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Leader Devotions
We hope you are encouraged by these devotions which are currently being written by our Elders, Deacons, Senior Pastor and Youth Pastor.
Spiritual DNA
By Elder Mike Judge
With three children (almost three teen age children I have come to full recognition of the impact culture has on young minds. This is especially pertinent as they become young adults and begin forming their own world view. I am fully aware that most of society and most of Christian culture does not hold a secure Biblical world-view. I bought a devotional book to go through with my teenage daughters so that we could have conversations about their faith and how it bears up under the weight of the current cultural norms and philosophical underpinnings of our society. I want to be instrumental in helping them form their own Christian Biblical worldview. The devotion is titled Faith and Culture Devotional. It has been just what I was looking for. I am going through it on my own to make sure that it would be helpful not harmful to my daughters' faith development (trying to be a good steward).
I have found the reflection and discussion questions especially thought provoking and wanted to share with you my answer to this morning's reflection question. I believe the answer has helped shape my Christian walk and may be helpful to other sojourners who are “walking with Christ”. This morning's entry was Francis S. Collins, God and the Human Genome. The reflection question was “How do you hear God speaking life into you and your story?” The following is my personal response from my prayer/devotional journal.
Bio- life
Logos
"Word becomes life”
life- has physical meaning; including my health
life- has value meaning “good life”
life- has spiritual meaning eternal life
Physical Life
Through the Holy Spirit's discipline, He is teaching me how to make TRUE choices about what I put into my body. This causes me to have a healthy life now. This may also help extend my years of life and therefore my years of service to Him during my natural life. For example: The Holy Spirit reminds me of scripture as I make decisions about what I put into my body. The Holy Spirit is like spiritual DNA that directs me. These reminders include scriptures like Philippians 3:19.
Valuable Life
By drawing nearer to Christ through scripture reading and prayer I can know that Christ came to 1) set me free - Galatians 5:1 (this includes physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) so that I might have eternal life starting today! (John 10:10 and John 17:3). 2)Because of this propensity to TRUST in Christ and honestly answer the question “What is my purpose while You have me in this world?” My seven year search for the answer to this question and the fruit of this quest; teaching in the public school system, has
allowed me to stay close to Christ because daily I am doing what he purposed for me. Because of this one career decision I can know rich true, meaningful, purposeful, vibrant life - today!
Eternal Life
Last, I know that Christ died so that I might have eternal life (John 3:16). I know that God desired and has provided the Way for me personally to live forever in His presence. I believe this includes today, spiritually, and will one day be physical (Job 19:27). Because of this belief - this confidence- I do not have to grind the “grains of sand” of this lifetime to get all I can out of them. I know that there is an eternity of True Life- more full life,perfect life, waiting for me. I know that I am not yet HOME but in God's timing I will join him and my most true, full life will begin.
Praise God.
By Elder Mike JudgePart Two - Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Truth
So many times in scriptures God says, “don’t do this or this will happen”, He also says “do this and this good will come to you.” He is able to fulfill these because He is sovereign, free to act. Pastor James McDonald puts it this way, “There is nothing that happens, that it doesn’t pass through a sovereign God’s hands. And he allows what he allows and prevents what he prevents and it is his choice” So knowing God’s word is true, useful for teaching and He is in control, I need to pause on scripture that includes an “I will” from God.
“I Will”
In part one unpacked “delight yourself in the Lord”. I need to make myself dainty or refined to God. If I do this God provides a promise, “I will give you the desires of your heart.” This is a pretty clear quid pro quo. I read it like the four “I wills” from God in Exodus 6:6-8. These are the words of God that Jews still recite each Passover. They believe the promises, unfortunately most missed the Promised One from the third I will; “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm”. I don’t want to miss (read: hard hearted or hard headed) any of God’s promises to me. I want to be in the right place to receive each blessing.
