Our Daily Bread 21 July 2024 Devotion: The Winning Goal
Our Daily Bread 21 July 2024 Devotion: The Winning Goal
READ TODAY’S OUR DAILY BREAD MINISTRIES DAILY DEVOTIONAL
Today’s Topic: The Winning Goal
Bible in a Year: Psalms 29-30; Acts 23:1-15
Bible Verse: A great number of people were brought to the Lord. – Acts 11:24
Today’s Scripture: Acts 11:19-30
Insight: One advantage of the persecution the early believers in Jesus faced in Jerusalem and Judea was that they dispersed to other regions “spreading the word” as they went (Acts 11:19). The Jewish believers witnessed only to other Jews (v. 19), but some believers in Christ from Cyrene and Cypress “began to speak to Greeks also” (v. 20). Luke, who wrote the Acts account, tells us that “the Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord” (v. 21). The attempt at stamping out Christianity served only to spread it. By: Tim Gustafson
Our Daily Bread 21 July 2024 Devotional Message:
On February 5, 2023, Christian Atsu kicked the winning goal for his football (soccer) team in a match in Turkey. A star international player, he learned to play the sport as a kid running barefoot in his home country of Ghana. Christian was a believer in Christ: “Jesus is the best thing that ever happened in my life,” he said. Atsu posted Bible verses on social media, was outspoken about his faith, and put it into action by helping finance a school for orphans.
The day after his winning goal, a devastating earthquake shook the city of Antakya, once the biblical city of Antioch. Christian Atsu’s apartment building collapsed, and he went to be with his Savior.
Two thousand years ago, Antioch was the fountainhead of the early church: “the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch” (Acts 11:26). One apostle, Barnabas, said to be “a good man, full of the Holy Spirit” (v. 24), was instrumental in bringing people to Christ: “a great number of people were brought to the Lord” (v. 24).
We look to the life of Christian Atsu not to idolize him but to see in his example an opportunity. Whatever our circumstance in life, we don’t know when God will take us to be with Him. We do well to ask ourselves how we can be a Barnabas or a Christian Atsu in showing others the love of Christ. That, above all, is the winning goal. By: Kenneth Petersen
Reflect & Pray
What does it mean to be a Barnabas to others? What opportunities do you have to talk about Jesus?
Dear God, I pray that You’ll give me opportunities to share my faith.
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