3-21-2016

Good Morning All!!                 

              Isaiah 41:13; “For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

     While visiting with a friend the other day, he was commenting on some of my devotions.  He was kinder than he probably should have been.  He paused for a moment and then said, “the only thing is that you talk about life having struggles; I don’t have struggles, I have wars.”  He smiled a little but you knew the pain.  We realize that everyone sins.  We recognize that everyone faces painful events every day.  We also need to remember that for each one of us, this struggle is often intense, difficult and lingering.  Life is not just a struggle; it is a war and we are the combatants.

    Each one of us does battle every day.  We are at war. When you were baptized, you received the mark of the cross upon your forehead and your heart.  This is the great and wonderful promise.  Unfortunately, you also received a target on your back.  You are the target for the devil, the world and your sinful nature.  We don’t often think about it but we as Christians are on the frontline for the battle that the devil wages against God.  The saints who have died before us are out of the reach for the devil; unbelievers are in the devil’s control.  This leaves Christians as the target of the devil.  He attacks us trying to separate us from God.  This is his goal.  In order to try and accomplish this, he attacks you in many different ways.

    He will use guilt, lies, and deceptions.  He will attempt to cause doubt; the devil will ask “Did God really say?”  He will use frontal assaults, rear attacks, side glances; anything to attack you and when he attacks it is war.  It is a war upon you.  It is an all-out assault on you.  It will occur at moments of weakness like when health issues or financial troubles occur or when loved ones die.  It will occur at times when you feel invincible and on top of the world.  It will occur when you least expect it.  It will occur even if you are waiting for it.  It will occur; perhaps it is occurring now.

    When the war is raging, God tells us to “fear not”.  The devil cannot defeat God.  The devil can never overcome God so when we are held in God’s hand we are safe.  The devil can assail and attack all he wants but he can never prevail.  The devil will never win.  As long as we rest in the safety of God’s hand we will persevere and defeat the devil and have eternal victory.  That is what Easter is all about, the eternal victory over sin, death and the devil given to us by our risen Lord.

Father in heaven, we dive you thanks for the many blessings of this world.  We give you thanks for the victory that is ours though Jesus.  Keep us safe from the devil’s attacks giving us the confidence of our victory.  Help us to rest safely in your loving arms.  Be with those who are under attack and give them the assurance of your presence in their lives.  In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret