DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 3.26.22

The Priority of Relationship Revelation 2:1-7 Ephesus was the home of a tremendous ministry. Despite harsh persecution, the church planted by Paul endured opposition, spread the gospel, and was quick to challenge false prophets. But 30 years after the apostle left, John’s revelation included a stern warning for those believers. Imagine how the words of Revelation 2 must have struck the Ephesians when they read them. After complimenting their service to the gospel, Christ said, “But I have this against you . . .” That phrase was no doubt extremely disconcerting. The Lord warned them that they had left their first love. In other words, all of their work was being done with wrong motives. Christ called the Ephesians to remember their love for Him and their delight in His salvation. Service is no substitute for an intimate relationship, but modern believers continue to fall into this subtle trap. The commendable things that we do count for nothing unless they stem from a vibrant personal connection with God. Our work can’t be effective or fruitful unless He is in it. In fact, God is more interested in you and your personal relationship with Him than in a thousand lifetimes of good works. He desires to be the satisfaction and delight of His children so that their service is a result of loving devotion. There are plenty of wrong reasons to labor for the kingdom. However, God is satisfied only with service motivated by love for Him. He wants those with selfish intentions to return to their first love. In that way, hearts and minds can be renewed, and service to the Lord will be more fruitful. ---------------------- The Word of the King “Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?” (Ecclesiastes 8:4) Perhaps the archetype of absolute monarchs was Babylonia’s King Nebuchadnezzar, of whom the prophet Daniel could say, “Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory” (Daniel 2:37). The word of this and every true king was with power, the king being answerable to no man but himself, for his authority came from God. “For there is no power but of God” (Romans 13:1). Many kings have had to learn this truth the hard way, however, for they have found that God could remove them as quickly as He had ordained them when they abused that power. But there is one King who will never fall; one “who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings;...to whom be honour and power everlasting” (1 Timothy 6:15-16). The Lord Jesus Christ has asserted, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18), and one day all creatures in heaven and Earth will acknowledge: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things” (Revelation 4:11). In that day all “the kingdoms of this world [shall] become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). This one, who is King of all kings, is also the One who is “called The Word of God” (Revelation 19:13). The word of this King is of such power that He could speak the mighty cosmos into existence. His word could calm a violent storm and call Lazarus back from death. “The word of God is quick, and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12), and “his word was with power” (Luke 4:32). Therefore, “all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20). HMM ---------------------------------- Recognizing God's Handiwork Psalms 33:3-11 The work God does is creative. He made heaven, earth, and all living creatures. He formed Adam and Eve in His image and knitted each of us in our mother's womb. His work is also powerful. Through His Son Jesus, He accomplished a great salvation for all who trust in the Savior. Our heavenly Father worked mightily to open a way for us to be reconciled to Him and adopted into His family. Not only that, but God's work is ongoing, and Jesus is the One who holds all things together (Col. 1:17). In order to recognize God's handiwork, we need to pray in an active, persistent manner. Christ-centered prayers narrow our focus to the Lord. Then we can more readily identify His actions and see how to join Him. Self-centered petitions serve to distract us from Him. The Father also wants our heart and mind yielded to His will. Pursuing our own agenda shifts the focus to ourselves and makes us lose sight of the Lord. But a submissive attitude prepares us to listen and obey. Regularly concentrating on God's Word will clear our minds and help us understand what the Lord is doing. When we combine these disciplines with discernment and patience, we will have positioned ourselves to discover how God is working in our lives and in our world. Our Lord is at work today--calling nonbelievers to saving faith and the redeemed to a closer walk with Him. His plans include individuals, families, and nations. Have you been too busy or distracted to notice what He's doing? Confess your inattention and refocus your heart and mind on Him. ------------------------ By Any Means “And because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and there to winter; which is an haven of Crete, and lieth toward the south west and north west.” (Acts 27:12) This seemingly insignificant phrase “by any means” (Greek ei pos) is actually used to express the urgency of attaining some object sought, along with the means for its attainment. It occurs just four times in the New Testament, and it is interesting that these four occurrences seem to follow a significant order. The first of them is in our text above and expresses a search for physical comfort, as the mariners, transporting Paul to Rome, sought by any means to find a convenient place to spend the winter. The