DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 9.24.22

 BlindHearts “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is inthem, because of the blindness of their heart.” (Ephesians4:18) It is a tragedy for a person to have blinded eyes but infinitely worse to have a blinded heart. No one ever willfully chooses to be sightless, but spiritual blindness is a product of the human will. After Christ had given sight to the man born blind, the Pharisees still refused to believe, so Jesus said to them, “For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind....If ye were blind, yeshould have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth” (John9:39, 41). Like these ancient intellectuals, it often seems that modern intellectuals are incurably blind. They profess to teach science and philosophy of the highest complexity, but their understanding is darkened, and their hearts are blinded when it comes to the savinggospel of Jesus Christ. As Paul says: “If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shineunto them” (2Corinthians 4:3-4). Even very religious people, people who believe in God as Creator, may blind themselves when confronted with the truth that the Creator must also become their Savior. “But their minds were blinded...even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon theirheart” (2Corinthians 3:14-15). Nevertheless, Christ came as “the light,” and when anyone will simply in faith “turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away” (2Corinthians 3:16), and the gospel will “shine unto them” (2Corinthians 4:4). HMM ------------- NeverLike This “And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never soseen in Israel.” (Matthew9:33) In His earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus was fully human (except that He did no sin). He probably looked and acted very “average,” yet He continually performed works of healing and other miracles that were utterly different from those magical deeds attributedto the many conjurers of the day. When the man “sick of the palsy” was instantaneously and completely cured, he “went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion” (Mark2:12). It was no wonder that Nicodemus, Israel’s greatest teacher at the time, acknowledged to Jesus that “no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him” (John3:2). It was the same with His teachings. When officers were sent to arrest Him because of these teachings, they came back empty-handed, reporting simply that “never man spake like this man” (John7:46). His words and deeds were uniquely from God, and those who saw and heard Him should have known this. It was appropriate that when the time came for Him to fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy concerning the coming of Israel’s King, entering Jerusalem on a donkey, Hehad to “find a colt tied, whereon never man sat” (Mark11:2) to serve as His kingly chariot. Others before Him had come into the city on donkeys but never like this, on an unbroken colt. And when He died, He had to be buried in “a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid” (John19:41). His birth was different, as were His life and death and burial, from those of other men, and “there is none other name...whereby we must be saved” (Acts4:12). HMM ---------------- ThatWhich Endures Forever “But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.” (Psalm9:7) This world will eventually pass away. The law of entropy assures us, in fact, that everything decays and dies. Atheistic scientists have even calculated that the very protons of which matter is composed will eventually disintegrate. And the Bible itself alsotells us that the present earth and heaven “shall wax old as doth a garment” and “shall perish” (Hebrews1:11). But God Himself is eternal! As our text confirms (and many other texts agree), “the LORD shall endure for ever.” And that is not all! His glory will remain! “The glory of the LORD shall endure for ever: the LORD shall rejoice in his works” (Psalm104:31). And His great name will never change. “His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him” (Psalm72:17). That also means that His righteousness will never change. “His righteousness endureth for ever” (Psalm112:3). Then also “his mercy endureth for ever.” All 26 verses of Psalm 136 end with this wonderful assurance, and the same promise occurs 16 other times as well. If God’s perfect righteousness will last forever, then His great mercy must also endure forever, and weshall continue to thank Him for His everlasting mercy in all the ages to come. Next, God’s Word will endure. “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm119:89). “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you” (1Peter 1:25). Finally, because God is forever, we also shall live forever. “His seed shall endure for ever” (Psalm89:36). “The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1John 2:17). HMM ------------------- Why Tests of Faith are Important By Liz Lampkin "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." - Hebrews 11:1 Faith in God is something all believers have. When we ask for anythingthrough Christ Jesus, it is our faith that drives the assurance that we will receive it. However, faith is not only the confidence that we will receive what we ask according to God’s divine will for our lives. It is also having confidence that God will provideall that we need and trusting Him no matter what the