King
James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning
Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Sunday,
October 04, 2015
Chapters: Matthew 10-11
https://imfollowingjesus.com/Bible-Reading-277.html
Message
Title: Being
A Witness For Christ

Hello My Friend,

This
year we have seen more news about Christians being killed simply for
admitting they were a Christian. This past week this very thing hit
home in America, and while the media and our own president wants to
ignore the fact that this was about Christ, we cannot. Jesus said
that these times were coming before the tribulation, and as
Christians we cannot remain silent on this. We have work to do, we
must tell the world the truth about Christ and find as many of His
lost sheep as possible before He returns. We have nothing to fear,
Christ is right there with us. “Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress,
or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is
written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are
accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded,
that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor
powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor
depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans
8:35-39.

While Jesus was here on earth, He had quite a few
disciples, but twelve of them He chose specifically to be with Him
most of His earthly ministry. He instructed them
to go out into the Jewish nation and preach the Gospel in every city. “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and
commanded them, saying, Go not into
the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye
not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as
ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. But beware
of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will
scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before
governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the
Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what
ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye
shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your
Father which speaketh in you.” - Matthew 10:5-7,18-20.


For a testimony against them and
the Gentiles, it wasn't that Jesus did not want any
Gentiles to be saved, but it was important that
the Gospel be preached to the Jews first.
It was their rejection of Him that fulfilled prophecy, and would introduce
Him to the Gentiles after they rejected Him. Sometimes God will not
let us witness to certain people, while
He wants all to have the opportunity to be witnessed to, it also
comes through His timing. We must beware of religions that teach they
are justified by their religion or race, being Jewish, Baptist,
Catholic or Atheist does not save us. Regardless of our race,
background, or religion, we are not saved from hell because we choose
a particular religion or came from a particular race, we are saved
when we believe the Gospel, which is the death, the burial, and
resurrection of Christ as the finished work needed to redeem all His
lost sheep. “O come, let us worship
and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For he is our
God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.
To day if ye will hear his voice,” -
Psalms 95:6,7.

Jesus explains to them that some will
believe in and accept the Gospel, others will not, and if they do
not, just move on and go to the next house. He cautions them about
those who not only reject them, but persecute them for their faith in
Him. “The disciple is not above his
master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple
that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have
called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they
call them of his household? Fear them not therefore: for there is
nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not
be known. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them
shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs
of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more
value than many sparrows.” - Matthew
10:24-26,29-31.

One of them shall not fall on the ground
without your Father, God knows the persecution we face by not only
being one of Christ's sheep, but leading others to the fold. It is
not us who will be judged, it is them, all Christian's will face
persecution at some point in our lives simply because they chose to
follow Christ. Those who are not ashamed to claim Christ and
determined, by faith, to keep going for Him will not be intimidated
or stopped by family members, friends, or anyone else trying to stop
them. We need not fear what man can do to us, but rejoice and say, “I
have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the
faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and
not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. And
the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me
unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
- 2 Timothy 4:7,8,18.

After Jesus sent His disciples
off, He stayed behind and preached as well, when John the Baptist,
who was in prison heard of all the miracles he sent some of his
disciples to find out if it was really Him. Jesus questions the
multitudes of people gathered around Him concerning John and the
Scriptures that speak of him. “And as they
departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness
to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see?
A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing
are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet?
yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom
it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which
shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them
that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the
Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is
greater than he.” - Matthew 11:7-11.

He
that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he,
obedience to religious laws and following a man of God has nothing to
do with our salvation. Many, many people know of Christ, and even say
they believe in Him, but very few know Him personally, to know Him
personally as their Saviour. The greatest figure of God today is
nothing without Christ. “For by grace are ye
saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
before ordained that we should walk in them. For he is our peace, who
hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition
between us;” - Ephesians 2:8-10,14.

Today's
Prayer: God, You know the very intentions of all that I
say and do. You have not removed me bodily from this world, but You
have raised me up spiritually to abide in Your presence even as I
carry out my daily duties, whether it is something You command me to
do or in any of my work. As Your presence graciously overshadows me
it is there that Your love and faithfulness sustains me and gives me
the strength to endure all tribulation and remain not only in Your
mercy and grace, but love also. Lord, give me Your power and strength
to remain faithful to Your calling to reach as many with the Gospel
as I can before Your Son returns, let me not be ashamed to claim Him,
and help me to endure all the persecution that comes from it. With
You by my side I know I am well taken care of and protected. I love
You Lord and pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I
am praying for you,
Christina

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