Good Morning!
The forecast is supposed to be fantastic today, for Minnesota at least! It’s been a cold, wet, and windy fall, so this will feel good.
My morning devo gave me some interesting things to think of. Whether we realize it or not, we are combatants engaged in a live-fire battlefield. Our daily routine is a war zone. This is something we may (or may not) think about when times are really tough, but seldom when times are good. The Puritan writer today wrote to encourage us just who each side is following.
On one side, we have Satan, the world, and ourselves. Let’s not forget our roots, shall we? We all willingly chose to be on the losing side. That’s right. Not only that, we were quite active and faithful to our leader.
Romans 8:8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Romans 5:10a For if while we were enemies we were reconciled…
John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character for he is a liar and the father of lies.
We have a couple gems that clearly defines the sides:
John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Matthew 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Folks, those who are not born-again are enemies of God. Yes, we are supposed to love our enemies as Jesus commands, but they are enemies of our God nonetheless. Unless I’m reading my bible all wrong, there is a fundamental and irreconcilable difference between the sides.
As for our side, we have some incredibly encouraging words:
Romans 5:10b-11 … we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we now have received reconciliation.
Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
1 John 4:4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
All this has big-time, far-reaching implications.
Matthew 25:31-33, 41, 46 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left…Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels…And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
Revelation 20:10, 14-15 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever… Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
On the other hand…
Matthew 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world.
Revelation 21:6-7 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
More good news is that we benefit from our switch immediately, right now while on this battlefield!
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,
I think you get the idea.
Father, what can I say? Thank you for having mercy on me. Amen.
Copyright © 2018 Scott Powers