Daily Devotional

God knows how to write straight on crooked lines. The selection of deacons stemmed from the crisis that ensued over food. What the devil thought would bring an end to the church became an opportunity to discover great talents that would eventually succeed the apostles. St. Augustine says, “God will never allow His children to suffer unless it is because He wants to bring something good out of it.” If God permits a crisis in your life, know that He is planning something big.

Every great tree starts with a seed. When you hold the seed in your hand, it takes faith to see the tree. The council never imagined that this group of uneducated fishermen would amount to anything. Philip said to Jesus: “Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.” (John 6:7). You don’t need two hundred denarii to start something great. Start with whatever is available, no matter how poor or inadequate it may seem. As Jesus prayed over the bread and fish, pray over the little you have and leave the rest for God.

The fact that the high priest and his council dared to face the men who miraculously vanished from prison and even threatened them teaches me that no matter how many battles we fight and win, our enemies will not rest. Satan knows how powerful God is, but he never stops waging battles with God’s children. Temptations never really end.