Month: February 2019

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Find blog posts at LoveAndGrace … tweets at Twitter.

Comments welcomed. Please join us for Prayer and Questions at the end of the devotion. Why not forward this blog post to a relative, friend, or neighbor who might be blessed by it?

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“Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is honored everywhere except in his hometown and with his own people and in his own home.’” Mark 6:4 (NCV)

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OUR FAMILIES WON’T LISTEN TO US.

We love them, and our hearts are burdened for their salvation and their *eternal* destiny.

We see our adult children — beautiful, young and vibrant, successful in a worldly way — and yet, when we look into the eyes that look back at us — eyes that look like our eyes set in a face much like our own — we see rejection.

Rejection of the Bible. Rejection of Jesus Christ. Rejection of salvation.

We cannot help but morn.

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THEY DO NOT SEE their rejection of the Savior as actually *rejecting* the offer of salvation from the Lord of all creation. They see it, more likely than not, as a rejection of people, people like their mother and father, people like some of their aunts and uncles, and rejection of a grandparent or two.

Maybe it’s just a rejection of “those people” — a projection of every negative stereotype they can project onto people they neither know nor associate with — yet, who nevertheless become shields as they protect themselves from the Truth of Jesus Christ.

“It’s a lifestyle choice,” they say. “I’m glad it works for you,” they say. “You be you, and I’ll be me,” they say. “Okay?” they say.

Not okay.

Another translation presents our text source this way:  “Then Jesus told them, ‘A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.’” Mark 6:4 (NLT)

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EVEN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST faced rejection of His message from His immediate family, as well as His neighbors and townspeople. It was not until He was raised from the dead that the family came around.

We read in Acts that James, Mary, and other siblings of His were gathered with the apostles in the Upper Room. James became a church leader and wrote the book of James, one of the most instructive tomes in the Holy Bible.

The rest of us will not be raised from the dead, so we will not have a dramatic moment of confronting our disbelieving family members, showing them our execution scars and reminding them of the many times we told them about our earthly fate.

We know in Heaven, the Lord will bathe us with a blessing that will wipe away every tear and keep us from sorrow (Rev. 21:4), but that’s for Glory; this is for now, and our family’s rejection of the Messiah’s call (Rev. 3:20) pierces our hearts with pain.

It’s supposed to.

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WHEN JESUS TOLD US, “You will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8 ESV), He wants us motivated to be intentional in spreading the Good News of what the Lord has done for us (see Mark 5:19). It’s that pain for the salvation of our family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and anyone else the Lord places in our lives that motivates us to share the Gospel with others.

As we try but we fail to convince our loved ones of Jesus’ love for them as individuals, we are reminded over and over again that it never is within our power to convince someone to accept Jesus Christ.

The verses of 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 tell us that one person sows the seed by witnessing for the Gospel, another one waters the seed, but it is only God’s Holy Spirit that can open a hardened heart and turn it in a new direction (cf Ezekiel 36:26, 1 Corinthians 1:18).

None of that reassurance takes the pain away, of course. The Lord prepared us in John 15:18 that the world (those close at hand and those far away) will hate us because first it hated the Lord, and again in John 3:19 that men (and women) love the darkness more than they do the Light.

We are to do our job, and our job is clear: To witness by our actions and our words (see 2 Peter 1:5-8).

The rest is up to others and their relationship — or non-relationship — with the Savior. We turn the matter over to Him through prayer.

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PRAYER

Our Heavenly Father, You have burdened our hearts with sharing the salvation story withour loved ones … and even with those we barely know. We confess our inability to carry the message forward with grace and conviction, when we are too aware of our own shortcomings. We feel we are unworthy ambassadors for so great a message. Yet Jesus called  us to be His witnesses and assured us, that with the power of the Holy Spirit, we could accomplish more on earth than He could do in his bodily form. Lord, we believe Your promises to be trustworthy, and we ask Your guiding hand as we seek to live lives — in word and deed, and in thought — that honor You and Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray. AMEN

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QUESTIONS for Discussion Groups:

 

1. Have you experienced this difficulty in witnessing for the Gospel with your family? If not, is it because they’re believers … or because you haven’t tried?

2. If they are believers, how was the Gospel presented to you at home? If they are not believers, what keeps you from sharing the Good News with them?

3.  Regardless of your success or failure at home, what experiences have you had sharing the Gospel with neighbors, more distant friends, and even strangers? Are they more receptive to your testimony than family? If so, why is it? If not, why not? Have you tried to share the Word? If not, what stops you?

Would you like us at LoveAndGrace to pray for you? Just send a prayer request via the Comments section.

We suffer in silence when we fail to believe in the God of Creation. He has offered us a life with abundance if we believe in Him, His promises, His Son, but when we — through pride — strive to live life on our own, we fail, sometimes immediately and sometimes over time, but we fail. He remains faithful to pick us up, whenever we repent and call on His name. Will you call on Him today to help you through your pain? You don’t have to suffer in silence anymore. Praise God!

