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N.O.W.
Devotionals
Nutrients
of Worship (N.O.W.)
As God's
children, our worship should be lived out!
These
scriptures are much needed vitamins and nutrients to aid our healthy
walk
with Christ. They provide strength, encouragement, conviction and
direction for our spiritual lives.
Featured
writer, Judy Parker
And there came thither certain Jews from
Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul,
drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as
the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the
city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe. Acts 14:19-20
"LEFT FOR
DEAD"
In
this text we read of Paul's stoning, of his being dragged through the
streets of the city, thrown outside the gates, and left for dead.
The phrase "supposing he had been dead" caught my attention.
There have been a few times in my life I have been pretty sick
physically, but not so much that the medical professionals have given
up on me. God has been good to me and blessed me with basically
good physical health. Now when it comes to my spiritual health
that is quite a different story. I was once quick to throw stones at
myself, drag myself down, and cast myself out of God's Kingdom.
There have been times I have given up on me, left myself for dead
spiritually. The wonderful thing is God didn't leave me for
dead. He never gave up on me. He healed and restored
me. I arose spiritually to return to Him, have communion with Him
daily, and love and serve Him.
As I thought about Paul's story today and how it related to me, I also
thought of how this story relates to the church as a whole. The
church today has had stones cast at us from every direction. We
have been called fanatics, haters of those who are willfully sinning
simply because we point out some lifestyles that seem perfectly
acceptable to this world, are not acceptable to God. We have been
accused of trying to mix "church" and state simply because we pray to
our God openly. I think it is time we arise just as Paul did and
boldly walk back among our accusers, those who cast stones our way,
those who laughingly dragged us through the streets, and show them the
healing power, the restoration power, the majesty and might, the love
of our God, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
by Judy
Parker
http://deliverabledevotionals.com
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