...but God Ministry
  • Home
  • NT in 2023
  • Jesus 365 Daily Devos
    • Jesus 365 Daily Devos
  • Year of Gratitude
  • 30-Day Scripture, Prayer & Gratitude Series
  • Come, Meet Jesus: John Study
  • Resources & Studies
    • Prayers for our Children
    • Seasons
    • Imprint for Teens >
      • Imprint Resources
    • Launch Prayers for our Children >
      • Launch Resources
      • Launch Groups
    • Well Hello
    • Background Images
    • Turn North: A Jesus Girl's Guide to College >
      • Turn North Resources
    • Path to Purpose
    • Colossians
    • Ruth: The Harvest is Coming
    • Worship Playlists
    • Renew Your Mind Studies >
      • God's Truth
    • Psalm 119
    • I See you
  • About
    • Need Prayer?
    • Payments
Purchase Jesus 365

260 of 365 - That Day

9/16/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
​And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria. Acts 8:1
 
That day. The day that Stephen was stoned to death. The day that changed everything. The day they were sure they would look back on as one of the worst days of their lives; of the Christian movement. Stephen’s stoning opened the floodgates of brutal persecution against Christians. No longer the close-knit community huddled together over laughter, love, hope, security in knowing their brothers had their back, and of course good bread. They were scattered, separated, scared.

But yet, they shared the Gospel. They weren’t trained pastors or missionaries. They were regular people in love with Jesus. And where each one landed – Samaria, Gaza, Azotus, Caesarea, and everywhere in between; quiet desert roads and bustling towns – they shared the Good News. They created new community.

Rewind to Jesus’s command in Acts 1:8, “…you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” The Christian church was commanded to teach where they were (check!), but also to go (uh oh). They were comfortable in the staying, but reluctant in the going. Their ministry remained isolated in Jerusalem. Often when things are feeling easy, successful, comfortable, safe, we can get content in the staying even when we are called to go. David Guzik says, “Sometimes we have to be shaken out of our comfortable state before we do what God wants us to do.”

The persecution – though horrific – became a catalyst for going. Saul and his fellow persecutors’ attempt to nip this Jesus movement in the bud only served as a tidal wave of the Good News spreading even more quickly to even more places. God has a way of making the beautiful out of our “that day”; the worst days of our lives. His blueprint looks vastly different than ours.

Challenge: If you are in the midst of a “that day,” draw near to God. Open your Bible and start reading. Get on your knees and pray. Talk to God. He is in the business of making beauty out of ashes. 
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    1 Corinthians
    1 John
    1 Kings
    1 Peter
    1 Samuel
    1 Thessalonians
    1 Timothy
    2 Corinthians
    2 Peter
    2 Samuel
    2 Timothy
    Acts
    Colossians
    Daniel
    Deuteronomy
    Ecclesiastes
    Ephesians
    Esther
    Exodus
    Galatians
    Genesis
    Habakkuk
    Hebrews
    Hosea
    Introduction
    Isaiah
    James
    Jeremiah
    Joel
    John
    Join Us
    Jonah
    Joshua
    Jude
    Judges
    Leviticus
    Luke
    Malachi
    Mark
    Matthew
    Micah
    Numbers
    Philemon
    Philippians
    Proverbs
    Psalm
    Ref: 12 Sons Of Jacob
    Ref: Divided Kingdom
    Ref: OT Timeline
    Ref: Timeline Of Judges
    Revelation
    Romans
    Ruth
    Titus

    Jesus 365 Home

    Archives

    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Devo + Journal Part 1: Old Testament
    Picture
    Devo + Journal Part 2: Gospels
    Picture
    Devo + Journal Part 3: Letters
  • Home
  • NT in 2023
  • Jesus 365 Daily Devos
    • Jesus 365 Daily Devos
  • Year of Gratitude
  • 30-Day Scripture, Prayer & Gratitude Series
  • Come, Meet Jesus: John Study
  • Resources & Studies
    • Prayers for our Children
    • Seasons
    • Imprint for Teens >
      • Imprint Resources
    • Launch Prayers for our Children >
      • Launch Resources
      • Launch Groups
    • Well Hello
    • Background Images
    • Turn North: A Jesus Girl's Guide to College >
      • Turn North Resources
    • Path to Purpose
    • Colossians
    • Ruth: The Harvest is Coming
    • Worship Playlists
    • Renew Your Mind Studies >
      • God's Truth
    • Psalm 119
    • I See you
  • About
    • Need Prayer?
    • Payments