Tag: Devil

Posted on

Jesus Feels our Pain

JANUARY 11

MATTHEW 5:4_Blessed are they that mourn…

Join me in saying, “Thank You, Jesus!” Jesus not only knows, hears, and understands my mourning—He blesses me for it!  How awesome is that? 

How beautiful to know there is One who cares when my heart breaks. One who saves all my tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8 KJV). Jesus comes to me in the midst of my pain. He takes the very thing which causes me deep sorrow and with time uses it to bless me! 

That seems impossible—especially when I am in the midst of my pain.

But He is the God of the Impossible.

Always has been.

Always is.

Always will be.

That in itself eases some of the pain.

If I have no sorrow, I live in Heaven—the eternal Heaven. That time has not come for me, or you.  Presently, I live in a fallen world where the devil and his powers of darkness are continually at work. And I mourn.   

It is up to me to allow Jesus to minister to me in my mourning, or to shut Him out.

There are sunny days in life for me to grasp. Holding Jesus’ hand helps me grasp them.

PRAYER

Merciful God, Praise You for feeling my pain, for feeling my hurts, for understanding my mourning. Praise You that I am never alone in my sorrow for You are always with me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                    

Christ hears my cries—He saves all my tears!                                              

Posted on

Why Do You Come?

JANUARY 6

MATTHEW 5:2_And he taught them…

Whenever Jesus taught, multitudes came. Multitudes filled with variety. The desperate came to find freedom from demonic bondage. We think of demonic possession as something very graphic and frightening, but demons are at the core of hate, unforgiveness, bitterness, and stubborn rebellion, just to name a few.

Some came with hope of physical healing. Perhaps their diagnosis was “incurable.” Perhaps there was no money to pay for a doctor. Whatever the reason, they had heard of the miraculous power of The Great Physician. 

Some came out of curiosity. Who was this man that attracted multitudes whenever He spoke? Was He genuine? What kind of magic tricks might He perform today?  

Others in the multitude were Jesus’ enemies. Their hope was to find a loophole in His teaching and to expose Him before the crowd.

Jesus had not come on the scene in the usual method. He spoke differently. He taught differently. And what His enemies hated most, He attracted more followers than they.

When Jesus spoke people listened, were freed, and healed.

PRAYER

Dear Jesus, Please teach me to listen when You speak to me through Your Word. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.                    

Christ speaks to me—I will learn to listen!

Posted on

A Dilapidated House

DECEMBER 21

MATTHEW 7:27_and great was the fall of it.

The longer life is lived on sandy soil the harder that life falls apart. There are people in their senior years who lived a lifetime of poor choices. Suddenly the day of reckoning appears and they have to face the music. It is heartbreaking. These people will tell you not to build your life on sandy soil.

They can still call on the name of the Lord. He will come and save them. This does not restore the years lost to foolishness. But there can be some restoration. Mercy is a welcomed guest in a dilapidated house.

Psalm 41:11(KJV), “By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me.” God does not want your adversary, the devil, to have control over your life. God wants you to live as salty-lit-up disciples. A rock-solid life!

What kind of power does the devil have in your life:

Does he attack you with fear? Yes.

Does he accuse you of unworthiness? Absolutely!

Does he throw road blocks as you travel the narrow path? Yes.

Do these road blocks cause frustrations and delays in your kingdom projects? Yes.

Can he triumph over your life and control your future, current and eternal? Not a chance!!!!

 PRAYER

Everlasting Father, Help me not to live a life I will regret. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ does not want me to grow old and regret my life – I don’t want to!

Posted on

Things to Come

DECEMBER 18

MATTHEW 7:27_And the rain descended…

I see a connection between the beginning of this verse and verse 25. Do you see it? It’s something we’ve seen all along. Trials, storms, disappointments, sufferings, and hard times, come.

They come regardless of whether you’ve built your house on the Rock, or on the sand.

They come to the wise as well as to the foolish.

They come!

Prepare yourself!

Jesus gives wise advice in John 16:13 (KJV), “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear [from God], that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

The Holy Spirit can prepare you for things to come. He speaks as you read the Bible and bears witness of its truth. The Holy Spirit makes you wiser than your enemy the devil, who wants you to fear the rains life can bring. Become a child of God and have the advantage of the Spirit’s teaching and leading. 

Jesus doesn’t teach the Spirit will predict your future.

The Holy Spirit will increase your faith, build your trust, and prepare you for whatever the future has in store. 

PRAYER

Glorious Lord Jesus, Thank You for the Holy Spirit. Help me listen and learn! In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.          

Christ prepares me for the future—Whatever it brings!

Posted on

It Is Your Life

DECEMBER 12

MATTHEW 7:25_and beat upon that house…

Rains, floods, and winds cause destruction on their own, but combined they cause catastrophe. Jesus says they beat upon the house. Jesus, the Stonemason, is in the process of building you a house—it is your life. 

What are the rains, floods, and winds which beat upon your house? They are the hurts and struggles you experience in life. The struggles which draw you closer to your rock Jesus, or closer to your captor the devil.

Remember the parable of the persistent widow who did not give up making appeals to the judge? The parable begins in Luke 18:1, ‘And he spake a parable unto them [disciples] to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.’ The purpose of the parable is to teach persistent prayer. Prayer is an essential rock. The word faint in this verse can mean lack courage or lose heart. During the days when life beats you up do not lose heart. Do not forsake prayer. It is an overcomer. 

When Job’s life was beat upon, his so-called friend said to him, Job 4:4-5 (KJV), “Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. 5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.”

Struggles will beat on you—be rock ready.

PRAYER

Savior, Help me be rock-solid to face the struggles of life. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.  

Christ is the Rock of prayer and courage—I want that!