Introductory Thoughts
Our love for the words of God seems directly proportional to our willingness to contend for the truth. Those who love the law of God do not praise the wicked but instead contend with them. Contending against those who oppose God will not always be easy and will sometimes develop fearfulness from within. Yet, a believer who loves the Lord and His word will not idly sit by in the presence of wickedness without proclaiming the righteousness of God. Unfortunately, Christians are becoming increasingly fearful of speaking up in morally corrupt societies. Sometimes believers have allowed and even facilitated the wicked to spew forth their vile agenda and thoughts. However, those who truly love the Lord should be like the prophet Jeremiah who could not keep silent as he sensed the words of God like a fire shut up in his bones (Jeremiah 20:9)..
Devotional Thoughts
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(For children): John the Baptist did not fear to tell wicked King Herod of all the evils which the king had done. Because John was so outspoken, the king threw him into prison (Luke 3:19-20). We too should not allow our fears to hinder us from proclaiming that God's way is best.
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(For everyone): Have you ever been in the presence of wickedness and felt a strong desire to take a stand for righteousness? What did you do? Did you boldly contend for the faith or anxiously keep silent?
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Do you get fearful when you think of contending with the wicked? From whence do you think this fear originates? Since it is not from the Lord, how should we handle it?
Prayer Thoughts
- Ask the Lord to dispel your fears of contending for the faith.
- Ask the Lord to give you a special love for His word that enables you to stand bold.
Song
THE KING'S BUSINESS
