The Blessings In The Devils Temptations

King James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Saturday, November 07, 2015
Chapters: John 13-15
Message Title: The Blessings In The Devils Temptations

Hello My Friend,

I don't normally talk about what's going on in my life, but I have to say that this has been one trying week. From people trying to scam me to my baby nephew being rushed to the hospital, all I have to say is that the devil is working overtime to try and keep me from doing the work that God has called me to do. It seems like the closer you get to God the more trouble you get from the devil, and while we may hate it and count it as a curse, it's actually a blessing. If the devil is not messing with us than we are not reaching people for Christ, and while God will allow him to mess with us, He can't destroy us because we belong to Christ. Praise God! It's not fun being targeted by the devil, but with Christ by our side we can defeat him, we already got the greatest victory when we accepted Christ as our Saviour, the rest comes as we get up each day doing what God has called us to do. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” - 1 Corinthians 15:57,58.

As we read through the Gospels it's interesting how each man tells the story, oh, they are all similar, but each one reveals something new about their experience with Jesus. John often referred to himself as the disciple that Jesus loved, he thought it necessary (well God did) to go further into detail of their last supper together. After they ate, Jesus did something that no one expected, He began washing their feet. Now, most of them just let Him do it without even questioning what He was doing, but Peter wanted to know why, and why only his feet.

“Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” - John 13:9-17.

“He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet” The second we believe in and receive the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we are washed clean, cleansed of every sin that we have committed and will in the future. However, we are not sinless, we sin every day, and while we do not lose our salvation, we do need to wash our feet from where we have been walking, meaning we need to go to God and confess all those wicked thoughts, words, and deeds that soiled us. We must remember that we can do nothing to lose our salvation, and we only need to ask Him to save us once, it's what we do after we are saved that counts with God, including confession and a daily washing of our feet. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” - 1 John 1:6-8.

“If we say that we have fellowship with him,” It's one thing to do or say something once in a while that is not pleasing to God, we've are all work in progress, and have bad days like everyone else. It's another to say that you know and walk with Christ and there is no proof whatsoever that you do. Now, once again, our works do not save us, but they do count after we are saved, normal feet washing sin does not cause a problem, but daily, sinful living does, the devil is very good at convincing people that what they are doing is just fine with God. True fellowship with Christ not only convicts us, it also cleanses us, and reveals God through each and every one of us. Now, as Jesus was speaking about what was to come all the disciples began asking Him questions about it, Philip probably had the strangest statement of the night.

“Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.” - John 14:8-11,22-24.

“how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us,” Since Jesus is not here in the flesh, He needs willing vessels to show Him to the world. Every person who accepts Him as their Saviour receives the Holy Spirit in them, that means we are His and He is ours, and abides in us through the Holy Spirit. As we allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us, He shows us the things of God, teaches us how to understand His Word, and how to live our lives through it. The result, Jesus is manifested, clearly visible through us and seen in the world. Believers you never knew know Christ in You, unbelievers with convictions know Christ in you, and those with open hearts not only see Christ in You, but receive Him as well. The more we walk with Him, the more we know of Him, the more we know of Him, the more He uses us. Jesus gives a command to all that He uses.

“As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” - John 15:9-16.

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” Thousands of people may get saved every day, but sadly few are used of Christ to manifest Himself to others. It's not that He can't use us, He tells us that the harvest is plenteous, but the laborer are few, but He will only use those He knows can be used. The first time I ever saw a woman bow her head and trust Christ as her Saviour was the greatest feeling I ever had, and that is the true joy of the Lord that remains with us. It took a year of soul winning for me to see that woman bow her head, but I know there were others and I know Jesus is still using me today because the devil is still trying to stop me. Never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit in you, He can and does make us vessels to be used for God's glory. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” - 2 Corinthians 4:6,7.

Today's Prayer: God, Your grace is sufficient to meet all my needs in the midst of any trouble that the devil has placed upon me. I am truly more than a conqueror because of Your love for me! I choose to believe Your Word and apply its wondrous truths to my life. I reject the devil's lies that seek to convince me that I am an exception to Your redemptive power or that my troubles can never be repaired by Your almighty hand. Your power is greater than any that the devil uses, and You are forever merciful to those who call upon You. I’m so grateful that You have chosen me to be Your vessel to Your Son. Thank you for washing my feet day by day and cleansing me from all my sin, and thank you for using me and working a great work in me I love You Lord ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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