Project 119: Acts 11:19-30
| Project 119 | Mary Splawn
This week, each devotional will be a prayer that incorporates truths about God’s character and love that we see displayed in Scripture. This prayer is based on Acts 11:19-30.
Heavenly Father, As we think back on the persecution of believers in the first century, we are reminded to pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who suffer persecution today. As they seek to share the good news with those around them, give them boldness, protection, and endurance. Please provide them access to Your Holy Word and if they have been rejected by family and friends, please give them new Christian “family” to support and encourage them. In light of Your generosity to us, help us to give freely of our gifts to help them, remembering the words of our Lord Jesus who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
Even though we may not be persecuted for our faith, we do identify with suffering. Sometimes, we cannot understand why You allow persecution and suffering in the lives of Your children, but we do cling to Your promises that You will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Give us fortified faith in suffering that trusts in Your goodness and Your power, even if it isn’t displayed in the ways we see fit. Encourage our hearts with the example from Scripture today where we see that, in light of the persecution, the gospel was spread and a great number of people believed.
When we cannot see the bigger picture, help us to trust in You as our strong tower, our righteous Father, and our constant Friend. Root in our lives the evidence of Your grace, so that we might be full of the Holy Spirit and of faith and follow in the footsteps of Christ, our namesake as Christians. Amen.
For more on how to pray for and support the persecuted church, visit The Voice of the Martyrs website (www.persecution.com or www.icommittopray.com) and reference the article “How to Pray for the Persecuted Church” (www.cru.org/us/en/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/prayer/pray-for-persecuted-church.html).
Acts 11:19-30 (ESV):
19 Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. 20 But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. 21 And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.22 The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, 24 for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.25 So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
27 Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch.28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). 29 So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.30 And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.