situation looks like. Imagine praying for a son and watching him grow. As you watch him grow, so does your love for him. Then you’re told to sacrifice Him. This was one of Abraham's tests of faith. God commandedAbraham to take Isaac to Mount Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice. Without question, Abraham gathered his things, two men, his son, and wood for a burnt offering, and went to where God told him to go. As they traveled, on the third day, Abraham saw MountMoriah from afar. He instructed the young men traveling with them to stay where they were, and he and Isaac would continue towards the mountain to worship. When they were done worshipping, they would return to this place. Then, Abraham gathered the wood, fire, and a knife, and he and Isaac went towards the mountain. As they went forth, Isaac saw that there was no lamb for sacrificing. He says to Abraham that he sees the fire and wood, and then he asks where the lamb is. Withouthesitation, Abraham told Isaac that God would provide a lamb for a burnt offering. As they arrived to the place where God instructed them to go, Abraham built an altar, laid the wood in order, bound his son, and placed him on the wood. He then took the knifein his hand and prepared to sacrifice his son, but not before an angel of the Lord called out to him, commanding him not to lay a hand on Isaac. The angel knew that Abraham feared and trusted in God because of his willingness to sacrifice his son without question.When the angel said this to Abraham, he looked behind him and saw a ram caught in a bush by its horns. He then took the ram and offered him up as a burnt offering instead of his beloved son. Abraham's faith was tested by God to see how much he trusted Him. Not only this but his obedience was tested. He didn’t question God, He didn’t try to reason with God or compromise His instructions. He simply went forth, in faith and obedience, knowing thatthe outcome would be what God wanted and it would work out for his good. Intersecting Faith and Life: God refines us by putting tests of faith before us for His glory. Has your faith ever been tested? Have you ever wondered why? Tests of faith come to develop our character. They drive you to a better commitment and a different level of obedience to God. Theydrive you to pray differently, fervently. They build your trust in Him. They drive you to delve into His Word for a deeper understanding of who He is and who He is to you. They help you understand where you are with your relationship with God and how to develop a more profound one with Him. The journey through tests of faithis not an easy one. Let’s be honest, many of us are not as strong in our faith as Abraham was. However, God is aware of our strengths and weaknesses along this course. That’s why he gives us tests of faith so we can become stronger in our faith in Him. Ifyou’re struggling with a test of faith or even in your faith in God, pray and ask Him to help you along the way. Ask Him what He wants you to do when each test comes about. Ask Him how He wants you to respond and, most importantly what He wants you to learnabout Him during this time. Tests of faith are necessary for our growth. Without them, we would always remain babes in Christ. ------------------------- Lifein Christ “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John1:4) A host of biochemists and other scientists have tried for over a century to determine how life evolved from non-life. Such a quest is absurdly impossible, for the simplest imaginary self-replicating system would be infinitely more complex than the most elaboratemachine ever designed by man. Life can come only from life. The first human life, indeed the first living system of any kind, could only have come by special creation from the living God. “For I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm139:14). Thus, “in him we live, and move, and have our being,” and He is “not far from every one of us” (Acts17:28, 27). The Lord Jesus Christ is the one “by whom also he made the worlds” and who now is “upholding all things by the word of his power” (Hebrews1:2-3). The beating of our hearts, the breathing of our lungs, the very atoms of our bodies are continually sustained by Him. Were He to withdraw His power for a moment, life would cease, and all light would become darkness. Even those who reject Him andblaspheme His name owe their very existence to His power and grace. “As the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” (John5:26). Life is “in him”; He alone can conquer death and raise the dead. “As the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will” (v. 21), for as “the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was madea quickening spirit” (1Corinthians 15:45). Thus, “he that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1John 5:12). Through faith in His sacrificial death and resurrection life, “ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Henceforth is Christ Himself “our life” (Colossians3:3-4). HMM --------------------- Your Kingdom Come By Emma Danzey Matthew 6:10 says, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Your Kingdom Come This verse is part of the Lord’s Prayer when Jesus was modeling how to pray to the Father in front of the disciples. Shortly after acknowledging God as holy, Jesus makes this bold statement. Your kingdom come. It might sound strange for God the Son to be saying to God the Father that His kingdom should come. Isn’t Jesus’ kingdom God’s kingdom? The purpose of this statement was that Jesus was choosing to submit to the Father’s will. UltimatelyJesus came to earth to die on the cross to glorify God and bring salvation to humanity. Jesus was fully God and fully man. So in fulfilling His roles perfectly, He was perfectly powerful and never sinned, yet He lived a perfect life and submitted to the Lord in the ways in which we could not. 1 Timothy 2:5 says, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” Colossians 2:9 says, ”For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” Your kingdom come is a prayer for the Lord to move and work and make a way for people to get to Him. Jesus is literally the answer to His prayer. He was going to die and be raised so that people can join the kingdom of heaven. God wishes that noneperish, but all would come to repentance. Your Will Be Done Jesus set the example to pray for the will of God. We may not always understand His will or choose it, but we can lean into prayer and ask Him to reveal His plans to us and read His Bible, which tells us His plans for our lives. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discernwhat is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Of course, Jesus already knew God’s will because He is God, but He showed us in His perfect humanity how to ask for the Lord’s plans to take place and to rely on Him in His sovereignty as Lord. On Earth as it Is in Heaven As believers, we know that Heaven is a place of perfection. We know that earth is broken and sinful. Jesus prayed the desire to see the glory and beauty of God the Father on this earth. Soon after His ascension, we read about the Holy Spirit entering the livesof believers in Christ. Still to this day, when someone places faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit immediately enters that person’s heart and seals him or her for eternity. (Ephesians1:13) People everywhere now have the ability to live by the Spirit and not their flesh. Where before, the Holy Spirit would only rest temporarily, now after Jesus, believers have permanent full-time access. This means that people around the world are living by the fruit of the Spirit. They are able to choose to live like Jesus by the Spirit’shelp and to reveal to this dark world of the glorious light that is Christ. Jesus was in Heaven, came down to earth, and then ascend into Heaven. He was the frontrunner for Heaven coming down to a sinful world. He then sent His Spirit as a gift to continuespreading the good news of the gospel. We can celebrate this blessing today because of His sacrifice and perfect plan. Intersecting Faith and Life: How are you asking God to move in your life and in the lives of others around you? Spend some time praying and reading the Bible as you ponder what God’s will is in your specific circumstances. How can you thank the Holy Spirit for being present in your lifetoday? Ask Him to help you to live by His power and be aware of how He wants to move in and through your life to share the gospel with others. Further Reading: •John 10:30 •John 14:6 •2 Peter 3:9 ------------------- What Are We to Do? - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org So, you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. —Luke 21:32 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/what-are-we-to-do/- Listen The breakdown of the American family is the root of so many of our social ills today. You can take almost every social ill, every societal problem in our nation, and traceit directly back to the breakdown of the family. And it is not just the breakdown of the family, but it’s also the redefinition of the family and, in some cases, the redefinition of a man or woman. Immorality is being promoted and pushed onto us from every direction, not only in the media but also in our classrooms. Pretty much everywhere we look, we see a breakdownin our culture. We live in a time when our culture celebrates wrong as right and mocks right, as though it were wrong. This reminds me of a verse from the Old Testament Book of Isaiah, which says, “What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good isevil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter” (5:20 NLT). It seems like everything is upside down now, doesn’t it? There is also surging violence on our streets and seemingly no end in sight to a global pandemic, with COVID-19 variants springing up one after another. What are we to do? What we are to do is watch and pray. I think all the things we see happening around us are signs of the times, reminding us that we are living in the last days. Jesus, speakingof His imminent return and the signs that would come, said, “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28 NKJV). We need divine intervention. We need the Lord to hear our prayers and help us. What we need is another Jesus Movement, another spiritual awakening. ------------------- TheHouse of the Lord �One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORDall the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.� (Psalm 27:4) The theme of the house of God is prominent in the book of Psalms. The phrase �the house of the LORD� occurs seven times, plus once each for �the LORD house� and �the house of the LORD our God.� There are three references to �the house of God,� one to �the houseof my God,� and one to �the house of our God.