DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 1.15.22

Is Suffering Inevitable? by Shawn McEvoy For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. 1 Peter 3:17, NAS Suffering. It's not standard daily devotional fare, because let's face it, usually we want to begin or end our day being uplifted, or even better, lifting up God, rather than focusing on our pains and problems. But there's the rub... we all have pains and problems. Christian and non-Christian. Lifelong disciple and baby believer. Red and yellow, black and white. Everyone, from the moment he or she was born, has struggled, tried, failed, hurt, sinned, misunderstood,and reacted. Humanity shares a true brotherhood over suffering, one that we might understand a lot better if suffering weren't also so relative. By which I mean, one person's issues may sound simple, easy-to-solve, even petty to another. "That's nothing compared to what I've had to endure!" But the fact is, your sorrows and difficulties are real to you. It's one reason why I'm no fan of when people say a certain place or time in their lives isn't "the real world," as if the spot they are currently tucked away at is immune from any degree ofdifficulty. Suffering is very real, and there's certainly no reason any Christian would expect life to be otherwise. We purport to follow a "Suffering Savior." His stripes have healed us, and wow do we seem to feel them sometimes, which is as it should be, as we deservedthem instead of Him. If we agree that no person but One - no matter where they lived or how easy or hard they had it - has escaped sin's corruption, then how much more must we agree that truly NO person has escaped suffering? Look at what Peter suggests in today's verse: you can suffer for doing good, or you can suffer for doing bad. By extension, some of the problems in your life may be a result of your own rebellious choices, while other hurts may naturally result from walkingso closely with Christ that you ache at the injustice and hardship around you, with the world despising and persecuting you. In the classic allegory Hinds' Feet on High Places, Much-Afraid journeys with companions named Sorrow and Suffering, and these two assist her in her climb up the Injury Precipice, which is a part of her transformation into "Grace and Glory." The same is true for you. Your sufferings have informed you, educated you, helped you along in your journey. You may despise them, but they are yours. And they will be with you whether you are doing right, or not. Of course, the nature of them will be quitedifferent. There may yet be one way, though, to avoid suffering. There's a third option, left out here by Peter, but not left out by John in the Revelation. It's the middling, lukewarm response to life, the do-nothing approach. This is the approach that cocoons itselfoff from life and all of its pain (but also all of its involvement). And make no mistake, "Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something," says that famous theologian the Man in Black in The Princess Bride. You may not feel anything from inside a cocoon; in fact, it may be an abundance of pain and suffering that forced you in there. But remember, no creature that cocoons itself is intended to stay locked up forever. The point is to be rested, healed, matured,transformed. To become more beautiful, useful. Even the emerging process itself carries a degree of struggle, but one that, if the insect did not go through unhindered, would leave it too weak to fly. ------------------- Abram'sTrust Test “And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine wasgrievous in the land.” (Genesis12:10) After Abram moved to Canaan at God’s calling, a test came in the form of a severe famine in the new “land of promise.” He became consumed with worry about business survival, leading him to make the decision to leave the land God had promised to give him andtake himself and his family into the great empire of Egypt. Egypt was dominated, as is every world system, by a pagan government. Abram knew this. Yet, motivated by a fear for his personal safety, colored by a self-induced, self-protecting imagination, he became willing to risk the moral compromise of his wife (to saynothing of the potential of destroying God’s promise of an heir) and made an awful decision (Genesis12:10-13). Sure enough, what Abram feared seemed to happen. Sarai was rather quickly taken into Pharaoh’s harem. And things seemed to go well as a result; he prospered doing business (Genesis12:14-16). Sometimes, things work out as we think they might—but God’s sovereign plan will always override our foolish and deceitful behavior (Genesis12:17-20). It was a long time before the testimony of Abram was restored in Egypt. Not only did his sin become public knowledge, but the pagan rulers rebuked him for his error (Genesis12:20). God may undo the potential damage of our foolish behavior, but the spiritual damage is real. The biblical principle is: “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers32:23). Fortunately, God is also the God of mercy and forgiveness. Abram returned to Canaan, repented of his sin, and restored his fellowship with God. When such sin enters our lives, we can learn the lesson and regain our role with our Creator, just as Abram did.HMM III ----------------------- Abramthe Called “So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and fiveyears old when he departed out of Haran.” (Genesis 12:4) It is not clear from the text just how God made Himself known to Abram when He called him to go to Canaan. The language would imply that there was an audible conversation of some sort—far different from what you and I might expect today. At the time of thiscalling, Abram was