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Devotional of the Week
What is the true meaning of Christmas?
Every year, around the world, people celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day, 25 December. It's a day – and season – filled with Christmas carols, tree decorating, gift-giving and parties. And, among all the celebrations, you may be wondering: what is the real meaning of Christmas? Or, why do we have these Christmas traditions? What do they have to do with Jesus?
The Christmas story in the Bible
Around Christmas time, angels feature prominently. They adorn treetops and Christmas cards, and have starring roles in Christmas carols and plays. That’s because angels were God’s messengers to share the good news of Jesus’ birth to Mary, Joseph and the shepherds.
In a display of the importance of women, the angel Gabriel first appeared to a young woman called Mary. He told her that she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus - that is, she would give birth to the Son of God.
“Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favour with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus,” the angel said (Luke chapter 1: verse 30-31, NIV Bible).
Mary had every reason to be afraid. She was unmarried but engaged to Joseph. To be pregnant out of wedlock would have been scandalous. But the angel assured Mary of God’s love for her and his good plans for her. Mary acknowledged this and was grateful for the blessing of being the mother of Jesus. She sang, “all generations will call me blessed” (Luke chapter 1: verse 48, NIV Bible).
It is doubtful all her family and friends believed her story, but thankfully Joseph did, as an angel visited him, too. Even through all the challenges and difficult situations she would have faced from that moment on, Mary held onto the promises of God.
God also assures us that he is always working to bring good out of all that happens in our lives. Life is full of stress, anxiety, worries and struggles but God says he will never leave us or waver from his love for us. And while his love is for everyone, God waits for us to ask him to help us in our troubles.
“This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world … And so we know and rely on the love God has for us” (1 John chapter 4: verses 9 and 16, NIV Bible).
The meaning of Christmas is good news for all people
When the time came for Mary to give birth to Jesus, she had to travel to Bethlehem for a census. The census meant the town was very busy and there were no guest rooms available for Mary and Joseph. So, she gave birth in what was probably a stable or barn, and lay Jesus down in a manger (an animal feeding trough).
There was no royal welcome in a palace for Jesus, the Son of God. Instead, on the night of his birth, he was sleeping rough. He was probably surrounded by animals – not royal attendants. As he grew, Jesus experienced persecution, loneliness, grief, hunger, anger and more. He came into the world to experience life as a human. To live among people and understand their struggles.
Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew chapter 1: verse 23, NIV Bible), is another name for Jesus. His birth and life is a message of good news for us because it means we are never alone. It doesn’t matter how hard or hopeless our situation may appear to be, God is there for us. We don’t have to journey through our challenges and struggles alone. He understands them. He walks them alongside us.
Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew chapter 1: verse 23, NIV Bible), is another name for Jesus.
His birth and life is a message of good news for us because it means we are never alone. It doesn’t matter how hard or hopeless our situation may appear to be, God is there for us. We don’t have to journey through our challenges and struggles alone. He understands them. He walks them alongside us.
It is this message that gives us comfort and great joy to celebrate at Christmas. As the angel said to a group of shepherds on the night Jesus was born, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (Luke chapter 2: verse 10, NIV Bible). It is one of the most well-known Bible verses about Christmas because it is such an encouraging message. It is one of joy – because Jesus comforts and encourages us. One of hope – because we are never alone; God is always with us. And one of inclusivity – because it is for all of us.
Why do we celebrate Christmas?
Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ is more than a Christian holiday or Christian festival. It is more than an occasion to decorate our houses.
It is an opportunity to pause and give thanks for the love, hope and joy found in Jesus – our Saviour and friend. As we exchange gifts with loved ones, it is out of remembrance of the gift God gave us in Jesus. The gift that we are loved, are never alone and can have hope for the future.
After Jesus was born, a small group of wise men visited him. They recognised the kingship of Jesus and they “worshipped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).
You, too, can offer up your worship and thanks to God through prayers this Christmas. Prayers of thanksgiving for the gift of hope, love and joy.
