How clear is your gospel presentation?

 6 Jul 26

Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Devotions on F.I.R.E. Year One

Readings:

Job 33

Job 34

Acts 13:24-52

Then Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said, “Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen" (Acts 13:16). 

How clear is your gospel presentation?

Paul concisely trumpets the gospel. He walks his audience through the Old Testament, connecting David and Jesus. Paul proclaims, “And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers. God has fulfilled this for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You’” (Acts 13:32-33). Repeatedly, the articulate apostle declares the death and resurrection of Jesus (Acts 13:29-30, 33-34, 37). We must also stay on message as Paul did, who tells the Corinthians, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). The souls of men are at stake! 

Employment Point: Herald the truths of the gospel with precision.

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Reflections

In order for us to spread the gospel, we ourselves need to know the gospel and to speak the truths of the gospel. So it is therefore important for us to learn how we can share with others and be able to bear good witness for Christ.

“My words come from an upright heart; my lips sincerely speak what I know. The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. I am the same as you in God’s sight; I too am a piece of clay.”Job‬ ‭33‬:‭3‬-‭4‬, ‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• Elihu begins by saying that men are all equal and that his words came from him who is upright and he speaks what he knows. From here he kind of speaks from the perspective of a fellow brother.

““But you have said in my hearing— I heard the very words— ‘I am pure, I have done no wrong; I am clean and free from sin. “But I tell you, in this you are not right, for God is greater than any mortal.”Job‬ ‭33‬:‭8‬-‭9‬, ‭12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• to any man who hears these words from Job, they would definitely think that Job thinks too highly of himself, perhaps even prideful. Elihu points this out in his face that one should not speak in such a manner. His understanding is that no one is clean and free from sins. We are all born sinners isn’t it?
• But if we read back on what Job said, there was nothing that mentioned him saying that he is sinless. Job in all his words, merely stated what he was feeling and that he is not understanding why whatever that has happened to him. Yet he never really blamed God for anything but seek understanding.
• So probably Elihu was talking based on his own understanding of what Job had meant.
• The same for us too. When we try to offer counsel, we may ourselves also be like Elihu. We may think we know but we actually don’t. 

“God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’ “God does all these things to a person— twice, even three times— to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them.”

‭‭Job‬ ‭33‬:‭28‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• Here Elihu believes that God will answer regardless. Just perhaps on in a manner that we may understand. And if indeed one has turned to God, He will guide them out of darkness. 
• From another perspective, he is indirectly saying that it is impossible that the Lord did not answer him. So don’t blame God for it.

“If you have anything to say, answer me; speak up, for I want to vindicate you. But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.””Job‬ ‭33‬:‭32‬-‭33‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• i think at first glance I find Elihu’s words to be full of arrogance. Him being younger than the rest but he speaks like the rest just cannot understand God. But if you read this a second time, it felt like he truly wants to help Job. Like to help him find the answer he is seeking.
• I think it is also a reminder for us not to be too quick to judge anything that we see or read, but pause, reflect and seek God for His wisdom.

“Oh, that Job might be tested to the utmost for answering like a wicked man! To his sin he adds rebellion; scornfully he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God.””

‭‭Job‬ ‭34‬:‭36‬-‭37‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• What Elihu says of Job in this last verse seems to be worse than whatever Job’s friends had said about him.
• Reading these few chapters of Job also reminded me something. That we ought never to judge anyone. All the people here are judging Job. Of the words he said, the situations that he is facing, etc. They are condemning his life. Who are we to judge really. Maybe it is better or right of us to seek the Lord and ask the Lord for His mercy for a friend. To just sit with him and listen. I guess most of the time they don’t need an opinion. Just a listening ear. Just knowing that someone cares and loves them. Perhaps, just that, may be enough.

““Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.”Acts‬ ‭13‬:‭38‬-‭39‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• Under the law, we were only told what we can or cannot do. The law does not bring salvation. It is only meant as a guide.
• However in Christ Jesus, we are justified and redeemed by His blood. We are like a new born baby, starting afresh and delivered from all our sins. Everything is nailed with Jesus when He died on the cross for us. The old is gone, the new is here! Hallelujah!

“On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭13‬:‭44‬-‭45‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• the Jews are supposed to be the ones who knows Jesus and to spread the Word. Instead, they tripped over their own emotions.
• I feel like we are in a way similar as well. The mature Christians are like the Jews and the new Christians like the Gentiles. When the mature Christians saw the new Christians being on fire for God or being so close with God, they too got jealous. So instead of helping them grow, they ignored them because they were afraid that their place would be taken over. Of course not all mature Christians are like this.
• I do see most mature Christians being good stewards and are willing to train people up for God’s kingdom.
• In this fresh new season, may we all be able to step up for discipleship and learn to be closer to God in our daily lives.

“The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭13‬:‭49‬-‭51‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• this felt like a warning. Not to let our personal insecurities block God’s blessings for His people. Everyone has the right to hear the gospel and we should not be denying anyone from that. In fact, we should be praying for open doors for us to spread the gospel however He wills us to.

