Not Against Us

Not Against Us
Words of Faith 1-26-2024
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2024
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Mark 9
[38] "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
[39] "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, [40] for whoever is not against us is for us. [41] I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

Sometimes we just don't get it. John didn't. In the middle of Jesus' teaching about how to be first, you must be last, John seems oblivious as he breaks in.
"Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
It is interesting that as religious people, we are so used to dividing among ourselves it is hard to break the habit. This is not the Kingdom way.
Listen to the difference. The world says: If you are not with me, you are against me. Jesus says: If you are not against me, you are for me. In other words, the divisions we make are often artificial. Jesus does not see them.
Now, don't misunderstand. This is not a teaching that all religions are different roads to God. The people so upsetting to John were actually doing Kingdom work in the name of Jesus-- he didn't know them! They probably had heard Jesus in one of His preaching missions. Just because the disciples did not know them did not mean that Jesus did not know them.
One of the things we fail to remember is that God is always bigger than us. His work is always more extensive than we can imagine. Even the cup of water given in His name does not go unnoticed.
So, is there some group you have rejected or been tempted to reject? Is there someone doing ministry in the name of Jesus that you would stop if you could? Is there someone under a different name or banner that you need to get to know? Is there a barrier that needs to be broken down? Whoever is not against Christ is for Christ. Whoever is not against Christ is for you.

Lord, help me to accept Your people who are different from me. Help me encourage rather than discourage those with a different path or approach but labor for Your Kingdom. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2024
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2023 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.