Just what is your definition of everyone?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
(Acts 2:21 (NIV))

Have you ever truly stopped to contemplate the meaning of this passage?

To fully comprehend the meaning of this passage, you have to accept the definition of the word “everyone.” You also have to accept the fact that there were no modifying words applied to the word “whoever.” It did not say whoever is like me, or whoever is from your social status. It simply says whoever!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
(John 3:16 (NIV))

God does not place limitations on the words “everyone” and “whoever,” so why do we? Why do we think that “everyone” who is like us or “whoever” is like us are the only ones that can be shown the grace of God? If you stop to think about this silly concept, then I can safely say that most of us would not be eligible to call upon the name of the Lord, for we don’t match the ethnic or social status of Jesus when He walked this earth. We also don’t match the ethnic or social status of Paul, who is credited with spreading the Gospel to the Gentiles. In case that you forgot, Paul had been a Jew among Jews and basically anyone who was not a Jew, the Gentiles, were looked down upon by the upper echelon of Jewish society.

In other words, we don’t have any right to attach disclaimers and exemptions to the definition of the word everyone! It means every person without exception!

Just what is your definition of everyone?

Copyright 1998 – 2018 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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Are we listening?

Be Still . . .
Devotionals for Daily Living ^©

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
(Revelation 3:13 (NIV))

So many things have been happening lately that many members of the Body of Christ are in shock over. Each day seems to bring more and more things to light that appear to go against God’s Word. We are to hold fast to our faith in Jesus.

We have been told that things would happen.

We have been told that we would come to a time when good would be called evil and evil would be called good.

What can we, as the Body of Christ, do?

We must pray! We must hold fast to the Word of God. We must not let our focus be swayed. We must continue to reach out to those in need with the only thing that can save them, We must be Jesus to a dying world. Now is not the time for the Body of Christ to sit back and wait for the Second Coming of Jesus. There are people that He wants to take with him. Think about your family and friends. I bet that there are people that you want Him to take with Him as well.

We must hear what the Holy Spirit is telling us and we must act upon it. Salvation is not limited to only a handful of people. Jesus died on the cross so that everyone may be saved.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
(John 3:16-21 (NIV))

We must listen intently to what the Holy Spirit is telling the church. The things that are going on in the world are the physical evidence of what God is whispering to the Body of Christ.

To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
(Revelation 3:21-22 (NIV))

We must hear what the Spirit is saying. We must overcome the world.

Are we listening?

Copyright 1998 – 2013 Dennis J. Smock
Daily Living Ministries, Inc.
http://www.dailylivingministries.org
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