Devotions

“Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number . . .” (Acts 6:1, ESV).

Let me just set the tone, the background for this passage of Scripture. It was in the very early days of the Church, probably just weeks or, at most, a few months after Pentecost, and the Church had seen explosive growth. Three thousand people had been saved in one day! They began to meet in homes and not only Jews but Gentiles were being saved. Also Samaritans and Ethiopians were becoming believers, so various cultures came together, cultures that were not used to being together at all. 

As a matter of fact, these new believers were very racially segregated and they did not like one another. They had persecuted one another, defamed one another, and now all of a sudden they found themselves flung together in the very same Body of Christ — saved, sanctified, filled with God’s Holy Spirit — working together. And it was going quite well. 

It was so strange. At Pentecost not only did people hear others speaking in their own language but now they were seeing people not of their own race, of their own gender, of their own nationality, of their own backgrounds, worshiping together, serving together, loving one another. This kind of love, Jesus said, is “the kind of love that will make the world know that you are My disciples. And this is the kind of love that will cause people to believe in Me.”

When we are doing the thing that we are called to do — reaching out to the lost — and doing it with this kind of love, serving one another with this kind of need-meeting mentality, then the world is going to be drawn and attracted to Him.

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35, ESV).

Today I am still a broken little boy inside and God is still my Father. Everywhere I go, I look to Him to walk beside me, hold my hand, lead me. When I stumble and fall, He reaches down and picks me up. He dusts off my clothes, kisses the hurt, and then continues with me down the road.

When I do something right, I see Him smiling, clapping, showing His support. When I do something wrong, He scolds and disciplines. When I get tired and weary, He holds me up, beckoning me forward and encouraging me not to give up. When I’m frightened, He takes my hand. When I’m sad, He kisses my heart.

I look to Jesus for help and guidance in everything I do, and He has never failed me. He has always been there when I needed Him.

This loving relationship I have with my Father is one that began more than fifty years ago. It hasn’t always been easy. At times I’ve pulled away from Him, tried to go my own way, even rebelled, but He has always been there to receive me with His arms outstretched, waiting for me to turn back to Him. His faithfulness has never waned — He’s the perfect friend and Father. My faithfulness to Him, however, was a quality I had to learn, one that I’m still working on every day. It’s a lifelong process.

When I first gave my heart to Jesus, I had no idea where this newfound faith would take me. I was scared and alone, wondering how He would rescue me from the people and things of my past, the gangs and drugs that held me captive. I didn’t know how to be His child, but He showed me, mentored me along the way. But throughout those years I witnessed firsthand what can happen when we allow God’s Spirit to be loosed within and among us, when we tap into His glory and allow Him to work and move and minister through us.

Nicky Cruz, internationally known evangelist and prolific author, turned to Jesus Christ from a life of violence and crime after meeting David Wilkerson in New York City in 1958. The story of his dramatic conversion was told first in The Cross and the Switchblade by David Wilkerson and then later in his own best-selling book Run, Baby, Run.

For years, people were accustomed to hearing me preach repentance and holiness. But they began to question me when my messages started to focus more on mercy, reconciliation and hope. There is a simple explanation for this.

When I traveled as an evangelist, I didn’t have an opportunity to get to know the people I preached to. I was never in one place long enough to discover all the hurts, needs and burdens of God’s people. As a pastor at Times Square Church, I’ve heard firsthand of all the troubles and trials endured by those in the congregation, as well as in churches around the world.

Beloved, I have discovered that God’s people are hurting deeply. They are being tempted and tried and tossed about by great adversities and needs. The problems in families are overwhelming. Many sheep are groaning in misery and pain — hurting, thirsty, spiritually crippled, living from crisis to crisis.

God has made it clear that I cannot take a club to His sheep. Instead, tender mercy is needed. Even the fiery prophet Jeremiah cried, “O Lord, correct me, but with justice; not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing” (Jeremiah 10:24). Jeremiah was saying, “Lord, be tender with me, because I am in no condition to hear anger or wrath, or I’ll be reduced to nothing.”

God will never use His Word to reduce you to nothing when you are hurting. All He asks of His people is a repentant, broken spirit. He responds with mercy to our crying need.

Rest in His mercy and love, for He pities His children. 

The Spirit has been making it clear to me that all my praying is totally in vain unless I pray in faith. I can weep, fast, intercede, agonize and travail in prayer, yet make no impact with the Lord at all — unless I am doing it all with simple, childlike faith.

The Word says, “Let not that man [the doubter] suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:7).

The Lord commands us to trust Him. Yet, often we have so little confidence in Him, so little faith in His willingness and desire to answer our heart-cry. When we get to heaven, we will be amazed to discover all the blessings, peace and power we had at our disposal but did not appropriate because of our weak faith.

I challenge you to increase your faith. Ask the Lord to flood your soul with confidence in His willingness to over-answer your sincere prayers.

Do you want an increase in faith? When you go to prayer again, use the following Scriptures to reason with the Lord. He will not deny His own Word.

• “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him” (Psalm 62:8).
• “He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler” (Psalm 91:4).
• “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You” (Psalm 56:3).
• “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him” (Proverbs 30:5).
• “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me . . . and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

Hold on by faith! He will answer you.

I recommend you take the time to read the powerful words of Psalms 142 and 143 to encourage your faith. As I was reading them, I wondered what David was going through when he said, “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path” (142:3). He repeats this in 143:4: “My spirit is overwhelmed with me; my heart within me is distressed.” David is actually saying to God, “I am drowning in trouble. I am under attack by my enemies. It is bringing me low.” He cried to the Lord, “Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low . . . Bring my soul out of prison” (142:6-7).

Beloved, these words are written for our sake, for our instruction. Here is encouragement for all of God’s people who are overwhelmed by troubles and afflictions.

The truth is, most of us live in a world where life can be absolutely overwhelming at times. Like David, we face a flood of troubles; we are afflicted even in our righteousness.

It is in our overwhelming times we learn to seek God and learn to cry out in our pain. David said, “I pour out my complaint before Him; I declare before Him my trouble” (142:2). “In Your faithfulness answer me” (143:1). Are you even now overwhelmed by circumstances in your life? Do what David did:

“I spread out my hands to You; my soul longs for You like a thirsty land” (143:6).

Be encouraged. God has everything under control! He will meet your need right on time.