Revive the Family, Revive the Church, Awaken the Nation by GLMO LLC

REVIVE THE

FAMILY REVIVE THE

CHURCH AWAKEN THE

NATION

REVIVE THE

FAMILY REVIVE THE

CHURCH AWAKEN THE

NATION A 100-Day Revival Devotional for Deplorables, Irredeemables, and Nasty People

DANIEL WHYTE III

Revive the Family, Revive the Church, Awaken the Nation: A 100-Day Revival Devotional for Deplorables, Irredeemables, and Nasty People by Daniel Whyte III Cover Design by Atinad Designs. ÂŠ Copyright 2017 TORCH LEGACY PUBLICATIONS All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher and copyright owner, except for brief quotations included in a review of the book. The Bible quotations in this volume are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Introduction By the grace of God, I was led to preach the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ every day in 2016, throughout what was perhaps the most tumultuous election season since the founding of the Republic. But a few weeks after I began the Just Jesus Evangelistic Campaign, the Lord impressed upon my heart that I should begin preaching a series of homilies along with it in a series titled, "Revive the Family, Revive the Church Awaken the Nation." This book is important for Christians and the nation today because, oftentimes, we focus on praying for revival in the church, awakening in the nation, and a return to morality in society while we overlook the fact that the family is the backbone of the church and society. If we truly want revival in the church and an awakening in the nation, that revival and awakening must begin in the home.That is the purpose of the brief homilies in this devotional. For those who don't know, a homily is "a short talk on a religious or moral topic; a usually short sermon; a lecture or discourse on or of a biblical theme." These verse-by-verse devotionals from Ephesians are specifically aimed at reviving families and encouraging and exhorting husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, and children to do what God has commanded them to do. This kind of refocus is especially needed coming off of the 2016 election season. Many people, including Christians, are up in arms over the outcome and are still bristling over attacks and charges from â&#x20AC;&#x153;the other side." Terrible things were said and done by both sides, Republican and Democrat, throughout the campaign. Hillary

Clinton called supporters of Donald Trump "deplorable" and "irredeemable." Trump referred to Hillary Clinton and others who opposed him as "nasty," among other things. Almost no one escaped without being smeared. (Ironically, the "victims" of these smears began claiming the derogatory terms as badges of honor.) No matter which side of the political tracks you are on, no matter if your candidate won or lost, if you want to refocus your life in the new year and under the new president, this book is for you. This book will help you get your life and your family in order in 100 days. If God's people pray, seek Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face, turn from their wicked ways, and humble themselves, then we will see revival in the family, revival in the church and an awakening in the nation. â&#x20AC;&#x201D;DanielWhyte III

Follow Day 1 “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children.” —Ephesians 5:1 “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” —Frederick Buechner Paul is writing to believers in this letter, and he tells us to be “followers of God.” You might say, “I’m saved; I’m already a follower of God.” But the word “follower” here is from the Greek word that means to imitate. You might claim to be saved, but the question for us as Christians is are we imitating God? Are we imitating Jesus in our words, thoughts, and actions? We sometimes confuse being saved or following God with attending church or worshipping Him. But that is not the case. Paul is not telling us to worship God or to listen to the words of God as they are being taught. He is telling us to imitate God — to live the life of God every day outside of the four walls of a church building. Charles Spurgeon said, “As we do imitate God, we become representatives of God, especially before those who have shut God out of their life. What are we sent into the world for? Is it not that we may keep men in mind of God, whom they are most 9

anxious to forget? If we are imitators of God, as dear children, they will be compelled to recollect that there is a God, for they will see his character reflected in ours. I have heard of an atheist who said he could get over every argument except the example of his godly mother: he could never answer that.” Paul says our imitation of God should be as that of “dear children.” When you were a young child, there were times when you naturally wanted to do what your parents did. It is the same in our relationship with God. We ought to imitate His love, kindness, grace, mercy, concern for others, and forgiveness in our lives. We ought to imitate Him. Holy Father God, help us to pray, to seek your face, to turn from our wicked ways, to humble ourselves, and to follow You. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Sacrifice Day 2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” —Ephesians 5:2 “You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving.” —Amy Carmichael Warren Wiersbe said, “This admonition ties in with the last two verses of the previous chapter where Paul has warned us against bitterness and anger. It is tragic when these attitudes show up in the family of God. As a pastor, I have witnessed malice and bitterness in the lives of people as I have conducted funerals and even weddings. You would think that sharing the sorrow of losing a loved one, or sharing the joy of a marriage, would enable people to forgive past wrongs and try to get along with each other. But such is not the case. It takes a real love in the heart, for ‘charity [love] shall cover the multitude of sins.’” Following up on his admonition that we become imitators of God, Paul begins to talk about what that looks like. He says we should “walk in love as Christ also hath loved us.” It is one thing to say that you love someone, but do you love them as Jesus Christ loves you?

The important thing about Jesus’ love is that it is a love that compels Him to give — and not just to give things to us, but to give of Himself to us. His love compelled Him to sacrifice His position of power and glory in Heaven, to humble Himself as a man, and to suffer for people who did not deserve salvation. That is the kind of love Jesus has for us, and that is the kind of love we are called to have. How often do you give of yourself to your family members? How often do you sacrifice your rights in order to serve others? The family is the place where this kind of love ought to be practiced first. Because you know the shortcomings of those in your family, you will find it easy to become bitter, angry, or hateful toward them. You know their flaws and their inconsistencies. However, we are commanded to love our family members (and all people) as Jesus Christ loves us. This means loving them in spite of their sinful and foolish ways. When we show forth the love of Christ in our lives, it is as a “sweetsmelling savour” to God. He looks down on our families, our churches, and our communities, and is glad to see His children demonstrating to each other the love that He Himself demonstrated through Christ. Just as Jesus pleased God with His loving sacrifice for us, we please God by loving others. Holy Father God, thank you for your loving sacrifice. Give us your strength to walk in that love and to share that love with others because you first loved us. Please revive us again. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Abstain Day 3 “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints.” —Ephesians 5:1-3 “You do not really care for God’s mercy, or His comfort either, so long as you live in any sin. And it is well that you do not; for you can have neither. Your peace will be like a river, when you put away your sin; but not one word of true peace, not one drop of true comfort, can you have till then.” —Alexander Whyte In verses 1 and 2, we saw how we should be imitators of God, and that part of imitating God is loving others in self-sacrificial ways as Jesus Christ loved us. Now, we are focusing on verse 3. Chuck Swindoll said, “A family is a place where principles are hammered and honed on the anvil of everyday living.” Continuing with the theme of being a follower or imitator of God, Paul begins to give some specifics on what we ought and ought not to be doing. There are some things that he says should not be named — even once — among saints. Why ought these

things not to be named among believers? Because we are to be holy as God is holy. First among these things is “fornication”. This word comes from the Greek word “porneia” which includes all sexual sin. Fornication, adultery, pornography, homosexuality, rape, incest — none of these things should be going on in Christian families or in the Christian church. Our desire to be followers of God should cause this activity to be strictly off-limits in our lives. Next, Paul names “all uncleanness.” This is a broad term that encompasses all sinful behavior, especially doing things with impure motives and evil hearts. We must remember that in everything we do, God is not just looking at our actions — He is looking at our hearts. Third, Paul names “covetousness”, or a greedy desire to have more. Christians are to be content with such things as they have. The constant desire to have more or to get more of what others have is unbecoming of a believer. Just as there are some things that we ought to do as followers of God, there are some things that we ought not to do. We will continue looking at these things as we go through this chapter verse-by-verse. Holy Father God, help us to choose to abstain from sin, to imitate you, and to live out your plan and purpose for our lives in the world. In Jesus Christ name. Amen. 14

Regulate Day 4 “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” —Ephesians 5:3-4 “A man ought to live so that everybody knows he is a Christian… and most of all, his family ought to know.” —D.L. Moody In verses 1 and 2, we saw how we should be imitators of God, and that part of imitating God is loving others in a self-sacrificial way as Jesus Christ loved us. In the 3rd verse, Paul begins to tell us some things that we should not do as followers of Christ. Now, we are focusing on verse 4. In Ephesians 5:4, Paul gives us more instruction as to how we should carry ourselves as followers, or imitators, of God. Dr. John Walvoord and Dr. Roy Zuck’s commentary summarizes this verse very well by saying “Improprieties in speech— obscenity in the Greek—means ‘shameless talk and conduct’, foolish talk means in Greek ‘stupid words’ and coarse jesting means in Greek ‘vulgar, frivolous wit’. These are out of place for Jesus’ followers, because such vices often harm, whereas thanksgiving is appreciation for God and others and is helpful. 15

Paul was not intimating that humor itself is sin, but that it is wrong when it is used to destroy or tear down others.” Now let’s break this down further. First, we should not be engaged in filthiness. The word filthiness is defined as “obscenity.” Adam Clarke’s commentary expands this to mean “any thing base or vile in words or acts.” Just as the government regulates the television and radio airwaves to make sure that anything obscene is not played on a channel or at a time when children are likely to hear it or see it, we ought to regulate our lives so nothing that is obscene or vulgar comes out of our mouths or is demonstrated by our actions.

Holy Father God, help us to carry ourselves as sincere imitators of you and to reflect your light and love in the world. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Inconvenient Day 5 “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” —Ephesians 5:3-4 “Guard what you say, especially today. Yes, guard your tongue. Blessings await you but so also are self-induced troubles. Remember: Life and death are in the power of your tongue. Don’t destroy your life by speaking loveless words containing seeds of death. Speak life. Reap life.” —Francis Frangipane We talked about filthiness or obscenity and how our words and actions should not reflect these vices. Now, let’s look at “foolish talking.” We ought not to engage in “foolish talking” or, as one commentator put it, “the talk of a fool”. This is a person who only speaks about things that have no spiritual value — words that are empty and meaningless, and have no eternal significance. Obviously, as humans on this earth, we must often talk about things that have no eternal value — bills to pay, what needs to be bought at the grocery store, what to wear, who to vote for and many other things. But we must take care that that

is not all that we talk about. Most of our words should have some spiritual value — for example, prayer, telling others about Jesus, and speaking to a family member in a way that admonishes, rebukes, edifies and encourages them. Finally, we ought not to be engaged in jesting, or constant joking. To put this in Biblical context the Bible says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” So God knew then and doctors know now that a merry heart does good like a medicine and that laughter from clean sources is good for you spiritually, mentally, and physically. Someone said, “A good laugh is the best medicine, whether you are sick or not.” Someone else said, “A man isn’t really poor if he can still laugh.” To deny one’s self the desire of good-natured fun and laughter is like denying one’s self the desire for a good meal to eat. These things are all natural. Most of us would not make it without some laughter in our lives because sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying. Charles Spurgeon was once asked by the elders of his church to tone down his humor from the pulpit. The great English preacher replied, ‘Gentlemen, if you only knew how much I held back!’” I believe that one of the key points that God wants us to get from this verse and other verses in the Bible is that we are to take God and His work seriously but not ourselves. There are too many preachers and other Christians who take themselves too seriously and cannot laugh at themselves which is tragic.

However, this verse refers to jesting and joking about serious matters, sinful matters, evil matters, jesting and joking that comes from a wicked evil heart that is designed and created to blaspheme God or to take His Name in vain or to commit some ungodly act or to hurt another human being. There is something in psychology called the duping delight grin or the duping delight laugh. The duping delight grin or laugh is about people who have wicked intentions, wicked hearts, and are liars, who when confronted about sin in their life have a physical nervous reaction that ends up in a devilish grin or outright laughter, or making light of a sinful situation because they are guilty. This duping delight grin or laughter or making light of sin comes from a wicked heart, particularly when the person is lying or when they think they are pulling a wool over Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes or over another human beingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eyes. Obviously, we ought to be merry and joyful at all times, but we ought not to be engaged in wicked jesting or joking about ungodly things. Holy Father God, help us to choose to keep our hearts and minds in the right place so that what flows out of our mouths will be a reflection of your truth and godliness. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Sober Day 6 “But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.” —Ephesians 5:3-4 “With the help of grace, the habit of saying kind words is very quickly formed, and when once formed, it is not speedily lost. Sharpness, bitterness, sarcasm, acute observation, divination of motives — all these things disappear when a man is earnestly conforming himself to the image of Christ Jesus.” —Frederick W Faber The third issue addressed in this verse is jesting or constant joking especially about matters that are sinful or serious. God wants His children to be happy and joyful and to express that joy, but He also commands us to be “grave” in our behavior, that is to take life seriously and to take God, His Word, and His work seriously. In Titus 2:7, Paul told Titus that his life was to show forth “a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity.”

First Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Titus 2:12 says, “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” First Peter 4:7 says, “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” The word “gravity” simply means “the characteristic of a thing or person which entitles to reverence and respect, dignity, majesty, sanctity.” We ought to ascribe such reverence and respect to God and the things of God. The word “sober” means “to be in one’s right mind, to exercise self control, to think of one’s self soberly, or to curb one’s passions.” We ought to have a serious outlook on our lives and on the lives of others particularly in these perilous times when so much is at stake. Warren Wiersbe points out about this passage, “In Ephesians 5:4 Paul warned against sins of the tongue, which, of course, are really sins of the heart. It is not difficult to see the relationship between the sins named in Ephesians 5:3 and those in Ephesians 5:4. People who have base appetites usually cultivate a base kind of speech and humor, and often people who want to commit sexual sins, or have committed them, enjoy jesting about them. Two indications of a person’s character are what makes

him laugh and what makes him weep. God and the saint of God sees nothing humorous in obscene language or jests. ‘Foolish talking’ does not mean innocent humor but rather senseless conversation that cheapens the man and does not edify or minister grace to the hearers. Paul is not condemning small talk because much conversation falls into that classification. He is condemning foolish talk that accomplishes no good purpose. “Jesting is a translation of a word that means ‘able to turn easily.’ This suggests a certain kind of conversationalist who can turn any statement into a coarse jest. The gift of wit is a blessing, but when it is attached to a filthy mind or a base motive, it becomes a curse. There are quick-witted people who can pollute any conversation with jests that are always inconvenient (out of place). How much better it is for us to be quick to give thanks! This is certainly the best way to give glory to God and keep the conversation pure.” The story is told of a Christian woman who attended an anniversary dinner in honor of a friend, not knowing that there would be a program of low comedy following the meal. The socalled comedian tried to entertain the crowd with coarse humor that degraded everything that the Christian guest held to be sacred and honorable. At one point in the program, the comedian’s throat became dry. “Please bring me a glass of water,” he called to a waiter. At that point, the Christian woman added, “And bring a toothbrush and a bar of soap with it!” To be sure, soap in the mouth will never cleanse the conversation,

but she made her point. Paul says these things — filthiness, foolish talking, and jesting — are “not convenient,” that is, they are improper or unbecoming of a Christian. Instead of foolish talking and jesting, we ought to use our tongues for praise and thanksgiving of God in public and in private and for edification and admonishment of others in public and in private. Holy Father God, it is easy for us to yield to unkind thoughts and words and express them to other people, but Your Word tells us that such things are not convenient or beneficial to our lives or the lives of other people. Help us to control our tongues by the power of your Holy Spirit. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Refrain Day 7 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. —Ephesians 5:5 “Though the initial stages of temptation seem innocent, fun, and even enjoyable, eventually indulging in sexual sin will take over your life and consume your time, your strength, and your body.” —Heath Lambert As we continue our focus on living the Christian life in the context of the home and family from the Word of God, and as we look at positioning ourselves so that we can be revived by God, we come to a very severe warning in this letter from Paul. He has already told us that we are to be imitators of God and told us how to do that. He has also told us some things we should refrain from doing if we are to live as imitators of God. This verse is a continuation of what not to do, and if we keep on doing these things, it is evidence that we have never been born again and will miss the kingdom of God and go to hell. Now, he tells us that if we do certain things, we will be in danger of missing out on the Kingdom of God. He tells us this with forcefulness

and certitude, saying, “For this ye know.” Paul wants to convince us of the great danger that we are in if we persist in the activities he is about to name. He prefaces these words with a statement meaning, “be assured of this, be certain of this.” So, take these words seriously. Paul then draws on some of the same categories of sin he used in verse 3. He says, “no whoremonger… hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” We’re just going to deal with this one word right now. The word “whoremonger” is translated from the Greek word “pornos” which includes all sexual sin. So, Paul is saying that no fornicator, no adulterer, no homosexual, no lesbian, no child molester, no rapist has any inheritance in the kingdom of God. According to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, the word “whoremonger” encompasses: a harlot for hire, a male prostitute, incest, sodomy, unlawful marriage, fornicating husbands, unfaithful wives, and cohabitation outside of marriage. Now, if you did these things before you were saved, God has forgiven you, cleansed you of your sin, and set you free. But, Paul is writing to saved people here. He is saying that if we are engaged in this type of behavior, we are not a part of the kingdom of God. And, sadly and unfortunately, there is a lot of this behavior going on in churches today. You might be asking, ‘If I committed adultery one time, does that

mean I lose my salvation?’ No, a person cannot lose their salvation. What Paul is dealing with is the matter of someone who says they are saved yet lives in a manner that belies such a testimony. He is saying that a lifestyle of sexual sin is incompatible with the lifestyle of a true believer in Christ. In other words, you cannot repeatedly engage in sexual sin and also be a child of God and take part in the inheritance of the saints. Ray Stedman provides the following helpful explanation of this matter: He says, “A Christian can do these things [commit sexual sin]. The record is all too clear in this regard. Even in the Scriptures we have the account of David who, after years as a believer, as a man after God’s own heart, fell into the sin of adultery and took another man’s wife. We have other accounts of it in Scripture, and there are plenty of modern examples. How often the Christian world is startled and shocked by some prominent pastor or Christian leader who succumbs in this area and stumbles and falls into sexual immorality. We know this can happen. But the point the apostle is making is that no professed Christian can do this repeatedly, certainly not defiantly or shamelessly, and really be a Christian. The true Christian, if he does fall into this kind of folly, will abhor himself and loathe his sin and will repent and turn back and forsake it. The man who defends it, and who justifies and excuses this kind of activity, or even glories in it (as some do as a mark of their personal liberty or freedom), in the light of this statement by the Apostle Paul, IS NOT a Christian despite all his profession, and he never has been a Christian.”

So, we must examine ourselves. Are we doing these things that Paul has named (or even things that he has not named that we know are wrong)? If the answer is yes, then we must consider if we are truly saved. If the Holy Spirit is working in us, we will feel remorse over our sins, we will admit that what we are doing is wrong, and we will be moved to confess and repent of those sins. If this is not happening, then we need to trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Holy Father God, help us to examine ourselves and to avoid yielding to sexual temptation and sin. Cleanse us from the inside out and make us to be whiter than snow. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Unspotted Day 8 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. —Ephesians 5:5 “The family circle is the supreme conductor of Christianity.” —-Henry Drummond Paul says that a person who persists in a sinful lifestyle will miss out on the kingdom of God and go to hell. One of those lifestyles which we dealt with in the last devotional is the lifestyle of the whoremonger or one who is engaged in sexual sin. Next, Paul says the “unclean person… hath [no] inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” The Greek word used here refers to a person who is unclean in a moral sense, unclean in thought and life, impure, morally lewd, demonic, or foul. The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament states that uncleanness is “a work of the flesh, that is of the unregenerate person who is subject to natural desire. Christian sanctification covers believers so that they are no longer unclean.” The Scriptures have a lot to say about living a clean, pure life. In

the Old Testament, God instituted cleansing rituals and other restrictions that the Jews had to abide by if they wanted to live in communion with God. God is offended by uncleanness in the lives of His people. In James 1:27, we are told “to keep oneself unspotted [unsullied, undirtied] from the world.” Purity of heart, life, and motives is important to God. In 1 Peter 2:11, we are told to “abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” Because of the impact of sin, the world is an ugly, dirty place. God commands us to live pure lives in the midst of this ugliness. We should not allow ourselves to be dragged down into the cesspool of wickedness that is seemingly celebrated in our culture. We have a better “inheritance” to look forward to. This inheritance is the kingdom of Heaven which all saints will be a part of. And Revelation 21:27 tells us “there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth [anything or anyone that is impure or unclean], neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Paul challenges us to look at our lives. If we are living an impure life, we need to examine ourselves and see if we be in the faith. Holy Father God, thank you that we can be sanctified by your word and come to an understanding of your truth in purity. Lead us away from uncleanness and into your pure way everlasting. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Content Day 9 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. —Ephesians 5:5 “What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow.” —Martin Luther “No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. We have many organizers, but few agonizers; many players and payers, few pray-ers; many singers, few clingers; lots of pastors, few wrestlers; many fears, few tears; much fashion, little passion; many interferers, few intercessors; many writers, but few fighters. Failing here, we fail everywhere.” —Leonard Ravenhill Now, we come to another sin that is not becoming of a person

being an imitator of God and if you are practicing this sin with no confession, remorse, or repentance you are not apart of the Kingdom of God. We talked about the lifestyle of sexual sin and the lifestyle of uncleanness. Next, Paul says, “nor a covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” To covet means to lust for or desire something that someone else has. A “covetous man” is one who is “greedy of gain, a person who is eager to have more of what one already has, especially that which belongs to others.” “Thou shalt not covet” is one of the Ten Commandments. Coveting is an affront to God because it tells Him that we are not content with what He has given us. We always want somebody else’s money, somebody else’s car, somebody else’s spouse, somebody else’s nice house. The thing we forget is that along with somebody else’s possessions comes that person’s problems. I believe that God gives each believer a unique ability to handle the problems that come their way in life. He promised that He would never put on us more than we can bear. We ought to think of our possessions and our problems as a special gift because we likely could not handle somebody else’s possessions and problems. We must be especially careful of desiring what others have because such a desire is idolatry. Paul states that the “covetous man” that he speaks about is also an idolater. An idolater is a worshipper of false gods. Man possesses the unfortunate ability

to make nearly anything into an idol. That which we love, care for, serve, and desire more than God becomes an idol. If you are living for money, living for the weekend, living for your spouse, living for pleasure, living to keep a house that you went into debt to buy, then you are living in idolatry. Anything that you make more important than God in your life has become an idol. And, God will not share the throne of our hearts with anyone or anything else. Holy Father God, deliver us from jealousy, envy, and covetousness. Help us to choose to be content with such things as we have and not to make anyone or anything more important in our lives than you. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Worship Day 10 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. —Ephesians 5:5 “Woman was taken out of man; not out of his head to top him, nor out of his feet to be trampled underfoot; but out of his side to be equal to him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved.” —Matthew Henry “The greatest miracle that God can do today is to take an unholy man out of an unholy world and make him holy, then put him back into that unholy world and keep him holy in it.” —Leonard Ravenhill Paul specifically names sexual sin, uncleanness, and coveting as serious dangers to the Christian’s walk. While sexual sin requires activity with the body, coveting takes place inside the body — in the heart and mind — and that is what makes it so dangerous. It is so dangerous that it can lead to idolatry (the worship of something or someone other than God). Coveting fosters in us

a wicked desire, not only for that which we do not have, but for that which we cannot have and that which we should not have. It can often lead us to try to get what we want at the expense of others. It hinders generosity. It is a spirit that wants instead of gives. It causes us to offend our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ because we are so focused on what we want that we show no concern for the needs of others. It is also a selfdestructive spirit; even though we may get what we want (or what we think we want), we will still be unsatisfied with it, and we will be under Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s punishment to boot. Joseph Exell lists in his commentary some of the seemingly innocuous emotions that arise in our hearts that can hide idolatry in our lives. These emotions are so familiar that we can slip into idolatry without even noticing it. 1. Esteem. That which we most highly value we make our god; for estimation is an act of soul worship. 2. Mindfulness. That which we are most mindful of we make our god. 3. Love. That which we most love we worship as our god. To love and to adore are sometimes both one. Love, whenever it is inordinate, is an idolatrous affection. 4. Trust. That which we most trust we make our god; for confidence and dependence is an act of worship which the Lord calls for as due only to Himself.

5. Fear. If you fear others more than Him, you give that worship to them which is due only to God. 6. Hope. That which we make our hope we worship as God; for hope is an act of worship. Those that make their own righteousness the foundation of their hope, they exalt it into the place of Christ, and honour it as God; and to honour anything as God is evident idolatry. 7. Desire. That which we most desire we worship as our god; for that which is chiefly desired is the chief good in his account who so desires it; and what he counts his chief good, that he makes his god. 8. Delight. That which we most delight and rejoice in, that we worship as God; for transcendent delight is an act of worship due only to God; and this affection, in its height and elevation, is called glorying. 9. Zeal. That for which we are more zealous we worship as our god; for such a zeal is an act of worship due only to God; therefore it is idolatrous to be more zealous for our own things than for the things of God. 10. Gratitude. That to which we are most grateful, that we worship as God; for gratitude is an act of worship. Besides fear, all of these are good emotions and feelings to

have. (Fear is even good, as long as it is a healthy fear, reverence, and respect for God.) However, the height of these emotions in our lives ought to be found in God, otherwise we are living in idolatry. We must honestly ask ourselves: Do I love my spouse more than I love God? Do I trust my best friend more than I trust God? Do I fear losing my job more than I fear God? Do I desire a new house or a new car more than I desire to please God with my life? Do I delight in a relationship with someone I am not married to more than I delight in God? Am I more zealous about a football team or a political candidate than I am about the things of God? We ought to make it our goal that the highest demonstration of our love, our commitment, our fear, our hope, our trust, and our zeal is found in God â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not in people or things that we have set up as gods in our lives. Holy Father God, let our hearts be filled with love, commitment, respect, hope, trust, and zeal with you as the center of our lives. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Undeceived Day 11 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. —Ephesians 5:6-7 “Charity begins at home, but should not end there.” —Thomas Fuller “If we displease God, does it matter whom we please? If we please Him does it matter whom we displease?” —Leonard Ravenhill Paul has warned believers against engaging in sexual sin, uncleanness, covetousness, foolish talking, and coarse jesting, yet, there are those who would tell us that these things are harmless, that we can sin and get away with it, and that God will overlook our sins because we are His children. There are those who would “deceive us with vain words” and who would have us to believe that we can get away with sin. God requires more of us, not less, because we are His children. And, if we are His children, we will be eager to obey Him and please Him in all that we do. As Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

Paul reminds us that the wrath of God comes on the children of disobedience because they do the very things that God has commanded us not to do, and that Jesus Christ died for. The implication is that, if God does not hesitate to punish sinners who do not believe in Him, what kind of Father would He be if He let His own children get away with the very same sins. Surely, our punishment in this life will be more severe because we have been shown the truth of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word. We ought not to engage in the same sins that the world is engaged in. We have seen the light and we need to walk in it. Holy Father God, deliver us from self-deception and from being deceived by the world and the devil. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Light Day 12 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light. —Ephesians 5:8 “All great change in America begins at the dinner table.”