second expresses Paul’s search for spiritual ministry. When Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, he told them of his constant prayers: “Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established” (Romans 1:10-11). Thirdly, there was his search for conversion of others. “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them” (Romans 11:13-14). Finally, and most importantly, there was Paul’s (and, Lord willing, may it be ours also!) search for a Christ-centered life. “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11). HMM --------------------- Statement of Christ's Purpose “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:15) Schools, businesses, and institutions are all well-advised to develop and live by a “statement of purpose” if they are to be successful, evaluating each activity by its effectiveness in fulfilling that purpose. As Christians, we should also have a well-defined purpose. Each individual’s specific purpose will vary somewhat, depending on that person’s giftedness, background, and circumstances; but since Christ is our example, each Christian’s statement of purpose should reflect His priorities and values. In many ways, Mark’s gospel provides the most vivid and explicit insight into the work of Jesus, and in this book we see Jesus often repeating His statement of purpose. “Jesus came...preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying...repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15). Jesus Christ had come with the specific purpose of saving the lost, and everything He did pointed to that end. “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (2:17). Christ not only preached to sinners, but He trained and sent out His followers to see that His mission was effectively carried out, even after He was gone. “And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth....And they went out, and preached that men should repent” (6:7, 12). Regarding His approaching death, He explained: “The Son of man came...to give his life a ransom for many” (10:45). As He left them, He commanded, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (16:15). Our priorities should be the same as His. If everything we do points toward this end, His mission will thereby be accomplished. “Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it” (8:35). JDM ----------------------- Your Dead Will Live By Debbie Holloway “Your dead will live; their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy” - Isaiah 26:19. In Luke’s account of Christ’s resurrection, angels proclaimed to the women: "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” (24:5-6). This joyous news must have taken them off guard. After all, they came to Jesus’ tomb bearing burial spices with which to anoint the lifeless body of their Lord. Instead, they find dazzling angels standing watch next to an empty tomb, and hear news that they will never find Christ in a place of death and darkness. As Easter draws closer, have you considered which aspects of your life God wants to breathe life into? --------------------------------- God Is at Work John 5:16-19 Throughout the Bible, we observe God at work in people's lives. Sometimes He acts in dramatic fashion, as in parting the Red Sea to allow the Israelites to escape the Egyptian army. At other times it may appear as if He's not taking any action. Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother needed His help, but Christ delayed before traveling to their home (John 11:3-6). Our Father has given us the Holy Spirit to help us recognize His presence and handiwork. The Spirit cultivates spiritual discernment in us so we can understand when and where He's at work. In addition to spiritual discernment, we must develop patience because the Lord operates according to His timetable, not ours. After being promised numerous descendants, Abrahan had to wait until he and Sarah were beyond childbearing years before she conceived. Impatience can cause us to take matters into our own hands and make mistakes. The Lord's efforts can bring delight, as was the case when Hannah bore a child (1 Sam. 1:27-2:1). His plan can also lead through painful times, which was Joseph's experience. Before the Lord elevated him to a position of authority to help his family, Joseph was sold into slavery and unjustly imprisoned. Jesus told the disciples that His Father was always at work and so was He. We will be encouraged and strengthened in our faith when we recognize the ways in which God is operating. These glimpses of His handiwork will motivate us to stay the course and help us maintain a godly perspective on life. ---------------------- The Terror of the Lord “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.” (2 Corinthians 5:11) The use of the English word “terror” in this verse as a translation of the Greek phobos (from which we get our word “phobia”) indicates that the frequent Old Testament phrase “fear of the LORD” means much more than implied in the modern euphemism “reverential trust.” The only other New Testament use of this phrase is in Acts 9:31: “Then had the churches rest...and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.” These two passages seem to be informing us that when a church is “walking in the terror of the Lord,” its members will be seeking every means whereby to “persuade men” to come to Christ, and therefore its numbers will increase. This impassioned persuasion of the lost is motivated by knowledge that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10). That is, we know that the Lord Jesus, who died for lost sinners and has commissioned us to tell them of His great salvation, will