Tagged: Daily Reflection

“They even refused to believe that he was a disciple.” –Acts 9:26 Paul had been a notable sinner. By the grace of God, Paul became a new convert to Christianity. Many in the Jerusalem community couldn’t believe Paul’s conversion was sincere. “They even refused to believe that he was a disciple” (Acts 9:26). Paul was notorious for persecuting the Church. Understandably, the Christians didn’t trust Paul. They may have thought he was pretending to be a Christian so he could later arrest them (see Acts 26:10). Scripture cautions against too readily taking new believers at their word. When the new...

“Anything you ask Me in My name I will do.” –John 14:14 If we believe in Jesus, we will do greater works than He did because of the power of prayer which He has given us (Jn 14:12-13). Jesus promised: “Whatever you ask in My name I will do, so as to glorify the Father in the Son. Anything you ask Me in My name I will do” (Jn 14:13-14). If Jesus puts His name on our prayer, then the prayer is answered as we have requested. In other words, if we pray according to His will, not ours, what...

“We ourselves announce to you the good news that what God promised our fathers He has fulfilled for us, their children, in raising up Jesus, according to what is written in the second psalm, ‘You are My Son; this day I have begotten You.’ ” –Acts 13:32-33 Paul preached that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead was referred to in “the second psalm, ‘You are My Son; this day I have begotten You’ ” (Acts 13:33; see Ps 2:7). Paul implied that Jesus’ resurrection was a new birth in which Jesus was designated as the eternal Son of God (see Rm...

“When it takes place you may believe that I AM.” –John 13:19 Jesus foretold that one of His apostles would betray Him so that, when it took place, the apostles would believe that Jesus was the I AM, that is, God (see Ex 3:14). Even in front of a hostile crowd, Jesus said: “I solemnly declare it: before Abraham came to be, I AM” (Jn 8:58). Jesus also promised that, after He was lifted up on the cross, many would realize that He was the I AM (Jn 8:28). Those who do not believe this will surely die in their...

“They proclaimed the word of God.” –Acts 13:5 Because we love God’s Word, we are thrilled that “the word of the Lord continued to spread and increase” (Acts 12:24; see also Acts 6:7; 19:20). Because God’s Word is sweeter than honey (see Ps 119:103), we devour it. It becomes the joy and the happiness of our hearts (Jer 15:16). Because God’s Word is “more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces” (Ps 119:72), we are willing to leave anything, go anywhere, and risk everything to proclaim the gospel. Because God’s Word will judge us on the last day (Jn...