Summertime StoriesSample

Acts 28:30-31 

30 For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, 

31 boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ. And no one tried to stop him.

These scriptures are the last two verses of the book of Acts, and we see Paul continuing to run the race that God has called him to. I love reading Paul’s story because it is such an encouragement. Paul had traveled for years, been beaten, shipwrecked, even bitten by a poisonous snake and told he would die. And despite all of that, he continued to love God, and proclaim the Gospel. Just a few verses before verse 30, Paul is proclaiming the Gospel to some Jewish people in Rome, and some received the Good News, while others rejected it. As Christians, we often put unnecessary pressure on ourselves to try and save as many people as we can. However, even the apostle Paul didn’t convert everyone he spoke to or came in contact with. Instead, he welcomed anyone to talk with him and proclaimed the Kingdom of God with boldness. 

We should never be timid or anxious about sharing how God has rescued us and set us free. At the same time, we should never be offended or disheartened when someone we witness to does not convert immediately. Instead, we should continue to share God’s faithfulness with others, share the good news of what Jesus did for each of them, and pray that the seeds we plant land on fertile soil.

I pray this week that you take courage and find the boldness that is from God to share the Gospel with those who God brings across your path.

Thank you for reading through the book of Acts with us over the past few weeks. We pray this devotional has been a blessing to you as you continue to know Him better through His Word!