LEARNING DAILY

 

Jeremiah 6:15, “Are they ashamed when they do these disgusting things? No, not at all – they don’t even blush!  Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered.  They will be humbled beneath my punishing anger,” says the Lord. (NLT)

 

The prophet Jeremiah is prophetically telling the people of Jerusalem that if they did not repent of their idolatry and sinful ways God was going to no longer withhold His anger.  Jeremiah told the city was going to be attacked from the north and the people were going to be taken captive because of the horrible things being done by the people.  Here is what Jeremiah said in chapter 4, verses 30-31, “An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so.  But what will you do in the end?” God was not happy and He was about to bring an end to what the people were doing by the siege and fall of Jerusalem. 

 

I am using some study notes on Jeremiah written by a former Head of Schools and friend Bill Smith.  Here is what he wrote about this. “Jeremiah’s words should have stuck terror in the hearts of those in Jerusalem. Instead, they fell on deaf ears.”  He later wrote, “A nation is doomed for destruction when its people no longer feel shame for their sin and when rebellious leaders prefer to satisfy people with words of false hope and assurance.” Those words were written in response to the verse above. 

 

Wow!  This could be written in response to what we are seeing in our nation and around the world today.  Remember all the promises made to solve all problems we have just the a few short months ago; think about where we are now.  Not all will agree with me, but think of those in leadership who desire the legalization of abortion, yet, pride themselves on their religious beliefs, for example.  Then go to God’s Word and understand what God says.  Consider what our leaders and our preachers today are saying that is in contrast to God’s Word.  Then tell me how we, today, are different from the people living in Jerusalem at the time when Jeremiah was prophesying! Then consider the people who “love to have it so”.  Like the people of Jeremiah’s time too many people have placed their faith in going to church where a feel-good message is preached but do not place their faith in God. Notes in the DJSB tell us that Jeremiah spoke to “the hypocrisy of God’s people in thinking they could be thoroughly pagan in every aspect of their lives and then pretend to come worthily into God’s house.  Bill Smith wrote, “All rituals and superficial acts of ‘righteousness’ are useless if our relationship with God is wrong.”

 

Am I wrong to think that this could be written of the society we live in today? If I am right, what do you and I do?  I have to begin with examining my own life.  There are certainly things I must confess to the Father in heaven, ask for His forgiveness, and stop doing them.  I am not alone, am I? It is time for God’s people, His Church to be His Church and stop being like the world! God told Jeremiah several times not to pray for these people because He would not hear him; it was too late for them.  That is a people who have gone far away from the narrow way to God’s kingdom.  May it never be said of us and the rest of God’s people.

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Matthew 7:24-25, “Therefore whoever hears these words of Mine, and does them, I will liken to a wise man who builds on the rock; and the rains descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house; and it did not fall, for it was built on the rock.”  Jesus

 

We know that Jesus was talking about building our lives of a strong foundation that would support us when all the difficulties of like came.  Difficulties come and the circumstances of life seems to challenge us daily. The foundation we need to build our lives on is the Lord Jesus Christ; anything else will be “like building our lives on sand and when the rains come, it falls apart” (Matthew 7:26-27). 

 

We are living in days when the foundations our country are being attacked and our country’s history being destroyed by those who desire to make America into something different than it is.  The Lord warned us of deception when He spoke about signs of the times and the end of the age (Matthew 24).  An article written by the Dr. James Kennedy Ministries was titled, “If We Lose our Foundations, We Lose Our Country”.  The article states, “We are really ignorant of our country’s history!  Because we are ignorant of our history and do not recognize what is happening, those who want to build our nation into a Marxist utopia are having great success.” It continues by stating, “As we lose our foundations, we are losing our nation.” This seems to be exactly what is happening today.

 

The events of the first Thanksgiving are being changed to fit the narrative of those who want to change history.  The same can be said for what is being taught today in our public school system, our voting system, and the purpose for government.  Those who control government are trying to legislate their agenda in order to maintain their authority and control over us.  The foundations of the Constitution seem to be in jeopardy and the never-ending desire for power means truth must be the first casualty.  The war over moral values has escalated, using anger, bitterness, looting, and riots to create an atmosphere of fear and plays on the emotions of people.  An agenda is being created to remove old agendas and political thought as if the new ideas will solve the injustices and racially charges emotions that exist.  The prevailing thought in this country is becoming the government can change hearts and take care of our problems.

 

This attempt is futile because government cannot change hearts! Only the Lord can do that.  Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” and He said knowing the truth would set you free.  Knowing Him as Savior and Lord is the foundation we must have and then all we do will be built on that foundation. He is the Rock that a wise man builds on and the only way those who do will stand the storms that are coming. Jesus wants His disciples (that’s you and me) to listen carefully to His words (read and study the Bible) and do everything we can to follow them.  By doing so, our hearts change and we walk the narrow way to His kingdom and eternal life.

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Psalm 33:1,4,5: Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. For the word of the Lord is right, and His work is done in truth. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.

 

In the last page of the blog, the thought was written that thankfulness comes when one trusts in God. That trust comes when one understands the sovereignty of the Lord in creation and in history (His-story). Trust is an interesting word.  It means to “believe in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength” of someone or something. Today to “trust” someone too quickly could lead to terrible consequences. For example, don’t open that email if you do not know the sender because it could give someone access to everything on your computer. Or how often do you hear about one paying for work before it was completed only to find the worker has skipped out on the work. 

 

It seems that people do not trust God easily because they think they can get along just fine by themselves. They only trust God when they are forced to. I read this thought: “If we can solve the problem ourselves, we don’t resort to prayer and trusting God, because we don’t need to trust Him. But its only when we come to the end of ourselves and cast our total dependance on the Lord that we begin to experience genuine praise and thanksgiving.” Do you relate to that?

 

Notice that Psalm 33 was written to the righteous, the upright. In other words, it is written to those who know the Lord as their Savior and are trying to please Him as they try to be obedient and walk on the narrow way to His eternal kingdom. But even the righteous need to be encouraged “rejoice in the Lord” and “give praises to the Lord” and “sing to Him a new song” (verse 2). Read all of Psalm 33 today.  God is exalted by the Psalmist because of His creative work, His counsel, because He does not need man’s help in anything and He works through those who fear Him and place their hope in His mercy.

 

Reread the verses above. Being thankful and being able to worship are found in our trust of the Lord. It comes when we realize that He does for you what you cannot do for yourself. I overflow with thanksgiving and praise when I realize I was in desperate need of a Savior, One who has never given up on me when I have given many reasons to do so.

 

Matthew Henry’s Commentary comments on verse 5 this way: “What a pity it is that this earth, which is so full of God’s goodness, should be empty of His praises, and that of the multitudes that live on His bounty there are so few that live to His glory.”  Let that not be said of His “righteous ones” this Thanksgiving season.  As I read this morning in my friend’s (D.C. Adkisson) devotional, everyday should be a day we give thanks for everything God provides for us. As we place ourselves in God’s hands, trusting Him for what each day brings, let the righteous rejoice! He is a good God, an awesome God who can be trusted in all things and then thanksgiving and praise will arise!

 

May each of you have a very blessed Thanksgiving!

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Psalm 9:1-2, I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. (NKJV)

 

All of us know that Thanksgiving is Thursday.  For many people it is a day to enjoy family and/or friends around a bountiful meal and an afternoon of relaxation. It is a day of celebration with thanksgiving due to a bountiful harvest.  It needs to include a time of personal reflection over the faithfulness of what the Lord has done for us over the past year. Take a moment to write down just ten things God has done for you – continue beyond ten if you want. Don’t forget to celebrate the victories you have seen in your life and the victories you have seen in the lives of others.

 

I am thankful for a new friend and the opportunity to pray with and rejoiced over how God brought victory to him and his family.  I am thankful for the healing brought to two of my friends in their fight with cancer.  I am thankful for the provision of God each day in both physical and spiritual needs. I am thankful for God’s Word and the opportunity to share it each day. I am thankful for victory over a month-long session with covid-19. I am thankful for family and friends.

 

The thanksgiving needs to be a daily part of our prayer life. Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God” (NKJV).  It is through prayer that we renew our trust in the Lord’s faithfulness as we give our anxieties, our cares, our needs to Him. Understand that we will never truly thank God until we learn to trust Him. How can we be grateful to God for all He has given us until we realize we are dependent upon Him for all we have?

 

Being thankful is not really a request!  A strong hot coffee is a reason for one of my friends brings a hearty thanks from him.  Another friend is thankful for another year of good reports about his victory over kidney cancer. Choosing to obey God about being thankful we are blessed in so many ways. Because we have a thankful heart, we look for ways to bless others.  I am not the best at volunteering but I tag along once in awhile when my wife does.  There are other ways to bless people.  A word of encouragement through a text or email to check on someone or just to let the person know you are thinking about them. Just to enjoy some time with another can bless him and you.

 

Too often we look only to give thanks for the big things that we see. The reality is there are so many little things each day that happen and we take them for granted.  Consider those little things when you make your list of things you are thankful for.  I will bet you will be amazed at what you take for granted. 

 

Do you get the idea today?  Be thankful for what you have and that the God of Creation loves you and is with you as you walk on the narrow way to His kingdom.

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Matthew 23:37, :O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!  How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a chicken gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.”  Jesus

 

The Lord often uses those people and those things closet to us to teach us the truth of His Word.  Perhaps you can think of a time the Lord used a circumstance in your life to bring a portion of Scripture to life for you. It is not really important to explain the circumstance that led to this verse and I do not want to use it out of context. For some reason, it seems the Lord wanted me to understand this verse. Maybe He wants one of you to understand it.

 

Jesus is weeping over Jerusalem because He sees the suffering of his people there.  They were living in a dangerous world; it was a world filled with sin, death, and not a lot of hope.  He wanted to share His love with them, comfort them, protect them, save them so badly.  But they did not recognize Him; they rejected Him.  And He wept for them.

 

The world you and I live in is still dangerous, full of sin, deception, and hope seems to be far away from many people.  There is famine, disease, wars and rumors of war, and we just have a difficult time knowing who is telling the truth and who isn’t.  When Jesus was on earth, He told us these things would happen.  He wanted so much for His people to recognize that He was the promised Messiah.  But they were stubborn and had hardened hearts. “His tears over Jerusalem’s stubbornness bear witness to the freedom of the human will to resist the grace and will of God” (LSSB).  People today continue to be stubborn and hard hearted over following Jesus on the narrow way.  The lure of sin seems to be stronger than the will to follow Him.  I believe He must still weep over being rejected.

 

Psalm 91 tells us how we take shelter under “His wings”.  Verse 1and 2 tells us, “to abide under the shadow of the Almighty” for “He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him will I trust”.  This psalm tells us that our security is in God.  This is because they commit themselves to the will and protection of the Lord and daily seek to walk on the narrow way that leads to His kingdom and eternal life. The more we commit to remaining in the shadow of the Almighty and making Him our place of security, the greater will be our peace and the greater will be our knowledge of His presence in our times of danger. 

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

James 5:17, Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, (NKJV)

 

1 Corinthians 10:11, All these events happened to them [Old Testament prophets] as examples to us.  They were written down to warn us, who live at the time when this age is drawing to a close. (NLT)

 

I have just finished reading and studying the book of Isaiah and am beginning to read and study the book of Jeremiah.  I have had to do so with the aid of study Bibles to understand the message written by these prophets of God.  I have always been fascinated with those God to bring His prophetic message to His people. What kind of men were they and why did God use them specifically? Were these prophets of God some sort of super beings that had a super power that we do not have? I do not believe so.  The Bible tells us they were just like us.

