Fall Creek

"Feed Your Faith" A Daily Devotional From Fall Creek
Acts
Chapter 6:7
The Increasing Word of God
"And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith."
God continued to bless the preaching of the gospel. It is interesting that when the word of God increased the number of disciples increased as well. There is one sure and only way to make disciples of Christ and that is through the preaching of God's word. We observe the power of the Holy Spirit in the building of the church when the word is preached. God will only bless and honor the preaching of His word. His word alone is used to call people out of the world of sin into the church of Christ and kingdom of God. There is no other way the church of Christ will increase genuinely. There are those who try to build the church on the charisma of the pastor or use marketing schemes to attract crowds. These tactics may build attendance but fall short of being used of Christ in building His church. Christ is building His church His way. He explicitly commanded His disciples to preach His truth; to preach His gospel; to preach His word, without which the church cannot increase. We are reminded of the promise of success God gave in preaching His word through Isaiah the prophet, "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it"( Isaiah 55:10,11). God promised that His word brings good results just as the rain and snow bring good results when the earth is watered and produces what is needed for life. When the word of God increases it will be used of the Holy Spirit to produce life in those whom the Holy Spirit quickens and draws to faith in Christ. We are promised success in the preaching of the word of God. He has called us to carry His word to the world and He will give the increase in growing His church and kingdom. If we desire for the church to grow, we must focus on increasing God's word.
Have a grace day!
Pastor Tommy Haynes

"Feed Your Faith" A Daily Devotional From Fall Creek
Acts
Chapter 3: 12,13
Giving God Glory
"And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go."
We find Jesus doing exactly what He said He would do after He ascended into heaven. He sat down at the right hand of God and as the head of His church. He was actively involved in the ministry of the apostles. Peter and John met a lame man as they were on their way to the temple. This man who had been lame from birth began to beg for alms. When Peter and John approached the lame man Peter said to him, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." The lame man received strength in his ankles and legs and walked into the temple with Peter and John where he praised God with them. When the people in the temple saw the man they knew to be lame walking and worshiping God they wondered what had happened. Peter takes the opportunity to preach the gospel of Christ to all those wondering about what had happened to the lame man that enabled him to walk. Peter points to the fact that he and John had nothing to do with what had happened. He states that the man was not healed by, "by our own power or holiness." Peter glorifies God and gives Him the credit for the healing of the lame man. Peter also makes it known that the lame man was healed because "the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus." God was glorifying His Son in healing the lame man as well as authenticating His apostles for the ministry of Christ in building His church in the world. Christ is still using His church in the world today to preach the good news of the gospel for the saving of sinners. We should learn the lesson given to us by Peter and John, which is the fact that we are only God's instruments in this world bringing glory to the Father and Son in our service for them. We may experience the good results of the gospel, but God deserves the glory.
Have a grace day!
Pastor Tommy Haynes