Pay Per View
Acts 14:3 - So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord…
We live in a culture that has grown to expect immediate satisfaction. Pay-Per-View TV means that you can make the latest Hollywood blockbusters appear in your living room simply by pushing a button on your remote control. Broadband internet connections bring you information from anywhere in the world in real-time. The Weather Channel provides you with "Local on the 8's" so you never have to wait more than 10 minutes to find out whether or not it will rain tomorrow. You can dial the phone, say "I'm hungry" and in 30 minutes or less the Domino's guy will bring you pizza. We're not used to waiting!
When it comes to God's Word working in human hearts, sometimes we have wait to see the results. Paul and Barnabas spent "considerable time" in Iconium, repeatedly telling folks about the good news of God's love. The Word works, but it works according to the Holy Spirit's timetable. We may have to wait weeks or months ("considerable time"!) before we see any results. Sometimes we may not see any results until we get to heaven. But on Judgment Day, your witness that seemed so ineffective at the time, might prove to have been just the opposite!
Be persistent in sharing God's good news, even if it takes considerable time and patient encouragement, because you have God's promise that the Word indeed works.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: Why might God not let us see or experience the results of His Word immediately?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS: Ask God to give you the courage to boldly share His Word with others and to bless that work to His glory alone.