Mon., 1/14/13 Devotion (Acts 14:21)

Today's encouragement comes from Acts 14:21, where we read these words:

"And when they [Paul and Barnabas] had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch . . . "

One of the neat things to note here (above) is that disciples are, like Instant Oatmeal, "ready-made." The simple preaching of the gospel "made" disciples (even as this verse teaches). These new believers were then placed into the church (two verses later, in v. 23); and they began to be built up in their faith, under the watchful eye of church elders.

What do we learn from this? That the gospel preached "makes" dis-ciples; and that they cannot continue to persevere on their own--they need the ministry of the church.

[Puritan quote of the day: "There may be true faith where there is much doubting." --Thomas Brooks, in, "Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices"]