Devotionals

Sometimes people say they are looking for the Truth—the quality of being in accord with reality—but they may not realize Truth is revealed throughout the Bible as a person. God. The Bible is God’s testimony. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life that pleases God; he is biblical Truth. So, as we follow Jesus, we are learning to live in the Truth of God’s Word as the Spirit bears witness to it. The Word of God is alive; a Gift that just keeps on giving revelation and insight. The Bible is God’s self-revelation.

As well as revealing the Truth, Scripture also helps us identify sin and understand when we are heading in a wrong spiritual direction. We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard; the salvation Jesus offers is our only hope of eternal life. As well, the world has its fair share of false teachers, so in order to recognize deception and false teaching, we need to read God’s Word and compare what we have heard to Scripture—Truth. The Bible is a great plumb line.

Every human being needs correcting from time to time; we all have the ability of being on the wrong side of Truth. So, God’s Word is a great navigator and guide to get us back on a righteous path following Jesus. We need training in righteousness. So, if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and we are seeking his Kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit, we are going to hunger for the Truth so we can serve our King. The Bible is our GPS—God’s Positioning System.

Our passage today is only two verses, but God has packed a great deal into those words. Blessings!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for your Word and how it reveals the Truth for our lives. If we will just open ourselves up to the Truth, we will find you working righteousness within us. Your Word changes how we see you, ourselves, and others. Help us live the Truth and do what is right in Jesus’ name.

Humanity is pridefully advancing to be its own god. The love of self is ferociously fighting to rule over authentic godliness—a transformed heart aligned with God’s will. This is an inner battle that is revealed in outward actions. It includes unbelievers and even many who identify themselves as Christians. An extreme love for self [pride] has made its way to the throne of human hearts! This means the door of the soul has swung open to a slithering and many times insidious, deceiving, and crouching evil—ready to strike and destroy lives. We must wake up and run to God, because this battle is the Lord’s! (1 Sam. 14:47).

I’m not an alarmist nor do I teach to stir worry or fear; I am actually hope-driven even as I share this devotion, today. Horrific things have happened all throughout history, so we all know humanity can engage in evil. Let’s not forget, human beings are sinners who need salvation. If salvation in Christ is not accepted, humans live in rebellion against God. Self begins to rule all thoughts and actions. Pride-filled people are not open to hear sound biblical Truth—the ways of Jesus.

Humanism is an ethical stance that places the needs, interests, and dignity of human beings at the center of all things—the focus is human autonomy with the belief there is only one life to live so please self! Listening to a humanist may at times even sound a bit “spiritual,” but trust me when I say humanism leaves God out of the “life” equation. It is pride-driven.

People can talk about “Christian values” and not demonstrate them; talk requires no sacrifice. These folks can even believe God is pleased with a feeble human attempt at appearing virtuous, when all he or she may really care about is how self “feels” at any given moment. The global church is many times focused on self-esteem issues and building bigger buildings to hold the masses, but the hearts of people are still lost to the real concerns of our Lord or the power he has offered to live for him.

If you miss anything else I share today, please hear this: Jesus calls believers to be truth-talkers and God-imitators who actually fight evil by victoriously living in Christ’s wholeness, love, and integrity! Jesus said, “But you are to be perfect [Gk. teleios meaning whole], even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Mat. 5:48). We must operate in God’s strength and power not our own, because he is making us whole. We are commissioned to deny self, pick up our cross [our desires], follow Christ, and tell others about the God who alone can save us! (Mat. 16:24).

Our passage today is so very important and I want you to read it over and over as you witness the present day events of the world. Connect and cling to Christ. The Apostle Paul is in a Roman prison cell writing to his spiritual son, Timothy, who is leading a church in Ephesus [approx 68AD]. Paul warns Timothy to keep the church within the bounds of sound doctrine while still preaching about hope in Christ. In his first letter to Timothy, Paul exhorts him to “Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you…” (1 Tim. 6:12). Now, he warns Timothy and all of us as believers that difficult times are a part of that “fight.” We are not to be afraid, we are to fight with God’s character, because the glory and power of heaven moves with us. Dwell in the true faith, friends!

2 Timothy 3:1-5b NLT The Dangers of the Last Days
1 You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.

Prayer: Lord, with our hope firmly planted in you, we follow your lead, today. We know you did not create us to live for self. You created us to worship and serve you, so you sent Jesus to show us the way. Please forgive our selfish inclinations and empower us to deny anything that would dishonor your godly character. We need help, so Holy Spirit please have your way in our hearts. We stand against evil by demonstrating your image. No weapon formed against us can prosper when we are willing to embrace and live for your eternal life grounded in the Truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Yesterday, in our Scripture lesson, we read about an unrighteous work encounter David had with Nabal and how Abigail [Nabal’s wife] interceded to bring peace.  Nabal had agree to pay David and his men for protecting his flocks from marauders and wild animals, but when the time came to settle the account Nabal refused to do so.  He kept the money for himself. God took note. 

David and his 600 men were ready to destroy Nabal and all he owned for the injustice suffered.  An eye for an eye was the way things were handled at the time.  However, Abigail went and met David bringing food and a humble apology asking for mercy and grace instead of vengeance.  She urged David to protect his righteous reputation in spite of her husband’s foolish and wicked actions. David listened and knew God had sent her.

Our lesson today, continues as Abigail returns home after delivering food to David and his men.  She finds her husband, Nabal, celebrating his perceived good fortune. The celebration does not last long as Nabal has a stroke and days later dies.  Nabal sacrifices his integrity for money. David sacrifices money for his integrity.  Such a good lesson for us, today.

God knows what we deserve based on our hearts. If we will allow God to fight our battles, we will find he makes things right his way according to his timeline. So, give whatever injustice you have experienced to God for him to make right. God rewards righteousness and love.  May we never choose to live in the spirit of Nabal or our greatest battle just may be fighting God—and he always wins.

1 Samuel 25:36-42 NLT

36 When Abigail arrived home, she found that Nabal was throwing a big party and was celebrating like a king. He was very drunk, so she didn’t tell him anything about her meeting with David until dawn the next day. 37 In the morning when Nabal was sober, his wife told him what had happened. As a result he had a stroke, [his heart failed him] and he lay paralyzed on his bed like a stone. 38 About ten days later, the Lord struck him, and he died.

David Marries Abigail

39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise the Lord, who has avenged the insult I received from Nabal and has kept me from doing it myself. Nabal has received the punishment for his sin.” Then David sent messengers to Abigail to ask her to become his wife.

40 When the messengers arrived at Carmel, they told Abigail, “David has sent us to take you back to marry him.”

41 She bowed low to the ground and responded, “I, your servant, would be happy to marry David. I would even be willing to become a slave, washing the feet of his servants!” 42 Quickly getting ready, she took along five of her servant girls as attendants, mounted her donkey, and went with David’s messengers. And so she became his wife.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this lesson about integrity. We know you are always watching our lives and how we treat others each day. We praise you for the mercy and grace you extend in Christ.  Please forgive us when we fail to represent you and your character properly.  May we grow and be recognized as people of your Word.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

The spiritual enemy of believers methodically endeavors to stack so much on us we reach a dangerous moment—the pressure to take matters into our own hands. There is always the “last straw” on that poor camel’s back. In these moments, we become rather irrational and our minds race to devise a plan to “deal” with it all. Handling difficult situations is God’s specialty and we must press in for sufficient grace (2 Cor. 12:9).

The enemy is behind these plans that have the potential to ruin our testimony and hinder God’s blessing over our lives. We cannot serve two masters (Mat 6:24). Therefore, in those moments, we need to de-escalate what is happening in us and around us and seek the Lord’s intervening peace. God always makes a way of escape from these compromising places, so we must identify what the enemy of our souls is trying to do, momentarily pause to receive wisdom, and move forward in Truth and power (1 Cor. 10:13).

In our passage today, we learn a lesson from three people: 1) David, the future king of Israel who has been running from Saul, 2) Nabal, a wealthy, crude, and mean sheep owner, and 3) Abigail, Nabal’s gracious wife who knows her husband’s flesh is wrong. David and his mighty men [approx. 600] have been hired to protect Nabal’s sheep from thieves and wild animals, but it is now shearing time (1 Sam. 23:13; 25:15-16). This means David and his men are expecting to get paid, but Nabal suddenly chooses not to pay these protectors and keep all the money for himself (1 Sam 25: 6-8,11).

As the leader, David is spiritually, emotionally, and physically spent and “hangry.” Thus, David reaches the proverbial “last straw.” He and his men want to annihilate Nabal and destroy all that is his, but David has failed to see his greatest enemy is not flesh and blood. God sends Abigail—a humble woman of discernment—to reason with David and urge him not to take vengeance into his own hands (Ro. 12:19). David must act like the anointed one God will one day position as king.

When our flesh is in control, we are not wise nor are we anointed by God’s Spirit. We must refrain from irrational statements or actions and recognize the enemy is seeking to get us to destroy our testimony of trust in God. We cannot retract the words or actions we have released in unhindered anger. The Spirit of God will help us de-escalate the situation in our minds, before we speak or act. The Helper is the Spirit of discernment, wisdom, and truth.

This fallen world is not fair, but God is good and, in time, he will take vengeance on those who mistreat his children. May we choose to operate in the spirit of Abigail and be a de-escalating vessel when others face that “last straw.” Or, may we approach things like David, who listens and responds to a voice that reminds us we serve the Lord of heaven’s army and some battles will be won by God alone.

1 Samuel 25:23-35 NLT Abigail Intercedes for Nabal
23 When Abigail saw David, she quickly got off her donkey and bowed low before him. 24 She fell at his feet and said, “I accept all blame in this matter, my lord. Please listen to what I have to say. 25 I know Nabal is a wicked and ill-tempered man; please don’t pay any attention to him. He is a fool, just as his name suggests [name means “fool”]. But I never even saw the young men you sent.

26 “Now, my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, since the Lord has kept you from murdering and taking vengeance into your own hands, let all your enemies and those who try to harm you be as cursed as Nabal is. 27 And here is a present that I, your servant, have brought to you and your young men. 28 Please forgive me if I have offended you in any way. The Lord will surely reward you with a lasting dynasty, for you are fighting the Lord’s battles. And you have not done wrong throughout your entire life.

29 “Even when you are chased by those who seek to kill you, your life is safe in the care of the Lord your God, secure in his treasure pouch! But the lives of your enemies will disappear like stones shot from a sling! 30 When the Lord has done all he promised and has made you leader of Israel, 31 don’t let this be a blemish on your record. Then your conscience won’t have to bear the staggering burden of needless bloodshed and vengeance. And when the Lord has done these great things for you, please remember me, your servant!”

32 David replied to Abigail, “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you to meet me today! 33 Thank God for your good sense! Bless you for keeping me from murder and from carrying out vengeance with my own hands. 34 For I swear by the Lord, the God of Israel, who has kept me from hurting you, that if you had not hurried out to meet me, not one of Nabal’s men would still be alive tomorrow morning.” 35 Then David accepted her present and told her, “Return home in peace. I have heard what you said. We will not kill your husband.”

Prayer: Lord, please help us share in the motive of Abigail who took action to de-escalate a bad situation and protect David’s testimony. We live in a very reactionary world where many people do not listen nor pause to seek Wisdom. Father, thank you for always making a way of escape for your children. Thank you, Jesus, for being wisdom for us. Holy Spirit, help us remember this Truth as we move through our day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Persistence is a biblical virtue. Whether we are talking about a course of action, prayer, or faith, we must be persistent in order to lay hold of God’s blessings. If our goal is righteousness, persistence is the Way—trusting in God’s character to provide. While we may face delays, God will answer and we will grow in spiritual maturity if we stay the course. When the going get’s tough, quitting is not a God-ordained option. We must pray without ceasing even while suffering hardships.

In our passage today, Jesus teaches his disciples about prayer and he uses a parable about a persistent widow to express a point. This widow has experienced injustice, but she persistently asks to receive true justice. She wears this unrighteous judge down even though he does not fear the Lord or care about people. Keep in mind God told Israel to be responsible for the widows and orphans, because they were vulnerable. To fail to care for them was to displease God. Jesus wanted his disciples to know that justice that fell short of God’s righteous standard, was not genuine justice.

If you have been persistently praying for God to move in your behalf, do not give up hope. God is righteous and he hears your cries for a move of justice. Hang onto your faith and trust God to provide. He is faithful!

Luke 18:1-8 NLT Parable of the Persistent Widow

1 One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy [Gk giving me a black eye]. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”

6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for this lesson on the power of persistent prayer. Help us to stay the course in spite of delays. Holy Spirit, be the strength we need to endure what is sent to make us stronger and to trust you will bring justice and goodness to our lives. Empower us to take care of the vulnerable population in our society, as well. You are the Righteous One and we follow your lead. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you have never been to Athens, Greece and have the opportunity one day to go, it would be an enriching time for you. The seas and land regions are extraordinary. The architecture is amazingly beautiful which reflects centuries of history.  In 2012, I enjoyed a short time in Athens with seminarian friends; just enough to “taste” history [and the delicious food].  However, sometime in the future I would like to return to travel the surrounding islands. 

Scripture recounts the spreading of the Gospel in Athens.  It was very important for the proclamation of the One true Living God to be shared in Athens, because the Greeks were polytheistic—they believed in many gods, as well as worshiped them as idols.   Athens was the center for culture, the home for major schools of thought—scholars and philosophers—and the hub for expressing literary skills.

Stoics and Epicureans—groups of philosophers—were open to debate about all aspects of life.  Interestingly, the Epicureans believed the goal of life was to seek pleasure and live in happiness; always trying to avoid pain or self-sacrifice.  This goal is contrasted with the Stoics whose focus was seeking human wisdom, gaining intellectual knowledge, and living as one with nature; they were very disciplined and suppressed the value of self-focused pleasure.  These philosophers and educators formed the Council called the Areopagus.  These groups managed to cohabitate, mingle, and respect their neighbor with differing thoughts.  What a concept!

The Lord sent the Apostle Paul to Athens and very quickly Paul realized the different viewpoints he would need to address if he was going to share the Gospel of Christ’s love and forgiveness.  So, he chose to connect with these philosophers based on respecting their current situation, beliefs, or level of understanding.  Paul found common ground, quoted the Athenian’s literature, and started a discussion to pique their interest in order to enlarge their understanding.

When we are sent or nudged by the Lord to talk to other people about our love for Jesus, we need to approach things in a similar way.  We hold things in common with other people, so we listen very carefully to identify them. Evangelizing is not a beating down of human ideas, it is a lifting up of the Truth of God’s wisdom, mercy, and goodness above all human thought.  When we speak the Truth in Love. we see more clearly the heart of God.

Acts 17-22-34 NLT

22 So Paul, standing before the council, addressed them as follows: “Men of Athens, I notice that you are very religious in every way, 23 for as I was walking along I saw your many shrines. And one of your altars had this inscription on it: ‘To an Unknown God.’ This God, whom you worship without knowing, is the one I’m telling you about.

24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. 26 From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.

27“His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us. 28 For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ 29 And since this is true, we shouldn’t think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone.

30 “God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31 For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.”

32 When they heard Paul speak about the resurrection of the dead, some laughed in contempt, but others said, “We want to hear more about this later.” 33 That ended Paul’s discussion with them, 34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

Prayer:  Lord, we thank you for Luke’s account of the Apostle Paul’s visit with the Athenians in Greece.  We are blessed to witness his approach to sharing the Gospel in the midst of such contrasting beliefs and mindsets.  As we live each day, please help us to listen to the people around us and learn more about them.  At your appointed time, please help us to talk about your saving grace and the way to breathe in the Life of heaven into our needy souls.  Maybe God will lead you, today, to plant a seed in the life of another person that he will later water and grow.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

Although nighttime darkness occupies a portion of every twenty-four hours—because the sun has gone below the horizon—spiritual darkness does not have the right to occupy any of our days or nights. The Son never slumbers or has a vanishing point in the heart—he is the ever-present Light for our souls twenty-four hours a day. Thank you, Lord!

For this reason, the world needs Jesus; every heart needs to believe in Christ, because he lights the way that protects us from evil. Jesus said, “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark” (John 12:46). Every heart needs to turn toward the Light. In fact, when God’s children one day occupy the Kingdom on earth there will be no sun, moon, or night; because Jesus the Light of the World will be in his proper place in every heart as Lord, Ruler, and King (Rev. 21:23-25).

In our passage today, the psalmist [most likely David] is secure in the help God offers; he knows God will take care of him, because he has done so in the past. Yet, David needs a lift for his soul. As he looks toward the temple, he knows that is not the only place he can experience God’s grace and love. Therefore, David’s responsibility is to spiritually drawn near and find his secure footing in the Lord who is the lifter or Light for his soul.

When you need a helping lift for your soul, please remember God is always present in the life of believers. Therefore, wherever we go, we can be assured God goes with us. The standing of the believer in Jesus is impressive, so we must reach for him by faith.
· We stand in grace (Romans 5:2).
· We stand in the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1).
· We stand in courage and strength (1 Corinthians 16:13).
· We stand in faith (2 Corinthians 1:24).
· We stand in Christian liberty (Galatians 5:1).
· We stand in Christian unity (Philippians 1:27).
· We stand in the Lord (Philippians 4:1).
· The goal: We will stand perfect and complete in the will of God (Colossians 4:12).

Psalm 121 NLT A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.
1 
I look up to the mountains—
    does my help come from there?
2 
My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth!
3 
He will not let you stumble;
    the one who watches over you will not slumber.
4 
Indeed, he who watches over Israel [let God prevail]
    never slumbers or sleeps.
5 
The Lord himself watches over you!
    The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 
The sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon at night.
7 
The Lord keeps you from all harm
    and watches over your life.
8 
The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
    both now and forever.

Prayer: Lord, in a spiritually dark world, please be our Light, strength, and protection. Watch over us, today, and help us realize the power of your saving grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Following Jesus requires a deep and abiding commitment from every disciple. It means picking up our individual crosses—denying self—and honoring God’s Word and guidance. We are following our Maker as he motivates and guides us through the obstacles of life [and there can be many] to bring the good news to anyone willing to listen. As Creator, Jesus wants to be known, because he already knows all of his creation.

In our passage today, Jesus is preparing and instructing his disciples and guiding them through the discipleship mission to reach out and help connect the lost [in this case, Israel] to Christ’s salvation. Jesus gives these willing disciples the authority to heal and perform other life-changing miracles in order to demonstrate the power and eternal reign of the true Kingdom of God. Everything Israel has prayed for—rescue, redemption, and restoration—is being offered in Christ, but they have to allow God to change their thoughts, desires, and ways in order to see.

The disciples are sent with a message for Israel at God’s appointed time, because they had the wrong idea about ‘how’ God would redeem them. They needed to know God was sending the Messiah to extend mercy, forgiveness of sin, and wisely lead them into spiritual freedom and peace with God. Israel would then be given the privilege of being the Light for other nations; a Light that would guide all creation back to their Creator. Some Israelites chose to listen and turn toward Jesus Messiah and some did not.

Rejection of God is always a human choice on the table, so Jesus reminds his followers—who are committed toward discipleship—to prepare for it. The biblical definition of “rejection” is “to throw back.” Believers are to set forth Truth—the human need to seek God and his forgiveness of sin. We should never be unsettled by rejection when we generously cast “Bread” on the water and it is thrown back or forsaken. We are call to share the Good News. We not called to worry about the outcomes. That’s God’s part.

Matthew 10:5-15 NLT
5 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans, 6 but only to the people of Israel—God’s lost sheep. 7 Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near [has come]. 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received!

9 “Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. 10 Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.
11 “Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. 12 When you enter the home, give it your blessing. 13 If it turns out to be a worthy home, let your blessing stand; if it is not, take back the blessing. 14 If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake its dust from your feet as you leave. 15 I tell you the truth, the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah will be better off than such a town on the judgment day.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the authority you have given us as your disciples and how you lead us forward with faith and grace. We cannot control how others are going to receive the joy of our salvation, but we offer it, anyway. Help us to stay passionate for you and stop feeling rejected or disillusioned by our challenges. You are still on the throne and you know everything that involves each of us. You know our hearts, our motives, and our weaknesses. So cover us, Lord, and as your disciples please provide all we need to be successful for your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

In November of 2020, my family went to North Carolina for Thanksgiving and some of us hiked to the summit of Charley Bunion from Newfound Gap on the Appalachian Trail. The hike covers eight miles [round trip] and takes about four+ hours to hike [approx. elevation 1886 ft]. Hiking for pleasure involves discovering new sights and experiences. We had never hiked this trail before, so I had no idea what to expect on the adventure.

I prepared what I would take on this afternoon hike and thought I was ready with my sneakers, hat, coat, gloves, and a small backpack with snacks and water. But, I wasn’t ready, because my shoes did not have a good tread on the soles and the higher we climbed the the rocky path the more difficult it was to gain solid footing as toward the top we encountered a bit of snow and ice. Then, there was the biggest challenge of all—descending. Praise God my son, Joe, walked in front of me and kept reaching back for my hand giving me stability in the precarious places. Note to self: buy hiking shoes!

