Student Devotion Week 45: Every Opportunity: Paul Preaches in Prison

Key Verse: Acts 28:28, "Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!"

God uses us in amazing ways, and many times we don't even see it coming. A few years ago I was preaching at a summer camp on a college campus. One night I went backstage to help counsel the students who responded to the invitation to become Christians. But I stopped in the restroom on way. As I entered the bathroom, a young guy followed me. After a few awkward pleasantries, he said, "I've never really been saved before." He told me this in the bathroom. (I definitely didn't see that one coming!) So, after we walked out of the restroom, I had the privilege of introducing him to Christ.

When we left Paul last week, he was just getting to Rome. In Acts 28 we find out that, just as before, Paul was going to be in jail for a long time. For some people this would've been a huge letdown. But for Paul? No problem. He didn't allow pesky details like imprisonment keep him from faithfully sharing the gospel every day.

Opportunities to serve and share Christ are everywhere. The trick is learning to see them. Once we realize that we can literally serve Christ 24/7, things get interesting. This week we're going to try to follow Paul's lead and learn how to take advantage of every opportunity we find to serve Christ.

Student Devotion Week 44: An Indirect Path: Paul Sails For Rome

Key Verse: Acts 27:43, "But the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land."

Carnivals are fun. As a kid I looked forward to going to the carnival every year because I'd get to ride the Scrambler. Have you ever ridden the Scrambler? It flings you left and right, back and forth, all while moving in a huge circle. It was fun... unless you'd eaten a funnel cake right before you got on.

Often our Christian journey resembles the Scrambler. You expect it to be a calm journey that moves predictably from one stage to the next. But what you actually get is a sudden move to the left, then to the right, then forward, then backward.

In Acts 27:27-28:6 Paul went through a journey sort of like this. Amazingly, he endures a huge storm, a shipwreck, and a snake attack. Paul thought Rome would be his big obstacle, only to find that his journey to get there would be just as eventful. But God was in control, and God is in control even when we can't discern the reasons for our trouble. Our job is to stick close to God, hold on tight, and trust him even though we don't always understand where we're going.

Through it all, we can serve Christ along the way. So get ready, your Christian journey might be a lot more exciting than you thought. Oh, and you might want to skip that funnel cake.

Student Devotion Week 43: Testimony in Chains: Paul's Arrest

Key Verse: Acts 26:29, "Paul replied, 'Short time or long-I pray God that not only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains."

Joni Eareckson Tada has on e of those stories that just amazes. After a diving accident left her a quadriplegic at age 17, Joni found herself facing a life much different than the one she thought she was going to live. Yet her disability wasn't strong enough to keep her from serving Christ. She's written more than 30 books and traveled to more than 40 countries. She's also a sought-after speaker, as well as an advocate for the disabled. It probably wasn't the life Joni had in mind when she was a teenager, but her ministry has reached millions.

When we find ourselves in difficult circumstances that force us to change our plans, we have two choices. We can either choose to give up, or we can choose to continue to serve Christ-no matter what.

When faced with a particularly difficult time, the apostle Paul chose to serve Christ. In Acts 24 through 26, we find the story of Paul's imprisonment and trails. Paul could have given up at any point-he faced some pretty tough circumstances. But he stayed true to his calling and continued to preach the message of Jesus Christ. Paul couldn't see the future, but he knew God had plans for him-even in jail. How would you have responded?

This week we're going to face on of the hardest questions of life: How do we serve God when things don't go our way?

Student Devotion Week 42: Equipping For Ministry: Letter To The Ephesians (Part 2 of 2)

Ephesians 4:15, "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ."

I didn't enjoy a particular high school English class. My teacher always made me revise my essays. She was never satisfied with my first tries, and she rarely gave out compliments. Ugh! I don't even like thinking about it. But looking back years later, I now have to say that it was probably one of the best teachers I ever had. Why? Because she actually challenged me to learn something-and I did. In fact, I learned a lot.

Teachers aren't there to be our buddies but to make sure we learn things we may not even want to learn. Without them, we'd never become the people God wants us to be.

Still writing from prison, Paul tried to help the Ephesians understand the different kinds of leadership in the church. He was helping them see that certain people were called to teach them and to lead them. If they were going to grow in faith, then they'd have to follow these people and work toward growing as Christians.

We tend to view learning from our church leaders in the same way I viewed learning from my English teacher: "Do I have to do this?" How many sermons have we dutifully sat through without actually learning anything? But if we submit to doing the work, then we'll find we can accomplish more than before. This week we're going to look at how our pastors and teachers help equip us for life.