Mon., 1/14/19 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 sweet things to note here (above) is that Christ’s churched disci-ples 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 the church’s pastors and elders.

What do we learn from this? That the gospel preached "makes" disciples; and that they cannot continue to persevere on their own. They need the continu-ing gospel 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 Devic-es"]