Devotions

[Cocopops]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/01/11/the-enemy-is-already-a-defeated-foe?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--_d8kxzwmbF5ShqXfiTBfDqO0Fh0aD6vHSBB3MwIvmUJkv8hUpBdmAKiufLInzsV-AnfH1XjIa8imJ88DEWdNFcFmIbQ&_hsmi=286594155&utm_content=286594155&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

The Enemy Is Already a Defeated Foe
January 11, 2024
by Lysa TerKeurst

“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)

I’m not a fan of lions. They aren’t picky with their food choices. Whether you’re a gazelle that got separated from your herd or an uninformed human sleeping in a tent where lions roam, they’ll think you look delicious.  When my family and I went back to the continent where my two sons were born, I got to experience this terrifying reality firsthand.  The guides assured us the lions wouldn’t come. Not true.  Right when I was falling asleep, a creature brushed the length of my tent and wait for it roared! As he brushed the tent again, my imagination fired off one horrific outcome after another.  Though I never stepped outside the tent, I suffered a brutal attack of the mind. I let the lion get the best of my thoughts.  But we don’t have to go to Africa to get stalked by a lion. We see this in the way Peter warned believers against the devil in 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober‑minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

The enemy isn’t just looking to distract you, tempt you, or pull you slightly off course. He’s looking to devour you. But we must remember something crucial: The devil is vicious, but he’s not victorious. And, my friend, you have everything you need to defeat him.  We don’t have to live feeling powerless and deathly afraid. A closer look at 1 Peter 5:8-9 shows us how we can come out on the other side of these moments.   “Be sober‑minded; be watchful” is a reminder to be self-controlled. Words similar to these show up three separate times in Peter’s letter (1 Peter 1:13; 1 Peter 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8). The specific reason why is given in 1 Peter 4:7: “The end of all things is at hand” (ESV).

Satan knows the end is fast approaching. He is a defeated foe who has already suffered a fatal blow. But before he falls, he’ll try to make as many last kills as possible. With everything he’s got left, he’s coming after us. This is why we must be ever watchful.  While many of us don’t have lions regularly brushing by our homes, we do have daily encounters with the enemy. And just like the lion’s power over me that night stopped the minute the guards showed up, Satan is rendered powerless the moment we tap into the power of God’s Word, like we’re doing today in this devotion.  Here’s what I want you to remember: God’s promises are always a perfect match for our problems. And He is our perfect protection against the enemy.

[Cocopops]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/01/12/reframing-our-loneliness?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--Z2cxb4-7NOfAOSWQMjO2AHdMBO16rOYpWjyMei28Iu7fwfSX1MlnyMgBHkQPN5lgOzh_hX4NvGIDf5Pgs21HhlwdTmA&_hsmi=286594980&utm_content=286594980&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

Reframing Our Loneliness
January 12, 2024
by Meredith Houston Carr

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there." Psalm 139:7-8 (NIV)

“What do you have coming up this week?”

I tried to disguise the crack in my voice as I answered my mom's question as casually as possible, not wanting her to hear the ache of isolation I felt. “Oh, this and that. You know, busy mom life.”

A cross-country move had left me miles away from family and friends. Sure, life was busy in this new place but busy is a poor substitute for relationships and the security of being known. Those days, loneliness felt like my only friend, a BFF so devoted she would never leave my side.  Perhaps you can relate. The friendships you desire haven’t materialized (or perhaps they’ve fallen by the wayside). The partner you’d hoped to spend your life with hasn’t shown up yet (or maybe decided to walk away). Your home that used to buzz with children’s laughter and light is all quiet now (or you’ve dreamed of this home but haven’t been able to build it).  Despite all the blessings in your life, there’s no denying it your heart feels the sorrowful squeeze of seclusion.  When loneliness strikes, the Bible provides comfort. In my season of solitude, I especially found encouragement in today’s key verses from Psalms, beautifully penned by David:  “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there” (Psalm 139:7-8).

In poetic form, David reminds us of the one crucial truth we can cling to for dear life when loneliness looms: We are never truly alone, no matter how void our hearts or homes feel.  God's watchful, unwavering presence wraps around us, even when others have walked away. His Spirit goes with us to the world’s farthest reaches or into the workplaces where we feel unseen. He holds us steady when grief gnaws at our souls and when the enemy whispers, You will never belong.  Like David, we can learn to reframe how we see lonely seasons not as a vacuum to fill but as an invitation into a deep and abiding fellowship with our heavenly Father. Through this lens, we can even learn to embrace lonely seasons as a unique opportunity to let Jesus fill our empty spaces. In the process, we’ll find that His presence provides an abundance no earthly relationship and no amount of numbing can match!  The next time loneliness squeezes your heart, let it be a reminder to lean into God’s unseen, unending presence.  Through prayer, tenderly turn over all your pain and tears to Him.  Then invite Jesus into your empty places, dear one and prepare to enjoy the comfort of His closeness like never before.

[PippaJane]

https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2024/01/22/you-have-everything-you-need-to-move-forward?utm_campaign=Daily%20Devotions&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9dLhTwwDCoT65YfF-W-5aBX4MKeEAd0mM51JS5pEuGu1HnCOHek5FXTztvIpOVyGaNVyrDP8yZK327ASHqQL1u_uQogQ&_hsmi=289513548&utm_content=289513548&utm_source=hs_email#disqus_thread

You Have Everything You Need To Move Forward
January 22, 2024
by Abby McDonald

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105 (NLT)

Three hours on the road by myself normally would have been pure bliss, especially as a mom of three. But this morning was different.  Driving conditions made it impossible for me to relax. I gripped the steering wheel as I made my way through a heavy downpour. A thick layer of fog obscured any visibility for more than a few hundred feet ahead.  Thankfully, after a couple of hours on the road, God gave me a sign that I was headed in the right direction. In the distance, a burst of sunlight appeared. Because my weather app promised sunny skies at my destination, this light helped confirm my route.  Do you ever wish God would give you a sign in your spiritual life?

Lord knows I have. At times, I’ve questioned whether a goal I wanted to pursue was from Him. I longed to see a light telling me I was headed in the right direction. Other times I felt nudged to take a step of faith in my community, but I hesitated.  A look into Scripture shows this desire for confirmation isn’t new. But we also see that while we may sometimes receive signs from God, His Word is always a light that directs our steps. In our key verse, the psalmist says, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105).

As I read this verse, some key facets stand out to me.  First, the lamp’s purpose is to guide our feet, not to tell us what’s miles ahead. And second, the lamp is a tool. Like any tool, it is only effective when we’re holding it, using it for its intended function. If we stay stagnant, the light will only illuminate what’s around us, and its glow will only reach so far. But if we move forward, its effectiveness will have no end. Each step forward will show us the next one as more of the path is revealed.  A faith that propels our feet forward isn’t guided by a light in the distance. The Light of the world, Jesus, is already here. And how does He direct us?

Psalm 119:105 notes one primary way: through His Word. As we take steps of obedience, He is faithful to lead.  I question His direction the most when my time with Him wanes. But when I’m intentional in prayer and reading His Word, He guides me with these questions:

    Does this step glorify Him?
    Does this step show my love for Him and His people?

Friend, if the answer to these questions is “yes,” then you and I can move forward with confidence. God wants us to live lives filled with purpose and joy, but we can’t do that if we don’t act. Let's go in His love and be empowered.