Scripture to Read: Acts 2:42
The last set of devotions was incredibly encouraging as we saw God use Peter and the other disciples, who had been filled with His Holy Spirit, to lead over 3,000 souls to surrender to Christ as Lord. So, as the church of our Lord Jesus Christ began, let us examine what the people did. We read in Acts 2:42, They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles ’teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. The new believers were hungry for spiritual nourishment, so they immediately devoted themselves to the teaching the apostles offered them. As we grow in our walk with our Lord, if we’re not careful, we can become filled with the distractions of this world. When we get filled with what this world offers us, we, in turn, grow cold to hungering and thirsting for God and His Word. God reminds us in 1 Peter 2:2 that we must choose to long for God's Word, just like a newborn baby longs for its mother's milk. When we feed on God’s Word each day and have deep fellowship with our Lord through prayer, we grow in our salvation and in our understanding of who God is and who we are in Christ. The new believers also were devoted to a strong community with each other. What a great reminder of how important community is for all believers. A Christian community (known as the local church) is a body of believers who pray together, disciple each other, and encourage because every believer needs it all.
Challenge & Application
What aspects of the early church do you still participate in today, and if you’re missing any, why are you missing out?
How can you be more involved in your community group and invest deeper in the people in your group?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!