1 00:00:10,780 --> 00:00:13,650 Speaker 1: Welcome to the Crosswalk Divotional. We're glad to have you 2 00:00:13,670 --> 00:00:17,049 Speaker 1: listening with us. Today's topic is how to choose what's 3 00:00:17,110 --> 00:00:20,450 Speaker 1: good even when the world around you is glorifying evil. 4 00:00:21,310 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: We'll return with the devotional after a brief message from 5 00:00:24,420 --> 00:00:42,019 Speaker 1: our sponsors. When the world glorifies darkness, choose what is good. 6 00:00:42,420 --> 00:00:46,330 Speaker 1: Written and read by Whitney Hopler. Do not be overcome 7 00:00:46,390 --> 00:00:51,150 Speaker 1: by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12, 21 8 00:00:51,150 --> 00:00:56,450 Speaker 1: NIV While visiting an independent bookstore, I browsed the spirituality 9 00:00:56,510 --> 00:00:59,590 Speaker 1: section and was disappointed to see lots of books about 10 00:00:59,670 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: spiritual darkness and very few about God and the light 11 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:07,610 Speaker 1: of hope He shines into our fallen world. I considered 12 00:01:07,670 --> 00:01:10,900 Speaker 1: just leaving without saying anything, but I felt like I 13 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:13,700 Speaker 1: should try to have a conversation with the woman at 14 00:01:13,740 --> 00:01:18,740 Speaker 1: the front desk. So I silently prayed for courage. Then 15 00:01:18,800 --> 00:01:20,740 Speaker 1: I told her that I had been looking for books 16 00:01:21,020 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: on God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and other related topics. 17 00:01:25,330 --> 00:01:27,750 Speaker 1: She rolled her eyes and suggested that I visit a 18 00:01:27,810 --> 00:01:31,270 Speaker 1: Christian bookstore in the area. But I sensed that I 19 00:01:31,330 --> 00:01:34,430 Speaker 1: should ask her some questions about the selections in the store. 20 00:01:35,670 --> 00:01:37,839 Speaker 1: Why so many books about the dark side of the 21 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: spiritual world, like the occult, but so few about God's goodness? 22 00:01:42,980 --> 00:01:45,940 Speaker 1: Why sell books about demons but not about holy angels? 23 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: It turns out that she was the store owner and manager. 24 00:01:51,030 --> 00:01:53,930 Speaker 1: Even though my questions and tone of voice were polite, 25 00:01:54,550 --> 00:01:58,230 Speaker 1: an angry expression flashed across her face, and she blurted out, 26 00:01:58,730 --> 00:02:01,670 Speaker 1: I just stock what sells the most. If you want 27 00:02:01,730 --> 00:02:05,770 Speaker 1: something else, then go somewhere else. After I nodded and 28 00:02:05,790 --> 00:02:08,560 Speaker 1: walked out, I prayed for God to reach out to 29 00:02:08,620 --> 00:02:11,579 Speaker 1: her and shine light into the darkness that surrounded her 30 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,660 Speaker 1: so she could see the value of what's good. In 31 00:02:15,700 --> 00:02:19,180 Speaker 1: Romans 12, 21, the Bible urges you to fight back 32 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:23,950 Speaker 1: against being overcome with evil and instead to overcome evil 33 00:02:24,010 --> 00:02:28,890 Speaker 1: with good. Physically, if a room is completely dark, you 34 00:02:28,930 --> 00:02:31,510 Speaker 1: can drive away the darkness by turning on a light. 35 00:02:32,550 --> 00:02:36,370 Speaker 1: Even a small flashlight or candle flame cuts right through 36 00:02:36,410 --> 00:02:40,430 Speaker 1: the darkness. Spiritually, if people in this fallen world around 37 00:02:40,470 --> 00:02:44,230 Speaker 1: you are glorifying evil, you can overcome that by making 38 00:02:44,310 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: choices that reflect God's goodness. Choosing what's good may be 39 00:02:49,919 --> 00:02:54,980 Speaker 1: unpopular sometimes, but it's always worth it. When you choose goodness, 40 00:02:55,220 --> 00:02:59,430 Speaker 1: even though others around you are choosing spiritual darkness— You 41 00:02:59,470 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: welcome God's power to flow through your life freely. God 42 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 1: will empower you to make the good choices he leads 43 00:03:05,900 --> 00:03:09,420 Speaker 1: you to make day by day. When someone speaks hurtful 44 00:03:09,480 --> 00:03:11,900 Speaker 1: words to you, God will give you the strength you 45 00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 1: need to answer with kindness. When others tell lies to 46 00:03:15,940 --> 00:03:19,620 Speaker 1: get ahead, God will help you tell the truth. When 47 00:03:19,660 --> 00:03:22,560 Speaker 1: people around you are selfish, God will empower you to 48 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: be generous. The more you seek God's guidance for your decisions, 49 00:03:27,669 --> 00:03:30,169 Speaker 1: the more God will give you the power to follow 50 00:03:30,210 --> 00:03:34,650 Speaker 1: through with those decisions well. Every day you face choices. 