God’s Faithfulness ~ Our
Everlasting Hope!
LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for
in perfect faithfulness
During this season of reflection
and renewal, join me in exploring God’s Faithfulness. Do you find strength for
every circumstance in God’s Faithfulness? God IS Faithful! God’s Faithfulness is our everlasting Hope! ~ Donna Oswalt
…But Jesus
rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” And when the unclean
spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.
Then they were all amazed, so the they questioned among themselves, saying, “What
is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the
unclean spirits, and they obey Him. Mark 1:21-27 NKJV
Capernaum, a wealthy and sinfully decadent city in the
Roman Empire, flaunts its pagan influences. Prosperous and influential, the city
by the Sea of Galilee represents a melting pot of Jews and Gentiles. Currently
teaching at a synagogue in Capernaum, Jesus encounters a man who is possessed
with evil spirits. Recognizing Jesus, the spirits begin shouting to Him,
calling Him by name, mocking Him. Jesus tells them, “Be quiet, and come out of him!” They leave the man, but the
audience is stunned, begins asking what happened, and how. These who watch begin
to ask about this Jesus who has such absolute
authority.
The primary purposes of Mark’s Gospel are to identify
Jesus as Messiah, and to reveal His authority. In this story, Jesus
demonstrates His power over evil. Like Capernaum, America is a highly
influential power, that values money and beauty, thrives on diversity and
individuality; its worldview often chooses political power over divine power.
Poverty becomes a political platform while faith must take a backseat in public
forums. Have we truly lost sight of God’s faithfulness by attempting to replace
His power with our own? Do we constantly question the role of faith, the place
of prayer, the need for redemption? Can we no longer hear Jesus teaching the
Scriptures in our neighborhoods and families? Evil still recognizes Jesus and
taunts us, but His absolute authority will always be stronger.
Holy One, hear my heart’s disillusionment.
Living in times where the powerful demand attention, I hear the cries of those
who live on the margins of life. They need to know the power of Your authority,
the peace in Your presence. Empower me to speak Your name in the presence of
evil for great is Your faithfulness, great is Your hope for all. – dho
Focus Point:
Evil still recognizes Jesus and taunts us, but
His absolute authority will always be stronger.
All rights
reserved; copyright 2015 by Donna Oswalt/Co-Founder of Mangrove
Ministries/Christian blogger and author Breathing Room For My Soul (blog) Follow
on Twitter @soulchat
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information about this ministry visit ~
“May you be
blessed by the Lord Who loves you best!”
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