Your Christmas this year might look different to previous years. It may not match up to the commercial images you see or hopes you have. But the Salvos want you to know that the true meaning of Christmas doesn’t depend on the number of gifts under a tree or the type of food on your table. The message of Christmas doesn’t change if you are surrounded by family, missing loved ones for the first time or on your own. It is not affected by the house you live in – or don’t live in.
God’s love is for everyone. You are not alone. You are loved, and you can feel hopeful and joyful. That is the true meaning of Christmas.
Be Prepared
Read Zechariah 9:1–14:21
1Watch, for the day of the Lord is coming when your possessions will be plundered right in front of you! 2I will gather all the nations to fight against Jerusalem. The city will be taken, the houses looted, and the women raped. Half the population will be taken into captivity, and the rest will be left among the ruins of the city. 3Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past. 4On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem. And the Mount of Olives will splitapart, making a wide valley running from east to west. Half the mountain will move toward the north and half toward the south. 5You will flee through this valley, for it will reach across to Azal. . . .Then the Lord my God will come, and all his holy ones with him.
Zechariah 14:1-5
What would you do if you went to work and your boss announced to you, “Clean out your desk. This is your last day.” Would you be ready? Would your family be ready? Would you know what to do?
“Be prepared” is the theme of this passage. This portion of Zechariah contains many prophecies about the Messiah, some of which were fulfilled when Jesus Christ came and paid the penalty for sin. But God’s people still await the fulfillment of the remaining prophecies—when Jesus comes back to take them to heaven with him. As you read, hear Zechariah’s strong message: “Be ready.”
Zechariah predicted the Triumphal Entry of Jesus riding into Jerusalem (see Matthew 21:1-11) more than five hundred years before it happened (Zechariah 9:9). Other portions of Zechariah’s prophesies about Christ, such as the coming day of the Lord (14:1-9), have not yet been fulfilled. Jesus told his disciples that he would return (see Matthew 25:31). Meanwhile, he wants his followers to “watch” for his coming (a command often paired with prophecies about his return, as here in Zechariah 14:1).
We often make two mistakes with regard to the return of Christ: (1) we ignore it, or (2) we presume to know the date. We don’t know when Christ will return, so we shouldn’t pretend that we do. But we do know that he will come back, and God wants us to be ready at all times.
If Christ were to come back today, would you be ready? If not, you can get ready by living according to God’s Word consistently. Spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, live a morally pure life, and spend time with God on a regular basis. Be prepared by living each day in anticipation of his return.
Learning Not to Worry
If Jesus can live a lifetime without worry, you can too! It’s important to note the difference between worry and concern. Jesus was concerned with those around him. When he was speaking to the crowd of 5,000, he told his disciples he was concerned with the fact that the people had not eaten all day. He was concerned about the long walk home they would make in the hot sun without nourishment for their physical being. But he wasn’t worried about it. What’s the difference? He knew who was in charge.
Jesus also wants you to be concerned with those around you. When you see a need, he wants you to be concerned enough to get involved. But he doesn’t want you to worry about it. While concern leads to action, worry doesn’t bring about anything positive. How can you avoid worry?
Remember who’s in charge! Jesus never forgot that his heavenly Father could do anything. People are the creation of God Almighty. Jesus knew his role was to make the gospel known to people, to explain forgiveness for sins, and to sacrifice his life for sinners. But he knew their reaction was not his responsibility, and he refused to bear responsibility that wasn’t his. He left it in the hands of his Father.
Yes, Jesus sweat great drops of blood, he endured tremendous torture, he was misunderstood, he faced incredible temptations, and he walked with massive burdens. But he refused to forget who was in charge. Jesus never said, “Ah, just forget it. Someway, somehow, everything will work out.” He did teach us to take our worries and place them in the lap of God . . . and leave them there!
God is in control! Even with war, famine, disease, and terrorism, God still rules. The person who can learn to rest in that knowledge is the one who will experience freedom from worry and learn to live life abundantly!