be highly displeased if we don’t do so, or if our testimony is compromised by our selfish lives. At His judgment seat, “the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is....If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:13, 15). The terror of the Lord, when we appear before Him in that day, is not the only motive for witnessing, of course. “The love of Christ constraineth us,” and when our testimony is received (our motives being “manifest unto God” and even to the “consciences” of those to whom we witness), then the glorious result is “a new creature” in Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:14, 17). HMM ------------------------------------- Resting in the Faithfulness of God 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 When plans are frustrated or life just seems to fall apart in some way, people often wonder, Has God deserted me? Why hasn't He answered my prayers? The Bible offers encouragement for such times by assuring us of the Father's faithfulness: "Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments" (Deut 7:9). Five attributes of God make this possible. First, He is omniscient, which means He knows everything, including our every need, thought, frailty, desire, and life situation in the past, present, and future. Next, the Lord is omnipotent, or all-powerful, so nothing is too hard for Him (Jer. 32:17). Then, He is omnipresent--since He exists everywhere at once, He is never beyond reach. In addition, our heavenly Father cannot lie. Everything that He says is true and reliable. And lastly, God is unchanging. Our circumstances and the world around us may seem to be in a constant state of flux, and the Lord may even modify the way He chooses to interact with mankind in different generations. But His character is always the same. So when Scripture tells us that God is faithful, we can rest confidently upon that promise. Circumstances can be painful. But even when situations seem overwhelming, believers can trust that our sovereign Lord knows all, is in control, and lovingly works everything for His children's good. We can rest confidently knowing that the unchanging God of all creation is taking care of us. ---------------------- The Flesh of a Little Child “Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” (2 Kings 5:14) The familiar story of Naaman the Syrian was cited by the Lord Jesus as an example of God’s concern for people of all nations: “Many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus [Elisha] the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4:27). It is also a striking picture of salvation. Naaman was a great and highly acclaimed general but nevertheless was stricken with an incurable and loathsome disease. Similarly, any natural man, no matter how powerful, is afflicted with the lethal disease of sin. Before this proud official could be cured of his leprosy, he had to humble himself in several ways. First, he had to accept the advice of a slave girl from an enemy nation; then journey to that nation and its prophet, whose God his own nation had repudiated; travel still farther at the word of the prophet (who would not even come out to meet him); and, finally, immerse himself seven times in the despised river Jordan. Though he resented being so humiliated, his condition was hopeless otherwise, so he finally did all these things, and God marvelously healed him! The leprous flesh became as the flesh of a little child again, but first he had to manifest the obedient faith of a little child. The same principle is true for every lost sinner. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10). Jesus said, “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3-4). HMM ------------------------ What the Enemy Intends for Evil, God Will Use for Good By Debbie McDaniel “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:20 What The Enemy Meant for Evil At just 16 yrs. of age, St. Patrick was kidnapped by pirates and taken from his British homeland to Ireland where he was sold into slavery. He worked in the fields as a shepherd for 6 years under terribly harsh conditions, until God miraculously provided a way of escape for him to flee. As difficult as that time must have been, it was during those lonely years of enslavement, where he faced hunger, freezing temperatures, and pain, that he met with God, and found deep closeness in His Presence through prayer and meditation. Who would have ever dreamed of how God would turn around this tragedy for good? After months back at home, recuperating and seeking direction for his future plans, St. Patrick felt strongly led to go back to Ireland. He knew God had brought him there for a purpose and he was burdened to share Christ with a lost nation. History tells us that thousands were saved. Revival broke out among this pagan people, lives were changed, as many came to know Christ as Lord and Savior. Though God is not the author of evil in our world, and though often He does choose to shelter and protect us from the evil attacks of the enemy on our lives, sometimes…He takes us straight through dark seasons. And it’s never to leave us there for no purpose. He will always have a purpose and hope through what we may experience, however difficult it may be. He will always be faithful to bring greater good. Both the lives of St. Patrick and Joseph in the Bible remind us of this truth. Sold into slavery, held captive, and imprisoned, yet set free for the “saving of many lives.” God Will Turn It For Good If you find yourself in a difficult season right now, find encouragement through this reminder: God will turn it around for good. Somehow. He is faithful