Teenside Daily Devotional
5/9/20
Read Matthew 9:32-34.
A man, mute due to his being oppressed by a demon, was brought to Jesus. Although this demon inflicted different pains on the man than other demons that have been mentioned up to this point, Jesus still has absolute authority over it. He casts this demon out. While many marvel at how they have never seen anything like this, the Pharisees accuse Jesus of using power acquired from Satan himself. Clearly, they were not able to see the miraculous things that God was doing through Jesus’ ministry, so they rationalized that he was tapping into the only other source of power they were aware of.
Just like the Pharisees, I believe that it is easy for us to get caught in the trap of assuming what is and isn’t an act of God. I sometimes find myself convinced that the things I like are from God and the things that I don’t are of the world. However, I’m putting myself on God’s throne when I do this. It is not my place to make excuses for the things of this world that I enjoy nor to cast out the difficult things that God is trying to do in my life. Everything should begin with God’s Word. Every decision should be founded on It. Every area of our life should be filtered through It. If the Pharisees had been truly rooted in scripture, they would have had little trouble recognizing that Jesus really was the Son of God. Yet, they didn’t like that what Jesus was doing threatened their power, so they dismissed this as an option.
There is nothing wrong with sound rationale. The issue comes when we try to rationalize something we don’t like in the wrong ways. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” If you set God’s Word as a priority in your life, and ask for discernment from His Spirit, then you will be able to properly set your own biases aside and see God’s vision with clarity! Don’t miss the amazing things that He can do in your life!
Questions:
*Take a moment to journal these questions. Write down your thoughts, questions, and concerns. Then date your entry. One of the coolest things is being able to look back and see how God came through for you.*
Prayer: Spend some time praying about the things you journaled. Pray that as you remain in the will of God, and seek after His truth, He would open your heart to any assumptions you have made. Ask that God would give you clarity to see His leading in every situation, whether good or bad. Thank God for His good and perfect will that is better for us than our own.
Song: In Over My Head- Bethel Music
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/169Fs68hROYRdS362T8D9w
Read Matthew 9:32-34.
A man, mute due to his being oppressed by a demon, was brought to Jesus. Although this demon inflicted different pains on the man than other demons that have been mentioned up to this point, Jesus still has absolute authority over it. He casts this demon out. While many marvel at how they have never seen anything like this, the Pharisees accuse Jesus of using power acquired from Satan himself. Clearly, they were not able to see the miraculous things that God was doing through Jesus’ ministry, so they rationalized that he was tapping into the only other source of power they were aware of.
Just like the Pharisees, I believe that it is easy for us to get caught in the trap of assuming what is and isn’t an act of God. I sometimes find myself convinced that the things I like are from God and the things that I don’t are of the world. However, I’m putting myself on God’s throne when I do this. It is not my place to make excuses for the things of this world that I enjoy nor to cast out the difficult things that God is trying to do in my life. Everything should begin with God’s Word. Every decision should be founded on It. Every area of our life should be filtered through It. If the Pharisees had been truly rooted in scripture, they would have had little trouble recognizing that Jesus really was the Son of God. Yet, they didn’t like that what Jesus was doing threatened their power, so they dismissed this as an option.
There is nothing wrong with sound rationale. The issue comes when we try to rationalize something we don’t like in the wrong ways. 1 Corinthians 2:14 says “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.” If you set God’s Word as a priority in your life, and ask for discernment from His Spirit, then you will be able to properly set your own biases aside and see God’s vision with clarity! Don’t miss the amazing things that He can do in your life!
Questions:
*Take a moment to journal these questions. Write down your thoughts, questions, and concerns. Then date your entry. One of the coolest things is being able to look back and see how God came through for you.*
- Is it easy for you to associate things that you like/want as of God and things that you don’t like/want as not of God?
- In the bible, we read that every good and perfect thing is from God (James 1:17). While this is true, and God does not bring destruction in our lives, He can still use bad things for His glory. When something bad happens in your life, do you choose to see how God can work or do you normally write it off as something that is not of him (therefore is not something He can work through)?
- Is there somewhere in your life that you have assumed God’s will? Where do you need to be more open to God’s leading?
Prayer: Spend some time praying about the things you journaled. Pray that as you remain in the will of God, and seek after His truth, He would open your heart to any assumptions you have made. Ask that God would give you clarity to see His leading in every situation, whether good or bad. Thank God for His good and perfect will that is better for us than our own.
Song: In Over My Head- Bethel Music
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/169Fs68hROYRdS362T8D9w
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