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Daily Devotions

Acts 13-28: Turning Point

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

The Book of Acts records the events that made the gospel burst out of its confines in Judaism and the city of Jerusalem to reach out to the limits of the then-known world -- all in just one generation's time.

  1:  The Strategy of the Spirit Acts 13:1-13
  2:  The Radical Word of Justification Acts 13:32-39
  3:  The Power of Obedience Acts 14:1-10
  4:  Preaching to Non-Religious People Acts 14:11-28
  5:  Betraying the Gospel Acts 15:1-21
  6:  A Sharp Disagreement Acts 15:22-41
  7:  The Underlying Principle Acts 16:1-9
  8:  A Heart is Opened Acts 16:11-24
  9:  Rejoicing in Suffering Acts 16:25-40
10: More Noble Acts 17:1-15
11: Confronting Idolatry Acts 17:16-34
12: Encouragement from the Lord Acts 18:1-22
13: Halfway Christians Acts 18:23-19:7
14: Off Witchcraft! Acts 19:8-20
15: Christianity is Dangerous Acts 19:21-20:1
16: Fallen Asleep Acts 20:2-12
17: The Main Thing Acts 20:13-38
18: Paul's Mistake Acts 21:1-16
19: Freedom in Christ Acts 21:17-26
20: Struck Down, But Not Destroyed Acts 21:27-40
21: To Know His Will Acts 22:1-29
22: When the Flesh Rules Acts 23:1-5
23: Restoration! Acts 23:6-35
24: Discipline of Delay Acts 24:1-23
25: The Judgment to Come Acts 24:24-27
26: By Faith In Me Acts 25:1-26:23
27: That You May Become What I Am Acts 26:24-32
28: Secret Strength Acts 27:1-26
29: Safe on the Shore Acts 27:27-44
30: To the Jew First Acts 28:1-28
31: The End of the Beginning Acts 28:30-31

A devotion introduction for July

The thirteenth chapter is a turning point in the book of Acts. It is what Winston Churchill would have called one of the hinges of history. It marks the beginning of the third phase of our Lord's great commission. In the opening chapter of this book, before he ascended into the heavens, he said to his disciples, You shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you, and you will be witnesses of me... (Acts 1:8a RSV). Then he outlined geographically how that witness should proceed, beginning in Jerusalem, then in Judea and Samaria, and finally unto the uttermost parts of the earth. In Chapter 13 we meet the beginning of the last phase, the going unto the uttermost parts of the earth. It is also the beginning of the apostleship of Paul. Up to this time, though he was called to be an apostle when he was first converted on the Damascus road, he has never acted as an apostle. Now, some eleven or twelve years after his conversion, he begins to fulfill the ministry to which he was called as an apostle of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the most important thing about this section is that here is found a revelation of the manner of the leading of the Spirit, how the Spirit of God guides his people.