Thoughts in Worship

Message Magazine's Online Devotional for Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Audio Link: https://www.spreaker.com/user/reachmanyradio/thoughts-in-worship-12-05-2018

This is devotional thought number 10 in our devotional series, “The Gospel According to Matthew.”

“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.” (Matthew 10:16–20).

When you open your mouth, who is speaking? Now, do not get nervous. I am not going to introduce any weird spiritual ventriloquism here. I am, however, going to engage your minds a little bit about whom we represent when we are speaking. There are only two supernatural spirits in the universe. There’s the Holy Spirit, which guides us into all truth; and there’s the spirit of devils gone forth into all the earth to deceive unwary people. The chief of that spirit is the father of lies himself, Satan. What we say or do is a manifestation of one or the other of these supernatural agencies. On whose side are you?

I love how Jesus encouraged His disciples to get about His Father’s business. He instructed them to teach the truth of the kingdom to specific people, at that time, and two prospects of the outcome. In either case, they should continue to trust God for their care, guidance, and protection. God was sending them into a serious work of planting and harvesting souls for eternity with Him, but He also promised there would be tribulations as a result. Some of the tribulations would be played out before dignitaries and counsels where God’s servants would need to sanctify the Lord God in their “....hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” (1 Peter 3:15). Being “ready always” was not the same as being anxious, concerned, fearful, or scripted with every possible objection to their well-planned arguments. No! Being ready was synonymous with investing plenty of time in the presence of the King and learning His truth and methods from Him, so they could be ready at a moment’s notice, to speak for Him. Those who submitted to His Spirit stayed ready at all times. They would open their mouths confidently expecting God to put His words there, so He could communicate His will without any human interruptions.

Questions: When someone offends you, who speaks through you? When someone other than your spouse flirts with you, who speaks for you? When someone is sad after losing a loved one, needing an encouraging word, who speaks for you? When you stand before great men and women who need a word of hope, who speaks for you? Every day that we speak, we need to decide which of the two governing spirits will be at the helm of our discussions. Our Creator has promised to stay ready, willing, and available to speak for all who will surrender their own words and thoughts. I love that idea because His words are life to all who will receive them, by faith. They will not return unto Him without accomplishing His will first. Trust God to speak for you. He will never disappoint you.

This has been the gospel according to Matthew. Be transformed by it.—L. David Harris (www.LDavidHarris.com)

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