Daily Devotional For Thursday, November 16, 2023
We live in America with absolute freedom to worship God with no fear of persecution or government interference. Yet, since Christianity started, governments, countries and cultures have tried to impede it and kill it. Acts 7, we have the very first martyr — a man named Stephen. This started around 50 or so days after Jesus’ Resurrection. The church and Christians have had to endure much over the last 2,000 years.
In America, we tend to take such freedom for granted because we have always had it for the 247 years. If you were to take the time to listen to the stories of those in other countries who have been persecuted, imprisoned and arrested for their Christian faith, you would realize just how blessed and graced we are. You would also realize that these believers do something that most Christians in America would never do. Stand with undeterred perseverance.
Jesus said in Matthew 10:33, “But everyone who denies Me here on earth, I will also deny before My Father in heaven” (NLT). In America, we tend to more concerned about what people will think of us rather than God. We have a tendency to want the approval and acceptance of our peers more than God’s. There are huge consequences if we are — the Gospel is not shared and people die and go to Hell.
When the Apostle Paul became a Christian after encountering Jesus on the Damascus Road, he was considered a traitor by his former Jewish rabbis and friends. They hated him and challenged him at every corner. In Acts 18, Paul traveled to Corinth. He had to deal with the fear and concern of being personally attacked, but at times, God protected him from it.
Look at Acts 18:9-16, “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! (10) For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to Me.” (11) So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God. (12) But when Gallio became governor of Achaia, some Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before the governor for judgment. (13) They accused Paul of “persuading people to worship God in ways that are contrary to our law.” (14) But just as Paul started to make his defense, Gallio turned to Paul’s accusers and said, “Listen, you Jews, if this were a case involving some wrongdoing or a serious crime, I would have a reason to accept your case. (15) But since it is merely a question of words and names and your Jewish law, take care of it yourselves. I refuse to judge such matters.” 16And he threw them out of the courtroom” (NLT).
Let’s not be a people who are persuaded by popular opinion or the majority. Often the majority is wrong. If you are not public with your faith, why? What do you fear? In Matthew 10:28, Jesus said this: “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (NLT). We need a little fear of God today. Why? We are going to face Him and have to give an account of how we lived our lives. There is no escaping this. The only opinion that should matter is: God’s. Romans 14:12 says, “Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God” (NLT).
How much would you say you fear God and why? What kind of account do you hope you can give God when you die? Matthew 28:18-20 is one of Bible verses we will have to give an account for in this life one day. Did we personally share the Gospel — not our pastor, not our spouse, not our Sunday School Class members or those in our small group Bible Study. Did you? There are some excellent acrostics on the word Gospel. Go to this link for them: https://www.johnrothra.com/gospel-acrostic.
Love you, Pastor Kelly
Verse to Mediate On: 2 Corinthians 5:20, “So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (NLT).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, help me to be Your ambassador to share openly my faith and relationship to You to others. I do not want anyone to die and go to Hell because I was silent or fearful. Help me to fear You and only You. Help me to fear knowing by my deterred persistence, I was responsible for someone going to Hell. Use me love people as You do and thus, share Jesus with anyone who is lost. Jesus, give me undeterred perseverance to share the Gospel to others.In Jesus’ name, Amen!”