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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness Gal 5:22 |
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Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Monday, February 14, 2022
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :Persecution of Missionaries Bible Verse:Matthew 10:16-23 (ESV) "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes." Message:
Jesus doesn’t pull his punches when he warns the apostles of what they might expect as they travel about, preaching the good news: Persecution from the state, persecution from religious organizations, persecution from even their own family members. He once again uses sheep and wolves metaphorically, this time to describe the faithful facing an evil, hostile, and murderous world.
This disconcerting description is modeled on the future fate of Jesus himself; and really, it informs the entire relationship of Christians to society. We have somehow come to expect to be a majority, to be in power, and to control the government and society; but this was an anomaly. The attempts of well-meaning Christians to bring morality to the world, as compulsion, is rapidly slipping. And face it: the struggle for popular or political control may be a battle God intends us to lose. (See, e.g., John 14:30; Luke17:26-30.)
Crucifixion, Velazquez
Christ sends the apostles out, not to change Israel, but to save the souls of individual human beings. The second temple will be destroyed and, unlike Christ, never rise again. Christ knows that the world will be a hostile and dangerous place for his disciples; the powers of this world do not want to see people saved. Yet, in the midst of the evil dominating the secular world, we, like the apostles, are told to be “innocent as doves” — like Christ himself.
As to the hostility, however, he tells us to be as “wise as serpents.” The apostles are instructed to use their wits to avoid danger, and we must do the same. In this, we are different from Christ. His fate, to give up his life on the cross, was ordained and necessary; but we are to try to avoid martyrdom. This is illustrated later in the Bible (especially in Acts) when we will see Paul (and others) try to avoid imprisonment and death, time and time again.
The passage, in its entirety, sounds like the speech of a great general to troops before a battle or war, where the enemy is powerful and will take many lives. Think of Winston Churchill promising “blood, sweat, and tears.” Garibaldi, the liberator and consolidator of Italy, told his army,“ I have nothing to offer you but hunger and thirst, hardship and death. But I call on all who love their country to join with me.” Washington offered much the same advice to his army at Valley Forge.
This is the hard edge of Christianity. Have no doubt that we are at war; and unlike the men of Churchill or Garibaldi or Washington, we cannot carry a rifle or sword; we cannot harm others. “Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17) They fight for the body, seeking conquest and domination; we fight for the soul, seeking peace and purity. And we must live the life we preach.
Meditation : Prayer : Oh God who has made me, oh God who keeps me, oh God who will be my Lord through all eternity, shine down Your blessings and wisdom upon me like the sun upon a field; and may I keep You in the forefront of my every thought and deed, throughout this day, and evermore......Amen |
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