Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple complex, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with a joyful and humble attitude, praising God and having favor with all people. And every day the Lord added to them those who were being saved.  Acts 2:46-47 HCSB

What are you devoted to?  Are you devoted to your family?  Are you devoted to your job?  Are you devoted to your hobby or your favorite sports team?  Most of us are devoted to someone or something.  Whatever we are devoted to has a great impact on our lives.  For many years of my life, I was devoted to having a good time.  I was going about it all wrong so my fun was mixed with heartache and misery.  Since I have devoted myself to trying my best to live a Godly life, I find that life is a lot more fun and has a lot less misery.  We see so much tragedy going on today.  Mass shootings being a prime example.  How miserable does someone have to be in their life to think that it would be a great idea to kill as many people as possible in a given location?  We hear sometimes that these people are playing violent video games.  I guess this is what they are devoted to.

So again I ask, what are you devoted to?  If you read the scripture passage today, it sounds like a wonderful time was being had by all doesn’t it?  Everyone in one accord.  Everyone getting along and helping each other.  If you are not involved in a good, bible teaching church, then I can tell you that this is what it is like to interact with your church family when everyone is getting along and truly wants God’s will.  This is what it looks like when God’s presence is felt among a group of people.  This is what it looks like when people’s hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit and not with the devil’s schemes.

Would you like to live in this type of setting?  Well, you can.  It can start with you.  Take a good hard look at how you interact with other people.  Think about what is in your heart.  Is it anything that might need to be removed?  Does it line up with God’s word?  We know that what’s in our hearts sets the tone for everything we say and do.  The Bible tells us we are to guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23).

If we want our children to live good lives, we must set the example.  We must bring them to church.  We must show them love and how to love the unlovable.  We must lead them up in the way that they should go.  Proverbs 22:6 tells us to train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

If you are sitting around and wondering what is wrong with your children, your family, your friends, your community, and even our nation, well, maybe it’s you.  Maybe you should devote yourself to God’s teachings.  Maybe you should devote yourself to church and not only attend church but get involved.  Maybe you should volunteer money, time, just whatever you can give to a non-profit organization or ministry.  I have spent many years like those Israelites in the desert grumbling, fault finding and complaining.  God finally freed me from that when He helped me to realize that the problem was me.

So if you are looking at how horrible things are today, do something about it.  If you change, then maybe you could change your family.  Maybe your family could change your community.  Maybe your community could change your town.  Maybe your town could change your parish or county.  Maybe your parish or county could change your state and your state could make some changes in our country.  Who knows, maybe if we all band together in God’s love we can change the world.

One thing I do know is that it starts with you, what are you waiting for?

Have a great day!