Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Remove Power (6/19/25)

James decided to bike home early on Tuesday from swim practice without talking to a parent. This decision led to a consequence: we took away the privilege to bike to and from swim practice for the foreseeable future. As his parents, we have the authority to give and take away freedoms.

This giving and taking away freedoms can be seen in our Heavenly Father. Sometimes it is a consequence for a decision we made, like in James’ situation, but other times it is Him sovereignly working His plans in the world. As we have authority over James, our Creator has authority over all of creation!

Last week, we discussed the amazing power given to the two witnesses at the end of the world. They were given power to spit fire and fend off their enemies! For 3½ years, they bore witness purposefully and powerfully under Jesus’ protection. But then…  

Revelation 11:7-10        ⁷ Now when they [the two witnesses] have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. ⁸ Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. ⁹ For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial.¹⁰ The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

At first glance, this seems like a devastating conclusion to their ministry, especially after experiencing Jesus’s miraculous power for several years. Jesus will give them physical protection until they complete His work. He will then remove this physical protection for a few days, but it is all part of His sovereign plan.

As we reflect on the events described in Revelation 11, we may think the world is bad now, but it will be far worse at the end. We can find peace in Jesus, knowing He has already overcome the world (John 16:33). As the One with ultimate authority, Jesus may give or remove physical protection as part of His sovereign plan, but He won’t take away our spiritual protection and eternal blessings. What comfort does this give you today?

Let’s continue next week to see how spiritual protection unfolds for the two witnesses and what it means for us!

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy as the Physically Exalted Son of God (10/24/24)

 A lady at Bible study wondered if we would have a physical body in heaven or just have our spirit. As we continued our study in Revelation, John’s first vision made the answer clear.

Revelation 1:9-18   ⁹ I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. ¹⁰ On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, ¹¹ which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

¹² I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. ¹⁴ The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. ¹⁵ His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. ¹⁶ In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. ¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

Can you imagine that one so exalted would desire to relate to John and to you and me? What an honor! John heard, saw and felt the Son of Man!

The awesome glory of Jesus terrified John, but Jesus reassured him and told him to take another look at His living, tangible presence! Not only did Jesus’s unique features represent different aspects of His authority, but His exalted state gave evidence that we will also have a glorified physical body. He is the “firstborn from the dead” (as we read in Rev 1:5 last week), showing us we will have physical features, too, when we rise from the dead.

How are you and I encouraged by this brilliant vision of Jesus? I am encouraged knowing I will have a physical body in heaven that will be amazing, never decay, and live forever. I am also encouraged knowing Jesus has all authority and all power over everything in life and after this life!

Thursday Devotional - All-Knowing God versus Restricted Satan (6/13/24)

Satan is powerful, but his power has no comparison to God’s power. Satan is quite restricted and is always under God’s authority. The book of Job is definitely a clear picture of this.

Job 1:8-12 ⁸ Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

⁹ “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. ¹⁰ “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. ¹¹ But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

¹² The Lord said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

Then Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.

Satan thinks he knows more than God???? I know many of you know what happens next. Satan does touch everything of Job’s except his wife and Job’s body (at least in the first chapter). Amazingly, and as our All-knowing God knew, Job doesn’t curse God.

Job 1:20-22        ²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship ²¹ and said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
    and naked I will depart.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
    may the name of the Lord be praised.”

²² In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.

Wow! I don’t think worship of God would be my first response. In reading this passage together as a family last night, my kids agreed. However, Job knew God had all power and all authority. I was reminded that God is always worthy of praise as the All-knowing Father in Heaven! Nothing escapes His knowledge or happens outside His ultimate control.

How will you and I take encouragement from the fact that Satan is restricted and only God is all-knowing?

Thursday Devotional - Fear of Authority?

I lost our temporary license plate a couple Saturdays ago. It was wedged inside the back hatch, but it flew out when I drove home with the back open (after buying a bigger bike for James at a garage sale). James told me something flew out, but I didn’t realize what it was until we got home and took the bike out. After going back and looking for it a couple times, we couldn’t find it. So, we drove the other car the rest of that day. There wasn’t a way to get a new tag until Monday. However, Joe and I needed to go separate places Sunday afternoon. We thought about driving our car and hoping the police didn’t see. However, I decided to call the police Sunday morning (the non-emergency line 😊) to see what our options were legally. I found out that we could get a ticket for failure to display, but we could legally drive our car since it was registered and had insurance!

I know this was a seemingly little thing, but I think there are lots of areas where we tend to plead ignorance or make excuses for breaking a law.  Paul points out how God established the authorities and we’re not to rebel against them. When we disobey or make up our own rules, we are really rebelling against God.

Romans 13:1-4a                 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. ² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. ⁴ For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good.

As believers, we are to submit to governing authorities for God’s glory and our good.  

Where have you and I rebelled against a governing authority or wanted to rebel? Who would we really be rebelling against?

When have you and I submitted to a governing authority when it wasn’t convenient or when we disagreed, but saw good come from it or a blessing of some sort?

God is Sovereign. He has all power, rule and authority over every person and all of creation. He is the One who establishes governing authorities for His perfect purposes. There is nothing outside His control, including all rulers. Let’s demonstrate a righteous and godly response to those whom God has placed in authority over you and me.

Alice

Thursday Devotional - Peas and Peter

My Mom has a plaque in her kitchen that says “You have 2 choices for dinner – take it or leave it.” However, as a kid, if I “left it,” I got it for breakfast the next morning. I remember eating peas for breakfast more than once! My parents knew best. They knew I needed to eat fruits and vegetables instead of the chips and cookies I preferred. They helped me learn discipline to do the best thing even when it’s the hard thing. They also helped me learn the value of submitting to authority even when I didn’t understand or didn’t see the long-term implications.

Jesus did the same for Peter. Last week we talked about Jesus’ personal selfless surrender. He voluntarily submitted to God’s plans even in the face of terrifying opposition. This week, we will see how Jesus encouraged His disciples, especially Peter, to do the same.

John 18:10-11         ¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) ¹¹ Jesus commanded Peter, “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?”

God expects submission, even in the face of opposition. Like Peter, we may not understand or see the long-term implications, but we can trust God knows what He’s doing.


What unavoidable trial, hardship or difficulty are you and I trying to overcome or fight in our own strength? How is it going? What if we embraced the unavoidable difficulty for God’s glory? We can trust God knows best, submit to His authority and then look for His results. 

Alice