The Promise
You may be asking, “So what’s the take home Mike? What are you saying is the promise from Psalm 37:4? I honestly believe God means exactly what he says. I believe that if we delight ourselves in the Lord and make ourselves dainty before him, tasty to him, refined and sanctified, we will be different people. We will have
different desires, different requests and petitions. Our desires will not be for worldly fame, riches or to be worldly wise. Our desires will begin to align with those of our Heavenly Father. I believe - to the extent that we request His kingdom, His glory, the riches of His kingdom – He will be faithful to give us those desires.
Godly husbands
As God has been placing filters in my life and I have yielded more of myself to him, He has been faithful to grow me up. As I grow my desires change. I used to pray regularly that I would be a godly man. I desire that it would be a sincere epitaph for Bev to have “he was a godly man” engraved on my headstone when I die. As I have grown I have discovered that I want my daughters to know the joy of spending their lives on this earth with a godly husband. I DESIRE for Alex, Morgan and Olivia to marry men who love Jesus. So I pray, along with Bev, for the girls to meet the men God has set aside just for them. I pray that these young men remain pure and grow in their own relationships with Christ, that they too become godly men. You see my desires have changed. In this area they have become more aligned with God’s. Selfish prayers for me have morphed into humble prayers for others, including two teen agers and one boy I don’t even know. I know that God is faithful and I wait with expectation, God willing, the day I get to meet each of the men God has picked out for the girls.
Purpose
I believe that God has a very specific plan and purpose for our time on this big blue planet. I desire as a father and an elder that each of you takes time to pray for God to reveal that purpose. May He show you His desires generally through His word.
May you learn to love these desires and embrace His will. Further, I pray that you seek the revelation of His will for your personal life. May you delight yourself in Him through his Word, fellowship with his people and fellowship with him through prayer. May you see Him give you the desires of your heart.
-Mike-
By Elder Mike JudgeDelight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
The word delight in Psalm 37:4 is the Hebrew word “gn [“; transliterated this is “anag”. The word literally means to be delicate, to be dainty 1. I can hear the guys reading this now and saying to themselves, “Thanks Mike that’s a real manly word for us.” Webster’s helps a little in that they write: dainty is “pleasing to the taste, or refined.”
Let me illustrate it this way. The girl’s camp where I spent 5 weeks at this summer, is located on a pristine lake, fittingly named Clear Lake. This is one of those postcard lakes with the water so clear you can see the tops of your toes five feet out. Yet, not once, while I was up there working and sweating as a maintenance employee did I go lap water out of the lake. As clear as it was, it was not suitable for drinking.
Bubbler
But not 50 feet away from Clear Lake stands the “bubbler”. The bubbler may be the coldest, tastiest water on the planet. The water from the bubbler is the same water but takes a much different path than the lake water. The water from the bubbler first flows through layers of lava, granite, shale, and sand. As the spring water passes through these progressively finer filters, the water gets more and more pure. And because it comes from deep within the earth, it is ice cold and so refreshing!
Testimony
This is how I see delighting myself in the Lord. I allow myself to become dainty before the Lord. When I rededicated my life to Christ, the filter God used to “clean me up” was more like a sewer grate. It was as if God said, “We’ll just try to keep the really big stuff out of your life.” God, through my daily reading of His Word and the Holy Spirit’s work continues to filter me. He continues to show me areas in my life that need filtering, like television I choose to watch, money I choose to spend, conversations Ichoose to have, beverages I choose to drink, even work I choose to do.
As I look in the rearview mirror, I can see the openings in His “filters” are getting finer. He is refining me (Romans 8:29b; conforming me to the likeness of His Son). I am like the underwater stream heading for the bubbler. My life runs like a stream toward my meeting with God Almighty. Each day He is faithful to place filters in my path, ways to sanctify me (fancy church word for purify, make holy, set apart).
Trust
I choose to trust God and respond in obedience to these filters. In doing this, God helps me rid my life of impurities. He is disciplining me for my own good. I trust him because in the eleven years “I have delighted myself in Him”, I have experienced His goodness. God has been faithful to give me the desires of my heart. I also look back and see that my desires are more in line with God’s own desires. This is not a way to prosperity. This verse does not teach a formula to getting what our selfish hearts want. But it is from this storehouse of experiences that I can joyfully place my trust. I am freed up to pour His love out on others that He places in my path each day. Bonus: Because the impurities are gone, I am much tastier to those around me.
