Obedient

DEVOTION

THE BOOK OF ACTS

OBEDIENT

Acts 6:7

7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

NIV

This most likely should have been included in the previous section about the twelve devoting themselves to prayer and the ministry of the word, while the seven were making sure all the widows were included in the daily distribution of the food. The point was they were all working together, being the body of Christ, overcoming a situation which could have escalated which could have divided them and possibly destroyed the whole assembly. However due to their being led by the Holy Spirit resolving the situation the word of God spread and many more, even a large number of the priests became obedient to the faith. This might well be our life lesson. Not that we should become obedient to the faith, although that may be the point as well, but that we should be so willing to resolve all situations that have divided us into so many camps which is the reason we are not seeing the number of believers increase rapidly. It is quite possible that within most churches we have so much politics going on, so much dissatisfaction about so many things happening in the church and so much internal conflict, the word of God is not spreading as it should. Perhaps that is also occurring within our own being as well. Maybe we have internal struggles, conflicts that keep us from spreading the word. We have to return to the point of being full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, both as individuals and as a member of the body of Christ in our local church. It is this obedience to the faith, to the word of God, to the Holy Spirit which allows all conflicts to be resolved, conflicts within, conflicts in our marriages, conflicts within our churches. Once we can get to the point of being full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, both as individuals and as a church, we will see large numbers becoming obedient to the faith and we will see it happen rapidly. Conflict comes from Satan, but God brings a unity in the Spirit, if we will only allow him to have full access to our lives. In this passage we see the results of men allowing the Spirit full access, let us resolve to see those kinds of results, and let us start with us by being obedient.