Return and Encouragement - Pt. 4: Appointing Elders and Commended to the Lord
- Baptist Daily Devotional
- Aug 12
- 2 min read
Rev Tetteh-Annor Larbi | August 12 2025 | Acts 14:21-28
KEY VERSE: ”Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.” Acts 14:23 (NIV)
MESSAGE:
As Paul and Barnabas revisited the new churches they had planted, they did something vital for the health and longevity of those communities: they appointed elders. These leaders weren’t chosen casually—they were recognised through prayer, fasting, and discernment. Paul and Barnabas understood that the future of the Church depended on trusted, Spirit-led leadership. Leadership in the Kingdom isn’t about status or popularity; it’s about character, calling, and a deep trust in God.
After appointing these elders, Paul and Barnabas “commended them to the Lord.” That phrase reminds us that even the most prepared leaders are ultimately in God’s hands. Human leaders can guide and serve, but they cannot replace the Lord’s presence and power among His people. The apostles entrusted these elders to God because He alone could sustain and strengthen them for the road ahead. This act of commendation wasn’t a resignation—it was an act of deep faith in the God who watches over His Church.
In our churches and ministries, we’re called to the same pattern—raising leaders carefully, prayerfully, and then releasing them into God’s care.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Whether you're leading, mentoring, or serving, remember this: the work of the Church belongs to the Lord. As we raise up others and let go, we must trust God to do what only He can—build, preserve, and guide His people.
PRAYER:
Lord, raise godly leaders in our midst. Help us appoint them with wisdom and commend them to You in faith. Strengthen Your Church and lead us by Your Spirit. For Your dear name’s sake. Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
The 365 DAILY BIBLE READING Day 224: 1 Chronicles 14–17 — David’s Victories and God’s Promise
DAILY word study: COMMENDED The word commended comes from the Greek paratithēmi, meaning “to place beside” or “to entrust for safekeeping.”
In Acts 14:23, Paul and Barnabas did not just install elders—they placed them into God’s hands for His ongoing guidance and protection. This word carries the sense of confident surrender, knowing the One you trust is able to guard what is given to Him. For ministry today, commending leaders is both a release of control and an act of faith in God’s ability to sustain them.
Reflect on This:
Who are the leaders in your life that you need to commend to the Lord today? Take a moment to pray for them, trusting that God will guide, protect, and strengthen them beyond what you can do yourself.
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