Overflow
May you go like a North Woods spring……
· Get deep into God’s word - daily
· Get close to Christ through prayer - minute by minute
· Respond to the filtering of the Holy Spirit – one decision at a time
…and as you go may you bring refreshment like the Bubbler!
What Power do we Have?
By Elder Darrin Yount
ROMANS 8:37 …in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
These are strong words that speak of the power available to believers in Christ Jesus. When we accept Christ we receive the Holy Spirit and we are empowered with the same power that created all things, performed miracles, and healed the sick. This is also the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. We read verses like:
By Elder Darrin Yount
ROMANS 8:37 …in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
These are strong words that speak of the power available to believers in Christ Jesus. When we accept Christ we receive the Holy Spirit and we are empowered with the same power that created all things, performed miracles, and healed the sick. This is also the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. We read verses like:
Mark 10:27
“…all things are possible with God.”
Matthew 17:20
I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
We are encouraged by these, but if the truth be told, we don’t always feel like conquerors that can move a mountain. It seems so impossible to us. If we are so greatly empowered, then why do so many of us live a defeated Christian life? Why don’t we feel like “we are more than conquerors?” The answer is in our understanding of the power source, our proximity to it and the purpose for the power. Let’s look at these one at a time.
Where is the power?
“…in all things we are more than conquerors THROUGH HIM who loved us.”
Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 28:18, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
· The resurrected Jesus has all the power.
· The God in which you have placed your faith is more than capable to handle anything that comes your way. Will you accept this truth for your life today?
How close are we to the power?
“…in all things we are more than conquerors through him WHO LOVED US.”
Paul says in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
· Through His love for you, the all powerful Christ lives in you through the Holy Spirit.
· You cannot get any closer to the power you need to be a conqueror!
· If God seems distant to you, then you are believing a lie. Reject this lie and accept the truth that Christ lives in you!
What are we conquering with this power?
“…IN ALL THINGS we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
2 Peter 1:3-4 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”
· Plain and simple, Jesus offers us the power that sets us free from Satan’s control. (James 4:7, 1 Corinthians 10:13)
Application:
- How will you enjoy the nearness of God this week?
- What specific sin will you conquer by applying the power of Christ within you? (Galatians 5:1)
YOU HAVE THE POWER!
By Craig Gervais, ElderHere is a verse that often enrages Americans“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” 1 John 5:11-12
The last phrase, causes some to hesitate and stumble! This is just one of a dozen or more similar statements in the New Testament saying Jesus Christ is the only way. Scripture says that being in Christ is the only way by which any person may receive eternal life in heaven with God, which is the culmination of eternal life. If you ‘ve ever driven by a Muslim mosque, or a Kingdom hall, or a Buddhist temple, you’ve probably seen hundreds of people streaming in and out of that building. It’s probably given you cause to wonder, "Is Christ really the only way?" I want to deal with that question today. The Apostles, who lived with Him and knew Him best, heard Him make claims about Himself, and they became convinced they were true. We read in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”...
What does that mean? It means whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands already condemned proved by John 3:36: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him.” Peter, in Acts 4:12, said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” And Paul in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
And in 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in…Christ…Jesus our Lord.”
Scripture says Christ is the only way! The Church throughout the centuries said the same. One of the earliest creed statements is found in 2 Timothy 2:11-13, Paul says “Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; {12} if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; {13} if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” When Paul writes, “Here is a trustworthy saying”, he is repeating a statement of belief that was already a part of the early Church.
What about reason? “What does our reason tell us?” Can we accept Christianity as we logically think it through in light of our experience? As I’ve thought about this, I see only two logical conclusions. First, a person can say, “Christianity is narrow-minded and is wrong.” Secondly, one could conclude, “Christianity is narrow and is true.” Both statements can’t be accurate.
