"The Courage of Conviction Motivates Others" (Acts 21:15-16)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/30/2018 10:14 AM

My Worship Time                                    Focus:  “The Courage of Conviction Motivates Others”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Acts 21:15-16

            Message of the verses:  “15 After these days we got ready and started on our way up to Jerusalem. 16 Some of the disciples from Caesarea also came with us, taking us to Mnason of Cyprus, a disciple of long standing with whom we were to lodge.”

            In our last SD we spoke of the many things that we will learn from the book of Acts that would not have been there if not for the courage of Paul going forth with his conviction, and as I wrote some of those things that would not have happened if he had refused to go to Jerusalem may thoughts were that I had never looked at in this way before.  Paul did not run from the compelling danger that lied before him, but ran into the danger because he knew that the Lord’s plan for him was to go into the danger that lied before him in Jerusalem.  Paul’s courage inspired others to join him as we see in these two verses, his courage was infective, inspiring others to go along. 

            In John MacArthur’s commentary he writes about a day, an awful day that happened during the Civil war.  On a September day in 1862 there were 6,000 men killed in one of the bloodiest days of American military history.  If you also combine the wounded you come up with the number 17,000 men.  James M. McPherson from his book entitled “Battle Cry of Freedom” wrote “The casualties at Antietam numbered four times the total suffered by American soldiers at the Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944.  More than twice as many Americans lost their lives in one day at Sharpsburg [Antietam] as fell in combat in the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Spanish-American wars combined. 

            MacArthur goes on to write more about this battle, but I think that you will get the point that I am trying to make, and that is that like the nameless soldiers, Paul had the courage not only to face the enemy himself but he also inspired others to do likewise. 

            The courage of conviction does motivate others as great leaders have inspired many people to go out into battles and fight the Lord’s battles.  We see this happened throughout the OT history portion with leaders like Moses, Joshua, and others like King David who inspired his armies to go into battle in order to conquer the lands that God had promised to Israel.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  It is my desire to stand up and fight the battles of the Lord if and when he calls me to do so.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Babylon” (2 Kings 25:1-4).

Today’s Bible question:  “Who was Martha’s sister?”

Answer in our next SD.  7/30/2018 10:54 AM