May the mumbling commence!
It’s been eleven years since the attacks on September Eleventh. Many people are gathering in New York City and Washington D.C. and in Pennsylvania where the planes crashed. Most people mark this day in some way. It is now called “Patriot Day”.
I mark this day with a couple of questions. One: Are we still controlled by fear? It is an important question. To be controlled by fear is to play right into the hands of terrorists. It makes their work easier.
Sadly, many of our actions and words are still controlled by fear. It doesn’t have to be that way. We have something else to guide us – hope. Not hope in any political candidate but a hope in the eternal Lord of all – JESUS. If we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, we will have much less to fear and much more basis for HOPE. Read a passage from Acts chapter nineteen:
But there were some itinerant Jewish exorcists who attempted to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus when dealing with those who had evil spirits. They would say, "I command you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preaches."
Seven brothers, sons of a chief priest called Sceva, were engaged in this practice on one occasion, when the evil spirit answered, "Jesus I know, and I am acquainted with Paul, but who on earth are you?" And the man in whom the evil spirit was living sprang at them and over-powered them all with such violence that they rushed out of that house wounded, with their clothes torn off their backs. This incident became known to all the Jews and Greeks who were living in Ephesus, and a great sense of awe came over them all, while the name of the Lord Jesus became highly respected.
Many of those who had professed their faith began openly to admit their former practices. A number of those who had previously practiced magic collected their books and burned them publicly. (They estimated the value of these books and found it to be no less than five thousand pounds) In this way the Word of the Lord continued to grow irresistibly in power and influence. (Verses 13-20)
People were experiencing Paul and other apostles healing demon-possessed people with the power of Jesus’ name. They began to think that the name of Jesus had magical powers. Some of the people tried to use this magical incantation – only to find that it didn’t always work.
The seven sons of Sceva limped away from an encounter with a demon-possessed man because they did not have a relationship with Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus only when the person saying it has developed a relationship and faith with Jesus and with the children of God. Apart from these relationships, the spoken name of Jesus does not have the same power.
After this happened, many people were engulfed by a sense of awe. The respect of Jesus’ name grew – so much so that they left what drove them. They left their magic behind at great cost to themselves.
Are we willing to give up what drives us in this life? Are we willing to give up the fear of our enemies? Are we willing to give up our fear of failure? Are we willing to give up our fear of not having enough?
To give up these fears and more will cost us. But, of what we will gain! Through relationship with God and his children, we will gain power and influence – power and influence to be used in the glorification of God and the betterment of our brothers and sisters.
Let us give up fear for faith – faith in the only one who can save us, JESUS.
The second question that I would ask: What is a patriot? A patriot is one who speaks his or her mind. A patriot is one who cares about the future of the nation that he or she lives in. A patriot is one who does these things with his or her ultimate allegiance in mind – and that allegiance is to JESUS.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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