—Ronald Reagan “You can’t live wrong and pray right.” —Leonard Ravenhill The simple message of this verse is that we should practice what we preach. Perhaps, it would be better to say, ‘Practice what we profess.’ If we profess to be Christians, we ought to act like Christians. If we are children of the Light, we should no longer walk in darkness. After taking some time to examine the deeds of darkness — fornication, other sexual sins, uncleanness, filthy speech, and covetousness — Paul reminds us that we “were sometimes darkness.” In other words, we used to be people who regularly engaged in a sinful lifestyle. However, NOW, something has changed. We are no longer doomed sinners, but saints who have been adopted into God’s

family. Thus, we must begin acting like members of God’s family. We are now “light in the Lord.” We are not just the children of Light, we are Light itself; our very nature has been transformed. Formerly, we had a dark nature, and we were fully engaged in the sins of the flesh. Now, we have a nature of light, and the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil no longer have a hold on us. We do not have to be slaves to sin. The word “walk” in the New Testament is used to refer to a person’s lifestyle or testimony. Because we are saved, we should no longer live in the darkness of sin, but in the light of forgiveness and salvation. When we are tempted or presented with sin, we ought to experience friction in our souls. This friction is the Holy Spirit of God (the Light within us) warring against the Darkness of the devil and the flesh. If you do not experience this friction, if you find it “easy” to sin, you ought to examine yourself to see if you are truly Light in the Lord. Holy Father God, help us to choose to embrace your light and allow it to shine through our lives in our words, actions, and attitudes. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Acceptable Day 13 “(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” —Ephesians 5:9-10 “The same Jesus Who turned water into wine can transform your home, your life, your family, and your future. He is still in the miracle-working business, and His business is the business of transformation.” —Adrian Rogers “One of these days some simple soul will pick up the book of God, read it, and believe it. Then the rest of us will be embarrassed.” —Leonard Ravenhill Our lives ought to be starkly different from the lives of those who are still in darkness, who still belong to this world and the prince of this world. We will be of no help to the world if we cover our light or hide it under a bushel as Jesus said. We should show forth the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We saw that part of our fruit is “goodness” which is moral uprightness in heart and life. Then, Paul adds, “righteousness.” Strong’s

Lexicon defines the Greek word as the “state of him who is in a condition acceptable to God.” We will not be acceptable to God with sin in our lives. That is why He sent Jesus to save us; we could not be made righteous on our own. W e are made righteous before God because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Thus, we ought to be obedient to God and to live as one who has been made righteous. Another fruit of the Holy Spirit living inside of us is “truth.” This is more than just speaking the truth, but, as John Gill said, it is to be “opposed to lying, to hypocrisy, to error, and to falsehood.” Not only must our words be true, but our lifestyle must be true, transparent, and authentic. As children of the Light, we ought not to live in the shadows, hiding things from others and trying to hide things from God. The Christian life is one of truth and light. We ought to seek to please God and have all of our actions be acceptable to Him. Verse 10 reads, “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.” The Greek word for “proving” means “to recognize as genuine after examination, to approve, to deem worthy.” Our actions as Christians ought to be genuine. When we do good, we ought to do it out of a Godly heart and spirit, not with hypocritical motives. God is not just looking on the outside, at what we do and say, but on the heart, and He will judge us accordingly. Just as a child seeks to please his or her parents, we ought to seek to please our Heavenly Father. To walk in the light is to be good, righteous, and true.

Holy Father God, help us to walk in the light as you are in the light and to live in the truth of your word. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Reprove Day 14 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” —Ephesians 5:11-12 “If therefore our houses be houses of the Lord, we shall for that reason love home, reckoning our daily devotion the sweetest of our daily delights; and our family-worship the most valuable of our family-comforts… A church in the house will be a good legacy, nay, it will be a good inheritance, to be left to your children after you.” —Matthew Henry “The early church was married to poverty, prisons and persecutions. Today, the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity.” —Leonard Ravenhill One way in which we can please God is by not associating ourselves with sinful behavior. We ought not to ‘have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness.’ We ought not to be sinning, and we ought not to allow others to draw us into their sin. This is not just in reference to the world, but to the church and family as well. If a fellow believer or family member is sinning, we are

obligated to warn them about their sins and the consequences they will face. In commenting on this passage, H.W. Hoehner said, “Christians are forbidden to be ‘sharers together’ with the sons of disobedience; they are told not to take part with unbelievers’ actions. Christians, by conducting themselves as ‘children of light,’ expose the ‘deeds of darkness.’ These deeds, however, refer here to the deeds of other believers who are not walking in the light. This is because only God can expose and convict unbelievers’ deeds. Believers, on the other hand, can expose evil deeds among other Christians within the church.” Our attitude toward sin ought to be similar to what is described in verse 12: “For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” Sin ought not to even be a topic of discussion among believers. This does not mean that we shove things under the rug and pretend they don’t exist. Rather, it means that we are to do as we are commanded in verse 11: “reprove them.” This term means to rebuke someone or tell them about a fault. We ought not to make someone’s sin a topic of gossip. Our goal ought to be to convince the brother or sister who is sinning to get out from under Satan’s shadow and come back to the path of light. Holy Father God, deliver us from getting entangled in the deceptive and sinful behaviors and attitudes of other people. Let our friendships and relationships be a reflection of who you are in us. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Manifest Day 15 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.” —Ephesians 5:11-13 “In the family, life is brought not only to our doorstep, but into our kitchens, bedrooms, and dens. In the family, life is happening all around us, and it begs to be questioned, evaluated, interpreted, and discussed. There is no more consistent, pregnant, dynamic forum for instruction about life than the family, because that is exactly what God designed the family to be, a learning community.” —Paul David Tripp “My goal is GOD HIMSELF. Not joy, not peace, not even blessing, but HIMSELF… my GOD.” —Leonard Ravenhill In the first fourteen verses of Ephesians chapter 5, we have considered the works of the children of darkness (or the “children of disobedience”) as well as the reasons why we, the children

of light, ought not to be engaged in them. However, we cannot put our heads in the sand (or in the clouds) and simply ignore the darkness and sin that is in the world. Temptation is all around us. It is in our communities, our churches, and our families. Our children are affected by it. Our spouses are affected by it. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are affected by it. And, of course, the world is infected with it. Jesus Christ has called us not just to condemn the darkness, but to shine a light in it. This process of shining a light should start in the church. However, we should also be shining a light in our own homes. We are to reprove (or rebuke) those who are walking in darkness in our families. This should not be done in a spirit of pharisaism or being ‘holier-than-thou.’ Rather, it is simply the nature of light to expose darkness. If you as a father, husband, mother, or wife are trying to live right, you cannot allow evil to creep into your family without confronting it. John says, “The light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Verse 13 says, “all things that are reproved [rebuked] are made manifest [exposed] by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest [expose] is light.” If we are walking in the light, we will be irritated by the darkness around us. We will not like it if others in our family, in our church, or in our workplace are engaging in sin. We will be compelled to help them see the error of their ways. That is our obligation to those around us who claim to be Christians. And this is the point where the foundation is laid and

the environment is set for real revival to take place in the family first and then the church. Holy Father God, help us to make you our goal â&#x20AC;&#x201D; knowing you, following you, obeying you, trusting you, and doing your will. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Awake Day 16 “But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” —Ephesians 5:13-16 “You don’t choose your family. They are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.” —Desmond Tutu “Is the world crucified to you or does it fascinate you?” —Leonard Ravenhill Christians bear an obligation to the world that lies in the lap of Satan. Verse 14 says, “Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” The “he” speaking in this verse is God. Scholars believe that the words quoted here are either based on a verse in Isaiah or from an early Christian hymn. It appears as though God is speaking only to unbelievers in this verse, but these words can also be applied to Christians, especially Christians today in light of our need for revival and awakening.

Joseph Exell and Donald Spence state in their commentary, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The fundamental idea is that when the Church gets the light of heaven, she is not to lie still, as if she were asleep or dead, but is to be active, is to make use of the light, is to use it for illuminating the world. The apostle maintains that the Ephesian Church had got the light of heaven; she, therefore, was not to sleep or loiter, but spring forth as if from the grave, and pour light on the world.â&#x20AC;? That is what God calls the church to and every Christian family to. We are to be the light of God in a dark world. We who have been delivered from the darkness ought to let our lights shine so that others may come to Jesus and be delivered from the darkness of their sin. Doing this places us on the frontlines of the war against Satan. He tries to keep people enslaved, but we unite with Christ in order that many may find freedom in Him. Holy Father God, help us to be the truth in a world of falsehood, revived in a world of complacency, and the light in a world of darkness. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Walk Day 17 “But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” —Ephesians 5:13-16 “Children are only brought to life and self-sufficiency if their parents sacrifice much of their independence and power. In light of the cross, it is the least we can do.” —Tim Keller “Lord strengthen me where I am too weak and weaken me where I am too strong!” —Leonard Ravenhill Some think that walking in the light is all about our public testimony. It is not. Walking in the light involves our day-to-day lifestyle. Verse 15 says, “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise…” Walking circumspectly means “living carefully.” We ought to be diligent and attentive to the way we live our lives. We ought not to be people who live for the thrills of life or who just go with the flow. Often, going with the flow involves

getting into foolishness; and we are commanded to live wisely in this wicked world. Matthew Henry said, “Another remedy against sin is care or caution; it is otherwise impossible to maintain purity of heart and life.” Walking in the light also involves using our time wisely. Verse 16 says, “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” This verse carries with it the idea of a businessman seizing upon a good opportunity to turn a profit. Strong’s Lexicon provides this definition of the phrase, ‘redeeming the time’: “To make wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing good, so that zeal and well-doing are as it were the purchase money by which we make the time our own.” The word translated “time” literally means a “fixed and definite time” or an “opportunity.” Every day we are given specific opportunities to do good, to preach Christ, and to shine the light of Christ in our families. Every day we are called to live out the Christian life, to share the message of the Gospel, to provide for the poor, to preach deliverance and freedom to those who are enslaved to sin. We must awaken from our slumber and allow God to reignite our light. The days we live in are evil, but they are full of opportunities to do good. Holy Father God, awaken us from our slumber and lack of soberness and help us to pay attention to the life you have given us in order to fulfill our place and purpose in the world both in private and in public. In Jesus Christ name. Amen. 56

Understand Day 18 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” —Ephesians 5:17 “I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian religion.” —Patrick Henry “Satan fools and feigns, blows and bluffs, and we so often take his threats to heart and forget the ‘exceeding greatness of God’s power to us.’” —Leonard Ravenhill Paul summarizes all that he has said about not living in darkness and walking in the light with this verse: “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” The word “wherefore” takes into consideration all that has been previously written. Considering the risk of judgment — of realizing that we might not be truly saved because of our sinful lifestyle — it would be wise for us not to be unwise. We should take heed to all that

Paul has warned us about — the sins we ought to avoid and the good things we should be doing as children of light in our homes, churches, and communities. Only an unwise person would hear and read the severe warnings contained in this chapter and continue on his sinful way. What we ought to be striving to do is “understand what the will of the Lord is.” Some Christians are ignorant of the will of God because they do not pray and they do not spend time in the word of God. They are not sure what to do or say as children of the light because they have not taken the time to learn. Warren Wiersbe said, “‘Understanding’ suggests using our minds to discover and do the will of God. Too many Christians have the idea that discovering God’s will is a mystical experience that rules out clear thinking. But this idea is wrong—and dangerous. We discover the will of God as He transforms the mind. Romans 12:1-2 says, ‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.’ This transformation is the result of the Word of God, prayer, meditation, and worship. If God gave you a mind, then He expects you to use it. This means that learning His will involves gathering facts, examining them, weighing them, and praying for His wisdom. God does not want us simply to know His will; He wants us to understand His will.”

Jesus spent three years teaching the disciples by word and example. The church was established to continue the teaching tradition. The family is the primary place where what is taught in the church is to be carried out. In fact, Christian parents ought to be teaching the word of God and the will of God through prayer and Bible reading in the home. We cannot be Christ-like to our neighbors or to others in the community if we are not Christ-like in the home. Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s will is for us to not only be the light of the world but to be the light in our homes as well. Holy Father God, above everything else that we may want, need or desire in life, give us wisdom and a heart after yours, not that we may boast in our own ability or understanding but that we may seek after you and strive to do your will. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Filled Day 19 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” —Ephesians 5:18 “I used to tell young preachers, in order to preach you’ve got to have the power of God on your life. Now I tell them, in order to tie your shoes you’ve got to have the power of God on your life.” —Paul David Washer “Entertainment is the devil’s substitute for joy. The more joy you have in the Lord the less entertainment you need.” —Leonard Ravenhill Paul is not telling us that Christians should not drink wine at all. (In fact, he tells Timothy to drink wine for his body’s sake.) He is commanding Christians not to get drunk or become intoxicated. He says becoming drunk is “excess.” This word means profligate or wasteful. A person who is drunk repeatedly is wasting his life, his health, and his time. He cannot be used effectively for God’s purpose if he has no control over his own body and mind. He is controlled by his drinking habit, and Christians are not to be controlled by anything or anyone but God.

That is why Paul includes a parallel command — “but be filled with the Spirit.” In the Bible, the word “filled” means “controlled by.” A man who is filled with the Holy Spirit is controlled by the Holy Spirit. When you are controlled by the Holy Spirit, you are in your right mind — the mind of Christ. The Christ-mind will lead you and guide you to do the right things and not to waste your life or your time. We need more people who are filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit in our homes. If husbands, wives, and children were filled with the Holy Spirit, we would have fewer arguments, less fighting, fewer divorces, less rebelliousness, and more obedience, more love, more harmony, and more peace. Dr. Warren Wiersbe said, “We usually think of the power of the Spirit as necessary for preaching and witnessing, and this is true. But Paul wrote that the Spirit’s fullness is also needed in the home. If our homes are to be a heaven on earth, then we must be controlled by the Holy Spirit. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can walk in harmony as husbands and wives, parents and children, and employers and employees. The unity of the people of God that Paul described must be translated into daily living if we are to enjoy the harmony that is a foretaste of heaven on earth. ‘Be filled with the Spirit’ is God’s command, and He expects us to obey. The command is plural, so it applies to all Christians and not just to a select few. The verb is in the present tense — ‘keep on being filled’ — so it is an experience we should enjoy constantly and not just on special occasions. And the verb is passive. We do not fill ourselves but

permit the Spirit to fill us. The verb ‘fill’ has nothing to do with contents or quantity, as though we are empty vessels that need a required amount of spiritual fuel to keep going. In the Bible, filled means ‘controlled by.’ ‘They were filled with wrath’ means ‘they were controlled by wrath’ and for that reason tried to kill Jesus. ‘The Jews were filled with envy’ means that the Jews were controlled by envy and opposed the ministry of Paul and Barnabas. To be ‘filled with the Spirit’ means to be constantly controlled by the Spirit in our mind, emotions, and will.” We must allow ourselves to continuously be controlled by the Holy Spirit. Just as we do not rely on yesterday’s breakfast for today’s strength, we cannot rely on the Spirit-filling that we received yesterday for the situations and conflicts that we will face today. We must ask God to fill us and control us every day and every hour of the day. Holy Father God, help us to choose to be controlled by the Holy Spirit and to embrace moderation in all things. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Joyful Day 20 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” —Ephesians 5:19-21 “The trouble is that many homes are not governed by God’s Word — even homes where the members are professing Christians — and the consequences are tragic. Instead of angels being guests in some homes, it seems that demons are the masters. Too many marriages end in the divorce court, and nobody knows how many husbands and wives are emotionally divorced even though they share the same address. The poet William Cowper called the home ‘the only bliss of Paradise that has survived the Fall,’ but too many homes are an outpost of hell instead of a parcel of paradise.” —Warren Wiersbe “There are three persons living in each of us: the one we think we are, the one other people think we are, and the one God knows we are.” —Leonard Ravenhill

There are three marks of a person who is filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit: they are joyful, thankful, and submissive. Let’s look at the trait of joyfulness. Warren Wiersbe said, “Christian joy is not a shallow emotion that, like a thermometer, rises and falls with the changing atmosphere of the home. Rather, Christian joy is a deep experience of adequacy and confidence in spite of the circumstances around us.” Obviously, there are many ways in which joy is shown forth in a Christian’s life, including the following: 1. Speaking to yourselves in psalms. The “yourselves” whom Paul is writing to are the church at Ephesus. But this command also extends to Christians in the home. It is believed that the “psalms” referred to here are David’s psalms in the Old Testament, many of which express the joy of serving God and simply being alive in God’s world. 2. Speaking to yourselves in hymns. Adam Clarke defines hymns as “extemporaneous effusions in praise of God, uttered under the influence of the Divine Spirit, or a sense of his special goodness.” I don’t know about you, but I am one of those people who derives joy from even the small things of life. I spontaneously thank God for a good meal, a good nap, a safe drive home, among many other things. When we realize how much we have to be thankful for, we will find it easy to be joyful.

3. Speaking to yourselves in spiritual songs. The Greek word used for songs here is “odes”, which is defined as ‘premeditated or regular poetic composition.’ These are songs that are written down and set to music with the spiritual purpose of glorifying God and expressing the joy of being in a relationship with Him. We should communicate our joy through spiritual songs in the church, in the home, and in the community. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then your heart will be full of joy to the Lord. And the joy in your heart will permeate your words and deeds. Holy Father God, let our minds, hearts, souls, and spirits be filled with your wonderment and joy through which we embrace all situations that come our way and people we encounter. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Songs Day 21 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” —Ephesians 5:19-21 “Joy is characteristic of a truly Christian home. Having said this, it’s important to understand that joy and happiness are not necessarily the same thing. Happiness is a result of what happens to us. Joy has deeper roots. Every marriage and every family will experience trials and hardships of various kinds, but there is no circumstance that can rob us of our joy if we know that the key to our present welfare and future destiny lies in Christ alone.” —Phillip J. Swihart and Wilford Wooten “The Gospel is not an old, old story, freshly told. It is a fire in the Spirit, fed by the flame of Immortal Love; and woe unto us, if, through our negligence to stir up the Gift of God which is within us, that fire burns low.” —Leonard Ravenhill

Regarding this verse, the Bible Exposition Commentary states: “The Spirit-filled Christian’s song comes from God, a song he could never sing apart from the Spirit’s power. God even gives us songs in the night. In spite of pain and shame, Paul and Silas were able to sing praises to God in the Philippian jail, and the result was the conversion of the jailer and his family… Christians who are filled with the Holy Spirit enjoy being together and experience a sense of joyful oneness in the Lord. They do not need the false stimulants of the world. They have the Spirit of God and He is all they need.” “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Let’s look at the latter two ways in which a Christian should express joy. 1. Speaking to yourselves by singing unto the Lord. This is vocal praise and worship of God which is something that we do regularly in church, but that we should do even more often in the home. Singing in itself can be edifying and uplifting to our own lives and to the lives of others. Many important spiritual truths have been communicated through singing and music. Martin Luther considered music second only to theology, and compared singing with musical accompaniment to ‘a heavenly dance where all embrace in a spirit of friendliness and care.’ 2. Speaking to yourselves by ‘making melody in our hearts to the Lord.’ This is perhaps the most important command in this verse. What good is speaking words of joy and singing songs

of joy if our hearts are not joyful? The words â&#x20AC;&#x153;making melodyâ&#x20AC;? literally mean to pluck the strings of an instrument. Obviously, you will not always be in circumstances where singing or speaking aloud is appropriate. But, if you are truly joyful, you will always be making a melody, playing an instrument, singing a song in your heart to the Lord. If you are a Christian, you have been filled with the Holy Spirit. You have joy from God inside of you. Commit to expressing that joy not only in these ways, but in any way that the Lord leads you. Holy Father God, help us to commit to expressing joy as a reflection of your amazing grace in our lives. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Thankful Day 22 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” —Ephesians 5:19-21 “Our most basic instinct is not for survival but for family. Most of us would give our own life for the survival of a family member, yet we lead our daily life too often as if we take our family for granted.” —Paul Pearshall “One thing and one thing alone keeps us from complete decay in this hour — the church, the true Church.” —Leonard Ravenhill According to this passage, joy is the first mark of a person who is filled with the Holy Spirit. The second mark is thankfulness or gratitude. For the Christian, expressing gratitude is not just to be emphasized once a year on Thanksgiving, but every day and

every hour of the day. It is especially important in the family where we become so familiar with our family members that we begin to take them for granted. We lose sight of how God has blessed us with each other. So, the Bible tells us that we ought to be “giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Regarding this verse, The Bible Exposition Commentary states, “Marriage counselors tell us that ‘taking each other for granted’ is one of the chief causes of marital problems. Being thankful to God for each other is a secret of a happy home, and it is the Holy Spirit who gives us the grace of thankfulness. How does a grateful heart promote harmony in the home? For one thing, the sincerely grateful person realizes that he is enriched because of others, which is a mark of humility. The person who thinks the world owes him a living is never thankful for anything. He thinks he is doing others a favor by permitting them to serve him. The thankful heart is usually humble, a heart that gladly acknowledges God as the ‘Giver of every good and perfect gift.’ Like Mary’s gift to Jesus in John 12, gratitude fills the house with fragrance.” Now, it may not always be easy to be gracious toward each other in a husband-wife relationship or a parent-child relationship. But we can be grateful to God for each other and everybody else and everything else. “Giving thanks unto God and the Father.” God is the source of everything good in our lives, and even though He is not responsible for everything bad that comes in our lives, God will work it out for our good. So, we have no excuse for ungratefulness. 74

We should be thankful for everything at all times. Paul writes, “Giving thanks always for all things.” You might think that it is impossible for you to do that. How can you be thankful for everything at all times? The point of this passage, however, is that YOU alone are not going to do it. Rather, it will be the Holy Spirit living inside you, filling you, and controlling you. When you are filled with God’s Spirit, you will look at the world through His eyes. You will realize how blessed you are and how God is working in your life to bring blessings out of bad situations. Adding to this point is the fact that we are to give thanks “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Albert Barnes wrote, “The meaning is, that we are ‘always’ to approach God through the mediation of the Lord Jesus. When we ask for mercy, it is to be on his account, or through his merits; when we plead for strength and grace to support us in trial, it is to be in dependence on him; and when we give thanks, it is to be through him, and because it is through his intervention that we receive all blessings, and by his merits that even the gratitude of beings so sinful as we are can be accepted.” When you can think of nothing else to be thankful for, think of Jesus and the eternal blessings that we receive because of what He has done for us. It is His grace, His Spirit, and His power in our lives that enable us to face and deal with all of the people in our families and the issues that come up in our families as well as with others. He helps us get through every situation that we face. And for that, we can always be grateful.

One great preacher said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The word gratitude comes from the same root word as grace. If we have experienced the grace of God, then we ought to be grateful for what God brings to us. Thank and think also come from the same root word. If we would think more, we would thank more.â&#x20AC;? Holy Father God, help us to be grateful in all things, in all situations, and for all people. Fill our hearts with joy, our minds with peace, and our lives with harmony. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Submit Day 23 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” —Ephesians 5:19-21 “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” —John Bunyan “The Church right now has more fashion than passion, is more pathetic than prophetic, is more superficial than supernatural.” —Leonard Ravenhill The third mark of a Spirit-filled person is submissiveness. Paul writes, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” This simple verse describes the spirit of submissiveness that should be present in the church community. H.W. Hoehner wrote, “Spirit-controlled believers are to submit to one another, willingly serving others and being under them rather than dominating them and exalting themselves.”

There are two schools of thought regarding this very pivotal verse, verse 21, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” On one side you have theologians who believe that this verse stands alone and is more connected to the previous verses than it is connected to the following verses, even though all of it is to be taken in its full context, of course. This division is borne out throughout the many versions of the Bible, where half draw an invisible line between this verse and the following verses dealing with the marriage and family, and the other half connect this verse to the following verses dealing with the marriage and family. Unfortunately, many good men of God have taught that this verse includes a husband being submissive to his wife, and that is not the correct teaching here. In fact, that teaching has been tragic in the body of Christ down through the years, and is the cause of many homes being destroyed, many children being dismayed, and many churches being in disarray. As I have already mentioned, this verse, verse 21, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God,” is referring to Christians being submissive one to another in the church family setting, and this includes everybody in the church, meaning that we should be so filled with the Holy Spirit of God and so humble in spirit that we are able to learn from each other in the Body of Christ. This does not mean that a wife cannot advise her husband, but she is to submit to his leadership. This does not mean that a grown child cannot advise his father or mother, but if that child is still living in their household, their role is to be submissive.

I’m reminded of a wife who saw her husband grimacing in pain and she, out of loving care and concern, went against his protests and said, “I’m calling the doctor right now.” And he submitted to her loving care for him. Once I was visiting my mother as a grown man, and I noticed that every time she came into the house, she brought a six-pack of Diet Coke with her. I lovingly told my mother, “This is your last six-pack of Diet Coke while I’m here, because you’re drinking these things like water.” She bristled, but she submitted to my loving, concerned advice and stopped drinking them, at least while I was there. That kind of loving concern in the family is fine and expected. But the wife ruling over the husband at any point is wrong. The husband submitting to the wife in major decisions is wrong. The children ruling over the parents is wrong. This interpretation has caused and will cause all kinds of tragic results for generations to come. With that said, there are two main ways in which submissiveness is shown by Christians who are filled with the Holy Spirit. First, we are to submit ourselves to instruction, teaching, and rebuke. New believers must submit to the teaching of those who are older in the faith. All believers must submit to the instruction of their pastor and other teachers who have been ordained by the church no matter how old or young. In our everyday lives, if a fellow believer comes to us, lovingly rebuking us for some sin or some un-Christlike attitude or behavior, we ought to take heed to their words. If it is not a sin they are concerned with, but a legitimate liberty that we have in Christ — such as drinking wine, going to the movies, eating meat, etc. —

we ought to listen patiently to their concern and take the matter to the Lord in prayer. We ought to consider ceasing that activity if it is causing others in our local church to stumble in their walk with God or find offense with the Gospel. The second way in which we are to be submissive is through serving. In the body of Christ, there are no “big I’s and little You’s.” No one is above a certain kind of service. The person who cleans the bathrooms in the church is just as important in God’s eyes as the person who preaches on Sunday. We must remember that Jesus did not think it above Himself to wash His disciples feet. He said, “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.” In every area of our lives, not just in the church, we should look for ways to serve, help, assist, and minister to others. We should engage in sacrificial service — giving up our rights in order to serve others. Just because we have a certain position or status in life, if we are truly to be followers of Christ, that does not exclude us from serving others. Jesus Christ said, “He that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.” Every believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit is joyful, grateful, and willing to submit to others and serve others for the glory of God. Holy Father God, in our humanity, we don’t like to submit or surrender. It goes against everything on the inside of us. Help

us, however, to take up the cross like you did and willingly line ourselves up under your authority so that we can receive your great gifts. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Subject Day 24 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.” —Ephesians 5:22-24 “Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave.” —Martin Luther “If we had more sleepless nights in prayer, there would be fewer souls to have a sleepless eternal night in hell.” —Leonard Ravenhill Now, we are going to talk about the role of wives and husbands in the home. The first thing Paul says is, “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.” This verse sounds so simple, yet it has been the source of much controversy down through the years. False teaching on this verse (or not teaching this verse at all) has resulted in many marriages being ruined

and families being destroyed, simply because people have refused to do marriage God’s way. I have found that many Biblebelieving churches and pastors seem to believe and preach the Bible on everything except for marriage and the family. To understand this passage, let’s begin by defining the word “submit.” “Submit” comes from the Greek word “hupotasso”, which means: “to arrange under, to subordinate; to subject one’s self, to obey; to yield to one’s admonition or advice.” Notice how this word carries with it a willingness on the part of the wife who is to be submissive to her husband. In a marriage, the husband should not have to force the wife to submit, but the wife is to submit willingly. John Piper said submission is the wife’s “disposition to follow a husband’s authority and an inclination to yield to his leadership.” Many women find no difficulty in submitting to other men on the job or in the church. That is why Paul stresses, “submit yourselves unto your own husbands.” The Bible commands all people to submit to legitimate authority, but specifically commands a wife to be in submission to her own husband. Tony Evans said, “To submit to your husband means you recognize his position as head of the household to accomplish God’s purposes as it relates to the family. You may say, ‘I can’t submit to that man!’ Well, you may not agree with everything Mr. Jones at your job tells you, but you submit. If you’re in court you may not like what the judge thinks, but you submit. We see that these examples do not have to do with submitting to a man, but submitting to a position.”

This submission is to take place “as unto the Lord.” In other words, submission is the duty of a wife who claims to be a follower of Christ. When she submits to her husband’s authority she is obeying Jesus Christ. A wife cannot claim that she is submissive to Christ if she is not submissive to her husband. The Bible does not speak of submission only as it relates to the husband-wife relationship. Submission is found all throughout Scripture. Samuel had to submit to Eli. Saul had to submit to Samuel (and was punished for not doing so). David had to submit to Nathan. John the Baptist had to submit to Jesus. When Jesus was a child, He had to submit to His earthly parents’ leadership. Jesus had to submit to God regarding His death on the cross. Submission is not a dirty word. It is something that is necessary to human relationships. If there were no authority and no submission there would be chaos in society. And, unfortunately, there is chaos in many homes because the roles of authority and submission are not being filled by husbands and wives. One Christian woman who realized her responsibility as a wife, wrote these words in a letter to her pastor: “I realize that my submission to my husband is not my gift to him, to be received gratefully on his part, and to be returned in kind. Nor is it to be a subtle form of blackmail. In fact if I were submitting to him as unto the Lord I wouldn’t care what the results were — that’s his business. Actually, a woman is never more free to be herself than when she is most joyfully submissive to her husband’s authority. What a relief to be free to be what I was made for!”

Holy Father God, help me to joyfully and cheerfully submit to the authority over me. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Surrender Day 25 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.” —Ephesians 5:22-24 “Each of us submits to a higher authority. Consider the boss at work or the IRS agent at tax time. They are our equals as people, yet we submit to them because they have authority over us when they assume certain roles. A wife submits to her husband in the same manner. You both are equally valued, equally important partners — yet your roles are different.” —James Dobson Most women do not submit to their husband because they do not trust God. —Daniel Whyte III “We have adopted the convenient theory that the Bible is a Book to be explained, whereas first and foremost it is a Book to be believed (and after that to be obeyed).” —Leonard Ravenhill

After commanding Christian wives to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord, Paul gives the reason why they should do this. He says, “For the husband is the head of the wife…” You might say, ‘That’s not a good enough reason.’ It sounds so simple that many wives dismiss it and disobey it to their own detriment. They mistakenly think that being the husband does not necessarily make him the head or the leader in the relationship. But, when you think about it, this is a very good reason. Why do you submit to a police officer? Because he is a police officer and he is in authority over you when it comes to the law. It does not mean he is better than you. It does not mean that you are inferior to him. He is simply filling a role of authority that has been ordained by the government. It is the same way in the home. The husband is the head because that is the role God has ordained him to fill. God made Adam before he made Eve, and God put Adam in charge of the Garden. He gave the instructions to Adam and He expected Adam to lead Eve in carrying them out. You might say, ‘Well, that was Adam and Eve. Times are different now.’ In answer to that statement, in this same verse is another comparison that was relevant 2,000 years ago, and is relevant today: “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church…” Can you imagine Christ NOT being the head of the church? Can you imagine yourself telling Jesus what to do? Can you imagine Jesus not leading His people? Of course not. Paul uses this example to show the seriousness of

the wife submitting to the husband. She should submit to her husband just as all Christians should submit to Christ. As the head of the church, Christ is also “the saviour of the body.” Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “What, then, is the doctrine? It is clearly this. The wife is the one who is kept, preserved, guarded, shielded, provided for by the husband. That is the relationship — as Christ nourishes and cherishes the church, so the husband nourishes and cherishes the wife — and the wife should realize that that is her position in this relationship.” It is a position of submission. As the church submits to Christ, and as the human body must follow the commands of the head, the family body (the wife and children) should follow the commands of its head (the husband and father) The husband is looking out for the well-being of the entire family — the “body.” When submission as originally instituted by God is practiced by the wife, there is more peace, order, harmony, and joy in the home. You say, “Well, what about the husband?” Don’t worry, I’ll be dealing with him soon. I’m going to say something very controversial, that some of my Christian friends are not going to like, but I believe the reason there has been such an explosive interest in 50 Shades of Grey in women in our society at large and even in the church is because there is a God-given desire in women to submit to a

man — to have a man who is in control. And when that desire is not fulfilled biblically because the emasculated or effeminate men refuse to be that kind of man or don’t know how to be that kind of man, it comes out in the perverted way of 50 Shades of Grey. To show you what I mean, many years ago, before I met my wife Meriqua, I had a girlfriend, and just out of the blue one day, she said, “This is going to sound strange, but I like being with you because you don’t let me have my way.” So men ought to lead as God has designed them to do and women ought to just go on and do what God put in them to do and life would be better for the entire family. Holy Father God, help us to trust you and since our trust should be in you, help us to respect and surrender to the authorities you have placed in our lives. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Everything Day 26 “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.” —Ephesians 5:22-24 “To prove submission is a wonderful concept, Jesus became the ultimate illustration of its validity. Although He was coequal and co-eternal with the Father, He was completely submissive to the Father’s will.” —Joyce Rogers “Where, oh, where are the eternity-conscious believers? Where are the souls white-hot for God because they fear His holy name and presence and so live with eternity’s values in view?” —Leonard Ravenhill “Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.” In the Bible, the roles of submission are never reversed. Jesus never submits to the church. Masters are never told to submit

to their servants and husbands are never told to submit to their wives. The order of authority that God has instituted since the beginning remains intact. Just as the church is always subject to Christ, so the wife must always be subject to her husband. A wife may not always feel like doing this, but she must make up her mind to choose to do this by the grace of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit if she wants to have peace, harmony and order in her household with her husband and children. Just as the church fulfills its mission by submitting to and obeying Christ, the wife fulfills her duty to God and to her husband by submitting to and obeying her husband in “everything”. And everything means everything. What this means, ladies, is that once you decide to marry a man, according to God’s Word, he gets the last word on major decisions in your relationship and in the family. And if you don’t agree with him, God wants you to submit to him anyway. If your husband is wrong, it is your job to pray for him, let God deal with him, and lead, guide and direct him. This does not mean that you cannot help your husband by giving him advice on what needs to be done, but it does mean that once he has made his decision, you need to submit to his leadership in all things and not try to usurp and undermine his authority with pride, stubbornness, and rebelliousness which the Bible says is as the sin of witchcraft. Two of the greatest things that have happened to me in life are: (1) when I got saved by trusting Jesus Christ as my Saviour; and (2) when I was taught by God’s chastisement to submit to

and obey His will and His Word. Contrary to what you may think Christian ladies, if you cheerfully and willingly submit to your husband and you do not have a track record of lying to your husband about anything, your husband will safely trust in you, have confidence in you and will listen to your advice and will let you make most decisions on your own without consulting him at all. Christian women can truly have the best of both worlds if they would just obey God’s Word in this matter. John Gill said, “The wife has respect to all her husband’s commands, and esteems all his precepts; and yields a cheerful, voluntary, sincere, and hearty obedience to them.” Holy Father God, give us the desire to eliminate the chaos that results from everyone going their own way and doing what they believe is right for them. Give us humility and grace to submit to the authority figures You have placed over us so that our lives can be better and our souls at rest. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Love Day 27 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.” —Ephesians 5:25-28 “Ceasing to be ‘in love’ need not mean ceasing to love. Love in this second sense — love as distinct from ‘being in love’ — is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will and deliberately strengthened by habit; reinforced by the grace which both partners ask, and receive from God. They can have this love for each other even at those moments when they do not like each other. They can retain this love even when each would easily, if they allowed themselves, be ‘in love’ with someone else. ‘Being in love’ first moved them to promise fidelity: this quieter love enables them to keep the promise. It is on this love that the engine of marriage is run: being in love was the explosion that started it.” —C.S. Lewis

“The reason why most men do not love their wives is because they don’t fear God.” —Daniel Whyte III “If we will do God’s work in God’s way at God’s time with God’s power, we shall have God’s blessing.” —Leonard Ravenhill The reason why most men do not love their wives is because they don’t fear God. Men need to stop fearing their wives and fear God. Gentlemen, to help you out, here is a verse that should strike the fear of God in your heart: “The Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the spirit. And wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed. Therefore take heed to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the wife of his youth. For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the Lord of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.” The word treacherously means to be unfaithful, untrustworthy, deceptive, unreliable, and/or unkind. The main reason why you ought to love your wife and treat her

right is not because you fear her but because you fear God. Rest assured, God is watching and He is a witness between you and your wife, and if you are mean and hateful, treacherous, unkind, or abusive to your wife, God will deal with you, because He is your Head. And if you know what is good for you, you had better submit to Him. Pastor Rodney Queen told me years ago that if it was up to him, he would have divorced his wife a long time ago but that was not an option because he feared God and wanted to keep God’s blessings on his life. And if many Christian men were honest, this would probably be their testimony as well for I know it is mine. The instructions on the husband’s responsibility in the home begin with a simple command: “Husbands, love your wives.” And, just as the model of wifely submission is found in Christ’s relationship with the Church, so is the model of the husband’s love found in Christ’s relationship with the Church. The husband is to love his wife “even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” What does it mean for a man to love his wife as Christ loved the Church? Well, this verse is not talking about a romantic love or even a friendly love. The word used for love is “agape”, which refers to love in a moral sense. It is not concerned with feelings or reciprocity. It does not love just to be loved in return. William Barclay said, “Agape has to do with the mind: it is not simply an emotion which rises unbidden in our hearts; it is a principle by which we deliberately live.”

Husbands are to choose to love their wives at all times just as Christ has chosen to love us without ceasing. Just as wifely submission is not contingent upon a husband’s behavior, the husband’s love for his wife is not contingent upon her behavior. Jesus Christ loved us when we were yet sinners; and now that we are saved, He still loves us, even when we disobey Him. Agape love is consistent and steady, while romantic love can come and go just as your feelings come and go. Jesus’ love for us drove Him to sacrifice. Paul says, “he gave himself”; Jesus put his life on the line for us. A husband should be willing to do the same for his wife. Giving himself does not mean that a husband gives in to his wife’s every demand or wish, or lets her have her way all of the time. As we all should know by now, showing agape love to your wife may mean saying no to her. But true love and sacrifice on the husband’s part means that he is going to love her, sacrifice for her, and provide for her, even when she is disobedient, rebellious, and unlovely. Holy Father God, help us to choose to have agape love which is consistent, steady, faithful, and unconditional. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

Sanctify Day 28 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.” —Ephesians 5:25-28 “What is meant by the church being ‘glorious’ is now described in physical terms. Using the image of a lovely young woman, Paul states that she will be without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish. Not even the smallest spot or pucker that spoils the smoothness of the skin will mar the unsurpassed beauty of Christ’s bride when he presents her to himself. Hers will be a splendour that is exquisite, unsurpassed, matchless. For the present the church on earth is ‘often in rags and tatters, stained and ugly, despised and rejected’. Christ’s people may rightly be accused of many shortcomings and failures. But God’s gracious intention is that the church should be holy and blameless, language which speaks of a beauty which is moral and spiritual.” —Peter O’Brien

“The man who can get believers to praying would, under God, usher in the greatest revival that the world has ever known.” —Leonard Ravenhill In the midst of his discussion on husbands and wives, Paul gives us one of the most compelling descriptions of the work of Jesus Christ in the Church today and the ultimate goal of this work. Jesus is even now in the process of sanctifying and cleansing His bride. His goal is to “present us to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Scholars have proposed two interpretations of when this “presenting” will take place. Some say it will take place in the end times after the Rapture, while others say it is taking place every day right now. When the Rapture takes place, all believers, dead and alive, will be caught up to Heaven to be with the Lord. Shortly thereafter, the Marriage Supper of the Lamb will take place, and Jesus will be unified with His bride, the Church, in Heaven. Jesus is working in the Church and in the lives of believers today in order to cleanse us of anything sinful and impure so that we can be a holy and glorious bride when the Church goes to meet Him. However, we do not have to wait for the Rapture and the Marriage Supper to be a glorious and holy Church. Jesus desires for us to be free from sin and uncleanness even now. When we go to

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Him in prayer, when we go to church, in our everyday lives, we ought to strive to be holy and blameless. Now, how does this apply to the husband and wife relationship? Husband, when you married your wife, she was not perfect. You may have thought she was at the time, but after you were married for a while, I’m sure you realized that she had some flaws. As the Christian leader of your home, your job is to do for your wife (and children) what Jesus is doing for the Church. Your goal ought to be to have a family that is holy and without blemish. Obviously, neither of you will be perfect this side of Heaven, but it is your job to run your family in as godly a manner as possible. This means confronting sin in your wife’s life. This means praying consistently with your wife and for your wife. This means Bible study so that God’s Word can have its cleansing effect on your life and her life — pointing out sins and giving practical instructions for everyday living. Husbands, you ought to want a glorious bride, and you should settle for nothing less. Your wife may not be there yet, but she can get there, and God has commanded you to help make that happen. Holy Father God, help us to strive to be holy and blameless in everything we do and say. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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One Day 29 “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” —Ephesians 5:25-30 “The Apostle puts it in this form in order that a husband may see that he cannot detach himself from his wife. You cannot detach yourself from your body, so you cannot detach yourself from your wife. She is a part of you, says the Apostle, so remember that always.” —Martyn Lloyd-Jones “To copy copies is not normally safe, but it is safe to copy Paul, for he was fully surrendered, wholly sanctified, completely satisfied.” —Leonard Ravenhill

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After explaining the husband’s responsibilities by using Jesus’ relationship with the church as an example, Paul returns to the theme of the husband’s responsibility to love his wife. Paul adds another comparison this time: “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies.” Paul is not just saying that a husband ought to love and care for his wife just as he loves and cares for himself. He is not trying to apply the Golden Rule to marriage. Rather, he is saying that the husband ought to love his wife because she is a part of him. In God’s eyes, the ideal of marriage is that the husband and wife “are no longer two but one flesh.” This goes back to how Eve was created. She was fashioned out of one of Adam’s ribs. When God awakened Adam from his sleep and brought Eve to him, He was bringing Adam a missing piece of himself. That is how close a wife and husband ought to be, if they are in the will of God, even though they are not perfect. The reality that they are one ought to be the driving factor in the relationship of the husband and wife. One will not act without thinking of how it would harm the other. When you are tempted to do or say something that is wrong, think of how you would be affected if someone did or said that same thing to you. Realize that that is exactly what you are doing because you and your wife are one flesh. This also works the same way for doing things that are good.

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Paul says, “He that loveth his wife loveth himself.” When you do something good for your wife, you are doing something good for yourself because both of you will benefit from that action. Your relationship (as “one flesh”) is improved when you love your wife and treat her as you would treat yourself. Holy Father God, give us the grace to be like Paul, fully surrendered, wholly sanctified, and completely satisfied. In Jesus name. Amen.

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Cherish Day 30 “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” —Ephesians 5:28-30 “‘To hate one’s wife is as irrational as it is to hate one’s own flesh.’ Just as a man instinctively does these things for his body, so must he be concerned for every aspect of his wife’s well-being: physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual.” —Mark Dunagan “Evangelists today are very often prepared to be anything to anybody as long as they can get somebody to the altar for something. They glibly call out: ‘Who wants help? Who wants more power? Who wants a closer walk with God?’ Such a sinning, repenting ‘easy believeism’ dishonors the blood and prostitutes the altar. The altar is a place to die on. Let those who will not pay this price leave it alone!” —Leonard Ravenhill Paul continues his argument on how a husband is to love his wife. He says, “No man ever yet hated his own flesh.” No normal

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man hates, or as the Greek word says, “detests,” his own body. He loves and cares for it. He tries to improve it and preserve it in any way that he can. Furthermore, Paul says he “nourisheth and cherisheth it.” The Greek word Paul uses for “nourish” means to help bring up to maturity, to care for as it grows. The word he uses for “cherish” means “to keep warm; to cherish with tender love, to foster with tender care.” A husband who nourishes and cherishes his wife (as he does himself) will provide for her, guard her, and protect her from exposure and want “even as the Lord does the church.” This means that a husband must communicate with his wife and the wife with her husband, just as Christians are commanded to communicate with God through prayer and God communicates with us through His Word and through the Holy Spirit. A husband must be attentive and attuned to the needs of his wife just as Christ is attentive to the needs of his church. The husband is most fulfilling in his role when he is most like Christ. Holy Father God, help us to show love to each other just as we love ourselves, to communicate with each other, and to be attentive to each other’s needs. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Nourish Day 31 “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” —Ephesians 5:28-30 “These Scriptures make use of language which is stronger than that employed to describe any other connection; and there is no union of affection so powerful as that which binds the Christian to the Saviour. So strong is it, that he is willing for it to forsake father, mother, and home; to leave his country, and to abandon his possessions; to go to distant lands and dwell among barbarians to make the Redeemer known; or to go to the cross or the stake from simple love to the Saviour. Account for it as people may, there has been manifested on earth nowhere else so strong an attachment as that which binds the Christian to the cross. It is stronger love that that which a man has for his own flesh and bones; for it makes him willing that his flesh should be consumed by fire, or his bones broken on the wheel rather than deny him.” —Albert Barnes “Do not we rest in our day too much on the arm of flesh? Cannot the same wonders be done now as of old? Do not the

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eyes of the Lord still run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those who put their trust in Him? Oh, that God would give me more practical faith in Him! Where is now the Lord God of Elijah? He is waiting for Elijah to call on Him.” —Leonard Ravenhill As Paul begins to close this passage, he emphasizes the union of Christ and the church as it relates to the union of the husband and the wife. Speaking of Christ, he says, “We are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.” Here he is speaking to both the husband and the wife, assuming that both are Christians, then they are both members of the body of Christ. They are an integral part of the church. They make up the flesh and bone of the Saviour in a union that will never be torn apart. Just as Christ and His church are tightly bound together, so ought a husband and wife to be bound together. They should see themselves as one, unable (and unwilling) to do without the other until God calls one of them Home. Part of the problem in our society today is that people do not take marriage as seriously as they used to. Some people, before they get married, get a contract drawn up delineating who gets what amount of their assets if they get a divorce. How can you be serious about your marriage succeeding if you are already planning for it to fail? Some people go into marriage not understanding what it means to be one. Yes, you might still have your own interests and your own goals, but if those interests

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and goals drive you apart then something is wrong. God will never give two of His children whom He puts together in marriage individual purposes which cause division and separation in the marriage. For this oneness in marriage to work the way God intended, someone has to be the head and someone has to submit both in mutual love and respect. To try to do it in any other way is foolishness and ignorance. Holy Father God, give us your power to do the things that will not cause division and separation but that will knit our hearts together in love and unity. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Cleave Day 32 “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” —Ephesians 5:31-33 “Scripture directs us to honor parents. Obeying parents, however, is clearly time-limited. If we’re still trying to obey Mom and Dad, we’re not leaving them and cleaving to our spouse. While it may be difficult to defy their spoken or unspoken wishes, there may be times when it’s necessary.” —Phillip J. Swihart and Wilford Wooten “At this grim hour, the world sleeps in the darkness, and the Church sleeps in the light.” —Leonard Ravenhill In order for a man to become one with his wife, there must be some semblance of leaving other familial ties behind. The Bible says, “For this cause [for the cause of being joined to one’s wife] shall a man leave his father and mother…”

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One of the best things God led me to do for my family when my wife and I got married was to not stay closely tied to either of our families. There is some biblical precedent for a man and his immediate family leaving their extended family behind — moving away geographically — in order to pursue the specific purpose God has called that man and his family to accomplish. Abraham is one such example. God told him to move away from his extended family who were caught up in the worship of false gods, as God wanted to reveal Himself to Abraham and start a new race of people through him. Now, husbands, you may not have to move away from your extended family in a geographical sense, but you must move away from them in a spiritual and relational sense. As the leader of your home, God is your head — not your mother or your father or your wife’s mother or father. Many marriages have been ruined by husbands and/or wives not cutting inappropriate ties with their respective mothers and fathers. The Bible Knowledge Commentary states, “This verse is a free rendering of Genesis 2:24, indicating that the bond between husband and wife is greater than that between parent and child. The greatness of the mystery refers to the two becoming one flesh.” ‘Leave and cleave’ is a biblical command. Make sure you are obeying it in your marriage, and be blessed. Holy Father God, help us to be united as one in love, grace, and respect. In Jesus Christ name. Amen. 114

Mystery Day 33 “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” —Ephesians 5:31-33 “The exalted view, both of marriage and of the church of Jesus Christ, shines forth in this text. The sacredness of marriage is seen in God’s design of it, from the very beginning, to be a figure of the union of Christ and his church; and the glorious importance of the church appears in the fact of its having been in the design of God from the very beginning.” —James Burton Coffman “Oh that believers would become eternity-conscious! If we could live every moment of every day under the eye of God, if we did every act in the light of the judgment seat, if we sold every article in the light of the judgment seat, if we prayed every prayer in the light of the judgment seat, if we tithed all our possessions in the light of the judgment seat, if we

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preachers prepared every sermon with one eye on damned humanity and the other on the judgment seat—then we would have a Holy Ghost revival that would shake this earth and that, in no time at all, would liberate millions of precious souls.” —Leonard Ravenhill Paul calls marriage, specifically the ‘leaving and cleaving’ aspect of marriage, a mystery. In the Bible, a “mystery” is something that was previously hidden, unknown, or misunderstood. Marriage itself is not the mystery here; the mystery is the thing that marriage signifies. That mystery is the union of Christ with His body, the Church. That is why Paul says, “I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Before Jesus came to earth, died on the cross, and rose from the dead, no one knew how it was possible for us to take part in the life of God. That was the mystery — mortal, sinful man and immortal, holy God coming together in a great union. In the New Testament, now that such a union has taken place, Paul uses marriage to explain or to unveil the mystery. He takes something that is familiar and uses it to help people understand that which is unfamiliar. At the same time, however, Christian couples are called to an even higher standard in their marriages. The relationship between a Christian husband and wife should be a model of the relationship between Christ and His Church. A Christian marriage ought to be a testimony to the world that doing family God’s way

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works. A Christian marriage ought to also be a tangible, visible representation of Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; union with His people. Husbands and wives, when you look at your marriage through the spectrum lens laid out by the Apostle Paul, you will view matrimony as a holy calling, one that God can use and has used to accomplish His will on Earth and to bring more people into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. This understanding should inspire you to be committed to doing marriage Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way. Holy Father God, help us to make our marriage a reflection of your kingdom and your union with us as your children. Amen.

