"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12
Your real enemy is not the one that is seen but the unseen one. Your spouse, or ex-spouse, your children, your employer or anyone else who seems to be opposing you is not the real enemy. We do have a real enemy and he is the one who is out to steal, kill and destroy. Our enemy is the devil. He goes about seeking whom he may devour.
We often talk about staying "focused"- focused on the Lord, on His purpose for our lives, on the vision that He has given us, on the mark and prize that is set before us. But we forget we are to "focus" on our enemy. Let me explain what I mean.
One definition for the word focus is: maximum clarity or distinctness of an image rendered by an optical system. When a hunter is in the woods and he spots the animal he wants to shoot, he puts that animal in his sights and gets it focused in order to have a good clear aim so that when he pulls the trigger he will hit his prey. If he doesn't have the animal in his sights and a good clear (focused) image of it he will waste his bullets and the intended target will get away. If we are "aiming" at others and focused on them as if they were the intended target/enemy we will miss the real enemy and he will get away.
My husband is a hunter and ever so often he has to readjust the sights on his gun. This readjustment makes sure that when he sees his intended prey he will have a clear image of it so that he will not miss. We need to make some readjustments from time to time when it comes to dealing with those that we consider to be our enemies. Our "optical system" (sights) is God's word. When we adjust or readjust our attitude toward the person or situation, and line it up with God's word, then we will get a clear image of what is in our sights. It will show us if we have the real enemy or the perceived enemy in them. And we will be able to take a more accurate aim--- and hit the real target.
Have a great day. Are you "focused" on the real enemy?
For further reading:
2 Corinthians 2:11
John 10:10
1 Peter 5:8
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
"Testimony"
"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 89:1
Do you mind if I just testify this morning? Yesterday I had the privilege of keeping my little two year old granddaughter. She loves for "nana" to play with her and she loves to go outside. While we were playing outside, "nana" made a discovery-- I am not as young as I used to be! We were playing with a ball on a couple of ramps and I lost my balance and fell off-- boy did I fall! I landed on my back, to be more exact- on my "behind'. The pain was "excruciating" immediately. I could not get up. All I could do was lay there for a while. I started praying and asked my grandbaby to pray and ask Jesus to help me. Finally after a while of fighting through the pain which made me nauseous, and the urge to pass out, I was able to make it into the house and lay down for a while. Honestly, I felt like I either broke or fractured something- my coccyx or hip. But even at that I kept praying the scriptures over myself- "no weapon formed against me shall prosper, and He keeps all my bones so that nothing is broken".
Late yesterday evening I finally wound up in the ER. In the event that I had broken something I didn't want to make it worse, aggravate it, or cause it not to heal properly because of my "lack of knowledge" of the situation. After multiple x-rays, I am happy and thankful to report to you that there were no breaks or fractures! So this morning I am thanking the Lord for His faithfulness, His goodness and His promises.
Yesterday morning I was reading out of the Psalms, and when I finished I felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude for God's promises- the fact that He is faithful as promised, not a man that He should lie and even though heaven and earth should pass away His word will not and there won't be even one of His great promises that fail. Before the day was over, I was "tested" in that very thing- His faithfulness to His promises. Often when you teach on a subject, have a revelation of God's word, or He speaks a particular thing to your heart, you get tried in it. That "trying" or 'testing" will either pull you down or build you up in your faith- how you respond to it determines which.
I am still in pain. It is hard to sit here this morning. I almost didn't send out the devotional because of the sitting, but then decided-- Jesus didn't let the pain He was suffering stop Him from going to the cross and fulfilling God's plan for His life. So this morning, I am not going to let this situation hinder me either. I just had to testify to His goodness! And He is good even when bad things happen. I hope my testimony has encouraged you this morning.
Have a great day. When bad things happen, it will test our faith and reveal the faithfulness of God even in trying situations.
For further reading:
Isaiah 54:17
Psalm 34:20
Hebrews 10:23
Numbers 23:19
1 Samuel 15:29
Matthew 24:35
Do you mind if I just testify this morning? Yesterday I had the privilege of keeping my little two year old granddaughter. She loves for "nana" to play with her and she loves to go outside. While we were playing outside, "nana" made a discovery-- I am not as young as I used to be! We were playing with a ball on a couple of ramps and I lost my balance and fell off-- boy did I fall! I landed on my back, to be more exact- on my "behind'. The pain was "excruciating" immediately. I could not get up. All I could do was lay there for a while. I started praying and asked my grandbaby to pray and ask Jesus to help me. Finally after a while of fighting through the pain which made me nauseous, and the urge to pass out, I was able to make it into the house and lay down for a while. Honestly, I felt like I either broke or fractured something- my coccyx or hip. But even at that I kept praying the scriptures over myself- "no weapon formed against me shall prosper, and He keeps all my bones so that nothing is broken".
Late yesterday evening I finally wound up in the ER. In the event that I had broken something I didn't want to make it worse, aggravate it, or cause it not to heal properly because of my "lack of knowledge" of the situation. After multiple x-rays, I am happy and thankful to report to you that there were no breaks or fractures! So this morning I am thanking the Lord for His faithfulness, His goodness and His promises.
Yesterday morning I was reading out of the Psalms, and when I finished I felt this overwhelming sense of gratitude for God's promises- the fact that He is faithful as promised, not a man that He should lie and even though heaven and earth should pass away His word will not and there won't be even one of His great promises that fail. Before the day was over, I was "tested" in that very thing- His faithfulness to His promises. Often when you teach on a subject, have a revelation of God's word, or He speaks a particular thing to your heart, you get tried in it. That "trying" or 'testing" will either pull you down or build you up in your faith- how you respond to it determines which.
I am still in pain. It is hard to sit here this morning. I almost didn't send out the devotional because of the sitting, but then decided-- Jesus didn't let the pain He was suffering stop Him from going to the cross and fulfilling God's plan for His life. So this morning, I am not going to let this situation hinder me either. I just had to testify to His goodness! And He is good even when bad things happen. I hope my testimony has encouraged you this morning.
Have a great day. When bad things happen, it will test our faith and reveal the faithfulness of God even in trying situations.
For further reading:
Isaiah 54:17
Psalm 34:20
Hebrews 10:23
Numbers 23:19
1 Samuel 15:29
Matthew 24:35
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
"Out of the Pit"
"He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings." Psalm 40:2
The scripture above is another one of my favorite ones (among many) because it is my testimony. Like the old hymn says, "I was sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more. But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me now save am I."
I was in a deep dark pit of sin, sinking deeper and deeper, dying more and more daily, unable to rescue and save myself. But then Jesus came along and threw down a blood stained rope and lifted me up out of the pit of sin that I was sinking in. Not only did He rescue me and pull me out, but He then set my feet upon a sure and solid foundation and gave me freedom so that I can walk on a path of light and life.
I am well aware of the pit that I once lived in before He rescued me and gave me life, hope and a future. It was a pit of death, but now I have been brought into life outside of the pit- salvation through Jesus Christ. He delivered me initially from the pit at salvation, but after salvation as I walk through life there are other "pits" that are out there that desire to make me their prisoner.
There is the pit of despair. The pit of fear and discouragement. There are the pits of grief, confusion, frustration, distractions and many more. When the doctor gives you a bad report, when you lose your job, when your spouse has been unfaithful, when your children become rebellious, there are pits of fear and anxiety awaiting you. They are so close that you can find yourself teetering on the edge. It is so easy to fall into the pit of we aren't aware of it. But the good news is that He still delivers from the pit.
Perhaps you are in a pit of despair this morning. Perhaps it is a pit of hopelessness. Whatever the pit may be, Jesus still delivers from the pit. This morning He is throwing you a life line out of the pit. He is reaching down to pull you out. But you have a choice. Are you going to stay in that pit or reach up and take hold of His strong right arm and be lifted out?
Have a great day. Life is full of pits, but Jesus still delivers us out of them.
For further reading:
Psalm 94:18; 30:3; 35:7; 69:15; 103:4
Job 33:29,30
The scripture above is another one of my favorite ones (among many) because it is my testimony. Like the old hymn says, "I was sinking deep in sin far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more. But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me now save am I."
I was in a deep dark pit of sin, sinking deeper and deeper, dying more and more daily, unable to rescue and save myself. But then Jesus came along and threw down a blood stained rope and lifted me up out of the pit of sin that I was sinking in. Not only did He rescue me and pull me out, but He then set my feet upon a sure and solid foundation and gave me freedom so that I can walk on a path of light and life.
I am well aware of the pit that I once lived in before He rescued me and gave me life, hope and a future. It was a pit of death, but now I have been brought into life outside of the pit- salvation through Jesus Christ. He delivered me initially from the pit at salvation, but after salvation as I walk through life there are other "pits" that are out there that desire to make me their prisoner.
There is the pit of despair. The pit of fear and discouragement. There are the pits of grief, confusion, frustration, distractions and many more. When the doctor gives you a bad report, when you lose your job, when your spouse has been unfaithful, when your children become rebellious, there are pits of fear and anxiety awaiting you. They are so close that you can find yourself teetering on the edge. It is so easy to fall into the pit of we aren't aware of it. But the good news is that He still delivers from the pit.
Perhaps you are in a pit of despair this morning. Perhaps it is a pit of hopelessness. Whatever the pit may be, Jesus still delivers from the pit. This morning He is throwing you a life line out of the pit. He is reaching down to pull you out. But you have a choice. Are you going to stay in that pit or reach up and take hold of His strong right arm and be lifted out?
Have a great day. Life is full of pits, but Jesus still delivers us out of them.
For further reading:
Psalm 94:18; 30:3; 35:7; 69:15; 103:4
Job 33:29,30
Monday, October 11, 2010
"Waiting Patiently"
"I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry." Psalm 40:1
It is one thing to have to "wait"- none of us like to do that. We want everything when we want it- which is usually "now" or "sooner". But it is another thing to wait patiently. This morning I want to address the subject of "how" we wait for the Lord to answer our prayers and move in our lives.
Often we wait with anything but patience. Most people tend to wait with frustration- frustrated that it is taking so long for an answer. Some get aggravated because they even have to wait. Others are annoyed by the fact that they have to wait. Then you have those who actually get angry because God doesn't answer then at the moment they ask.
God doesn't answer every prayer immediately. In His wisdom the answer may come at a later date. But He does answer- "He inclined unto me". He does hear- "Heard my cry".
You may be in the waiting stage- waiting for an answer. That is not the real issue- waiting is a face of life, even when it comes to answered prayer. The real issue is "how" are you waiting? Take time today to examine your attitude if you are waiting on an answer from the Lord. How are you waiting- with frustration, aggravation, impatience, patience, faith, hope or peace?
Have a great day. Waiting is a fact of life, even when it comes to answered prayer. The real question is, "how are you waiting?".
For further reading:
Psalm 37:7; 130:5
Luke 21:19
Isaiah 30:18
Lamentations 3:25,26
Micah 7:7
It is one thing to have to "wait"- none of us like to do that. We want everything when we want it- which is usually "now" or "sooner". But it is another thing to wait patiently. This morning I want to address the subject of "how" we wait for the Lord to answer our prayers and move in our lives.
Often we wait with anything but patience. Most people tend to wait with frustration- frustrated that it is taking so long for an answer. Some get aggravated because they even have to wait. Others are annoyed by the fact that they have to wait. Then you have those who actually get angry because God doesn't answer then at the moment they ask.
God doesn't answer every prayer immediately. In His wisdom the answer may come at a later date. But He does answer- "He inclined unto me". He does hear- "Heard my cry".
You may be in the waiting stage- waiting for an answer. That is not the real issue- waiting is a face of life, even when it comes to answered prayer. The real issue is "how" are you waiting? Take time today to examine your attitude if you are waiting on an answer from the Lord. How are you waiting- with frustration, aggravation, impatience, patience, faith, hope or peace?