not then a follower of Yahweh, yet the circumstances of God’s intervention were enough to persuade Abram to uproot his family and start the journey. Abram’s calling and initial response (Genesis 12:1-5) are analogous to an “awakening,” the initial faith to “see” God (Ephesians2:8). There were no specifics in God’s promise, only broad terms of blessing. Abram’s response was all that he knew to do at that time, to respond in obedience (nonresistance) just as the Scripture implies we are to do (1 Thessalonians2:13; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:2-5). Salvation is completely God’s doing; our “work” is never involved (2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 10:8-17). All we can ever do is rebel and reject the drawing that God wields (John 6:44). Damnation is man’s work (John3:19-21; Romans 1:18-32). That is why Abram became the biblical example of the faithful (Galatians 3:6-9; Hebrews 11:8-10). The actual moment of Abram’s “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24) seems to have come somewhat later when he “believes God” (Genesis 15:6; Romans 4:3). Although repentance and faith may come in a rapid sequence, sometimes (especially in adult conversions) the events may be drawn out over time. Either way, it is by “grace are ye saved, through faith” (Ephesians2:8). HMM III --------------------------- Forgottenby God? “How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shallI take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be exalted over me?” (Psalm13:1-2) David expresses deep anguish in these two verses. The question “How long” is repeated with ever-increasing intensity. In poetry this is called an anaphora. David begins by asking Yahweh, “How long wilt thou forget me…for ever?” If being eternally forgotten isn’t disconcerting enough, the second question expresses despair in an unplumbed way—the hiding of Yahweh’s face with the feeling of intimacy’s loss. God’s servant now argues from the internal, unveiling the deep wounding effectsin his inner soul as his enemy gloats over his proverbial dead body. In verse 3 David demands (in the Hebrew imperative) that Yahweh consider, hear, and lighten his eyes. The psalm that began in a hopeless cry now takes a dramatic 180° turn, viewing life through the divine lens of God’s sovereignty. Verse 5 states, “But I havetrusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.” What changed? Absolutely nothing—except for David’s view of sovereign Yahweh. Did God ever look away from David? No. If you are in Christ, does God ever ignore His children? Absolutely not! This psalm gives us permission to cry out to Yahweh, venting all our frustrations and petitions to Him. Besides this, our Lord teaches us to clingtightly to the promises spelled out in His precious Word, namely His amazing attributes of forgiveness and steadfast love. Furthermore, all of God’s paths, even the troubled ones described in this psalm, are steadfast love to those who are protected under the precious wings of our Lord Jesus Christ. CM ------------------------ TheFountain of Life “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.” (Proverbs14:27) This beautiful phrase, “fountain of life,” is used several times in the Old Testament, serving as a metaphor to illuminate a number of important aspects of spiritual faith and experience. Our text stresses “the fear of the LORD” as providing deliverance fromdeath to life, picturing this new life as flowing from a heavenly spring. A very similar verse is Proverbs 13:14: “The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.” Thus, the fear of the Lord is somehow tantamount to “the law of the wise.” Those who are wise will fear the Lord and thus receive livingwater from “the fountain of life.” King David penned the wonderful truth of Psalm 36:9: “For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light.” “God is light” (1John 1:5), so “the fountain of life” becomes the source also of all true light, whether physical or spiritual. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John1:4). The same word is rendered as “well” in Proverbs 10:11: “The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.” When a believer has received life from the divine fountain, his testimony becomes a fountain of life. The Lord Himself is the fountain of life in Jeremiah’s prophecy, but the supposed people of God have refused to drink. “For my people...have forsaken me the fountain of living waters” (Jeremiah2:13; 17:13). Nevertheless, this fountain is still there for all who will come. The Bible’s last promise has to do with this great fountain, which yields “a pure river of water of life,...proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb...And let him that is athirst come.And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Revelation22:1, 17). HMM -------------------- The Hope of Peace Romans 15:4-13 Despite man's best efforts, the world's longing for peace remains unfulfilled. Each new generation has high hopes for reconciliation among people and nations but in the end faces disappointment. One day Christ will return and make everything right. Until then, believers are called to be His ambassadors of peace. However, becoming a Christian does not automatically change us into people who pursue kindness and unity. At times we're quick-tempered and impatient and find it hard to live in harmony with others. We may have trouble letting go of attitudes or habits that hurt those around us—and occasionally we don't even want to. God knows our true character and has providedthe Holy Spirit to transform us into Jesus' likeness. The Spirit opens our minds to understand and apply Scripture. He gives us the power to say no to ungodliness and to