Though some don’t like to think of it, the Bible clearly states that the devil and his spirits are around trying to destroy us.

1 Peter 5:8-9 says “Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary, the devil, prowls around looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith.”

The devil is trying to separate us from our God; condemning us to damnation. He has many methods to deceive us and distract us to get us to sin. Then when we do sin, he tries to make us feel so much shame that we don’t believe we can be foregiven.

Resist. The devil is no match for us when we have God with us. Pray for protection. Accept the foregiveness and salvation of Jesus. Live in the peace and joy that can only come through faith in Jesus.

Dear Lord protect us from the evil ways of the devil, so that we may live our lives focused on serving your purposes. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

CS Lewis has a great novel the Screwtape Letters with his description of how the demons may work to tempt us. Get it here. (Link)

Romans 8:39 Paul says “nothing can separate us from the love of God which is Jesus Christ”. NIV

We do not give those we love everything they want, because we know some things would not be good for them, and sometimes we make them do things that are difficult and frustrating because ultimately those things are good for them. In the same way, God lets us struggle, and doesn’t always give us what we want when we want it, but we can know as Paul said, God is doing these things for our good.

You may be tempted to think, God doesn’t know that I am sitting in traffic, late for an important event, or that I got a flat tire, bombed a math test, argued with my spouse, etc, but you would be wrong to think that. Matthew 10:29-30 says that not a sparrow falls to the ground that is not Gods will, and he knows the number of hairs on your head. So remember even when things are not going well, God knows and He is not neglecting you.

Dear Lord, help us to be strong in the knowledge that with Your unlimited power you love us and are looking out for us. In Jesus name. Amen.

It is so uplifting to see people put their faith in God and overcome their afflictions, fears, challenges or use their faith to excel and do great things.

I can only imagine that this was how Jesus felt in the story of the Centurion in Matthew 8. Roman soldiers were not what people expected when thinking of followers of Jesus Christ, but Jesus showed how, no matter who one is, it is the faith that matters.

The soldier’s servant was paralyzed and suffering. When Jesus asked if the Centurion wanted Him to come and heal the servant. The Centurion said he knew all Jesus had to do was say so and his servant would be healed. Jesus, knowing the heart of the soldier, said in verse 10, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” and in verse 13, “Go, Let it be done just as you believed it would.” NIV

We don’t have to be great “church-people” to believe God can bring us out of miserable situations, overcome debilitating fears, oreven give us success in our endeavors. We need to have the faith in God’s power and ability to do anything.

Dear Lord, help us have the faith in you to know without a doubt that you can do anything. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

We know that we are saved by the grace of God, nothing we do or have done saves us. It is purely a gift.

In addition however, God is always watching us and everything we do is recorded. Proverbs 15:3 says, “The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.”

And Malachi the prophet wrote that God keeps a “Scroll of Remembrance,” tracking when we honor him. He will treat those that honor him differently. Malachi 3:16-18 says, “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with each other, and the Lord listened to what they said. In his presence, a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and always thought about the honor of his name. “They will be my people,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “On the day when I act in judgment, they will be my own special treasure. I will spare them as a father spares an obedient child. Then you will again see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”

Dear Lord, you provide us all we have, most importantly our salvation. We should honor and put you first in our hearts and minds always, but we do not. Give us strength to avoid the temptation to neglect our focus on you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

I have written in the past about Pride being the root of all sins, because sin is by definition self centered. For the same reason, Pride is also the cause of conflict in our lives with other people.

Proverbs 13:10 says, “Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.”

If you think about it, when we have conflict with another person, it is usually because we want something our way, and the other person has a different idea. The resistance to our self centered position causes the conflict. We may know our idea is better, based on experience, or we may be afraid of being being considered less intelligent if someone else’s idea is discussed, but most of the time being patient and listening before pushing our idea will be perceived as more intelligent and helpful. Proverbs 15:28 says, “The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking.”

The Proverb contrasts pride with taking advice. Taking advice requires putting our opinion aside and listening to someone else’s. When two people are open to listen to the other, conflict can be softened, making room collaboration, and solutions that work for both.

Dear Lord, it is so easy for us to push our own ideas and wants above other peoples, but help us remember that the wise are confident not out of selfish pride, but out of faith in you. Help us live with this type of confidence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.