The Story

ByJim Stephens

Reading: Acts 19; Psalm 93 The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored. (Acts 19:17 NLT) During the two years Paul spent in Ephesus, God did powerful and extraordinary things through him. As Paul conducted a daily discipleship school, he also did miracles of healing and of setting people free from Satan’s control. The entire city was buzzing with stories of God’s power at work through Paul and in the lives of the believers. As people saw the consistency of Paul’s teaching combined with the power of his faith, they realized that God was in it and behind it all. What started as a news story about Paul and the supernatural turned into respect, reverence, and life-transforming faith in Jesus Christ.

Important Life-Lessons for me:
• It’s not either-or, it’s both-and. It’s not either preach it or live it. It’s both preach it and live it.
• People can move from curiosity about the message or the messenger to reverence and faith in Jesus. Keep it real and give it time.
• Getting people to say “Yes” to the message of Jesus isn’t the end of the project, it’s the beginning of a life-long journey of life-transforming faith. I want to live and talk in such a way that people will notice a difference in me and be curious about how and why I live as I do. I want this for me and for my family and for my church. I also want to match my life to my words in such a way that people’s interest in what they see will develop into life-transforming faith in Jesus Christ. Is that too much to hope for? Prayer: Father, Your constant current message to me in this season is “live it and tell it.” You’re speaking to me in so many ways about growing in a “both-and” rather than an “either-or” approach to my faith journey. Please make it a reality that what people see in me and my family will pique their interest and curiosity about what’s in and behind our difference. And let their curiosity develop into faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.

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