Now Is Not the Time to Sleep

BIBLE MEDITATION

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

We are in a great spiritual struggle. Right now we see colossal forces colliding, and this is no time to be asleep.

Dr. James Dobson shared this true story about a missionary in the jungle. One day the missionary entered his hut, and a gigantic snake, one of those that can swallow a whole pig, was inside. He went out to his truck and got his revolver. He only had one shell. He went in and carefully aimed at the head of that monstrous snake and pulled the trigger. The snake was mortally wounded, but he didn’t die right away. He began to writhe and thrash around, his tail going this way and that. He literally tore up everything in that hut as he was dying.

I want to tell you something: Jesus at Calvary put a bullet right in Satan’s head. And what we’re seeing now are the death throes of one who has been mortally wounded by the cross of Jesus Christ.

Friend, we’re in a battle. But it’s not that we’re going to win; we already have won. That old serpent can twist and writhe but thank God, we’re on the winning team. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). “In heaven” means “in the heavenlies” where the battle is. He has unlimited authority in every realm and over principalities and powers and demons.

ACTION POINT

Understand this: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). We’re up against demonized, mobilized, powers of hell. Understand your enemy. Exercise your spiritual authority.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

What the Resurrection Means for Us

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)

What does it mean to “believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead”? Satan believes that God raised Jesus from the dead. He saw it happen. To answer this question, we need to ponder what the resurrection means for God’s people.

The meaning of the resurrection is that God is for us. He aims to close ranks with us. He aims to overcome all our sense of abandonment and alienation.

The resurrection of Jesus is God’s declaration to Israel and to the world that we cannot work our way to glory, but that he intends to do the impossible to get us there.

The resurrection is the promise of God that all who trust Jesus will be the beneficiaries of God’s power to lead us in paths of righteousness and through the valley of death.

Therefore, believing in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead is much more than accepting a fact. It means being confident that God is for you, that he has closed ranks with you, that he is transforming your life, and that he will save you for eternal joy.

Believing in the resurrection means trusting in all the promises of life and hope and righteousness for which it stands.

It means being so confident of God’s power and love that no fear of worldly loss or greed for worldly gain will lure us to disobey his will.

That’s the difference between Satan and the saints. Oh, might God circumcise our hearts to love him (Deuteronomy 30:6) and to rest in the resurrection of his Son.

John Piper 

Knowledge of the Truth

14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. - 2 Chronicles 7:14-15

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.  - Hosea 14:9

15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,

16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? - 2 Corinthians 2:15-16

12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,

13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it - 2 Timothy 3:12-14

10 as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 

11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 

12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." 

13 "Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." 

14 "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." 

15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood; 

16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 

17 and the way of peace they have not known." 

18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."  - Romans 3:10-18

7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.

8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.

9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting,

11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works. - 2 John 1:7-11

What I'm seeing today in this world are people of so called renown speaking bold faced lies! What is more disturbing than the lies is the fact they are fully aware they are misleading people. They have no shame! They open their mouths and spew unfounded hatred against everything that is right and good. Please people wake up! They are trying to send you down a road of slavery! They are for self, want to control your every thought, movement, and generally stifle free speech. God has given us a mind for discernment, wisdom to savor words and follow hidden meaning. We must pray for knowledge, asking Almighty God to give us clear and precise wisdom. Our very existence in a free society is at risk. Fall before the Lord, ask for mercy, wisdom, discernment and forgiveness for our land and the sin that has taken over.

Sin is not a mistake!

Sin is not an illness! 

It is a rebellion against God.

The cure is the blood of Christ covering it.

God's only acceptable payment is faith in Christ and His ability to give salvation.

Yes even though you will sometimes fail, repent! Keep your unshakable soul filled with the reasoning that it's Christ alone!

Study the Word!!

Pray!!

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." - John 8:31-32

34 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.

35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.

36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. - John 8:34-36

22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 6:22-23

August 19

1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.

2 And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.

3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature.

4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today."

6 So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully.

7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."

8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold."

9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.

10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." - Luke 19:1-10

10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.

11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

12 One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons."

13 This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith,

14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.

15 To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled.

16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. - Titus 1:10-16

19 The evil bow down before the good, the wicked at the gates of the righteous. 

20 The poor is disliked even by his neighbor, but the rich has many friends. 

21 Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor. 

22 Do they not go astray who devise evil? Those who devise good meet steadfast love and faithfulness. 

23 In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty. 

24 The crown of the wise is their wealth, but the folly of fools brings folly. 

25 A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful. 

26 In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. 

27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. 

28 In a multitude of people is the glory of a king, but without people a prince is ruined. 

29 Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. 

30 A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot. 

31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. 

32 The wicked is overthrown through his evildoing, but the righteous finds refuge in his death. 

33 Wisdom rests in the heart of a man of understanding, but it makes itself known even in the midst of fools. 

34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. 

35 A servant who deals wisely has the king's favor, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.  - Proverbs 14:19-35

1 On that day they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people. And in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God,

2 for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them-yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.

3 As soon as the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

4 Now before this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah,

5 prepared for Tobiah a large chamber where they had previously put the grain offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.

6 While this was taking place, I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I went to the king. And after some time I asked leave of the king

7 and came to Jerusalem, and I then discovered the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, preparing for him a chamber in the courts of the house of God.

8 And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the chamber.

9 Then I gave orders, and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back there the vessels of the house of God, with the grain offering and the frankincense.

10 I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them, so that the Levites and the singers, who did the work, had fled each to his field.

11 So I confronted the officials and said, "Why is the house of God forsaken?" And I gathered them together and set them in their stations.

12 Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses.