replace me-centered thinking with a Christ-centered viewpoint. He patiently produces Hisfruit in us, which includes love, joy, and peace (Gal. 5:22-23). With His help, we can becomepeacemakers who work to bring about reconciliation between God and others (Matt. 5:9). While our world keeps hoping for peace through man's solutions, we know the only source of lasting unity is Jesus Christ. The Lord wants our hearts to be ruled by His peace (Col. 3:15) and our relationships to be marked by a spirit of oneness. Howencouraged other people will be when they realize it's the transforming power of God in our lives that brings about reconciliation in our marriages, families, and churches. ----------------------- Godliness Matthew9:11-13 There is a common misconception that believers should be perfect. Pretending to have our lives in order, many of us wear happy faces and speak words that sound acceptable. At times we’re ashamed to admit our shortcomings, as if they should not exist. Salvation through Jesus, however, doesn’t change the fact that sin is present in our life. When we’re born again, God forgives us and sees us as righteous. Yet our battle with sin continues till we arrive in heaven. In fact, striving for perfection actually can be a trap that pulls us away from living a godly life. Functioning in this way is a form of relying on our own capability. Jesus said that He came to heal the spiritually sick because they recognized their weakness.With an awareness of our inadequacy comes the realization of our need for Him. The world sees successful individuals as powerful and self-sufficient, but Jesus didn’t care about these qualities. Instead, He wants people to be aware of their own brokenness. This is the foundation for godliness. We should accept our neediness and seek God passionately. Doing so allows the following attributes to develop: a hunger for God’s Word, faithful service, deepening trust, and decision-making based upon principle rather than preference. Patiently and mercifully,God matures us. Be careful not to cover up your sins in order to look like a “good Christian.” Without recognition and confession of our sinfulness, we are unable to rely fully on God. It is only with this awareness that we can passionately seek Him, obey in His strength,and confess with repentance when we miss the mark. ------------------------ His Love Endures Forever by Ryan Duncan Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! - 1 Chronicles 16:34 Last December I had the privilege to be part of a short-term mission trip to Vladimir, Russia, where I worked alongside Russian Christians in the city’s orphanage. The trip was incredibly challenging, but the opportunity did help me learn a lot about Godand about myself. In particular, I remember the Sunday morning where our interpreters invited us to attend their Church. The building they met in was small, and as I took my seat with the rest of the team, I realized there couldn’t be more than thirty peoplein the congregation. I found that number rather depressing. My own Church here in the states wasn’t what I’d call big, but it certainly had more than thirty people in it. A small voice in the dark part of my mind wondered if this was a sign of change in our world, that maybeChristianity was beginning to die out. I was still in this dismal frame of mind when the congregation stood for the first song, and it was at that point something extraordinary happened. The people of that small Church began to sing together, and I was amazedat the passion they displayed toward God as they worshiped. Afterward, my interpreter took me aside and began to tell me about the history of the Church. Apparently, this little Church had been in the community for ten years, and it wasn’t shrinking, it was growing. My interpreter told me how it was through thisChurch that he had first come to know Christ. He was the only Christian in his family and was doing his best to witness to them, but in the meantime, he considered the people here just as close as any brother or sister. Nearly everyone in the Church was involvedin some kind of outreach, some even worked with the orphanages full time. All of this from a Church of thirty people. Sometimes I lose sight of who God really is, and what he can do with the smallest of offerings. God will never be threatened or hindered by our world. He will always be there for us no matter how far we stray orhow hard mankind tries to remove him. Through the rise and fall of countless empires, all the advancements of science, through war and pain, the spirit of God has endured. I guess the writer of Psalms knew what he was talking about when he wrote, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;” – Psalm 136:1-4 Intersecting Faith and Life: Try to find ways to live your faith, consider getting involved in your church outreach. Further Reading: Psalm 100:5 ----------------------------- God Knows Our Way and His Plans Are Good by Debbie McDaniel “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hopeand a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 Sometimes, we may not believe this is true. Troubles swirl around us, pressures feel too great, life seems hard. We might even feel like God has forgotten us and left us facing the struggles all alone. Yet in the background of this great verse, we're reminded that God spoke these words to His people, not when times were easy, but when times were very hard. They would endure 70 years of captivity, they would experience great suffering. And it's right there,in the midst of all that, we can see the hope of God shine through. He didn't leave his people in the tough trials. He won't leave us there either. He walks us through, reminding us that His plans