I don’t mean to encourage you to have confidence in just anything but rather the certainty that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners by dying on a cross at the hands of sinful men and being raised from the dead. As I read Acts 4 this morning, I noticed the simplest of sources for confidence in the gospel.
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus. – Acts 4:13
As you probably know, Peter and John were arrested for healing a man who had been lame for forty years! The authorities wanted to know by what power they performed this miracle. Peter answered their question but it was his demeanor that concerned the leaders.
Peter’s desposition was bold and confident. In other words, it was clear that he believed what he proclaimed. That means it’s possible to lack confidence in the gospel truth we believe. How do we get that bold desposition?
The simple answer is: they had been with Jesus. You might say, “Well, of course, they really were WITH him!” While that’s true we can be with him as well. We can be with Jesus by reading the Scriptures. But that’s not all. God has sent the Holy Spirit. Those two sources are sufficient to give you confidence in the gospel.
One way that will aid you in being with Jesus is by using a bible reading plan. It’s only seven days into the new year. You can get started now! My favorite is by the Navigators. Let me encourage you that the purpose of reading is to be with Jesus which will produce a bold confidence in him. Make that your purpose instead of checking every box. Follow the link below, use your favorite or ask someone for a recommendation.
Click to access Discipleship-Journal-Bible-Reading-Plan-9781617479083.pdf
The Word Is Not Imprisoned 
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