Keep Serving God's Gospel

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Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Devotions: Ps 78; Isa 59:1-15a; 2 Tim 1:1-14; Mk 9:42-50

Consider God’s way: He established His testimony and His law among the offspring of Israel, and commanded the people to pass them along to their children. But many of them were unfaithful and disobedient. The Ephraimites turned away at a crucial time, despite all God’s ministry to them during and after the Exodus. They enraged their God, yet He continued to feed and clothe and preserve them. He provided manna and quail in the desert. Though He killed some, God did not totally annihilate them. How they tested God’s love and tolerance! Though He completely defeated Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt, the children of Israel continued to test and rebel against YHWH. They pursued other gods in Canaan. So God rejected Ephraim and instead chose the branch of Judah to bear His testimony. He chose David to be their king and shepherd, and by David, God led and guided His people.

God is not disabled, but our iniquity separates us from His love and power to help us. Let us turn back to God and His righteousness, lest we fall in the darkness and rise no more! Forgive our sins, O Holy God, and restore us, or we perish forever!

Paul reviews his ministry and the faith journey of his trusted protégé, Timothy. Paul prays for Timothy constantly, and recalls the faithfulness of the younger man’s mother and grandmother, Eunice and Lois. We have a Spirit of power and love and self-control! Let us continue in the Spirit and in the testimony. Our Savior, Jesus the Messiah, has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light, through the gospel we serve and preachers, apostles and teachers. Let us not fear or be ashamed; rather, let us guard and share the truth imparted to us!

Jesus taught His followers: ‘Don’t interfere with children coming to Me. Whoever causes such little ones to sin would be better off cast into the sea with a millstone around their necks! Whatever hinders your service, do away with it: nothing is as valuable as your eternal salvation. Everyone will be judged, salted with fire! Sustain your saltiness, your spiritual vitality, and be at peace with one another.’