Have a great day. Waiting is a fact of life, even when it comes to answered prayer. The real question is, "how are you waiting?".
For further reading:
Psalm 37:7; 130:5
Luke 21:19
Isaiah 30:18
Lamentations 3:25,26
Micah 7:7
Friday, October 8, 2010
"Love Revealed"
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
This is one of my favorite scriptures. It so beautifully expresses the nature and character of God- giving us a little better understanding of who He is.
In this scripture we see that God loves us. We discover that His love for us is not based on the fact that we are perfect- because we aren't- or that we don't make mistakes- because we do. We also discover that His love for us is not even based on the fact of us loving Him in return. He loves the sinner, the unlovable, the imperfect. He loves those who reject Him, are enemies against Him, who disobey Him, who blaspheme Him. He loves unconditionally, based on who He is and not on what we do.
We also discover that God isn't a "cheap talker". He doesn't say something without demonstrating it. He backs up what He says with action. "But God demonstrated His love toward us." If He says something, He will put action behind it. He didn't just say He loved us, He proved He loved us by doing something for us- providing a way to Him.
"While we were yet sinners". God doesn't wait until all the conditions are just right or perfect to fulfill His plans. He works according to the council of His own will. He didn't wait until we got our "act together" to come and save us from our sins- He reached out to us before we reached up to Him.
"Christ died for us." The great love of God was so perfectly demonstrated in Christ. There is no greater expression of love than to lay down your life for someone. God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to pay the ransom price for our sins. He didn't send an angel or another human being. Instead He sent His best. He sent that which was most precious to Him- His Son.
Should you be feeling unloved today, take some time out and sit down and read this verse- over and over again- and listen to what it is not only saying but what it reveals. It reveals the incomprehensible love of our truly great and wonderful God who loved you so much. He loved you when you were undeserving, unlovely and at odds against Him. He loved you so much that He gave up His own Son in order to have a relationship with you. He didn't just say that He loved you, He devised a plan to show you that He loves you- and what a great plan it was and what a great love it demonstrated!
Have a great day. God showed us how great His love is for us by sending His Son Jesus to die for us.
For further reading:
John 3:16,17; 15:13
Ephesians 1:11
1 John 4:9,10
This is one of my favorite scriptures. It so beautifully expresses the nature and character of God- giving us a little better understanding of who He is.
In this scripture we see that God loves us. We discover that His love for us is not based on the fact that we are perfect- because we aren't- or that we don't make mistakes- because we do. We also discover that His love for us is not even based on the fact of us loving Him in return. He loves the sinner, the unlovable, the imperfect. He loves those who reject Him, are enemies against Him, who disobey Him, who blaspheme Him. He loves unconditionally, based on who He is and not on what we do.
We also discover that God isn't a "cheap talker". He doesn't say something without demonstrating it. He backs up what He says with action. "But God demonstrated His love toward us." If He says something, He will put action behind it. He didn't just say He loved us, He proved He loved us by doing something for us- providing a way to Him.
"While we were yet sinners". God doesn't wait until all the conditions are just right or perfect to fulfill His plans. He works according to the council of His own will. He didn't wait until we got our "act together" to come and save us from our sins- He reached out to us before we reached up to Him.
"Christ died for us." The great love of God was so perfectly demonstrated in Christ. There is no greater expression of love than to lay down your life for someone. God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son to pay the ransom price for our sins. He didn't send an angel or another human being. Instead He sent His best. He sent that which was most precious to Him- His Son.
Should you be feeling unloved today, take some time out and sit down and read this verse- over and over again- and listen to what it is not only saying but what it reveals. It reveals the incomprehensible love of our truly great and wonderful God who loved you so much. He loved you when you were undeserving, unlovely and at odds against Him. He loved you so much that He gave up His own Son in order to have a relationship with you. He didn't just say that He loved you, He devised a plan to show you that He loves you- and what a great plan it was and what a great love it demonstrated!
Have a great day. God showed us how great His love is for us by sending His Son Jesus to die for us.
For further reading:
John 3:16,17; 15:13
Ephesians 1:11
1 John 4:9,10
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