devoted?

“They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:42

After Peter's sermon in Acts 2, 3,000 people gave their lives to the Lord Jesus. Immediately following, the Bible says that they were continually devoting themselves to teaching, communion, fellowship, and prayer. God overwhelmingly blessed and multiplied the early Church, and I am certain that it was due to those very things.

Christians today, however, seem to have a hard time with the words, “continually devoting.” We don't like to persist or persevere unless it's easy or convenient, and we're really good at giving up.

Think about it: How much time do we really spend in the Word, devoting ourselves to the teachings of the apostles? How often do people change churches to fit their own personal preferences? How many times have we gossiped, created divisions, or avoided fellowship because of a conflict with another member of the body of Christ? And are we continually devoted to remembering what Jesus did for us on the cross, or crying out in prayer to the God who loved us enough to send Him there? Without continual devotion to these things, we cannot accomplish very much.

Personally, I could be way more devoted to continual prayer. I often find myself placing priority on other things, and failing to pray for my brothers and sisters. I cannot expect to have strong fellowship if I'm not praying for others in the Body, nor a strong relationship with God unless I'm in constant communication with Him. Here at Potter's Field, I have to deliberately set aside time to be alone with God in all of the busy-ness of the Ranch. However, when I do, I never regret it.

There is extreme power in prayer, and our Father will act in that power. The question is, are we desperate enough to devote ourselves to these things, so that the hand of God will move among us?

2 Chronicles 16:9

“For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His...”

July 18, 2011