Tag Archives: spirit

Insider trading or not (John 16:6-15), April 11, 2017

Today’s Podcast

Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Insider trading is not a good thing in this country and many other, but when it comes to Jesus’ words to His disciples, insider information is what He promised.
Scripture
1. John 16:6-15
2. Jesus: Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.

Devotional
1. In the stock market there is something that will get you in really big trouble if you’re part of a publicly traded corporation
  1. Insider trading is the trading of a public company’s stock or other securities (such as bonds or stock options) by individuals with access to nonpublic information about the company. In various countries, some kinds of trading based on insider information is illegal.
  2. In trouble even if you give that information to someone else and they benefit from the information
  3. Ask Enron executives about insider trading, it doesn’t turn out well for anyone
2. In our Christian walk, though, Jesus gives us some insider trading information all the time
  1. His spirit will live in us
  2. Spirit of truth
  3. Guide you into all truth
  4. Speaks only what He hears
  5. Will tell you what is to come
3. Does that make us fortunetellers?
  1. No
  2. Something about knowing the truth
  3. Gives insight into how others behave
  4. What the future holds because God is a God of truth
  5. Enlightens us through His word
4. Know the final outcome of how all this ends when we let Him live in us
  1. But we must listen
5. Inside traders don’t profit if they don’t listen to those that know what will happen within the company in the next weeks or months
6. We will not profit if we don’t listen to God’s spirit speaking truth us
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

We all need expert help at times (John 15:26-27), April 9, 2017

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
We often think we can do things alone, but we’ve all run into things we just can’t handle by ourselves. We need someone to help, an expert, someone with more experience than we have. When it comes to spiritual things, there is really only one who can help us, though.
Scripture
1. John 15:26-27
2. Jesus: I will send a great Helper to you from the Father, one known as the Spirit of truth. He comes from the Father and will point to the truth as it concerns Me. But you will also point others to the truth about My identity, because you have journeyed with Me since this all began.
Devotional
1. My grandson is an up and coming engineer.
  1. At about four or five built catapults out of paper, duct tape and rubber bands
  2. Bows and arrows
  3. At six built the titanic out of legos
  4. When it came to a tree house he needed help
  5. Asked for help, “Papaw, can you build a treehouse for me?”
  6. “Can you build an elevator to the treehouse for me?”
  7. Got a little over his head although he likes to work with wood and hammers and nails
2. Cute story about grandkids, but we run into the same problem
  1. Sometimes our pride gets in the way, though
    1. Finances
    2. Health
    3. Relationships
  2. Sometimes we let ourselves get in terrible straits before we seek help
  3. Sometimes by the time we let the professionals in we’ve made such a mess, it seems it will be impossible to get out
3. When it comes to spiritual things, there’s a better answer
  1. We can never fix what’s wrong
  2. We can’t be good enough
  3. We can’t pay enough
  4. There’s nothing we can do to make things right
  5. We’re sinners, every one of us
4. There is a solution
  1. The cross
  2. Jesus died so we can live
  3. Then promised the comforter, His spirit, to come and be with us and in us
  4. The question, will we stop and listen to Him when He gently calls
  5. Will we pay attention when He says stay out of that place or go to that one
  6. Will we stop talking or texting when He tells us to?
5. He’s the expert, He’ll answer our questions.
6. I wasn’t the expert at building a treehouse. It will come down one day. In fact, I’ll tear it down in a few years to make sure no one gets hurt on it. But God’s spirit in us will never let us down.
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

We need to be loved (John 14:18-21), March 31, 2017

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Have you heard about the studies done in some of the Romanian orphanages? They’ve been going on for more than 80 years and all say the same thing. We need to be loved.
Scripture
1. John 14:18-21
2. Jesus: I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.
Devotional
1. Studies have been going on about attachment and bonding in orphanages since the 30’s and 40’s by psychologists and psychiatrists.
  1. Astounding results
  2. Both physical and emotional impact of not being held and nurtured as infants
  3. 30’s and 40’s studies were on a small scale
  4. Same results are being found today on a large scale with more than 100,000 subjects as part of the study
2. More orphans than people to take care of them
  1. Same in Jesus’ day
  2. War a part of every generation
  3. Parents killed in battle or part of collateral damage
  4. Parents who cannot care for their children and leave them in the hope someone else will care for them
  5. These detached orphans grow up with significant emotional problems
3. They may not have done psychological studies in Jesus’ day, but they knew orphans didn’t fare well
  1. Command was to take care of widows and orphans they need help
  2. Needed someone to love them
  3. Jesus said He wouldn’t leave His disciples or us as orphans
  4. He would not let us suffer the pains of unattachment
  5. He comes to us
4. What constitutes having Him with us and in us?
  1. He gave us the formula for freedom from the lack of attachment problem
  2. Whoever has His commands and keeps them
  3. Whoever loves Him is loved by the Father and by Him
  4. Whoever He loves has Him living inside him
  5. If He is living in us, we can never be alone
  6. He desires relationship with us in the deepest most intimate ways
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Hidden in plain sight (John 14:15-17), March 30, 2017

