Tag: <span>lord</span>

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.Ephesians 6:12-13

Thoughts on today’s verse:

How often do you forget that we are in a spiritual war? Our enemy is deceptively cunning – take away the immediacy of a threat and the danger appears gone. But he’s there, always. But rather than try to guess his plans and counter all of his moves, Paul reminds us to simply take up the tools God has given us and stand up to the evil one.

Prayer:

Lord of Hosts, my Great Deliverer, protect me from the evil one by your great power. Give me a sense of urgency as I face Satan and his schemes on a daily basis, but also give me confidence that Jesus has already defeated my foe. Help me to stand against this foe and show myself faithful to you. Through Jesus my Lord and Savior I pray. Amen.

By Phil Ware
used with permission.
You can also follow Phil’s daily devotionals on http://www.verseoftheday.com

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Further Reading

•   Airforce Pilot at a Crossroad

•   Bloom Where you are Planted

•  Salvation Explained


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Thoughts by Men thoughts by Phil Ware


Did you have a treasure box growing up?

I did.  In my treasure box (I actually still have the box) I had a very old dollar coin that my Mom had given to me, some chap stick  (I pretended that it was lipstick, since I couldn’t wear any yet), and various other items that you would’ve considered junk but to me were valued possessions.

In Luke 2:19 (NLV) we get the idea that Mary had a treasure box of sorts, only her treasures were memories of Jesus and how his life intersected with hers.  Look at what it says,

“. . . But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.

What were those things she stored in her “treasure box”?  Could it have been the time when the Angel came to tell her that she would bear a child even though she was a virgin?  Or what about when she visited with Elizabeth who was old, wrinkled and very pregnant?  Did she treasure watching God’s miracle growing within her.

Did she hold tightly to the feeling of having the baby move inside of her?  Was one of her treasured memories when she laid her precious baby in the manger, as she counted his fingers and toes?  Or what about the surprising visit from a group of homeless shepherds or the royal wise men who had traveled so far from a distant country to visit her son and give him precious gifts?

And as Jesus grew older, I wonder if she included in her box the time when they had to go back to Jerusalem to find Jesus.   Did she have in her box their surprise at finding him teaching the leaders of that day in the synagogue?  And what about the time when He changed the water at the wedding into wine?

I think Mary continued to store up memories of God’s amazing work and power in their lives.  And I can’t help but wonder that if in the years to come, this treasure box of memories was a comfort and joy to her as her life began to turn upside down as she watched her Son become hated and hunted by the Jewish community.

I wonder when she was discouraged or confused, if she would “pull them out” and be reminded that God was in control. Did she seek consolation in those memories, that God had a plan and He was working it out, even though she didn’t comprehend it?

Have you ever created a treasure box of answered prayers? 

Have you ever taken time to reflect on God’s work in your life? 

I hope that you will take time this Christmas season to reflect on God’s goodness to you and I encourage you to continue to mark those times in your life when you have seen Him and ponder often on them, just as Mary did.

By Kristi Huseby
Used by Permission

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thoughts by Kristi Huseby Thoughts by Women