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July 23 Not to be ashamedIn my first entry I told about how I was ashamed to confess I believed in God. Today I read something interesting about this topic:
"Eventually Jesus' command changed from 'Don't tell anyone' to 'Go tell everyone.'
Jesus said, 'Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven' (Matthew 10:32,33).
Jesus said, 'If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels' (Mark 8:38).
Jesus said, 'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth' (Acts 1:8).
Remember Thomas - the one we often label 'doubting Thomas'? The fact is, he was more courageous and more trusting than we sometimes think. Late in Jesus' ministry, when the Lord boldly headed back to the vicinity of Jerusalem, his disciples knew that going there meant great danger (for Jesus had so many enemies in Jerusalem). But Thomas said, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him' (John 11:16).
At the Last Supper, THomas asked Jesus, 'Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?' His dear question resulted in a famous answer from Jesus' lips: 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me' (John 14:5,6).
Thomas demanded firsthand evidence of Jesus' resurrection before he would believe. In Thomas' defense, he wasn't with the other disciples the first time Jesus appeared to them after the Lord rose from the dead (John 20:24). Plus, the other disciples reacted with doubt as well when they first heard reports that Jesus was alive (luke 24:9-11). Needing to be sure about something as important as the resurrection. Thomas declared, 'Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it' (John 20:25).
Jesus met the challenge. A week later he stood next to Thomas and said, 'Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.' And Thomas responded with one of the shortest but most profound confessions of faith in all of Scripture. Firmly convinced, with doubts erased, he reverently said to Jesus, 'My Lord and my God!' (John 20:27,28).
Up-close with Jesus, Peter and Thomas embraced the Truth. Then they devoted their lives to telling the truth, problaiming Jesus as Lord to believers and unbelievers alike. As Peter put it, 'We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard' (Acts 4:20).
What about you? Are you willing to state publicly and without shame that you believe in CHrist? Someday, God declares, 'at the name of Jesus every knee should bow... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father' (Philippians 2:11).
Eventually we're all going to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord. Why not begin now?'
~ Embracing the Truth, David Faust, pp.40-42 Comments (3)
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