The scripture for today, August 4 (8/4), is Acts 8:4 as found in the New Testament of the Bible:

“Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.”

Sometimes our plans get scattered, our dreams shattered. We lose our home, our job, our chance at an education, our savings, our family.

Satan loves to discourage us. He’s good at it. But Romans 8:28 says that God can make something good come out of all things ~ good or bad.

What about you? What if, for instance, you lose your home or job or worse? Will it make you bitter?

 It apparently did not make the early Christians bitter. How could that be? They had been forced out of jobs, out of homes, out of their country. Some Christian friends had been killed before they could escape.

There was something about them.  Something different. They counted it joy to be considered worthy of suffering for Christ. (James 1:2) They did not slink around or hide so it wouldn’t happen again. They rose up out of the ashes. They rose up and declared they had an eternal home no one could snatch from them.

How about you? If you lost everything, would you keep your joy or turn bitter?  What if that loss was because of Jesus? Would you turn right around and declare him again anyway? Really and truly, would you?

What stuff is your Christianity made of? Getting up in front of a congregation and expounding or performing, or being on committees? Or is it teaching one on one how to be saved? Where are your priorities? What part of Christianity brings the kind of joy that keeps on going, even in the ashes?

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