In our passage today, while in chains for preaching Truth, the Apostle Paul shares about our need to adequately spiritually prepare for the challenges that accompany the hike of faith. Paul reminds us the righteous “wrestle” an invisible adversary and his evil army for control of our lives. This evil enemy does not want Christ’s army of believers to ascend in Truth or live for God. The strategies of the devil are to keep us living for ourselves; rather than living to produce the character fruit and nature of Christ. Why? Because when we emulate the character of Christ, we have the power to advance the work of our King Jesus and his Kingdom. In the Light of Christ, we push the darkness back.

We cannot forget this very important aspect of the believer’s journey in Christ, because if we think hiking through the fath-life will be easy, we have not read the Word of God and have dismissed the enemy of our souls. Our hearts, minds, emotions, bodies are all involved in a spiritual wrestling match. The devil is fierce and advances by causing us to fear—spirit of fear is never from God (2 Tim 1:7). But, Christ leads the way and reaches back for our hands to stabilize us as we hike the narrow path by faith (Mat 7:13-14).

If we are going to ascend in the holy life with God, we are going to need to prepare for the struggle. Now, the spiritual terrain is strewn with challenges the enemy has designed especially for each one of us. Satan uses our weaknesses, limitations, immaturity, and even our lack of preparation to attack and disrupt our footing and slow our progress hoping we lose our motivation to press on. But our spiritual shoes of peace with God provides great power for perseverance—grace! It is hard to battle an enemy you cannot see. Yet, God has faithfully made a Way to prepare us in order to be victorious in our spiritual growth in Christ and to proclaim Jesus as our King! Raise the banner [a symbol of God’s presence, protection, and victory] for Jesus, today, and be the Light that pushes back the darkness.

Ephesians 6:10-20 NLT The Whole Armor of God
10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we [you] are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared [to preach peace with God]. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil [evil one]. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere [those being made holy].

19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

Prayer: Lord, we prepare ourselves, commit our lives to you, and ask for the power to be victorious for the Kingdom, today. We submit to you and resist the adversary. You have made special armor to fit each of us as your sons and daughters who champion Truth. In Jesus’ name.

Have you ever told another person the details of when you turned your life over to Christ? If so, you must have shared how Jesus changed and softened your heart, how you began to take in information and make wise decisions, as well as how the Holy Spirit called you to live and love from the inside out! When Jesus comes to live in our spirits, we are never the same! When Truth comes to live in us for the first time, it is a radical life-changing moment that fills us with the glorious energy of heaven and the hope of eternity while living on earth.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul is on trial and he asks to represent himself. What does he say in his defense? He shares his conversion story with the King. Paul shares how Jesus changed his whole mind-set and direction for his life. Paul had to submit, because everything he was doing was persecuting God’s people while all the time hurting himself and his relationship with God. Paul’s priorities, passion for God, and preference for people was flipped by the Lord and now Paul was a man on a new mission to share the Gospel message with the Gentiles.

We must thank God every day for his glorious salvation and the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Life is new and fresh each day. Thank you, Jesus!

Acts 26:1-18 NLT
 1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.”
So Paul motioned with his hand and began his defense: 2 “King Agrippa, I consider myself fortunate to stand before you today as I make my defense against all the accusations of the Jews, 3 and especially so because you are well acquainted with all the Jewish customs and controversies. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently.

4 “The Jewish people all know the way I have lived ever since I was a child, from the beginning of my life in my own country, and also in Jerusalem. 5 They have known me for a long time and can testify, if they are willing, that I conformed to the strictest sect of our religion, living as a Pharisee. 6 And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our ancestors that I am on trial today. 7 This is the promise our twelve tribes are hoping to see fulfilled as they earnestly serve God day and night. King Agrippa, it is because of this hope that these Jews are accusing me. 8 Why should any of you consider it incredible that God raises the dead?

9 “I too was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 And that is just what I did in Jerusalem. On the authority of the chief priests I put many of the Lord’s people in prison, and when they were put to death, I cast my vote against them. 11 Many a time I went from one synagogue to another to have them punished, and I tried to force them to blaspheme. I was so obsessed with persecuting them that I even hunted them down in foreign cities.

12 “On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. 13 About noon, King Agrippa, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. 14 We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ [only hurting yourself]
15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’

“ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Prayer: Lord, thank you for reminding us how you love everyone; no favoritism is found in you. Your love is all-encompassing and amazing to behold. It is your love that changes us in radical ways. We don’t see things the same, anymore. We want you…more of you…each day. Every time we reach out for you, there you are waiting to be with us. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ name. Amen.