Daily Devotional
Have You Responded to the Light?
“Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, ‘This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.’
But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.’”
Matthew 12:24-28
January 16, 2023
Ponder This
A man may blaspheme God the Father and say, “There is no God.” He may blaspheme Jesus Christ and say, “He’s a false prophet or a fictitious person.” But when the Holy Spirit of God comes, He demolishes those things.
The Holy Spirit of God pulls away the veil of darkness. He opens the eyes of the spirit so that people can see and understand. The Pharisees were not sinning against ignorance; they were sinning against light. When Jesus was on the cross, He could say to those who were crucifying Him, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing.” But these men knew what they were doing.
The ministry of the Father is to rule the Universe. The ministry of the Son, in conjunction with the Father, is to save. But the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to open our eyes to give light and to help us to understand. Before I preach, I get on my knees and say, “Oh, Holy Spirit of God, open eyes. Help people to understand. Help them know You today.” It’s the Holy Spirit that opens understanding. When men and women stand before God to be judged, they’re not going to be judged primarily by the sin they committed but by the light they rejected.
- Have you ever prayed for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes? How did you experience answers to this prayer?
- What are some matters in your life for which you need the Holy Spirit to open your eyes?
Practice This
Write down some of the things you need God’s direction in and pray for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes about what to do.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
