Unashamedနမူနာ

Prayer: Father, I can see your love and power in the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you for revealing both your perfect justice and your perfect mercy through the perfect life of Jesus. Make me more like yourself in how I think and live today.

Perfect Power

How eager are you to preach the gospel in every situation? Paul describes himself as eager to preach the gospel because he recognizes the incredible power it holds to provide salvation and reveal the perfect righteousness of God. Paul saw the gospel as the ultimate solution to the deepest need of every person. The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ holds not only the power to save, but the power to bring all people together regardless of past background, behavior, or baggage.

As we help people find and follow Jesus, we have the opportunity to walk alongside of other Christ-followers that may not share our same story, interests, or occupations. While these differences can lead to friction in our relationships, we should never lose sight of how the diversity of the church serves to amplify the power of our witness and our worship. As Paul explains in Galatians, we can put aside our differences in favor of our shared identity as newly adopted children of God!

Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. Where do you allow shame to creep into your view of the gospel? Do you continue to carry any past hurts or frustrations that were caused by yourself or another Christian who was not living in a Christ-like way?
2. Who do you view as “unreachable” by the power of the gospel? Who are you quick to dismiss or avoid when you consider your calling to preach the gospel?

What’s Next? 

1. Write out the names of 5 people in your life who need to experience the transforming and unifying power of the gospel. If they are not Christians, they need faith in the gospel’s power to provide eternal salvation. If they are Christians, they need faith in the gospel’s power to provide daily purpose and satisfaction.
2. Pray for the next 10 minutes and throughout the day for the gospel’s power to work in the lives of these people God has intentionally placed around you.