Suit Up for Battle

March 15

Therefore put on the full armor of God.

Ephesians 6:13

Butch pulled the draw straps tighter on his shoulder pads, and then relaced

his cleats. He’d gotten shoved around a little in the first half. It wasn’t going to

happen again if he could help it.

Butch was a lineman in the NFL. His job? Engage the enemy! Butch was

a warrior; he loved the battle! Experience had taught him that his equipment

was crucial to his ability to stand and fight. It had to fit perfectly to allow him

movement, yet protect him from those who would try to do him harm. The

opposing team intended to force their will on Butch and his teammates. This

was a contest of strength and will.

This was also the playoffs! You didn’t get here by giving your second best.

If you were here, you’d given your all—devotion and hard work, continually

doing the right thing over and over and over again, preparing for the battle.

This included never taking the field without the proper equipment.

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We have a very real enemy. He means to take us out of the fighting. We are in a

battle for souls, and we must engage the enemy if we are to help ourselves and

help save those who are perishing. The victory has been secured, yet there are

those who would be eternally imprisoned if we fail to help liberate them. We

have been asked to stand and fight. And just as Butch, we must be prepared

for each encounter.

Paul tells us to “put on the full armor of God—and pray in the Spirit.”

With preparation and guidance from God, we suit up for battle. To go into

combat unprepared, without our armor or weapons, is to invite premature

death. God has armor for each individual warrior. But it will do no good if it’s

hanging in heaven’s locker room.

Prayer

“Today, I put on Your armor, Lord—the belt of truth; the

breastplate of righteousness; the shoes of the readiness

of the gospel of peace; the helmet of salvation. I take

up the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, the

Word of God! And I wield these weapons against

the evil one. In Your Power and Name, amen.”

 He’s My Son!

March 14

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.

John 3:16

Bob and Shari were concerned as they watched their eighteen-month-old

son being wheeled toward the operating room. Knowing that he was in God’s

hands the danger of open-heart surgery was still real, making the next three

hours difficult to endure.

When the surgeon announced the procedure had been a complete success,

Bob and Shari wept openly and unashamedly.

Their elation was short lived, however, replaced by the news that another

child, whom they had come to know during their stay had died in surgery. They

had grown close to the family, and this was an awful blow.

They sought out the parents and not knowing what to say, just hugged

them and wept. Bob prayed for words that might ease their pain somewhat. In

that moment, he felt God say, “I know how they feel. My Son also died when

He didn’t deserve to. But because of My Son’s death, their son is with me!

Tell them I love their son with the same love that sent my Son to the cross of

Calvary.”

Through sobs, they listened to God’s message of love. Though nothing

could truly ease their pain right now, Bob’s words brought the hope of a grand

reunion in eternity.

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One child lives, another dies. It’s unexplainable, unfair, and feels so wrong that

we can’t put words to the pain. Too many parents have felt the sting of the

premature death of a child.

Infant death is so hard and so premature that it can’t possibly be right.

God says, “I know what you are feeling, child. Mourn, but allow My promise of

an eternal reunion to fill your spirit. My Son has overcome the grave; because

of that, you will live forever and will never again feel separation anxiety!”

Death brings a crisis of faith; do we believe in eternal life? If so, we have

this hope that if we believe in His Son we have eternal life! The Father says,

“Believe in Jesus; He’s My Son!”

Prayer

“Thank You for Your love that is so much deeper than

ours. Thank You that You know how our hearts ache in

times of loss. Thank You for Your only Son! Amen.”

 The Web

March 13

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And

God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you

can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so

that you can stand up under it.

2 Corinthians 10:13

I watched as the wasp struggled to free itself from the web. The more he strug-

gled, the more entangled he became. It began when the wasp spotted a fly

stuck in the web, wings buzzing, franticly trying to escape. It seemed like such

an easy meal. All the wasp had to do was kill a helpless fly. The moment he

attacked, stinging the fly, the spider emerged from the funnel in the center of

its web.

With the wasp’s attention focused on the fly, the spider quickly attached a

slender thread of silk to the wasp’s leg. Trying to break free, the wasp’s move-

ments actually managed to get him more entangled. As the wasp weakened, the

spider returned from the funnel and spun a cocoon of silk around its helpless

prey.

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Like the spider in the story, Satan sets out to deceive his prey. The way he

tempts us is always seductive. Although he cannot read our thoughts, he has

seen enough of our poor choices to know how to tempt us. The truth is most

sin feels good. But there are always consequences.

As in the wasp’s case, what Satan tempts us with will initially appear ben-

eficial. He focuses our attention away from the things that ensnare us, hoping

we will take the bait. The wasp saw nourishment and was lured into the web.

We must be on guard and remember that one poor choice can trap us in a

revolving door scenario that appears to have no exit. Unlike the wasp’s confine-

ment, our bonds can be broken.

As today’s text shows, there is always a way of escape. But we must choose

to take it. When we enter in to a relationship with Jesus Christ, He will lead

us to the way out.

Prayer

“Lord, please give me strength to resist temptation

today. Help me relate to You in such a way today that

I can see any temptation for what it is. Amen.”

 We Cry Out

March 12

In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From

his temple he heard my voice.

