Is devotional time becoming obsolete? An unnerving report by the Huffington Post reveals many Christians lack a working knowledge of Scripture. In part, the report, American Bible Reading Statistics …, reads: … A Barna poll indicated that at least 12 percent of adults believe that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife. … respondents to one poll indicated that the Sermon on the Mount was preached by Billy Graham. Another survey ... revealed that over 50 percent thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were husband and wife... I know the above is laughable, right? But when seriously considered, do you know a sister in Christ who might find some of these suggestions not laughable, but possibly true? As Christians our power is rooted in the Relationship we build by routinely interacting with the Word of God. Because of that exposure to the Divine our faith becomes life-altering as we understand, agree with, and have confidence in those active divine truths. Those factors give us authority to properly use such power. We literally become POWERFUL by that Divine relationship. Found in the book of Acts is a rather startling look at the attempted use of God's power outside that divine relationship... in other words, that power was tried on outside relationship! "Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding." Acts 19.13-16 NIV Devotional time empowers us. It is the unity of time spent with the Word of God that gives us understanding to use such an awesome power. That Divine Power grows larger within us everytime we come to the Word. Amen! You go girl!
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