Though, if you read Acts 5 again you’ll remember that this wasn’t the first time that this had happened.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Acts 11

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Devotional

“If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

– Acts 11:17

When I read Acts 11, I find myself—as a Gentile—genuinely thankful for God’s grace and foreknowledge in pouring out His Spirit upon the Gentiles gathered at the home of Cornelius in the same fashion as He had upon the Jews at Pentecost (Acts 2). There is no division in God’s kingdom between ethnic groups.

Praise God for His abundant grace!

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon

Acts 10

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Devotional

“He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.”

– Acts 10:6

Like so many passages in the Bible, this one is truly intriguing. Later (after verse 6) Peter will have a vision of “unclean” things and refuse them saying “I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” The intriguing thing is that though Peter had never eaten anything restricted by the Law of Moses, he was (at the very moment) staying in the home of a man who, because of his trade, was himself unclean.

In our religiousness we can have huge blindspots.

Helpful Resources

Enduring Word Commentary with Pastor David Guzik

Read the Scriptures at Bible.com

Download the YouVersion Bible App

Additional Daily Devotionals

My Utmost for His Highest | Oswald Chambers

Morning & Evening | Charles Spurgeon