Devotional Song: Go to this link - Please take the time to meditate on this powerful song and video, the song sung by Stephen Curtis Chapman, singing His Strength Is Perfect, … reminding Christians that God gives us what we need, in our weakness, to prevail in this life in preparation for the next life.
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Highlight Passage: 1st Samuel 17: 38-40 … [God gives us what we need to be effective witnesses for His glory.] … [NLT]
38 Then Saul gave David his own armor—a bronze helmet and a coat of mail. 39 David put it on, strapped the sword over it, and took a step or two to see what it was like, for he had never worn such things before. ,,, “I can’t go in these,” he protested to Saul. “I’m not used to them.” So David took them off again. 40 He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them into his shepherd’s bag. Then, armed only with his shepherd’s staff and sling, he started across the valley to fight the Philistine.
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Highlight reading study of 1st Samuel, Chapter 17, Verses 32-51 : Go to this link …
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Reference Passage #1: Act 1: 8 … [His power as we witness for Him.] … [NLT] …
8 " ... But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Reference Passage #1: Ephesians 4: 1-10 … [His gifting … so that we can serve Him in a worthy manner.] … [NLT] … Go to this link
Reference Passage #1: 2nd Corinthians 12: 9 … [His strength to supplant our weakness. ] … [NLT] …
9 Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
My Journal for Today: Don’t’ we just love the true, historical story of young David victoriously defeating the giant, Goliath, and witnessing to God’s glory in battle. The story has so many personal applications for our lives, doesn’t it?
But Os Hillman today is using this Old Testament story to illustrate that we don’t have to try to put-on some armament that doesn’t fit us to be God’s witnesses … as King Saul was trying to convince David to wear his armaments. No, David chose to use the tools (i.e, the gifting) which fit him best, i.e., that of a shepherd, to do battle with Goliath; and of course, we know that God gave David exactly what he needed to cover whatever weaknesses David might have had as the young boy went to battle for God’s glory. And I hope we can see the direct application for our lives here today.
Stephen Curtis Chapman sings that truth in the powerful song to which I’ve linked you for meditation today. God’s strength is ALWAYS perfect to supplant our weaknesses. As Jesus said [see Acts 1: 8] when He ascended to heaven, He will give us all the power and gifting we need to be His witnesses in the world; but we have to receive and use the power of the Holy Spirit in the battles of life where we have to do battle in Christ’s Name and for His glory.
The Apostle Paul wrote about walking and battling in a worthy manner in Christ’s Name in the Ephesians 4 and 2nd Corinthian 12 passages to which I linked you or copied above. Take in these passages and realize that all Christians have been given at least one Spirit-endowed gift so that we can use His gifting for His glory. What is your Spirit-imparted gift? Mine is teaching and encouragement. Hence you find me, daily, exercising those gifts right here as I write this blog, praying that whomever reads it can take your own gifts and use them to be a witness for Christ today.
Let’s go with our gifting and serve our Lord today.
My Prayer for Today … Lord, may our gratefulness for Your gifting be exhibited as we witness for You today.… Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online blog entitled Today God Is First [TGIF], authored by Os Hillman. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you’ll find a link to read Hillman’s TGIF blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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