Let’s look at that first position. This point of view says Christianity is narrow and wrong; Christianity couldn’t be right for everybody since millions of people sincerely believe other religious faiths. This point of view assumes that if people are sincere in what they believe, then what they believe is true. But we know that’s not true because so many people are sincere about things that are not true.
Someone sent me a video clip of a basketball game. I saw a young man attempt one of the most sincere basketball shots I’ve ever seen. With just seconds left in a tie game, at mid-court he intercepted the ball and immediately lofted the ball toward the net. It was a beautiful shot. It went right through the basket, touching only the net. The wrong crowd erupted in glee because he shot it towards the wrong end of the court.
What folks are saying is that anything that’s narrow like this Christian Biblical teaching must be wrong because it excludes too many people. They would say we must have tolerance for every idea or theology that there is. Liberal thinking would say it must have a wide appeal. Do you really believe that? I may not like the fact that I have to put gas in my car. It’s expensive, and I’d rather use water. You know what will happen if I do use water? I may think it’s too limiting and narrow-minded to drive on one side of the road. I’d rather drive on the sidewalk, for instance. But we know that these kinds of narrow restrictions are right. We have laws whether they are natural or organizational or societal. They cannot be tolerant of every mind set because that would lead to chaos.
Truth is not necessarily a matter of personal preference. Folks will say, “All religions are basically the same.” That’s not true. That’s like saying all forms of government reach the same societal end. Maybe for the person who hasn’t studied world governments and world history that seems true, but it’s not true.
All religions are not alike. The Jew and the Muslim believe in one God. Christians believe there are three persons in one. The Hindu believes God isn’t personal or knowable; he’s abstract. Christians and Jews believe you can know God personally. Can they all be right?
Agents of Redemption
By Matt Sharpe, Youth Pastor
By Matt Sharpe, Youth Pastor
The challenge is for us to be agents of redemption. Of course the challenge can immediately be seen. How do I do that?
We as a church are saying GO. . . BE THE CHURCH. The buzz word for this summer is OVERFLOW. No matter how you slice it, the call has been put out to Peace Community Church to interact with the people around us and to use the opportunities around us. We are being called to share the love of Jesus Christ. But what does that look like? Sharing the love of Christ can be as easy as buying lunch for the person behind you in the drive thru or mowing your neighbor’s yard when he least expects it. Those things are great ways to put our love into action. My encouragement is to do it. Do something completely out of the ordinary just to show the love of Christ to someone.
But is simply doing an act of kindness the same as being an agent of redemption? To answer that question, we need to ask a deeper question. “What is it that changes lives?”
In our Freedom Discipleship Group on Tuesday, we read Jesus’ words from John 8:31-32. There he says:
“If you continue in my Word, then you are truly disciples of mine; and you will know truth and the truth will set you free.”
Taking God at his word, then there are two things that set us to change our lives; continuing in God’s Word and knowing the truth. Now to our ears, knowing the truth and continuing in God’s Word sound like the same thing. Surprisingly, there is a difference. In John 14:6, Jesus said
“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
So there are two things that change lives, continuing or being grounded in God’s Word and having a personal, daily walk with Jesus Christ. To be an agent of redemption has to include those two elements. We cannot simply do acts of kindness, justice, and mercy. We have to connect those acts of love, with the living person of Jesus Christ and His powerful Word. It begins in us.
Are you grounded in God’s Word?
Do you have a living, personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
If so, then go be an agent of redemption. Show love to those you know and meet. Then point them to Jesus Christ and his Word.
For the Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword. Hebrews 4:12a
Our Identity as NobodiesBy Darrin Yount, Elder
PROVERBS 12:9
Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.
Here are a few thoughts and principles from this verse:
Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than pretend to be somebody and have no food.
Here are a few thoughts and principles from this verse:
This verse is COUNTER CULTURAL…Living for God is going against the grain; the world wants us to be “somebody” by being well known, rich, powerful and flaunting it to get respect. God’s way is the exact opposite.
This verse speaks of the QUIET LIFE… Our focus at home or job should be to please the Lord; not man or money. (Colossians 3:23-24); if we are blessed with wealth, then we are not to flaunt it.
