Author: Nathaniel Colt

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Read: Acts 4:12–21

Standing before the council, Peter and John spoke boldly about who Jesus was. The leaders had asked what happened (Acts 3:1–8), but they were amazed by the boldness of Peter and John. They knew that Peter and John were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They recognized that Peter and John had spent time as Jesus’ disciples.

Even more amazing, the healed man was standing right in front of them. Since they couldn’t argue with the evidence, they let Peter and John go and told them never to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. This was a moment of decision for Peter and John. They chose to stand up for Jesus. They refused to stop telling people about Jesus. Everyone praised God for what He had done through these two committed disciples who took a stand for Jesus.

The Jewish leaders could tell that Peter and John were committed to Jesus. They stood boldly and spoke powerfully about Jesus. We can too! Our testimony about what Jesus has done for us declares that Jesus is our Savior. We show our love for Him when we are faithful in going to church and reading our Bible. Like Peter and John, when we boldly tell others about Jesus, our life draws others to Jesus and the good news He brings.

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Read: Joshua 24:14–18

The Jewish people had made it to the Promised Land. God had provided for them and helped them to win battles time and again. Now it was time to live in the land that God had promised. So, Joshua called together the people to remember their promise to the Lord. God had brought them from slavery, through the wilderness, and into the Promised Land. Would they continue to serve Him? Joshua boldly declared, “As for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” The people shouted back that they would too. This moment was a commitment for each family and their future children They chose to follow God alone. Their words were a promise that they would be strong and follow God.

What about you and your family? You may go to church, pray, and read your Bible together. You may even talk about what God is doing for you or how to serve Him best. But, have you declared your trust in God as a family? Our words have power. When we decide to declare that we will serve the Lord as a family, this shows where we stand. We won’t turn this way or that, but we will serve God no matter what. It is our reminder of what we will do when serving God—going to church, praying as a family, or reading the Bible—gets difficult. Let’s declare our decision today, that we will serve the Lord.

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Read: 1 Kings 3:3–14; 11:9–13

Solomon was King David’s son and a great king of Israel. At the beginning of his reign, he didn’t ask God for wealth or possessions. Instead, he asked for wisdom to rule God’s people. Because of this, God blessed him abundantly. He had wealth and riches. He built the temple of the Lord and a beautiful, majestic palace. People came from far and wide to hear his wisdom. He sacrificed to the Lord and dedicated the temple to God. Solomon had absolutely everything, and it all came from God. While Solomon started strong, he did not finish well. He sacrificed to the gods of his wives. God had warned him against this, but Solomon disobeyed. The entire kingdom felt the effects of this leader’s disobedience.

Why did Solomon let his heart turn away from God? Solomon turned away from God because of the daily choices that he made. One little bad choice probably didn’t seem like a big deal, especially when he had done so many great things. But one little choice can lead to another and another. And eventually, they can lead away from God. While bad decisions can lead us away, good decisions made each day help us to stand firm. Reading our Bible, praying, worshipping, giving, and serving are all excellent choices. Also, standing on God’s promises, telling Jesus how much we love Him, and making space for Him to work in our life keeps us strong in faith. The daily choices we make to follow Jesus will keep us strong all of our life.

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Read: Luke 23:44–48

Jesus’ final moments show us His strength to follow God’s plan. The sky was dark. He was in terrible pain. He could have chosen to get angry at God because of His suffering. He could have refused to be sacrificed. Instead, Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” In the face of pain and suffering, Jesus was strong and obeyed God until the end. Through this key moment in Jesus’ life, His mission on earth was complete, and our salvation was paid for.

When we follow God, there will be times when voices may tell us to give up. But our finishing moment completes the work that we have done for the Lord. Ending well is the most crucial part of our faith journey. The crowd may tell us to quit, or that living for Jesus isn’t worth it. We may even be tempted to live for ourself and our desires only. But we must stay strong and obey God as Jesus did.

So don’t stop praying for friend who needs Jesus. Don’t give up when you are witnessing to a friend. Keep doing the good work even when it is hard. When we follow God until the end, people will truly see Jesus in our life.

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Read: Luke 23:13–25

Pilate had a hard choice to make. Should he send Jesus to die or should he let Him live? Several times, Pilate told the religious leaders that he thought Jesus was innocent. The priests and the crowd kept fighting back. Rather than being strong and following through on what he knew to be true, Pilate at first refused to make a decision. He sent Jesus to Herod Antipas, who mocked and ridiculed Jesus. When Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate, he listened to the Jewish leaders and the crowd. He finally gave in and sent Jesus to be crucified. Pilate knew the truth, but he was more concerned about what the crowd wanted.

