A Good Report

"One Year Bible" New Testament Passage
Acts 21:18-36

¹⁹ When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. ²⁰ And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. Acts 21:19-20a (NKJV)

Encouragement is vital to the human heart.  The Bible has much to say about our need to encourage one another.  Even in the midst of difficult times, you can find encouragement in God.

Paul seemed to go from one challenge to another.  He was constantly in the midst of some sort of danger or controversy.  It would have been easy for him to tell the long tales of how he had been abused, kicked around, beaten up, and lied about.  And, for the most part, he would have been telling the truth.

When Paul met the brothers at Jerusalem, he gave a good report.  He reported the great things God had been doing.  He accented the advance of the Kingdom.  He viewed his path in the light of how God was helping, not how the devil was hindering. 

This is one of the keys to Paul's effectiveness.  He never grew weary of the good things God was doing.  He never fell into an outlook that saw the defeats for than the victories.  Verse 19 says he told "in detail" what God was doing.  That means he relished every part of the story.  He delighted in the battle because the battle was the context of the VICTORY.

So, what is God doing in your life?  Can you tell "in detail" the good things that are happening?  Not only will your good report cause your friends to rejoice, it will bring glory to God, and it will replenish your own soul.