ESOCS Devotional 27 October 2023 – Start With Your Circle
MEMORY VERSE: “Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord had done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.” Mark 5:19
TEXT: MARK 5:1-20 (KJV)
And they came over unto the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,
3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:
4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.
5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.
6 But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,
7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
8 For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.
9 And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.
10 And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country.
11 Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding.
12 And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them.
13 And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea.
14 And they that fed the swine fled, and told it in the city, and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that was done.
15 And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.
16 And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.
17 And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.
19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.
20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.
Read Yesterday’s ESOCS Devotional here
In sharing the kingdom message, it has been a principle, a process, a method and instituted structure with the Lord for one to start from your closest circle or where you are. Your circle could be your immediate family, extended family, friends, colleagues at work or market place and neighbourhood. All through the New Testament scriptures this process and method can be seen of those who shared the good news of the kingdom.
Starting with our Lord Jesus Christ, when He started His ministry in full, we saw that He went back to His region of Galilee. It can be said that His mother Mary was one of His earliest converts because she knew what He is capable of, when in John 2:1-5 they were invited to a wedding in Cana of Galilee and the celebrants ran out wine, she told Him and also told the servants at the ceremony too, that whatever Jesus told them to do they should do it. The point here, for his context of devotion, is that Jesus started His sharing of kingdom good news from Galilee His home region (Mark 1:14), this was after His temptation at the wilderness.
In John 1:40-45 we find another replay of the process, Andrew met Jesus first and then preached to his brother Simon (Peter) that he has found the Messiah. Jesus converted Philips in another scene and he went and found his friend Nathaniel. No wonder then, Lord Jesus told the man who was delivered from demons to go tell his friends the good news of his encounter with Jesus.
When our Lord was about to ascend to heaven in Acts 1:8c it reads “…and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The Lord has so desired it that anyone who encountered Him should be His witness among His circle. I believe strongly, that, it is your circle that will bear true witness and record of your changed or new life via your encounter with the Lord. So, through your testimony of salvation which they can relate and attest to by your changed life, it will be easy to win them over to the Lord.
Beloved, are you born again? Congratulations! Are there people in your circle you know and believe should meet the Lord and be saved? Another thing about your circle is that you know them, that is, you know those that should come to the Lord, you also know those that have come to the saving knowledge of the Lord but have not grown spiritually. What have you done about their spiritual life! Have you witnessed to them? Are you ignoring the fact that you are the fact that you the shortest route out of hell fire for them? Do you want them to end up in hell fire? This is asking about those from your family, your friends, colleagues etc.
Lord Jesus is saying to you today – go home to your friends (your circle) and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for you, and He has shown you mercy. Don’t ignore this great call. Your circle may not always believe you or accept your message. However, you have two strong tools to reach their hearts – the message of salvation in Christ Jesus and your prayer for the salvation of their souls.
- Beloved, have you ever taken note of the spiritual state and need of your circle?
- Father, give me the grace to witness with power, boldness and authority to my circle.
FURTHER READING: Genesis 45:1-15; 18:1-15; Romans 8:18-30
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ESOCS Devotional 27 October 2023