This verse encourages us to be REAL… There is no need to pretend about anything, BE CONTENT IN WHERE GOD HAS US...as Paul states in Phillipians 4:11-13:
“…for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty.
I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
- This is Satan’s lie. Don’t buy into it!
- Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
- God has much more to offer…
KNOWING WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST'S EYES IS KEY!
The more we KNOW the truth about who we are in Christ, the more we GROW in our passion to freely live the Christian life (GO).
The more we KNOW the truth about who we are in Christ, the more we GROW in our passion to freely live the Christian life (GO).
- If your identity is in the world, then you will chase the things of this world.
- If your identity is in Christ then you will chase the things of God.
- This will overflow and not only change your life but also those around you.
APPLICATION
Make sure you know who you are in God’s eyes. If you see yourself as God does, then the things of this world will lose their attraction and control over your life. Study and memorize Zephaniah 3:17
this week. Ask yourself:
1. How do I see myself differently than God sees me according to this verse?
2. How do my ambitions / activities line up with my identity in Christ?
3. How can I strive to be a nobody this week?
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Words & Music: Helen H. Lemmel, 1922
By Jim Doorn, Elder
As a part of our Men’s Bible Study on Saturday mornings, we were led to Genesis 3—the fall of mankind and the effects of the fall. We learned that our struggles can be narrowed to three things: the world, the flesh, the devil. Verses 17-19 of Genesis 3 outline the struggle against nature. We see the very ground is cursed because of us. Because of us, thorns and thistles grow and natural allies like insects and bugs are now our enemies, stealing, eating and ruining our efforts to produce food for ourselves. I’ve never tried to grow roses, but I’m told the deck is stacked almost insurmountably against the gardener.
Even as I watch gentle rains fall, I hear rumbling thunder and I’m reminded of the powerful hurricanes and cyclones that have killed tens of thousands of people this year alone. Even in all of this, I am thankful because when God told Adam and Eve that “if they ate of the fruit they would surely die.” There was spiritual death on that day to be sure, but the fact that God put His plan of salvation immediately in place showed His true nature, one of grace and mercy. Occasionally, I’ll hear someone say: “Do you think these natural disasters are God’s judgment against us?” My thought is absolutely “yes”. All death and disasters are part of the judgment we brought upon ourselves. Instead of asking “Why them?” We should ask God “Why have you spared us?” We deserve no better.
The struggle against the flesh becomes easily detectable as our group begins to share the activities of the previous week. We’re honest about the things that have taken too much space in our minds. We’re discovering that we’re saved once, for all eternity. We’re declared righteous by God for the sake of Christ alone, but, we admit that we sure don’t live like it, especially at first. The standard for acceptance into heaven is like jumping to the moon. We may even have a Michael Jordan or two among us, but from space it’s hard to see the difference between us.
Romans 3:23 tells us “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We’re discovering freedom together as we study and discuss. We know that we can come forward to a forgiving God and ask Him to help us overcome our shortcomings. In our men’s study, we are also becoming aware of the power and influence of Satan. We encourage each other to “put on the full armor of God.” We’ve studied the ways that Satan uses to tempt us, accuse us and deceive us—hold us down in an effort to have us lead defeated lives. But, ultimately, we’re encouraged through scripture, as we’re reminded of God’s great love for us and His plan of redemption through memory verses like telling us:
“Christ died for us while our backs were turned against Him” Romans 5:8
“The one act of righteousness by Christ wiped out the condemnation that was ours through Adam.” Romans 5:18
Let’s all pray that God would reveal Himself to us in a powerful way, that our worth wouldn’t come from who we are, but whose we are. That we would always remember the free gift of salvation that cost our Lord His life, and that the overflow would begin in each of hearts—from this moment forward……
Actively Sharing Your FaithBy Chris Burdeau, Elder
The Apostle Paul wrote a short letter, which contains only twenty-five verses, to Philemon, a fellow believer in Jesus Christ. In the letter Philemon, Paul begins as he frequently does, by giving thanksgiving and prayers.
