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Topic: When Challenges Arise
[DCLM Daily Manna 20 February 2020 Daily Devotional by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi]
Text: John 12:27-50
27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.
33 This he said, signifying what death he should die.
34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
40 He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
41 These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.
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42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
44 Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
KEY VERSE: “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” – (John 12:27)
MESSAGE:
In today’s text, Christ envisions the ultimate task that brought Him to this world: the agonising vicarious death on the cross for degenerate man. Of this fast approaching moment, He says, “Now is my soul troubled.” But He must do it because “For this cause came I unto this hour” (verse 27).
In addition to this battle within, our Lord had to contend with some grueling external oppositions. The people disputed with themselves over the source of the voice that comforted Him from heaven. A group claimed it was a thunder. Others said it was an angel. Another point of discussion was the question posed by the multitude: “who is this Son of man?”
There will be both open and convert attempts to frustrate us from walking the path of holiness and crucifixion of one’s flesh. The people around us will throw in alluring philosophies and doctrines to engage us in disputations that are not spiritually beneficial and thus limit our time and energy for an absorbing study of the word of God and evangelism.
Yet, we must overcome them by following Jesus’ formula of steadfast, prayerful and watchful gaze on the “cause” for which we are saved. We must be dead to the promptings of the world, whether appreciated or otherwise so that we can declare with our Lord: “Lo, I came to do thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10:9). When we have this attitude of unbending determination to follow our Lord, we will triumph over life’s challenges and problems.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Life’s challenges are not insurmountable if you have Jesus Christ.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Luke 9-10
