Think of the moral pressures that we face in the world today, the standards of the society that surrounds us, constantly intruding on our consciousness with pressure to make us conform to these attitudes and standards. Think of the temptation to cheat and lie, to get ahead at all costs, to be dishonest in various aspects of business—public and private. The pressures around us are tremendous—to harbor wrong ideas, to react against others the way the world reacts, to strike back and give as good as you get, to be resentful and jealous, to be ambitious and cruel. All this is, “the world’s ways.”
“The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith.” Not yesterday’s faith, but faith present in us now. Our faith must constantly be renewed and refreshed in the face of new challenges and experiences. By faith in Christ at work in us, amid the world’s pressures, we counter it with the power of Jesus at work in us.
The story is told of a ship’s captain who was describing what it was like to go through a storm. He described the ship as seeming to be a helpless victim of the storm, caught in the power of these mighty elements raging on every side. Its doom seemed sure. But he said, “I stood there on the bridge of the ship and I grasped the railing. I felt the throbbing of the engines deep down inside the hull. The storm, the wind, and the waves seemed to be saying to the ship, ‘You cannot come!’ But I heard the answering throb of the engines saying, ‘Yes, we shall!’ And so, we do.” This is how we overcome the world.
If we reflect the same attitudes and actions as the world, we have succumbed to the world and to the wiles of the devil. But if our dependence is on the life of the Son of God, His life is in us, and then, “The conquering power that brings the world to its knees is our faith.”
How are we handling the pressures of life? Are we trying to overcome our difficulties depending on us, or are we sustained by a constantly renewing faith in Christ at work in us?
(We invite your comments. Feel free to share this devotion with your friends and invite them to subscribe by forwarding their email address to the Pastor at: fredjeffsmith@gmail.com)
Mornings with Shiloh airs on WVLA Channel 33 each weekday at 6:58 a. m. CST. Mornings with Shiloh is available on our Youtube channel at 8:00 a.m. CST.
CLICK THE LINK BELOW TO ACCESS OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
https://www.youtube.com/@ShilohMBCBR/videos
Want to get more involved at Shiloh?
Browse our Ministries