Who is the “crowd” in your life? Many people will try to pressure you into believing the way they do. They may seem nice or even right. But is what they’re saying the truth? God’s Word can help us stand firm against the crowd. We can’t just use our feelings to make our stand. Our heart and mind must know and love the truth in God’s Word and then stand on our faith. When the crowd is loud, let God’s voice be louder so we can stand strong and follow Him.

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Read: John 12:23–28

The way a seed grows into what it can become is by going into the ground and dying. Any seed that sits in a packet or on the pavement will never fully grow. Jesus gave this example to His followers to describe what He was about to do. His death was about to be the ultimate sacrifice that would bring life to everyone who trusts in Him. How was He able to do this? Jesus was willing to let go of His own life for the sake of others. Jesus was committed to the will of God the Father, so it didn’t matter what came His way. Jesus was willing to make whatever sacrifice He needed to. He did it because He loves all people and wants everyone to have a relationship with God.

Some followers of Jesus will make the ultimate sacrifice and lose their life for Jesus. Even if we don’t do that, we will face problems and hard times that will test our faith. We can stand firm and grow through these trials when we are deeply rooted in Jesus. Challenges in life can help us to grow closer to God. In every problem we have, we can help others come to know Jesus. Next time you have a problem, let this be your prayer—God, let this problem help me grow closer to You and help others know You too.

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Read: John 15:1–10

Jesus told His disciples how to be fruitful in the world. The answer was simple—remain in Him. Jesus gave the example of a vine and branches. The vine is the source of water, nutrition, and support for the branches. A branch quickly dies when it is cut and not connected to the vine. We will be fruitful when we remain in God and Jesus remains in us.

Jesus also said that those who remain in Him could ask for whatever they wanted, and He would give it to them. When we stay in Jesus, His desires become ours. Our desires will be for the Kingdom and the spiritual harvest. Jesus will provide everything we need when we grow deep and remain connected to Him. Fruit will become a natural part of our life because that is what branches connected to the vine create.

You grow deeper in God when you remain in Him. How do you know when you are abiding in God? You will see fruit. People will come to Jesus. You will get to share the gospel, and your testimony will help others grow in their faith. You know that you remain in Jesus when you desire more of Him and to do His will. Your heart will love God more and more. You will want to go to church and read God’s Word. Take a look at your life. Do you see that you are remaining in the “vine”? Even if you only see a little bit, remember that God will continue to grow deeper in you when you take steps to remain in Him.

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Read: Mark 4:13–20

In the Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed, Jesus talked about the seed on the path and the seed on rocky soil. He also spoke about another type of soil. But, two different things happened with the plants that grew. The soil allowed growth, and the roots could go deep. But when the first set of plants grew, the thorns choked them out. The second set grew an abundant harvest. Remember, the soil represents people, and the seed represents the Word of God. The thorns are the worries of life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things. The seed grew, but the plants didn’t last. The Word of God growing in the life of a Christian will cause lasting change in the person and in the world around them. So, how do we produce fruit?

In every Christian’s life, there are temptations to let worldly things choke out what God is doing in us. But, if we allow God to work in these things, an abundant harvest can happen. Thorns can grow anywhere in our life. What do we do when they come? We pull them up. Sometimes, we get worried about our life and our future. When this happens, we should remind ourself of God’s promises. The thorn of worry gets pulled up. Sometimes, we think too much about making money or storing our treasures on earth. We have to remind ourself that this world isn’t our home when this happens. Then the thorn of wealth gets plucked out. Other times, we want what the world wants instead of what God wants for our life. When this happens, we need to come to Jesus. When we do, we don’t let the thorns choke out God’s work, and our life will produce great fruit for God.

Read about It

Read: Mark 4:1–9, 14

What does it mean to be “deeply rooted”? Jesus told the parable of a farmer scattering seeds. The seed in the story was the powerful Word of God. But, good seed can’t grow if there isn’t good soil.

A deeply rooted person allows God to work in their life. They stay tender and teachable to what God wants to teach them. When this happens, God’s Word gets rooted into their life and helps them grow. When soil is shallow, roots can’t grow deep. So, how do we prepare the “soil” of our heart to allow the roots to grow deeper? One way is by spending time with God and worshipping Him. Time spent in prayer, worship, trust, and obedience keeps our heart tender to God. When we listen to and read the Word of God, we learn its message. This gives God’s message an opportunity to take root in our life. The Word of God changes us. Let’s have ears to hear and a heart to love God so we can allow His work to be done in our life.