to His Word, and He is crazy about you. He will see you through, don’t ever doubt it. You will step out to the other side of the darkness. And who knows, but that many lives may be affected for the kingdom’s sake, because of your difficult season of struggle. Intersecting Faith & Life: Sometimes the most difficult times we walk through can feel like captivity to our hearts and minds. If you find yourself there today, be assured that God is with you and leading you through. Even if you can’t see how the whole story will unfold, His plans for us are good, He gives hope and purpose. Choose to thank Him today that He will turn your struggle around for good. Pray that He will use it as a blessing in your life and for many others to know of His power and great love. ---------------------- Seeking Guidance Psalms 25:4-5 When you're facing a decision, whether big or small, it is important to wait upon God for His direction and timing. And though it may sound paradoxical, there are three ways that we can take an active role in the process while we wait. First, we should examine our heart, asking the Holy Spirit to expose any wrongs. If He brings something to light, it is important to take care of that sin immediately--by confessing, repenting, and doing whatever's needed to correct the situation. At times we push this task aside because the impending decision seems like our main concern. Yet we cannot hear from God or receive His full blessing until we deal with transgression. Second, when seeking direction, we should listen patiently and attentively for the Lord to give the go-ahead. It can be difficult to wait, especially when emotions or logic lead us to favor one choice. Third, the answer to our prayer at times requires our involvement. For instance, when people tell me they're out of work and trusting God to provide, I always want to know if they are actively looking for a job. Some are not; they are simply praying. We have responsibility not only to present God with requests and seek His guidance but also to be active in the process. Waiting on God is not an excuse to be lazy. Prayer is a beautiful privilege that the heavenly Father gives to His children. He desires to lead us into a life of abundance. We should take an active part in seeking His will and listening for His voice. As we follow the Holy Spirit's guidance, we will experience all that the Lord has for us. -------------------- He Who Made the Stars “Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.” (Amos 5:8) This striking exhortation is inserted in the midst of a prophetic rebuke by God of His people Israel. They were rapidly drifting into pagan idolatry, and Amos was trying to call them back. His exhortation, given almost 2,800 years ago, is more needed today than it ever was before. Modern pagan scientists have developed elaborate but absurdly impossible theories about the chance origin of the universe from nothing, and the evolution of stars, planets, and people from primordial hydrogen. But the mighty cosmos and its galaxies of stars—even the very constellations, such as Orion and the Pleiades (the “seven stars”), as well as the solar system—were made. All of these had to be made by an omniscient, omnipotent Creator, who certainly had a glorious purpose for it all. Similarly, the global evidences that waters once covered all the earth’s mountains (i.e., marine fossils and water-laid sediments at their summits) cannot possibly be explained—as evolutionary geologists try to do—by slow processes acting over eons of time. God, the Creator, had to call massive volumes of water forth from their original reservoirs and pour them out on the earth in His Flood judgment on a rebellious world. All of these witness to the fact of creation and judgment, not to impotent “gods” personifying natural forces. Men urgently need to seek the true God of creation and salvation before judgment falls again, for “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31). HMM ----------------------- David'sArmy “Davidtherefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when hisbrethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither tohim. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt,and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and hebecame a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundredmen.” (1Samuel 22:1-2) As David was fleeing for his life from KingSaul, a rather pitiful and unpromising company began following him, andthey became the nucleus of what would soon be his army. Others joinedthem, and David trained them, “for at that time day by day there came toDavid to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God” (1Chronicles 12:22). Soon they were no longer discontented misfits but aremarkable array of “mighty men” (v. 21). One group, for example, wassaid to be “men of war fit for the battle,...whose faces were like thefaces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains” (1Chronicles 12:8). In many remarkable ways David was a type ofChrist, his life foreshadowing the experiences of the greater “son ofDavid” who would come a thousand years later. In such a parallel, hisarmy is a type of the earthly “host of God,” the great company ofthose who have chosen to follow Christ, each of whom has been called to“endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2Timothy 2:3). The followers of Christ were once also indistress, for the “base things of the world, and things which aredespised, hath God chosen” (1Corinthians 1:28). He is now “the captain of their salvation” (Hebrews2:10), urging that each one should strive to “please him who hathchosen him to be a