Journal Entry // May 22, 2021
When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, [24] for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.
Acts 11:23-24 ESV
Barnabas… This is what I want my life to demonstrate. This is how I want those around me to experience the love of Christ. I want to be characterized as a ‘good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.’
That is such a beautiful picture of what the grace of God does to change the heart of a man.
- When Barnabas arrives he looks at the people and surely sees a group of new believers that are not Jews and were outside his normative understanding of how God works, but his reaction is to see the grace of God being displayed. He takes in the big picture of God’s grace working in the hearts of men and women.
- And he was glad. Unlike Jonah, Barnabas saw God’s good hand saving the lost and it brought joy to his heart. He saw God working in mysterious ways and rejoiced.
- He brought a word of encouragement to those around him. He saw God’s work, he let it warm his heart, then he shared this warmness with those around him.
- For he was a good man… How was he able to do all this? Because he was full of the Holy Spirit and faith. This is the key.
To be full of the Holy Spirit and faith is my desire. My flesh rebels and rages against this thought. The world oppresses and seeks to drown me with the opposite message. The devil prowls around looking for opportunities to devour me. But the Lord has given me the weapons to fight this battle. The Holy Spirit and faith are my sure means to faithfulness and steadfast purpose.
I need to have this whole attitude of Barnabas and work toward a heart that is not cynical nor negative. A heart that is not wearing a mask of happiness. I need a heart full of faith that sees the world around me in light of what God is doing by his grace. Learning to view life through the singular perspective of God’s grace being lavished on his people.