Know It!
God won’t take you out of the world to give you freedom from worry. He wants to help you experience his peace in the midst of a troubled world.
Read It!
Joshua 1:6-9; Psalm 34:4; Isaiah 35:4; 1 John 4:18
Pray It!
Ask God to help you remember that he’s in control.
Ano ang kahulugan ng pagpapa-kasakit ni Hesus?
Sapagkat kamatayan ang kabayaran ng kasalanan
Roma 6:23
Simple at Makapangyarihan: Ano ang kahulugan ng pagpapa-kasakit ni Hesus?
Dumating si Hesus upang ipagka-loob Niya ang sarili upang matakasan ng lahat ng tao ang kasalanan at muling magkaroon ng kaugnayan sa Diyos. Ang plano ng kaligtasan ay napaihayag sa pasimula pa lamang ng kasayasayan ng sangkatauhan. Ito ay ipinakita ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ng handog ni Abraham na tumutukoy sa Bundok ng Moriah kung saan si Hesus ay ipagkaka-loob bilang isang haing-handog. Ang haing-handog sa pagdiriwang ng Paskua ay tanda na tumutukoy sa araw at taon kung kailan ipagkaka-loob si Hesus bilang haing-handog.
Bakit ang sakripisyo ni Hesus ay mahalaga? Ito ay makabuluhang tanong. Ang Bibliya ay nagpapahayag ng Kautusan ng bangitin nito:
Sapagkat kamatayan ang kabayaran ng kasalanan …(Roma 6:23)
“Kamatayan” ang literal na kahulugan ay “pagkahiwalay.” Kapag ang ating kaluluwa ay humiwalay mula sa ating katawan tayo ay mamamatay sa ating pisikal na katawaan. Kahalintulad nito ay ating pagkahiwalay mula sa Diyos ay nagbunga ng ating kamatayan sa espirituwal. Ito ay naganap dahil ang Diyos ay Banal (walang bahid ng kasalanan) habang tayo ay naging makasalanan mula sa ating orihinal na kalagayan nang tayo ay unang likhain.
Ito ay maisalalarawan sa pamamagitan ng pag-gamit ng dalawang talampas kung saan ang Diyos ay nasa kabilang bahagi at tayo ay nasa kabilang tapat na pinaghihi-walay ng walang hanggang hukay. Tulad ng isang sanga na napahiwalay sa puno ay naging patay, gayun din naman tayo na napahiwalay mula sa Diyos at tayo ay nangamatay sa ating espirituwal na kalagayan.
Ang pagkahiwalay ay nagbubunga ng patuloy na pagkakasala at pagkatakot. Ano ang ating pangkaraniwang ginagawa upang makatawid tayo mula sa ating kinalalagyan tungo sa kabila bahagi ng bangin? Marami tayong sinusubok na gawin tulad ng; pagtungo sa simbahan, templo o kaya ay sa Moske, pagiging relihiyoso, pagiging mabuting tao, pagtulong sa mahihirap o nangangailangan, pagmumuni-muni, pagdarasal, at marami pang iba. Ang mga nabanggit na mga mabubuting gawa para maging makabuluhan ay napakahirap at para maisa-pamuhay ito ay napaka-mahirap.
Ang balakid sa ating mga pagsisikap, sa mga mabuting gawa bagama’t ang mga ito ay hindi masama, lahat ng mga ito ay hindi sapat sapagkat ang kabayaran ng ating mga kasalanan ay “kamatayan”. Ang lahat ng ating pagsisikap ay tulad ng isang “tulay” na sinusubukang pag-abutin ang dalawang talampas na pinaghi-hiwalay ng isang malaking bangin na syang naghihiwalay sa atin mula sa Diyos, subalit hindi nito mapagtagpo ang dalawang dako. Dahil ang ating mga mabuting gawa ay hindi nito nilulutas ang pinaka-ugat ng ating suliranin. Tulad ng pagsisikap na pagalingin ang isang may kanser (nagbubunga ng kamatayan) sa pamamagitan ng pagkain lang ng mga gulay. Ang pagkain ng gulay ay hindi masama, ito nga ay mabuti-subalit hindi nito pinagagaling ang sakit na kanser. Sapagkat ang kanser ay nangangailangan ng ibang uri ng paggamot.
Ang Kautusan ay Masamang Balita-ito ay masama na kadalasan ay ayaw nating marinig kaya’t ating pinupunan ang ating buhay ng mga gawain at ng mga bagay sa pag-asang ang Kautusan ay maglalaho. Subalit ang Bibliya ay nagsasaad na ang Kautusan ng kasalanan at kamatayan ay nagdadala sa atin upang hanapin ang tunay na lunas nito na isang simple at makapangyarihan.
Sapagkat kamatayan ang kabayaran ng kasalanan, ngunit… (Roma 6:23)
Ang payak na salitang “ngunit” ay nagsasaad na ang tinutungo ng mensahe ay ang pagbabago ng ating patutunguhan, tungo sa Mabuting Balita ng Ebanghelyo-na syang tanging lunas. Pinapakita nito ang kagandahang loob at pag-ibig ng Diyos.
Sapagkat kamatayan ang kabayaran ng kasalanan, ngunit ang walang bayad na kaloob ng Diyos ay buhay na walang hanggan sa pamamagitan ni Cristo-Jesus na ating Panginoon. (Roma 6:23)
Ang Mabuting Balita ng Ebanghelyo ay ang sakripisyo ng kamatayan ni Hesus na syang sapat na tulay na mag-aalis ng ating pagka-hiwalay mula sa Diyos. Alam natin ito sapagkat tatlong (3) araw pagkatapos mamatay, ay bumangon mula sa kamatayan ang Kanyang pisikal na katawan. Marami sa atin ay hindi nakaka-alam sa mga nagpapa-tunay ng Kanyang muling pagkabuhay. Ang matibay na pagpapa-tunay nito ay maaaring makita at mapanuod tulad ng aking itinuro sa isang unibersidad (video link dito). Ang sakripisyo ni Hesus ay sinisimbulo noon pa man ng maganap ang haing-handog ni Abraham at ng haing-handog ng Pagdiriwang ng Paskua. Ang mga gawaing yaon ay tumutukoy kay Hesus para ating makamtan ang tunay na lunas.
Si Hesus ay namuhay bilang isang tunay na tao na walang bahid ng kasalanan. Kaya’t Sya lamang ang pwedeng maging tulay na mag-uugnay sa Diyos at tao, Siya ang Tulay ng Buhay
Ito ang sakripisyo ni Hesus na ipinagkaloob niya sa atin. Ito ay ipinagkaloob bilang isang “regalo” . Isipin mo ang regalo. Ang anumang regalo ay magiging tunay na regalo kung ito ay isang bagay na hindi mo pinaghirapan at hindi mo natanggap dahil ikaw ay karapat-dapat.
Kung nakamit mo ang regalo dahil ikaw ay karapat-dapat, hindi na ito regalo – ito ay isang bayad. Sa parehong paraan, ang sakripisyo ni Hesus ay hindi mo natanggap dahil ikaw ay karapadapat. Bagkus, ito ay ipinagkaloob sa iyo bilang isang regalo. Ganun ito ka-simple.
At ano itong regalo? Ito ay “buhay na walang hanggan.” Ibig sabihin na ang kasalanan ng nagdala sa atin ng kamatayan ay pinawawalang bisa na. Si Hesus bilang Tulay ng Buhay ay nagdulot ng ating muling pakiki-ugnayan sa Diyos at tanggapin ang buhay na walang hanggan. Gayun na lang ang pag-ibig ng Diyos sa atin. Ganun ito maka-pangyarihan.
