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THE SHOES OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE
These Are Going To Be Big Shoes To Fill
Jesus, help me to stand firm then ... with my feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Keep me from marching, running, walking, or doing any fancy foot work; help me to stand firm. Teach me why I need these special armor shoes on my feet. Since Satan is going to be attacking the message of the gospel of peace, he is going to be trying to knock me off of my commitment to this message. He is going to try to get me to trade the simple truths of the gospel for other ways to set people free. Just because there are many possible solutions out there, help me stick with You and Your help. Show me that the gospel will always be the answer to all of people’s needs.
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Jesus Does It All
Jesus, my God WILL meet ALL my needs according to His glorious riches in You (Phil 4:19). I can get things through other sources; and, they may look like the exact same thing I would have received through You. But, if I pursue life, any aspect of life, without You, I am going to have a very disappointing end result. The money I get by going around You is VERY different from the money I get through You. Teach me the good news message, which is the fact that I can get all my needs met through You the One I can trust.
If I have a physical, emotional, financial, relational, or spiritual need, when I get it met by You, it comes to me through Someone Who loves me more than I love myself; You will never hurt me. It comes to me through Someone Who sees, understands, knows, and evaluates everything; You can’t be lied to, cheated, misled, or overpowered. When things pass through You to me, it is the very best for me and those around me; I never get cheated. But, if I bypass You, I will get none of these incredible benefits. Help me to always live completely in the realm of the good news by putting on, keeping on, and taking full advantage of my shoes of the gospel of peace.
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You Are A Very Special Messenger
Jesus, I thank You that everyone who calls on Your name will be saved. But, how, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? Help me make sure they can believe in the One of Whom they have not heard. And, help me make sure they hear by someone preaching to them. And help me pray that You empower them to preach by being sent. As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news (Rom 10:13-15)!” Jesus, let my feet and many other people’s feet be made beautiful by us putting on, keeping on, and taking advantage of Your shoes of the gospel of peace.
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That Is Really Good News!
Jesus, help me see that the gospel isn’t just any good news. You are talking to me about the kind of good news that makes this happen: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. You are talking to me about THAT kind of good news. Help me to always distinguish it from any generic piece of good news. Clarify it in my mind and heart and in the way I talk about it to others. Show me how to refer to it as the gospel when I am trying to present its difference. As I take a look at the importance and problems of getting this gospel message out, open my heart and mind to these truths about the shoes of the gospel of peace.
Jesus, everyone who calls on Your name will be saved. That is awesome news. Now, please explain to me what are those things that would keep a person from calling on Your name. Help me see the power and importance of me wearing these shoes of the gospel of peace all the time.
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How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in?
| Jesus, there are times when I and those around me haven’t been given the power to have faith. We only have faith in those people we trust. Help me and then help me help others to believe that You are the answer to everything. I and they won’t call on You if we don’t believe You are the answer for everything. We won’t see any reason to call on You. Show me what is one of the major reasons why people don’t believe in You.
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How can they believe in the One of Whom they have not heard?
| Jesus, I can see that if they haven’t heard about You, they won’t call on You or believe in You. It is impossible for them to believe in someone they have never heard of. But, it isn’t just a matter of hearing about You. They need more information than just the fact that You exist. Empower me to explain to them that You love them much more than they love themselves, that You have their best interest in mind. Let me tell them about how You know, understand, and can even see their future; You won’t make any mistakes with them. Let me help them realize that You are all powerful, that You will protect their best interests. Next, show me what is one of the major reasons people don’t believe in You and listen to Your gospel message.
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How can they hear without someone preaching to them?
Jesus, show me what happens to a person who experiences preaching. Help me get a full revelation on how preaching is a special and powerful message system. Make it clear to me that preaching isn’t just talking to people or teaching them. Take me into the realm of Your Spirit so I can see that preaching is a power-system that speaks to the spirit of a person. Put a conviction in me that it literally creates faith in a person’s heart. Rom 10:17 (NIV) Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. Help me see the supernatural aspects of this mighty work that You do through preaching.
Jesus, teach me that the Spirit gives life and that if I don’t yield to Him people won’t get life. Also, make it real to me that my flesh counts for nothing. Help me yield to Your words so the words I speak to people are Spirit and they are life (John 6:63). Let my preaching create the Holy Spirit and life inside a person, if they yield to the faith they receive from that gospel message. Thank You for this supernatural event that You have given to me through the shoes of the gospel of peace.
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