 

One of the interesting aspects of these men were their prayer life.  Read the verses in James that surround verse 17.  James is talking about the prayer life of righteous men; Elijah was the example James used.  “Elijah was a man who believed his prayers to God would accomplish much, even to the point of God’s intervention in the course of nature” (LSSB). James 5:16 shows the belief Elijah must have had, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (NKJV).  The prayers of the righteous draw them near to God and brings power as they walk the narrow way.  It is prayer that is effective because it gives insight into Christ’s provision for them, gives insight and clarity into God’s will for them, and brings them knowledge and wisdom (that Proverbs tells us to get) of Christ.  This type of prayer enables us to pray for the sick and those who need God’s healing.  It helps us to pray giving praise and thanksgiving to God for all things. 

 

Something else I have noticed about the Old Testament prophets is their knowledge of Scripture.  For example, Daniel knew from prophecy (written in Scripture) that the Jewish people would be in captivity for seventy years.  Near the end of that time he began to pray for what God was going to do with them. Ezra was another prophet who was diligent in searching the Scriptures; in doing so he was preparing his heart for the work He chose for him.  The study of Scripture produced the character that pleased God and because of that He used them to accomplish His purposes.  The diligent study of God’s Word continues to do that for each of us.

 

Perhaps we cannot relate to these prophets today regarding what they went through as they served God. But the warnings issued by these prophets continue to be a warning to us today!  God’s judgment on the disobedient Israelites is certainly a warning for us today to not chase after evil things.  If we repeat (or continue to repeat) the unfaithfulness that Israel lived, we are going to receive God’s judgment and fail to enter God’s kingdom.  The need to walk on the narrow way to God’s kingdom is so important; we cannot get distracted by the evil disguised! Israel thought they could play around with sin and idolatry and immorality without consequence. Those today who believe they can live securely without turning away from unrighteous conduct and worldly living should take notice of God’s warning through the prophets regarding His chosen people.

 

I am thankful that God is faithful in assuring Christians that no true Believer need to fall into sin because of temptation.  That’s a really important promise to take hold of as we live in these days!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 66:22=23, “For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord, “so shall your descendants and your name remain.  And it shall come to pass that from one New Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, all flesh shall come to worship before Me,” says the Lord.

 

No, I did not write Isaiah instead of Revelation!  When he wrote The Revelation, John saw that the earth and heavens had passed away and were replaced by new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).  The prophet Isaiah spoke about the new heavens and new earth which He will make remaining before Him.  John saw the New Jerusalem descend to the earth from above and to become the place where God would live with man forever.  Notice that we do not leave earth to live with God, heaven comes down to earth which has been made new – cleansed of all sin and unrighteousness.  The eventual home for God’s family will be on the new earth.

 

The earth was created by God; it was perfect for man.  It became imperfect when man sinned.  Even when it was defiled, the earth was still a place where man could live.  God had created earth as a place for man to live in communion with Him.  Before sin defiled the earth, there was no death.  Death was the result of sin.  The apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:23 that “the wages of sin is death”.  It is only because the Lord Jesus Christ took our place on the cross and because of His resurrection that those who believe in Him are restored to their original place of fellowship with Him.  There is coming a day when those who believe will be given a new body, a glorified body, suitable or appropriate, and free from imperfections to live on the new earth. 

 

In Romans 8:21, the apostle Paul writes, “because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”  Stop and consider that the earth and all of nature has been subjected to suffering and the physical catastrophes because of man’s sin.  Romans 8:22 continues, “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs until now.”  It is God’s purpose to redeem nature, the new earth will be that redemption.

 

The apostle Peter wrote in his second letter, “But the heavens and earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”  Peter is giving us a pretty good clue to how this present earth will some day be cleansed and made ready for God to inhabit it with His people.  Read a little further and you will see more detail about this coming day.  Talk about “building back better”!  Every time I see or hear that slogan, my mind is going back to what God is going to do and be reminded of my future! 

 

I really can only imagine what this new heaven and new earth will be like.  We are given some insight to heaven in The Revelation 21. You and I need to do all we can to stay on the narrow way that leads there.  In the verses from Isaiah above, we are told we worship God there.  That is encouragement enough for me.

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 66:1-2, Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is My throne, and the earth MY footstool.  Where is the house that you will build Me?  And where is the place of MY rest?  For all these things My hand has made.  And all those things exist,” says the Lord.  “But on this one will I look: on him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word.”