Paano tayo makaka-tawid sa “Tulay ng Buhay”? Muli, ating isipin yung regalo. Kapag mayroong isang tao na magbibigay sa iyo ng regalo, dapat mo itong “tanggapin.” Kapag ang isang regalo ay ipinagka-kaloob, tayo ay may dalawang kapasiyahan. Ang kapasiyahang hindi tatanggapin (“Salamat, subalit hindi ko matatanggap”) o kaya ang kapasiyahang tanggapin ito, (“Salamat, akin itong tinatanggap”). Magkagayun, ang regaling ito ay dapat tanggapin. Hindi lamang sa aking isipan na ito ay aking nauunawaan.
Paano natin matatanggap ang regalo ito? Ang sabi ng Bibliya ay…
Kaya’t walang pagkakaiba ang katayuan ng Judio at ng Hentil. Iisa ang Panginoon ng lahat at siya’y masaganang nagbibigay sa lahat ng tumatawag sa kanya. (Roma 10:12)
Ating pansinin na ang pangakong ito ay para sa “bawat isa.” Simula ng Siya ay nabuhay mula sa mga patay, si Hesus ay buhay magpa-hanggang ngayon at Siya ay Panginoon. Kaya’t kapag tumawag ka sa Kanya ikaw ay kanyang didinggin at ipagkaka-loob saiyo ang kanyang regalo. Tumawag ka sa Kanya at kausapin mo Siya. Maaring hindi mo pa nagagawa ito dati. Mayroong nakasulat na panalangin sa ibaba na magiging gabay mo. Hindi ito isang mahiwagang mga salita. ang bawat salita hindi nagbibigay ng kapangyarihan. Bagkus, tiwala lamang ang kailangan tulad ng pagtitiwala ni Abraham upang tanggapin natin ang regalo ng Diyos. Sa ating pagtitiwala at pananampalataya ay Kanyang didinggin ang ating panalangin.
The Fruit of the Spirit
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:22-26
This letter of Paul to the Galatians contrasts the fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. He lists sins of the flesh: fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, jealousies, drunkenness, etc. I don’t know about you, but all of these things are so prevalent today that few consider them sins. Just try to see a movie or watch a television show or listen to modern music without at least one of these sins of the flesh being not just illustrated but glorified. It would seem that more people than not live by the flesh, not by the Spirit. Somehow, I have a feeling that many of these consider themselves to be good Christians. I’m glad I’m not the judge. We can’t take pride in doing the right thing because we don’t know what we would do if we were tempted in the same way as others. All we can do is continue to ask God to help us be kind and faithful. It’s a daily struggle to walk by the Spirit and not give in to temptation. It can also be a struggle to not be a source of discord or jealousy by bragging about out possessions or prideful of our accomplishments. Instead, let us be grateful of the gifts we have been given and aware that it is only through grace that we can avoid giving in to the sins of the flesh.
Prayer
Lord, it can be easy to judge others by their behavior, but we know nothing of their struggles. keep us from pride and boastfulness, so that our behavior may not be a stumbling block in the way of faith. Amen
Unresolved Conflicts
starting a quarrel is like opening a floodgate, so stop before a dispute breaks out
Proverbs 17:14
Why is it so important to resolve conflicts? Because unresolved conflicts stand as barriers to a couple’s unity. Conflicts arise over those issues about which we have differences and where we both feel that our side is right. If we don’t find a way to meet in the middle, we become enemies instead of teammates, and life becomes a battlefield. The proverb above reminds us that starting a quarrel or an argument can often lead to places we didn’t mean to go. It’s always better to try to resolve things before they get heated. Few people like to fight. So if conflicts continue, sooner or later someone gives up and walks away.
How sad that thousands of relationships end because couples never learn to resolve conflicts. The first step is to get out of the “arguing mode” and get into the “understanding mode.” Stop trying to win an argument and start trying to understand each other.
Lord, you know the areas of conflict between me and the one I love. We need your grace to resolve these things without continual arguing and battling. Help me to seek first and foremost to understand my spouse.
