Traveler's Log

Jacki Gilfillan

July 6, 2009

Today's Passage: 2 Cor. 11:1-15

Good morning! I 'm Jacki Nell Gilfillan. Married 27 years to my Prince, Bob. We love adventure.  I utterly love our kids: Cami (husband, Jeff), Ross (wife, Megan), Todd, and Clint.  I'm crazy over grandchildren Parker (12), Jared (11), Luke (3), and Brayden (1). My Big Daddy, Jack Brock, lives with us and is a joy.

God blessed me with a gift to see people's needs as God sees them.  Lovingly bearing burdens for others is my joy. Jesus Christ and His "jealous love" compels me to love and serve through Crisis Care and SOS ministries.

I love red!

Key Verse:

"I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray...if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached." (2 Corinthians 11:2-4)

Central Truth:

Sometimes extraordinary circumstances drive us to leave conventional thoughts and actions for more extreme tactics. Seeing a loved one in danger, we yell and push, leaving modesty and dignity aside for the moment to save them from harm.

DESPERATE TIMES REQUIRE DESPERATE MEASURES

A situation once arose in my life that called for immediate action. A loved one who had once walked with the Lord was turning away from the truth and was listening to someone who was altering the Word of God to fit his own desires--prideful of his own accomplishments. His words seemed to offer freedom, but in fact were enslaving.  I saw the danger and was afraid for my loved one.  My normal talking, teaching, reasoning, and loving were not enough.

I had to go into action to expose the fraud; however, by the time I found out, this man had made great inroads because he had credentials, money, and power.  The fraud was robbing and deceiving my loved one and hurting many in the wake. I understand why Paul felt afraid for the Corinthians.  I did not know what to do. I wanted to just hit this guy over the head with the King James Bible and run, but what good would that do?

The Lord showed me that I just needed to boldly speak truth. The best way for me to share the truth was to share my experiences with God--my testimony. I wanted to do anything but that.  Why was this so hard for me?  I might be exposed for not having the credentials or eloquence, being inferior to him somehow. I was not as trained in speaking or debating, nor did I have the money or the charisma, but I did have the truth and the power of the Holy Spirit to help me. I did not need anything else. I had to put myself and my pride aside to plead with the one I loved. I had to ditch my normal tactics, making stronger statements, showing the power of Christ in my life and His godly jealousy for my loved one. I shared the power of of God's truth in my life, my history with Him, my faith walk. It was not me, but God--the heart of the matter--that turned my loved one's eyes back to Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1. Have you ever watched as someone close to you turned from God and His truths to listen to false teachings?

2. How did you respond?

3. How can we be better prepared to share truth when these situations arise?

4. Where do you turn when you don't know what to do?

Comments

Bill McGee

July 6, 2009 08:55:59 AM

Jackie, thank you for the great devotional this morning. I think that too often we underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit to speak God's truth through us. We tend to look at our own abilities or inabilities. Thanks for the reminder to trust the Spirit that dwells in us. Bill

Eddah Maseko

July 6, 2009 11:15:38 AM

Hey Jackie, praise be to God for that devotion. Really touched and blessed my heart. Yea, i understand that situation you had. Sometimes its indeed hard to approach our loved ones and guide them to the truth through God's leading and grace. Its really something that we need to be doing showing that we love each other and don't want one to go astray. I pray that God should help us to realise the power of love that is there when we correct each other as believers, and that it pleases God; but we need to do all this in love, Christ's love. God bless you Jackie, and your family.

Terry Melle

July 6, 2009 11:40:08 AM

I really appreciate your sharing this, Jackie. It can be very frustrating to speak the truth and then watch the enemy have even a small degree of success. As Paul concedes, he is not a great speaker but he has truth revealed, and will speak the truth in the face of any obstacle. I love how God shows us who has the power! We train, and fuss and fret that we just aren't gifted in evangelism, and in so doing, we reveal our own pride: "If I was good as an evangelist, I could lead people to Jesus". But since I'm not, I can't, so I don't." Often we overtrain, thinking more equipping will make the difference. And then we watch miracles happen, as the gospel, unaided by ANY human intervention, draws people to Christ. The greatest example I know of this is from all the stories of people who met Christ through scriptures placed by the Gideons. No one led them, no one prayed with them but they met Christ in the scriptures. The Holy Spirit did it all. All we do is deliver the Word, and God closes the deal.

Ernie Rodriguez

July 7, 2009 12:11:47 AM

Hi Jackie. What a powerful story. What you did took courage. You reminded me that even courage is not our own, but rather it is given to us by the Holy Spirit when we need it most. We need to Trust and Act without fear.

Dick Miller

July 7, 2009 10:13:18 AM

Jackie, thanks for this straight forward reminder to do the right thing; speaking the truth in love. Then we leave the results to God.

Linda Butler

July 7, 2009 11:43:55 AM

It is not always the eloquent or the credentialed that Christ calls. Just look at people like Moses, Peter, Rahab, etc. He chooses those who are willing and who love HIm and His people. That is you to a tee.