Paul got it and lived it! And, I pray we will as well. Paul’s life was transformed by Jesus. Paul knew he was a servant of Jesus, and he lived his life on God’s agenda. Paul learned to listen to the Holy Spirit. When God prompted his heart, Paul responded. Paul built God’s Church and invited people to be a part of God’s greater story. Paul knew God was always with him. Even in the hardest times, Paul knew a miracle could happen. Will you live as a servant of Jesus? Will you praise in the darkness and invest your life in building God’s Church for His glory? This is our time. Let’s learn to listen to the Holy Spirit and to live as God’s people today.

​​Paul set an amazing example for believers in showing us how important it is to stand up for the truth of Jesus, while also standing in the gap for those who are young in their faith. The Gentile believers could have easily been swayed into believing a strict adherence to Old Testament law was necessary for their faith, but Paul went to great lengths to continually point them back to the grace of God. Prayerfully, we all have new believers in our lives whom we can pour into and encourage like Paul. In doing so, our own hearts for Jesus grow, and our witness and influence with others grow.

Paul and Barnabas traveled over 600 miles on their first missionary journey, sent out by a diverse church in Antioch. From political leaders to the overlooked and hurting, they shared the good news with everyone they met — and God worked miracles in every heart. As they preached, they faced both opportunities and opposition, but they never lost sight of the story they were part of: Jesus is King, and His love changes everything. That same call is for us today — to trust God with our next step, to see every person as someone God loves, and to remember that we’re all part of a greater story. Wherever we go, let’s follow Jesus boldly, knowing He’s with us every step of the way.