October 16, 2010 You Can't & You Can

October 16
You Can’t & You Can
Read Acts 28

Acts 28:24 Some believed and some didn’t.

THE FINAL account of the “Acts of the Apostles” has Paul teaching the Gospel to the Jews in Rome. Here is one of the greatest Gospel teachers in history. The Spirit of God has used him to physically and spiritually heal hundreds of people. Paul has started churches around Asia Minor. He has done magnificent work for God.
Yet not all believe his teaching.
I point this out to actually encourage you. As we determine what it is to be a faithful Christ follower, we must understand that there are things we can control and things we can’t.
The thing we can control is our own heart to obey God as fully as we can. We can control our heart with a devotion to God in reading his Word, confession of our sins, learning from others, and helping to build the community of Christ with the spiritual gifts he has given to us.
But we can’t control others’ hearts. Their response is not in our power. Your speaking is how you respond to the Gospel. Their hearing is their response to the Gospel.
Thus, do not feel you have failed if people do not listen. This happened even to Paul—most of the time. You succeed when, in God’s view, you share the Gospel with your words and your actions.
That’s what Paul did in the Power of the Spirit. And you can do the same.


Pause and Consider: what you can control and what you can’t. On what will you focus?