More than any other, Thanksgiving embodies both religious and political freedoms, and puts them in their proper place. Of the numerous holidays Americans celebrate each year, Thanksgiving is uniquely American, and uniquely Christian. In the early 1600s a small group of devoutly religious men and women sought to worship God according to the dictates of their conscience. These Pilgrims broke from the Anglican church and were persecuted from England to Holland until they boarded the Mayflower and set sail for the New World. The Pilgrims were separatists, seeking to restore the true nature of the Gospel to Christian practices from what they believed were the pollutants of Catholicism and the Anglican Church. Upon arrival, before disembarking their vessel they signed an agreement known as the Mayflower Compact. The text of the agreement included a vision for a new government: Solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politick, for our better ordering and preservation, and furthering of the ends foresaid: and by virtue to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony; unto which we all promise all due submission and obedience. It was this band of Pilgrims, after having lost half their population to an extreme winter, that stuck to the vision laid out in the Mayflower Compact. They were thankful for more than surviving harsh weather, they were also thankful that God has preserved their society and would see it to its conclusion. Most interesting about the Mayflower Pilgrims is what they did considering who they were. Essentially, they were normal men and women, devoutly religious, who wanted more than to escape the religious pollutions from the home they left. They wanted to build a new society with a new government founded upon the principles they held dear. Their principles were uniquely Christian, and planted the seeds of what would eventually become American liberties. The Mayflower Compact stated its purpose for the new colony's existence: The "advancement of the Christian faith" and formation of a "civil body politick." If the Compact made anything clear, it was that the new government of the colony proceeded from the religious convictions of the colonists—religious freedom giving birth to political freedom. In the 21st century we tend to turn things around. We view religious freedom as a guarantee of the State instead of a transformation of the heart. Even under the former regime of the Soviet Union, effective missionary work was viewed as a limited possibility as long as the communist remained in power. When the Iron Curtain fell, American missionary activity in the former Evil Empire surged. Yet American Christians working in Russia discovered that the Russian Church was alive and well. Likewise, American churches have discovered that in communist China a revival is taking place that will surely transform millions in that country. And many of those who have been transformed by their freedom in Christ have turned to political activism to try and free the nation further from the grip of communism. The Mayflower Pilgrims did not develop their convictions about religion, society, or government after they came to the New World. They had those convictions under the heavy hand of religious persecution in their native land. When they came to the New World they could have refused self-government. Instead they established their society for their own preservation. That government and the ones that followed were built squarely upon the foundation laid in their shared faith convictions. Those that would follow in the wake of the Mayflower and the footsteps of William Bradford and the colony he led, would enact laws and draft constitutions guided by many of those same principles Those early founding documents include , The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, and The Massachusetts Body of Liberties. Most of the first State Constitutions contained language that placed the burden for the survival of America upon the backs of those who lived according to the principles set down in the Bible. Our concept of liberty has chanced in the last three centuries. What we think of as liberty today is anathema to the colonists of the Mayflower. Their reasons for declaring a day of Thanksgiving were quite different than the reasons most Americans celebrate the holiday today. Let us reclaim the holiday's original meaning. On Thanksgiving take time to read the account that William Bradford wrote of the Plymouth Plantation. For each day after we should let the principles of those first Americans guide our ideas of religious and political freedom. guywithabible.com

