Acts in 28 DaysSample

The God we serve is all powerful, which means He can do miracles with anyone and anything. Sometimes, we become prideful and begin thinking we have done these miracles ourselves, and we want to take the credit! Acts 19 helps us remember that God is the one who does miracles. Every time a miracle is mentioned, it is made clear that God is doing it through Paul. God’s name is mentioned to show that Paul has not done these things by himself. Here we see that God is so powerful that He even used handkerchiefs and aprons that Paul had touched to heal sick people and expel evil spirits! Yet, every time, we are reminded that it is God’s power that has done these things.

Another mistake we can make is thinking that if we just say some specific words or apply some formula, God will work. But this passage shows us differently. When a group of Jewish priests tried to apply the “formula” Paul was using to cast out an evil spirit, the spirit has an interesting response! Because these men did not truly know Jesus, they couldn’t work miracles simply by saying some words in a particular order. God used this display of his power to cause people who were practicing sorcery to turn to him, and they even burnt their valuable scrolls that would have been worth millions of euros or dollars in today’s money!

Through this, we see that it is knowing God that matters, not dramatic displays or ticking some religious boxes. God seeks a relationship with you. He wants to spend time with you. Our faith is about walking alongside our loving father

GO DEEP

Do you relate to the idea of feeling like you can just tick some boxes, or say the right words, to be living a good Christian life? How could you change things to start living out a real relationship with God, getting to know him better day by day?

BE BOLD

Take some steps this week to help yourself live more in relationship with Jesus. What can you do to make the Bible, God’s word, feel more real to you personally?

MEMORISE IT

“John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” – Acts 19:4