Devotions With Daryl

Gospel Challenges

Acts 15:33

Choices

Acts 2:36-37

Letters

Acts 15:22-23

Justified

Galatians 2:16

No Favorites

Acts 15:11

Corruption

Acts 15:1

A Reconciling Gospel

Philemon 1

2 Corinthians 5

Paul pleaded for Philemon to be reconciled with Onesimus, modeling the reconciliation Christ has extended to us.

When Paul appealed to Philemon on behalf of the runaway slave Onesimus, he placed himself in the middle of their broken relationship. To make peace, Paul volunteered to pay Onesimus's debt. Through this action, Paul modeled Jesus Christ, who is the peacemaker between God and sinful humanity. By paying our debt, Jesus reconciled us to God and to each other.

Because we have been given limitless grace through Jesus Christ, we live as agents of reconciliation who reflect the heart of our crucified Savior to others.

Reconciliation

Philemon 1:18

Celebrate Rather Than Speculate

Acts 2:12-16

Surprises

Philemon 1:15

Appealing with Love

Philemon 1:8-9

Ministry of Reconciliation

2 Corinthians 5:19

Ex-Freind to Friend

2 Corinthians 5:18

A Sent Messenger

Acts 13014

The early church followed the Lord's leading to proclaim the gospel wherever He sent them, beginning a missionary movement that has not ceased.

Jesus told His disciples that the gates of Hell would not prevail against His church, reminding us that God's people are "on offense", continuing the mission Jesus began. God's plan is for missionaries to take the powerful and good news of Jesus to places of deep spiritual darkness with full confidence that Jesus will build His church.

Because God sent Jesus to us to provide our salvation, we send, support, and consider being missionaries to serve those who have never heard the gospel.

Suffering

Acts 14:22

The Message Heard

Acts 2:9-11

Jealousy

Acts 13:45

History

Acts 13:42

God's Promise Fulfilled

Acts 13:15

Set Apart

Acts 13:1-2

A Transformed Murderer

Acts 9

In Saul's conversion, we see an example of the grace of God and the power of the gospel, which is able to transform even the most hostile opponents of Jesus.

The conversion and calling of Saul is a demonstration of God's power to save. Through an encounter with the crucified and risen Jesus, this once-hardened persecutor of God's people began his journey to becoming perhaps the greatest missionary the world has ever known. Only the gospel can transform a public opponent of Christ into a fervent witness to His salvation.

Because we are estranged from God but are now God's children through Jesus, we pray for Salvation of others with full confidence that God can transform even the hardest heart.

Enemy or Friend?

Acts 9:17

God's Activity

Acts 2:5-8

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