� Then, �thy house� is mentioned 11 times, making a total of at least 25 explicit references to the house of the Lord in the book of Psalms alone. Many of these passages refer, of course, to the actual temple in Jerusalem. On the other hand, since it was in the temple�s holy place that the Shekinah glory dwelled and where the high priest met once each year with God on behalf of the people, there naturallyfollows a personal metaphorical application with the house of the Lord referring to the spiritual presence of the Lord in the life of each believer. In our text, the psalmist expresses as his highest desire that of continually dwelling in God�s presence all the days of his life. A number of the other references express the same holy desire, and the New Testament response is that, indeed, �ye are the templeof God, and...the Spirit of God dwelleth in you� (1 Corinthians 3:16). It is wonderful to �dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,� but that is not all we can look forward to. The glorious concluding assurance of the 23rd Psalm is even greater. �Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever� (Psalm 23:6). HMM ---------------------------- The Powerful Practice of Fasting Nehemiah 1 Nehemiah's brother arrived from Judah with some bad news: the Israelites living in Jerusalem were in great trouble. After hearing about their plight, Nehemiah fasted and prayed to the Lord for several days. During this time, he discovered God wanted himto ask the king of Persia for help. Fasting is a spiritual discipline that helps us center our attention on the Lord and discover His will so we may act according to it. People fast in different ways: some abstain from food while others refrain from various activities. The period of time canvary as well. But the focus in each case is to be the same�to seek God and know His will. When we begin to deny ourselves, several things happen. First, the Holy Spirit will enable us to set aside earthly matters. Relationships, work, and pleasure will take a lesser place in our mind as we concentrate on Him and His purposes. Second, our attention will shift from ourselves to the Lord. Thinking will becomeclearer, and our ability to understand God's plans will sharpen because we are not distracted by other things. Third, the Lord is probably going to do some spiritual housecleaning in our lives. His Spirit will convict us of sinful attitudes or behavior. Upon confession of our sin, we'll be forgiven and cleansed (1John 1:9). When unexpected news greets us, we�like Nehemiah�may find our emotions in turmoil. He wisely sought the Lord through fasting and prayer. This powerful practice can also help us to hear clearly from our heavenly Father, who knows the best way through every situation. ---------------------- Healing Exposure By Annie Yorty "Let all who fear the Lord repeat: 'His faithful love endures forever.' In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free" (Psalm118:4-5 NLT). �Ewww.� I scrunched my face at the sight of fat, juicy earthworms littering the path to my mailbox. Too lazy to go back inside the house for shoes, I tiptoed around them, wary of touching the wriggling invertebrates with my bare feet. A drenching rain aftera hot, dry spell had floated the worms to the surface seeking oxygen. Now the July sun blazed overhead, quickly heating the pavement and baking the slimy creatures. An hour later, most of the worms lay shriveled and dying on the sidewalk. Only a few escapedthe carnage wrought by the sun. Those creatures from the mud remind me of things hidden in my life�past wounds and sins I�ve buried�that resurface during stressful times. Wounds burrow into our lives from our earliest days�cutting criticism from a teacher, a bully�s insults, parents who split up, a father who abandoned the family. I have a friend whose beloved grandma died when he was ten years old. No one helped him understandhis grief, so he stuffed his loss deep inside. Another friend cannot escape the echoes of her older brother�s jeers about her appearance. Children display remarkable resilience because they often absorb and normalize these painful events. We assume all iswell because they seem to move on, but their wounds lurk in the dark. Adults also bury hurts. Rifts in relationships, being passed over for a promotion, rejection, and many other wounds and sins litter our lives. Wounds usually come from the poor choices of others. But what about the pain we inflict in the form of both unconsciousand deliberate sins? Left unconfessed, these also dig into our lives and find lodging. God warns about how bitterness demoralizes us when wounds and sins remain under the surface, unexposed. �Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many� (Hebrews 12:15 NLT). Did you catch that? Bitterness troubles you and corrupts others. But this verse also offers hope�the hope that God�s grace overcomes every awful effect of bitterness. God�s grace comes in many surprising forms. Sometimes it washes over us like a soft raingently nourishing the earth. Other times, we find His grace in the middle of flashing lightning and cracks of thunder. Just as a driving rain floats worms to the surface, so too the stresses of life bring out lingering bitterness from painful wounds or sins. I confess this is true in my own life. I skip along my path happily ignoring some old problem I�d rather not address.Sooner or later, though, stress triggers me to lash out according to my past, unresolved hurts. My �worms� lay exposed on the sidewalk of my life, ready for the light of God�s grace. Maybe you, like me, have chafed at the discomfort, embarrassment, or regret you feel when God exposes issues we�ve carefully hidden. Have you considered that God, in grace and mercy, may be using your circumstances to push them out from underground to shineHis healing light upon them? Though God�s intense light glares painfully, exposure is the first step toward true healing. In Ephesians 5:10-11 NLT, Apostle Paul advises, �Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them.