Daily Reading: Matthew 16
Scripture Focus: Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 16.17)
Devotional Thought: "I want to hear it from the horse's mouth!" Have you ever said that? When someone tells me, "So and so said thus and thus..." a red flag goes up. It's not that I doubt their honesty, I just don't know if their memory and perspective would match that of the other person. Until I can get it verified, second-hand information is tentative.
When Simon Peter testified that Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the living God," Jesus said that Simon was blessed because he had 'heard' that straight from God. God had revealed to him that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. There was no higher source. No verification was needed.
I once read that "only a divine revelation from the Holy Spirit can make us really know that Jesus is the Son of God. Such a revelation gives an inner certainty that cannot be shaken." (BBC) That's what I want for myself, and I know that's what it will take for another person to really believe in Jesus. So, when I pray for someone to be saved, and when I witness to them about Jesus, then I must leave it in God's hands to reveal who Jesus is. When God does that, they are blessed indeed. Then they can make a decision based upon their deeply held convictions and not upon my own. God will certainly use my words and my life, but he himself will confirm who Jesus is.
Are there people for whom you are praying for salvation? Pray that God would open their eyes so that they can see and believe that Jesus is the Son of God!
Prayer: Father, help me to be a faithful witness in my words and my deeds. But more than anything else, may you reveal who Jesus is to those who are lost in darkness. Amen.
Psalm of the Day: 8 Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly. 9 Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. 10 Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. 11 Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky. 12 Yes, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase. 13 Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way. (Psalms 85:8-13)
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