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Nevertheless Day 34 “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” —Ephesians 5:31-33 “The supreme thing always is to consider our Lord Jesus Christ. If a husband and wife are together considering Him, you need have no worry about their relationship to each other.” —Martyn Lloyd-Jones “Sodom, which had no Bible, no preachers, no tracts, no prayer meetings, no churches, perished. How then will America and England be spared from the wrath of the Almighty, think you? We have millions of Bibles, scores of thousands of churches, endless preachers—and yet what sin!” —Leonard Ravenhill

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We come to the final statement in Paul’s discourse on marriage. He begins with the word “nevertheless.” Why is that word there? Well, all throughout this passage, Paul has been talking about the union of Christ and the Church along with the union of a husband and wife. Some might try to take this passage and say Paul is primarily talking about Christ and the Church and that he is not really teaching on marriage. Well, Paul says, ‘Nevertheless, in spite of all that I have said about how this applies to Christ and the church, it is important to note: let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.’ That is his closing argument — his conclusion about this matter. To further show that he is not just talking about Christ and the Church here, he says, “Let every one of you in particular,” meaning each and every one of you individually. There is only one Christ and one Church, so he is not talking about either here. He is talking to the individual Christian husbands in the Church. To them, he says, “let every one of you so love his wife even as himself.” This not only means that husbands should love their wives as they love themselves, but should love their wives because loving their wives means loving themselves since they are one. Then, Paul has a closing statement for Christian wives: “and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” The word reverence means to have a healthy respect for an authority figure. The Amplified Bible provides this extended definition of what it

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means for a wife to reverence her husband: it means â&#x20AC;&#x153;that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly.â&#x20AC;? Husbands and wives who fulfill their roles according to the Scriptures will be blessed by God and will have genuine happiness in their homes. Holy Father God, help us to fulfill our roles in life with humility and holiness and to be committed to your divine plan. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Children Day 35 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” —Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children and youth who profess to be Christians, listen up! Your obedience should arise out of the conviction that such submission is the will of God. You must obey your parents because the Lord bids you to do so. You really will be much better off in life if you do.” —Stephen Felker “Oh! my ministering brethren! Much of our praying is but giving God advice! Our praying is discolored with ambition, either for ourselves or for our denomination. Perish the thought! Our goal must be God alone. It is His honor that is sullied, His blessed Son who is ignored, His laws broken, His name profaned, His Book forgotten, His house made a circus of social efforts.” —Leonard Ravenhill

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Some parents make the mistake of surrounding their children with an environment where there is no structure and no expectations. They believe that they should just ‘let kids be kids.’ But we see here in God’s Word that God has some expectations of children, especially children in Christian homes and children who have chosen to follow Jesus Christ. Paul writes directly to the “children.” The Bible Exposition Commentary points out the fact that the letters written by the apostles were read aloud in the general assembly of believers. Children were present with their parents in the “main service.” They were not scuttled off to “youth group” or “children’s church.” Thus, Paul does not say, “Parents, tell your children…” He addresses the children directly, as the letter would have been read aloud. What is God’s command to children? To “obey your parents.” In the order and structure of the home, that is what children ought to do — obey their fathers and mothers. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says “obey” “carries with it the ethical significance of hearing with reverence and obedient assent. It is suggestive of ‘hearing under’ or of subordinating one’s self to the person or thing heard, hence, ‘to obey.’” Children ought to obey their parents ‘in the Lord.’ This does not mean that children are required to obey only Christian parents, but that they ought to render their obedience to their parents — saved or unsaved — as obedience to the Lord. Just as a husband is commanded to love his wife as Christ loves the church and

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wives are commanded to submit to their husbands as unto the Lord, children are to obey their parents as though they were obeying God himself because they are, in fact, obeying God. It is the right, correct, and proper thing to do. Holy Father God, help us to obey our parents as you have commanded us and to receive the blessings that come as a result of doing so. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Right Day 36 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” —Ephesians 6:1 “The God of nature indicates that obedience is the duty of children. He has impressed it on the minds of all in every age; and the Author of revelation confirms it. It is particularly important because the good order of a family, and hence of the community, depends on it. No community or family will be prosperous if there is not due subordination in the household.” —Albert Barnes “Today God is bypassing men—not because they are too ignorant, but because they are too self-sufficient. Brethren, our abilities are our handicaps, and our talents our stumbling blocks!” —Leonard Ravenhill One of the questions a child asks often is “Why?” ‘Why is that the case?’ ‘Why is this the way it is?’ Some might ask, ‘Why should I obey my parents?’ Paul’s answer is simply, ‘Because this is right.’ In other words, this is the proper way in which things should be done.

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The obedience of the children to the parents is right because it is the order of nature as set up by God. Parents gave birth to the children, thus they have a position of authority over them. Parents are older, wiser, and more experienced. They know more than their children and are qualified to be in the leadership position in the home. The fact that obedience is called “right” or “righteous” indicates that it is something ordained by God. The Most Righteous One has declared that this is a behavior that is in line with His will. That this behavior is considered to be right also bolsters the order which God has ordained for the home. Some parents think that if they give in to their children’s every demand — essentially obeying their children — they will have peace in the home and their children will be happy. This will not work at all. God did not call parents to make their children happy. If the children rule over the parents, there will be anarchy and chaos in the home simply because the home is not aligned with the divine order. God is displeased when a family is out of order and chaotic. Holy Father God, as obedience is our duty, help us not only to be obedient in our actions, but to have an obedient heart, mind and attitude. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Parents Day 37 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” —Ephesians 6:1-3 “The salvation of society is in the family and the reconstruction of family virtues, parental authority, and filial obedience. The family is the nucleus of all society. You can have no prosperous state unless the family is healthy. You can have no effective church unless the family is sound. The family is the organic cell from which all human societies are constructed.” —James M. Gillis “If Christ waited to be anointed before He went to preach, no young man ought to preach until he, too, has been anointed by the Holy Ghost.” —Leonard Ravenhill Beyond obedience, God wants children to “honor thy father and mother.” The word “honor” means to respect or to reverence.

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Honoring one’s parents goes beyond obedience. A child might obey his or her parents but do so grudgingly or only because they feel like they have to. A child who honors his parents recognizes and respects their authority in his heart regardless of his feelings. He shows deference and respect in his attitude and his actions. Paul is writing to a culture in which a person’s honor which is how they are seen and treated by others is very important. Younger people were expected to respect and show deference to their elders at all times. Under Greek custom, a child was under his father’s authority until the father died. Under the Roman custom, the father’s authority extended until he was 60 years old. So, even adult children were expected to show respect for their parents. In Jewish culture, rabbis took the laws of Moses and delineated specific ways children were to honor their parents. For example, according to The Jewish Encyclopedia of Moral and Ethical Issues, the Hebrew word for “honor” means “dignity.” Thus, for a child, “keeping parents clothed and fed when they can no longer do so for themselves retains their dignity. Similarly, helping them in and out of the house preserves their dignity. Thus, the first mitzvah [Jewish law] is to preserve a parent’s dignity at all costs.” Another term, “morah” is the real word for honor and respect. ‘A child showed respect and honor by not sitting or standing in a parent’s designated place and by not interrupting when the parent was talking.’

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The God-ordained authority structure not only keeps the family from devolving into chaos, but it does the same for the church and society. Holy Father God, help us to honor and reverence the people you place in our lives to watch for our souls. Give us strength to do our part to make our homes havens of rest and joy. Amen.

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Promise Day 38 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” —Ephesians 6:1-3 “A child who is allowed to be disrespectful to his parents will not have true respect for anyone.” —Billy Graham “God never intended His Church to be a refrigerator in which to preserve perishable piety. He intended it to be an incubator in which to hatch out converts.”’ —Leonard Ravenhill Paul calls the command to obey one’s parents “the first commandment with a promise.” It is likely that he is referring to the similar statement found in the book of Exodus in what is called the Ten Commandments. It reads: “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

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Now, in Old Testament times, this command had a very literal application. Deuteronomy 21:18-21 reads: “If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.” As you can see, having a long life in the land of Canaan was a very vivid concept for Hebrew children. Even though this kind of punishment does not take place today, Paul tells us that the reward of long life still comes to those who obey and honor their parents. H.W. Hoenher said this promise “states a general principle that obedience fosters self-discipline, which in turn brings stability and longevity in one’s life. Stated conversely, it is improbable that an undisciplined person will live a long life.” It is indeed a general principle, and one that I have stated many times to members of my own family, both young and old: ‘God blesses obedience and He does not bless disobedience. He never has and He never will.’ I have found it to be true that people who live a clean, godly life often live longer and are more fruitful

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and fulfilled than those who do not. So, children and young people, if you want to be blessed and you want to live a long life, obey God by obeying and honoring your parents. Holy Father God, help us to choose to be obedient, to show respect, and to extend love so that your promise of long life may be fulfilled in our lives. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Right Day 39 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” —Ephesians 6:1-3 “It is a masterpiece of the devil to make us believe that children cannot understand religion. Would Christ have made a child the standard of faith if He had known that it was not capable of understanding His words?” —D.L. Moody “Yearly we use mountains of paper and rivers of ink reprinting dead men’s brains, while the living Holy Ghost is seeking for men to trample underfoot their own learning and deflate their inflated ego.” —Leonard Ravenhill Not only should children take heed to the command to obey and honor their parents, but parents need to know their responsibilities and duties in raising their children up to obey in the first place. Let’s take a deeper look at this command, specifically as it applies to Christian children, from the Bible

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Exposition Commentary. (I am not the type of preacher or writer who feels he has to always be original. If someone else, guided by God, has spoken or written about something in a powerful way, I do not see the need to try to improve upon it.) Notice these two points: 1. Christian children are to obey their parents because they themselves “are Christians. This argument is an application of the theme of the entire section, which is ‘submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.’ When a person becomes a Christian, he is not released from normal obligations of life. If anything, his faith in Christ ought to make him a better child in the home. To the Colossians, Paul enforced his admonition with ‘for this is well pleasing unto the Lord.’ Here is harmony in the home: the wife submits to the husband ‘as unto Christ’; the husband loves his wife ‘even as Christ also loved the church’; and the children obey ‘in the Lord.’” Christian children please the Lord by obeying their parents. It is up to the parents to instill in their children a healthy fear of God. The child should be moved to obey not just out of respect for the parents, but out of respect for God. The Bible Knowledge Commentary continues with this second point: 2. Christian children are to also obey their parents because “‘obedience is right.’ There is an order in nature, ordained of God, that argues for the rightness of an action. Since the parents

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brought the child into the world, and since they have more knowledge and wisdom than the child, it is right that the child obey his parents. Even young animals are taught to obey. The ‘modern version’ of Ephesians 6:1 would be, ‘Parents, obey your children, for this will keep them happy and bring peace to the home.’ But this is contrary to God’s order in nature.” When Christian children obey their parents out of love for God, they help to bring peace to the home. Parents ought to insist that their children obey if they want to lead a home life that is pleasing to God. Holy Father God, help us to obey you by obeying the authorities you have placed over our lives and as a result to create a peaceful and happy home. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Blessed Day 40 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” —Ephesians 6:1-3 “You may speak but a word to a child, and in that child there may be slumbering a noble heart which shall stir the Christian Church in years to come.” —Charles Spurgeon “The ugly fact is that altar fires are either out or burning very low. The prayer meeting is dead or dying. By our attitude to prayer we tell God that what was begun in the Spirit, we can finish in the flesh. What church ever asks its candidating ministers what time they spend in prayer? Yet ministers who do not spend two hours a day in prayer are not worth a dime a dozen, degrees or no degrees.” —Leonard Ravenhill The verses in the Bible on how children ought to obey their parents in the home are not just significant for the children themselves, but probably more so for the parents who have

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forsaken the responsibilities and duties of raising their children. Many Christian parents have tried to pass this role off on the church, the public school system, or higher education. Parents need to understand the role that God has given them in the home. Let’s look at these two additional comments from the Bible Exposition Commentary on the command for Christian children to obey and honor their parents. 1. Christian children are commanded to obey. “Here Paul cites the fifth commandment and applies it to the New Testament believer. This does not mean that the Christian is ‘under the Law,’ for Christ has set us free from both the curse and the bondage of the Law. But the righteousness of the Law is still a revelation of the holiness of God, and the Holy Spirit enables us to practice that righteousness in our daily lives. All of the Ten Commandments are repeated in the New Testament epistles for the Christian to observe except, ‘Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.’ It is just as wrong for a New Testament Christian to dishonor his parents as it was for an Old Testament Jew. To ‘honor’ our parents means much more than simply to obey them. It means to show them respect and love, to care for them as long as they need us, and to seek to bring honor to them by the way we live.” One of the things that people look at when they are considering someone for a position in the church or in government is how their children have turned out. Yes, children are a reflection on their parents. If the children turn out well, if they are respectful, God-fearing, and responsible, then we know that the parents,

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by the grace of God, have done something right. And one of the right things that parents can do is insist that their children obey, honor, and respect them from a young age. The second point included in the Bible Knowledge Commentary is: 2. Christian children who obey and honor their parents will be blessed. “The fifth commandment has a promise attached to it: ‘That thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.’ This promise originally applied to the Jews as they entered Canaan, but Paul applied it to believers today. He substituted ‘earth’ for ‘land’ and tells us that the Christian child who honors his parents can expect two blessings. It will be well with him, and he will live long on the earth. This does not mean that everyone who died young dishonored his parents. He was stating a principle: when children obey their parents in the Lord, they will escape a good deal of sin and danger and thus avoid the things that could threaten or shorten their lives. But life is not measured only by quantity of time. It is also measured by quality of experience. God enriches the life of the obedient child no matter how long he may live on the earth. Sin always robs us; obedience always enriches us.” Parents should insist that their children obey from a young age. Disobedience to parents is rebellion against God. The reason why people have trouble in their homes is because they are not obeying God. Children should know that they are pleasing God by obeying their parents.

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Holy Father God, give us hearts that willingly obey the authority figures over us not out of duty but out of humble regard for Your word and Your order in the earth. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Fathers Day 41 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” —Ephesians 6:4 “Most fathers are not successful in raising their children because they are not willing to love them enough to deal with the nitty gritty of parenting. It takes a man to stick and stay to raise his children into adulthood.” —Daniel Whyte III “When the hammer of logic and the fire of human zeal fail to open the stony heart, unction will succeed.” —Leonard Ravenhill The commands to fathers are especially relevant in a time when fatherlessness is described as an “epidemic.” Many men who have committed to staying with their families simply do not know how to be a good, godly father because they never saw that in their own young life. Thankfully, we can look to God’s Word for guidance. Please read below the first of four powerful points that Warren Wiersbe brings out of this passage so clearly that it’s not worth the time to try to improve upon it. He states:

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“If left to themselves, children will be rebels, so it is necessary for the parents to train their children. Years ago, the then Duke of Windsor said, ‘Everything in the American home is controlled by switches—except the children!’ The Bible records the sad results of parents neglecting their children, either by being bad examples to them or failing to discipline them properly. “David pampered Absalom and set him a bad example, and the results were tragic. After Absalom ended up being killed in battle at the culmination of his rebellion against his father, the Bible says in 2 Samuel 18:33, ‘And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!’ “Eli failed to discipline his sons and they brought disgrace to his name and defeat to the nation of Israel. First Samuel 2 describes them: ‘Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the Lord…Wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord… Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people… [And] they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.’ “In his latter years, even Isaac pampered Esau, while his wife showed favoritism to Jacob; and the result was a divided home.

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Jacob was showing favoritism to Joseph when God providentially rescued the lad and made a man out of him in Egypt. “Paul tells us that the father has several responsibilities toward his children.” First, “He must not provoke them. In Paul’s day, the father had supreme authority over the family. When a baby was born into a Roman family, for example, it was brought out and laid before the father. If he picked it up, it meant he was accepting it into the home. But if he did not pick it up, it meant the child was rejected. It could be sold, given away, or even killed by exposure. No doubt a father’s love would overcome such monstrous acts, but these practices were legal in that day. Paul told the parents, ‘Don’t use your authority to abuse the child, but to encourage and build the child.’ To the Colossians he wrote, ‘Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.’ So, the opposite of ‘provoke’ is ‘encourage.’ “I was addressing a group of Christian students on the subject of prayer, and was pointing out that our Father in heaven is always available when we call. To illustrate it, I told them that the receptionist at our church office has a list of names prepared by me, and these people could get to me at any time, no matter what I was doing. Even if I was in a staff meeting, or in a counseling session, if any of these people phoned, she was to call me immediately. At the top of this list was my family. Even if the matter seems to me inconsequential, I want my family to know that I am available. After the service, one of the students

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said to me, ‘Would you adopt me? I can never get through to my father, and I need his encouragement so much!’ “Fathers provoke their children and discourage them by saying one thing and doing another—by always blaming and never praising, by being inconsistent and unfair in discipline, and by showing favoritism in the home, by making promises and not keeping them, and by making light of problems that, to the children, are very important. Christian parents need the fullness of the Spirit so they can be sensitive to the needs and problems of their children.” The model of fatherhood for Christian men is God himself. Just as God rebukes and encourages, a father must do the same. Just as God rewards and chastises, a father must do the same. Just as God is attentive to the needs of His children, a father must be the same. Just as God is fair, consistent, and dependable, so must a father be the same. The word of God is the blueprint for successful fatherhood. Holy Father God, thank you for not leaving us to ourselves, that you care for us and love us like a tender father and you pull us to yourself with equal parts praise and punishment. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Nurture Day 42 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” —Ephesians 6:4 “A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society.” —Billy Graham “Unctionized by the Spirit’s might, John cried, “Repent!” And they did! Repentance is not a few hot tears at the penitent form. It is not emotion or remorse or reformation. Repentance is a change of mind about God, about sin, and about hell!” —Leonard Ravenhill Please take notice of these verses on parents and children from the Bible. Proverbs 1:8-9: “My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.”

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Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 13:24: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” Proverbs 19:18: “Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.” Proverbs 22:15: “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.” Let’s look at the second of four powerful points that Warren Wiersbe brings out of this passage regarding the command to fathers. This is so clearly stated that it is not worth the time to try to improve upon it. A father must nurture his children. “The text reads, ‘But nurture them in the discipline and admonition of the Lord.’ The verb translated ‘bring them up’ is the same word that is translated ‘nourisheth’ in Ephesians 5:29. The Christian husband is to nourish his wife and his children by sharing love and encouragement in the Lord. It is not enough to nurture the children physically by providing food, shelter, and clothing. He must also nurture them emotionally and spiritually. “The development of the Boy Jesus is our example: ‘And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and

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man.’ Here is balanced growth: intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social. Nowhere in the Bible is the training of children assigned to agencies outside the home, no matter how they might assist. God looks to the parents for the kind of training that the children need.” The Greek word translated as “nurture” means “the whole training and education of children which relates to the cultivation of mind and morals, and employs for this purpose commands, admonitions, reproof, and punishment.” It further means “whatever cultivates the soul.” Nurture is “instruction which aims at increasing virtue.” These definitions encapsulate everything that a man ought to do in his role as a father. He has a four-pronged job description. First, he should “command” or order his children to do what is right. Second, he should “admonish” or teach his children regarding that which is right. Third, he should “reprove” or rebuke his children when they do not do that which is right. Fourth, he should “punish” or chastise his children so that they learn that there are consequences to not doing that which is right. Holy Father God, help us to nurture and raise, cherish and train the children you have placed in our lives so that they may grow into balanced adults who are wholly surrendered and eager to do your will. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Discipline Day 43 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” —Ephesians 6:4 “Train up a child in the way he should go — but be sure you go that way yourself.” —Charles Spurgeon “Almost every Bible conference majors on today’s Church being like the Ephesian Church. We are told that, despite our sin and carnality, we are seated with Christ. Alas, what a lie! We are Ephesians all right; but, as the Ephesian Church in the Revelation, we have ‘left our first love!’ We appease sin— and do not oppose it. To such a cold, carnal, critical, carecowed Church, this lax, loose, lustful, licentious age will never capitulate. Let us stop looking for scapegoats. The fault in declining morality is not radio or television. The whole blame for the present international degeneration and corruption lies at the door of the Church!” —Leonard Ravenhill Take note of these verses regarding fatherhood and children:

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Proverbs 23:13-14: “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.” Proverbs 29:15: “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.” Proverbs 29:17: “Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.” Deuteronomy 6:6-7: “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Psalm 119:9: “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.” Let’s look at the third of four powerful points that Warren Wiersbe brings out of this passage regarding the command to fathers. This is so clearly stated that it is not worth the time to try to improve upon it. A father must discipline his children. “The word ‘nurture’ carries with it the idea of learning through discipline. It is translated ‘chastening’ in Hebrews 12. Some modern psychologists oppose the old-fashioned idea of discipline, and many educators follow their philosophy. ‘Let the children express themselves!’ 152

they tell us. ‘If you discipline them, you may warp their characters.’ Yet discipline is a basic principle of life and an evidence of love. ‘Whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth.’ Proverbs 13:24 says, ‘He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.’ “We must be sure, however, that we discipline our children in the right manner. To begin with, we must discipline in love and not in anger, lest we injure either the body or the spirit of the child, or possibly both. If we are not disciplined, we surely cannot discipline others, and ‘flying off the handle’ never made either a better child or a better parent. “Also, our discipline must be fair and consistent. ‘My father would use a cannon to kill a mosquito!’ a teenager once told me. ‘I either get away with murder, or get blamed for everything!’ Consistent, loving discipline gives assurance to the child. He may not agree with us, but at least he knows that we care enough to build some protective walls around him until he can take care of himself. “‘I never knew how far I could go,’ a wayward girl told me, ‘because my parents never cared enough to discipline me. I figured that if it wasn’t important to them, why should it be important to me?’” One of the mistakes my father made when he was raising me and my siblings was that he did not discipline us as he should.

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He was a very loving man. But, he loved us too much. Love does not mean letting children get away with wrongdoing. The reason why a father must discipline his children is so that they learn that there are consequences to wrongdoing. Part of the reason why we have deterioration in our society is because we have a generation of young people who do not feel they have to be held accountable for their actions. They never learned as children that there are consequences for sin. If a Christian father is going to be like his Heavenly Father, then he must discipline his children and not let them get away with evil because that is what God does for us. Holy Father God, give me the courage to discipline well. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Admonish Day 44 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” —Ephesians 6:4 “When you are given the awesome responsibility of being a father, that is the most important responsibility you can have. God wants us to have a loving relationship with our children and to help them grow…just like God’s relationship with us.” —John Harbaugh “Christianity today is so subnormal that if any Christian began to act like a normal New Testament Christian, he would be considered abnormal.” —Leonard Ravenhill Please take note of these verses regarding fatherhood and children: Matthew 19:13-14: “Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” 155

Deuteronomy 4:9-10: “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them to thy sons, and thy sons’ sons. Specially the day that thou stoodest before the Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.” Psalm 78:1-4: “Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.” 1 Timothy 5:8: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” Job 1:5: “And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.” Let’s look at the last of four powerful points that Warren Wiersbe brings out of this passage regarding the command to fathers. 156

This is so clearly stated that it is not worth the time to try to improve upon it. A father must instruct and encourage his children. “This is the meaning of the word ‘admonition.’ The father and mother not only use actions to raise the child, but also words. In the Book of Proverbs, for example, we have an inspired record of a father sharing wise counsel with his son. Our children do not always appreciate our counsel, but that does not eliminate the obligation we have to instruct and encourage them. Of course, our instruction must always be tied to the Word of God. “When the Supreme Court handed down its ruling against required prayer in the public schools, the famous editorial cartoonist Herblock published a cartoon in the Washington Post showing an angry father waving a newspaper at his family and shouting, ‘What do they expect us to do—listen to the kids pray at home?’ The answer is: Yes! Home is the place where the children ought to learn about the Lord and the Christian life. It is time that Christian parents stop ‘passing the buck’ to Sunday School teachers and Christian day-school teachers, and start nurturing their own children.” If God wanted children to be raised by the church or raised in schools, He would have commanded that they be put there for training. But He gave children and the responsibility to teach them to parents. Many fathers have passed the role of teacher off on the mother. But this passage tells us that it is also a part of the father’s job description. Admonishment is the passing

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down of accumulated knowledge and wisdom from one generation to the next. The Jews passed down their knowledge of God and His laws from generation to generation. It is the fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job to pass down his knowledge of God and His laws from to his children. Holy Father God, help us to reflect your relationship with us in our relationship with our children. Help us to embrace the responsibility and privilege it is to be a parent just as you delight in parenting us. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Servants Day 45 “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.” —Ephesians 6:5-8 “Grace makes us the servants of God while still we are the servants of men: it enables us to do the business of heaven while we are attending to the business of earth: it sanctifies the common duties of life by showing us how to perform them in the light of heaven.” —Charles Spurgeon “We have not yet resisted unto blood in prayer; nay, we ‘do not even get a sweat on our souls,’ as Luther put it. We pray with a ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ attitude; we pray chance prayers; we offer that which costs us nothing! We have not even ‘strong desire.’ We rather are fitful, moody, and spasmodic. The only power that God yields to is that of prayer. We will write about prayer-power, but not fight while in prayer.” —Leonard Ravenhill 159

One of the wonderful things about God’s Word and the epistles of the New Testament in particular is that it addresses almost every situation imaginable that a Christian could face in this world. This passage begins dealing with employer-employee relations. Perhaps, a better term to use would be authoritysubject relations as this passage touches on everything that goes along with that. Servants are told to “be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh.” Now, most of us would not like to be referred to as servants. However, the Greek word Paul uses here is translated “slave, a bondman, a man of servile condition.” Slavery was a reality in the Roman Empire. It was a deeply ingrained social structure. The New Testament writers do not explicitly condemn slavery. Rather, they call both slave and master to hold themselves to a higher standard, the standard that Jesus Christ laid down when He taught that every person must love their neighbor as they love themselves. This in itself would be the undoing of slavery. Handley Moule said, “The Gospel found slavery in the world; and in many regions, it was a very bad form of slavery. The Gospel began at once to undermine it, with its mighty principles of the equality of all souls in the mystery and dignity of manhood, and of the equal work of redeeming love wrought for all souls by the supreme Master. But its plan was not to better, but to undermine… So while the Gospel in one respect left slavery alone, it doomed it in another.”

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Paul is writing to people who live with the reality of slavery. He is telling them how they can be Christlike under circumstances that are not ideal. He says, the Christlike thing to do is not to be lazy, not to complain about how you are treated or whine about your wages, but to obey. Do what you are instructed to do. As an employee, one who works under the authority of another, that, too, is your responsibility. Even though you may not like your employment situation, you are to obey those who are over you â&#x20AC;&#x153;according to the flesh.â&#x20AC;? If it is a situation that is not ideal, then still obey with a great attitude and spirit and trust God to give you the desires of your heart. Holy Father God, help us to open our hearts to allow your grace to overflow our lives and make us both humble servants of yours and willing servants to the people around us so that your will may be done in earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Singleness Day 46 “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.” —Ephesians 6:5-8 “The best way to be a witness for Christ on the job is to do a good day’s work.” —Warren Wiersbe “There is a world of difference between knowing the Word of God and knowing the God of the Word.” —Leonard Ravenhill Christian employees are commanded to “obey”. But how are they to obey? First, they are to obey “with fear and trembling.” These words imply that you ought to do your work while showing respect and

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honor to the one who is in authority over you. You do not have to be a sycophant, groveler or a lying yes man. But you ought to willingly show respect and deference for the one who has authority over you in the workplace. This includes not talking about your boss behind his back; if you have an issue with him, take it up with him directly in a respectful and humble tone. Second, you ought to work “in singleness of heart.” A person who has singleness of heart has singleness of focus. He has one intent in all that he is doing. He devotes all of his energy to the task that has been set before him. He is not trying to get something out of it for himself or slacking off whenever he feels like it. You ought to be just as determined to complete the work for someone else as you would be if you were doing something you want to do. Third, you ought to work “as unto Christ.” As a Christian, every good thing you do ought to be done as though you were serving the Lord. If, for some reason, you dislike your boss, that is no excuse to do a poor job. Instead, remind yourself that you are actually working for the Lord and strive to please Him in all that you do. Holy Father God, in whatever work we are privileged to do, help us to do it with respect, singleness of heart, and sincerity. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Eyeservice Day 47 “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.” —Ephesians 6:5-8 “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” —Leo Tolstoy “The Cinderella of the church of today is the prayer meeting. This handmaid of the Lord is unloved and unwooed because she is not dripping with the pearls of intellectualism, nor glamorous with the silks of philosophy; neither is she enchanting with the tiara of psychology.” —Leonard Ravenhill Christian employees should work “not with eyeservice, as menpleasers.” Many people work well only when they are being

watched or when they know someone else will check their work. They do not do good work because it is right to do, but simply because they want the boss or the customer to be pleased with them. It is good for the boss or the customer to be pleased with your work, but you ought to do good work even when no one is watching, when no one is going to check behind you, and when you are not expecting a pat on the back, or a pay raise. When you work in this manner, you are truly being a “servant of Christ.” This is because you realize that God Himself is watching you all the time. Instead of being men-pleasers, we ought to be God-pleasers. If you do a good job and your boss does not praise you, you will know that God is pleased because He sees everything you do. As a servant of Christ in the workplace, it ought not to matter who is over you or how closely they are watching what you do. Why? Because you should be “doing the will of God from the heart.” If it is in your heart to do right and to do a good job for the company you work for and its customers, it will not matter who sees you. You will be doing right because the Christ in you is leading you to do right. Not only in the workplace, but in every aspect of life, our prayer ought to be, ‘Lord, give me a heart like Christ.’ Holy Father God, while many people do things in order to get an applause or a pat on the back, help us to work towards accomplishing goals not so that we may be praised by men, but so you can receive glory from our lives. In Jesus Christ name. Amen. 166

Goodwill Day 48 “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.” —Ephesians 6:5-8 “Whether we are observed, praised, rewarded by them or not, our supreme satisfaction is that all our labor is done for the Lord, our praise and our reward cannot be taken from us.” —R.C.H. Lenski “The true church lives and moves and has its being in prayer.” —Leonard Ravenhill In verse 7 of this passage, Paul reiterates the command for Christian workers to fulfill their duties as though they were working for the Lord. In the previous verse, he said that doing this is God’s will. Now, he says they should do this with “good will.” The words “good will” mean benevolence or kindness. 167

A Christian worker ought to be benevolent and kind in the fulfillment of his duties. This has to do with their attitude, not only toward their boss, but to their fellow employees. It has to do with the kind of spirit with which a person works. Someone might be a good worker who does not need supervision, but if he is mean and hateful toward everyone around him, no one will want to work with him. You ought to be sure that you are working with a spirit of good will toward others in your environment and toward the tasks you are given to accomplish. One commentator stated that good will also could be defined as enthusiasm and eagerness. You should not treat any work as a drudgery whether it is work done for others or done for yourself. Again, this spirit of good will should be shown â&#x20AC;&#x153;as to the Lord, and not to men.â&#x20AC;? Men cannot see your heart, but God can. Others may not be able to identify or detect a negative spirit, but God knows what is going on in our hearts. That is why it is crucially important that you labor, not for man, but for God. Holy Father God, let our main aim in life be to glorify you and let everything we do be done with a kind, benevolent and willing spirit of goodwill and grace. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Rewards Day 49 “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.” —Ephesians 6:5-8 “It is not a sign of weakness to enjoy rewards for work well done, so long as we keep in mind that our work never places God (or Christ) in our debt; his rewards are given freely out of the joy it brings him to give them.” —W.A. Elwell “You can have all of your doctrines right — yet still not have the presence of God.” —Leonard Ravenhill After Paul’s emphasis on employees working for the authority over them as though they were working for Jesus Christ, one might object, saying, ‘Well, it’s the human boss who gives me

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my paycheck. What he says and what he thinks is most important.’ Paul has an answer for this notion. He says the Christian employee knows that ‘whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.’ This is a principle that goes for those who are employed by others or employed for themselves. God sees all good work — no matter who it is done for — and He will reward it. If you do good work for your employer, God will ensure that good comes your way as well. Rest assured, God’s rewards are far more important than your employer’s. Your paycheck is nothing without the blessings that God can bestow upon you. Any time you feel like slacking up on your work because you are not getting paid enough, remember God will make up the difference. If you are constantly covering for another employee, your boss might not notice, but God does. If you go the extra mile for a customer, God sees and He will reward you. Don’t grow weary in well-doing. Keep on doing good and God will reward you. Holy Father God, help us not to work for reward and to grow weary when we don’t receive what we think we deserve. Instead, help us to know that you keep score in heaven and to keep on doing a good job. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Masters Day 50 “And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.” —Ephesians 6:9 “No matter what your team looks like, there’s nothing more important than to know your employees. It’s critical to understand their strengths, weaknesses, and motivators, as well as their work and communication styles. This knowledge will help you to motivate, encourage, and correct course more effectively, and it will make your employees feel known, respected, and engaged in their work.” —Diane Paddison “If Jesus preached the same message ministers preach today, He would have never been crucified.” —Leonard Ravenhill In this verse, Paul turns his attention to the “masters”, the employers, the bosses, or the managers. Just as God has expectations of Christian employees, He has expectations of those employers who claim to be Christians.

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First, they are to “do the same things unto” their workers. Some of the same things God commanded of employees are commanded of employers — specifically treating them with good will and doing unto them as one would do unto Christ. Employees are in a position of servanthood in the workplace, and God has a special concern for how those who are not in authority are treated. He looks out for people who are taken advantage of and mistreated by those who have power over them. Second, employers are told to “forbear [or refrain from] threatening.” In the Roman world, a master could kill a slave who was persistently disobedient and unproductive. While this rarely happened because slaves were so expensive, it is likely that there was a great deal of threatening going on. Masters would have used the threat of death and other adverse circumstances to motivate their slaves. But God does not want Christian employers to act in such a way. The main encouragement for employers to follow these teachings is simply because they have a “Master also in Heaven.” Every earthly authority, employers included, are under the heavenly authority of Jesus Christ. As a Christian employer, it might be your business, but Jesus is the one who is over you. You must answer to Him for your behavior. Jesus is, of course, not a respecter of persons. He does not care how rich and powerful you might be. In His eyes, you are no more important than the people you hire. All are on level

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ground before Him. Everything you do, every decision you make, you ought to consider if it will be pleasing to Jesus because, one day, you will have to give an account of your actions to Him. Holy Father God, help us to treat all people with respect, grace, and kindness, doing unto them as we would have them do unto us. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Strong Day 51 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” —Ephesians 6:10 “Don’t be surprised if there is an attack on your work, on you who are called to do it, or on your innermost nature — the hidden person of the heart. It must be so. The great thing is not to be surprised, nor to count it strange — for that plays into the hand of the enemy. Is it possible that anyone should set himself to exalt our beloved Lord and not instantly become a target for many arrows?” —Amy Carmichael “Many pastors criticize me for taking the Gospel so seriously. But do they really think that on Judgment Day, Christ will chastise me, saying, ‘Leonard, you took Me too seriously’?” —Leonard Ravenhill For the Christian, the idea that life is war is more than true. While we may want to rest easy as Christians, we must come to realize that our life is a daily spiritual battle. It is a war that will not end until the day we die. The moment we decide to believe in Jesus and follow Him, we take sides in this war. We cast

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ourselves against the forces of darkness whether we believe it or not, whether we want to or not. How do we win this war? How do we succeed against our powerful enemy, Satan, who prowls about like a roaring lion seeking to devour us? The Bible tells us how. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Notice the address to “brethren.” This is the church as a whole, not just men or women, not just young or old, not just pastors or leaders, all brethren. No one who names the name of Christ is immune from the battle. We all are told to “be strong in the Lord.” This term means to be enabled or to be strengthened to engage in spiritual warfare. We do not gain strength on our own. It does not come through spiritual self-help books, attending seminars, or psyching ourselves up for combat. We gain the strength to fight spiritually only by being “in the Lord.” Being “in the Lord” requires a sensitivity to His spirit. A person who has sin in his life is going to be weakened spiritually, and will leave an opening for the devil to wreak havoc because he is not “in the Lord.” He may be saved, but he is not currently walking in the path God has set before him. In order to be “in the Lord” and to benefit from His strength, we must get rid of the sin in our lives and walk in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. There is no other way to win the spiritual battles that we face.

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Holy Father God, help us to be strong in You and in the power of Your might. Help us not to try to fight our battles on our own, but to give them over to You. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Power Day 52 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” —Ephesians 6:10 “Most people show by their priorities and their casual approach to spiritual things that they believe we are in peacetime, not wartime… Few reckon that Satan is a much worse enemy than any earthly foe, or realize that the conflict is not restricted to any one global theater, but is in every town and city in the world. Who considers that the casualties of this war do not merely lose an arm or an eye or an earthly life, but lose everything, even their own souls, and enter a hell of everlasting torment?” —John Piper “Could a mariner sit idle if he heard the drowning cry? Could a doctor sit in comfort and just let his patients die? Could a fireman sit idle, let men burn and give no hand? Can you sit at ease in Zion with the world around you damned?” —Leonard Ravenhill Being strong in the Lord is just the first step in winning the spiritual battles that we face every day. Next, Paul tells us that we must be strengthened “in the power of His might.”

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To understand this, we must first look at the word “might.” “Might” is ability or force. It is a reserve of strength. In physics, this would be called potential energy. It is energy waiting to be activated and put to use. “Power,” on the other hand, refers to the activity itself. It is a mighty deed or a work of power. In physics, this would be called kinetic energy. It is energy actually being used. If we are in the Lord, then we have the right and ability to tap into His might and use His power to wage spiritual warfare. God’s might is limitless. He has a vast reserve of strength that we can tap into at anytime. The problem is that most of us don’t tap into it. We try to do things in our own power. We try to take on the devil in our own strength and that is why we get beat every time. We don’t rely on God. We think we can do it on our own. Part of the reason for this is pride; we think that we have some might of our own. But we have nothing and we are nothing without God. If you are to be victorious in spiritual warfare, you must commit to being strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Rely on Him, trust in Him, draw strength from Him and you will win every time. Holy Father God, instead of trying to strain and struggle on our own, help us to tap into your unlimited power to fight the good fight of faith. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Armor Day 53 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” —Ephesians 6:10-12 “Not one of us is immune to the consequences of spiritual warfare. Although the players fight in an invisible realm, we all face the effects — pain, struggle, defeat, heartache — of their conflict every day of our lives. Until you recognize that your struggle is not with man but with spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places, you will never begin to live in victory.” —Tony Evans “The true man of God is heartsick, grieved at the worldliness of the Church, grieved at the toleration of sin in the Church, grieved at the prayerlessness in the Church. He is disturbed that the corporate prayer of the Church no longer pulls down the strongholds of the devil.” —Leonard Ravenhill

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Now that we understand that we are engaged in a daily spiritual battle, we must prepare for that battle. No soldier goes into war without armor. So, Paul tells us, “Put on the whole armor of God.” Interestingly, the Greek word used for “armor” in this verse is only used one other time in Scripture. It occurs in the parable Jesus told in Mark 3 about the “strong man,” Satan, being armed. Of course, in that parable, a stronger man — Jesus Christ — comes and defeats Satan. When we put on the whole armor of God, we, too, are able to defeat Satan through Christ. In his commentary on Ephesians, Peter O’Brien states, “The ‘armor of God’ can be understood as the armor that God supplies, his own armor which he wears, or even the armor that is God himself…. This exhortation to put on God’s armour recalls the earlier instruction about ‘putting on the new self,’ which was created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” The devil is described in Scripture as the “accuser of the brethren.” He is always looking to exploit some flaw in our character. He is always looking for some spiritual weakness to use against us. He is always coming up with accusations to use as fiery darts against us. Sometimes, he will try to make us doubt our salvation. Sometimes, he will criticize our feeble prayers. Or he will try to make us feel as though we are unworthy to be called a child of God. If we have not put on the whole armor of God, the devil will find plenty of weaknesses to cause us to stumble. However, if we are walking in the spirit and if we have put on the armor, we will

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be clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and we will be impervious to the devil’s assaults. We will be able to “stand against the wiles of the devil.” Warren Wiersbe said, “The admonitions Paul gave indicate that Satan is a strong enemy, and that we need the power of God to be able to stand against him. The Book of Job tells what his power can do to a man’s body, home, wealth, and friends. Jesus calls Satan a thief who comes ‘to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.’” We do not have to try to stand against the devil in our own strength. Rather, we stand against him in Christ’s strength. Christ has already gained the victory over our enemy; He knows how to outsmart and outmaneuver him. We would be foolish to not walk in the path that He has already paved for us. If we try to stand against the devil on our own, we will fall prey to his tricks every time. But if we stand in Christ’s strength, clothed in God’s armor, we will not succumb to the devil’s tricks. Holy Father God, help us to put on the armor that you supply and be ready always to stand strong in the faith and fight against the wiles of the devil. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Enemies Day 54 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” —Ephesians 6:10-12 “The warfare of which Paul speaks has at its highest level a tremendous conflict between God and Satan. That is the primary level of the warfare. Everything else comes under that. It is a war of the Lord God Jehovah and His truth against Satan and his lies. It is a war between God and His Will and Satan and his will, and such a war is not only fought between God and Satan, but between demons and holy angels and between ungodly men and godly men, so that this cosmic warfare at the level of God and the highest creature He ever made, Lucifer, filters all the way down to involve every human being — including us.” —John MacArthur “You can’t develop character by reading books. You develop it from conflict.” —Leonard Ravenhill 185

From these three verses, we have seen how God has given us strength and how we are commanded to stand. But what do we need strength for? What type of enemy are we to stand against? Paul says, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” You cannot fight effectively in a war unless you know who your enemy really is. The devil will try to get you to think that your enemies are physical, people whom you can see and talk to. However, that is only a strategy to keep you sidetracked from the real battle. The Bible tells us that our enemies are dark and powerful spiritual forces. First, we have “principalities.” This term comes from the Greek word meaning “beginning or origin.” In this context, it is defined as “the first place or ruler of demons.” Satan, who led the angelic rebellion against God, is the leader of the fallen angels. It is him with whom we wrestle. Next, we have “powers.” This word has to do with legal or judicial authorities. The book of Daniel shows us clearly that angels and demons are appointed over earthly governments. Angels are purposed with influencing the government for good, while demons try to influence the government for evil. Christians around the world today are coming into conflict with legal or

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judicial authorities. We must realize that, even in such situations, we are not dealing with flesh and blood, but spiritual powers, the powers behind the throne, if you will, which oppose God’s work in the world. Third, we have the “rulers of the darkness of this world.” This term simply means “lord of the world” or “prince of this age.” These are biblical titles for Satan. Currently, his influence is prevalent in the world. He and his demons are behind the crime, violence, immorality, and spiritual darkness that we see around us. One scholar called this group the “Satanic mafia.” When we deal with people who are not saved, we must remember that it is Satan who has blinded them to God’s truth. That is where the battle starts. Finally, Paul says we struggle against “spiritual wickedness in high places.” Commentators have struggled with exactly what this term means. Some have said it simply refers to the evil work of the devil and his demons on earth. However, the same term that is translated “high places” here is translated elsewhere in the New Testament as “heavenly places” or “heaven.” Thus, some believe this to be the actual physical dimension above earth’s atmosphere where the spiritual war, the battle between angels and demons, is raging. Either way, the point remains that we are not dealing with flesh and blood. That is why we cannot live the Christian life in our own strength. We are dealing with dark spiritual forces led by

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Satan. That is why we must fight this battle Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s way, with His armor, and in His strength. Holy Father God, help us not to succumb to the false notion that we do not have any enemies in this world. Instead, help us to acknowledge that darkness exists in the world and to embrace your power and might to fight against those who fight against us with biblical truth. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Truth Day 55 “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.” —Ephesians 6:14 “In the conflict between Satan and the Believer, God’s child can conquer EVERYTHING by prayer. Is it any wonder that Satan does his utmost to snatch that weapon from the Christian, or to hinder him in the use of it?” —Andrew Murray “No man — I don’t care how colossal his intellect — no man is greater than his prayer life.” —Leonard Ravenhill The armor of God is essential if we are going to stand in the evil day. The days in which we live right now are evil, and we must be ready to face them with courage and confidence. Now, we begin looking at the specific pieces of our armor, the first of which is the belt of truth. “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth.”

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First of all, what are your loins? Your loins are your waist and lower back area. In the agricultural and livestock-based societies of the ancient near east, people wore long tunics. And, sometimes, these tunics could get in the way if they were gathering in the fields or if they had to chase down a stray sheep or chase off a wolf. So, in order for his clothes not to slow him down, a man would gather up the end of his tunic and wrap it around his legs, tucking the bottom of his tunic into his waistband which was called a girdle (you can think of it as a belt). Basically, a man would transform the long tunic into shorts which are much better for running fast or getting around in rough terrain. That is what it means to gird up your loins. When you gird up your loins, you are getting ready to do some serious work. A phrase we might use today is “roll up your sleeves.” So, we see from this analogy that our spiritual warfare is no play thing. It is serious work. Commenting on another passage in First Peter 1 which tells believers to “gird up the loins of their minds,” Matthew Henry states, “as the traveler, the racer, the warrior, and the laborer gathered in their long and loose garments, that they might be ready in the business, so let Christians do with their minds and affections. Be sober, be watchful against all spiritual dangers and enemies, and be temperate in all behavior.” The Bible tells us to be “gird about with truth.” As I mentioned before, the girdle was a waistband or belt. For a soldier going to war, the belt was a very important piece of armor because it

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encircled the body and held together the other pieces of armor. Without the belt, the other armor lost its effectiveness. When Paul speaks of the truth, he is referring to the confidence that comes from God’s people being certain about the truthfulness of God’s Word. Remember, when Jesus Christ defeated the devil, He used the Word of God. If you and I are to use the Word of God to defeat the enemy, we must also have confidence in its truthfulness. We must depend on, lean on, and have confidence in the truth of the Word of God. If the Bible is not true, then we have nothing to stand on. And, as we will soon see, the Word of God is the main offensive weapon that we have. The Bible tells us that Jesus is called “the Word of God.” When we choose to believe the Bible, we are choosing to believe Jesus Christ because the Scriptures “testify” of Him. Thus, when the Bible tells us that we already have the victory over the devil, the flesh, and the world, we ought to stand on that promise because it is rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The essential piece of armor, the belt that holds all the rest of the armor together, is our confidence in the truth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the Word of God which cannot lie. So, put on the belt of truth and be victorious in battle. Holy Father God, to fight against the deception and manipulation in this world, help us to arm ourselves with your truth and be confident in what we believe. In Jesus Christ name. Amen. 191

Breastplate Day 56 “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness.” —Ephesians 6:14 “Do not turn your back like a coward. Follow boldly in your Master’s steps, for He has made this rough journey before you. Better a brief warfare and eternal rest than false peace and everlasting torment.” —Alistair Begg “Some women will spend thirty minutes to an hour preparing for church externally (putting on special clothes and makeup, etc.). What would happen if we all spent the same amount of time preparing internally for the church – with prayer and meditation?” —Leonard Ravenhill After we have put on the belt of truth, the Bible says, “and having on the breastplate of righteousness.” A breastplate is a large piece of armor that covers the front of the body from the chest to the waist. For the Roman soldiers of Paul’s day, the breastplate provided protection for the torso, which contains the vital organs including

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the heart and the lungs. Without his breastplate, a soldier would be asking for death, as any injury to his body could become fatal. With a strong breastplate, however, the same blows from the enemy are rendered ineffective. This passage calls righteousness our breastplate. There are two elements of righteousness that make up this piece of defensive armor. The first is found in the basic definition of righteousness — that is right doing or right living — doing the right thing. If we are living in sin, it is as if we are going into battle without any of our armor on. We are exposed to Satanic attack and trickery. Unconfessed sin in our lives is one of the main reasons why Christians are defeated spiritually. So, if we are not living right, we have not put on the breastplate of righteousness. The second element of righteousness is walking in the confidence that we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. By His death on the cross, and our acceptance of that sacrifice, God imputed the righteousness of Jesus Christ to us. God no longer sees us as sinners, but as saints. We are viewed as innocent before God because we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ. Paul writes in Philippians 3, “not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” John Gill said, “the righteousness of Christ, which being imputed by God, and received by faith, is a guard against, and repels the

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accusations and charges of Satan, and is a security from all wrath and condemnation.” The devil will try to attack us mentally by bringing up our old sins, failures, and faults. He will try to make us believe that God has not forgiven us and that we are still just like we were before we accepted salvation through Jesus Christ. If we succumb to the devil’s lies, and fail to cling to the truth of God’s Word — that we are righteous because of Jesus Christ — we will lose many spiritual battles. Holy Father God, help us to do the right things, to walk in the right paths, and to live righteously. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Shoes Day 57 “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” —Ephesians 6:15 “If you are a Christian, you are at war. But our approach to spiritual warfare usually falls into one of two extremes — either we place an undue emphasis on Satan and his powers or we completely ignore the existence of a personal enemy.” —Chip Ingram “If I were to ask you if you were saved, would you say, ‘Yes, I am saved’? Are you saved? What are you saved from? Hell? Are you saved from bitterness? Are you saved from lust? Are you saved from cheating? Are you saved from lying? Are you saved from bad manners? Are you saved from rebellion against your parents? Come on, what are you saved from? For if you are not saved from these sins, you may not be saved from hell.” —Leonard Ravenhill After we have put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, we are to put on the shoes of the gospel of peace.

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The Bible states, “And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” You probably don’t think about the importance of the shoes you wear each day. However, for a soldier, shoes are very important. A soldier who goes into war barefoot will be hindered by the rough terrain, pebbles, stones, and other debris on the battlefield. The right kind of footwear enables a soldier to advance against the enemy without encumbrance. Roman soldiers wore the caliga, a thick-soled, hob-nailed, halfboot which had leather straps that were tied around and fastened tightly to each foot. It was heavily studded with metal nails to give stability in all forms of terrain. It was not strictly a weapon but part of the soldier’s equipment, especially for long, fast-paced marches. However, for the Christian soldier, his shoes are not just mere protection for his feet. His shoes are built with a purpose. The Christian goes forth not just to fight against the enemy, but to spread the gospel of peace to those bound by the enemy. A Christian who goes forth to make war against Satan is also one who continuously carries forth the message that God has sent Jesus Christ to make peace with man. Thus, to have our feet clothed with the gospel of peace means we must believe the gospel ourselves, and be serious about sharing the gospel with others.

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John Piper has pointed out that it is strange that we find a focus on peace in the midst of this passage on war. However, he said, “The aim of our warfare is that people would accept the terms of peace that God holds out, namely, faith in Jesus. And the only reason there is any conflict at all is because the power of sin and the powers of Satan are dead set against [allowing people to] make peace with God.” If you are not actively seeking out ways you can share the Gospel of peace, you are not fulfilling all of your duty as a Christian. Quoting Isaiah in Romans 10:15, Paul says, “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” The Greek word for “gospel”, which is where we get our word “evangelist” from, simply means to ‘proclaim good news.’ It was a word used when a messenger ran from the battlefield back to the city to proclaim that the army had been victorious in battle. He was an evangelist bringing back the good news. Likewise, we are ambassadors from Heaven, living in this world, proclaiming the victory of Jesus Christ over sin, death, hell, and the devil. Holy Father God, help us to realize that true peace comes from you even in the midst of spiritual warfare. Help us not only to embrace that peace for ourselves, but to look for ways to share it with others. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Shield Day 58 “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” —Ephesians 6:16 Putting on the shield of faith is “trusting God, no matter what you see, hear, or feel about the world around you. You need the certainty of God when you face the uncertainty of Satan’s fiery darts.” —Rick Warren “What good does it do to speak in tongues on Sunday if you have been using your tongue during the week to curse and gossip?” —Leonard Ravenhill The Roman shield, which Paul was using as a model, was a very large, slightly curved rectangular shield featuring at its center a large metal knob (called a boss). The shield was an impressive tool of defense. Some of these shields were three and a half feet tall and almost three feet wide, and soldiers were afforded a great deal of protection from their enemies.

