Daily Devotional For Friday, April 11, 2025

Good day Southside! It’s Friday and the weekend is almost here. As you are coming to the end of the week, you may find yourself short on power and energy to do other things you want to do. The Apostle Paul gives us a key on how to have that power and energy in Romans 1:16-17, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (17) For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the righteous man shall live by faith’” (NASB).

When you think of the Gospel, does the word “power” come to your mind? Probably not. Many people, when they hear or think of the word “Gospel,” think of some cozy feeling that makes them feel good or some critical feeling that makes them feel condemned. Neither one of these descriptions are accurate. Yes, we can feel good about the message of the Gospel and yes, we can feel convicted from the message of the Gospel. But the Gospel is more than a feeling!

The Gospel is about power. The Greek New Testament word Paul uses here for “power” is [δύναμις, dunamis. This is where we get our English word “dynamite.” Dynamite is nothing to play around with because of how dangerous it is and how effective it is. The power of the Gospel is dangerous to the devil and his demons. It can effectively blast through a hardened heart and through the power of the Holy Spirit, that person can have Jesus give them His life in them. The gospel is about the power of God. And the gospel cannot be separated from Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross. 

The cross of Christ is not politically correct, but it was brutal and necessary. Neither is the gospel politically correct. In fact, those who refuse to believe call it foolishness. Let’s take a look at 1 Corinthians 1:18, “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (NASB). When we talk about Jesus’ death on the cross and the good news of the gospel, we’re talking about the power of God that was demonstrated in the most remarkable way so you and I could be set free. It’s a mistake to tell others that we can shake loose from evil simply by the strength of our will. We need to tell people about Jesus and the salvation only He provides.

The power of the Gospel has motivated many to take the Gospel into very hostile areas and in some cases, become martyrs for it. I heard this quote years ago: “A man who is not willing to die for a cause he claims he believes in is already dead.” This quote is actually a misquote of something the late Dr. Martin Luther King said. He said this: “A man who is not willing to die for a cause, is not fit to live.” Later he would say this: “A man who has nothing he is willing to die for, has nothing worth living for in life.” We can all agree Jesus certainly had a cause, the Gospel that He was willing to die for in life.

Assignment: Take a moment and ask yourself this question: “What am I willing to die for in life?” Write these down and put them in order of importance. What does that tell you? Consider this question: Am I really willing to die for the Gospel?” Was this easy to answer or did you struggle with this one? Why? What does that tell you?

Scripture To Meditate On: Romans 14:8, “For if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (NASB).

Prayer To Pray: “Heavenly Father, spiritual battles are evident in the earth, and You have called me to bring Your Truth into the world around me. Give me wisdom, courage, and boldness to speak the truth in every place You lead me. Help me with power to share the Gospel, even if I lose my life doing it.  In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly