Daily Devotion (July 27, 2024)
Philippians 2:11–13
11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
13for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
One Day every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! God will be glorified. That was not true in the opening ceremony of the Olympics last night. God’s name was slandered and mocked. I wonder how many professing Christians were able to watch the debauchery taking place in France.
My first thoughts were those of anger but then I realized those participating in this sinful act of mocking God were creations of God who were lost, empty, and on the road to perdition. My thoughts turned from anger to pity. There must be an emptiness in the lives of the lost that cannot be filled by the world. The word sin no longer has the same impact it did in the past. One day the mockers of God will be professing “Jesus Christ is Lord.” Unfortunately, it will be too late for them.
The salvation of the saved is more than just knowing we are going to Heaven when we die. The opening ceremony of the Olympics glorified Satan. The willing participants of this depravity took “Pride” in what was done. Probably millions watching cheered them on. Each one involved in this depravity were the missionaries of Satan. They stood tall and proud of their act. We know if Christ were to be put on display in the same way…well, it would not have been allowed to happen.
There is a boldness in sin. What was once hidden in the darkness is now brought to light. Christianity, once proclaimed openly, is now relegated to a sanctuary and not allowed to be brought out in the open. Satan can be brought into the halls of education, but Christ can no longer be spoken of. Public libraries can now have transvestites openly read books to children, but the Bible is banned. A few years ago, they came to a library in Columbus. Chris and I stood outside in protest of this pathetic satanic act. Three other men from another church were standing in another area. We were mocked and asked, “what is so bad about what these transvestites were doing.”
What was once hidden in the darkness of the hearts of the lost is now openly displayed. My question for the professing Christian is, are you boldly allowing God to use you in a lost and dying world. Are you allowing God to “work in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
We are seeing things I never thought would happen in my lifetime. We must be “confessing Jesus as Lord” in a world of spiritual darkness.