How can you have a thankful heart today? The very quality of your life, whether you love it or hate it, is based upon how thankful you are toward God. It is one’s attitude that determines whether life unfolds into a place of blessedness or wretchedness. Indeed, looking at the same rose bush, some people complain that the roses have thorns while others rejoice that some thorns come with roses. It all depends on your perspective. This is the only life you will have before you enter eternity. If you want to find joy, you must first find thankfulness. Indeed, the one who is thankful for even a little enjoys much. But the unappreciative soul is always miserable, always complaining. He lives outside the shelter of the Most High God. Perhaps the worst enemy we have is not the devil but our own tongue. James tells us, “The tongue is set among our members as that which . . . sets on fire the course of our life” ( James 3:6 ). He goes on to say this fire is ignited by hell. Consider: with our own words we can enter the spirit of heaven or the agonies of hell! It is hell with its punishments, torments and misery that controls the life of the grumbler and complainer! Paul expands this thought in  1 Corinthians 10:10 , where he reminds us of the Jews who “grumble . . . and were destroyed by the destroyer.” The fact is, every time we open up to grumbling and complaining, the quality of our life is reduced proportionally — a  destroyer  is bringing our life to ruin! People often ask me, “What is the ruling demon over our church or city?” They expect me to answer with the ancient Aramaic or Phoenician name of a fallen angel. What I usually tell them is a lot more practical: one of the most pervasive evil influences over our nation is  ingratitude! Do not minimize the strength and cunning of this enemy! Paul said that the Jews who grumbled and complained during their difficult circumstances were “destroyed by the destroyer.” Who was this destroyer? If you insist on discerning an ancient world ruler, one of the most powerful spirits mentioned in the Bible is Abaddon, whose Greek name is  Apollyon . It means “destroyer” ( Rev. 9:11 ). Paul said the Jews were destroyed by this spirit. In other words,  when we are complaining or unthankful, we open the door to the destroyer, Abaddon, the demon king over the abyss of hell! In the Presence of God Multitudes in our nation have become specialists in the “science of misery.” They are experts — moral accountants who can, in a moment, tally all the wrongs society has ever done to them or their group. I have never talked with one of these people who was happy, blessed or content about anything. They expect an imperfect world to treat them perfectly. Truly, there  are  people in this wounded country of ours who need special attention. However, most of us simply need to repent of ingratitude, for it is ingratitude itself that is keeping wounds alive! We simply need to forgive the wrongs of the past and become thankful for what we have in the present. The moment we become grateful, we actually begin to ascend spiritually into the presence of God. The psalmist wrote, “Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. . . . Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations” ( Psalm 100:2 ,  4-5 ). It does not matter what your circumstances are; the instant you begin to thank God, even though your situation has not changed, you begin to change. The key that unlocks the gates of heaven is a thankful heart. Entrance into the courts of God comes as you simply begin to praise the Lord. Blessed Lord, forgive me for being a complainer. Help me to offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving in all things. Lord, I come this day to covenant with You. By Your grace, I will be thankful regardless of what my life seems to be. Oh God, remember Your covenant pledge and gather me near to Your heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Do you feel isolated and lonely? God made us to need each other! Did you know that every time a lion pride hunts together it is a lightly organized operation? They do not test their potential prey for weakness like other predators do. The only weakness they are looking for is isolation. If they can remove a single animal from it’s herd, lunch is easily delivered, even if the animal they are hunting is much larger or faster than the lions themselves. Knowing our place We are much like a lion’s unsuspecting prey, because we are all made weak and vulnerable by isolation. We may be living life, oblivious to the threat, but the threat is there, and it is real. First Peter 5:8  puts it this way, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Staying disconnected has the power to do much more than simply make us feel lonely. It may be what the enemy uses to prey upon you and bring you down. Back to the Garden Let’s head back to the Garden of Eden to take a look at exactly how isolation led to the fall of all mankind. In  Genesis 3:2-5 , the serpent, who likely had been lurking in the grass for a while, sees his opportunity to deceive God’s children and moves in for the kill. “And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’” I believe Satan was hunting Eve. He waited for a moment when she was not surrounded by her community. Verse six tells us that Adam was nearby, but maybe he was just slightly out of earshot. And even if he wasn’t, Eve apparently didn’t take the time to talk to him about what was happening. We see in her the first woman with an independent streak as she determined that she would process the information Satan was giving her and make the decision all on her own. Would things have turned out differently for Eve if she had simply said, “Let me talk to my husband about it,” before taking a bite of that rotten fruit? Certainly, she would have been even more protected against this attack if she had talked to her husband and consulted with God. God had given her a double-layered safety net through a relationship with him and a relationship with Adam, but she cut right through the net and put herself in grave danger by deciding to go at it alone. What happened next reminds us that we are all daughters of Eve. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ( Gen. 3:7-8 ) Isolation set Eve up to sin. Then, her shame led to an even deeper isolation and feeling of loneliness. Here’s the big takeaway: When we step outside of community, we become infinitely more susceptible to temptation and sin. In this way, loneliness is less of an emotion and more of a military strategy effectively used by our enemy. Our shame then lies to us and tells us that isolation is the only way to regain control. In this way, loneliness and shame become a two-edged sword that is very effective at takings us out at the knees. A church at the stadium Researchers recently surveyed those who regularly attend church services to get a feel for their experiences. Sixty-six percent of the people they talked to said they feel they have a “real and personal connection” with God while attending church. However, the study also revealed that more than a quarter of those surveyed agreed with the statement that church feels “like a group of people sharing the same space in a public event but who are not connected in a real way.” Another nine percent of those surveyed weren’t sure if they were connecting to others in their church or not. I have to wonder if the people in this group know what connectedness feels like if or they’ve settled for a synthetic substitute. What people were saying is that for them church feels like going to a football game. They stadium is packed. They are surrounded by people who all want the same thing. The mood is light, but they are not really connected. At the end of the day, the sermon, the service, the game, they will go back home to their lonely lives with the same sense they could never tell what’s really going on. I think this trend is less a reflection on the state of our churches, and more evidence of a personal problem. To start, many of us have a bad theology of the church. We don’t get that God’s clear vision for the church is that it be our family—the unit in which we become more like Christ— and the hub of the gospel. Instead we think of it more as a social club. What’s more, as individuals we refuse to get real about our sin. We want to keep up appearances. We want people to think we’re really good people. We prefer to think of church as a country club where we wear our best clothes, including a pretty mask, instead of a hospital where we can get bound up and healed through the loving care of others. Are you lonely? If so, is it possible that sin is the root cause? Can you look back and see that Satan waited for moments when you were outside your community? He attacked, and then he lied to you and told you shame should banish you to the bushes, making you feel even more alone. It’s time to fall into your safety net. Seek God, and ask him to reveal the sin in your life. Confess it to him right then and there. Don’t hide yourself or your junk. But don’t stop there. Tell your Christian friends. Tell your pastor. Tell your mentor. Tell your family. Keep telling until you see the lion pride slink away and set their sights in a different direction.

Why should a Christian seek wisdom? Why is it so critical to our daily lives? 1. Wisdom provides a sense of personal security, stability, and well-being. “My son . . . keep sound wisdom and discretion . . . Then you will walk on your way securely, and your foot will not stumble. If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught.” ( Prov. 3:21-26 )   2. Wisdom builds strong homes and promotes happy family relationships. “By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established.” ( Pr. 24:3 ) “A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.” ( Pr. 10:1 ) “A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.” ( Prov. 19:13 )   3. Wisdom earns favor in the workplace. “A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favor.” ( Prov. 14:35 ) . . . Impress your boss! Wisdom makes you a more valuable employee. “A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who acts shamefully and will share the inheritance as one of the brothers.” ( Prov. 17:2 ) Sometimes those in the lowest position end up having the greatest influence, because they are wise. Think of Joseph, who was sold as a slave into Potiphar’s house in Egypt: His master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD caused all that he did to succeed in his hands. So Joseph found favor in his sight and attended him, and he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. ( Gen. 39:3-4 )   4. Wisdom enables you to overcome major obstacles and opposition. “A wise man scales the city of the mighty and brings down the stronghold in which they trust.” ( Prov. 21:22 ) “By wise guidance you can wage your war.” ( Prov. 24:6 ) “Wisdom is better than weapons of war.” ( Eccles. 9:18 ) “A wise man is full of strength.” ( Prov. 24:5 )   5. Wisdom helps you work smarter, not harder. “If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed.” ( Eccles. 10:10 )   6. Wisdom exalts you before others. “The wise will inherit honor, but fools get disgrace.” ( Prov. 3:35 )   7. Wisdom diffuses angry people/situations. “Scoffers set a city aflame, but the wise turn away wrath.” ( Prov. 29:8 ) “A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, and a wise man will appease it.” ( Prov. 16:14 )   8. Wisdom affects your physical health/well-being. “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.” ( Prov. 14:30 ) “Fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” ( Prov. 3:7-8 )   9. Wisdom provides protection. “Discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness . . . So you will be delivered from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.” ( Prov. 2:11-16 )

My wife loves to drive when we travel. Why? It’s not that she loves the steering wheel, it’s just that she loves to stay on track. My mind tends to wander. My thoughts tend to stray. I may be on a highway, but mentally, I’m in a distant land. Consequently, I miss exits, forget to turn, or stray off course. More than once she has dozed off only to awaken in a strange location. The ensuing conversation goes like this: “Where are we?” “I don’t know.” “What happened?” “I think I messed up.” “Max, we will never get there if you keep forgetting where we are going.” Sigh.  Guilty as charged. The children of Israel made the same mistake. They didn’t miss a turn; they missed the reason for their return. Here is the backstory: they had passed the last seventy winters in Babylonian exile. Their city was razed; their beloved Temple ransacked. Except for the courage of Daniel and his three friends, the era would have been a shameful one. But, after seven decades of clouds, a tunnel of sunlight pierced the clouds and surprised the people. “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem’” (Ezra 1:2-4). God turned the heart of King Cyrus toward the Jews and turned the Jews toward Jerusalem. He prompted the king to give the exiles permission and resources to rebuild the temple. In 538 B.C. a delegation of 50,000 Jews, prompted by God and funded by Cyrus, made the 900-mile trek back to Jerusalem. They rolled up the sleeves of their robes and got to work. Initially, God’s big thing was their big thing. But after a few years, they began to grow weary. Perhaps the stone-stacking was too tiresome, or the criticism too irksome. Or maybe they began thinking of their own projects; their farms, houses, and businesses. One by one, little by little, person by person, they turned away from God’s big thing and quit working on the Temple. God’s big thing became their small thing. They concentrated on their own homes and businesses. “We’ll get back to the house of God, they surely reasoned, next week, next month, after the harvest, after the turn of the year.” And, before they knew it, sixteen years came and went. Sixteen years! Enough time for grass to grow and cover the footers of the foundation. Enough time for neighboring nations to conclude that Israel’s God wasn’t worth any devotion. Enough time for a generation of Jewish children to determine that the abandoned temple was a forgotten construction project. They got off track. Meanwhile, as God’s house decayed, the houses of the Jews flourished. Fine, paneled houses. The former exiles built businesses and enterprises and, to their surprise, grew more and more miserable by the day. Take a highlighter to the words of Haggai. “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin? Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.’” “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,’ says the Lord. ‘You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?’ declares the Lord Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands’” (Haggai 1:4-11). Want to know how God responds to lethargy and misplaced priorities? You just read it. Ever wondered what God does when we make his big thing a small thing and our small things big things? Now you know. Ever asked the question, “How does God get our attention when we fail to give Him ours?” According to a page out of His playbook: there will be seasons of drought, times of exhaustive emptiness. When nothing quenches our deepest thirsts, when no achievements abate our restless hunger, when droughts turn our fields into deserts and retirements into pocket change, what can we do? God’s answer is clear. “Give careful thoughts to your ways.” Evaluate your priorities. Assess your strategies.  Is God’s big thing my big thing? You gave your heart to God and your life to God’s work. But then came…the kids, the promotion, the transfer, the long hours, the business trips. With each passing day you thought less about God’s work and more about your work. Tithing became tipping, prayers became rote quotes. You didn’t forget God, but you didn’t remember him either. And you can relate to the people of Haggai’s day. Life just doesn’t work like you’d hoped. And now God has pulled you aside for a face to face. It’s time to consider your ways. It’s time to “Go up into the mountains and bring down the timber and build my house” (Haggai 1:8). Amazingly the Jews did. The Lord stirred up the leadership and the people got to work on the house of God. And God blessed their renewed spirit. “I am with you” (Haggai 1:13; 2:4) he twice assured them. And He is with you. It’s not too late to start again. C.S. Lewis said, “Put first things first and we get second things thrown in: put second things first and we lose both first and second things.” They built the House of God. They participated in the greatest work of heaven. God’s word proved true. The glory of the latter was greater than the former. Trust this promise of God. You aren’t building a temple, but you are building a marriage, a career, a witness, and a legacy. In God’s plan, in God’s hand, the glory of the next chapter will exceed expectations. Just keep your eye on the road. Make his big thing your big thing and see what happens.