 

There is a lot going on in the last chapter of Isaiah.  To get the full understanding of his writing I would ask you to read the entire chapter.  I preface my writing today by saying I was greatly moved during the time I took to study this chapter as I had to do a lot of reflection about my life.  Perhaps you will be led to do so as well.

 

God is not impressed in the least with any building or structure that man has built for Him.  There is no temple or church building that can compare to the heavens He has created.  The Jews glorified in the temples they built almost to say, “look at what we built to worship in”. God is unimpressed nor is He impressed with the outward worship of those giving it in these man-made temples or churches.

 

If you continue reading Isaiah 66 you will read some very disturbing verses; these are the verses that made me stop and reflect.  The next verses deal with the outward worship given by people who live the rest of the week living in their own ways and not according to God’s Word.  Isaiah, who is speaking as God directs, basically says the person who lives this way is an abomination to Him.  In the next verses Isaiah describes the hypocrisy of this in pretty strong language. The person who sacrifices the bull kills a man.  One who burns incense does it as if doing so to an idol.  God is referring to those who have a great show of worship in the temple but have “chosen their own way and their soul delights in their abominations”. 

 

God sees our worship; He sees what we do and hears what we say or sing! He demands that what we do the rest of the week match our worship in church. He does not want routine or for us to be ceremonious in our worship of Him.  Romans 12:1 tells us to, “present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service (worship)”.  Our greatest desire should be to live lives of holy worship and devotion to God!  This requires us to separate ourselves from the pattern of world.  

 

I have had to spend time reflecting on the worship I have given God.  How can I sing His praises and lift my hands in surrender in church to only find myself doing the things He detests during the rest of the time I am not in church?  The JSESB states this: “This is very apparent in the modern church, so that religious services and ceremonies, which are very beautiful to man’s judgment and which appeal to his religious feeling, are declared by God to be abominable.  The reason?  Simply because the object of faith is something other than Christ and the cross, which God will not tolerate.”

 

Isaiah did tell us the person God delights in – those who are humble in spirit, who recognize their need, and seek God’s grace in order to follow His Word with all their heart.  God does not expect perfection in any of us; no one will be perfect until they enter heaven. Only Jesus Christ has been perfect.  It is not the outward show of worship you and I need to be concerned with.  He looks on each of our hearts to see if we are submitted to His will and is in awe of Him. Each day you and I should be looking forward to hearing from God by reading His Word and seeking to apply it to our lives. 

 

I apologize for the length of this today.  I am still working through this regarding the worship I offer and what I do the rest of the week.  It is difficult to face my failures; but I’m dealing with them with His help.  Take some time to examine yourself this week.

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Isaiah 57:15, The high and lofty one who inhabits eternity, the Holy One says this: “I live in that high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble.  I refresh the humble and give new courage to those with repentant hearts.”  (NLT)

 

God dwells in heaven; He is the “high and lofty one who inhabits eternity”.  He has always been and will always be!  His nature is holiness and righteousness. He knows our actions and our thoughts, present everywhere at the same time.  He is all-powerful and has ultimate authority over all things and creatures.  His existence is infinitely greater and higher than the creation He has made.  He is unchangeable – there is no change in His attributes, in His perfection, or His purpose for mankind. He is completely without sin and absolutely righteous.  God is good, love, merciful and gracious, compassionate, patient, truth, and faithful. (Paraphrased from an article in the Life in the Spirit Study Bible).  He is holy, the most-high and most exalted being in the universe and no one can be compared to Him nor even be mistaken for Him. 

 

God dwells in heaven, where His holiness and glory is found.  Notice who is there also.  He lives with those who have a “contrite and humble spirit”.  Permit me to define these two words using the notes from the LSSB.  Contrite refers to those who are brokenhearted, because of their own sinfulness or the enemy’s oppression and cry out to God for deliverance.  A humble spirit refers to those who are humble or bowed down by adversity.  In other words, a “contrite and humble spirit” is broken with a sense of sin and unworthiness.  Jesus would say it this way in Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”  God responds to the cry of people “contrite and humble spirit”, who mourn in order to revive them with His presence to “give them new courage because of their repentant heart”.