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One of the famous tactics of the Roman infantry is called the tortoise formation in which the soldiers advanced against their enemy as a single, tight, compact unit. The soldiers on the outside of this unit would hold their shields so that the edges were touching the shields of the soldiers to their right and left. The soldiers in the middle of this unit would hold their shields above their head, again with the edges touching the shields of those around them. This formation protected soldiers from the arrows of their enemies on all sides. The Bible tells us that our shield of faith is meant to deflect the flaming darts (or arrows) of the wicked one. First of all, what is faith, and how is it meant to be used as a shield? The Bible defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” At its very core, faith is a strong, unyielding belief in God Almighty and His only begotten Son Jesus Christ even though we can’t see them. However, this faith is not belief based on nothing. Rather, this belief is based on the solid foundation of God’s Word. It is our firm belief in the Word of God which deflects the flaming arrows of the wicked one. The second question we must ask is what are the fiery darts which the enemy shoots at us? These fiery darts are meant to tear at our faith, our belief, and our confidence in the Word of God. The devil knows that if he can get us to stop believing the Word of God and start acting on our feelings or our own human ideas, he can eventually defeat us.

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Although the shield is a defensive weapon, raising the shield is something we must actively do each time the fiery darts of the devil come flying at us. We must spend time in the word of God so that we will know what God says about the various difficulties we will face along our Christian journey. When we face those difficulties, we can raise the shield of faith to deflect the arrows and extinguish the fiery darts that the devil throws our way. When we believe Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s promises, when we put our trust in Him by holding the shield of faith as we go into battle, we will not faint, and we will be victorious. Holy Father God, help us to trust you no matter what we see, hear, or feel about the world around us. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Quench Day 59 “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” —Ephesians 6:16 “The nature of the enemy’s warfare in your life is to cause you to become discouraged and to cast away your confidence. Not that you would necessarily discard your salvation, but you could give up your hope of God’s deliverance. The enemy wants to numb you into a coping kind of Christianity that has given up hope of seeing God’s resurrection power.” —Bob Sorge “If a Christian is not having tribulation in the world, there’s something wrong!” —Leonard Ravenhill What are the fiery darts that the devil throws at us? And what should our response be? The fiery darts of the wicked one take on several forms: 1. The devil will shoot the fiery dart of doubt at us. He will tell us that God will not really do what He says He will do. How do we

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respond? We respond by raising our shield of faith and using the word of God to extinguish the devil’s lies because the Bible says in Numbers 23:19, “God is not a man, that he should lie…” 2. The devil will shoot the fiery dart of discouragement at us. He will tell us that our present situation will never get better. How do we respond? We respond by raising our shield of faith and using the word of God to extinguish the devil’s lie because the Bible says in Romans 8:28 that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” 3. The devil will shoot the fiery dart of delay at us. He will try to get us to stop trusting God because something that we wanted to happen yesterday still has not happened yet. How do we respond? We respond by raising our shield of faith and using the word of God to extinguish the devil’s lie because the Bible says in Psalm 130:5, “I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.” The devil’s fiery darts can and will take on many and varied forms. But the answer to those attacks is the shield of faith, and the utilization of the shield is found in the word of God. Holy Father God, help us to never give up hope of your deliverance and to allow the devil to numb us into a coping kind of faith that gives up easily. Help us instead to fight the good fight knowing that the victory is ours through you. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Fiery Day 60 “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” —Ephesians 6:16 “The church is not a dormitory for sleepers, it is an institution for workers; it is not a rest camp, it is a front line trench.” —Billy Sunday “Why do we expect to be better treated in this world than Jesus was?” —Leonard Ravenhill Let us look briefly at three more fiery darts that can come our way. 1. The devil will shoot the fiery dart of difficulty at us. He will place people and circumstances as obstacles in our path to try to get us to stumble and eventually give up on whatever it is God has called us to do. How do we respond? We respond by raising our shield of faith and using the word of God to extinguish the devil’s lie because the Bible says in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

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2. The devil will shoot the fiery dart of depression at us. He will try to steal our joy, our contentment, and our happiness from us. How do we respond? We respond by raising our shield of faith and using the word of God to extinguish the devil’s lies because Jesus Christ said in John 16:33, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” 3. The devil will shoot the fiery dart of desire at us. He will try to capitalize on our fleshly feelings to get us to leave the straight and narrow path. These darts of desire are what the Bible calls, “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” Scripture informs us that these things are “not of the Father, but [are] of the world.” These fiery darts can be a desire for the opposite sex, a desire for money, a desire for worldly success and acclaim, or a desire for glory for ourselves. How do we respond? We respond by raising our shield of faith and using the word of God to extinguish the devil’s lies because the Bible says in First John 2:17, “the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” The devil’s fiery darts can and will take on many and varied forms. But the answer to those attacks is the shield of faith, and the utilization of the shield is found in the word of God. Holy Father God, help us to utilize the shield of faith to fend off the fiery darts of difficulty, depression and evil desires. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Helmet Day 61 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” —Ephesians 6:17 “Most Christians have more equipment and tools than Gideon’s 300 men but we won’t go into battle.” —Clyde Billingsley “The Church used to be a lifeboat rescuing the perishing. Now she is a cruise ship recruiting the promising.” —Leonard Ravenhill The Bible says, “And take the helmet of salvation…” First of all, notice the verb “take.” This word lets us know that putting on our armor is a conscious choice. It is something that we must choose to do every day. Just being saved does not mean that we are automatically fit for battle. Some Christians go out in the world every day unprepared for warfare, and they wonder why, by the time they get home, they are defeated, depressed, and discouraged. They let Satan beat up on them all day because they failed to put on their armor.

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Along with our other pieces of armor, we must choose to put on the helmet of salvation. The Greek word for “take” is in the aorist imperative tense which carries with it a sense of urgency. We are to pick up and put on the helmet — and do it now! Warren Wiersbe said, “Satan wants to attack the mind, the way he defeated Eve. The helmet refers to the mind controlled by God. It is too bad that many Christians have the idea that the intellect is not important, when in reality it plays a vital role in Christian growth, service, and victory. When God controls the mind, Satan cannot lead the believer astray. The Christian who studies his Bible and learns the meaning of Bible doctrines is not going to be led astray too easily. We need to be ‘taught by Him as the truth is in Jesus.’ We are to ‘grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.’ Wherever Paul ministered, he taught the new converts the truths of the Word of God, and this helmet protected them from Satan’s lies.” In this verse, Paul is not talking about receiving salvation itself, for we have already received that. Rather, he is talking about the need for us to not allow the devil to destroy our assurance of salvation. Once you accept Christ, you are saved whether you feel like it or not. (Jesus Christ makes sure of that because it is about what He did on the cross, not about what you have done or are doing.) However, you will be more effective in your Christian life and in spiritual warfare if you are confident of your own salvation. Just as a soldier who doubts his ability to fight is timid in his approach to warfare, if you have doubts and worries

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about your salvation, you will be timid in your approach to spiritual life. When Satan wants to target our assurance of salvation, he attacks the mind. This is why the helmet of salvation is a necessity. Steven Cole writes, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your head is a very important part of your body, because it contains your brain, which controls everything. Your head determines how you think about all of life. How you think in large part determines how you feel and how you act.â&#x20AC;? If you are going to act in a manner consistent with your Christianity, you must learn to think biblically. You must develop a mindset that agrees with what the Bible says about who you are in Jesus Christ. If you have doubts about your salvation or about what Jesus did for you on the cross, the devil will use that to cause you to stumble or to lack confidence in dealing with the flesh and the world. The protection of the mind is key to spiritual victory. Holy Father God, help us to arm ourselves with the helmet of salvation and the word of God. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Salvation Day 62 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” —Ephesians 6:17 “If you come to Christ, he will appear as a Lion, in his glorious power and dominion, to defend you. All those excellencies of his, in which he appears as a lion, shall be yours, and shall be employed for you in your defense and for your safety. He will be as a lion to fight against your enemies. He that touches you or offends you will provoke his wrath. Unless your enemies can conquer this Lion, they shall not be able to destroy or hurt you.” —Jonathan Edwards “The world outside is not waiting for a new definition of Christianity; it’s waiting for a new demonstration of Christianity.” —Leonard Ravenhill The helmet of salvation is a protection for the head, the mind, the intellect. Satan will try to get us to doubt our salvation by sowing seeds of unbelief in our minds. If we have doubts and worries about our salvation, we will be timid in our approach to

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spiritual warfare. That is why the helmet of salvation is a great necessity. Someone once said, “What you think means more than anything else in your life. More than what you earn, more than where you live, more than your social position, and more than what anyone else may think about you.” As you face each day, how do you think about yourself? Do you see yourself as a child of God, who is no longer a slave to the devil and sin? Do you see yourself as a believer who has the power of the Holy Spirit to help resist temptation? Do you see yourself as a Christian who has already overcome the world through Jesus Christ? The condition of your mind, what you think about your salvation and what you think about the devil’s lies will determine how victorious you are. Holy Father God, help us to be the godly demonstration of the love and grace of Christianity that we profess to believe. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Hope Day 63 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” —Ephesians 6:17 “It is impossible to be a true soldier of Jesus Christ and not fight.” —J. Gresham Machen “But have we Holy Spirit power — power that restricts the devil’s power, pulls down strongholds, and obtains promises? What has hell to fear other than a God-anointed, prayerpowered church?” —Leonard Ravenhill Another reason why putting on the helmet of salvation is important is because it gives us hope for the future by reminding us about the second coming of Jesus Christ. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:8, “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” In this context, Paul is referring to the return of Jesus Christ as our blessed hope. Living in this sincursed world can be a cause of depression and discouragement for the believer. If we are not careful, we can become so

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entangled in the affairs of this world that we lose sight of the great hope for the future that we have in Jesus Christ. That is where the helmet of salvation comes in. Warren Wiersbe said, “Satan often uses discouragement and hopelessness as weapons to oppose us. When the mind is protected by ‘the blessed hope’ of the Lord’s return, Satan cannot use discouragement to attack and defeat us. Discouragement is a lethal weapon in the hands of the enemy. Moses and Elijah became so discouraged they asked God to kill them. The psalms record some of the occasions when David was ‘in the depths’ and could only hope in God.” Put on the helmet of salvation every day. If you are discouraged, it will encourage you. If you are depressed, it will lift you up. If you are doubting your salvation, it will reassure you. If you are losing sight of God’s plan for the future, it will remind you that we have a blessed hope and a glorious appearing to look forward to. Keep your head up and your helmet on! Holy Father God, help us not to succumb to the devil’s weapons of discouragement and hopelessness. Help us to choose to protect our minds by the blessed hope of your soon return. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Sword Day 64 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” —Ephesians 6:17 “In the Western world the enemy has forsworn violence. He comes against us no more with the sword; he now comes smiling, bearing gifts. He raises his eyes to heaven and swears that he too believes in the faith of our fathers, but his real purpose is to destroy that faith, or at least to modify it to such an extent that it is no longer the supernatural thing it once was. He comes in the name of philosophy or psychology or anthropology, and with sweet reasonableness urges us to rethink our historic position, to be less rigid, more tolerant, more broadly understanding.” —A.W. Tozer “Testimonies are wonderful. But, so often our lives don’t fit our testimonies.” —Leonard Ravenhill The Bible leaves no mystery as to what the sword of the spirit is. It says take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

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This command is also preceded by the action verb “take.” Our spiritual warfare is not like what you see in Star Wars where a lightsaber that is lost in battle automatically floats back into the hands of its owner. We must physically take up the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God. The Bible Exposition Commentary states, “This sword is the offensive weapon God provides us. The Roman soldier wore on his girdle a short sword which was used for close-up fighting. Hebrews 4:12 compares the Word of God to a sword, because it is sharp and is able to pierce the inner man just as a material sword pierces the body. You and I were ‘cut to the heart’ when the Word convicted us of our sins. Peter tried to use a sword to defend Jesus in the Garden; but he learned at Pentecost that the ‘sword of the Spirit’ does a much better job. Moses also tried to conquer with a physical sword, only to discover that God’s Word alone was more than enough to defeat Egypt.” If we are going to attack the enemy, nothing else will be effective against him except the sword of the Spirit. Our words will not work. The words of a popular preacher or a motivational speaker will not work. The words you find in some book on spirituality, no matter how good of a book it is, will not work. The only words that are effective against Satan and the kingdom of darkness are the words of God found in the Bible. How does the Word of God translate into our use of it as a sword? Think of a soldier using a physical sword. He is not just given a sword and sent into battle. He is first trained to use his

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sword. Starting out, he may be trained with a wooden stick, then he is given a piece of wood in the shape of a sword, then he may begin using a blunt metal sword, and finally he is given a real sword. He is instructed on how to thrust, parry, and deflect the blows of his enemy. He goes through many hours of training until his training becomes reflexes. And, then, he is ready for battle. It is the same way with the Christian who would use the Bible as his weapon against the enemy. We must read the Bible, study the Bible, and hide the Bible in our hearts so that when Satan attacks we can raise our sword to fend him off. This requires hours of diligent, consistent study. You will not be able to fight the devil or the temptations of the world effectively if you neglect reading Scripture, studying Scripture, and asking God for insight into Scripture. Take up your Sword! Holy Father God, help us to walk the walk and talk the talk so that our lives may fit our testimony before the world. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Word Day 65 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” —Ephesians 6:17 “Fight like a good soldier and if you sometimes fall through weakness, rise again with greater strength than before, trusting in God’s most abundant grace.” —Thomas a Kempis “Many of us are hunting mice while lions devour the land.” —Leonard Ravenhill Because our weapon is the Word, we must take time to read it and study it so we can use it effectively in our daily life. However, we must not just have it in our head, but in our heart. That is the place where the Word of God must really be built up. We must be diligent about opening our hearts to what we read in Scripture. It is good to read what others have written about the Bible. However, the Word of God is not just a history book. It is a living book that we are meant to take to heart and apply to our lives even today. We must remember that we have the greatest

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religious teacher living inside of us — the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised that this third person of the Trinity will teach us and explain to us “all things.” We must submit to the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit as we read the Bible. That is God speaking directly to our hearts and lives through His Word. He will show us how certain situations in Scripture apply to our temptations and the spiritual conflicts that we face each day. The Holy Spirit will train us in how to use the Word of God as a sword against the devil. Warren Wiersbe said, “A material sword pierces the body, but the Word of God pierces the heart. The more you use a physical sword, the duller it becomes; but using God’s Word only makes it sharper in our lives. A physical sword requires the hand of a soldier, but the sword of the Spirit has its own power, for it is ‘living and powerful.’ The Spirit wrote the Word, and the Spirit wields the Word as we take it by faith and use it. A physical sword wounds to hurt and kill, while the sword of the Spirit wounds to heal and give life. But when we use the sword against Satan, we are out to deal him a blow that will cripple him and keep him from hindering God’s work.” It is okay if you have a daily devotional book that you are going through in your time with the Lord. However, nothing can substitute for the Bible itself. When Jesus Christ, weakened by 40 days of fasting, was attacked by Satan in the wilderness, He defeated him by using the Word of God. Three times He said, “It

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is written,” “It is written,” “It is written.” Nothing else can take the place of what has been written — the Word of God. Holy Father God, help us to fight like good soldiers. Even though we may fall down at times, help us to rise up with greater strength, courage, trust and grace. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Study Day 66 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” —Ephesians 6:17 “The Son of God had five thousand when He was feeding them with the loaves and fishes, He had a multitude when He was opening the eyes of the blind, but when He was sweating the death sweat for a lost world, He was alone. I want to say, beloved, that this is as true as it has ever been. You will spend much time alone with God, and the greatest struggles and the greatest battles of your life will take place when you are alone.” —Charles Stalker “Sinned as we have as a nation, yet to our sin we have added pride in our sinning. The world has lost the power to blush over its vice; the church has lost her power to weep over it.” —Leonard Ravenhill Let’s continue looking at the sixth piece of armor — the sword of the spirit. The Bible tells us to take “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

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The Greek word used for “word” in this verse is “rhema.” This word refers to specific portions of Scripture as opposed to the word “logos” which refers to all of Scripture. Thus, you ought to have specific verses or passages of Scripture stored up in your heart and mind so that you are ready to use them when attacked by the enemy or by false teaching. The reason why our sword is the “sword of the Spirit” is because we are not to rely on our own mental capacity to remind us of the right “rhema” word that we need at a particular time. We are to rely on the Holy Spirit for that. When we are in a situation where we are being tempted, where the devil is attacking us with doubt and disbelief, or where someone is trying to convince us of something that is not true, in that moment, the Holy Spirit will speak to us and remind us of a particular Scripture that will deflect the enemy’s attack. This is similar to what Jesus told His disciples would happen to them when they were arrested and dragged before governmental authorities for preaching the Gospel. He said, “When they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.” Who wrote the Bible? God wrote the Bible through men by the power of the Holy Spirit. So when you use Scripture to defeat the devil, it is not you defeating the devil, but God defeating the devil. It is not your sword, but the sword of the Spirit.

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Some might look at the words “take no thought” and say, ‘Well, that means I really don’t have to study the Bible. God will just give me the words to say when I need them.’ Not true. The words, “take no thought”, simply mean do not worry, do not fret, or do not be concerned about a matter. Think of the use of the Word of God in warfare like taking an exam in college. If you paid attention in class, and if you studied hard and long for the test, then you will face the test with a certain level of confidence that you would not have if you skipped classes, did not study, and stayed up all night cramming. If you studied well, then you can be certain that the answers will come back to you when faced with the questions on the exam. It is the same way with studying the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will not remind you of something that you do not already have knowledge of. So, you still must study the Word of God and hide it in your heart. Then, when the time comes, you can rely on the Holy Spirit to drop the right verse or passage of Scripture in your heart and mind so that you can use it against the enemy. Holy Father God, help us to spend time alone in your presence and to realize that our biggest battles are often fought and won when we are alone. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Offense Day 67 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” —Ephesians 6:17 “Let us charge into the good fight with joy and love, without being afraid of our enemies. Though unseen themselves, they can look at the face of our soul, and if they see it altered by fear, they take up arms against us all the more fiercely for the cunning creatures have observed that we are scared. So let us take up arms against them courageously. No one will fight with a resolute fighter.” —John Climacus “A popular evangelist reaches your emotions. A true prophet reaches your conscience.” —Leonard Ravenhill As you can tell from the amount of time we are spending on the sword of the Spirit, it is very important. In fact, all of the pieces of our armor — the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the Gospel of peace, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation are all tied to the truth of God’s Word.

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When we put on the belt of truth, we are putting on the truth of God’s Word. When we put on the breastplate of righteousness, we are clothing ourselves in the righteousness of Christ by obeying the word of God. When we put on the shoes of the Gospel peace, we are preparing ourselves to share the good news contained in the Bible with all whom we come in contact with. When we arm ourselves with the shield of faith, we are able to thwart and deflect the schemes of the enemy because of our firm belief in God’s Word. When we put on the helmet of salvation, we take comfort in the assurance of our rebirth and in the hope of Christ’s second coming — both of which are spoken of in Scripture. And, finally, when we take up the sword of the Spirit, we actively use the Word of God to attack and defeat Satan, the flesh, and the world. Why? Because “the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword…” Along with your armor and along with prayer, the only offensive weapon you will ever need to be successful in spiritual warfare is the Word of God. The Scottish preacher Thomas Guthrie said, “The Bible is an armory of heavenly weapons, a laboratory of infallible medicines, a mine of exhaustless wealth. It is a guidebook for every road, a chart for every sea, a medicine for every malady, and a balm for every wound. Rob us of our Bible and our sky has lost its sun.” In closing, the Bible Knowledge Commentary states, “In one sense, the ‘whole armor of God’ is a picture of Jesus Christ. Christ is the Truth, and He is our righteousness and our peace.

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His faithfulness makes possible our faith; He is our salvation; and He is the Word of God. This means that when we trusted Christ, we received the armor. Paul told the Romans what to do with the armor: wake up, cast off sin, and ‘put on the armor of light’. We do this by putting ‘on the Lord Jesus Christ’. By faith, put on the armor and trust God for the victory. Once and for all, we have put on the armor at the moment of salvation. But there must be a daily appropriation. When King David put off his armor and returned to his palace, he was in greater danger than when he was on the battlefield. We are never out of reach of Satan’s devices, so we must never be without the whole armor of God.” Holy Father God, help us to fight the good fight with joy and love, always remembering that we are on the winning side. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Praying Day 68 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” —Ephesians 6:18 “There is no way that Christians, in a private capacity, can do so much to promote the work of God and advance the kingdom of Christ as by prayer.” —Jonathan Edwards “The Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Power helpeth our infirmity in prayer. The Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Life ends our deadness in prayer. The Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Wisdom delivers us from ignorance in this holy art of prayer. The Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Fire delivers us from coldness in prayer. The Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Might comes to our aid in our weakness as we pray.” —Leonard Ravenhill After a very detailed discussion on the pieces of armor that a Christian needs to put on, one might think that that is all there is to it. But it isn’t. There is one more thing we must do in order to be battle ready. No, it is not another piece of armor. But, based on the way Paul talks about it, it is extremely important. It is prayer.

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Three times in a single verse, Paul urges us to engage in prayer as part of our warfare. First, he says we ought to be “praying always,” that is we ought to be in a constant spirit of prayer. We ought to pray “in every season” and at “every opportunity.” Second, he says, “with all prayer,” that is with all forms of prayer which we will be discussing further. Third, he says, “and with supplication,” that is to make our requests, in the name of Christ, for things that are in God’s will. In his commentary on Ephesians, John MacArthur writes, “All the while that we are fighting in the girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, we are to be in prayer. Prayer is the very spiritual air that the soldier of Christ breathes. It is the all-pervasive strategy in which warfare is fought.” Because spiritual warfare is a constant struggle, we ought to be constantly praying. The Bible commands us to “pray without ceasing.” But, what does it mean to pray with “all prayer and supplication.” This means that we should not hesitate to engage in prayer in all its forms — whether alone or with others, in private or in public, silent prayer or praying aloud — all prayer is to be engaged in in this spiritual warfare. Holy Father God, help us to never forget the singular power of prayer. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Always Day 69 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” —Ephesians 6:18 “To arouse one man or woman to the tremendous power of prayer for others, is worth more than the combined activity of a score of average Christians.” —A.J. Gordon “To be much for God, we must be much with God. Jesus, that lone figure in the wilderness, knew strong crying, along with tears. Can one be moved with compassion and not know tears? Jeremiah was a sobbing saint. Jesus wept! So did Paul. So did John. Though there are some tearful intercessors behind the scenes, I grant you that to our modern Christianity, praying is foreign.” —Leonard Ravenhill The Bible tells us that we are to be “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…” What does it mean to pray with “all prayer”? Scholars have identified nine types of prayer in the Bible. We will discuss each

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of these types of prayer in great detail, beginning with the first three. First, is the prayer of faith. This is a prayer for something that is in God’s will, but is yet to come to pass. In this prayer, you express belief in the power of God to bring things to pass. James 5:15 says, “The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.” Second, is the prayer of agreement or corporate prayer. This is simply praying with other believers. In Acts 1:14, we find that Jesus’ followers “all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication” in the upper room before Pentecost. Third, is the prayer of request. When Paul used the word “supplication”, he was talking about this kind of prayer — asking God for your needs and desires. Philippians 4:6 teaches us to “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” John R. Rice said, “Prayer is simply asking and receiving.” Every form of prayer, even if it does not seem as though it is related to spiritual warfare, is crucial to our success in battle. The point of prayer in spiritual warfare is that we are in constant communication with our Commander-in-Chief. Holy Father God, help us not only to pray when we feel like it, but to pray when we don’t. Help us to realize that we have no other help outside of the help that you give to us. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Supplication Day 70 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” —Ephesians 6:18 “In the conflict between Satan and the Believer, God’s child can conquer EVERYTHING by prayer. Is it any wonder that Satan does his utmost to snatch that weapon from the Christian, or to hinder him in the use of it?” —Andrew Murray “No man is greater than his prayer life. The pastor who is not praying is playing; the people who are not praying are straying. The pulpit can be a shop window to display one’s talents; the prayer closet allows no showing off.” —Leonard Ravenhill We have already seen that “all prayer” includes: (1) the prayer of faith, (2) the prayer of agreement or corporate prayer, and (3) the prayer of request. “All prayer” also includes three additional forms of prayer: First, is the prayer of thanksgiving. This is a prayer of gratitude to God for what He has done for you. This is a prayer you pray after God has answered your prayers. Even before you get an answer to your prayer, you can thank God for doing what is best for you. And for doing what He has already done. Philippians 4:6

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says we ought to offer “prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.” Second, is the prayer of worship. This is a prayer of praise to God where you aren’t asking Him for anything specifically, but you are just worshipping Him because of who He is. In Acts 13, we read of early Christians who were “worshipping the Lord and fasting.” Third, is the prayer of consecration. When something or someone is consecrated, it means that they are set aside to do God’s will and be used for God’s purposes. Jesus Christ prayed a prayer of consecration in the Garden of Gethsemane when He told His Heavenly Father, “Not my will, but thine be done.” Jesus also taught us to pray this way in the Lord’s prayer which says, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Every form of prayer, even if it may not seem as though it is related to spiritual warfare, is crucial to our success in battle. The point of prayer in spiritual warfare is that we are in constant communication with our Commander-in-Chief. He knows the strategies of the devil before we do because He has been dealing with Him much longer than we have. If we continue in prayer with Him, He will speak to our hearts and alert us to the difficulties and attacks that we face, and He will guide us on how to deal with them using the weapons of the Spirit that He has given us. Holy Father God, help us to be steadfast and always abounding in the blessed work of prayer. Instead of playing and straying, help us to spend much time praying. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Intercession Day 71 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” —Ephesians 6:18 “Only turning God’s house into a house of fervent prayer will reverse the power of evil so evident in the world today.” —Andrew Murray “As long as we are content to live without revival, we will.” —Leonard Ravenhill “All prayer” also includes these three additional forms of prayer: First, is the prayer of intercession. This is when we pray for the needs of others. In 1 Timothy 2:1, Paul says, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.” You ought to always have in mind someone you can pray for other than yourself. Jesus serves as a wonderful example of intercession. John 17 consists of a prayer Jesus prayed for his disciples and for all Christians.