"I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing that we have in Christ." (Philemon 6)
Paul's prayer for Philemon and his encouragement to him is to be actively sharing his faith. This is an overflow of love for God and heartfelt gratitude for all He has done, with the cross of Christ at the center. As disciples of Jesus, we have been given the wonderful opportunity to participate in God's plan of salvation by proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ, sharing the good news of the forgiveness of sins through faith and repentance in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
Fear can sometimes hold us back from talking to others about our Christian faith. We can lift up prayers to our Father to fill us with a compassion that will swallow up those fears and be strengthened through Christ.
In the second half of the verse Paul reveals a magnificent blessing in this obedience. We are told that actively communicating our faith with others helps, or is effective, in growing up to a full knowledge of every good thing that is in us through Christ. By going out and sharing our faith through the overflow from God's love, we ourselves continue to grow in our understanding of God.
Let us go, each one of us, and be active in sharing our faith as well.
By Craig Gervais, Elder
In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 13:16-17, there is a conversation you need to hear: In a familiar setting and with like-minded friends of Christ we read this…When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" (Jesus speaking of Himself) They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.” Then a short time later in the timeline we read about Peter in a tense situation, under fire and insecure in his relationship with Jesus say what is found in Mark 14:71 He began to call down curses on himself, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.” He goes on a tirade really denouncing the fact that he was never one of Jesus’ men even calling curses down on himself, totally denying Jesus.
The thought that enters my mind is, “Can I talk about Jesus only in safe conditions or can I speak about Him openly in every situation? Peter is shown, in the gospel, to deny Christ three times before the rooster crowed the second time. When do I deny Him? Maybe it’s when I could speak up about Him and I don’t because of fear of how I will be perceived as one of “those” people. I tell you the truth; several of “those” people were bold enough to make a difference in my life. God used them as His instruments as He used Peter. How often do you/I put ourselves in situations where God can use us to bring His grace to the dying world?...to those who do not even realize they are on the slippery roller coaster that leads to eternal separation from Him?
I am reminded of a young man on a sports team who was consistently being put down for his very open faith in Jesus. I remember prayer requests being put forth for him and those on His team. I remember the encouragement of this church coming to support him, with prayer yes, but also with their presence. Jesus told three of His disciples, “Can you not keep watch for one hour?” Jesus wants us to be in prayer to Him because our needs are not partial but total and He is the Supplier of all our needs. The point is we need to be able to be free to share the hope we have no matter the consequences.
The thought that enters my mind is, “Can I talk about Jesus only in safe conditions or can I speak about Him openly in every situation? Peter is shown, in the gospel, to deny Christ three times before the rooster crowed the second time. When do I deny Him? Maybe it’s when I could speak up about Him and I don’t because of fear of how I will be perceived as one of “those” people. I tell you the truth; several of “those” people were bold enough to make a difference in my life. God used them as His instruments as He used Peter. How often do you/I put ourselves in situations where God can use us to bring His grace to the dying world?...to those who do not even realize they are on the slippery roller coaster that leads to eternal separation from Him?
I am reminded of a young man on a sports team who was consistently being put down for his very open faith in Jesus. I remember prayer requests being put forth for him and those on His team. I remember the encouragement of this church coming to support him, with prayer yes, but also with their presence. Jesus told three of His disciples, “Can you not keep watch for one hour?” Jesus wants us to be in prayer to Him because our needs are not partial but total and He is the Supplier of all our needs. The point is we need to be able to be free to share the hope we have no matter the consequences.
- Do we share that hope freely and not with a feeling of doom? We have a gift to offer to this dying world and He commanded each of us to share our faith, stand up and be bold for Him. If we are reading His Word regularly we have enough knowledge to tell others what we learned and the secret weapon of the Holy Spirit will do the rest, if only we would tell others.
Jesus said to pray and to pray we that we will not fall into temptation. Maybe one of the temptations is the same one we see in Peter. Pray that you can stand firm in Him, like the teenager I spoke of earlier.
- What will you/I do this week to stop denying Jesus?
- Who will we share the good news of Jesus Christ with?
