Today’s devotion highlights the importance of demonstrating our faith through actions, not just words. It encourages believers to consider how their behaviours serve as a testimony to others about what we preach.
Bible Reading of the Day
AM – Job 4-6
PM – Acts 7:20-43
๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฅ๐: ๐๐๐ฆ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐ญ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ
๐๐๐ญ๐ฌ ๐:๐๐-๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐จ๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐บ๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐; ๐๐๐ ๐
๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐? ยฒโท ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐พ๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐
๐ ๐๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐?
This story happened when the religious leaders of that day, led by Saul (Paul), arrested Stephen, a deacon in the church. During his defense, Stephen delivered a lengthy speech about Israel’s genealogy. A key part that stood out to me was his message about Moses. Many of us are familiar with Moses’ life: at 40, he saw an Egyptian mistreating an Israelite, and the Bible states in verse 24, “๐จ๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐
๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
, ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.”
However, when Moses attempted to correct the Hebrews for their wrongdoings, they responded negatively. This highlights the principle of ‘๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐.’ Many preachers, missionaries, pastors, and even church members often fall into the same trap. They may quote a verse to suit a specific situation or offer wise advice, but if they fail to apply those Bible teachings personally, the advice loses its significance. Indeed, it’s challenging to correct others’ faults if we cannot correct ourselves first.
Like parents teaching their children, we’re not effective if we don’t practice what we preach. I remember one of the parents in our church scolding his son because the son didnโt want to go to church. The son responded by asking why his father wasnโt going to church or attending Sunday School. This brother was very upset, but I told him I understood his predicament and, given the situation, that his son was right. So, this devotion reminds us that we need to practice what we preach, not just pastors or church leaders, but every believer, including you and me.
My late pastor, Selva, once said, “๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.” When we live out our faith, our words become more effective. So, what message are we conveying to those around us? Do they respond like the Hebrew man, or do they trust our words because they see the testimony of our lives? An excellent biblical example is the little maid in ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ ๐. When Naaman was healed and came to know the True and Living God, it was through her testimony. She said, โ๐พ๐๐๐๐
๐ฎ๐๐
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐๐๐๐! ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.โ
This simple statement changed everything in this event: two kings were involved, and the mighty man of valour followed a simple instruction or word from a nobody. Yet, the results were remarkable because the little maid had a reputation that could not be denied. How is your faith and testimony? Let’s practice what we preach!
Amen! Our testimony is often louder than our words. People may forget what we say, but they will remember how we live. May our daily lives reflect Christ so that when we speak God’s truth, others will see its reality in us. As James 1:22 reminds us, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.”