Thread by @glprater

#GeraldsDevotional
Celebrating the True Meaning of the Rainbow
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In Genesis 9:8-17 God gives us a pretty detailed explanation of the meaning of the rainbow and why we all should celebrate it. The true meaning was the opposite of pride. It is the image of incredible humility on a scale that this world can not comprehend. Today it is a reminder

of an all-powerful and holy God who humbled and gave of himself so that others could have life and freedom… a God who calls His people to live with the same focus.

But the celebration of the world today unashamedly connects the rainbow with a celebration of pride which is the

complete opposite focus. Worldly pride is focused on me exalting myself and getting what I want always at the cost of others. This is the mindset that got Lucifer kicked out of heaven (as described in Isaiah 14:12) when he attempted to exalt himself and his desires over God and

the stars of heaven (the people).

Now here is an illustration of this from the New Testament that the Lord has been giving to me for the past several weeks. Last month in my devotional messages on May 18th and 20th, I shared what the Lord had shown me at that time about the

importance of humility using the scene that is described in Matthew 18. Go back and read it if you’d like, but in summary the disciples of Jesus begin this chapter by asking Him who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. When you stop and think about it, this should have been

a ridiculously obvious question, but the disciples often struggled with jockeying for position among themselves. But in response to this ridiculous question, Jesus used a little child to demonstrate the importance of humility and then gave a very stern warning about causing harm

to innocent children. He then continues in this chapter to give other examples using parables to continue illustrating the importance of humility. So in today’s scripture, we will read and discuss one of those examples that describes a person who sinned against their own brother.

Here is a key point that is seen in this parable that the Lord whispered to me yesterday: “Pride can render us blind and unable to see when we are causing harm to others… it can take away our ability to love even our own brother.”

So as we read, let’s consider the following questions and points:

- What two things would motivate the injured person to confront their brother? I would suggest: 1st their acknowledgement that they had been injured and 2nd the love for their brother and the desire to save and to

strengthen the relationship.
- Why slowly increase the number of witnesses to come and reason with the brother? If after input from the witnesses and the church, the brother still refuses to acknowledge the sin, what does this say about his level of pride or humility?

- Finally, are the witnesses neutral or biased toward either side when giving their input about the sin? I believe that this is a very key point and that Jesus states the answer here in the very last verse (20).

So now let’s read and ponder this parable as found in Matthew 18:15-20

Dealing with a Sinning Brother
15 “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he will not hear,

take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ 17 And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. 18 “Assuredly,

I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.” - Matthew 18:15-20
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In the wake of today’s devotional message, this is a song that the Lord placed in my ear early this morning as I was composing and editing this message. It is true that our world today needs Jesus… we need freedom. Come Lord Jesus.

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