The Devotional - A Look at the Book #695

The Devotional – A Look at the Book 695

by Jesse Abel

A kingdom is an entity that projects authority and the power to govern. What is comforting to me is that the Kingdom of God has the power to govern over all of creation and is victorious over all of the living and the dead in time and eternity. Make no mistake; the power of Satan is limited to govern only in time and only over the dead. Luke 10:17-20

On board a submarine some years ago I was challenged by the Executive Officer to give a lecture from the SOARM (Ship’s Organization and Regulation Manuel) to my duty section. I chose a regulation near the end of the manual called. "Worship Services" well, because the XO as he is routinely called said that I could choose any of the regulations.

I saw this as an opportunity to talk about the needs of the ship and the people on board. I used; 1 Timothy 2:1-3 as a platform. The lecture was scheduled after the evening meal; my duty section included one third of the crew. During most of these lectures you see people talking and sleeping rather than listening. This evening, every eye was wide open… their eyes were fixed on me and the man who was standing directly behind me… the XO! Also present were a few of his officers; those in my section.

When I finished I went to my office in MR1 (Machinery Room 1) for you land lubbers. The phone rang. The voice on the other end was that of the XO, Chief Abel; get up to the Wardroom immediately. He was not happy and I was immediately flooded with a joy that is unexplainable. I knocked on the wardroom door. The door flew open and the XO grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me in. With his face boiling, he said; "I dare you to use my training time to preach about your God to my men, I ought to punch you square in the face!" To my surprise I said, "Well, XO if it will make you feel better; go right ahead." He released his grip on me and stumbled backward. After a bit of threatening remarks, he said. "Go, to your office and make a list of all who were at the lecture and apologize to each of them personally for talking about your God." I turned and walked out the door; my spirit now rejoicing that I had permission to go and follow up on that lecture to each person. The joy of the LORD was so rich at this moment in time that; again it simply is not explainable.

Back in my office I was going over the list of attendance when the phone rang again. It was the XO, his voice was calmer. "Chief; I want you to come up to my stateroom right now." "Yes Sir, I am on my way." I knocked on the XO’s door and out came only his hand, "I apologize Chief, please accept my apology and shake my hand." My mouth did not work right again; "No sir, I will not shake your hand until I explain my God to you. His door swung open and he said; come in and sit down.

Thus this man heard the gospel of Jesus Christ (Maybe for the first time) but here is the point; the fiery trials and the sufferings we face are not events that we walk alone in. we are blessed with the joy of the LORD the moment we enter the fire. 1 Peter 4:14 is real for every believer, for time and eternity, why?

Because Christ is the object of reproach and as these events play out we glorify God in His Name. Many of us saints have firsthand knowledge and experience of the joy and rejoicing that goes on in the soul of those under the Authority and Power of the Holy Spirit as He glorifies Christ though us. 1 Peter 4:12-16 carries the eternal weight of glory to the saint in time to the unbelieving who do not know that their blasphemies are already forgiven.