are for good, for a future, for a hope. He is right with us, and breathes confidence and peace, that we will press through thestruggle, and come out to the other side, stronger, faith-filled. He assures us that He will never waste the pain of what we experience in this life, but will bring greater good and blessing because of it. If you find yourself facing hard times today, or maybe you’ve just walked through a difficult year, this verse is your reminder – there’s hope ahead. Be confident of this, God’s not finished yet. You're still here, you're gaining strength and perseverancethrough the trials. He has good in store, great purpose in all that we walk through, no matter how hard it may be. He sees the big picture of our lives, and He's aware of every little detail too. He knows what He's doing, even when we can't see it all yet. He often works behind the scenes that unfold our every day, in the places where we may not always understand Hisplans. Even through all our seasons of waiting. So we can trust...that He has our best in mind. He's got our back. He's with us right now. And He's secured our future too. Resting in that truth today. There's peace in knowing we don't have to try hard to control it all. We can let go of the need to try to figure it all out, or the striving of trying to make things happen. God knows, He understands, we’re never alone. Keep pressing through. He loves you. He cares. He is with you. Peace. Intersecting Faith & Life: Have the trials you’ve been walking through or the problems you’ve faced caused you to lose some hope? Bring it all before God today. Let go of the need to have it all make sense right now. Look to Him. Ask forHis fresh filling and renewal. Be reminded of His truth, that He will use it all for good somehow, and has a great future and hope for you still in store. Further Reading: James 1:2-4 Philippians 3:13-14 Romans 12:12 Romans 8:28 ------------------------------- Storm Protection - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You �Psalm 119:11 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/storm-protection/- Listen In every life, the rain will come down and the streams will rise. That�s why, when we hear the Word of God, we need to listen as though our lives depend on it because theydo. Our spiritual lives do. Jesus, in His conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount, said, �Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on therock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock� (Matthew 7:24�25 NKJV). In contrast to the wise man who built his house on the rock, Jesus made this statement about the people who don�t do this: �Everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, anddoes not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall� (verses 26�27 NKJV). We�re in a spiritual battle, and we fight a spiritual battle with spiritual weapons. In fact, Ephesians 6:17 tells us that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. Sowhen the Devil comes with a temptation, we need to respond with the sword of the Spirit. Or when the Devil whispers in your ear, �You�re not really a Christian. God hasn�t forgiven you,� we need to respond with the sword of the Spirit. Memorize the Word of God. Use the Word of God. It will help you in times of temptation and in times of trial. As the psalmist wrote, �Your word I have hidden in my heart,that I might not sin against You� (Psalm 119:11 NKJV). Know the Word of God. -------------------- White Walls By Meghan Kleppinger Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, "Build houses and live {in them;} and plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters,and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfareyou will have welfare." - Jeremiah 29:4-7 If we were playing the word association game and someone said, "Military life," I would answer "white walls." Thanks to our travel agency, otherwise known as the U.S. Army, I moved with my family 13 times before I graduated from college. Many of our abodes were Army quarters (houses on army installations for military families). The walls were always white. I determinedearly on that when I moved out on my own there wouldn't be a single white wall in my home. From the time I graduated college until now, I've continued to be in transition which has meant more white walls in my apartments. Well, I just bought my first house and, of course, I'm not thinking about the practical purchases that need to be made (likea washer and a dryer for example), I'm considering color! I'm thinking about the things that need to be done to help me feel settled and at home. Eventually, I could move to a different town, or I could marry (this one gets my parents' vote), or a number of other things could happen that would require me to move out of this house. Will my probable future keep my belongings in their boxes or the paintin its can? Of course not! If there is one thing I learned as a military kid, it's to make home wherever I am for as long as I am there. This world is not our permanent home and God tells us our days are like a breath (Psalms 144:4), but He has also given each of us theopportunity to unpack our boxes and make an impact while we are here. Like the exiles in Babylon, God has put each of us where we are at this time for a reason. While we anticipate a "better country" (Hebrews11:16), we are to live, enjoy the blessings God continues to give, and exhibit a life that tells others of His magnificent love. --------------------------- Developing a Vibrant Faith Acts 9:1-16 The apostle Paul had a strong commitment to know and serve Jesus Christ. His passion and love for the Lord was obvious�Jesus was always central in his thinking, whether he was working