Believing and Blessed
“You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
Luke 1:45
The emperor Constantine chose as a tutor for his son a learned man named Lactantius. Lactantius said this about the idea that the earth is not flat:
Is there any one so senseless as to believe that there are men whose footsteps are higher than their heads? or that the things which with us are in a recumbent position, with them hang in an inverted direction? that the crops and trees grow downwards? that the rains, and snow, and hail fall upwards to the earth? And does any one wonder that hanging gardens are mentioned among the seven wonders of the world, when philosophers make hanging fields, and seas, and cities, and mountains? The origin of this error must also be set forth by us.1
Clearly, geography was Lactantius’s weakest subject! That the earth was flat was an article of faith in those days, and it was a long time before some intrepid men believed otherwise. Those who did believe set sail, and they discovered the bounty of an undiscovered world. They believed and were blessed.
Zechariah had difficulty believing his aged wife would conceive, and he was struck with silence until the promised child was born. But when Mary was told that she, even though a virgin, would bear a son, her response was, “I am the Lord’s servant and I am willing to accept whatever he wants” (Luke 1:38). Mary’s faith was no doubt strengthened by the knowledge of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, and she went to visit her friend. In some remarkable way, Elizabeth’s baby in utero leaped for joy when he recognized the arrival of Mary and the significance of the baby she carried. Elizabeth said to Mary, “You are blessed, because you believed that the Lord would do what he said” (1:45). Mary, like the explorers of the new world, believed and was blessed.
Of course, there is a major difference between believing in a hunch and believing in God’s Word. And there is little similarity between believing a scientifically proven hypothesis and trusting a God-given promise. Yet that is what God calls his people to do. To the extent that we believe God, we experience the blessings of his promises.
The belief of the global circumnavigators required purchasing ships, fitting them out, recruiting a crew, and setting sail in a westerly direction with a view to arriving in the east! It was nothing short of lunacy to many of their friends and foes! But they were right. And they were blessed!
Men who wish to know the blessing of God need to believe what they profess to believe, trim their sails, and set out on a voyage of discovery. Should they feel a failure of nerve, the young woman of Nazareth may offer a role model!
A THANKFUL LIFE
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:17
• How many blessings do you think God sends your way every day? No need to be precise; you can just round to the nearest million.
• What keeps you from saying “thank you” to God as much as you should?
Every day is Thanksgiving for a Christian—at least, it should be. We certainly have more than enough to be thankful for. We don’t need to look far for God’s blessings in our lives. They’re all around us: a place to live, a loving family or someone to care for us, supportive friends, food to eat, clothes to wear, assorted talents and abilities, the security of knowing we’ll go to heaven when we die—just to name a few.
We have the material for a 365-day Thanksgiving celebration, but do we have the desire? After all, life gets busy. More important things come up. Right?
Actually, they don’t. If we’re serious about our relationship God, nothing is more important. We just need to rethink our schedules. How can we carve a little time out of every day to think about what God has done for us and tell him how much we appreciate it? One idea is to keep a running conversation. As good things come up, we can thank God for them. When we solve a problem or do well on a test, we can thank him for our reasoning skills. When we go to church, we can thank him for living in a place where we are free to worship him.
We can learn to appreciate every moment—and share our appreciation with the One who made it possible.
Christ Living in Me
I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. So I live my life in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me..
Galatians 3:20
Have you known the frustration of trying to put your selfish nature to death? It’s about as easy as putting out a fire with gasoline! In ourselves we cannot destroy the old ways any more than we can make ourselves righteous. And therein lies the key: only the living presence of the Holy Spirit in us can accomplish these things. Our lives in our earthly bodies must be captured by the revelation of God’s unconditional love for us, demonstrated in the life, sacrifice, and resurrection of Jesus. This love is not merely a future hope. It is a present reality—now! Just as light displaces darkness, Christ in us will displace what needs to die as we focus our attentions on him. He will use our circumstances to bring us to the point where we are teachable and ready to truly learn to put our trust in him. That is the time when we can begin to fight our selfish nature—through the power of Christ living in us.
