God Takes Care of Me (First Steps Devotions) (13 page)

Do you keep your promises?

Do your parents always keep their promises?

When was the last time you broke a promise?

When was the last time you kept a promise?

It was time for Jesus to leave. The disciples had spent more
than three years with Him. It was time for Jesus to return to heaven. But the
disciples would not be alone.

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you and give you power,”
Jesus told them. “I will be with you always.”

As the disciples were watching, Jesus was taken up into the
clouds. The disciples kept looking up into the heavens, hoping to catch one
last look at Jesus.

“Why are you standing here and looking up into the sky?”
voices called from behind them. The disciples turned around. Two angels were
standing there.

The angels said, “Jesus has been taken to heaven. But he
will come back in the same way that you have seen him go.”

The disciples returned home. Jesus had promised to return
someday!

What are some promises God has made?

Do you think God keeps His promises?

Name some promises that God has kept.

Dear God, thank You for all You have promised me. Thank You
for keeping Your promises.

Have you ever been in trouble for doing something God wanted
you to do?

What happened?

Peter and the other apostles told people about Jesus. Many
people believed. The church was growing every day. Some people were not happy,
though. They did not believe in Jesus. And they did not like Peter and the
apostles talking about Jesus. They arrested the apostles and put them in jail.

When it was night, an angel opened the prison doors and let
die apostles out. Then the angel said, “Go to the temple and tell the people
everything about this new life.”

In the morning a messenger went to those who had put the
apostles in prison. He said, “Those men you put in jail are in the temple,
teaching the people!

So they arrested the apostles again. “We told you plainly
not to teach in the name of Jesus,” they said.

“We don’t obey people. We obey God,” Peter and the others
answered.

God protected the apostles. They obeyed God and He took care
of them.

Will we still have problems if we obey God? Why? Why not?

Will God help us through our problems? How?

Dear God, I know that even when I obey You, I may have
problems. Help me to trust You through those times as well.

Have you ever been made fun of because you believe in God?

What happened?

After the Holy Spirit came to the disciples in the Upper
Room, they started telling people about Jesus. They even healed the sick and
performed miracles, just like Jesus had done.

But some people did not want the disciples telling people
about Jesus. Those people told the disciples not to tell anyone about Jesus.
Stephen, a new disciple, was arrested because he told people that Jesus was
God’s Son. Some people became so angry, they threw stones at Stephen and killed
him. Soon some people were going into homes and dragging Christians to jail.

The Christians ran for their lives. They scattered
everywhere. And everywhere they went, they told people about Jesus. The gospel
message about Jesus was being spread. The persecution turned out to be good. It
sent the story about Jesus around the world!

Why does God allow bad things to happen?

Describe a time you saw God turn something bad into
something good.

Dear God, thank You for watching over me, even during the
hard times. I know You are in control of all things. Thank You for making good
out of bad.

Who led you to Christ?

Could you become a Christian without someone telling you
about Jesus?

Saul loved God very much. But he did not understand about
Jesus. He did not believe Jesus was God’s Son. So Saul wanted to stop the
Christians from talking about Jesus.

One day Saul decided to go to Damascus. He wanted to see if
any Christians were there talking about Jesus. He was going to arrest them and
put them in jail. But something happened on the way to Damascus that changed
Saul’s life forever.

Saul was getting near Damascus when a bright light knocked
him to the ground. Then he heard a voice, ‘‘Saul, Saul! Why are you so cruel to
me?” It was Jesus! But Saul did not know who He was.

“Who are you?” he asked. “I am Jesus. I am the one you are
so cruel to,” Jesus answered.

When Saul opened his eyes, he could not see a thing. His
friends led him by the hand to Damascus. From then on, Saul knew that Jesus was
God’s Son.

Would God allow you to keep disobeying Him? Why? Why not?

How might He show you that you are not doing the right
thing?

Dear God, I want to obey You. But I know sometimes I disobey
You instead. Please correct me when I am not doing the right thing.

Name a person who encourages you.

How does he or she encourage you?

How does this encouragement make you feel?

Paul had spent his life telling people about Jesus. Many
people believed in Jesus because of what Paul told them. But many people were
angry with Paul. They did not think Jesus was God’s Son. They wanted to stop
Paul from telling people about Jesus.

In many cities that Paul visited, riots forced him to leave.
Paul was presently in Jerusalem. He had been arrested for talking about Jesus.

Then one night something happened that helped Paul feel
better. Jesus appeared to him in his prison cell.

“Don’t worry!” Jesus told him. “Just as you have told others
about me in Jerusalem, you must also tell about me in Rome.”

Paul felt better. Jesus encouraged him.

Has God encouraged you? How?

What did He do or say?

Has God ever used other people to encourage you? How?

Dear God, sometimes I get discouraged. I need You to
encourage me. Help me to listen for Your encouraging words. Help me to listen
to others You may send to encourage me.

When was the last time you had to make a hard decision?

What did you do?

Who helped you make the right decision?

Paul was finally on his way to Rome. He had wanted to go to
Rome for a long time. But he was going as a prisoner.

The ship set sail for Rome with Paul and other prisoners on
board. The weather was very rough, and the ship had a hard time on the water.
The captain of the ship and his crew were worried about keeping everyone safe.

Then one night an angel appeared to Paul. “Don’t be afraid,
Paul!” the angel said. “God will save the lives of everyone on the ship.”

So the captain decided to guide the ship to an island. As he
did, the ship was broken up by the waves. Everyone grabbed a piece of the ship
and floated to safety.

God told Paul what would happen so Paul could help the
captain make the right decision.

Name a time God helped you make the right decision.

How did He help you?

Could God use others to help you make a good decision? How?

Dear God, I want to do what You want me to do. Please help
me make the right decisions. Help me to know the right thing to do.