Summertime StoriesSample

Acts 11:15-18 

15 “As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as He fell on us at the beginning. 

16 Then I thought of the Lord’s words when He said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 

17 And since God gave these Gentiles the same gift He gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to stand in God’s way?”

18 When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.”

Acts chapter eleven is probably one of the most important chapters of the entire Bible for 99% of the people reading this devotional. This chapter shows the point in God’s story where Gentiles, non-Jews, begin to come to the Lord by the multitudes.  This story shows the Good News, the reason Jesus came to die on the cross. That Jesus died and rose again not for Himself, not just for the Jewish people, but for every man, women, and child. In verse eighteen, it says, “When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “We can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.”

We, as non-Jews, have been granted repentance that leads to life.  I don’t want to ever take for granted the fact that I am now considered innocent, pure, and holy before our God.  I want to remain ever grateful that He loved us so much that He sent His Son so that when we repent before Him, He hears us and forgives us.  I wonder how many people we see every day who don’t know that the Gospel isn’t just for people who have been Christians their whole life, but it is for them, right where they are, right in the middle of their sin struggle. I don’t ever want to be a Christian who discriminates based on someone’s past, on their heritage, or their religious background. The Gospel is for everyone, and this is the best news anyone could ever receive!