� God�s light of grace shrivels bitterness that has grown fat in darkness until it canno longer tunnel back underground. Why not cooperate with God when He allows pressure-filled circumstances to uncover what�s wriggling under the surface of your life? Begin by thanking Him for the grace of struggles that reveal your slimy worms. Then settle yourself under His examinationlight while it burns up any bitterness your circumstances revealed. Praise Him as He clears away dried-up carcasses from the past, so they no longer control you. Finally, revel in the freedom to walk barefoot without tiptoeing around the worms of the past. Intersecting Faith and Life: What �worms� is God bringing to the surface of your life? In what ways do you see Him working to heal past wounds or problems with sin? Further Reading: Hebrews 12:5-15 Refuse the Cup of Bitterness --------------------------------- It�s Time for Another Jesus Movement - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adoptus as his very own children. �Galatians 4:4�5 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/its-time-for-another-jesus-movement/- Listen The Jesus Movement (or the Jesus Revolution, as Time magazine described it) calls to mind long-haired kids in sandals, beads, and bell bottoms. We remember how bad thingswere in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but God heard the prayers of His people and sent a great spiritual awakening. In fact, many believe it was the greatest spiritual awakening in American history. We need to see that happen again. We find parallels between the spiritual and cultural climate of today and the days of the first Jesus Movement. But this wasn�t the Jesus Movement of the 20th century. Itwas the movement that Jesus started after His crucifixion and resurrection. The mighty ancient Rome had pretty much beaten the world into submission and ruled with an iron fist. Things were very dark morally and spiritually. Immorality ran rampant.If you were to visit a city in the ancient Roman Empire, you�d find thousands of prostitutes roaming the streets, looking for people to prey on. If that weren�t bad enough, there was open idolatry, spiritism, and demon worship. The religious establishment was also almost completely corrupt. The time was right for divineintervention. So the people at that time saw the first Jesus Movement. Jesus Christ Himself appeared on the scene and began His public ministry, fulfilling hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament. The first-century believers turned the world upside down. In Acts 17:6, we find this critical statement made by the religious leaders then about the growth of the Church: �These who have turned the world upside down have come here too� (NKJV). Today, the Church marches on. Persecution didn�t weaken it but strengthened it. Ultimately, persecution caused the Church to spread out to other parts of the world, proclaimingthe gospel. The mighty Roman Empire was reduced to ruins, but God is still at work on Earth today through the followers of Jesus Christ. ---------------------------------- Promisedin Writing �He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freelygive us all things?� (Romans8:32) For those of us who have trusted God for salvation, based on the finished work of Christ on the cross, God has already done for us the most difficult and costly thing He could ever do. He graciously sent His only Son to Earth and then to the cross and the gravein order to make forgiveness and eternal fellowship with us possible. We are now adopted children in His family, joint-heirs with His beloved Son, Jesus Christ (Romans8:16-17, 29, etc.), from whom we will never be separated (vv. 35-39), �whereby we cry, Abba, Father� (v. 15). Consider our state when all this was being done for us. It is easy to love a beautiful baby who needs someone to care for it; but we were not at all attractive. We were filthy sinners, born in sin and habitually choosing to offend God�s holy nature by succumbingto �the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath� (Ephesians2:3). Furthermore, we were even �enemies� of the cross at the time �we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son� (Romans5:10). Outside of His eyes of love and grace, we would have appeared more like a repulsive maggot than a beautiful baby. It stands to reason that He who has already done the most difficult, yea, infinitely difficult thing for us out of His great love will continue to manifest that love to us, especially now that we are of His family. As our text tells us, He will �freely giveus all things.� With our best interests at heart, He will see that �all things work together for [our] good� (Romans8:28). �What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?� (Romans8:31). JDM ------------------------------------ Satan's Strategy Luke22:31-62 All of us make tracks through the valley of failure. The question is, How are you going to respond? Plenty of people give up and exchange a vibrant kingdom-serving life for a defeated existence. But failure need not be an end. It's a chance for a new beginningliving in Christ's strength. Peter had a life-altering failure. Jesus warned that Satan had asked permission to "sift" the disciple like wheat (Luke22:31)�vigorous shaking is required to separate wheat kernels from debris. The Enemy wanted to shake Peter's faith hard in hopes that he'd fall away from Jesus like chaff. Peter fervently believed the promise he'd made to Jesus: "Even though all may fall away, yet I will not" (Mark14:29). But Satan knows a few things about the power of fear. What's more, he realized that the disciple would be wounded by his own disloyalty. A man with tattered pride can't help but question his usefulness. When Satan sifts believers, his goal is to damage our faith so much that we're useless to God. He wants us shelved far from the action of the Lord's kingdom. Therefore, he goes for our strengths�the areas where we believe ourselves to be invincible, or atleast very well protected. And when the Devil succeeds, we are disappointed and demoralized. But we don't have to stay that way. If we are willing, God can use failure to do spiritual housecleaning. Peter laid down his pride and instead put on the Holy Spirit's courage. Thereafter, he risked humiliation, persecution, and death to proclaim the gospel. Failure was the catalyst thatbrought forth greater faith and true servanthood. Extra column On the Enemy "The Devil often transforms himself into an angel to tempt men, some for their instruction, some for their ruin." �Augustine of Hippo ------------------------------ Standing Firm By Emma Danzey 1 Corinthians 16:13 says, �Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.� Be on Your Guard The Scriptures make it clear that believers in Christ are to be on our guard because the enemy is against God, so He too will attack the Father�s children. We are part of a spiritual battle that many days we wake up forgetting is going on. When our lives areconsumed with the temporary, we forget the eternal. When you stop and think about how you need to specifically be on your guard right now, what comes to mind? In what ways is the enemy attacking you, your family, your friendships, your workplace, and your church? Just as God is active, the Devil is activetoo. He is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for people to devour. (1 Peter 5:8) Being on our guard works best when we are notreliant on our own strength but on the help of the Holy Spirit and the armor of God. We are not left in the battle unguarded and vulnerable, we are equipped and empowered with the victory of Jesus and hopeful that this temporary suffering is for His glory. Stand Firm in the Faith Here is the call to stand firm. When we think of the word firm, what do you picture? I think of a rock, a strong muscle, or a wall. I imagine something immovable and steady, something that will not shake or even give the idea that it would fall. We have a firmfoundation in Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11 says, �For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.� There is nothing that I can create to build my life on that will be more firm than choosing to trust in Jesus. When Christ is the King over our lives, when we have placed our faith in Him, we too are now stable and immovable in Him. He is the reason thatwe can have confidence and a place of refuge in the difficulties in life. He gives us peace and bravery. When a hurricane comes, it matters more what the homes are built out of to withstand the storm. Although all will be hit by the storm, not all will crumble.Because of Jesus, even though we are in the storm of sin in this world, we will not crumble. 2 Timothy 2:19 says, �Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, �The Lord knows those who are His,� and, �Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.�� We can rest assured that God knows that we are His. He can help us, and He can remind us that He is our firm foundation in this life. We can place our full trust in Him, more so thanwhen we sit in a chair and it holds us up or ride in a plane and hope it lands. We have the promise that He is always with us, and He will keep us safe in His arms. Be Courageous; Be Strong It is easy to live in fear when trials occur around us. We can fall into the pit of anxiety and worry. However, Christ has called us to be courageous and strong. Just like Joshua in the Old Testament was chosen and invited to be strong and courageous, we too have been chosen and called by God to do the same in our generation. AlthoughJoshua battled real people, we have a great spiritual battle going on around us. The calling for both is still the same, and the promise that the Lord is always with His people remains as well. Intersecting Faith and Life: How do you sense the enemy trying to work in your life? In what ways is your faith being tested? How can you remember to stand firm on Christ and not in your own abilities in the midst of trials? How is God equipping and enabling you to be courageous and strongthrough His Spirit today? Further Reading: •Joshua 1:9 •Ephesians 6:10-20 •1 Peter 5:8 ----------------------------------------- Thingsto Be Aware �Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep�s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.