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Second, is the closet or private prayer. This is when we pray without anyone else being around. Matthew 6:5-6 states, “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” There is nothing wrong with public prayer and there are certain occasions when that is necessary. But Jesus told His disciples to pray privately. The reason for this is because he did not want them to make prayer into a type of show to be seen of men. Private prayer is where we receive the most strength and power from above. Third, is the silent prayer. Silent prayer is when we have no words to express our thoughts or feelings to God. God still hears us because he can hear our hearts and our thoughts just as easily as he can hear our words. When we cannot express ourselves in words, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us and makes our requests known to God. Romans 8:26-27 states, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

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Every form of prayer, even if it may not seem as though it is related to spiritual warfare, is crucial to our success in battle. The point of prayer in spiritual warfare is that we are in constant communication with our Commander-in-Chief. He knows the strategies of the devil before we do because He has been dealing with him for much longer than we have. If we continue in prayer to Him, He will speak to our hearts and alert us to the difficulties and attacks that we face, and He will guide us on how to deal with them using the weapons of the Spirit that He has given us. Holy Father God, help us not only to pray for ourselves and our needs, but to pray for the needs of others. Give us humility to pray not for show but in sincerity so that we can receive answers to our requests. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Contemplation Day 72 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Prayer plumes the wings of God’s young eaglets so that they may learn to mount above the clouds. Prayer brings inner strength to God’s warriors and sends them forth to spiritual battle with their muscles firm and their armor in place.” —Charles Spurgeon “My main ambition in life is to be on the devil’s most wanted list.” —Leonard Ravenhill Three more forms included in the term “all prayer” are: First, the prayer of forgiveness. Before we go to someone who has wronged us and tell them that we have forgiven them, we must forgive them in our hearts before the Lord in prayer. Jesus said in Mark 11:25, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven

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may forgive you your trespasses.” Jesus taught that our forgiveness of others precipitates His forgiveness of us. What better way to let God know that we have chosen to forgive someone than by prayer to Him? Often, forgiving someone in our hearts is all God requires, and telling the forgiven party that they are forgiven is unnecessary, as it can lead to pride on the part of the person who is doing the forgiving. Second, the prayer of contemplation. Contemplative prayer is the opening of one’s mind, heart, soul and spirit to God. First Corinthians 14:14-15 instructs us to pray with our minds. It reads, “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” When we pray in this manner, we become aware of who we are praying to and believe that He is hearing and will answer our prayers according to His will and plan. Contemplation involves being still and quiet, focusing on one purpose, overcoming wandering thoughts and sleepiness, and meditating on Scripture. Third, praying in the Spirit. In Ephesians 6:18, Paul instructs us to pray “always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…” Praying in the Spirit has nothing to do with speaking in tongues. Praying in the Spirit here means that one prays in the power of the Spirit, by the power of the Spirit, and according to the leadership of the Spirit. J. Oswald Sanders said, “Praying in the Spirit means to pray in harmony with the will of God. Being God Himself, the Spirit knows and can interpret God’s will to us.”

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The various forms of prayer are like different weapons in our spiritual arsenal that we can use to defend ourselves, attack Satan, and shore up the defenses in our families, churches, and communities. I hope that you begin employing every form of prayer as you are engaged in spiritual warfare. Holy Father God, help us to pray for forgiveness when we need it and for grace to forgive others. Help us to open our minds, hearts, souls and spirits to you and to pray in harmony with your will. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Endurance Day 73 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “The battle of prayer is against two things in the earthlies: wandering thoughts, and lack of intimacy with God’s character as revealed in His word. Neither can be cured at once, but they can be cured by discipline.” —Oswald Chambers “You never have to advertise a fire. Everyone comes running when there’s a fire. Likewise, if your church is on fire, you will not have to advertise it. The community will already know it.” —Leonard Ravenhill “All prayer” also includes these three additional forms of prayer: First, is the prayer of fellowship. Have you ever been alone in the car or at work, and you wished that you had someone to talk to? Well, you do. God is with you wherever you go through the presence of the Holy Spirit. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Second Corinthians 13:14 says, “The grace of the Lord

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Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.” “Communion” in this verse means fellowship or companionship. We ought not to only run to God in prayer when we are in trouble. He wants to hear from us at all times, throughout every season of our lives, even when everything is going well. He is a friend who you can talk to about things that may even seem insignificant. One preacher who pastors a church near Washington D.C. says he prays for good parking spaces before he goes into the nation’s capital. Does God care about good parking spaces? No, He doesn’t. But He cares about YOU, and He enjoys it when you call on Him as a friend in prayer. He wants to be a part of your everyday life. And prayer provides us with that friendship, that companionship, that fellowship that we should desire. Second, is the prayer of committal. This is a prayer prayed when we are faced with someone’s death. With this prayer (either before or after death), we tell God that we are letting go of the person and commending or committing them to Him. This is a prayer that we can also pray when faced with our own death. We can tell God that we are letting go of life and committing ourselves to Him. Luke 23:46 says, “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” It is human nature to dislike change, especially change that comes by way of death, but we must learn to let people go, to let life go, and commit it all to the Father.

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Third, is the prayer of endurance. This is a prayer that we pray when we are weak physically or mentally, but especially spiritually. Paul prayed for the saints at Colossae that they would be “strengthened with all might, according to God’s glorious power.” During the night of His trial, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, and God gave Him strength to endure the torture and death of the next few hours. There will be many times in our lives when we need strength; at those times, we can go to God in prayer. I hope that you commit to using prayer in its many different ways so that you can live a victorious spiritual life and overcome the temptation of the world, the flesh, and the devil each and every day, for prayer, like love, is “a many-splendored thing.” Holy Father God, deliver us from wandering thoughts and a lack of intimacy with you and your word. Help us to discipline ourselves in the work of prayer. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Alert Day 74 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “There’s never a holiday in the spiritual realm. Nothing but the full armor of God will ever suffice us in this terrible conflict in which we are engaged. There is no protection against this wily, subtle, powerful enemy but the full armor of God himself.” —C.S. Lewis “There’s one thing we need above everything else; it’s something we don’t talk about these days. We need a mighty avalanche of conviction of sin.” —Leonard Ravenhill Along with remaining constantly in the habit of prayer and praying with “all prayer”, we are commanded to be watchful. Paul writes, “and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” This means that we must be alert and we must be watching in order that we might pray. We ought to be on the lookout for

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saints who are faltering that we might lift them up in prayer. We ought to be on the lookout for sinners that we might lift them up in prayer, asking God to deliver them from their spiritual blindness. We ought to be on the lookout for Satanic attacks and deceptions creeping into our churches, our homes, and our society, that we may be ready to meet it with the Sword of the Spirit and the arsenal of prayer. We ought to be ready to pray for people and situations at a moment’s notice. John Piper describes this wonderfully when he calls prayer our “wartime walkie-talkie.” He said prayer “is mainly for those on the front lines of the war effort to call in to headquarters to send help. One of the reasons our prayer malfunctions is that we try to treat it like a domestic intercom for calling the butler for another pillow in the den rather than treating it like a wartime walkietalkie for calling down the power of the Holy Spirit in the battle for souls.” That is what we need prayer for in spiritual battle — to ask God to step in and defeat the enemy through the power of the Holy Spirit. As we watch, we should be praying consistently — “with perseverance and supplication for all saints.” We ought not to only be concerned about ourselves, but about the spiritual condition of others in the body of Christ. A good soldier never leaves a fellow warrior behind no matter how dangerous the situation might be. We ought to always look out for each other because sometimes a person cannot see their own weakness. That is when a brother or sister in Christ should step in and push that person out of the way of one of Satan’s fiery darts.

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We have mentioned numerous times how that we are not fighting this battle in our own strength, but in the strength of “the Lord and the power of His might.” And the only way to call down the power of the Lord into our present-day spiritual battles and into the lives of other believers is through prayer — so pray always! Holy Father God, help us to be watchful and mindful of what is going on around us and the people who need our help. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Watchful Day 75 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “The church that is not jealously protected by mighty intercession and sacrificial labors will before long become the abode of every evil bird and the hiding place for unsuspected corruption. The creeping wilderness will soon take over that church that trusts in its own strength and forgets to watch and pray.” —A.W. Tozer “Someone asked me, ‘Do you pray for the dead?’ I said, ‘No, I preach to them!’ I think every pew in every church is death row. Think about that! They’re dead! They sing about God; they talk about God, but they’re dead! They have no living relationship (with God).” —Leonard Ravenhill The Bible tells us that we are to be “watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” The word “watch” occurs 115 times in the Bible. In the New Testament, it means

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to “to be sleepless, to keep awake, to be circumspect, to be attentive, and to be ready.” To be ‘sleepless’ in the spiritual realm is to never let our guard down. As C.S. Lewis said, there are no holidays or vacations in the spiritual battle. You might be taking some time off physically, but your spirit ought to always be awake, alert, and watching. If you are not sleepless in your spiritual conduct, the devil will wait until you have let your guard down to strike. When he sees that you are engrossed in a basketball game, or in a good movie, or in play time with your children to the point where you have forgotten that you are still a soldier in a war zone, that is when he will move in. You might have been awake physically, but your spirit was sleeping. The Bible Exposition Commentary says, “Watch. Pray with your eyes open. Watching means ‘keeping on the alert.’ The phrase ‘watch and pray’ occurs often in the Bible. When Nehemiah was repairing the walls of Jerusalem, and the enemy was trying to stop the work, Nehemiah defeated the enemy by watching and praying. He said, ‘Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch.’ ‘Watch and pray’ is the secret of victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. Peter went to sleep when he should have been praying, and the result was victory for Satan. God expects us to use our God-given senses, led by the Spirit, so that we detect Satan when he is beginning to work.” We ought to keep spiritually awake at all times. Things may seem quiet and peaceful in your life right now. Don’t let that fool

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you into slipping into spiritual dormancy. The devil might have just decided to engage with you on a Cold War level. He may not be attacking you outright, but rest assured that he is stockpiling weapons and ammo to use against you in the near future. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know when he is going to attack, but an attack is coming. That is why you must remain watchful. Holy Father God, help us to be awake at all times so that we might not be fooled or made to slip up by the devil and his tricks. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Circumspect Day 76 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Oh! yes, the prayer meeting is the place to meet with the Holy Ghost, and this is the way to get His mighty power. If we would have Him, we must meet in greater numbers; we must pray with greater fervency, we must watch with greater earnestness, and believe with firmer steadfastness. The prayer meeting is the appointed place for the reception of power.” —Charles Spurgeon “I’m concerned in my spirit that the reason the world goes to hell-fire tonight is because the church has lost Holy Ghost fire.” —Leonard Ravenhill The multi-faceted command to “watch” also means to be circumspect. “Circumspect” is a word with various shades of meaning. In our modern English, it means to “think carefully about possible risks 259

before doing or saying something.” A person who is circumspect is one who is not hasty, but who takes his time, paying attention to all details before embarking on a course of action. In Scripture, to be circumspect means to be careful or to pay attention, especially to pay attention to the way a person lives. You must consider at all times the consequences of your behavior. You ought to watch your mouth, your heart, and your body. Everything you do and say reflects on Christ and His Church. How are you representing Him? John W. Ritenbaugh points out in his commentary that an Old Testament word similar to “circumspect” is “prudence.” Prudence is “the ability to govern and discipline one’s self by the use of reason; it is shrewdness in the management of one’s affairs.” Are you governing your life well? Are you watchful over those weak areas of your life? Or are you letting temptation and sin have its way with you? Ephesians 5:15 says, “See then that ye walk [or live] circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.” A person who is circumspect is one who is watchful, not only outwardly, but inwardly. He is conscious of his own weaknesses and does everything in his power to shore up his defenses against the devil’s likely points of attack. Holy Father God, help us to pay attention to our lives and to be prudent in our judgments and thoughts so that we can reflect a high level of godly discipline in our encounters. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Attentive Day 77 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Observe the morning watch. Do not see the face of man until you have seen the face of God. Before you enter on the day with its temptations, look up into His face and hide His Word in your heart.” —F.B. Meyer “Fifty years ago, you never heard of a divorce in the Christian church. You never even heard of marriage counseling in the church… We’re putting up with sin in the church.” —Leonard Ravenhill The third part of the multi-faceted command to “watch” means to be attentive. What is it that the Christian is to pay attention to? First, the Christian is to pay attention to God’s word. Many of the problems we face in life can be avoided or resolved if we would only take heed to what God has written down and given to us already. God is not interested in making things mysterious or hard to understand. Often, the problem is that we make things

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difficult for ourselves by not doing what has already been prescribed in the Bible. Second, the Christian is to pay attention to the devil’s strategies. If we observe and remember how the devil has attacked us in the past, we will be better equipped to defend against his attacks in the future. Paul said, “We are not ignorant of the devil’s devices.” But we will be ignorant if we don’t learn from the harm that has come to us before. The devil has a few plays that he uses over and over again. He keeps using the same plays because they are effective and because Christians don’t pay attention and learn from how he has attacked them before. Third, the Christian is to pay attention to the spiritual welfare of his fellow believers. Remember, we are to be “watching thereunto… for all saints.” Our goal is to not only protect ourselves from the devil’s attacks, but to protect our brothers and sisters in Christ as well. If we don’t know what they are going through, we cannot help them. So, we must make it our business to let God speak to us about what is happening in their lives. This is not to be done in a nosy or gossipy way. But we must come alongside them and let them know that we are there to fight with them against the devil. When we are attentive and watchful, we can see the devil coming a mile away and be prepared to do battle with him. Holy Father God, help us to pay attention to your holy Word, to pay attention to the devil’s strategies, and to pay attention to the spiritual welfare of fellow believers. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Ready Day 78 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “The Lord shall open a door to you in your trouble: wait upon Him as the night watch waiteth for the morning. He will not tarry. Go up to your watch-tower and come not down, but by prayer, and faith, and hope, wait on.” —Samuel Rutherford “In the eternal court, God will say to some, ‘Come in, ye blessed!’ and to the rest, ‘Depart from Me!’ I don’t want to stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ and have God say to me, ‘I left you a book of blank checks signed in the blood of Jesus and you didn’t use half of them!’” —Leonard Ravenhill The fourth part of the multi-faceted command to “watch” means to be ready. In the New Testament, the word translated “ready” means to be willing, to be forward in spirit, or to be prepared. We can think of

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it as being eager, earnest, or ready to go. God does not want us to hang back from the war that is raging around us, but to be prepared to enter any area of combat where He sees fit to place us. Listen to some ways in which Paul used this word. In Romans 1:15, he said, “I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are at Rome also.” In 2 Corinthians 9:2, he said the church at “Achaia was ready [to receive further teaching about the Gospel]; and their zeal [their readiness] hath provoked very many [other churches to receive teaching as well].” In 2 Timothy 4:6, Paul said, “I am now ready to be offered [to be martyred], and the time of my departure is at hand.” In Titus 3:1, he said believers ought to be “ready to every good work.” A Christian who is watchful is one who is ready to take on whatever challenge God puts in his path. As we see from these few verses, our readiness ought to extend to preaching and teaching others, receiving instruction from others, facing persecution and death boldly, and doing good wherever good needs to be done. God will use a Christian who is watchful and ready. The great Methodist preacher, John Wesley said, “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.” Holy Father God, help us to be watchful so that we can be ready for any challenge you place in our path. In Jesus Christ name. Amen. 264

Lookout Day 79 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “The Christian soldier must avoid two evils—he must not faint or yield in the time of fight, and after a victory he must not wax insolent and secure. When he has overcome, he is so to behave himself as though he were presently about to be assaulted. For Satan’s temptations, like the waves of the sea, do follow one in the neck of the other.” —George Downame “The Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible is the religion of Christ’s church. The devil’s aim today is to keep people away from the Bible.” —Leonard Ravenhill Let’s begin looking at the use of the word “watch” throughout Scripture in the Old Testament and the New Testament. We will learn the various uses of this word as it applies to spiritual warfare in many different contexts. The first use of this word in the Bible is in Genesis 31:48-49. The passage reads, “And Laban said, This heap is a witness 265

between me and thee this day. Therefore was the name of it called Galeed and Mizpah; for he said, The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.” The Hebrew word used here is “tsa-faw.” It means “to look out or about, to spy, to keep watch, or to observe.” The Hebrew Lexicon adds that the primary idea is of a person inclining or bending forward in order to get a better view – to pay attention to. In this passage, Laban and Jacob had just had a family conflict. Jacob and his wives and children had left Laban’s homestead abruptly. Unbeknownst to Jacob, his wife Rachel had stolen Laban’s family idols. Three days later, when Laban found out, he was upset over the missing idols and over the fact that Jacob had not let him know he was going to leave. It took him seven days to chase Jacob down. When he finally caught up with his son-in-law, he and Jacob had an argument. Laban was furious over his stolen idols and his daughters and grandchildren being taken away from him; Jacob was furious that Laban was not paying him enough and that Laban had accused him of stealing from him. Even though this situation could have escalated into violence, the relatives decided to let the situation go. They sat down and ate together, and then erected a pile of stones by which they agreed to remember their truce. Before he left, Laban said, “The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.” Perhaps you have heard this phrase out of context at the end of a church service

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and assumed that the pastor was asking God to protect the members. But that is not the meaning Laban intended. He asks God to serve as a watchman between him and Jacob. We, too, ought to emulate this request and serve as watchmen in our families. The devil is out to destroy the family, and he will take any advantage, any point of disagreement, and blow it up to cause discord. Therefore, we should watch — keep a look out — for the devil’s working in the family and in the Church. Holy Father God, help us to serve as watchmen in our families so that he will not take any advantage to sow discord. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Precaution Day 80 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “We must put our confidence in the armor of God and in the God of this armour, because all our weapons are only mighty through God.” —William Gurnall “We need to get into the Word and eat it. It will hurt us at times, but it will revive us. It may unclothe us to clothe us, empty us to fill us, cast us down to lift us up, and yet this is all we need.” —Leonard Ravenhill The second use of this word “watch” is in Nehemiah 4:7-9, “But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and

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to hinder it. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.” The context of this passage occurs after Nehemiah has led a large group of Jews back to Jerusalem. Upon their arrival, they find that the walls are torn down and that the Temple has not been rebuilt. Motivated by this sad state of affairs, Nehemiah rallies the people to begin rebuilding the holy city. His plans, however, are opposed by other non-Jewish groups that had begun living in the area since the Jews were carried into exile. Even though Nehemiah had permission from the Persian king to restore the city, Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabians, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites sought to undermine and hinder the reconstruction project, even to the point of going to war against the Jews. Nehemiah did not let their opposition hinder him. He continued on his course, but made precautions against the possibility of attack. First, he led the people in prayer. He said, “We made our prayer unto our God.” Just as we learned from Ephesians, when faced with Satanic opposition, we ought to “pray always with all prayer.” The second thing Nehemiah led the people in doing was watching. He said, “We set a watch against them day and night.” They didn’t stop their work; they continued with the task God had given them, but they had an eye on their enemies. They were aware

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of the threat that surrounded them and they were alert to the possibility of a sneak attack. So they watched and prayed. When we face spiritual opposition, we ought to respond the same way. Holy Father God, when we face spiritual opposition, help us to respond the same way that Nehemiah did by watching and continuing the work. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Guard Day 81 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “There will be no ‘knights in shining armor’ in God’s kingdom; our armor will have many dings and dents. No perfect heroes will ride to save the day; just wearied saints who look to God and, in weakness, find Christ’s strength. This, indeed, is the essence of God’s kingdom: divine greatness manifested in common people.” —Francis Frangipane “America is not dying because of the strength of humanism; it’s dying because of the weakness of evangelism.” —Leonard Ravenhill The third use of “watch” that we are going to look at is in Psalm 141:3: “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” David was a man after God’s own heart, and this verse from one of his writings shows one of the reasons why. The Hebrew

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word for “watch” used in the psalm is “shomrah”, and it means to stand guard. The word “keep” has an even more broad meaning. It means, “to watch, to guard, to preserve or guard from dangers, to be blockaded, to be a watchman.” Although David made some major mistakes in his life, he was not the kind of person who wanted to leave the door open for evil. Matthew Henry said, “David was in fear of sin, and he begs of God that he might be kept from sin, knowing that his prayers would not be accepted unless he took care to watch against sin.” Some of us go out into the world with our guard down, heedless against the temptations that Satan is planning on sending our way. We don’t watch our tongues, our thoughts, or our eyes. We say things, think things, and do things that we may not have planned on doing, but that we end up doing anyway because we did not watch, we did not guard against the possibility of temptation and sin. We need to be like David and ask God to set a guard at our tongues, our hearts, and our minds that we might not think, say, or do anything that is displeasing to Him. We need to watch. Holy Father God, help us to avoid going into the world with our guard down and oblivious to the temptations and tricks of the devil. Help us to watch what we say, what we think, what we do, and what we allow into our lives. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Watchman Day 82 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “The work of God can only be carried on by the power of God. The church is a spiritual organism fighting spiritual battles: only spiritual power can make it perform as God ordained. When we sincerely turn to God, we find that His church always moves forward, never backward.” —Jim Cymbala “There are three worlds looking into every church meeting: there is a world of angels; there’s a world of demons, and there’s the ordinary world outside — and everyone of them is going to feel the result of some decision we make.” —Leonard Ravenhill The next use of “watch” that we are looking at is in Isaiah 62:67, which reads: “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, And give him

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no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” The word “watchman” in this verse refers to one who keeps, guards, protects, or observes. In this prophetic passage, God is speaking regarding the glorious future of His people, Israel, and in particular the City of Jerusalem. God says, “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem.” Here, He is not talking about physical watchmen who are on the lookout against an enemy. Rather, He is talking about spiritual watchmen, who have a spiritual duty. What is their duty? The duty of these watchmen is to never cease “making mention of the Lord.” They are to “keep not silence and give Him no rest” until the city of Jerusalem is raised up to glory. God is calling on His people to pray to Him consistently for the peace of Jerusalem and the restoration of the nation. The watchmen are prayer warriors whose job it is to make consistent intercession to God. That is what God commands of them. Can this command apply to us today? The answer is yes. Charles Spurgeon said, “‘Give him no rest’ is our Lord’s own command to us concerning the great God. …He does in effect say, ‘Press me! Urge me! Lay hold on my strength. Wrestle with me.’ All this, and much more, is included in the expression, ‘Give him no rest.’”

Of course, God has made no great promise regarding the restoration of America. But, as the people of God, we are nonetheless called to be watchmen for the spiritual health of our nation. We are to pray without ceasing, to lay hold on God, and to not let go until we see repentance and revival. Holy Father God, help us to pray without ceasing, to lay hold on God, and to not let go until we see repentance and revival in our own lives and in our country. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Warn Day 83 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “If we are struggling in prayer it is because the wiles of the enemy are getting the upper hand, and we must look for the cause in our lack of discipline. There are some things we have not been strenuously practicing. We used to pray in the morning, do we now? We used to commune with God over the Bible, do we now? We used to be in contact with God wherever we went, are we now? Put on the whole armor of God and continuously practice, then the wiles of the devil cannot get you unaware.” —Oswald Chambers “Here’s the world with millions, millions, millions dying. They were dying while you were sleeping last night, while you were fooling around somewhere! God is saying, ‘Who will go for us?’ Can you remember the last time you didn’t go to bed because people were dying without Christ?” —Leonard Ravenhill

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The next use of the word “watch” that we are looking at is in Ezekiel 3:17, which reads: “Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.” God appointed the Prophet Ezekiel to be a watchman for the nation of Israel. As a watchman, his job was to be on the lookout for spiritual danger in the people’s lives. If the people were slipping into idolatry and sin, he was to warn them and try to turn them back to God’s ways. As a watchman, Ezekiel was in touch with God whereas most of the people were not. Ezekiel was to faithfully take God’s messages and give them to the people. Our responsibility as Christian watchmen is the same. We stand with God no matter what is going on around us and no matter where the world stands or where the culture seems to be going. We are to be on guard for sin, evil, and ungodliness creeping into the lives of other Christians, first of all, and then into the lives of nonbelievers. Like Ezekiel, we are to warn people about sin and the consequences of sin. We are to give people God’s words as found in the Bible. People will not always like or accept what we have to say. But our ultimate duty is to God who called us to be watchmen in a lost and sinful world. Holy Father God, help us to take up the responsibility of watching for the souls and spiritual condition of our brothers and sisters. In Jesus Christ name. Amen. 280

People-Saver Day 84 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “It is easy to think that the Church has a lot of different objectives—education, building, missions, holding services. But in a way things are much simpler than that… The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time.” —C.S. Lewis “I think one of the serious breakdowns in modern evangelism is this: it has offered too much for too little. What we do mostly is offer forgiveness. We need cleansing! There is no true conversion until a man takes up his cross.” —Leonard Ravenhill The next use of the word “watch that we are looking at is in Ezekiel 33:67, which reads: “But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned;

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if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand. So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.” The passage which we read yesterday came at the beginning of Ezekiel’s ministry, shortly after he had been called by God. This passage comes closer to the end of his ministry after he had been ministering for a while. This shows us that our calling as watchmen does not change. We may be tempted to change with the times or adjust our message according to the whims of the people. But, the watchman is not a people-pleaser; he is a people-saver. This passage contains a special warning for the watchmen who do not do their duty. The watchman who knows the word of God and sees the people going astray yet does not warn them of the dangers of their evil ways has failed in his duties. When those people die in their sins, God will lay their deaths to the charge of the disobedient watchman. This ought to make us take our duty as Christian watchmen seriously. The question we must answer is: Do we love and fear God more than we love and fear man? Some preachers who have compromised or diluted the Word of God in order to gain worldly favor will find themselves with blood on their hands when they stand before Jesus Christ because they did not warn people to turn away from their evil ways. They were too afraid to offend

people, so they kept silent. They were afraid of losing financial support, so they turned a blind eye. They were afraid of losing public influence, so they just brushed it under the rug. None of what they gained on Earth by their silence will be worth it when they stand before God. A watchman must speak Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s words regardless of what people think. The stakes are too high to risk doing anything less. Holy Father God, help us to love and fear you more than we love and fear people and to speak your truth regardless of what people think. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Vigilant Day 85 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “The devil is not terribly frightened of our human efforts and credentials. But he knows his kingdom will be damaged when we begin to lift up our hearts to God.” —Jim Cymbala “If the sermon doesn’t burn in the preacher, it won’t burn in anybody else.” —Leonard Ravenhill The next use of the word “watch” that we are looking at is in Psalm 127:1, which reads: “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” This verse reminds us that the success of what we do, not only as watchmen, but in every aspect of our Christian lives, ultimately depends on the Lord. That is why we are told to be strong “in the Lord and in the power of his might.” We do not

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preach in our own strength. We do not pray in our own strength. We do not serve in our own strength. We do not care for others in our own strength. We do not watch in our own strength. It should (or it ought to be) Christ preaching, praying, serving, caring for others, and watching inside of us. If we depend on our own strength, we will ultimately fail because we will eventually give up. We will get discouraged when people do not heed the warnings that we have given them from God. We will despair when it seems like destruction is inevitable. We do not possess limitless power and fortitude in and of our own selves. We possess limitless power only in Christ. We must understand that, essentially, it is Christ standing watch over our families, churches, and country. We are simply His eyes. And it is through Him that our eyes will remain open and alert, vigilant and watchful against the many spiritual dangers in the world today. Holy Father God, help us to allow You to preach, pray, serve, care for, and watch for others. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Prepared Day 86 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “There can be no victory where there is no combat. The victory lieth not upon us but upon Christ, who hath taken upon him, as to conquer for us, so to conquer in us. Let us not look so much who are our enemies, as who is our Judge and Captain; not what they threaten, but what He promiseth.” —Richard Sibbes “At every church service, people either go out damned or delivered, and a lot hangs on the preacher. If a preacher is not known in hell, he ain’t worth a hill of beans.” —Leonard Ravenhill The next use of the word “watch” is in Habakkuk 2:1-2, which reads: “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.”