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Find blog posts at LoveAndGrace … tweets at Twitter.

Comments welcomed. Please join us for Prayer and Questions at the end of the devotion. Why not forward this blog post to a relative, friend, or neighbor who might be blessed by it?

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“Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him, my Savior and my God.” — Psalm 42:11 (CSB)

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WE OFTEN SUFFER IN SILENCE.

Alone. Unrecognized. Unknown.

We feel as though the ebb of life has passed us by. No one knows our name, or our struggles, or our shame.

We hide the truth in our hearts; sometimes, it’s so deeply hidden, we hide it from ourselves.

We want to fix it, but we don’t know how.

“If only *they* will change, everything will be all right,” we say. “If *our circumstances* were different, this would all go away.”

But it doesn’t. Day after month after year, nothing changes. Yes, there are ups and downs; yes, there are escapes built into our regime, but in the end, it remains the same: missed opportunities, sadness, despair. No hope.

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THE BIBLE RECOGNIZES THIS HUMAN CONDITION and speaks volumes into our hearts. Oh, if only we would let go and let God. If only we could drop our burdens at the foot of the Cross. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28 NASB)

We hear those words, but they ring hallow. How could this be? How could Jesus take away the sting of our affliction? Does He hear our prayers? Does He care about our lives? Isn’t He too busy with more important things, bigger things, other people?

Jesus assures us we’re important to Him. Look at the sparrows, He says, speaking of unimportant members of the animal kingdom. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.” (Matt. 10:29 NIV) “And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Matt. 10:30 NIV).

God knows us. God sees us. God cares about us.

Jesus says, “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 NLT)

That’s love. That’s true love.

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THEN WHY DO WE SUFFER SO?

David tells us in the Psalms, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.” (Psalms 34:19 ESV).

Paul tells us that “we rejoice in our sufferings” because the experience of going through these troubles “produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:3-5 ESV)

James, the half-brother of Jesus, reminds us that we should take comfort in our troubles as “nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” (James 1:2-3 NET)

Endurance, he says, leads us to wisdom; and, if we lack wisdom (which we do), we “should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand.” (James 1:5 NET)

Trials, Peter says, “show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold … and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7 NET)

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SO, WHAT ARE WE TO MAKE OF ALL THIS?

Here’s what God says to us through the Psalms:

“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May you shelter them, and may those who love your name boast about you. For you, LORD, bless the righteous one; you surround him with favor like a shield.” (Psalms 5:11-12 CSB)

“Protect me, God, for I take refuge in you.” (Psalms 16:1 CSB)

“I always let the LORD guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” (Psalms 16:8 CSB)

“I called to the LORD in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.” (Psalms 18:6 CSB)

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalms 46:1 ESV)

 

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THE CASE HAS BEEN TRIED. The jury has come back. Here is it’s verdict:

“We find God’s message to be True; we find it Trustworthy. In it, we find our Salvation.”

Case dismissed. You, the tormented, are free to go.

Go with God.

He will guide you and sustain you. In all matters, He will love you and hold you in the palm of His hand. He will cry tears alongside you (“Jesus wept.” John 11:35 NIV).

He will never forsake you.

• • “God will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6 ESV)
  • “The Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 ESV)
  • “Every moment you know where I am.” (Psalm 139:3b TLB)
  • “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the one who helps you.’” (Isaiah 41:13 ESV)
  • “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV)

Finally, this, from the Master’s own voice (Matt. 28:20 ESV):

“Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

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PRAYER

Our Heavenly Father, full of love and mercy, hear our prayer, O Lord. Reach down and wipe away our tears. Take our hand and lead us. Wrap us in your strong arms. Keep us safe. Be with us. Although our faith falters, your steadfastness never fails; although we stumble, you never grow faint; although we’re tired, you’re never weary. Lord, lead us as you promised, that if we trust in You with all our hearts and lean not on our own understanding, and in all our ways acknowledge You, You will make our paths straight (Prov. 3:5-6). Lord, we claim that promise for ourselves and give You all the praise, honor, and glory. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ we pray, AMEN

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QUESTIONS:

1. Do you find it difficult to believe that the God of Creation knows who you are, loves you, cares for you, and even died for you to pay the debt of your sin? Amazing? Yes, but true! Can you claim this truth for yourself this very day?

2. Do you find it difficult to claim the truth that God’s grace is bigger than your sin, that He can cover your pride, greed, arrogance, malice, and envy, and so much more? He said He can. His Word says He can. Can you claim that truth today and for all eternity?

3. Do you find it difficult to believe that the God of Creation, Almighty God, kind of the universe is calling you today to repent of all your sin and turn to Him for forgiveness? Why suffer any longer with the demons who have owned you for months or years or even decades? Today is the day of your deliverance. Call on Him. He’s listening. He cares. He can heal you.

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Would you like us at LoveAndGrace to pray for you? Just send a prayer request via the Comments section.

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