Persevere in Trusting God

New Guest: Like this one, most posts are devotional; those related to CAR BIZ can be found by searching for that label.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Devotions: Ps 49, 119:49-72; Isa 49:1-12; Gal 2:11-21; Mk 6:13-29

Listen to wisdom: there is no reason to fear in times of economic distress; don’t trust in wealth, trust God! Our security is in Him alone—otherwise, all mortals are doomed to the same fate. But God has ransomed my soul; I will trust in the One Who saves me. God, Your word is my comfort in times of affliction and want; Your statutes are my song along my pilgrim way; YHWH is my Portion; Lord, be gracious to me according to Your promises. I will turn my heart and my path to Your precepts; I will keep Your commands. I am friend to all who love God; God, teach me good judgment and knowledge. Affliction has pressed me closer to the Holy One and His word. God, Your word is better to me than piles of gold.

God has made me His servant, and my task is to glorify Him. He will gather me to Himself; He will restore my fortunes; He will cast His light through me. God has kept me and given me as part of His covenant with creation—to call prisoners forth into freedom; to bring to light those walking in darkness. God has mercy; He gathers His own from the ends of the earth to Himself. Let all creation celebrate our awesome God!

At Antioch, Paul opposed Peter openly, when Peter drew back from fellowship with Gentile believers, fearing criticism by the circumcision party: ‘How can you Jews, though you live like Gentiles, compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?’ People are justified by God’s grace, not by human works in accordance with Torah, but by faith in Jesus God’s Messiah. We Christians have been crucified with Christ, and live by faith in Him, God’s Son, Who loved us and gave Himself for us. We must not act as if nullifying God’s grace or Christ’s sacrificial death.

When Jesus sent out the Twelve for their first experiences in ministry, they were successful, and Herod Antipas heard about Jesus. Herod believed Jesus might be John the Baptizer raised from death, after Herod had beheaded him. Herod had imprisoned John for John’s criticism of Herod’s taking his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias, for himself. On Herod’s birthday, Herodias’ daughter danced salaciously for the king and his guests, and Herod promised her anything she might ask. After conferring with her mother, the girl demanded John’s head on a platter, so Herod had the Baptizer beheaded, and gave the grisly object to the girl as she and her mother demanded. Later, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.