Psalm 18:6

Standing in church with his hands raised to heaven, Mitch was thinking of the

day God had gotten all there was of him to get. He’d been disking along the

fencerow of a plowed field. 

As he always did, Mitch was ducking under the overhanging branches, lifting them out of the way as he circled the outer edges of the field. This time, however, he miscalculated the size and strength of one limb in particular. Trying to duck under while lifting it, the branch wouldn’t give. 

In the blink of an eye, he was dragged out of his seat and over the back of

the tractor, landing on top of the ten-foot disk. As the churning disks grabbed

at his clothes, Mitch cried out, “Help me, Lord!” 

The tractor stopped! Amazed, he rose up to discover the limb had broken as it knocked him from his seat. It had caught in the fan belt of the engine, stalling it and stopping the forward motion of both tractor and disk. Looking up, Mitch whispered, “Thank You, Lord.”

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Helpless before God, we catch a glimpse of how deep and fathomless His love

for us is. This God, the One Who loves us so much that He sent His Son to

cancel a debt we owed, watches over us. 

That payment purchased our ability to relate with God in such a way that we can cry out and be heard! No longer must we offer blood sacrifices to be absolved from our sin. 

Today we can come boldly before the throne of God with an assurance of being heard. We should, however, come with reverence and the sacrifice of praise, declaring His wonderful love and mighty power. Most of the time, God’s work goes unnoticed. But when we cry out in distress, be assured He will respond.

Prayer

“I am awed by Your provision, Abba. You protect me from

the enemy and myself. You rescue me from my mistakes

and warn me of impending trouble through Your Holy

Spirit. Thank You, Jesus, for the sacrifice of love that

allows me to come directly to the throne room. Amen.”

 Someone Is Starving

March 11

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they

will be filled.

Matthew 5:6

The chef watched as the people filled their plates, choosing entrees and side

dishes. Taste and preference made for diversity in cuisine, something this res-

taurant prided itself on. It seemed there was no end to what you could find on

the menu. 

It never ceased to amaze the chef how people sought to satisfy their

hunger with so many different delicacies—choice cuts of meat with garlic pota-

toes and sautéed carrots—while others ate lightly of poached fish with lemon

sauce and a side of cottage cheese with fruit. 

There were as many salads as there were customers, and the people eagerly loaded plates with exotic lettuces and all the trimmings, anticipating the wonderful flavor. 

And for refreshment they served flavored lemonades and iced teas with seven distinctive blends of coffee—so many choices even the most disparaging customer was satisfied. The chef was proud of his ability to meet the culinary desires of each individual. He had never received a single complaint.

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The wedding feast for the bride of Christ will be the greatest banquet ever

attended. Not because of the food, but because we will be feasting with the

Groom! We have nothing with which to compare the delight and pleasure we

will be afforded on that day. And our presence there will be owed to the righ-

teousness of Christ.

In this world, we will never be satisfied or full. However, the Spirit wants

to stir a hunger and thirst within those who want even more!

Like the chef in today’s story, Jesus loves providing for our every need.

Yet, at times, we take our nourishment from the wrong food source. Free

will allows us to eat as much of whatever we want. The cliché “You are what you

eat” has never had truer meaning.

Prayer

“Jesus, we look longingly to the day when we will feast with you

in eternity. Use us to lead others to your banquet table. Amen.”

 Oh My Gosh!

March 10

For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

Matthew 12:34

I watched as Mark reeled in the huge fish. We were fishing for northern pike

on Lake Michigan—Green Bay, to be specific—and Mark had hooked a mon-

ster! As he continued to drag the fish toward the boat, all he could say was, “Oh

my gosh! Oh my gosh! Holy smokes! This thing is huge!” After ten minutes of

line hauling, rod pumping action, he managed to net the thirty-eight pound

northern.

One of the world’s greatest game fish, the northern pike is a trophy; a

thirty-eight pounder is the fish of a lifetime!

I remember thinking, In the heat of battle, the heart speaks the truth of who

we are. Mark had not uttered one unsavory word while landing what for him

was the largest northern he had ever caught. I was profoundly affected by the

purity of his language in an emotionally charged moment. I have witnessed

many fishermen who, when given the same set of circumstances, had sworn a

blue steak.

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“Oh my gosh” and “holy smokes” may sound childish to some, especially to

those who use foul language offhandedly without much thought of how it

sounds or affects those around them. But to God, “oh my gosh” is pleasing.

Instead of holding up a standard, we have lowered the bar with each

generation.

I remember when primetime TV used to be language free, a time when

the whole family could come together and watch TV, knowing their children

would not be subjected to profanity or sexual innuendoes. Nowadays, no mat-

ter what time you tune in, you can’t watch thirty minutes of programming

without profanity and sex invading your living room. It has permeated every

aspect of society.

Caught swearing, a student told his guidance counselor, “It just slipped

out.” To which the guidance counselor replied, “If you don’t practice it so much,

it won’t slip as often.”

We may not go to hell for using profanity, but when using it, we aren’t

leading anyone to heaven.

Prayer

“Teach me to know the power of my words, Lord.

Remind me that besides You, someone is always

listening to what I say. Help me to not store up wrong

things in my heart. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”