Devotions With Daryl

A Chosen Vessel

Acts 9:15

When Jesus Calls

Acts 9:13-14

What's in a Name?

Acts 9:5

Our Defender

Acts 9:4

United in the Gospel

1 Corinthians 1; 12

The church is one body, joined together by Christ and His gospel.

Christ's desire is for His church to be united as one to fulfill our mission and reflect the oneness of our trinitarian God. Just as the Father, Son, and Spirit have carried out the plan of redemption in unity, so too is the church to be unified as we carry out God's plan of evangelism and missions.

Because Jesus has joined all who trust in Him together as one church, we cast aside all causes of division and fight to preserve unity to show the watching world God's power to reconcile.

The Body of Christ

1 Corinthians 12:15-18

Prayer Leads to Action

Acts 1:26

Unity

Psalm 133:1

Wisdom of God

1 Corinthians 1:25

The Gospel

1 Corinthians 1:17

Religious Rock Stars!

1 Corinthians 1:10-13

Imprisoned for the Gospel

Acts 12

God responded to the church's prayers and delivered Peter from prison.

When Peter was arrested and put in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him. God delivered Peter miraculously, but the church failed to believe he had been rescued at first. In a similar way, Jesus had taught His disciples that He would die and be raised again, but they too failed to believe at first. When they saw and experienced the resurrected Savior, their faith increased.

Because God's love, power and sovereignty are proven, in the resurrection of Jesus, we pray with anticipation that God works in us and through us as we seek to make Jesus known.

Living in Christ

Philippians 1:21-24

United Prayer

Acts 1:23-25

A Knock at the Door

Acts 12:12-16

Dreams

Acts 12:7-10

Through the Eyes of a Child

Acts 12:5

Persecution

Acts 12:1

Welcomed by the Gospel

God confirmed that salvation had come to the Gentiles through the giving of the Holy Spirit who unites all who believe.

Peter learned that God does not show favoritism but calls His people to proclaim the message of Jesus's death and resurrection to all people, to celebrate His work in their lives, and to welcome believers into His family, regardless of their ethnicity.

Because we have been saved by your grace through faith in Jesus, we are not to show favoritism as we share the gospel, but are to extend the call of salvation to all people with equal concern, urgency and joy.

One Size Doesn't Fit All

Acts 11:17-18

Taken Up

Acts 1:9-12

Missing The Boat

Acts 11:1-3

Christians Debates

Acts 10:45-47

God's Timing

Acts 10:44-45

God's Gift of Grace

Acts 10:34-35

Convicted By The Gospel

Acts 10

Through Peter's vision and the Lord's calling to meet with Cornelius, God revealed that the gospel is for all people.

Through a vision given by God, Peter came to understand that Jesus was the Savior of all people -Jews and Gentiles alike. Anyone who trusts in Jesus is no longer unclean because of sin but rather has been cleansed from all unrighteousness and is now part of the one family of God.

Because Christ's work has cleanses the sin of all who believe, we forgive one another of any wrongdoing and stand together in unity to show the world God's power to change people.

A New Viewpoint

Acts 10:28

The Focus of the Mission

Acts 1:8

Answers

Acts 10:19-21

Works Without Faith

James 2:18-19

Describing God

Acts 10:1-3

Fear of God

Acts 10:1-2

Changed by the Gospel

Acts 9

The miracles of Peter were done in the name of Jesus Christ so that people would believe in Jesus for salvation.

The miracles that Peter performed were done by the power of the Holy Spirit and resulting in people turning to the Lord for salvation, echoing the earthly ministry of Jesus. During His time on earth, Jesus performed many miracles to reveal that He is the Son of God, culminating in the miracle of the resurrection, which confirmed that salvation had come.

Because we have experienced the great miracle of our salvation through Jesus, we proclaim Christ to the nations with boldness and joy so that others might come to trust in the Lord.

Christian Works

Acts 9:36

Waiting Is Important

Acts 1:4-7

God's Healing Touch

Acts 9:40-42

Christian Focus

Acts 9:34-35

God's Plan

Acts 9:27-30

Peace

Acts 9:31

The Humble Savior

Philippians 2

Hebrews 4:2

2 Corinthians 5

The Son of God provided salvation through humiliation on earth.

Jesus, the Son of God, humbled Himself by taking on flesh and living on the earth amongst His creation. Although He was without sin, Jesus gave up His life on the cross, paying the sin penalty owed by others. Jesus rose from the dead in victory. All who trust in Jesus are forgiven of their sin and are credited with his righteousness so that they too bring glory to the Father.

Because Jesus secured our salvation through His humiliation on earth, we humble ourselves always seeking to put God's plan and the needs of others about our own.

The Righteousness of God

2 Corinthians 5:21

Good Friday

John 11:23-27

Our Exalted Savior!

Philippians 2:9

Fully God and Fully Man

Philippians 2:5-8

An Humble Servant

Hebrews 4:15

Humility

Philippians 2:5

The Scattered Church

Acts 8

Persecution did not stifle the gospel but rather served to spread the gospel as the church advanced its mission of proclaiming the gospel to all people.

Persecution led to the scattering of the church and the gospel going forward. Philip encountered an Ethiopian Eunuch who was familiar with the Old Testament prophets but was unable to understand how their message was fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Phillip, led by the Spirit, helped the eunuch understand how Jesus fulfilled Scripture by dying on the cross for our sins and rising from the dead.

Because we have received new life in Christ and have committed to following Him, we seek to be available and obedient to the Spirit's prompting, able and willing to show Christ in all the Scriptures.

First Steps

Acts 8:29-30

Our Advocate

1 John 2:1

God Glorifying Gospel

Acts 8:4-8