soldier” (2Timothy 2:4). When He is finally ready to take the Kingdom, these willbe with Him in His triumphant return and eternal reign (Revelation19:14; 22:5). HMM ----------------- God Is Bigger Than Your Giant - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Whois this pagan Philistine anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies ofthe living God? �1 Samuel 17:26 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/god-is-bigger-than-your-giant/ - Listen Oneof my favorite passages in the Bible is the story of David and Goliath.But it isn�t a fairytale; it really happened. David�s father, Jesse,sent him on an errand. David�s brothers had gone to war, and Jessewanted David to take some food to them. Whenhe arrived at the camp of the Israelites, David heard the voice of anoversized man down in the Valley of Elah, bellowing for someone to comeand fight him. The man�s name was Goliath, and he was nine feet, sixinches of solid muscle. Certainly,no one was willing to go and fight him�that is until David showedup. What�sinteresting about the story is that Goliath wasn�t simply hanging aroundin the valley, shouting at the Israelites. Instead, he was coming up totheir camp and taunting them there. Thatis how giants are. When you give them an inch, they�ll take amile. Youmight be facing some kind of giant in your life, such as a giant problem,a giant challenge, or a giant addiction. And as the days go by, your giantseems to get bigger and bigger, taunting you relentlessly. Forinstance, it could be a giant of fear. And no wonder. It�s easy to watchor read the news and become paralyzed with fear. Youmight be facing a giant of personal sin, a certain area of your life whereyou have fallen repeatedly. You can�t seem to get victory. Agiant, if you will, is anyone or anything that seeks to control you, hurtyou, destroy you, or torment you in life. Thegood news is that God is bigger than your giant. The key is understandingand seeing God as you ought to. Then you will see your problems for whatthey are. God is bigger than what you�re facing. ----------------- When FearOverwhelms - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Donot rebel against the LORD, and don�t be afraid of the people of theland. They are only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but theLORD is with us! Don�t be afraid of them! �Numbers 14:9 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/when-fear-overwhelms/ - Listen Haveyou ever been so discouraged that you wanted to die? That�s how theIsraelites felt. They had come to the very brink of entering the PromisedLand, but they were allowing their fear to overwhelm them. Faithand worry can�t coexist. When faith walks in, worry walks out. And whenworry steps in, faith walks out. They don�t get along. Haveyou ever planned to have people over for dinner, but you knew that some ofthem wouldn�t get along? You couldn�t invite this person or thatperson because they�re always getting into an argument. That�show faith and worry are. They cancel each other out. Thechildren of Israel had lost perspective. But Caleb and Joshua, who broughtan encouraging report about the Promised Land, urged them, �Do not rebelagainst the Lord, and don�t be afraid of the people of the land. Theyare only helpless prey to us! They have no protection, but the Lord iswith us! Don�t be afraid of them!� (Numbers 14:9 NLT). Thesepeople were facing difficulty, just as every Christian will. The Christianlife is not a cakewalk; it�s a conflict. The Christian life is not aplayground; it�s a battleground. Goddoesn�t want us to run from the giants in our lives. He wants us toattack them. For example, let�s say that you�re facing the giant ofaddiction. Bring your giant out in the open into the light of day. Makeyourself accountable to someone. Realize that you can�t defeat thisgiant in your own strength. Call on God and pray for Hispower. Dealwith your giants. Don�t let them conquer you. Wewant faith in our lives, not worry. Someone has wisely said that when youtrust, you do not worry, and when you worry, you do not trust. Let�sface the obstacles before us with great faith. ------------------------- TheMystery of Darkness �Andthere shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light ofthe sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for everand ever.� (Revelation22:5) The Bible reveals that �God is light, and in himis no darkness at all� (1John 1:5), and also that, in the ages to come, there will be no moredarkness. God promises twice that there shall be �no night there� (Revelation21:25; 22:5) in the very last references to night in theBible. Why, then, is there darkness, and where did it come from?God gives the answer: �I am the LORD, and there is none else. I form thelight, and create darkness� (Isaiah45:6-7). Light was always in and with God, but the darkness had to becreated! And it has a purpose, serving as a contrast to thelight. Men and women were created to love and have fellowship withtheir Creator, not as robots but in freedom. Darkness thus served as thechoice that could be made against God and the light, for those so minded.Satan and his hosts of fallen angels and wicked spirits have become �therulers of the darkness of this world� (Ephesians6:12). The tragedy is that ever since Adam, men have �loved darknessrather than light, because their deeds were evil� (John3:19), and so have been practicing �the works of darkness� (Romans13:12), and deserving nothing but �the blackness of darkness forever� (Jude1:13). But our Creator has become our Redeemer. He �hathcalled you out of darkness into his marvellous light� (1Peter 2:9), paying the great price