Good morning, Lord Jesus. Help me begin this day and every day embraced by my Father, centered in Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit. ...
“When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5).
Every Tuesday evening we have a simple gathering of church in our home. Last night we opened our Bibles and discussed Matthew 17:14-21 which was the main passage of my reflection yesterday. When we circled up to close in prayer, my short prayer was “I can do nothing without Jesus.”
My heart elaborates on that simple prayer this morning. Not my words, but Your words. Not my wisdom, but Your power. Not lofty aspirations or the popular philosophies of the day clothed in politically correct language and socially acceptable standards dumbed down to the lowest common denominator. But “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
Only Jesus. Simply Jesus. No one but Jesus.
“There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Romans 1:16).
The Message of the Cross is always at the heart and the power of God. There’s no true “demonstration of the Spirit and of power” without faithfully declaring “Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
The Message of “Him crucified” is Message of Him raised in resurrection power and resurrection glory from His crucifixion. The Blood of the Cross is the victory of Christ. “For God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him (in the Lord Jesus Christ), and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the Blood of His Cross” (Colossians 1:20).
That peace of God is a demonstration of the power of God by the Spirit of God that we can only experience through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Out of that peace comes the ability to heal as in Matt. 17:14-21. Out of that peace comes our healing, freedom, and the fullness of our salvation -- not just in Heaven when we die, but also here in our hearts now.
So Jesus, let my words be Your words today. Let my heart be one with Your heart today. Let all I say and I all I do be rooted and grounded, centered and focused on You alone, Lord Jesus Christ. And let there be “a demonstration of the Spirit and of power” everywhere You send me today with Your Message of healing and hope, forgiveness and freedom, available to all through the Cross of Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you experience and share a demonstration of the Spirit and of power in your life and everywhere you go today, with Jesus in your heart and His Message at the heart of all you do and say, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
My wife Nancy and I are in a new season of our ministry of pouring completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods, and having “boots on the ground” serving in our community.. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758. Thank You Thank You!
