Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – Galatians 2:6-10
Set – Job 28; Galatians 2
Go! – Job 28-29; Galatians 1-2
Galatians 2:6-10
6 It makes no difference to me (or to God for that matter) if people have power or influence. God doesn’t choose favorites among His children. Even the so-called pillars of the church didn’t contribute anything new to my understanding of the good news. 7 But it quickly became obvious to them what God was doing: He had entrusted me to carry the good news to the uncircumcised, just as Peter was called to preach to those who were circumcised. 8 God was at work in the ministry of Peter, as emissary to the Jews, and was also moving and working with me in my ministry to the outsider nations.
9 When James, Cephas (whom you know as Peter), and John—three men purported to be pillars among the Jewish believers—saw that God’s favor was upon me to fulfill this calling, they welcomed and endorsed both Barnabas and me. They agreed that our ministries would work as two hands, theirs advancing the mission of God among the Jews and ours toward the outsider nations, all with the same message of redemption. 10 In parting, they requested we always remember to care for the poor among us, which was something I was eager to do.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
Do you remember the first thing Paul said in these verses today? “It makes no difference to Me if people have power or inflence.” What you consider earthly power means nothing to Me. Suppose you are the leader of a group of people, what does that mean? They follow only as long as they desire to follow you. Can you really make them do what they do not want to do? No. You might impose some kind of consequence if they do not act as you wish, but they still do not have to follow.
If enough people choose not to follow, they can revolt against whatever power you think you have and overthrow you with pretty significant consequences. Take a look at what has happened to dictators and tyrant in the past. At some point, kingdoms have fallen and all they thought was theirs disappeared. Power, even over an individual, can be very fleeting.
And no matter how much power you think you exert, take a look at My power and compare it. Can you create a hurricane? Can you cause lightning to flash from the sky? Can you unleash the torrents of floods from the sky? Can you cause the rains to stop and bring devasting drought to the land? Can you shake the earth and cause man’s most sturdy structures to crumble? Can you unleash the power of the volcano and pour out molten rock across the landscape changing the shape of the mountains?
No matter how powerful you think you are, you’re best is nothing. Consider the power of the sun. I made it and all the other stars in the sky. They shine and give their light at My command. They move across the sky in perfect order because I spoke them into place and gave them the precision no person could give them. I set in place the perfect balance of warmth, water, predators, and prey so that you could exist on the tiny planet you call home, only one of billions of planets within My universe.
Only now are you beginning to understand the vast reaches of the universe I created with it billions of stars in billions of galaxies across what seems like the limitless expanse of space. But I know its limits because I created it. I spoke the words that began time and space long ago and I will one day bring and end to it with a command to My Son to go and get His bride, the church, those of you who believe in Him for salvation.
Does your power and influence in this place matter to Me? Not in the least! But My power in you can make all the difference in the world for you. I can help you make it through any circumstance. I can give you joy and peace in any situation. I can transform you into the person I created you to be. My power and influence in your life can demonstrate to others that I am still alive and well on planet earth, doing My will among those who continue to serve Me.
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