Preparing the Way of the Lord!
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, Thank You for giving me a testimony worth sharing with others, through Your Son, Jesus! I praise You that You saved me from sin and death, by His blood shed on the cross, and that no matter what others may say or do, no matter how others view me, because of Jesus saving work I belong to You. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit right now Lord, that I may accept every opportunity You give me to share my faith in words and actions to Your glory and praise. Empower me to serve others regardless of how they treat me. Empower me to think kind and generous thoughts to others, regardless of what they may say or do to or about me. Empower me to live the life that only those who belong to You can live—a life free of the desire to return evil for evil, a life filled only with Your goodness and love. This I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God’s Word Today
1 Peter 3:13-16
13Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” 15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
Reflecting on God's Word
What kinds of fears do folks have who do not know God, that those of us who do know Him, need not have?
Understanding God's Word
What is the greatest source of assurance in today’s Scripture reading for you?
How do you think Peter’s words impact us differently as citizens of the U.S.A. in the 21st century, than if we had been citizen’s under Rome’s rule in the 1st century?
What does this Scripture teach us about Jesus?
Applying God's Word to Our Lives
What one thing do you need to change as a result of reading today’s Scripture?
Thoughts...Giving an Answer—Part I
One of the surest realities of being a follower of Jesus Christ in any era is that we are called to let others know what we believe about Jesus and why we believe that He is the Son of God. While the content or the “what” of our faith is immense---for example, we believe that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary; that He grew up in Nazareth; that His ministry was accompanied by signs and wonders of amazing proportions—the reason behind our faith, the “why” is another matter. Many times in my life people have asked me, “Why do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?” The best answer I can give after literally decades of reflection is, “Because I cannot not believe in Him.” I have tried not to believe in Jesus. I honestly have. But no matter how hard I try, I wake up every morning believing that Jesus IS the Son of God, that He died on the cross to take away my sins, that He rose on the first Easter, later ascended into heaven, and will one day come again to claim all of us who call on Him as Savior and Lord. I have just shared a great deal of what I believe along with the why. That’s because the Bible primarily answers the WHAT question for us. We find so much about who Jesus was and what He did through the Gospels. We have enough evidence to convince us that Jesus IS, indeed, the Son of God. Then why is it that some folks believe in Jesus, while others don’t? Some people want “scientific” evidence that Jesus is the Son of God. Plenty of such evidence exists. After all, the Bible records Jesus life and times, and what He did. Some contend that the Bible is a book of faith, and as such is not reliable. The reality is that the Bible IS a book of faith, but the content is true. It does record history. Secular historical works of the day offer confirmation of the Bible’s contentions. (To be continued in tomorrow’s daily reading!)