Friday, May 2

Gear Up!

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy . . .
Luke 10:19 KJV

Recommended Reading Matthew 7:24-25

Have you ever tried to picture what life would be like without the U. S. military? A few words come to mind: insecurity, vulnerability, fear. The fact is that we would not survive as a nation without our military men and women because no matter how sincere some leaders are in their efforts to deal peaceably with the enemy, there will always be another country ready to bring a fight to our front door. We cannot rid the world of enemies simply by avoiding them; we must have a defense in place.

The same is true of our Christian faith; we must be prepared for opposition from our enemy, Satan, because he is ready to wage war on us at any given moment, especially when God is really working in our lives. And just as our brave men and women in uniform are trained and ready to meet this country's opposition head on, we must spend time training in the Word, learning how to defend and protect ourselves against the wiles of the Devil.

It's like the Roman strategist, Flavius Vegetius, said, "Let him who desires peace prepare for war." So, put on the armor of God and gear up!

Carry the battle to them. Don't let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive . . .
Harry S. Truman

Samuel's Ear

Friday, April 4

The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.
Acts 16:14

Recommended Reading Acts 16:11-15

More than forty men wrote the Bible, all of them using human letters, syllables, and words. In one sense, then, we should read the Bible as we read other books, applying the same reasonable laws of interpretation. The sentences in the Bible are informational and logical, and even children can understand them.

But the Bible was also breathed out by God as its writers were borne along by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21). Behind the human authors was a divine Master Author, inspiring the words of Scripture and recording them infallibly as inerrant truth. That makes the Bible a one-of-a-kind volume, unequalled by any other book ever written.

Only with the Holy Spirit's illumination can we really appreciate its message for our own lives. We must pray as Samuel did, "Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening" (NIV). And we must always cultivate a tender, willing, open, receptive heart toward Jesus, loving His Word, our hearts burning within us as we daily study our Bibles.

O give me Samuel's ear, the open ear, O Lord, alive and quick to hear each whisper of Thy Word.
James D. Burns

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The Cushion of the Sea

Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10

Recommended Reading Matthew 11:28-30

A number of years ago, a submarine being tested had to be submerged for several hours. Upon returning to harbor, the captain was asked, "How did that terrible storm last night affect you?" Surprised, the captain exclaimed, "Storm? We didn't even know there was one!" Their submarine had been so far beneath the surface that it had reached what sailors refer to as "the cushion of the sea"—a depth in the ocean where the waters below are never stirred despite any commotion on the surface.

In our fast-paced world, it is a challenge to slow down and remember that God is in control. We are a society of "do-everything," "go-everywhere," "get-it-done" people who mistakenly believe we can handle everything if we just keep going. In reality, we need to become so submerged in God's peace that no matter what's happening in our lives, we are able to remain as calm as "the cushion of the sea."

If you feel overwhelmed, bogged down, or burnt out, add one more activity to your daily schedule: Spend time with Almighty God. It is the only way to reach the depth needed to find true calm in the midst of any storm.

In the name of Jesus Christ, who was never in a hurry, we pray, O God, that You will slow us down, for we know that we live too fast.
Peter Marshall

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