DATE POSTED: Tuesday, 2021-08-10
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

SCRIPTURE FROM: MARK 13:9-11
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁹ “Be on your guard! For they will hand you over to the ruling councils, and you will be beaten in public gatherings. And you will stand trial before kings and high-ranking governmental leaders as an opportunity to testify to them on my behalf. ¹⁰ But prior to the end of the age, the hope of the gospel must first be preached to all nations.
¹¹ “So when they put you under arrest and hand you over for trial, don’t even give one thought about what you will say. Simply speak what the Holy Spirit gives you at that very moment. And realize that it won’t be you speaking but the Holy Spirit speaking through you.

APPLICATION: I believe there are real fears, even in the hearts of Christians to share their faith. Perhaps fear of rejection; perhaps afraid that you won’t be able to answer all the questions asked of you in response to your attempt to evangelize; Or perhaps afraid that your target audience will poke fun of your beliefs? There are many reasons why Christians just don’t talk about their Savior. Jesus invited some men to join Him in ministry. They received on-the-job training, as they followed Jesus through the many walks of life where He traveled and with whom He ministered to while here on earth. Jesus knew what His destiny would be, and He knew how He would suffer before leaving this earth, so He wanted to prepare those who would continue His ministry. Please don’t quit reading or listening, because you might assume that this devotional just jumped tracks and is now targeting pastors, missionaries and Christian workers. Let me encourage you to remember that Jesus instructed His children to go into all the world and share His gospel truth, so that could include you dear one. You see, Jesus knew that just as He was arrested, beaten, mocked and crucified, His look-a’likes will also be picked on by those who want to go on living in sin without hearing about the One who spoke boldly about sin, and who died to provide forgiveness of sin/redemption as they finish up life here on earth. I love the way that Jesus encouraged us to not fear or worry of being arrested for our faith, for we will be given a new audience to share our faith with. And oh, don’t worry about what you would say under these extenuating circumstances, for the Holy Spirit who has taken up residence inside of you, will speak freely through you with just the right words for your courtroom audience. Remember I said earlier that many Christians fear having the right words to share? Isn’t that interesting how Jesus thought to calm our fears in that area? Praise the Lord! So friends, I wish that you will join me in being reassured of the One who sacrificed everything for us, the One who encouraged confidence in promoting confidence to share His name in any circumstance of life? He deserves our praise, and our willingness to tell the world who our great God is. Let’s go for it with all that we have in us!

BLESSING(S) NOTED: No worries, use any arrests or courtroom appearances as opportunities to evangelize – promote the gospel of Jesus Christ!

PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for directing me to Your Word at just the right time and place to be encouraged and confident in sharing my faith with all that I come into contact with today. Hopefully this will not include a courtroom setting, but this has given me confidence to share Christ with any and all audiences, for the Holy Spirit who lives inside of me will speak through me, to promote my Savior! My readers/listeners and I stand in awe, and we thank You Lord Jesus for seeing our weakest points and encouraging us to overcome, through Your power and Your strength. Oh that others will see, hear, and witness the love and truth of Jesus today through each of His disciples (each Christian)! AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!