Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please once again take the time to take in a video of am anonymous praise chorus singing the great 19th century hymn Onward Christians Soldiers declaring the truth that all Christians are the army of God in battle everyday for His Glory.
Highlight Passage 2nd Timothy 2: 2-3 [NKJV] …
2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure[a] hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
… Paul’s exhortation to Timothy (and you and me) is for us to be faithful soldiers in God’s army.
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Highlight Context - 2nd Timothy 2: 1-10 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Strength for our service comes through our faithful obedience and God’s grace
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Reference Passage #1 - Luke 9: 23 [NKJV] …
13 And [Jesus] said to them all (His followers), … “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me. … “
… Faithful service to God requires faithful followership to our Commander-in-Chief, … Jesus!
Reference Passage #2 - Romans 12: 1-2 [NKJV] …
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
… Faithful service to God requires faithful surrender and “living sacrifice” to God’s will.
Reference Passage #3 - 1st Corinthians 10: 13 [NKJV] …
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
… “Temptation” is also translated “test, trial, trouble, or tribulation,” depending on the set of circumstances brought into our lives to allow us to stand strong in the faith.
Reference Passage #4 - Ephesians 6: 10-18 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK ...
… Standing faithfully in battle, wearing God’s full armor
My Journal for Today: Today’s Our Daily Bread author, Dennis Fisher, uses the exhortation of the Apostle Paul as he was mentoring his young protege, Timothy, telling him (and us) that Christian service requires a warfare mentality; and that our strength in spiritual warfare will only come when we are in surrender to God’s will and following His way (see the words of Jesus and all of the Pauline scriptures copied/linked above).
If I were to ask, “Are we in a spiritual battle 24/7?” … I would hope that I would have complete consensus of agreement from those reading here. Because WE ARE IN A BATTLE, as Christians; and as soldiers in God’s army, we need to heed His word and be in surrender to His will, and following Him at all times into battle. And ONLY when we are in surrender to HIS will and following HIS way, as laid out in HIS word, will we have the strength to be victorious in battle.
So, …. ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS today as the old hymn sings, as linked above.
My Prayer Today: Oh Lord, … we battle onward, following You as our Commander in Chief, … forever. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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