In Acts chapter 3, Peter and John, disciples of Jesus, healed a lame man in the name of Jesus Christ. As a result of this one person being healed 5,000 men came to believe in Jesus that day. Peter and John had done a good thing, the right thing, and then a bad thing happened to them. They were thrown in prison.
Hey listen to me sister, just because bad things are happening in your world right now doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path. The very troubles around you may very well be a sign that you are doing a darn good job. The enemy doesn’t attack things which are of no threat to him. So don’t you be discouraged. If God is on your side, who can be against you? Ask God to help you differentiate between problems which are the result of being on the wrong path, and problems which are the result of doing the right thing and now being under attack. These problems can appear the same so be sure you’re asking for wisdom. When in the middle of problems I simply pray, “God, if this is of my own doing, please show me a different way. If this is a result of doing the right thing, please give me courage to keep going.”
The disciples of Jesus spent a lot of time in prison. They were constantly under persecution for doing the right thing. God gave them courage to keep going. So here Peter and John are in prison after doing nothing more than healing a lame man and then helping lead 5,000 men to believe in Jesus in one day. That’s a sucky ending to a really good day. But God was still working!
The rulers questioned the disciples and in Acts 4:13 it says “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”
COURAGEOUS, ORDINARY people who had BEEN WITH JESUS
Let this be us.
Let us be known as courageous ordinary women just hanging out with Jesus.
Does God hang out in your house? Do you hang out with him in HIS house?
Something special happens when you hang out with someone long enough, you become like them.
I remember in high school I had a friend named Holly. Holly had the sweetest southern accent. After 1 week with her at camp, I came home talking like her. I also remember having a friend with a real potty mouth and one time I came home talking like her.
Whoever you are hanging out with IS influencing you. Look around – would you want to BE like the people you are with? Would you want marriages like they have? Would you want morals like they have? Would you want a life like theirs? THEY ARE INFLUENCING YOU. Be wise in your relationships. It’s been said you’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. They are rubbing off on you.
Let one of them be Jesus. Hang out with him. Let him rub off on you. Let his thoughts influence your thoughts. Let his words influence your words. Let his ways influence your ways.
I’m currently mentoring a sweet young woman in her early 20s. Her name is Haylee and she’s started hanging out with Jesus. She changed the music she’s listening to. She started studying her Bible. She listens to this devotional every day. She’s seeking God and his plan for her life. As a result, she is changing. Gosh, it’s a beautiful thing to witness. There are no magic formulas here, she’s just hanging out with Jesus. She’s seeking him. And as scripture promises, when we seek we will find.
Be that ordinary girl living boldly, just hanging out with Jesus. The more you hang out with him, the more he will transform your life. The more you hang out with him, the more like him you will become.
How do others know you? Do they know you as someone who hangs out with Jesus?
Me on my own I am no one special – Me with God, I can change the world. You on your own, you are no one special. You with God, you can change the world.