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Have you ever been around someone you should have known but didn’t? Or you were with someone you thought everyone else should know but didn’t? Today’s lesson talks about that problem.
Scripture
1. John 14:15-17
2. Jesus: If you love Me, obey the commandments I have given you. I will ask the Father to send you another Helper, the Spirit of truth, who will remain constantly with you. The world does not recognize the Spirit of truth, because it does not know the Spirit and is unable to receive Him. But you do know the Spirit because He lives with you, and He will dwell in you.
Devotional
1. I do some part-time work training senior medical staffs on the use of some software I was a part of visioning almost two decades ago. At that time, the then future Surgeon General and I were in discussion about what would be useful for commanders to know to better anticipate medical needs on the battlefield.
  1. Wrote the medical support plan for Desert Storm
  2. Commanded medical units in the field
  3. Trained medical units of all sizes
  4. Had a pretty good idea of what would help if the right information could be collected
2. Enter more recent technology
  1. Higher speed Internet
  2. Hardened machines that could handle the rough treatment of field conditions
  3. Electronic medical records
  4. Processing speeds that could assimilate information rapidly
  5. Databases with the power to analyze information on the fly
3. I get to teach and train some of those systems for decision making
  1. Retired more than ten years
  2. Senior commanders now were captains and majors when I retired
  3. Many weren’t in the service when Desert Storm happened and those plans were written
  4. Some of their staff weren’t even born
  5. They don’t know me or my expertise
  6. They don’t know I’ve been where they are or authored the changes to doctrine they are using to support the battlefield
  7. Just another contractor to most
4. But to some
  1. They’ve read the records
  2. They remember the conflicts
  3. They’ve seen the documents that supported the doctrine
  4. They’ve seen my picture in the halls of the schoolhouse
  5. And remember
  6. With those, I often have long after hour conversations during those training days as they ask questions about how I came up with the plans, how the training was orchestrated, how the plans were written, how the communications were executed, how the casualties were evacuated and accounted for under such austere conditions. They pick my brain…what little is left.
5. Imagine what we can learn from the spirit of God when we recognize Him!
  1. Jesus let His disciples in on the secret and passes it on to us
  2. Believe in Him
  3. His spirit will live in us
  4. We will recognize Him and He will give us incredible knowledge and empower us to become more like Him each day
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Would bringing back blue laws help? (John 4:21-26), January 25, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Do you remember blue laws? If you’re younger than 50, probably not. We don’t have many if any blue laws around anymore, but maybe we should. Maybe we wouldn’t be in the pickle we’re in today with our worship. Listen and find out why.
Scripture
1. John 4:21-26
2. Jesus: Woman, I tell you that neither is so. Believe this: a new day is coming—in fact, it’s already here—when the importance will not be placed on the time and place of worship but on the truthful hearts of worshipers. You worship what you don’t know while we worship what we do know, for God’s salvation is coming through the Jews. The Father is spirit, and He is seeking followers whose worship is sourced in truth and deeply spiritual as well. Regardless of whether you are in Jerusalem or on this mountain, if you do not seek the Father, then you do not worship.

Woman: These mysteries will be made clear by He who is promised, the Anointed One.

Jesus: The Anointed is speaking to you. I am the One you have been looking for.