� (Matthew7:15) There are three Greek words translated �beware,� all of which stress watchfulness and potential danger. In a world under the control of Satan, there are many of his devices that can deceive and undermine the faith and life of the unwary Christian. Our text cautions against false prophets who appear to be true prophets (or teachers, or pastors) but whose apparent spiritual teachings are subversive of biblical truth. John warns that �many false prophets are gone out into the world� (1John 4:1), and Jesus said they �shall deceive many� (Matthew24:11). Jesus also warned that His followers should �beware of...the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees� (Matthew16:12). These sects have their respective modern counterparts in the hypocrisy of legalists and the skepticism of liberals, both of which are destructive of true biblical faith and life. Very relevant to today�s humanistic intellectualism is the warning of Colossians 2:8: �Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.� This is the Bible�s only reference to philosophy, here evidently equated with �vain deceit.� Finally, the apostle Peter says, �Beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness� (2Peter 3:17). In context, Peter is referring to those Christian brethren who have distorted the Scriptures in order to seek an accommodation with the naturalistic worldview of establishment intellectuals (2Peter 3:3-6, 16). Thus, Peter, John, and Christ Himself would urge constant wariness on our part. HMM --------------------------- Hope When You Feel Spiritually Stumped Hope When You Feel Spiritually Stumped By Laura Bailey �These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.� Deuteronomy 6:6-7 NIV My children can ask some seriously tough questions. Sometimes it�s hard because the answer is straightforward, but the truth is difficult to comprehend. Other times, there isn�t a clear explanation; God didn�t choose to reveal it to us in Scripture. Whiledriving in the car, my five-year-old announced she had a question. �Mom, the Devil was an angel, right?� Yes, the devil was a fallen angel, Lucifer. �Well, if God knew that the devil was going to sin and cause so many problems, why did He create the devil in the first place?� {crickets} Have you ever been spiritually stumped? I was that day! Let me encourage you with these four tips if you've ever felt that way. 1. Pray It seems like the rote Sunday School answer, but it�s the best thing we can do for ourselves and our children. There will be many times when we don�t have the answers to their questions, and life seems unfair or overwhelming. God doesn�t promise to answer allof our prayers this side of eternity, but we do know that He listens, loves us, and wants us to bring our cares to Him ( 1 Peter 5:7). 2. Remember God�s Character �I don�t know why, but I do know that God is�,� and I remind myself of one of His characteristics. When faced with uncertainty or struggling to understand, cling to the attributes of God. He is faithful, unchanging, eternal, just, merciful, forgiving, omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent� to name a few. He is the God of the Universe, who created you to be in fellowship with Him, and gave His only son so that we can have eternal life! No, we can�t figure out God and don�t have all the answers. But, we have theglorious gift of the Scriptures and the help of the Holy Spirit. 3. Seek Wisdom over Knowledge Knowledge is acquired by gathering information; wisdom is the ability to use that knowledge effectively. Reading your Bible, memorizing Scripture, and filling your mind with biblical insights are essential, but we must know how to apply these Truths properly.When you feel spiritually stumped, pray that the Holy Spirit will guide and direct you in your response. 4. It�s okay to say I don�t know. As a parent, and even in my adult relationships, I want to have all the answers. It pains me to utter those three little words, � I don�t know.� Pridefully, I want to be able to give the correct response, fix all the problems, and provide all the solutions.But, in our weakness, we can point to the One who can provide all the answers. God is the ultimate answer to every need or longing we experience. It�s okay to show your humanity, lay your guard to be perfect, and use each opportunity to share the need fora personal relationship with Christ. When God gives the commandment in Deuteronomy 6:6-7, he doesn�t require perfection but a daily commitment to teaching the next generation about Him. We make the most of every opportunity to point our children to Christ. Have a big decision? We pray about it. Someone in our church is sick? We take them food. Did mom lose her temper? We ask for forgiveness. As we seek to show our children how to apply God�s timeless truths to their lives, we must study and meditate on God�s Word. It is a daily commitment, a life-long endeavor, but taking time to teach your children ( and others in your sphere of influence)about Christ, is the most important job you will do this side of eternity. Intersecting Faith and Life: Make a plan to incorporate daily discipleship in your home. Think about your day. Are there opportunities for you to talk about Jesus with your children? What about in the car on the way to school? Or maybe during dinner? Further Reading: •John 16:13 •Romans 15:14 •10 Tips for Answering Your Kid�s Toughest Questions