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So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand… (13:16)

…he summarizes what God accomplished in the Old Testament through the nation of Israel. Do you find it challenging to wrap your mind around the big picture of the first two-thirds of the Bible? Paul’s Spirit-led message in Acts 13 can be tremendously helpful.

• The God of this people Israel chose our fathers
• He made this family-line great during their stay in Egypt
• With uplifted arm he led them out of Egyptian bondage
• For about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness
• After destroying seven nations in Canaan, he gave Israel their land as an inheritance
• All this took about 450 years
• He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet
• Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul
• When he had removed Saul, God raised up David, a man after his own heart
• Of David’s offspring, God has brought to Israel a Savior–Jesus–as he promised
• Before Jesus’ coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to Israel
• Those who lived in Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus
• They fulfilled the utterances of the prophets by condemning him
• With Pilate’s help, they executed him
• But God raised him from the dead and for many days he appeared to eyewitnesses

“And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus… Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.” (13:32-33, 38-39)

That’s the message of the Bible in a nutshell, especially as it relates to what God has accomplished in and through the Jewish people.

Just one more thought for the day. As you look at that bullet-pointed-outline, there are a whole lot of generations represented there, but that’s ancient history. Why does all of this matter for us today? Take a moment to think about what Paul said in Acts 13:36:

“For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers…”

That’s what God expected of every man and woman represented in that sweeping summary of the Old Testament. That’s what he expected of Jewish and Gentile hearers of the good news in the days of Acts 13. This is what our Creator expects of me, of you, of everyone today–serve the purpose of God in our own generation.

Each one of us is one part of a created order that is much bigger than we can possibly comprehend. We are one generation in a long, long chain of generations. God has clearly revealed his plan and purpose for mankind through his prophets and apostles. He has blessed us with incredible access to his revealed will and another day on this planet. It all leads to this fundamental question: “Whose purpose am I serving?”

You’ll be surrounded throughout your day by people, systems, influences, and constructs that are cleverly designed, substantially funded, and actively seeking to capture your attention, sway your focus, and secure your allegiance to their purposes. Remember. Deliberately remind yourself throughout the day. You were created for more than the purpose of your workplace or school. Your purpose is so much more important than the purpose of your phone, your favorite sports team, any recreational passion, techno-gadget, academic accomplishment, or rung on the corporate ladder. Your purpose is of immeasurably more eternal significance than the purpose of Facebook, Amazon, ESPN, FoxNews, or CNN. You are not the definer of your own purpose, and your purpose stretches far beyond the tiny limits of your self-centered preferences or short-sighted plans. You were created, you have been sustained, you have been gifted another day to serve the purpose of God. Today. Right where you are.

So get done what needs to be done, make the best use of your time, and enjoy the day that the Lord has made, but remember. David served the purpose of God in his own generation, and that’s exactly what my Creator expects of me.

Whose purpose will you serve today?

Earnest prayer. To be earnest in any endeavor is to be serious, full of purpose, focused in effort. Earnest prayer is zealous prayer. Earnest prayer springs from sincere, deeply engaged hearts.

Take the time to linger over what Luke is telling us in Acts 12:5.

Earnest prayer was made “by” the church. Ordinary men and women wholeheartedly devoted themselves to prayer. I don’t know what you’ll “make” today, but will any of it be of greater significance than fervent prayer? What a fascinating way to think about this spiritual blessing: prayers are “made by” ordinary people with a heart for God.

Earnest prayer was made “for” Peter, a brother in the midst of an intense trial. The apostle Paul would later describe this sort of prayer as “intercession” (1 Tim 2:1). I don’t know what you’ll do for other people this week, but what could possibly carry greater significance for someone else than sincerely praying for them? What an amazing opportunity: to pray by name “for” the distressed, the hurting, the grieving.

Earnest prayer was made “to” God. Incredible. Ordinary men and women could humble themselves, engage their hearts, and focus their minds in such a way that the Almighty Lord of the universe would actually hear what they had to say. “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working,” James 5:16 assures us. Extraordinary. I don’t know what you’re attempting to accomplish this week, how you’ll spend your down time, or what will fill your quiet moments throughout the day, but what could possibly compare with casting your anxieties on the God who cares for you (1 Pet 5:6-7)? Earnest prayer makes its way “to” God.

By the church. For others. To God. This is the gift of earnest, purposeful, wholehearted prayer, and we are straightforwardly encouraged to engage in it “without ceasing” (1 Thes 5:17).

May we reverently and joyfully walk in the prayerful footsteps of our spiritual forefathers today.

To help you grow in understanding, devotion, and love for God, our daily Bible reading plan takes us on a journey through all sections of God’s written revelation to mankind:

• Each Sunday and Wednesday we’ll read a psalm (to lift our hearts in worship and provide mid-week refreshment)
• Most weekdays we’ll read a chapter from the New Testament (to fix our eyes on Jesus, reminding ourselves of what it means to be his disciple) and a chapter from the Old Testament (to expand our knowledge of God’s great plan to save mankind)
• Each Saturday we’ll read a chapter from Proverbs (to grow in wisdom)

“Man shall not live by bread alone” (Matt 4:4). Those were our Lord’s words. Let’s take them seriously and interact with his word every day in 2026.

• Download the June 2026 reading calendar
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SERIES: The Gospel of Luke: That You May Have Certainty

SERIES: The Gospel of Luke: That You May Have Certainty

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The Bible is full of warnings and encouragements about the condition of our hearts. From cover to cover, we read about hearts full of evil intentions, hard hearts, bitter hearts, deceitful hearts, proud hearts, and foolish hearts. “Watch over your heart with all diligence,” wisdom counsels in Proverbs 4:23, “for from it flow the springs of life.”

So what sort of heart will feed the springs of your life this week? Acts 2:46 gives us a model worth imitating…

Day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts…

Glad hearts. What did these brothers and sisters in Christ have to be “glad” about? Forgiveness. Reconciliation. Teaching. Fellowship. Prayer. Purpose. Assurance. Hope. Their lives had been turned around. The promises of God had been made personal. They had been added by the Lord himself to something much larger than themselves, and their hearts were “glad.”

Generous hearts. Devout people from every nation under heaven had gathered in Jerusalem for Pentecost. In one day, about three thousand souls had been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins and devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching. But how could this explosive growth be sustained and nurtured in Jerusalem, far from home for many, for any length of time? “Generous” hearts. “They were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need” (2:45).

So what about me? What about you? As a fresh God-given week begins to unfold, what do you have to be glad about? “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil 4:8). Do you hear that? There’s plenty about and in the world that is beyond our control, but we will choose what fuels and fills our hearts this week. Let’s choose carefully.

What difference could we make for the glory of God and the good of others this week if we generously opened the gates of our hearts? Generous with our money. Generous with our time and undivided attention. Generous in prayer for others. Generous in encouragement, praise, and expressions of thanks. Generous in compassion. Generous in patience. Generous in hospitality. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus. “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Gladness and generosity. Their presence or absence in our hearts will shape the ways we receive and appreciate our blessings, how we handle our resources, and the impact we will have on the lives of the people around us.

Let’s live with glad and generous hearts this week.

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SERIES: The Gospel of Luke: That You May Have Certainty