Devotional
1. I’m not sure, but I think the largest segment of the population today are the baby boomers. Generations before us, families were larger, but they have now passed on our parents started worrying about population growth, being able to send us to college and provide for all us baby boomer kids in the suburbs, and so our families tended to begin to curb those population swells. The Gen-Xers and Millennials seldom have more than two kids and many have no kids, so the baby boomers are the big chunk in the US anyway. So what’s that got to do with today’s scripture?
2. Greatest Generation and their children
  1. Raised with societal norms of Christian standards in this country
  2. Church every Sunday
  3. Blue laws
  4. Nothing open on Sunday
3. Baby Boomers became interested in money
  1. Relaxed and abolished blue laws
  2. Worship anytime or anywhere
  3. Sports took center stage on Sunday afternoon instead of family
  4. Christian values were no longer the norm
4. Today
  1. No worship tolerated
  2. 24 hour operations the norm
  3. Christian values viewed as hate speech
  4. Cesspool of sex, drugs, and violence everywhere you turn
5. Jesus’ words come back to haunt us today because we have lost our way in worship and following what He wants us to do.
  1. It doesn’t matter where or when we worship
  2. but…The Father is spirit, and He is seeking followers whose worship is sourced in truth and deeply spiritual as well. Regardless of whether you are in Jerusalem or on this mountain, if you do not seek the Father, then you do not worship.
  3. When we let the world dictate our norms and leave Him out, we run the risk of losing our eternal life

If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Nicodemus learned a lot from Jesus one day (John 3:10-15), January 21, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Do you ever take what we know about life in the Spirit for granted? Do you ever even think about life in the Spirit and what it’s all about? Nicodemus got a pretty good lesson one day. We can learn a lot from what Jesus said to him that day.
Scripture

Devotional
1. Put yourself in Nicodemus place 2,000 years ago. What would you think about the conversation you were having with Jesus? Do you ever take what we know about life in the Spirit for granted? Do you ever even think about life in the Spirit and what it’s all about?His Spirit came to live in us after His departure.
2. Important concept Jesus talked about often in His ministry.
  1. The promise He gave His disciples and the power He gave them to live the way He wanted them to live
  2. Before Jesus left He talked a lot about what God’s spirit would do for us and in us, so the conversation He begins with Nicodemus is important
  1. But Nicodemus, like many, chose to reject the truth Jesus spoke.
    1. Responsible to teach faith – a rabbi
    2. Didn’t understand the necessity of life in the spirit.
    3. We cannot live the life Jesus wants us to live apart from His spirit in us
    4. It takes faith and acceptance of His guidance, lordship in our life
  1. World doesn’t agree
    1. Self made man
    2. What’s in it for me
    3. What do I gain
    4. Selfish motive is the world’s answer
    5. Servanthood is Jesus’ goal
1. Nicodemus came to learn and based on later events in his life it appears he learned well the lessons of life in the Spirit. History gives credence to His coming to Christ and being one of the dissenters in His trial and crucifixion. He may have been in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. He learned his lessons
2. The question for you and me, will we learn from the Master? Will we believe the evidence of His words and His actions? Will we believe in Him so we may gain the everlasting life He promises? It’s up to you.
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Have you asked Him? (Luke 11:11-13) November 3, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Ecclesiastes 3-4

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Luke 11:11-13
Jesus: Some of you are fathers, so ask yourselves this: if your son comes up to you and asks for a fish for dinner, will you give him a snake instead? If your boy wants an egg to eat, will you give him a scorpion? Look, all of you are flawed in so many ways, yet in spite of all your faults, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to all who ask!

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

An autopsy on the young victim showed burns over 15 percent of his body. Lampley and her boyfriend were originally charged with first-degree murder in the tragedy. The prosecutors wanted Newell-Skinner to get 48 years for the tortures she inflicted on her little girl before the child passed away. They didn’t get their wish. John Hogg, the perfect name for one of eight busted for soliciting child prostitutes and enticement. Little Tobi was taken to the hospital with injuries her mom and significant other said were from a tumble down the stairs. The X-ray didn’t pick up the skull fracture, and the doctor okayed the child’s return even though a former babysitter had already reported signs of abuse. Weeks later, the girl was dead. After Fort Bend County Sheriff sat down with Jason Sheats –whose wife, Christy, killed their two daughters before a police officer fatally shot her–he made public what Jason believed may have led to the tragic event. “We asked Mr Sheats for a motive in his own words, and why would Christy kill their two daughters,” the sheriff said at a news conference. “He stated that he felt Christy wanted him to suffer. During this incident, Christy had ample time and opportunity to shoot and kill Mr. Sheats in the home, but she chose not to. Mr Sheats stated Christy knew how much he loved Taylor and Madison, and how much they loved him.” A concerned citizen showed police a shocking video in which a mother verbally and physically abused her toddler son. But no arrests were made and the child was left in the home until after the video went viral on Facebook and YouTube.

These headliners are too real today, aren’t they. We can’t imagine a world in which parents would do these things to their own children. But these are just a few of the dozens that hit the papers every day and those that hit the paper are just a small percentage of the cases that happen across the country every day. We know that in our heads but seldom let it sink into our hearts.