OH, LORD, thank you for loving me and giving yourself for me. Thank you for your desire to live through me and enable me to live for you. May the truth of your Word give me the vision to trust you with all that I am so that all you are may dwell in me.
Feed on Christ, and then go and live your life, and it is Christ in you that lives your life, that helps the poor, that tells the truth, that fights the battle, and that wins the crown.
Confronting Evil
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we 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. 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.
Ephesians 6:11-13
Peace doesn’t come from pretending there’s no such thing as evil. Even though it can never destroy the soul of someone who belongs to God, evil can do plenty of damage in this world. Have you ever been somewhere and sensed the presence of evil? Charles Stanley tells of traveling with a group from his church to do mission work in Haiti. While there, he had an experience that frightened him.
He and others were watching a man perform a dance. “As he danced and whirled his machete in our direction,” Stanley says, “I suddenly felt a horrible presence of evil all around us. Momentarily, I was filled with fear for my physical safety and the safety of the people with me. My immediate response to this fear was anger, and out of that anger I began to pray and intercede for our safety.
“This fear,” he explains, “was rooted in the spirit realm. It was a fear I’ve come to recognize as a fear that any Christian should feel in the face of pure evil. Why do I say it is a good thing to feel fear of evil? Because that fear can and should drive you to pray, to trust God to deliver you from the power of evil, and to get as far away from evil as possible.”
Both fear and anger can be helpful emotions, especially if they motivate us to work against and pray against evil. At times, fear is like the gauge on a thermostat, registering the spiritual temperature around us.
Lord, help me not to be naive about the power of evil. Equip me with the belt of truth, the body armor of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
HONESTY
" For the Scriptures say, "If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies"
1 PETER 3:10-17
Lying can become a way of life. We may even have lied to ourself, pretending we don’t have any problems with lying. We may have learned to cover up our problems by becoming excellent liars. But when we choose to face reality, we will see the unhappiness caused by our lies and how they have hurt us and our loved ones. Only when we stop lying can God begin to bring blessing and change into our life.
Think about these verses: “Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!” (Psalm 34:12-13). “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.” (1 Peter 3:10). “Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him” (Colossians 3:9-10).
There are great benefits to honesty. What other virtue is accompanied by such promises? Telling the truth is vital to recovery. Since lying may be second nature to us, it may be difficult to change. Part of any successful recovery involves guarding our lips and our thoughts from lies that will hurt us and others. Since lying may have been a lifelong way of coping, we must accept that learning to tell the truth may involve hard work.
When Suffering Crushes Your Spirit
“The human spirit can endure a sick body, but who can bear a crushed spirit?”
PROVERBS 18:14
When Suffering Crushes Your Spirit Proverbs 18:14
How can we endure suffering? People in pain—whether physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual—have asked this question since the dawn of creation. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, both suffered, and they struggled with how to respond.
In the book of Proverbs, we find Israel’s king considering the role of the heart in suffering. When our hearts are sad and our spirits are broken, we lose the strength to endure: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength” (17:22). Extended times of suffering take a toll that is magnified if we are not intentionally seeking God in the midst of it.
Proverbs 4:23 cautions: “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” Solomon warns us that if we do not take precautions to protect and care for our hearts, it is to our own detriment.
How should we respond if we realize we’ve forsaken our first love and left our hearts vulnerable to Satan’s attack (Rev 2:4)? The psalmist cried out, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. . . . The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God” (Ps 51:10, 17). In the midst of our darkest hour when all brotherly comfort fails to touch the depth of our pain, Jesus stands with open arms as the ultimate expression of empathy and love—our model for suffering (Isa 53:3-4). Like the psalmist, we also can ask for God’s merciful touch and be sure he will answer our prayers.