51 00:03:35,290 --> 00:03:38,900 Speaker 1: You choose how to treat your family, friends, co-workers, and 52 00:03:38,970 --> 00:03:44,260 Speaker 1: strangers who are unkind. You choose what you watch, what 53 00:03:44,300 --> 00:03:47,980 Speaker 1: you talk about, and how you respond when you're treated unfairly. 54 00:03:49,140 --> 00:03:53,630 Speaker 1: The world will tell you often to put yourself first, 55 00:03:54,370 --> 00:03:58,470 Speaker 1: hold grudges, and seek revenge when you're hurt. but God 56 00:03:58,550 --> 00:04:00,990 Speaker 1: calls you to be a light in this dark place. 57 00:04:02,210 --> 00:04:05,250 Speaker 1: You might think your good choices don't matter very much 58 00:04:05,350 --> 00:04:08,500 Speaker 1: in this world that's full of other people glorifying evil, 59 00:04:09,540 --> 00:04:12,940 Speaker 1: but never underestimate the power of a good action you 60 00:04:12,980 --> 00:04:16,620 Speaker 1: do with love. Doing something kind for people can make 61 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,849 Speaker 1: them feel loved. Speaking honestly to people can bring hope 62 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 1: that breaks through their confusion or suffering. Choosing to forgive 63 00:04:25,460 --> 00:04:28,279 Speaker 1: people for their mistakes can break a cycle of anger 64 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:32,330 Speaker 1: that's lasted for a long time. When you choose what's good, 65 00:04:33,370 --> 00:04:36,990 Speaker 1: you show the world what God's love in action looks like. 66 00:04:38,029 --> 00:04:40,799 Speaker 1: So don't let the darkness around you change who you 67 00:04:40,950 --> 00:04:44,700 Speaker 1: are on the inside. Pray for help from God's Holy 68 00:04:44,779 --> 00:04:48,500 Speaker 1: Spirit and stand strong in the Holy Spirit's power as 69 00:04:48,540 --> 00:04:52,830 Speaker 1: you make your decisions every day. As you choose what's good, 70 00:04:53,390 --> 00:04:55,770 Speaker 1: God will use your light to make a real and 71 00:04:55,850 --> 00:05:00,250 Speaker 1: positive difference in the lives of those around you. Intersecting 72 00:05:00,350 --> 00:05:04,050 Speaker 1: Faith and Life As you consider how to choose what's good, 73 00:05:04,690 --> 00:05:07,830 Speaker 1: even when the world around you is glorifying evil, reflect 74 00:05:07,890 --> 00:05:11,500 Speaker 1: on these questions. Where in your daily life do you 75 00:05:11,580 --> 00:05:15,980 Speaker 1: notice the world glorifying things that don't please God? When 76 00:05:16,020 --> 00:05:18,979 Speaker 1: have you felt tempted to respond to someone's sinful choice 77 00:05:19,339 --> 00:05:22,750 Speaker 1: by going along with it? rather than speaking up against evil. 78 00:05:24,210 --> 00:05:27,090 Speaker 1: What's one act of goodness you can do today for 79 00:05:27,150 --> 00:05:31,190 Speaker 1: someone who has been difficult or unkind to you? How 80 00:05:31,210 --> 00:05:34,010 Speaker 1: does knowing that God gives you strength through the Holy 81 00:05:34,089 --> 00:05:39,300 Speaker 1: Spirit change the way you view challenging situations? What are 82 00:05:39,339 --> 00:05:42,100 Speaker 1: some simple habits you can set in your life to 83 00:05:42,140 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: protect your mind and heart from dark influences? Further reading. 84 00:05:46,760 --> 00:05:58,480 Speaker 1: 3 John 1 11 Deuteronomy 30.15. Psalm 34.14. Matthew 5.16. 85 00:05:58,500 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: Amos 5.14-15. Thanks for listening to today's devotional. If you 86 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: liked what you heard today, we want to make sure 87 00:06:10,360 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: you know about our sister podcast, Your Daily Prayer. When 88 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:17,400 Speaker 1: you follow Your Daily Prayer in your favorite podcast app, 89 00:06:17,760 --> 00:06:20,530 Speaker 1: You'll get a brand new prayer and devotional each day, 90 00:06:20,950 --> 00:06:24,469 Speaker 1: so your days begin in conversation with God. 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