Unfortunately, with the divorce rate above 50% now, most of the children in our society live in broken homes. They know emotional and physical abuse. They know the brokenness in relationships but fail to see the love of our heavenly Father expressed in the genuine unconditional love of their earthly fathers because of the brokenness of their homes.

You see, over and over, God’s word uses marriage and the home as a metaphore for the love of God toward us. But we have so broken those covenants we make to each other that we no longer understand the covenant God makes to us. We assume that since we can slip in and out of relationships at will, that God will too. We assume that since our affections can grow hot and cold based on our current whim or mood, that God’s love can grow hot and cold toward us. But God’s love is perfect. He is the perfect Father.

Jesus uses this example of a father giving good gifts to his children because usually, even in the corrupted world we live in, most fathers are not like those in the news headlines. Most will not purposely harm their children. We don’t love the way God loves and we don’t love unconditionally the way God wants us to and the way He helps us love if we let Him, but most of us don’t purposely hurt our children. We do it because of the sin that we let reign in our hearts instead of letting God reign there.

That’s point Satan has used to blind us. We think everything is okay because we give gifts to our children and try to buy their love with material things, when what we need is to show genuine, unconditional love to them. God’s kind of love. Love that reaches beyond affection and into the realm of sacrificial giving of self for their good. It means giving up some of the things we want for the good of those we love. God did. He gave His best, His Son, for our good.

So Jesus reminds us that we can understand even in all the corruption we see in this world: Look, all of you are flawed in so many ways, yet in spite of all your faults, you know how to give good gifts to your children. How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to all who ask! Have you asked Him?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

The body is weak! (Matthew 26:40-41) June 24, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Ezekiel 13-18

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:40-41
When He came back to the disciples, He saw that they were asleep. Peter awoke a little less confident and slightly chagrined.
Jesus (to Peter): So you couldn’t keep watch with Me for just one short hour? Now maybe you’re learning: the spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Watch and pray and take care that you are not pulled down during a time of testing.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Caught with his hand in the cookie jar! Jesus asked his closest friends to help Him pray during this darkest hour of His life. One of His own was about to betray Him. Jesus knew the guards were on their way to arrest Him. The cross loomed in the distance. His death was imminent.

“Please, watch and pray with me for the next hour to help Me through this awful time in my life.”

Sounds like a simple request, doesn’t it? But Peter, James and John didn’t fulfill their mission. They let the food in their stomachs and the late hour of the evening get to them and they slept while their Master prayed. He comes back and the sound of His sandals on the gravel path arouses Peter. Oops! I was supposed to be praying, not sleeping. Caught!

We’re all guilty. We all get caught. No matter how stealthy you think you might be in covering your actions or hiding your schemes, you can’t. Everything eventually comes out in the open. Just take a look at what happens in the media today with our political candidates. If you think you can hide your past, just look at what comes out from the past on these men and women that want to lead our country. The opposing party is pulling out dirt from every aspect of each others lives. From the time they were young adults to yesterday’s twitter post, the latest misstatement, misaligned thought, maligned look, point of arrogance, or down right bad action for which each never takes ownership pops up in the news.

Nothing is ever really hidden. And so Peter, James, and John get caught. But that’s okay. Jesus understands. I think He’s a little disappointed that these three closest friends didn’t have the stamina to pray with Him for even an hour, but even at this late hour of His life, Jesus uses the incident as a teaching point for them. “Now maybe you’re learning: the spirit is willing, but the body is weak. Watch and pray and take care that you are not pulled down during a time of testing.”

So what is the Master telling these three? I’m sure they were thoroughly embarrassed by their inability to stay awake with Jesus. I’m sure they fell over themselves with apologies and truly were sorry for not praying with Him during this hour. I’m sure they promised never to do it again and asked for another chance to redeem themselves even as the night grew longer and darker.

But Jesus understood their position before the coming of the Holy Spirit to live in them and not just with them. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak. There are times that we just can’t go on any more. His words remind me of the day I came back from Iraq into our rear headquarters in Dharhan in Saudi Arabia after coalition forces were ordered back in Operation Desert Storm. I told my boss I needed a short nap before I would be much good to him for the next planning phase. I went into the hut several of the medical operations team shared and fell fully clothed into the cot I hadn’t seen in several months to take that short nap. In what a thought was a few minutes, I woke up and discover to my dismay the clock was two hours later than when I laid down. What I didn’t know was a full day had also passed. What I thought was a long two hour nap, was a twenty-six hour exhausted sleep. The spirit was willing, but the body was weak.

