“And He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would; and they came unto him. And He ordained twelve, that they
should be with him.” Mark 3:13, 14a (KJV)
Recently, a teenager had been attending our small church faithfully for two months, but he suddenly stopped. About a month later I
saw him walking with a friend. I asked him why he stopped coming and he replied, “I have been very busy and don’t have the time.” His
friend piped up, “He is always busy on Sundays.”
My wife and I wondered what could keep a 13 year-old so busy that he did not have one hour? We marvel that, despite the age, the justification is often the same: “I don’t have time for God.” This is one of the devil’s most effective tricks. Our enemy will attempt to do anything to keep us from spending time with Jesus. If a lamp is unplugged from the wall, the bulb loses the power to light up a dark room. Similarly, to live a victorious and overcoming life, we must continually spend time with Jesus by reading the Word of God and developing a prayer life.
Throughout the years I have noticed that peace and joy in Christ consistently reigns in my life as I faithfully spend time with Jesus. In Mark, we see that Jesus desired to be with his disciples and “that they should be with him.” Friend, notice that before they were sent forth to preach, heal sickness, to cast out devils with great power and authority (vv. 14,15), they were to “be with Him.”
Spending time daily with Jesus is the key to conquering every bondage, hindrance, sin, discouragement, and depression. Spending time with Jesus will transform our lifestyle, behaviors and attitudes. Transformation happens by simply “being with Him” each day.
Do you spend time with Jesus every day? Isn’t it amazing that Jesus desires you to be with Him?
– Steven Keesic
Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.
The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website.
Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org