“As the time of the promise was approaching… there arose another king over Egypt who knew nothing about Joseph.” (Acts 7:17-18)
There is a pattern seen throughout the Scriptures, and it is a pattern you likely see reflected in your own life of faith – as the promises approach, so does the opposition. There are likely multiple reasons for this pattern.
#1 – The devil fights hardest as the clock runs out. Before the blessings come is the time when he is most likely to find you at your weakest, most worn down, and most easily tempted by doubt.
#2 – This is how promises work. Promises like “all things will work together for good” (Rom 8:28), “love never fails” (1 Cor 13:8), and “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb 13:5) exist because of the times where it seems like everything is turning out rotten, love has failed, and God has left. The very nature of promises are for the times when all we have is His word to sustain us.
Trust the promises; resist the devil. God is good all the time.
Matthew 4:4 #Biblebites
Today’s Reading: Acts 7:11-19
Questions to ask:
- How does this show the continuation of Jesus’ work now going on in the church?
- How is the gospel, Paul’s preaching, and/or Paul’s defense received?
- What is the Holy Spirit doing in this text?
- What in our reading shows how Paul handled adversity and difficulty?
This year, #Biblebites are following the life and writings of Paul. If you would like a copy of the reading schedule, you can view it here: https://eastlandchristians.org/news-events/2023-vision