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Daily Devotional (Acts 20 - Paul's Journey to Faith in Christ)

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Paul’s ministry was always accompanied by signs and wonders, and there were many wicked men that always opposed his plans in various places. Yet, despite hostility and resistance from various sides, his works and passion for God would be the same wherever he went. Like Paul, we must know how to redeem the time, and make it turn so some good account. Here, he declares that he was not self-seeking person, serving only the Lord with humility, with many tears and trials, a plain preacher, a true servant of God (v19). He set himself an example that those who want to serve the Lord in any ministry must do it with truthfulness and humility. A true servant of God is willing to sacrifice for the sake of the Lord, willing to be chained and imprisoned, and eyes focused at the finish line of the race (v24). With the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit, the love of Christ constrains a true believer to proceed to his duty, even in time of trials and persecutions. Don’t forget that the church is no
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Daily Devotional (Acts 17 - Paul in Athens)

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 Thessalonica and Berea were Greek cities, located in northern part of modern Greece. The Bible said that the Bereans were more receptive and fair-minded than the people of Thessalonica because they received the word with readiness and applied unto their lives the word being preached to them (v11). As Paul walked in Athens, he encountered various types of people, men of learning, philosophers who spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new things (v21). They worshiped false gods, while the true God was unknown to them. When Paul preached the word of God, they heard new and different doctrine contrary to their belief; Christ and resurrection. As Paul preached, he said that the Unknown God whom they worshipped, is the One he is telling them about (v23). God is giving all men a chance to repent for their sins, idolatry and immorality, because He has appointed a day on which God will judge the world in righteousness (v31). All people are guilty, but God's gr
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Daily Devotional (Acts 10 - Peter @ Jappa and Caesarea)

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God shows no partiality, Jews and Gentiles are welcome to His kingdom if they are sincere. If a person fears God, it will appear both in works and in words, neither will excuse from the other.  Cornelius had true faith in God's word, a devout man and one who feared God (v2). Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a vision and gave him instruction what to do. Without delay, Cornelius obeyed him and sent his men from Caesarea to Joppa. At the same time, God spoke to Peter and gave him vision to eat unclean animals (v13).  Peter refused without knowing the spiritual meaning of this vision. But the Lord replied that if God has made the food clean, he should not call it unclean (v15). Later Peter understood that God was really doing something new for the salvation of Jews and Gentiles. God shows no partiality, and whoever fears Him would be accepted in God's kingdom. As Peter declared the word of God, Jesus as the Messiah, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard and spok
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Daily Devotional (Acts 5 - The early church in Jerusalem)

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Christianity begins with the power from on high, but the works of the enemies came from different direction with the goal of destroying the church of Jesus Christ. In this chapter we see that the work of the enemies was from within. Satan could use even the faithful members of the church to distort the truth and confuse people, like what happened to the couple Ananias and Sapphira. They sold their land with good profit, donated the money to the church, but they took part of the proceeds claiming that it was the full amount (v2). It tells that some Christians fell because of money, and nothing can be hidden in the eyes of the Holy Spirit. As a result of their dishonesty, God took their lives right away so that the evil inside the church should be stamped out (v5, 10). Fear came upon the church, but Peter and the apostles continued to preach the word in the temple, in the streets, in houses, and in all places, so that no one can stop the spread of the word. People may stop serving God, b
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Daily Devotional (Acts 3 - The ancient and modern day temple mount)

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The apostles continued their gathering in houses with small groups, but never neglected the importance of temple worship with a larger group. And being led by Divine direction, Peter and John used the name of Jesus not only to spread the Word, but to continue the healing ministry through His name (v6). The crippled man was healed upon hearing the name of the Jesus, and Peter used this opportunity to speak and invite people to repent and accept Him as Lord and Savior of their lives (v19). Peter boldly declared that they denied and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead. Nevertheless, it was done out of ignorance by the people including their rulers, as foretold by the prophets. The Messiah must be in heaven for a certain period, then He will return until the time of restoration of all things (v21). The importance of repentance is that their sins may be blotted out, and that they may share in the refreshment of the souls through the loving kindness of Christ. Anyone who
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Daily Devotional (Acts 2 - Upper room, site of Holy Spirit Baptism)

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The outpouring of the Holy Spirit begins the growth and expansion of the church that Jesus built. In the gospels, we see the strifes among the disciples who would be the greatest. But after the baptism of the Holy Spirit, all these strifes were ended. The true followers of Christ has no intention to be great in the eyes of men, but their intention is to do what God intends them to do. They experienced the coming of the mighty wind with great force, signifying the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives (v2). They were filled with the gifts of the Spirit, for the furtherance of the gospel. They spoke a new language, as the Spirit gave them utterance (v4). This is the authority that God gave them in this world. Indeed the kingdom of God had inaugurated with spiritual power that started from within. People from various parts of the world had witnessed this event, though some mocked them, but Peter stood and proclaimed that this is the fulfillment of ancient prophetic book of Joel, urging
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Daily Devotional (Acts 1 - Mount of Olives, the site of ascension of Christ)

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The book of Acts is the link between the gospels and the epistles. Without knowing this book, we will not understand what really happened to the disciples after the ascension of the  Lord to heaven, and what are those epistles written to the churches. At the beginning, the disciples asked Jesus about the restoration of the kingdom of Israel (v6), yet the Lord did not answer them clearly, but told them the work they were to do. And in order to accomplish this work, they shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon them, and they shall be witnesses of Christ's work from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth (v8). After Jesus ascended to heaven, two men in white robe spoke to them saying that someday Jesus will return from heaven in the same way they saw Him go (v11). It means Jesus will return again bodily, and we must always be ready. Since then, the followers of Jesus continued to speak the word and the greatest things they had attested was the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
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