I learned that some of the team who held down the rear headquarters while the tactical operations center moved forward checked on me every few hours to make sure I was still breathing, but assumed I needed the sleep and didn’t wake me. I wanted to work as soon as I returned because there was a lot of work to do. But my body said shut down and repair itself after months of twenty-hour days. It just said no more and quit.

God understands our physical limitations. But He also helps us even with those physical limitations. I’m convinced it was His hand on me physically that let me work the grueling schedule I worked in Desert Storm without collapsing until after our return from the front. His sustaining power gave me the strength to endure all those months until my planning skills were no longer immediate concerns for medical support on the battlefield.

We will all face times of testing as the disciples did in the Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus and as I did with the constant pressures of planning in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. But prayer was high on my list and I felt the prayers of those who were home lifting me to God both for my safety and my ability to perform my tasks well not even knowing what my tasks might be. I knew friends and family were on their knees with my name on their lips.

Now twenty-five years after that conflict, I lift those planners and service members in my prayers daily. Some of them I know by name. Most are nameless to me, but not to God. Are there times my body fails me? Yes. Just passing my sixty-second anniversary of my birth, my body fails more often than I’d like, but I’ve learned to lean more on God so He can empower my spirit to keep at the fight. How about you?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Do you stumble and fall? (Matthew 26:31-34) June 21, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 1 Kings 14-18

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 26:31-34
Jesus: Scripture says,
I shall strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will scatter.
Just so, each of you will stumble tonight, stumble and fall, on account of Me.
Afterward I will be raised up. And I will go before you to Galilee.
Peter: Lord, maybe everyone else will trip and fall tonight, but I will not. I’ll be beside You. I won’t falter.
Jesus: If only that were true. In fact, this very night, before the cock crows in the morning, you will deny Me three times.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

Have you ever made Peter’s type of declaration about one of your snares to temptation? “I’ll never miss my devotions again. I’ll never frequent that den of evil again. I’ll never look at that filth again. I’ll never drink that stuff again. I’ll never smoke that stuff again. I’ll never …” Name the temptation that plagues you most and you’ve probably made the same promise Peter made to Jesus. “Even if everyone else falls away, I’m so devoted and so determined, I’ll never do that because I love you so much.”

What happens next? The tempter comes with just the right shiny bait and suddenly we find ourselves falling to the temptation once again. The bait looked so good and so delicious we just couldn’t help but bite and we didn’t see the hook hidden just beneath the surface. Now we’re pulled along by the angler who wants to take our soul.

Peter thought he was strong enough to handle the tempter. So did the other disciples. So often we think we’re strong enough, too. But look through scripture and you’ll find the strongest Bible heroes failing to remain strong when the tempter puts his bait in front of them. They fall to his wily schemes and suddenly find themselves drowning in a sea of disillusion and despair. They don’t know how to find the strength to carry on and are embarrassed by their inability to carefully follow God’s decrees for their lives.

Just like us, isn’t it? Don’t we do the same thing? Don’t we too often fall for the same things over and over again because we just keep taking the bait? So how do we get away from the merry-go-round and live the life God wants us to live for Him? How do we see through the schemes Satan puts in our path and live up to the promises we make to God?

There is a way. Paul describes it as living by the spirit rather than living by the flesh. It’s giving ourselves fully to God and listening and obeying Him as His Spirit in us guides us. When we are sensitive to Him, He prompts us toward the exit signs when the tempter tries to lure us into the deep with his shiny toys and illicit pleasures. Sometimes the bait Satan uses can even be good things, but not the things God has in store for you. We can lose the best in the good if we’re not careful.

When we listen to God’s spirit in us, though, He will guide us to the best for us and keep us from falling into Satan’s traps. He will point us to the exit signs when temptations come our way so we have that way of escape Paul takes about. God knows about temptation. He knows about the evil of this world. He knows the schemes Satan uses to try to trap us into a path of disobedience. And He gives us His spirit when we ask Him to guide us and teach us. To help us discern the path He would have us take instead of the path Satan and the world would direct us toward.

Peter and the rest of the disciples all abandoned Jesus the same night Peter made the declaration that he would never leave his Master. John stuck closest, just to see what was happening to Jesus in the courts of the Sanhedrin. But all of them fell to the tempter’s snare just as Jesus said they would. They could not stand without God’s Spirit living in them any more than we can.