for our redemption on the cross.The Father �hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hathtranslated us into the kingdom of his dear Son� (Colossians1:13); we are now free to enter into the eternal fellowship with Godthat He had planned before the world began. We should �have nofellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprovethem� (Ephesians5:11). HMM --------------------------- A Powerful Witness to a Lost World - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Foolsvent their anger, but the wise quietly hold it back. �Proverbs29:11 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-powerful-witness-to-a-lost-world/ - Listen Thecoronavirus combined with the economy and the politics of the day hascreated almost a perfect storm of anger for many people. Ihave no doubt that social media feeds this frenzy. People spend too muchtime looking at their phones and tablets and following their favoritewebsites, which further inflames them. Weknow that people are uptight. We know that people lose their tempers. Butif you�re a Christian, then you should be different. Christians shouldnot get caught up in the anger that so many people are expressingtoday. Infact, the Bible says that the person who loses his temper is a fool (seeProverbs 29:11). It also tells us that as followers of Christ, we are tolove others and make every effort to be at peace with them. Jesussaid, �Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are mydisciples� (John 13:35 NKJV). Asbelievers, we need to show love and forgiveness. And if we don�t, wewill grieve the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is God. Therefore, it�spossible for us to lie to the Holy Spirit, resist the Holy Spirit, insultthe Holy Spirit, and yes, even grieve the Holy Spirit. Theapostle Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus, �And do not bring sorrowto God�s Holy Spirit by the way you live. . . . Get rid of allbitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types ofevil behavior� (Ephesians 4:30�31 NLT). WhenChristians love one another, it�s a powerful witness to a lost world. Onthe other hand, when Christians fight with one another, it�s a poorwitness to a lost world. Ifyou�re truly a godly person, then you will be humble and loving�notsomeone who�s filled with anger and rage. ---------------------- A Man Worthy of Our Praise Matthew8:23-27 The men traveling with Jesus on a stormy Galilean night said somethingthat ought to make us sit up and take notice. �What kind of a man isthis . . . ?� If we ask ourselves that same question, we will start tosee the big picture of who Jesus is instead of concentrating on the�slivers� of personality revealed by individual stories. When the wind, which has been funneled through a narrow gorge, pushesout over the Sea of Galilee, the water becomes turbulent. Jesus and Hisdisciples were caught in just such a dangerous storm while making theirway to Gadara. Waves crashed over the deck of the wooden boat. Theexperienced seamen onboard were certain that death was imminent. But Jesus was sleeping. He was resting quietly during a storm sofrightening that the Greek word used to describe it is seismos�from the same root that gives us the phrase �seismicactivity� for earthquakes. What kind of man is this who can sleep whilethe boat heaves and pitches? The answer is: the One who createdthe seas and knows how a storm brews and what energycauses a wave to stay in motion. That�s the kind of man: a divine Beingcloaked in humanity, who rebuked the winds and sea so that they becameperfectly calm. Scripture indicates that both the air and the water were instantlystilled. Such is the power of Jesus, the Creator and Lord over theuniverse. Taken together, all the Bible stories about Jesusreveal the �big picture� that He is the only man worthy of glory,honor, and praise (Dan.7:13-14). ----------------------------------- HisWord Is with Power �Andthey were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.� (Luke4:32) God�s words, whether spoken by Jesus or written inScripture, are indeed full of power, and it is noteworthy how many andvaried are the physical analogies used to characterize and emphasize itspower. For example, consider Jeremiah23:29. �Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like ahammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?� The fire analogy is alsostressed in Jeremiah20:9, when the prophet became weary of the negative reaction againsthis preaching: �Then I said, I will not...speak any more in his name.But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, andI was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.� God�s Wordis also called a sharp sword wielded by the Holy Spirit. As part of theChristian�s spiritual armor, we are exhorted to take �the sword of theSpirit, which is the word of God� (Ephesians6:17). �For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper thanany twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul andspirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughtsand intents of the heart� (Hebrews4:12). Even more significantly, perhaps, it is compared tolight, for light energy is really the most basic of all forms of energy,or power. �Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light to my path.��The entrance of thy words giveth light� (Psalm119:105, 130). The first spoken words of Christ our Creator were�Let there be light� (Genesis1:3). But no earthly form of power can compare to the power inthe words of the One who is Himself the living Word of God, the Lord JesusChrist, for He is actually �upholding all things by the word of hispower� (Hebrews1:3). HMM