Words of Hope Daily Devotional
START EVERY DAY WITH HOPE
Get the Words of Hope Devotional and get daily encouragement to love God, read His Word, and meet with Him in prayer. Available in print and email.
START EVERY DAY WITH HOPE
Get the Words of Hope Devotional and get daily encouragement to love God, read His Word, and meet with Him in prayer. Available in print and email.
THE DEVOTIONAL IS AVAILABLE IN YOUR EMAIL AND IN PRINT.
The Words of Hope Devotional is a non-profit, donor-supported publication whose goal is to encourage readers to grow in faith through the practice of daily Bible reading and prayer.
DINNER WITH JESUS
Breakfast on the Beach
Once Lost, Now Found
Read: Acts 9:1-19
Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. (v. 17)
“Amazing grace (how sweet the sound), that saved a wretch like me!” These words of slave trader turned preacher John Newton are a fitting banner to fly over the story of the conversion of the apostle Paul. We learn from Stephen’s martyrdom that Saul of Tarsus not only approved of Stephen’s stoning but was inspired by it. He became a scourge to Jesus’s followers everywhere. And yet, and this has to be the most sizable “and yet” in all of history, Saul met Jesus on the road to Damascus and became his devoted follower. In time, he would become the most articulate advocate for Jesus the world has ever known.
Most followers of Jesus don’t have a Damascus road conversion experience, but all who believe bear the marks of having been converted. There are at least three in Paul’s conversion that should apply to us too. First, a clear and unmistakable encounter with Jesus, in which the believer confesses that Jesus is Lord (v. 5). Period. Exclamation point! Second, baptism into new life as a believer (v. 18), and discipleship training begins (v. 19). And third, a desire to tell everyone everywhere that Jesus is the Messiah becomes your great ambition (v. 20).
This would be the perfect time to take a fearless, spiritual inventory to see if these marks of conversion are apparent in your life.
As you pray, confess Jesus as Lord and ask him to help you follow him.
Dr. Timothy Brown is the Henry Bast Professor of Preaching and President Emeritus at Western Theological Seminary where he served from 1995-2021. Tim continues to actively coach and encourage former students and pastors who seek help in their preaching life and he has become a certified public school substitute teacher so that he can continue investing in the lives of young people. He is married to Nancy and together they have three children and ten grandchildren.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rev. First Last
David Bast is a writer and pastor who served for 23 years as the President and Broadcast Minister for Words of Hope. In his more than 40 years of devotional writing and preaching, he has been encouraging believers around the world to be shaped by God and his Word.
Prior to his ministry and work at Words of Hope, Dave served as a pastor for 18 years in congregations in the Reformed Church in America. A graduate of Hope College and Western Theological Seminary, he is the author of nine devotional books and Bible studies, including Why Doesn’t God Act More Like God, Christ in the Psalms, and A Gospel for the World.
Dave and his wife, Betty Jo, have four children and eight grandchildren. Dave enjoys reading, growing tomatoes, and avidly follows the Detroit Tigers.
Jesus in the Old Testament
Read: Acts 8:26-40 Beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. (v. 35) The traveler from Ethiopia is a somewhat mysterious figure. Drawn to worship at the temple in Jerusalem, he was in a position of
Stephen: Telling the Truth
Read: Acts 7 You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. (v. 51) I once heard Eugene Peterson say to a group of pastors, “When people come
Stephen: The Face of an Angel
Read: Acts 6:8-15 His face was like the face of an angel. (v. 15) Among the most notable characters in the early church was a champion of the gospel named Stephen. Chosen by the apostles as one of the original
Honesty before God
Read: Acts 5:1-16 Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles. (v. 12) Today’s Bible reading clearly shows us the best and worst of the early days of the church. The
Holy Boldness
Read: Acts 4:23-31 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. (v. 31) It took courage in the days of the apostles to speak up for the sake of the
The Power of His Name
Read: Acts 3:11-26 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know. (v. 16) Many years ago, during my time at Western Seminary, I was blessed to have an office next to Dr.