 

This is God speaking through the prophet Isaiah to His people the Jews.  He was telling them He would not always oppose them but would bring them through captivity and eventually back to Jerusalem to be their God for eternity.  He is also speaking to whosoever would believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior.  God’s promise is to respond to all who come to Him with a “contrite and humble spirit”.  It is always amazing to me that the God described above desires to respond to me, giving me the peace of His presence.  He does this when I acknowledge my sin and turn from it.  There may be consequences for the sin I commit but His promise is to forgive and not remain angry with me.  What a promise we have from Him.

 

When you and I sin, we must acknowledge it and desire to be back on the narrow way; it must be our desire to do all we can to please Him again. When we are repentant, we enjoy peace and fellowship with Him.  That is exactly where I want to be every day!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

2 Kings 6:16-17, So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.”  Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw.  And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

 

I just need to write once more on the warfare we face as Christians.  The verses above show what happened when the king of Syria was making war on Israel.  The king had sent this great army with horses and chariots to the city, Dothan, where the prophet Elisha was staying.  Elisha had sent plans the king of Syria had made against Israel to the king of Israel on several occasions.  When Elisha got up one morning, he found the city surrounded.  His servant was obviously concerned and asked what they were to do.  Verses 16-17 above were the reply of Elisha.

 

“Elisha understood the reality of powerful, unseen spiritual forces” (DJSB).  He had seen Elijah taken to heaven by horses and chariots of fire (2 Kings 2:11).  The DJSB continues, “ God’s spiritual army did not battle on behalf of the prophetic community just that once; it is at work for every believer in any age who takes on spiritual forces.”  This is why you and I need to put on God’s spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) every day.  Never forget that being a part of God’s family will mean we are going to be in a spiritual battle against the forces of evil.  We need not run; we stand.

 

Here is how we are able to stand when the enemy surrounds us.  It is important to understand there is an unseen spiritual realm that consists of angels who are active in the lives of God’s people.  These angels are ready to defend the Believer and God’s kingdom.  Think back to the temptations endured after John the Baptist baptized Him.  When the temptations were finished angels ministered to Jesus.  Angels are not to be worshipped.  They are created by God to worship Him and to be His servants.  I do not pray to them but I am aware they exist to help me as I do spiritual battle.  I do pray that God will open my spiritual eyes to see more clearly the spiritual reality of God’s kingdom.  That is what Elisha prayed for his servant.

 

Ephesians 6:12 tells us “The real battle in God’s Kingdom is not against flesh and blood; it is against rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places’” (LSSB).  The notes in LSSB continue saying, “Christians face a spiritual conflict with Satan and a host of evil spirits who energize the ungodly, oppose the will of God and frequently attack the believers of this age.” 

 

The question is how you and I react to this.  Each of us has gotten out of bed and known difficulties and challenges due to this thing called life.  We might even ask like Elisha’s servant, “Lord what do we do?”  The Father in heaven desires us to know that there is help when we fight spiritual battles.  We are never alone.  Elisha prayed that his servant would see the horses and chariots of fire that were there to fight for them.  Know that the Lord has promised to always be with us, never leaving us on our own to fight the wiles of the enemy!  That is a wonderful promise to hang on to!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Ephesians 6:11, Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (NKJV)

 

The day after Veteran’s Day is a good time to examine this verse as it applies to Christians.  Christians, you and me, are engaged in a daily conflict with evil.  This is a spiritual conflict the Bible describes as a warfare of faith.  It is warfare that begins the moment Jesus Christ is accepted as one’s Savior and Lord and continues until the life to come is entered into.  Fundamentally this means Satan is trying to do everything he can to get you off the road to eternal life in the kingdom Jesus has gone to prepare for you.

 

Satan is a schemer, a strategist who uses a variety of “wiles” in planning the downfall of Christians.  Some of these schemes are to “create division in the church, unbelief in the promises of God, discouragement, temptation to sin, unwillingness to forgive, compromise in what we know to be true, getting our eyes off Jesus, fear, accusation, indulging our sinful nature, spiritual apathy, and so forth” (LSSB).  Does anyone else recognize how the devil comes against you in this list?  What do we do against these schemes?  Paul is clear.  “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  The armor of God is described in Ephesians 6:14-18.  I include verse 18 because of how powerful prayer is in our walk on the narrow way!  Then, we stand!  We stand against the schemes of Satan.

 

We stand on the fact that our victory has been secured by Christ Himself through His death on the cross where Jesus waged war against Satan.  The Lord Jesus Christ defeated Satan, disarmed the evil powers and authorities, and redeemed you and me and all who would believe!  Now we are involved in spiritual warfare because Satan and his evil followers hate God and everyone and everything associated with Him.  We wage war by the power of the Holy Spirit against the unholy desires within us (the old self) and against every ungodly pleasure and temptation of every kind.  As Christians, we are called to separate ourselves from the world.  In John 17:14, Jesus prayed for His followers to not be of the world even though they lived in the world.

 

There is war going on in the spiritual realm for every Christian person.  We must be soldiers for Christ waging war by using spiritual weapons.  It is not conducted in our own power or strength but with spiritual weapons.  That might mean we endure hardships like soldiers in war do.  We fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12).  We persevere and we conquer (Romans 8:37) for we do not fear the opponent of our soul (Philippians 1:28).  Nope!  We put on God’s armor and stand!

 

As we recognize veterans this week and are thankful for what they have done to keep our country free, it is good to remember those Believers who have put on the armor of God and stood against the schemes of the enemy.  May each of us encourage others to stand strong in their faith, with their armor on as they walk the narrow way to eternal life!

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB

 

LEARNING DAILY

 

Ephesians 6:11, Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (NKJV)

 

Ronald Reagan once said, “If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”  Today we honor those men and women who served and protected our nation.  I am thankful and proud of those in my family and so many of my friends who have served in our nation’s military.  The various wars and military engagements our military have been involved with proves that “Freedom is not Free”.

 

Freedom is one of those terms or beliefs that people have made into something it is not.  For example, freedom is not a right to do whatever a person wants to do.  Men and women did not defend our country so that people could go into someone’s store and take whatever they want without paying for it.  One’s freedom ends when he/she intrudes on the freedom of someone else.  Therefore, freedom is a privilege not a right that each of us has.  Each of should enjoy the freedom God has given us by not taking advantage of it.  I knew of a successful basketball coach who studied the rules for the game so we much because he wanted to be able to use them to his advantage.  That’s not cool!

 

The freedom that men and women fought for over the years is very important to remember.  We must not allow those who lead this country take it away from us.  Think of what is being done by U.S. leadership that is taking our freedom away; is this something the people really want?  Even in this, the freedom we have is not to be based on the circumstances we face.  The apostle Paul spent much of his life in prison; he wrote much of the New Testament from there.  John wrote The Revelation from the island of Patmos as a prisoner there.  As a Christian, our freedom comes from Christ alone.  He has set us free from the bondage of sin and death.

 

One other consideration about this freedom we have.  It does not guarantee happiness.  Too many have the idea they are entitled to happiness.  I was always amazed when teaching economics that students had no concept about money.  When discussing budgeting, each student seemed to think they would start life after graduation in a better financial situation that their parents.  Entitled means one believes he/she is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.  Think about what we are seeing today.  Are those who enter the country illegally really entitled to the amount of money our government is considering giving to them?  Does anyone see a problem with this type of entitlement?  Even spiritually speaking we are not guaranteed happiness or an easy life.  We are guaranteed however that the Lord will be with us in every circumstance filling us with His peace and the joy of His presence.

 

I close with a saying I saw at store the other day.  “Stand for the flag; kneel for the cross”.  It seems we have gotten that backwards!  Thank you to my friends who are veterans.  You are greatly appreciated, my friends!  To all my brothers and sisters in Christ, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”  I’ll discuss this in the next page of the blog.