as a tent maker, preaching to the crowd, or even sitting in chains at prison.What fueled his love for the Lord? Paul's conversion experience on the Damascus Road was a motivating force in his life. Grateful for the gift of grace he had received at salvation, the apostle told many people about his encounter with the resurrected Christ and its impact on him. We, too,have a story to tell of God's mercy in saving us and of the new life we have in Him. Paul's zeal also came from his firm conviction that the gospel message was true and available to everyone (John 3:16). On the cross, Jesustook all our sins�past, present, and future�upon Himself (1 Pet. 2:24). He suffered our punishment so that we might receive forgivenessand be brought into a right relationship with God. Through faith in Christ, we've been born again, and the indwelling Holy Spirit helps us every day (John 14:26). The more we understand what Jesus has accomplished on our behalf, the greater will be ourpassion to share the gospel. Developing a vibrant faith requires time and energy plus a commitment to obey God. Regularly studying the Bible will strengthen your beliefs and give you courage to speak. Caring about the spiritual welfare of others will move you into action. Do you havea passion to serve Jesus wherever He leads? ------------------------ Seeking God's Will 1 John 5:14-15 Parents train their children to do many tasks�from knowing which clothes match to handling money. Perhaps the most important skill we can teach is how to follow God�s direction. We are blessed that our omniscient and mighty Father is willing to make His way known to us. He wants to reveal exactly what to do in every situation. In fact, He promises this: �I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye uponyou� (Ps. 32:8). Let�s explore how to discern God�s will at each crossroad of life. The first step is to make sure that we have repented of all sin. Listening to God while holding onto iniquity in our heart is like using a foggy and unreadable compass. After confessing and repenting, we can ask for direction. Next, we should read Scripture regularly with a seeking, open heart. The Bible is like a lamp on a dark path (Ps. 119:105). Thelast step involves God�s indwelling Holy Spirit�the wonderful gift that the heavenly Father has given each of His children. The Spirit provides truth and guidance as we read the Word and pray. We should listen patiently for His leading, which is often communicated quietly to our hearts aswe spend time with Him. When asking the Lord to reveal His will, we shouldn�t expect instant answers. The discipline of waiting builds character, and besides, rushing the process may lead to a path that misses God�s best. Take the time to seek Jesus� plan for your life, rememberingHe'll provide all you need to follow Him. ------------------------ Abram'sEndurance Test �And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And,behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir.� (Genesis15:3-4) Right after Abram�s meeting with Melchizedek, God verified and amplified His promise to him with the added insights that God would be Abram�s �shield� and �reward� (Genesis15:1). The preceding years had been somewhat difficult for Abram, and he needed assurance that the One he believed in was both his Savior and Provider. The Lord walked Abram through an elaborate covenant ceremony (Genesis15:9-21) in which He told Abram much of the future and reiterated the promise that God would give the land to Abram and his descendants. Given the personal visit, Abram would have been expectant of some indication of the fulfilment of the promise of anheir and the coming �nations,� but it would be a total of 25 years before Abram saw the fulfilment of that promise. Nothing. No visible evidence of God�s promise was forthcoming. Others failed (Lot most noticeably), and Sarai herself gave up after 11 years and insisted that Abram bear her a child through Hagar, her handmaid (Genesis16:15). Finally, when Abram was 99, God appeared before him again and issued the command: �I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect� (Genesis17:1). Isaac would be born the next year, but the complete fulfillment of that promise is yet to be realized (John11:25-26; Mark 13:13). HMM III ------------------ Abram'sObedience Test �And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God....Andhe gave him tithes of all.� (Genesis 14:18, 20) This is one of the more curious passages of the Old Testament. Abram had rescued his nephew Lot, along with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, after a fierce running battle with a five-king federation led by Chedorlaomer, the king of Elam (Genesis14:1-17). As Abram returned victorious from the battle, he was met by Melchizedek, the king of Salem, who seems either to represent or actually be the pre-incarnate Person of Jesus Christ (Hebrews7:1-3). Melchizedek greeted Abram with words of victory and praise, to which Abram responded with a no-nonsense declaration of his service to the �most high God� (Genesis14:22-24). The king of Sodom offered to let Abram take the spoils of war. The custom was (and is) well established that the victor was due all the value of the conquered land. Abram�s response was most gracious. Not only would he take nothing for himself other than whatwas due his servants and confederates, but he would return everything outside of the tithe to the original owners. �Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils� (Hebrews7:4). It is here that tithing is established in Scripture, long before the Mosaic law. The event is so incidental that it seems the custom had already been in practice for some time. Whatever the case, Abram offers �tithes of all� to Melchizedek without a secondthought. Centuries later, the Lord Jesus told the Pharisees that they ought to pay their tithes �and not to leave the [weightier matters] undone� (Matthew 23:23).It is interesting how much the tithing practice is still debated among God�s children. HMM III --------------- Don�t Wait for the World to Show Up - byGreg Laurie � www.harvest.org How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? �Romans 10:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/dont-wait-for-the-world-to-show-up/- Listen When it comes to the topic of sharing our faith, a lot of us get very uptight. In fact, one thing that believers and nonbelievers have in common is that both are uptightabout evangelism. Nonbelievers are uptight about being evangelized, and believers are uptight about evangelizing them. Yet Jesus commands us to share our faith. We call this the Great Commission, and there are two variations of it in the Bible. Mark�s gospel states it this way: �And He saidto them, �Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature�� (16:15 NKJV). Matthew�s version says, �And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, �All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all thenations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age�� (28:18�20 NKJV). So where is Jesus calling us? Into the world. Who is supposed to do this? All believers. And what are we supposed to do? We�re supposed to preach the gospel. These words are directed to every follower of Jesus Christ. But honestly, for some Christians, the Great Commission has become the Great Omission. The commission of the church is not to wait for the world to show up. Rather, the commission of the church is to go to the world. Jesus did not say the whole world shouldgo to church, but He did say the church should go to the whole world. To be a growing Christian, you must go into all the world and preach the gospel. Are you doing your part to fulfill the Great Commission? --------------------------- A Five-Star Recommendation - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it. �James 4:17 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-five-star-recommendation/- Listen Imagine if someone were in a house that caught fire and rushed out to save their own life but didn�t do anything to help the others who still were inside. Worse yet, theydidn�t even call the fire department. Instead, they walked off and acted as though it didn�t happen. Not only would that be wrong, but it�s even a criminal act. Or let�s say that a physician ran a series of tests on a patient and realized that person could be treated with a course of antibiotics or perhaps a simple surgery. Butthe physician felt uncomfortable, even awkward, about telling the patient some bad news. Instead, he sent the patient away and said, �You�re good to go.� That is an irresponsible doctor. So how much worse would it be to know the way to Heaven, to know the way for someone to be forgiven of their sins and find the meaning and purpose of their life, and nottell them? That�s why not sharing the gospel can be a sin. Understand, sin has many definitions. There are sins of commission and sins of omission. A sin of commission is breaking a commandment and crossing the line. It�s doingsomething that we know is wrong. On the other hand, a sin of omission is not doing something that we know is right. In fact, the Bible says, �Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then notdo it� (James 4:17 NLT). Let�s remove the words preach and evangelism for a moment and put a different word on the table: recommendation. We make recommendations all the time, from restaurants tothe best products to buy. And when another person recommends something to us, it carries weight. So let�s take that idea and apply it to sharing the gospel. We�re willing to talk about hamburgers, but are we willing to talk about Jesus? ------------------------------ Frangelism - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. �1 Corinthians 1:21 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/frangelism/- Listen We tend to think of preaching in a negative way, as something that is bad. For example, if someone says something that we don�t like, we might say, �Hey, don�t preach atme.� Actually, the Bible says that preaching is a good thing, but we don�t necessarily have to do it loudly. The word preach doesn�t mean that we have to project. We can preachquietly. We can whisper the gospel, share it conversationally, or even tweet it. There are so many ways we can share our faith. The point is to just communicate it. Romans 10:14 asks, �How can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can theyhear about him unless someone tells them?� (NLT). The primary way people come to Jesus is through hearing the gospel. The Bible tells us, �For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleasedGod through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe� (1 Corinthians 1:21 NKJV). God called Jonah to take the gospel to the city of Nineveh, which was filled with Israel�s enemies. Jonah was reluctant and didn�t go at first. But when he did go and preachthe message that God gave him, a great spiritual awakening broke out. President Abraham Lincoln said, �The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.� So share the gospel with your enemies and frenemies as well as your friends,your neighbors, and your family. Go to everyone you can and share the gospel. Another term I like to use for evangelism is �frangelism.� F is for friends. R is for relatives. A is for associates. And N is for neighbors. Go into all of your world andpreach the gospel. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM