Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a YouTube video of images and lyrics from Brian Littrell singing … I Surrender All … singing of how we can always be alert and strong in spiritual battle … to be in SURRENDER to our Savior.
Highlight Verse[s]: Ephesians 5:15-16 [NKJV] …
15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
… I’m running to my “Strong Tower” today!!
============
Highlight Context: Ephesians 5:15-19 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… God, thru Paul, exhorts Christians to remain alert and be wise in an evil and perverse world.
===========
Reference Passage #1 … 1st Corinthians 16:13 [NKJV] …
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
… We must ALWAYS be watchful and alert
Reference Passage #2 … Ephesians 6:10-18 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul paints a word picture of watchfulness and protection in our everyday warfare against the evil forces we face.
Reference Passage #3 … 1st Peter 5:8 [NKJV] …
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
… Peter also taught Christians to be wary and alert because of a spiritual enemy who continually stalks Christians to bring them down to worship him.
My Journal for Today: … Our Daily Bread author, Lawrence Darmani, in teaching about being alert and vigilant in spiritual warfare, used a personal story for illustration. He wrote: My desk sits close to a window that opens into our neighborhood. From that vantage point I’m privileged to watch birds perch on the trees nearby [see attached photo]. Some come to the window to eat insects trapped in the screen.
The birds check their immediate surroundings for any danger, listening attentively as they look about them. Only when they are satisfied that there is no danger do they settle down to feed. Even then, they pause every few seconds to scan the area.
And two of Jesus’ called ones, Paul and Peter, repeatedly warned fellow Christians in their letters to be wary and alert in our everyday - and it is EVERY DAY - battles. Can I get a witness of agreement that we are in a continual battle for our minds/hearts? Of course we are; and we face very powerful enemies, don’t we?
And I’m in total agreement with Peter who wrote (in 1Peter 5:8) that Satan stalks us, to do all he can to get us to worship him. And Paul wrote that we must be continually dressed for battle with God’s full armor and carrying a sharpened and practiced Spirit sword to fell the enemy as Jesus did in the wilderness (see Eph. 6:10-18 and Luke 4:1-13).
But the only way we can be alert, ready, and strong against our enemies is to be in surrender - COMPLETE surrender - to our Savior … as Brian Littrell sings in today’s song linked above. I will pray that we’re ready for battle today.
My Prayer Today: Heavenly Father, … May I, and all who read here, be in surrender to You, Lord, … to receive Your empowering grace to stand in battle today. … 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.
No comments:
Post a Comment