The Apostle Peter received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and devoted his time to sharing the gospel message with everyone he could. He was preaching in Jerusalem after Pentecost, helping the people understand that Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah. He pleaded with them to accept the gospel message and be saved. Scripture says about three thousand people were added to the Christian faith in just one day.

Paul’s words to the Roman church have been proven truth for every generation. Paul said the gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). Truth has power. The early church understood that fact and they “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.”

If we want to devote our lives to God, we must devote our lives to the study and application of God’s word. Bible study is essential if we want to be devoted followers of Christ. God used a host of people to write his truth down, and those words were preserved as the words of our Bibles. 

The problem isn’t knowing God’s truth; it’s living devoted to the truth we know.

That’s why the early believers, and all Christians since, have been encouraged in Scripture to devote themselves to a community of fellow believers, their church. The Christian community was devoted to remembering Jesus in the breaking of bread, and they became a body of believers who supported one another in prayers.

A community of faith should exist to help its members be strong in the Lord and devoted to serving him and others. A strong community of faith is founded on, and grounded in, the truth of Scripture. We devote our lives to God when we are devoted to his purpose in our lives.

Peter was strengthened when he received God’s Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Then Peter was devoted to preaching the truth of the gospel and three thousand people were saved in one day.

Yielding to God’s wisdom is spiritual strength. A life that is devoted to God is a life that is a witness to his wisdom and filled with his strength.