Spiralling Up Into God

Acts 8:1-4 NIV
And Saul approved of their killing him.
On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 

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DEVOTION

What is it that God wants most out of us? He wants our devotion and our eyes turned on Him, worshipping and seeking out His will, always. What is God’s will? To have His gospel spread starting first with us in a close, personal relationship with Him, then taking what we are learning and sharing it with others who are in need of encouragement, weak in their walk with Him or those who do not know Him at all. How does God accomplish this? Most often He uses persecution to accomplish this task, something to shake us out of our cosy seat.

PURSUE

If our lives were always smooth sailing would we ever pursue God and tell others about Him? I don’t think I would have. I mean, I knew Jesus from a young age but I surly didn’t pursue Him or speak freely about Him. I was quite comfy where I was in my relationship with Him but He knows better than I and saw that my relationship with Him was very shallow and almost meaningless. It was when I was in trouble or having problems that I searched Him out. Sometimes I would just cry out for Him to help, and other times I would diligently seek His face by searching Scripture trying to see what His plan was. The more I knew about Him and centered my life around Him, the freer I talked about Him because, well, He was almost always on my mind.

SPIRAL UP

The more trials I face the deeper into God and His word I dive and the deeper I dive into God's Word the more persecution I would face. Almost like a spiral up into God resulting in the freer I am in talking about Him as my life centres around His Word. I believe this is God’s plan to allow persecution in order for His Gospel to be spread and Himself to be found by believers and non believers alike. Persecution of the flesh through sickness, terror, spiritual warfare or any other calamity will knock us out of complacency and into living a life spreading His Word.

SPREAD THE GOSPEL

When trouble comes your way look to Jesus, seek His face and spread His word. Give glory to God for His plans are always good. Trouble and pain may be coming your way because God loves you and wants you to seek Him. He wants you to get out of your cosy routine life and spread His Word.

Blessings,
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