Devotional for the day

[Judy Harder]

June 16,  2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers

 
Will You Lay Down Your Life
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. . . . I have called you friends . . . -John 15:13, 15

Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said to the Lord, "I will lay down my life for Your sake," and he meant it ( John 13:37 ). He had a magnificent sense of the heroic. For us to be incapable of making this same statement Peter made would be a bad thing- our sense of duty is only fully realized through our sense of heroism. Has the Lord ever asked you, "Will you lay down your life for My sake?" ( John 13:38 ). It is much easier to die than to lay down your life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling of God. We are not made for the bright-shining moments of life, but we have to walk in the light of them in our everyday ways. There was only one bright-shining moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration. It was there that He emptied Himself of His glory for the second time, and then came down into the demon-possessed valley (seeMark 9:1-29 ). For thirty-three years Jesus laid down His life to do the will of His Father. "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren" ( 1 John 3:16  ). Yet it is contrary to our human nature to do so.

If I am a friend of Jesus, I must deliberately and carefully lay down my life for Him. It is a difficult thing to do, and thank God that it is. Salvation is easy for us, because it cost God so much. But the exhibiting of salvation in my life is difficult. God saves a person, fills him with the Holy Spirit, and then says, in effect, "Now you work it out in your life, and be faithful to Me, even though the nature of everything around you is to cause you to be unfaithful." And Jesus says to us, ". . . I have called you friends. . . ." Remain faithful to your Friend, and remember that His honor is at stake in your bodily life.
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Embracing the Blessings of God

Ephesians 1:3 is a verse that is often misunderstood.  It tells us,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.

I used to read that and wonder what in the world a spiritual blessing in a heavenly place in Christ really was!  I truly believed that I had been blessed with it, but I didn't have a clue what it meant. 

Then one day as I studied, I found out that the word spiritual literally means Holy Spirit-conferred.  The Amplified Bible helps clarify the meaning when it says, He has blessed us with every Holy Spirit-given blessing.

What it means, literally, is that the blessings you and I enjoy as believers in Jesus Christ come from heaven's vast resources.  And they have already been conferred on us.  Isn't that awesome?!

But there is something more.  These Holy Spirit-conferred blessings include any blessing and benefit we get from God, be it material, physical, emotional, or spiritual.

So, when God heals you, it is a blessing being conferred through the agency of His Spirit.  When God brings peace to your troubled heart, that is a blessing from the Holy Spirit.  And when God supernaturally supplies material needs, that is the Holy Spirit at work blessing you from the vast resources of heaven!

But here is what I really want you to grasp.  Based on this verse, all those blessings have already been given.  They have been issued.  On God's side of the ledger, they are a done deal.  He has already signed them and sent them.

So praise God for...and embrace...His blessings in your life!
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Read: Ezekiel 25; Ezekiel 25:1-7
O God, the nations have invaded your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have reduced Jerusalem to rubble. - Psalm 79:1


TODAY IN THE WORD
Sin can now be mapped. Forbes magazine published a 2008 special report on "America's Most Sinful Cities." For each of the seven deadly sins, researchers chose a statistical stand-in-wrath or anger was measured by the murder rate, greed or avarice by the number of billionaires per capita, gluttony by obesity rates, and so on. In a related study, geographers from Kansas State University examined available data such as the number of reported cases of sexually transmitted diseases per capita (for lust) and the number of fast food restaurants per capita (for gluttony).
No single group has a monopoly on evil-we are all fallen. Though most of Ezekiel is aimed at Israel, the prophet also delivered messages of judgment against her neighbors. These are found in chapters 25 through 32, the second main section of the book. It was comforting to Israel that her enemies would be punished as well, and for us it is reassuring that God's justice is impartial and His power is absolute.

Four countries are targeted in today's reading-Ammon, Moab, Edom, and Philistia. Ammon (vv. 1-7) lay east of Israel in modern-day Jordan. The Ammonites had been opportunistic raiders who preyed on Israel at moments of weakness. To rejoice in the downfall of God's people, however, was the same as laughing at God (v. 6). As a result, they themselves would be conquered and destroyed.

Moab (vv. 8-11) lay south of Ammon. The Moabites saw Judah as no different from pagan nations, and for their disrespect they would also be destroyed. Edom or Seir (vv. 12-14) lay south of Moab and earned God's judgment by harassing instead of welcoming refugees after the Babylonian conquest. Finally, Philistia (vv. 15-17) lay west of Judah and also had a long history of hostility with God's people. They acted as the others had and would earn a similar fate. Just as the Lord promised long ago, whoever cursed His people would themselves be cursed (Gen. 12:3).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today's verse begins a psalm you might consider reading in full. Psalm 79 prays for judgment on Israel's enemies in much the same way as is true in Ezekiel's prophecy. It is also a prayer for forgiveness and for the restoration of a close covenant relationship: "Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake. . . . Then we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will praise you forever" (vv. 9, 13).


GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

June 17,  2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers

Beware of Criticizing Others
Judge not, that you be not judged -Matthew 7:1

Jesus' instructions with regard to judging others is very simply put; He says, "Don't." The average Christian is the most piercingly critical individual known. Criticism is one of the ordinary activities of people, but in the spiritual realm nothing is accomplished by it. The effect of criticism is the dividing up of the strengths of the one being criticized. The Holy Spirit is the only one in the proper position to criticize, and He alone is able to show what is wrong without hurting and wounding. It is impossible to enter into fellowship with God when you are in a critical mood. Criticism serves to make you harsh, vindictive, and cruel, and leaves you with the soothing and flattering idea that you are somehow superior to others. Jesus says that as His disciple you should cultivate a temperament that is never critical. This will not happen quickly but must be developed over a span of time. You must constantly beware of anything that causes you to think of yourself as a superior person.
There is no escaping the penetrating search of my life by Jesus. If I see the little speck in your eye, it means that I have a plank of timber in my own (see Matthew 7:3-5 ). Every wrong thing that I see in you, God finds in me. Every time I judge, I condemn myself (see Romans 2:17-24 ). Stop having a measuring stick for other people. There is always at least one more fact, which we know nothing about, in every person's situation. The first thing God does is to give us a thorough spiritual cleaning. After that, there is no possibility of pride remaining in us. I have never met a person I could despair of, or lose all hope for, after discerning what lies in me apart from the grace of God.
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Enjoying the Fullness of Your Inheritance

In Galatians 4:1-5, the apostle Paul helps us understand what it means to be part of God's family,

Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.  Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.  But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Adoption in Roman society was very different from adoption today.  When a flesh and blood son reached the age of maturity, he was "adopted" into his own family.  Until that time, he was considered a child, and he was under the tutelage of a household slave.

We are heirs because of adoption.  What does this mean?  It means that God is well pleased when we assume our place as mature sons of God, exercising our authority and enjoying the fullness of our inheritance.  But most Christians don't do this.

Not long ago, I learned about a particular website that can tell you if you have any money anywhere that you don't know about.  There are literally hundreds of millions of dollars sitting unused in trust funds or accounts that people don't know about.

A lot of Christians operate this way.  They have this incredible inheritance that belongs to them, this incredible authority that has been given to them, and they are unaware of it.  And, friend, that does not bring pleasure to God.
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Read: Ezekiel 26-27; Ezekiel 27:29-34
The LORD tears down the proud man's house but he keeps the widow's boundaries intact. - Proverbs 15:25

TODAY IN THE WORD
In 2003, salvage explorers found the wreck of the S.S. Republic about 100 miles southeast off the coast of Savannah, Georgia. The vessel sank in 1865 as the result of a hurricane, and although 42 of the 59 passengers made it into lifeboats and survived, $400,000 in coins sank with the ship. Today those coins are worth an estimated $150 million. The finders also planned to recover and put on display historical artifacts from the wreck.
Metaphorically speaking, Tyre was a ship loaded with riches that God promised to sink to the bottom of the ocean. Their wealth and achievements wouldn't save them. Tyre was the capital city of Phoenicia (located in modern Lebanon), north of Israel. In part an island city, Tyre was very active in business and trade. But like the nations in yesterday's reading, they rejoiced in the downfall of Jerusalem and even planned to profit from it (26:2). Ezekiel's prophecy in chapter 26 exposed their pride-they believed they could not be conquered. They made their business plans and threw noisy parties and thought the good times would never end (26:13). But God said otherwise. Destruction was coming. Tyre was besieged and humbled by several invading armies, and eventually destroyed by Alexander in 332 B.C. The world would see and tremble at the spectacle of God's judgment on this proud city.

Chapter 27 is a prophetic lament for the city's destruction. The first part of the poem builds a picture of the greatness of Tyre and celebrates her wealth, beauty, and economic and military power (27:1-11). The second part expands the picture even further to show a thriving city with which the entire world was eager to trade (27:12-25). The third and final section shows that the bigger they are, the harder they fall (27:26-36). They trusted in their riches, as symbolized by a trading ship, but that object of faith was headed to the bottom of the sea. Only the Lord is worthy of human trust. He is the Rock on which we stand!
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Pride is the enemy of God. Pride focuses on self to such an extent that one's thoughts do not even have room for God (Ps. 10:4). Pride seeks glory for self rather than glory for God. That's why "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov. 16:18). Pride has the potential to creep into every area of our lives-some people are even proud of being humble! What's the cure? "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5-11).

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

June 18,  2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers

Keep Recognizing Jesus
. . . Peter . . . walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid . . . -Matthew 14:29-30

The wind really was boisterous and the waves really were high, but Peter didn't see them at first. He didn't consider them at all; he simply recognized his Lord, stepped out in recognition of Him, and "walked on the water." Then he began to take those things around him into account, and instantly, down he went. Why couldn't our Lord have enabled him to walk at the bottom of the waves, as well as on top of them? He could have, yet neither could be done without Peter's continuing recognition of the Lord Jesus.

We step right out with recognition of God in some things, then self-consideration enters our lives and down we go. If you are truly recognizing your Lord, you have no business being concerned about how and where He engineers your circumstances. The things surrounding you are real, but when you look at them you are immediately overwhelmed, and even unable to recognize Jesus. Then comes His rebuke, ". . . why did you doubt?" ( Matthew 14:31  ). Let your actual circumstances be what they may, but keep recognizing Jesus, maintaining complete reliance upon Him.

If you debate for even one second when God has spoken, it is all over for you. Never start to say, "Well, I wonder if He really did speak to me?" Be reckless immediately- totally unrestrained and willing to risk everything- by casting your all upon Him. You do not know when His voice will come to you, but whenever the realization of God comes, even in the faintest way imaginable, be determined to recklessly abandon yourself, surrendering everything to Him. It is only through abandonment of yourself and your circumstances that you will recognize Him. You will only recognize His voice more clearly through recklessness- being willing to risk your all.
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Delivered!

Do you realize that the devil has absolutely no authority over you?         

In Colossians 1:12-13, the apostle Paul tells us,

Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

You and I have been delivered from the power of darkness.  We are out from under the authority of the devil.

That was a happy day for me when I realized this truth.  After I was saved, I was afraid of the devil because I had been so deeply involved in the occult.  I literally had a fear that hung upon me and followed me everywhere I went.  So I just prayed over and over, "God, please make me so I'm not afraid of the devil."

I started to constantly read the New Testament.  As I did, I realized what Christ had done for me, and I was set free.

As I thought about this truth, I was reminded of being in elementary school.  We had this kid who terrorized a lot of other kids.  I was so afraid of him.  One day, he just pushed one of my buttons.  All of a sudden I was on top of him holding his arms down, and I was thinking, "Why in the world was I ever afraid of this kid?"  He was absolutely helpless!

Just like that bully, the devil is a defeated foe.  And part of your inheritance is authority over all the power of the enemy.  It is a happy day when you realize it.
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Read: Ezekiel 28; Ezekiel 28:24-26
When I gather the people of Israel from the nations . . . I will show myself holy. - Ezekiel 28:25

TODAY IN THE WORD
Jesus once encountered a rich young man who wanted to obtain eternal life (Matt. 19:16-30). Jesus told him to keep the commandments, and the man naively responded that he did so. "If you want to be perfect," Jesus then told him, "go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." But the man could not bear to part with his money-in truth, wealth held first place in his heart. Jesus explained to His disciples, "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." They thought wealth was God's stamp of approval rather than a potential competitor for the heart's allegiance.
The kingdom of Tyre had achieved great commercial success. Riches and success had led to pride, as we learned yesterday. Ezekiel 28 continues with two more oracles against Tyre (vv. 1-10 and 11-19), plus a short prophecy against Sidon (vv. 20-23) and a promise for Israel (vv. 24-26). The first oracle begins by recapping the theme of pride. The king of Tyre was so proud he thought he was a god and trusted completely in his own wisdom and wealth. God would judge him by stripping away his pride and taking away his riches. He would die a shameful and violent death.

The second oracle is a lament that charts the spiritual sequence of pride, temptation, and fall. In words suggesting Satan, the father of all pride and thus the power behind the throne of Tyre, Ezekiel described a perfect "guardian cherub" in Eden who sinned and was expelled from heaven. The short prophecy against Sidon, a sister city to the north of Tyre, emphasizes that judgment will likewise teach them who is the true God.

Against this backdrop, God's promise to Israel is a genuine word of comfort. He will regather the exiles and restore them to their land, where they will live in peace. The covenant relationship will be renewed. Then the people will "know that I am the LORD their God" (v. 26).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The spiritual sequence of pride, temptation, and fall is one we need to be aware of as well. Satan took pride in his own beauty and wisdom, but instead of using them for God's glory he embraced the self-centered falsehood that he was equal to God. His fall was unsurprising, for God's justice makes the fate of the proud inevitable. No matter what gifts and abilities God has given us, we need to be always on guard against temptations to pride and self-centeredness. All His gifts are to be used for His glory, not our own.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

Daily Devotional

June 19,  2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers

My Utmost for His Highest
. . . do you love Me? . . . Tend My sheep -John 21:16

Jesus did not say to make converts to your way of thinking, but He said to look after His sheep, to see that they get nourished in the knowledge of Him. We consider what we do in the way of Christian work as service, yet Jesus Christ calls service to be what we are to Him, not what we do for Him. Discipleship is based solely on devotion to Jesus Christ, not on following after a particular belief or doctrine. "If anyone comes to Me and does not hate . . . , he cannot be My disciple" ( Luke 14:26 ). In this verse, there is no argument and no pressure from Jesus to follow Him; He is simply saying, in effect, "If you want to be My disciple, you must be devoted solely to Me." A person touched by the Spirit of God suddenly says, "Now I see who Jesus is!"- that is the source of devotion.

Today we have substituted doctrinal belief for personal belief, and that is why so many people are devoted to causes and so few are devoted to Jesus Christ. People do not really want to be devoted to Jesus, but only to the cause He started. Jesus Christ is deeply offensive to the educated minds of today, to those who only want Him to be their Friend, and who are unwilling to accept Him in any other way. Our Lord's primary obedience was to the will of His Father, not to the needs of people- the saving of people was the natural outcome of His obedience to the Father. If I am devoted solely to the cause of humanity, I will soon be exhausted and come to the point where my love will waver and stumble. But if I love Jesus Christ personally and passionately, I can serve humanity, even though people may treat me like a "doormat." The secret of a disciple's life is devotion to Jesus Christ, and the characteristic of that life is its seeming insignificance and its meekness. Yet it is like a grain of wheat that "falls into the ground and dies"- it will spring up and change the entire landscape ( John 12:24 ).
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Blessed to Be a Blessing

Our capitalistic society is geared toward one purpose...people accumulating wealth.  While there is nothing wrong with material abundance, many Christians today have lost sight of why God has blessed them with prosperity.

They believe it is for their own good and benefit, but God's perspective is quite different.  For example, here is what the writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 13:16,

But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Now the phrase "to share" means to share with others.  One translation says, Share what you have.  Another version translates this, Be generous.  Another says, Contribute to the needy.

You see, God blesses us to make us a blessing!  That ought to be the main motivation for desiring and praying for God's blessing in our lives.  God told Abraham, "I'm going to bless you, and you will be a blessing."  God says the fringe benefit is that, "I will give you richly all things to enjoy."  But the main flow of God's purpose in blessing us is so we can help other people.

It is also the reason we should desire the inheritance that Christ has given to us, all of those Holy Spirit-conferred blessings, which we discussed on day 14.  Why?  Because we can't give what we don't have.  You can't bless someone if you don't have anything to bless them with!

God is well pleased to see us walk in our inheritance as sons, but He is also well pleased to see us share what He has blessed us with.
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Read: Ezekiel 29-30; Ezekiel 30:20-26
Rise up, O God, judge the earth, for all the nations are your inheritance. - Psalm 82:8

TODAY IN THE WORD
One of the ancient Egyptian gods was Sobek, the crocodile god. Represented either as a crocodile or as a man with the head of a crocodile, he symbolized the strength of the ruler and was considered to be in control of the waters, especially the Nile River. He was associated with fertility and rebirth for both people and crops. Many mummified crocodiles and paintings of crocodiles have been found in Egyptian tombs. In The Book of the Dead, he says, "I am Sobek, and I seize my prey like a ravening beast."
Given that crocodiles symbolized the might of Egypt, Ezekiel's prophecy of Egypt as a doomed crocodile hunted by the Lord is shocking. Rather than seizing his prey, Sobek or Egypt became the prey. Ezekiel prophesied that Egypt was going to be hooked and netted by the Lord and stood no chance of escaping His judgment. Egypt was a powerful nation to the south of Judah, an ally the nation had relied upon in its bid to rebel against Babylon.

Egypt then was larger than it is now and included other areas of northern Africa. Due to its size and strength, it represented the temptation to trust in human strength rather than in God. Egypt rated four chapters of prophetic judgment in Ezekiel. These chapters are divided into seven oracles, each of which begins, "The word of the LORD came to me." Each emphasizes the sovereignty of God in dealing with nations as He pleases.

Today's reading covers the first four oracles. The first prophecy condemns Egypt's pride and failure to help Israel (29:1-16). For this, its power and status will be broken-the crocodile will become roadkill. The second prophecy reveals that Babylon will be Egypt's conqueror and the instrument of God's justice (29:17-21). The third prophecy is a lament poem that graphically describes the devastating judgment that is on the way from God's hand (30:1-19). The fourth prophecy proclaims that God will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon so that he will break the arms of the king of Egypt (30:20-26).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God's sovereignty is a terrible truth to sinners but an encouraging one for believers. Rather than fearing His judgment, we look forward to spending eternity with Him. At the end of history, when God's plans for the nations have been fulfilled, here's how it will be in the new Jerusalem: "Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life" (Rev. 21:27).

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

June 20,  2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers

Have You Come to "When" Yet?
The Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends -Job 42:10

A pitiful, sickly, and self-centered kind of prayer and a determined effort and selfish desire to be right with God are never found in the New Testament. The fact that I am trying to be right with God is actually a sign that I am rebelling against the atonement by the Cross of Christ. I pray, "Lord, I will purify my heart if You will answer my prayer- I will walk rightly before You if You will help me." But I cannot make myself right with God; I cannot make my life perfect. I can only be right with God if I accept the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ as an absolute gift. Am I humble enough to accept it? I have to surrender all my rights and demands, and cease from every self-effort. I must leave myself completely alone in His hands, and then I can begin to pour my life out in the priestly work of intercession. There is a great deal of prayer that comes from actual disbelief in the atonement. Jesus is not just beginning to save us- He has already saved us completely. It is an accomplished fact, and it is an insult to Him for us to ask Him to do what He has already done.

If you are not now receiving the "hundredfold" which Jesus promised (see Matthew 19:29 ), and not getting insight into God's Word, then start praying for your friends- enter into the ministry of the inner life. "The Lord restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends." As a saved soul, the real business of your life is intercessory prayer. Whatever circumstances God may place you in, always pray immediately that His atonement may be recognized and as fully understood in the lives of others as it has been in yours. Pray for your friends now, and pray for those with whom you come in contact now.
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Rejoicing in God's Mercy

We all are familiar with the story of the Prodigal Son.  After he had wasted his inheritance, he came to his senses and returned home, hoping he could just be a servant to his father.

His father wouldn't even consider it.  He put the best robe on him, put a ring on his finger, sandals on his feet, and then had the fatted calf killed for a party.  The father delighted in showing mercy to his son!

But what about the older brother?  He stood outside the party and wouldn't come in to celebrate.  He was so angry!  He had never messed up and yet his father had never thrown him a party!

Sometimes, if we are not careful, we can have the attitude of that older son.  We can look at the lives of others and think, "That is not fair.  I know he's been messing up, and God is blessing him.  What's up with that?  I haven't been as bad as him!"

We need to remember that God delights in showing mercy to the guilty when, from a sincere heart, they seek that mercy.  He delights when you and I ask for His mercy when we have blown it.

Micah 6:7-8 says,

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil?  Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

God delights in showing mercy.  So be a person of mercy, and rejoice when God shows mercy to someone who needs it.
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Read: Ezekiel 31-32; Ezekiel 32:28-32
I made the nations tremble at the sound of its fall. - Ezekiel 31:16

TODAY IN THE WORD
In The Inferno, Part I of Dante's Divine Comedy ("comedy" here indicates a narrative with a happy ending), Dante and his guide, the Latin poet Virgil, descend into hell. In each of the nine circles of hell, they see sinners being punished for sins they committed during their lives on earth. For example, the second circle contains lustful people, the fifth circle wrathful people, and the eighth circle fraudulent people such as flatterers and hypocrites. It is a dark journey filled with horrifying scenes and spiritual warnings for Dante and his readers.
As in Dante's classic work of literature, part of Ezekiel's prophecy in today's reading is an imagined descent into the underworld. The seventh out of seven oracles spoken against Egypt narrates Pharaoh's journey to Sheol (32:17-32). This is not a doctrinal description of the afterlife but a poem highlighting God's control over history and His judgment on human pride. When Pharaoh arrives, he finds Assyrian kings there ahead of him, no longer fear-inspiring empire-builders but impotent victims of God's judgment. The grave is in fact full of fallen, formerly mighty kings and rulers. Their pride now appears foolish-they have all returned to dust.

Going back to the start of today's passage, the fifth oracle against Egypt features a splendid, impressive cedar tree representing Assyria (31:1-18). Assyria had been a superpower, but God used Babylon to bring her down. That downfall should be a lesson to Egypt: Military power and political supremacy guarantee nothing.

The sixth oracle is a lament over the king of Egypt and again pictures him as a crocodile that gets hunted, caught, and gutted (32:1-16). The pride of Egypt will be shattered by a ruthless killer, Babylon. Interestingly, darkness is part of this judgment, an echo of the ten plagues in the days of Moses and the Exodus. The point is that God is in control of history-He raises up kingdoms and brings them down as His justice decrees.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If God is sovereign, is there any point at all to human planning? Yes, as long as that planning is done in submission to Him. Planning can be part of good stewardship and obedience. As Proverbs 14:22 reminds us: "Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness." Actually, the book of Proverbs contains a great deal of wisdom about making spiritually sound plans, including such references as Proverbs 16:3; 19:21; and 21:30.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

June 21,  2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers

The Ministry of the Inner Life
You are . . . a royal priesthood . . . -1 Peter 2:9

By what right have we become "a royal priesthood"? It is by the right of the atonement by the Cross of Christ that this has been accomplished. Are we prepared to purposely disregard ourselves and to launch out into the priestly work of prayer? The continual inner-searching we do in an effort to see if we are what we ought to be generates a self-centered, sickly type of Christianity, not the vigorous and simple life of a child of God. Until we get into this right and proper relationship with God, it is simply a case of our "hanging on by the skin of our teeth," although we say, "What a wonderful victory I have!" Yet there is nothing at all in that which indicates the miracle of redemption. Launch out in reckless, unrestrained belief that the redemption is complete. Then don't worry anymore about yourself, but begin to do as Jesus Christ has said, in essence, "Pray for the friend who comes to you at midnight, pray for the saints of God, and pray for all men." Pray with the realization that you are perfect only in Christ Jesus, not on the basis of this argument: "Oh, Lord, I have done my best; please hear me now."

How long is it going to take God to free us from the unhealthy habit of thinking only about ourselves? We must get to the point of being sick to death of ourselves, until there is no longer any surprise at anything God might tell us about ourselves. We cannot reach and understand the depths of our own meagerness. There is only one place where we are right with God, and that is in Christ Jesus. Once we are there, we have to pour out our lives for all we are worth in this ministry of the inner life.
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Becoming a Person of Mercy

Luke 6:38 tells us,

"Give, and it will be given to you:  good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

It is not unusual to hear this verse used in connection with giving money to the Lord's work.  And while there is a principle concerning money embedded in this verse, Jesus was not talking about giving an offering when He made this statement.  That was not the subject under discussion.

In order to understand what He was really talking about, you need to read verses 35-37,

"But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.  For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.  Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.  Judge not, and you shall not be judged.  Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

Jesus wanted to impress on us this truth:  If you give forgiveness, and you give love, and you give mercy, they come back to you in good measure, pressed down, shaken together. 

He wanted us to understand that by the same measure you and I give these things, it will come back to us.  But if you and I measure out judgment and condemnation, guess what gets measured back to us?

Make a commitment today to become a person of mercy, not seeking anything in return.  Become known as someone who reflects our God of mercy to a broken and needy world. 
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Read: Ezekiel 33; Ezekiel 33:10-16
I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. - Ezekiel 33:11

TODAY IN THE WORD
Usually pop songs on the radio are here today, gone tomorrow. Yesterday's top hit, played hourly to keep pace with album sales, is tomorrow's forgotten tune. Somewhere in Nashville or Los Angeles, musicians and marketers are already crafting the next hit, probably something about romantic love, probably something that appeals to a 20-something or younger demographic, probably something not too long and not too complicated so that the radio stations will play it.
In Ezekiel's day, God's people treated His messages as though they were pop songs, as background noise but not divine words to heed and obey (v. 32). They were not doers of the Word, but hearers only (James 1:22-25). Today's reading begins the third and final main section of the book of Ezekiel-chapters 33 through 48 deliver a message of comfort and promise to the Jewish exiles.

Ezekiel's commission as a "watchman" was renewed at the start of the passage (vv. 1-20). As a man with a message from God, he must share it. If he didn't, the people's blood would be on his head, but if he did and no one listened, it would be on their heads. Ezekiel may have been tired of being a misunderstood doomsayer, but God encouraged him to continue taking seriously his responsibility as a prophet of the Most High.

Ezekiel was doubtless glad his message was vindicated when a messenger arrived confirming the fall of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple (vv. 21-33). The people had chosen to ignore his prophetic warnings and put their confidence in their status as "chosen people," despite their idolatry. Perhaps because of their faithless response, the prophet had been temporarily muted by God, but now his tongue was released. Surely the people would listen now! Now that all they loved seemed dead-the promised land, the holy city, the temple, and the kingly line of David-perhaps they would actually listen to what God had to say.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The point of Ezekiel's prophecies was not for the people to feel depressed about their wrongdoing or even for the prophet to exult in divine justice, but rather for sinners to repent and live (v. 11)! God takes no pleasure in wielding His sword of judgment or in punishing people. He would much rather extend forgiveness and grace to those who put their trust in Him. The God of the Old Testament is the same as the God of the New Testament-delighting to show mercy and inviting people to embrace His love.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

June 22,  2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers

The Unchanging Law of Judgment
With what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you -Matthew 7:2

This statement is not some haphazard theory, but it is an eternal law of God. Whatever judgment you give will be the very way you are judged. There is a difference between retaliation and retribution. Jesus said that the basis of life is retribution- "with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you." If you have been shrewd in finding out the shortcomings of others, remember that will be exactly how you will be measured. The way you pay is the way life will pay you back. This eternal law works from God's throne down to us (see Psalm 18:25-26 ).

Romans 2:1 applies it in even a more definite way by saying that the one who criticizes another is guilty of the very same thing. God looks not only at the act itself, but also at the possibility of committing it, which He sees by looking at our hearts. To begin with, we do not believe the statements of the Bible. For instance, do we really believe the statement that says we criticize in others the very things we are guilty of ourselves? The reason we see hypocrisy, deceit, and a lack of genuineness in others is that they are all in our own hearts. The greatest characteristic of a saint is humility, as evidenced by being able to say honestly and humbly, "Yes, all those, as well as other evils, would have been exhibited in me if it were not for the grace of God. Therefore, I have no right to judge."

Jesus said, "Judge not, that you be not judged" ( Matthew 7:1 ). He went on to say, in effect, "If you do judge, you will be judged in exactly the same way." Who of us would dare to stand before God and say, "My God, judge me as I have judged others"? We have judged others as sinners- if God should judge us in the same way, we would be condemned to hell. Yet God judges us on the basis of the miraculous atonement by the Cross of Christ.
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Perfect and Complete

Your faith in God has incredible potential to make your life complete.  To take you from the place of deficiency, to the place of being perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

James puts it this way in James 1:2-4,

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Faith in God can make you complete, but your faith will be contested.  It will be opposed, even as we read here.  Your faith will go through the fire of trial.

If you lack spiritually in your life, you can get to the place of holiness.  If you are lacking materially, you can get to a place where your needs are met.  Whatever your lack, your faith in God has the potential to take you from where you are, and where you are lacking, to this place that the Bible speaks of...being perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

But, the path to that completeness is one of trial.  Your faith will not get you there until it first goes through testing.  You do have an adversary.  You will be opposed.  The Bible says, Your adversary, the devil, walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.

The devil knows what is at stake, and he will do all he can to keep you from trusting God.  So as your faith encounters the turbulence of trials, do what James says, and count it all joy.  You are on your way to becoming perfect and complete in Christ.
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Read: Ezekiel 34; Ezekiel 34:11-16
I will shepherd the flock with justice. - Ezekiel 34:16

TODAY IN THE WORD
Political scientist Alan Houston was at the British Library doing archival research for a book on Benjamin Franklin, one of the most studied figures in American history. There he made an incredible find-47 letters written by, to, and about the great man. No one had seen these letters before; no one even knew they existed! Professor Houston spent two years verifying their authenticity and examining their contents, and then published them last year in The William and Mary Quarterly, accompanied by an essay by him. The letters provide new information about historical events and in some cases show new sides of Franklin.
Just as historical documents help us understand historical figures, so also God's Word guides us in understanding who He is. Having just received confirmation of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, this was what the Israelites needed to understand most of all: When all else is gone, God remains. Yes, He hates and judges sin, and the nation paid the price for their persistent idolatry. But as Ezekiel 34 teaches, He keeps His promises and remains the faithful and loving Shepherd of His people (cf. Psalm 23).

This chapter is built around a contrast between God and the false shepherds, who were the political and religious leaders of Israel. These leaders had failed to care for the flock, instead looking to profit at its expense (vv. 1-6). Naturally, the sheep had been scattered and preyed upon by wild animals. God opposed such "shepherds" and would hold them accountable as "sheep" who had gotten fat while others starved (vv. 7-10, 17-24). As the divine Shepherd, He would rescue His people from this horrible situation-searching for the lost, binding up the injured, finding them safe pasture, and in general shepherding the flock with justice (vv. 11-16). The covenant would be renewed and the land restored (vv. 25-31). "Showers of blessing" would rain down. Harvests would be plentiful and the people would dwell in peace.
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Verse 24 indicates that the Shepherd will be a descendant of David and God Himself. This messianic riddle is solved in Jesus Christ. He is our Good Shepherd and we are His sheep (John 10:1-16). We follow His voice as He leads us to green pastures and quiet waters. Whereas a hired hand runs away when a wolf comes, Jesus proved He is the true Shepherd by laying down His life for us. Those who follow Him can "have life, and have it to the full."

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

June 23,  2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers

"Acquainted With Grief"
He is . . . a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief -Isaiah 53:3

We are not "acquainted with grief" in the same way our Lord was acquainted with it. We endure it and live through it, but we do not become intimate with it. At the beginning of our lives we do not bring ourselves to the point of dealing with the reality of sin. We look at life through the eyes of reason and say that if a person will control his instincts, and educate himself, he can produce a life that will slowly evolve into the life of God. But as we continue on through life, we find the presence of something which we have not yet taken into account, namely, sin- and it upsets all of our thinking and our plans. Sin has made the foundation of our thinking unpredictable, uncontrollable, and irrational.

We have to recognize that sin is a fact of life, not just a shortcoming. Sin is blatant mutiny against God, and either sin or God must die in my life. The New Testament brings us right down to this one issue- if sin rules in me, God's life in me will be killed; if God rules in me, sin in me will be killed. There is nothing more fundamental than that. The culmination of sin was the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and what was true in the history of God on earth will also be true in your history and in mine- that is, sin will kill the life of God in us. We must mentally bring ourselves to terms with this fact of sin. It is the only explanation why Jesus Christ came to earth, and it is the explanation of the grief and sorrow of life.
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Passing the Test of Your Faith

In yesterday's devotional, we saw how God desires for us to be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing; but the road to that is the testing of our faith.

The natural question is, "What does it take to succeed when the test comes?"  There are two cooperating forces which must be at work.  James 1:4-5 shows us what those two forces are,

But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

The first force is patience.  James' point is, "Don't quit before the answer comes.  Let patience have full play, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

Hebrews 10:36, says it this way,

For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

You and I may actually have done the will of God, done what God wants us to do, but if we don't exercise endurance, we won't receive the promise.  That is the importance of patience.

The second cooperating force at work to pass the test of your faith is wisdom.  If you lack wisdom, if you can't see the forest for the trees in the midst of your trial, you can ask God and He will give it...liberally and without reproach.

God delights when you ask for wisdom.  And He won't belittle you or find fault with you for asking.

So if you find your faith on trial, if you are being sorely tested, ask God for wisdom and patiently endure.  Without these two forces, you will never know victory!
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Read: Ezekiel 35-36; Ezekiel 36:24-32
You, O mountains of Israel, will produce . . . fruit for my people Israel, for they will soon come home. - Ezekiel 36:8

TODAY IN THE WORD
About 35 years ago, two baby boys were given up for adoption. They were adopted into two different families, attended rival high schools, and lived in neighboring towns in Maine . . . all the while unaware of each other's existence. One of them eventually got a job as a furniture mover for a bedding store. Then amazingly, the other was hired for the same job by the same store. As the two men drove their truck around town completing deliveries, customers would ask them if they were brothers. "We thought they were just trying to razz us," one said. Then they dug into their adoption records and discovered it was true-they actually were brothers!
The joy of being reunited with family is comparable to the joy Israel would feel upon returning to the land of promise. Today's reading begins with a chapter of prophecy against the nation of Edom (cf. 25:12-14). The enmity between Edom and Israel extended all the way back to Jacob and Esau. When the Edomites looted Jerusalem after the Babylonian conquest (Obad. 1:11-14), they angered the Lord and incurred His judgment.

Why is this chapter here in the section of Ezekiel devoted to messages of comfort and promise? The Edomites intended to capitalize on their enemy's defeat and seize the Israelite's land for themselves (35:10-13). These plans showed disrespect for God because He had given the land to Jacob as an inheritance. In truth, it was God's land (36:5).

Therefore, the prophecy against Edom is an appropriate introduction to God's promise in chapter 36 to restore Israel to her land. One day they would return from exile-homes would be built, crops would be grown, the people would live in peace again (36:8-12). Just as the honor of God's name demanded the justice of judgment, so it also meant that He would give the people new hearts and restore them as a witness to the nations (36:20-28). "Then they will know that I am the LORD" (36:38).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
No discipline lasts forever (36:15). God's justice aims not to take vengeance on sinners but to restore them to fellowship with Him. The same is true today for Christians: "God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it" (Heb. 12:10-11). We should rejoice in God's "tough love" for us-He's preparing us for full fellowship with Him!

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

June 24,  2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers

Reconciling Yourself to the Fact of Sin
This is your hour, and the power of darkness -Luke 22:53

Not being reconciled to the fact of sin- not recognizing it and refusing to deal with it- produces all the disasters in life. You may talk about the lofty virtues of human nature, but there is something in human nature that will mockingly laugh in the face of every principle you have. If you refuse to agree with the fact that there is wickedness and selfishness, something downright hateful and wrong, in human beings, when it attacks your life, instead of reconciling yourself to it, you will compromise with it and say that it is of no use to battle against it. Have you taken this "hour, and the power of darkness" into account, or do you have a view of yourself which includes no recognition of sin whatsoever? In your human relationships and friendships, have you reconciled yourself to the fact of sin? If not, just around the next corner you will find yourself trapped and you will compromise with it. But if you will reconcile yourself to the fact of sin, you will realize the danger immediately and say, "Yes, I see what this sin would mean." The recognition of sin does not destroy the basis of friendship- it simply establishes a mutual respect for the fact that the basis of sinful life is disastrous. Always beware of any assessment of life which does not recognize the fact that there is sin.

Jesus Christ never trusted human nature, yet He was never cynical nor suspicious, because He had absolute trust in what He could do for human nature. The pure man or woman is the one who is shielded from harm, not the innocent person. The so-called innocent man or woman is never safe. Men and women have no business trying to be innocent; God demands that they be pure and virtuous. Innocence is the characteristic of a child. Any person is deserving of blame if he is unwilling to reconcile himself to the fact of sin.
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Gaining the Wisdom of God

I think every Christian desires wisdom from God.  But they don't get it because they don't understand how to receive it.

In Psalm 51:6, we are told,

...in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

When God communicates His wisdom to us, He does it in that secret part.  Whether it's as we read His Word and a Scripture speaks to us, or whether the Holy Spirit just whispers to us.  As Proverbs 20:27 tells us, The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord.  In other words, God illuminates us through our spirit.

For example, maybe you are in a difficult financial situation and you just don't know what to do.  You are working, you are tithing, you are trusting God, you are doing all you need to do, but it seems like you can't make ends meet.

Maybe what you need is wisdom.  If you ask for it, God may speak something as simple to your heart as, "Go talk to this person."  Or, "Advertise in this magazine."  Or, "Call so-and-so and ask them to forgive you for the way you treated them."  Or He may just say, "Hold steady."

Shortly after I was saved, I developed a physical condition I could not get any relief from.  So I went to God and I said, "God, give me wisdom."  God spoke to me and said, "You need to stop drinking coffee."

Now I did not want to hear that because I was a big coffee drinker.  But you know what?  After obeying God in that, almost immediately, that condition cleared up, and it has never been back.

God's wisdom.  He will speak to you.  If you ask, He will make His wisdom known in the hidden part.
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Read: Ezekiel 37; Ezekiel 37:1-10
Son of man, can these bones live? - Ezekiel 37:3

TODAY IN THE WORD
Several well-known African-American spirituals are sung about the book of Ezekiel. "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel," for example, celebrates his vision in chapter 1. "Dry Bones" responds to his vision in today's reading by reimagining those bones coming to life: "The toe bone connected with the foot bone, the foot bone connected with the ankle bone, the ankle bone connected with the leg bone . . . They gonna walk around, dry bones, Rise and hear the word of the Lord!" The hope of resurrection and new life permeates all the various versions of this classic spiritual.
Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones is probably the most famous chapter in the book. The bones symbolized Israel's hopeless condition (vv. 11-14). They weren't just losing big or hoping for a miracle comeback. They were dead as dead can be!

But God brought life to this desolate scene. Before Ezekiel's eyes, the bones began to rattle, tendons and flesh and skin appeared to bind everything together, the breath of life was breathed into them, and they stood up on their own two feet (vv. 1-10). Israel had lost everything-the promised land, their capital city, and their beloved temple. Yet God would bring the nation back from the dead, so to speak, and restore the people to a covenant relationship with Him.

The second part of the chapter is a second prophecy with the same meaning (vv. 15-28). Ezekiel took two sticks representing Israel and Judah and made them into one stick to show that the divided kingdom would be reunited and the exiled people brought home. The restored nation would be ruled by a king from the line of David who would lead them in the ways of genuine worship and holiness. This prophecy of the Messiah anticipated Christ's first (to us, past) and second (future) advents. He has established an everlasting "covenant of peace": "My dwelling place will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people" (vv. 26-27; cf. 1 Thess. 5:23).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Unbelievers are in the same hopeless condition as Israel (Eph. 2:1-5). They're spiritually dead as dead can be! But just as the dry bones came to life through God's mighty power, so too can dead people become spiritually alive through Christ's resurrection power. One of the purposes of our redemption is for us to bear witness to this truth! Just as Ezekiel was called to be a prophet and "watchman" to Israel, so also are we called to speak and live the gospel of Christ to the world.

GOD BLESS!

[Judy Harder]

June 25,  2010

Daily Devotionals By Oswald Chambers

Receiving Yourself in the Fires of Sorrow
. . . what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 'Father, glorify Your name' -John 12:27-28

As a saint of God, my attitude toward sorrow and difficulty should not be to ask that they be prevented, but to ask that God protect me so that I may remain what He created me to be, in spite of all my fires of sorrow. Our Lord received Himself, accepting His position and realizing His purpose, in the midst of the fire of sorrow. He was saved not from the hour, but out of the hour.

We say that there ought to be no sorrow, but there is sorrow, and we have to accept and receive ourselves in its fires. If we try to evade sorrow, refusing to deal with it, we are foolish. Sorrow is one of the biggest facts in life, and there is no use in saying it should not be. Sin, sorrow, and suffering are, and it is not for us to say that God has made a mistake in allowing them.

Sorrow removes a great deal of a person's shallowness, but it does not always make that person better. Suffering either gives me to myself or it destroys me. You cannot find or receive yourself through success, because you lose your head over pride. And you cannot receive yourself through the monotony of your daily life, because you give in to complaining. The only way to find yourself is in the fires of sorrow. Why it should be this way is immaterial. The fact is that it is true in the Scriptures and in human experience. You can always recognize who has been through the fires of sorrow and received himself, and you know that you can go to him in your moment of trouble and find that he has plenty of time for you. But if a person has not been through the fires of sorrow, he is apt to be contemptuous, having no respect or time for you, only turning you away. If you will receive yourself in the fires of sorrow, God will make you nourishment for other people.
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The Requirement for Receiving God's Wisdom

In yesterday's devotional, we talked about how, when you ask for God's wisdom, He reveals it in your spirit...that hidden place.  But there is a critical requirement for God to reveal that wisdom to you.  You have to ask for it in faith.

James 1:6-8 tells us,

But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

You can't vacillate between two opinions.  If you don't anchor yourself on God's promise that He will give you His wisdom, you will be blown about by the opinions of others, by your feelings, by the way the circumstances look, and you won't receive anything from God.

Not too long ago I went with some friends in a small boat to Catalina (an island 26 miles off the coast of Southern California).  Just as we were arriving at about eight in the evening, the engine seized. We paddled in to a depth where we could drop the anchor.

After calling Vessel Assist, a storm came up and the wind began to blow and the rain began to fall.  We had to wait a couple of hours before help arrived.

You know what?  If we hadn't dropped anchor, the wind would have blown us somewhere out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

My friend, you have to drop your anchor.  You have to ask in faith.  You can't vacillate.  You can't be double-minded if you are going to receive the wisdom of God.
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Read: Ezekiel 38-39; Ezekiel 39:21-29
I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. - Ezekiel 38:23

TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1950, the U.S. men's national soccer team earned one of the greatest upsets in sports history. A group of amateurs including a schoolteacher, a mail carrier, and a hearse driver traveled to Brazil for the World Cup. In an early-round game against powerhouse England, they pulled off an unbelievable 1-0 victory. It was so unbelievable that some newspapers thought the telegraph report must be a typo and that England had actually won 10-1. Others suspected a hoax and did not immediately report the score. The team's story, recently told in a book and movie titled The Game of Their Lives, is gaining renewed attention because the United States is again scheduled to play England in this summer's World Cup.
While at times it might appear that God's enemies are unbeatable, His triumph at the end of history is assured. In yesterday's and today's readings, Ezekiel's words of comfort for the Jewish exiles slide forward from a homecoming in 70 years to the advent of the Messiah to the end times period known as the Millennium. Not everyone will welcome the kingdom of God-chapters 38 and 39 recount a future battle in which the nations attempt to overturn or destroy it. Their leader is "Gog," who may be an individual king or who may represent an allied group of nations deceived by Satan. As happens in Revelation 20:7-10, these nations wield fearsome military power, but against God they stand no chance and are destroyed by fire from heaven. Their evil plans are overwhelmed by His sovereign plan.

The word of comfort here is that from beginning to end God is in control. His enemies think they are fighting a battle, but the fact is that He is leading and driving them as one leads or drives a horse or an ox (38:4; 39:2). Their crushing defeat is certain, to the point where the prophet issued a mock invitation for animals to come to a "feast" after the battle (39:4, 17-20). The name of the Lord will be honored and His glory will be proclaimed (38:23; 39:7, 21-29).
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Every day, we are engaged in spiritual warfare with an enemy who "prowls around like a roaring lion" (1 Peter 5:. And while Christ has already won the victory (1 Cor. 15:57-58), He has also given us the daily responsibility of putting on "the full armor of God so that [we] can take [our] stand against the devil's schemes" (Eph. 6:10-18). Be encouraged that the Lord will be with you today as you stand firm in His mighty power (2 Cor. 1:21-22)!

GOD BLESS!