But after Pentecost, after they asked God to fill them with His spirit, after they let God really become Lord of their lives, each began to let God lead them in ways they never understood before. They sensed His spirit guiding them and helping them, just as Jesus said He would. As you read about their lives, they no longer lived the up and down relationship with God. They lived the lives He wanted them to live enabled by the resurrection power of God’s spirit in them.

Do you want to stop falling prey to that same old habit that plagues you? Do you want to get off the merry-go-round that you know displeases God and frustrates your spiritual growth? Then give yourself wholly to Him. Then listen to and obey His spirit living in you. Live in accordance with His spirit in you, and not by the flesh. That’s the secret those early church leaders shared as their secret to living the lives God wanted them to live.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Don’t worry, just talk (Matthew 10:18-20) February 28, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – 1 Corinthians 1-2

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 10:18-20
Jesus: Because of Me, naysayers and doubters will try to make an example out of you by trying you before rulers and kings. When this happens—when you are arrested, dragged to court—don’t worry about what to say or how to say it. The words you should speak will be given to you. For at that moment, it will not be you speaking; it will be the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

A great job description, don’t you think? Join my firm and the people that don’t like what you say will drag you before the highest authorities in the land and have you arrested and taken into court for your “crimes”. But don’t worry about it. Don’t worry that those authorities have the power to execute you. Don’t worry that the naysayers and doubters are paying off those officials and have the power to get you arrested and thrown into prison in the first place. Don’t worry about any of that. Just join my company and do what I tell you to do. How would you like those instructions?

Notice Jesus didn’t mince words here. “When this happens,” He says. “When you are arrested and dragged into court, not if. This is going to happen to you. You’re going to find yourself in jail. You’re going to be arrested. You’ll get your mug shots on the post office wall as part of the most wanted crowd. But don’t worry about it. You’ll have your day in court.”

Can you imagine the looks on the disciples faces as they heard those words? What? We’re going to be arrested, thrown in jail, go to court, stand in front of kings and judges? What are we supposed to say to them? What is our defense against those that doubt You? You’ll be miles away in some other city, how are we supposed to defend ourselves against these guys? What do you mean don’t worry about what to say?

I can just see their eyes grow wide and their jaws slacken and their mouths open wide as they take in what Jesus tells them in these words. He knows what will happen to them. He knows He will become the sacrifice for the world’s sins. He knows these twelve will carry His message and His Spirit will live in them and empower them once He ascends back to His home in heaven. But they don’t understand any of this at this point. They are dumbfounded with the prospect of what will happen.

But they also trust their Master. And they listen carefully to what He says next. The Holy Spirit will give you the words to say when you stand before the authorities. It will be the Father’s words that come through you. Don’t worry about it.

Those that know me well, know that on personality tests, I am a slammed against the wall introvert. I can stand in front of a crowd and preach. I can get up in front of an auditorium full of people and teach. But I really am a died in the wool introvert. I’ve learned to act like an extrovert when I have to, but it is really hard for me to talk to people. I am much more comfortable sitting in a room with a book.

When I go to restaurants, I like my back to the wall. When I go to parties, I migrate to the edges of the crowd. I seldom attend things where people will just mill around and when I do, I either go early to find a spot where I can anchor myself and not have to move or go late to arrive just before the main event starts and everyone freezes in place. I don’t mill around very well. I would never survive New Year’s Eve in Times Square. I just couldn’t do it.

All that said, I have to tell you that preaching is a passion for me. I’m called to preach. I don’t understand why God would do that as much as I dislike meeting and talking to people individually. It is so difficult for me. But when I stand in front of people to share His message, I understand these words of Jesus. I study hard to prepare sermons, but when I stand before a crowd, the experience is overwhelming. It’s almost an out-of-body experience. I don’t know where the words come from sometimes.

Preaching is hard work and I’ve been more exhausted after preaching a 20 minute sermon some days than after moving a truck load of furniture, but I love to preach. Why? Because I know these words of Jesus are true. The words are often not my own. When I’m truly prepare, the Holy Spirit takes over. When I’m prayed up and the topic is His, not mine, His words flow in a way that is hard for me to explain. Others hear a sermon I didn’t seem to prepare. But hear the words they needed to hear in that moment to convict, convence, encourage, admonish. They got what they needed, not from me, but from God’s word.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us? Don’t worry about sharing His message with others. He will give you the words to say. When you boldly speak in His name, others will hear what they need to hear from His word. But you need to prepare yourself. Be prayed up. Stay rooted in His word. Stay connected to the Source from which those words can flow. When you stay connected, like Jesus says, “Don’t worry about what you will say…the Spirit of your Father will speak through you.”

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.