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Vision and Reality

BY OSWALD CHAMBERS

July 06

The burning sand will become a pool. —Isaiah 35:7

When God gives us a vision of what he wants us to be, there is always a time of preparation before the vision becomes a reality. During this time, God takes us down into the valley of humiliation and begins to batter us into shape.

Life is not as idle ore,
But iron dug from central gloom, . . .
And batter’d with the shocks of doom
To shape and use.
—Alfred Tennyson

It is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way. Satan comes in with his temptations, and we wonder if there’s any point in going on. But every vision will be made real if we have patience. Think of the enormous leisure of God! He is never in a hurry. We are always in a hurry. Inspired by the vision God has given us, we rush out to try to accomplish it, then meet with failure because we aren’t yet in proper shape. We have to stay in the valley with God until we get to the place where he can trust us with the reality. Ever since we first glimpsed the vision, God has been at work, battering us into the shape of the ideal. Over and over again, we escape from his hand, trying to shape ourselves.

The vision isn’t a castle in the air. It’s a vision God fully intends to make real. Trust yourself in the potter’s hands. Let God put you on his wheel and whirl you as he likes. As sure as God is God and you are you, you will turn out exactly in accordance with the vision. Don’t lose heart in the process. Once you’ve had a vision from God, you can try to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never let you.

Job 32-33; Acts 14

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

No one could have had a more sensitive love in human relationship than Jesus; and yet He says there are times when love to father and mother must be hatred in comparison to our love for Him.  

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Reflections

When I begin reading this devotional. An image of a sword formed in my mind. A completed weapon that is held by a warrior. Sharp, shining, beautiful but also deadly.

No good weapon that we saw is forged in a single day. If we searched the history of how a sword is made, you will find that it is a tedious process. The following is what I have found out about sword making as a reference.

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How long it takes to make one sword

It depends on if it’s handmade vs factory, and how fancy it is.

Hand-forged by a single blacksmith - 20 to 80+ hours

This is the "custom" route. Timeline:

1. Design + Steel prep: 2-4 hours

Pick the steel, cut the billet to size, and plan the blade proportions.

2. Forging the blade: 6-12 hours

Heat the steel to glowing hot and hammer it out into the sword shape. This takes multiple heats to draw out the length, taper, and basic profile.

3. Grinding the profile: 4-8 hours

Use a grinder to shape the bevels, point, fuller, and taper. This gets it from a rough bar to an actual blade shape.

4. Heat treat: 2-3 hours

Heat it to critical temperature, quench to harden, then temper it back so the blade is hard but not brittle.

5. Hand sanding and polishing: 6-15 hours

This is the longest part. Work from coarse grit up to 2000 grit to clean up forge marks and get a clean finish.

6. Fittings and handle: 4-10 hours

Make and fit the guard, pommel, and grip. Wrap the handle and peen the tang to lock everything together.

7. Sharpening + final fitting: 2-4 hours

Put on the final edge, balance the sword, and do any last adjustments.

Total: ∼3 to 10 working days spread over 2-4 weeks with cooling/drying time

A master smith doing a plain battlefield-style sword = ∼20-30 hours.  

A decorative one with engraving, etching, complex hilt = 60-100+ hours.

What slows it down the most

1. Hand polishing/sanding - 40% of the time

2. Fittings - making a guard and pommel to fit perfectly

3. Waiting - steel needs to normalize and cool between steps so it doesn’t warp

So a one-of-a-kind handmade longsword realistically takes 2-4 weeks from start to finish.

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Now can you imagine yourself as a sword? From being a raw metal, you were hand picked by God. He already has in mind what kind of sword you will be. So He proceeds to heat you up, cool you down and hammer you and this cycle repeats multiple times till He achieves the right form He needed to proceed to the next step.

During this initial forging phase is also perhaps one of the more challenging phases in our life. But bear through and looking back, you will realised all those heating and hammering are all worth it. For who you are now is not who you were in the beginning. 

However, no one said that the whole process is easy. As a piece of raw material, you need to first learn how to bear heat (training). Once you achieve a certain level, you need to cool (tests). Once you are cooled to the required temperature, you are heated up again and then hammered (tribulations). It takes a lot to go through all these. 

And even when all these are done, there is still polishing (refining of our character), before the Lord thinks that we are ready for the field.

So if you heard a calling, say yes first. Hold on to that calling and be willing to persevere through the whole refining process. Nobody said that it will be easy but it will be worth it. And what is impossible by men is possible through Christ Jesus. Our strength does not come from ourselves but from the above.

Let’s pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for hand picking us for the work that You have made us to do. Help us to surrender the whole of our life to You, relying on Your strength and Your wisdom to survive through the trials and challenges ahead and never give up. Grant us also discernment, so that we have the ability to determine what is the truth and to hear You clearly. In Jesus’s name we ask and pray. Amen 🙏🏻