Speak for Yourself

Speak for Yourself

John 7: ⁴⁵ Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”

⁴⁶ The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”

⁴⁷ Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? ⁴⁸ Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? ⁴⁹ But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”

⁵⁰ Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, ⁵¹ “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”

⁵² They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”

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While pledging an organization we were not supposed to be late, but we were. “Let’s get our story together” one person said as they were they primary culprit for our being late. As the lies came together, I was not convinced. When I was pulled to the side and asked what happened, I had a choice. “Should I go along with the lie?”

• There were times when I was scared to tell the truth.
• There were times when it seemed like I could not please anyone whit the answer I had.
• There were times when I told the truth and made those around me angry.

Losing their power quickly, the Pharisees had to protect their stance against JESUS. One of them spoke on behalf of the church leaders saying JESUS was a deceiver, like the devil, instead of considering HIM as GOD. But Nicodemus spoke for himself and used the heart of the law, just like JESUS.

• GOD wants me to believe in HIM for myself.
• GOD wants me to pursue HIM daily with just me and HIM.
• GOD wants me to spend time alone with HIM so HE can guide me through HIS word.

Going with the crowd to protect a lie is not the way GOD wants me to act. This is the wrong type of unity. GOD wants unity in the truth that does not exclude humans based on hate. HE wants me to observe what HE did by supplying grace based on HIS word. I give GOD my desires today.

• Do you desire something?
• Have you convinced yourself that your desires are admirable without checking to see if they are against GOD?
• Will you allow GOD to guide your desires so you can speak for HIM even when it is not popular?