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Scholars believe that the Prophet Habakkuk lived during the reign of the good King Josiah. Josiah’s reign was a time of revival for the kingdom of Judah. However, several wicked kings followed Josiah, and it was in the years of their reigns that Habakkuk delivered his message from God to the people. In the first chapter of the book which bears his name, Habakkuk describes his message as a “burden.” It was a serious, heavy, grave message from God that he had been given to deliver. With this background information in mind, we can understand the prophet’s words in Habakkuk 2. He says, “I will stand upon my watch, and will watch to see what [God] will say unto me…” Habakkuk knew that God wanted to use him, so he prepared himself for use by making sure he was in a position to hear from God and to answer Him. Many Christians today never really consider that God wants to use them in a special way. When they hear the call of God on their life, they look up to Heaven and say, “Who? Me?” They are not watching for ways in which God might use them. They are not expecting God to use them, and so they are not prepared for God to use them. When God spoke to Habakkuk, he gave him a mission to accomplish. He said, “Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” God wanted Habakkuk to be His spokesman to the people. He said, ‘Habakkuk, I’m going to tell you some things. I want you to write them down and make them clear and understandable so that the person who reads them can understand and act on them.’ God gave

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Habakkuk a job to do because Habakkuk was watching and ready. That is how we ought to be at all times, watching and ready for God to use us. Holy Father God, help us to be like Habakkuk and to be watchful and ready for any opportunity that you may send our way. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Anticipate Day 87 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen; such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven on Earth.” —John Wesley “We’re so far removed from God’s way of doing things — we think a man is a good preacher if he can draw a crowd these days. Do you know what Finney did? Finney preached sometimes, and the whole congregation got up and walked out on him. That’s a good meeting! He sent them out horrified! I only preach for two reasons: either to send people out the door blazing mad at me or blazing with the peace of the Holy Ghost!” —Leonard Ravenhill Habakkuk 2:1-2 reads, “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me,

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and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” We know that Habakkuk was a man who was ready and watching for God to use him. We ought to emulate that kind of spirit. But there is another way in which we ought to emulate Habakkuk also. Habakkuk was a prophet who waited to receive his answers from God. The whole reason why Habakkuk is standing at his watch tower waiting to hear from God in chapter 2 is because he presented some questions to God in chapter 1 and he was expecting answers to his questions. Scholars have noted that Habakkuk was not afraid to ask tough questions regarding the coming judgment upon his nation and the means by which it would be carried out. Some of us might have questions about God’s dealings with our nation. There are things we don’t understand, things we wonder about or are concerned about. We can ask those questions confidently through prayer. However, we must be prepared to wait and watch for the answer. F. B. Meyer said, “How often God’s answers come, and find us gone! We have waited for a while, and, thinking there was no answer, we have gone our way but as we have turned the first corner the post comes in. God’s ships touch at our wharves; but there is no one to unload them… It is not enough to direct your prayer unto

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God; look up, and look out, until the blessing alights on your head.â&#x20AC;? Our watching ought not to only be outward, but upward as we anticipate Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s answers to our prayers. Holy Father God, when we pray, help us to be persistent and patient, to be willing to wait as long as is necessary until we get an answer. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Test Day 88 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Believers must never adjust the Bible to the age, but the age to the Bible.” —Charles Spurgeon “The wonder of the grace of God is that God can take an unholy man out of an unholy world and make that man holy and put him back into an unholy world and keep him holy!” —Leonard Ravenhill Matthew 24:42 which reads, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” This verse comes in the larger context of what is called Jesus’ Olivet Discourse. Much of this discourse focused on the end times, and this verse introduces another aspect of the Christian’s responsibility to watch: We are to be watching for the return of our Lord.

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Jesus has told us that the day of His return is not known by any man, not even by the angels of Heaven. This is intended partly as a test of faithfulness. Who will be found watching when Jesus returns? You say, ‘He’s taking a long time.’ Watch anyway. You say, ‘He should have come already.’ Watch anyway. We ought to be watching — which, in this context, includes fulfilling all of our Christian duties — not because we think Jesus is going to come back soon, but because it is right for us to do. If Jesus were not to return for the next million years, we are still to preach the Gospel, we are still to obey the Bible, we are still to care for the less fortunate. We are still to watch. Holy Father God, help us never to be caught watching and not working. Help us to watch and work, anticipating your coming and doing your will in the earth. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Occupy Day 89 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “The devil is not fighting churches today. He’s joining churches.” —Vance Havner “I don’t want to be saved just to make it into heaven; I want to be saved from sin. I want to be a God-directed man that, in the life I have, I may live it for the glory of God.” —Leonard Ravenhill Matthew 24:43 reads, “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.” In this verse, Jesus offers a preemptive rebuke of those who think they can wait until they believe Jesus is coming before they get their act together and begin to watch as they should. The tone is rather sarcastic: “Of course, if the man knew when

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the thief would come, he would have set a watch for that time and prevented his house from being broken into.” Anybody would have done that. The point Jesus is making is that that will not work for us, because we will not know the time of His return at all. That is why we must watch at all times. The Christians of the first century looked around and saw signs that they believed pointed to Jesus’ return. The Christians of the Reformation period believed Christ would come back in their day. Many who lived through World War I only to see World War II thought the end must indeed be nigh. Still others didn’t think the world would make it past midnight of January 1, 2000. As recently as 2011 and 2012, thanks to a false Christian prophet and an ancient Mayan prophecy, people got caught up in end times fervor, only for the globe to keep on spinning. Jesus did not tell us to waste time trying to figure out when He returns. He commanded us to watch until He returns, and “occupy till He comes.” Holy Father God, give us your strength and grace to watch until you return and occupy until you come. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Together Day 90 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “When we go to God by prayer, the devil knows we go to fetch strength against him, and he therefore opposeth us all he can.” —Richard Sibbes “If you’re going to a mission field — wherever that is — if you don’t have Christlike love, you’ll break down within six months. You’ll be a casualty there; you’ll be a liability instead of an asset. The mission field isn’t dying for want of missionaries. There are enough people there who call themselves missionaries. What it needs is ones with anointing; ones with a love that surpasses all things — a selfless, undying, unbreakable love.” —Leonard Ravenhill Matthew 26:38 reads, “Then saith [Jesus] unto [his disciples], My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.”

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This passage occurs during Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. As he looks forward to the crucifixion, Jesus becomes sorrowful and He seeks comfort and strength through prayer to God. As He goes to pray alone, He asks his disciples, Peter, James, and John, to watch with Him. The Greek word used for watch in this verse is gr-go-re-M. It means to give strict attention to something, to be cautious, to be active, to be vigilant, and to be wakeful.” Thayer’s Greek Lexicon adds, “to take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one.” In this verse, we learn the importance of not watching alone. There are times when you will have to watch alone, but in the body of Christ, that is not always necessary. Sometimes, we should request that others watch and pray with us. If Jesus wanted us all to be lone rangers, He would not have placed us in the body together where we are dependent on each other. The reason why we watch together is because the devil will not announce his attacks beforehand. He will try to sneak up on us. Having an extra set of spiritual “eyes” can be the difference between victory and defeat. Holy Father God, help us to watch together with other believers so that we can be firmly guarded against the attacks and tricks of the enemy. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Watch Day 91 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “It cannot be stated too frequently that the life of a Christian is a warfare, an intense conflict, a lifelong contest. It is a battle, moreover, waged against invisible foes, who are ever alert, and ever seeking to entrap, deceive, and ruin the souls of men. The life to which Holy Scripture calls men is no picnic or holiday outing. It is no pastime, no pleasure jaunt. It entails effort, wrestling, struggling; it demands the putting forth of the full energy of the spirit in order to frustrate the foe and to come off, at the last, more than conqueror. It is no primrose path, no rose-scented dalliance. From start to finish, it is war. From the hour in which he first draws sword, to that in which he doffs his harness, the Christian warrior is compelled to ‘endure hardness like a good soldier.’” —E.M. Bounds “Before too long it’s going to demand a lot of courage to really live and maintain the true Christian life according to the Word of the Living God.” —Leonard Ravenhill 301

Matthew 26:38 which reads, “Then saith [Jesus] unto [his disciples], My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.” Two verses later, we read, “And [Jesus] cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” “Watch” as it is used here means “to take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtakes one.” Jesus did not tell the disciples to watch for His sake; He told them to watch for their own sake. He knew the calamity that was about to come upon Him. The disciples were the ones ignorant of what the devil had planned for them. They, especially Peter, arrogantly thought that they could handle whatever that night would bring, so they didn’t watch, and the devil knocked them out. Not only did they run when Jesus was arrested, but they spent the days and weeks after the crucifixion scared, worried, and in disbelief to the point where some of them decided to go back to their old profession. If Jesus hadn’t come along to get them back in the game, they would have been defeated as Christians — all because they didn’t watch. The devil wants to knock you out just like he did these disciples. He wants you to join the ranks of those Christians who got knocked down and stayed down, who never returned to the ministry. If you don’t want that to happen to you, you must obey Jesus’ command, and watch. Holy Father God, help us to never join the ranks of those who get knocked down and stay down. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Escape Day 92 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Christ hath told us he will come, but not when, that we might never put off our clothes, or put out the candle.” —William Gurnall “If you’re going to be a true Christian, I’ll tell you one thing amongst others: it will be a lonely life. It’s a narrow way and it becomes narrower and narrower and narrower.” —Leonard Ravenhill Luke 21:36 reads, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” This verse comes at the end of one of Jesus’ discussions on the events of the last times. It has two meanings. First, during this discourse on the end times, Jesus predicted that Jerusalem would be overthrown. He gave signs that would point toward

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this happening. In 70 AD, the Romans sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple. By telling His listeners to watch and pray, He enabled them to be able to escape the coming destruction of Jerusalem. Those who heeded Jesusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; warnings were able to save their lives and their families. Those who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t perished. The second meaning, which applies to us today, is that we should watch and pray as it appears that the last days are drawing near. The Bible predicts that these last days will be a time of destruction, judgment, and calamity for the whole world. Christians will not live through the worst of these events because the Church will be Raptured before they occur. All those who listen to and obey Jesus can escape the coming destruction and will be found worthy to stand before Him in His kingdom. Our primary task ought to be warning others of the wrath to come so that they, too, can join the ranks of those who watch and pray, and who will escape the judgment to come. Holy Father God, help us to warn the people around us of the wrath that is to come so that they can join us as believers as we watch and pray. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Beware Day 93 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Let us, therefore, forsake the vanity of the crowd and their false teachings and turn back to the word delivered to us from the beginning, ‘watching unto prayer’ and continuing steadfast in fasting, beseeching fervently the all-seeing God “to lead us not into temptation, even as the Lord said, ‘The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’” —Polycarp “God wants to get us to the place where we’d rather fast than feast; where we’d rather be unknown than known.” —Leonard Ravenhill Acts 20:31 reads, “Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears.”

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This verse comes at the end of the book of Acts where Paul is giving his farewell message to the Elders of the Church at Ephesus. Paul is on his way back to Jerusalem where, apparently, he senses in his spirit that he will be arrested and taken to Rome. He knows that the time he has left as a free man in the Roman world is short. So, as part of his “farewell tour”, if you will, as he is sailing home from Macedonia, he stops at Miletus and calls for the Ephesian church elders to come to him. In his speech, Paul reviews the evangelistic work that was done in their city. He recounts the persecution that he and others faced from the Jews. He said, “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house.” He also speaks of his own immediate future, saying, “the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me.” But Paul tells these church leaders not to worry because they are ready to carry on the work on their own. Why? They will be ready if they “watch” for the things which Paul “ceased not to warn” them of “night and day with tears.” What did Paul warn them of? In verses 29-30, we read, “After my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” This is what Paul wanted the Ephesian elders to watch for — false teachers from within and from without creeping into the church spreading false doctrine and drawing God’s people away from the truth.

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Even today, we must watch for the same things that Paul told these believers to watch for. People, claiming to be preachers, have snuck into the church today and are drawing people away from unadulterated Scriptural truth. That is why we need watchmen â&#x20AC;&#x201D; people who are aware of such threats and are on guard against them. Holy Father God, help us to watch for the same things Paul watched for and not to be deceived by false doctrine. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Consistent Day 94 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Do you mortify; do you make it your daily work; be always at it while you live; cease not a day from this work; be killing sin or it will be killing you.” —John Owen “God didn’t come to be a shareholder! God doesn’t want to share your life; He wants to own it! He doesn’t want partnership; He wants ownership of every part of your being.” —Leonard Ravenhill We are again looking at Acts 20:31 which reads, “Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears.” I want you to notice how Paul’s ministry is coming to a close as a watchman. (Of course, he continued teaching and preaching for a few more years as a prisoner in Rome before he was put to death. But, at this point, it looks like the end of the road for the Apostle Paul.) He is coming to the close of his ministry journey, and he is able to say that he served faithfully in warning the

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churches and believers under his spiritual leadership of the threats that they would face from within and without. Paul was a faithful messenger of God to many believers beyond the Ephesians whom he is talking to in this passage. Throughout the New Testament, we read his letters to numerous local churches as well as to ministers whom he trained such as Timothy and Titus. In this single verse, we see that Paul was a long-term watchman. He spent “three years” teaching the Ephesians and he spent similar amounts of time teaching other local church bodies. He was in it for the long haul. Then, we see that Paul was a consistent watchman. He says he “did not cease” warning those under his care. We, too, ought not to give up being on guard and warning others to be on guard against spiritual attack. Then, we see that Paul was a spiritually and emotionally invested watchman. He warned “everyone with tears.” He was not like some who pontificate from an ivory tower, but who do not have real care and concern for the people. God is not only looking for watchmen who are willing to lead, but watchmen who are willing to serve. You and I ought to strive to have the testimony of the Apostle Paul — one of a faithful watchman who consistently carried God’s message to the people He sent us to with a caring, serving spirit. Holy Father God, help us to develop a caring and serving spirit and to be the watchmen that you want us to be. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Stand Fast Day 95 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Spiritual Christians look upon the world not as a playground but as a battleground.” —A.W. Tozer “We’ve reduced God to a minimum. Most of us are trying to get to heaven with minimum spirituality. If people looked after their businesses the way we look after our souls, they’d have gone bankrupt years ago. Materialism has crept in and blinded us. It has become a way of life.” —Leonard Ravenhill First Corinthians 16:13 reads, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” This verse is a powerful summary of all that we have been discussing over the past couple of devotionals. These are Paul’s concluding words in his first letter to the Corinthians.

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Each of the words he uses — watch, stand fast, quit yourselves, be strong — are military terms in the original Greek, emphasizing the constant state of war that we are in. By watching, we are to constantly be on guard so that we will not be startled or think it strange by Satan’s attacks. By standing fast, we are to maintain our rank or our position in the body of Christ. Each member of the Body has a specific task or series of tasks that they must do. If one person does not fulfill their task, or throws down their weapons and runs, the rest of the body is put at risk. A Roman fighting force marched in rigid, unbroken ranks. As long as the ranks were maintained, the Romans were pretty much unstoppable. When the ranks were broken, however, they were much easier to defeat. The term ‘quit ye like men’ means “to make a man of one’s self, to make brave, or to show one’s self to be a man.” When a boy is faced with a rabid dog, he will turn and flee. But, a man knows that the only way to defeat a rabid dog is to let it know that you are not afraid of it. So, a man stands, and, if need be, he fights. Finally, we are to ‘be strong.’ Adam Clarke wrote that this term means to “summon up all your courage, to sustain each other, to fear not.” In this day and time, the world needs to see a strong church, not a church that shrinks from the fight or quails at every strike of cultural opposition. We all must watch, stand fast, and be strong. Holy Father God, help us to be courageous, to sustain each other, and to not be afraid as we fight the good fight of faith. In Jesus Christ name. Amen. 312

Continue Day 96 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Let this encourage those of you who belong to Christ: the storm may be tempestuous, but it is only temporary. The clouds that are temporarily rolling over your head will pass, and then you will have fair weather, an eternal sunshine of glory. Can you not watch with Christ for one hour?” —William Gurnall “Today, all we have is a sinning-repenting cycle. That is not what Jesus died for! We need to shout from the housetops and tell people everywhere today — in the church and out of it — that Christianity is not a sinning religion.” —Leonard Ravenhill Colossians 4:2 reads, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.” At the beginning of his letter to the Colossians, Paul informed them that he had been praying earnestly for their spiritual growth.

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Now, as he closes this letter, he asks them to “continue in prayer” for him and his ministry. This word is built on the Greek root word meaning “to be strong.” Its meanings also include: ‘to adhere to a belief system; to be devoted or constant to something; to be steadfastly attentive; to continue all the time in a certain place or task; and to persevere and not to faint.’ Paul asks for constant, consistent prayer from people who could be considered his spiritual children. This tells us that God hears the prayers of all of His saints equally and that none of us are above benefitting from the prayers of others. But, not only does Paul want the Colossian believers to pray for him consistently, he wants them to “watch in the same” (that is, in the same spirit of prayer) “with thanksgiving.” The word “watch” in this passage is translated “vigilant” in other versions of the Bible. As seen before, this word literally means to be “wakeful.” It may seem as though Paul is telling the believers to remain physically awake as they pray (and some probably needed that admonition), but he means for them to remain spiritually awake and alert in their prayers. Too often, we pray dead prayers — saying meaningless words which do not reflect an awareness of the spiritual conditions around us. Part of the work of a watchman is to not only pray consistently, but to be vigilant, watchful, and alert in his prayers. God will speak to us in prayer, and we must be ready to receive answers from him that have bearing on what is happening right now. Holy Father God, help us to be vigilant, watchful, and alert in prayer and be ready to receive Your answers. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Awake Day 97 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Heaven’s gate is not to be stormed by one weapon but by many. Spare no arrows, Christian. Watch and see that none of the arms in thy armoury are rusty. Besiege the throne of God with a hundred hands, and look at the promise with a hundred eyes. You have a great work on hand for you have to move the arm that moves the world; watch, then, for every means of moving that arm. See to it that you ply every promise; that you use every argument; that you wrestle with all might.” —Charles Spurgeon “I want to live so that God doesn’t have to have to give me one minute’s notice when it’s my turn to step out of time into eternity.” —Leonard Ravenhill First Thessalonians 5:6 reads, “Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.”

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This verse lets us know that there are some who do not watch; instead, they are asleep. D. Edmond Hiebert said, “The word sleep is here used metaphorically to denote indifference to spiritual realities on the part of believers. It is a different word than that used for the sleep of death. It covers all sorts of moral and spiritual laxity or insensibility.” The world sleeps as it lies in the lap of the wicked one. It does not know that it is slowly being assimilated into Satan’s kingdom. It is bound, blind, afflicted by sin, but it does not realize it because it is asleep. It is not awake spiritually. But, there are some in the church who are also asleep. They are not watching. They are not sober. They know that there are threats in the world, they know that Satan is pursuing them, but they are heedless of the danger. They do not pay attention to the spiritual attacks that are being launched against them and their fellow believers. Paul challenges us not to do “as others”, but to “watch and be sober.” The word “sober” is the Greek word “neepho” which means “to be calm and collected in spirit; to be temperate, dispassionate, or circumspect.” A person who is watchful and vigilant is not someone who is jumpy or paranoid. They are “calm and collected” because they are awake — they know what is going on around them so they are not surprised when Satan attacks. A sober person maintains an even keel throughout life — he is serious but he is not above having fun in life and having a good laugh — for he knows that “laughter does good like a

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medicine.â&#x20AC;? He is alert and watchful regarding what is going on around him and he is able to deal with any kind of situation that may come up. Holy Father God, help us to be alert about what is going on around us and to be able to deal with any situation we encounter. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Endure Day 98 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “The more determined men become to despise the teachings of Christ, the more zealous should godly ministers be to assert it and the more strenuous their efforts to preserve it.” —John Calvin “There’s not one thing in life worth having outside of Jesus Christ. If you can really sing, ‘Thou, O Christ, are all I want,’ you’ve got it made.” —Leonard Ravenhill Second Timothy 4:5 reads, “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” This verse is a part of Paul’s second letter to Timothy, a young minister whom he had trained and put in charge of the church at Ephesus. Among a myriad of commands and advice, Paul charges Timothy with the mandate to watch. Every Christian

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pastor needs to take heed to this order — to watch. Satan, like a roaring lion, is prowling about seeking to devour members of local churches. Thus, the pastor is commanded to watch, to be on guard, to be ready for every attack that Satan might bring against his church. A minister is also to ‘endure afflictions.’ Just because you are in ministry, that does not mean you will not have problems just as you do in life. A minister must not let down his guard or give up just because he faces opposition or difficulty. Some people who serve God full-time think their lives should be easier than those who do not. But that is not the case. Your life will in fact be harder because the devil will be out to get you even more. And that is all the more reason why you should watch. Holy Father God, help us to endure affliction, to not let down our guard, and to not give up. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Evangelist Day 99 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “Evangelism is not a professional job for a few trained men, but is instead the unrelenting responsibility of every person who belongs to the company of Jesus.” —Elton Trueblood “God is looking for people who will live recklessly for Him — not concerned with public opinion or preacher’s opinions, but becoming a love slave of Jesus Christ.” —Leonard Ravenhill Second Timothy 4:5 reads, “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” Let’s focus on Paul’s command for Timothy to “do the work of an evangelist.” For a pastor, watching and evangelism go hand in hand. Part of a pastor’s watching involves paying attention to what is going on in the secular community. By staying in touch

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with what is going on outside the church, the pastor is better able to organize and strategize how to reach the unsaved for Christ. Many churches today have an inward focus rather than an outward focus. While it is important for pastors to make sure the local body is strong and secure, they must not lose sight of the Great Commission which all churches are tasked to carry out. Every church is to be engaged in reaching their Jerusalem, their Samaria, and their world. No matter how gifted a preacher is or how much education he has, he is not doing his job unless he is doing the work of an evangelist. Holy Father God, help us to be willing and ready to share the good news with others and to be evangelists in our community. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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Accomplish Day 100 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” —Ephesians 6:18 “One of the gravest perils which besets the ministry is a restless scattering of energies over an amazing multiplicity of interests which leaves no margin of time and of strength for receptive and absorbing communion with God.” —Andrew Bonar “We’re not here to get to know the Word of God but to get to know the God of the Word.” —Leonard Ravenhill Second Timothy 4:5 reads, “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” The term ‘make full proof’ means “to carry through to the end or to accomplish.”

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Every minister, no matter how talented or educated, will face times when he will feel discouraged or inadequate. These types of feelings may be caused by the devil whispering discouraging thoughts into his mind. Or it may come from negative comments and criticism from church members or other believers. A preacher’s ministry may go unfulfilled because of fear, unbelief, the cares of the world, the fear of man, or sin in his life. In fact, every person who sets out to do something for Christ will face such feelings and experiences. However, the preacher and every Christian are called not to give up. They are called to press on, to endure to the end, to accomplish what they have been called to do. Every Christian is called to finish his course, to finish his race, to complete the ministry that God has given him so they can say with Paul at the end of their lives, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” Holy Father God, help us to press on, to carry through to the end, and to accomplish what we have been called by you to do. In Jesus Christ name. Amen.

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How to be Saved from Hell, Straight from the Bible If you are reading this book, allow me to ask you a question: If you were to die today, where would you go, Heaven or Hell? If you're not sure, here is how you can be saved from sin and hell and have a home in Heaven when you die: 1. Accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God's law.The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:20: “For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” 2. Accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…” 3. Accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”The Bible says in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” 4. Accept the fact that you cannot do anything to save yourself! The Bible states in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.” 327

5. Accept the fact that God loves you more than you love yourself, and that He wants to save you from hell. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jesus Christ, John 3:16). With these facts in mind, please repent of your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and pray and ask Him to come into your heart and save you this very moment. The Bible states in the book of Romans 10:9, 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” If you are willing to trust Christ as your Saviour, please pray the following prayer: Heavenly Father, I realize that I am a sinner. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life. Amen. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to GospelLightSociety.com and read What To Do After You Enter Through the Door. Please e-mail us at gls@gospellightsociety.com so that we can send you free material that will help you grow in your walk with Christ.

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