13 And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan the son of Zaccur, son of Mattaniah, for they were considered reliable, and their duty was to distribute to their brothers.

14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.

15 In those days I saw in Judah people treading winepresses on the Sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys, and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of loads, which they brought into Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. And I warned them on the day when they sold food.

16 Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of goods and sold them on the Sabbath to the people of Judah, in Jerusalem itself!

17 Then I confronted the nobles of Judah and said to them, "What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the Sabbath day?

18 Did not your fathers act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Now you are bringing more wrath on Israel by profaning the Sabbath."

19 As soon as it began to grow dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the Sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the Sabbath. And I stationed some of my servants at the gates, that no load might be brought in on the Sabbath day.

20 Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of wares lodged outside Jerusalem once or twice.

21 But I warned them and said to them, "Why do you lodge outside the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you." From that time on they did not come on the Sabbath.

22 Then I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the Sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

23 In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab.

24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people.

25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, "You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves.

26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin.

27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?"

28 And one of the sons of Jehoiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite. Therefore I chased him from me.

29 Remember them, O my God, because they have desecrated the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

30 Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work;

31 and I provided for the wood offering at appointed times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.  - Nehemiah 13

What Do You Call Sin?

BIBLE MEDITATION

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 1 John 1:8

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT

Consider this:

The evolutionist believes man is on his way up.

The educator believes man can be taught to live without sin.

Science seems to think that in solving the problems of the natural world, we will do away with sin.

The sociologist thinks sin comes from an unhealthy environment.

The psychologist believes if you talk about yourself long enough, you’ll erase your guilty feelings about sin.

And all of them want to ignore God and deny sin. If sin is seen as just a “mistake” or a “sickness,” then there’s no reason to have God.

ACTION POINT

How do you view sin in your life? If you try to ignore it, you’ll never have fellowship with God. See it for what it is: an affront to a Holy God. Ask God to let you see it as He sees it. Then confess it. Call upon Him to help you abandon it.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Hope to Obey Hard Commands

“Whoever desires to love life and see good days . . . let him turn away from evil and do good.” (1 Peter 3:10–11)

There is only one basic reason why we disobey the commands of Jesus: it’s because we don’t have heartfelt confidence that obeying will bring more blessing than disobeying. We do not hope fully in God’s promise.

What did he promise? Peter passes on the teachings of Jesus like this:

Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For “Whoever desires to love life and see good days . . . let him turn away from evil and do good.” (1 Peter 3:9–11)

Peter, following Jesus, is not ashamed to motivate obedience to hard commands — like not returning evil for evil — with the promise of greater joy. “Bless those who revile you . . . that you may obtain a blessing!” Do you want to enjoy everlasting life? Turn away from evil! Joy for all eternity awaits you! Is that not reward enough to avoid the pleasures of vengeance now?

You will always be better off to obey than to disobey Jesus, even if that obedience costs you your life. Jesus said,

Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time . . . with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:29–30)

The only way to have the power to follow Christ in the costly way of love is to be filled with hope, with strong confidence that, if we lose our life doing his will, we will find it again and be richly rewarded forever.

John Piper 

August 18

31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, "See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.

32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.

33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise."

34 But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.

36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant.

37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."

38 And he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him,

41 "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me recover my sight."

42 And Jesus said to him, "Recover your sight; your faith has made you well."

43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. - Luke 18:31-43

1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,

2 in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began

3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;

4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. 

5 This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you-

6 if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.

7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

8 but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.

9 He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. - Titus 1:1-9

1 The wisest of women builds her house, but folly with her own hands tears it down. 

2 Whoever walks in uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is devious in his ways despises him. 

3 By the mouth of a fool comes a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them. 

4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. 

5 A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies. 

6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding. 

7 Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge. 

8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving. 

9 Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance. 

10 The heart knows its own bitterness, and no stranger shares its joy. 

11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. 

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. 

13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief. 

14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways. 

15 The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps. 

16 One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless. 

17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated. 

18 The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.  - Proverbs 14:1-18

1 These are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra,

2 Amariah, Malluch, Hattush,

3 Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth,

4 Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah,

5 Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah,

6 Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah,

7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chiefs of the priests and of their brothers in the days of Jeshua.

8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brothers was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.

9 And Bakbukiah and Unni and their brothers stood opposite them in the service.

10 And Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada,

11 Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.

12 And in the days of Joiakim were priests, heads of fathers' houses: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah;

13 of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan;

14 of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph;

15 of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai;

16 of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam;

17 of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai;

18 of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan;

19 of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi;

20 of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber;

21 of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

22 In the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, the Levites were recorded as heads of fathers' houses; so too were the priests in the reign of Darius the Persian.

23 As for the sons of Levi, their heads of fathers' houses were written in the Book of the Chronicles until the days of Johanan the son of Eliashib.

24 And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers who stood opposite them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch by watch.

25 Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storehouses of the gates.

26 These were in the days of Joiakim the son of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and in the days of Nehemiah the governor and of Ezra, the priest and scribe.

27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.

28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites;

29 also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem.

30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate.

32 And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah,

33 and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam,

34 Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah,

35 and certain of the priests' sons with trumpets: Zechariah the son of Jonathan, son of Shemaiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Micaiah, son of Zaccur, son of Asaph;

36 and his relatives, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God. And Ezra the scribe went before them.

37 At the Fountain Gate they went up straight before them by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east.

38 The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall,

39 and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Gate of Yeshanah, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard.

40 So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me;

41 and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets;

42 and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader.

43 And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

44 On that day men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the Law for the priests and for the Levites according to the fields of the towns, for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered.

45 And they performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon.

46 For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

47 And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers; and they set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the sons of Aaron. - Nehemiah 12