THURSDAY February 6th
Now, I have been using a lot of words beginning with S as we have been going through these devotions concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, and considering the 53rd chapter of Isaiah which we have used over the last two devotions, and many other Old Testament Scriptures, we have another word beginning with S and it is that Jesus had been the SUBJECT of so much that had been written. Yes, as we read through the various Old Testament books with the various genres, such as that of history, praise, prophecy etc. they are all written to point us to the One who would come in the fulness of time.
And when you consider the matter there is no better or greater subject than this one concerning Jesus. Someone has said that the whole of Scripture has a red thread running through it, the thread of redemption. As I write today the words of a modern song have come to the forefront of my mind, ‘We speak Jesus’ and there is no greater person that we can speak about. Just as he was the subject of so much of the Old Testament and was the subject of the proclamation of the angels (Luke 2) and the apostles throughout the New Testament, so he should be from the lips of those of us who have been touched by his amazing grace.
I needed Jesus and I am so glad that I have come to know him, and there is absolutely no doubt that our friends, our neighbours, our communities, our nation and the whole world needs Jesus, they might not realise it, they may not even be willing to accept that they need him, but they do.
I haven’t given a text yet, but here it is, from Acts 4 and verses 17-20
‘” But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.” So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”’
The two apostles, Peter and John were being forbidden to talk about Jesus, but they knew that no one could silence them because they could not but speak about what they had seen and heard, and who or what had they seen and heard, to them the most important subject was to speak about Jesus.
We in the UK need to take hold of the opportunities that we have to be able to speak Jesus and here we will conclude with some of the words of the song:
I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
‘Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus
I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
‘Til every dark addiction starts to break
Declaring there is hope and there is freedom
I speak Jesus
Shout Jesus from the mountains
Jesus in the streets
Jesus in the darkness, over every enemy
Jesus for my family
I speak the holy name
‘Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire
Songwriters: Jesse Reeves / Dustin Smith / Abby Benton / Kristen Dutton / Carlene Prince / Raina Pratt
I Speak Jesus lyrics © Integrity’s Praise! Music, All Essential Music, For Me And My House Songs