This morning, I’m reflecting on the fact that I’m going to die soon. I don’t know how soon. I don’t know whether I’ll live to be 90 or just have 90 more minutes. But, I’m going to die soon. Even if I live to be 90, I’ll look back at my life and it would have been a vapor. I’m going to die soon. And you are too. I asked the people yesterday how they would be remembered at their funeral. It’s a good question for the preacher, too, not just the pew. I’m going to die soon, and I wonder how I will be remembered. Will I, like Abraham, be remembered as a “man of faith” (Gal. 3:9)? Will I, like Abraham, be remembered as a friend of God (James 2:23)? Will people say I plead with God as a man pleads with a friend (Job 16:20-21)? Will anyone think that I, like David, was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22)? What will be said about my service in the church? Will I, like Moses, be faithful in all the house of God (Num. 12:7; Heb. 3:2)? Will those who knew me say I loved my wife as Christ loves the church (Eph. 5:25)? Will anyone testify that the Lord hid nothing from me because I was trusted by God to teach my entire household His wonderful deeds, “to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just” (Gen. 18:17-19)? I am going to die soon, and these questions receive far too little of my time. Moreover, these questions seem occupied with what other men think. I suppose that’s okay on one level, given how the questions are asked. But what will God say when I die? Will it be written of me: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saint,” Thabiti (Ps. 116:15)? I suppose some men will spend their lives in the ministry, and at the end cry out with Balaam: “Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my end be like theirs!” (Num. 23:10). Yet, like Balaam, they may never see such a death and their end may never be like “the dust of Jacob.” I’d rather hear the Lord say, Thabiti “was as zealous as I am for my honor” (Num. 25:10, 13). Oh to be like Phinehas son of Eleazar! To live only for God’s honor! For the saint, death is but a carriage to eternal life and the glories of Christ on high. All the commendations that attend our processional will have been earned by Christ our Savior. All the fruit of our lives leading to honor among men will have been produced by God’s Spirit. To God be the glory, great things He has done. But we would be better prepared for that day if we live now with the certain knowledge that we are going to die soon. www.thegospelcoalition.com.

“Son of man, when a land sins against me…even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness” ( Ezekiel 14:13-14 ). Have you ever had something happen to you and wondered why the Lord allowed it? Think about this for a moment. Your desire is to serve the Lord. You read scripture, attend church, and try to reach out to others about Jesus. Yet, sometimes, bad things happen. You ask the Lord, “Is this how you treat your servants?” Consider what today’s passage tells us. Our righteousness, that is, how we live for the Lord, our practical righteousness, cannot save or prevent bad things from happening, much less save anyone else. Four times in Ezekiel 14 the Lord uses this phrase, “They would deliver but their own lives by their righteousness.” Thank God that we have something, someone, different. Jesus Christ is our righteousness. “You have been washed, you have been made holy, you have been given righteousness in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” ( I Corinthians 6:11 ).  He has imputed to us his perfect righteousness. He has saved us. Only he can deliver us from our sin. This does not mean that we should not try so hard to live a godly life. It simply acknowledges that our efforts at living for the Lord can only go so far. And while only the righteousness of Christ can deliver us from our sin, God still honors us for wanting to live a godly life. Consider that though these men, Noah, Daniel, and Job could not deliver others, the Lord still honored them for a life well-lived. Memory Verse: “You have been washed, you have been made holy, you have been given righteousness in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ” ( I Corinthians 6:11 ). Application Do you live a life of righteousness in Jesus Christ? Do you expect God to deliver you from every trouble just because you live for him? Remember that Jesus, whose righteousness does deliver, was not shielded from bad things. If this is how it was with Jesus, how much more with us. Determine to live for Christ no matter what happens to you. guywithabible.com

Christmas is full of cozy thoughts: a sleeping Jesus, wide-eyed shepherds, a soft-faced Mary. The nativity sentiment is warm, the emotion is joy, and the feeling is peace. Such is the picture in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. In John’s Book of Revelation, however, he offers another perspective. From his perspective, the birth of Jesus stirs more than excitement; it stirs evil. Pulling back the curtain of the skies, he reveals a bloody war in the heavens. John sees a woman, ready to give birth. He sees a dragon, ready to bring death. The woman is beautiful and the dragon ugly. The dragon lunges at the newborn child, but he is too late. The child and the mother are granted safety and then “there was a war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back” (Rev. 12:7 NIV). “A war in heaven.” I’ve wondered about that war: when it occurred, who it involved, what it meant. The Bible doesn’t refer to angels trapped in nets or Satan sweet-talking Gabriel. The Bible is clear, though, that Satan is real and his life purpose is to ‘be like God Most High” (Isa. 14:1-4). God’s creation is divided into two camps: those who follow God and those who follow Satan. Satan is the energizing power of the unsaved (Eph. 2:2) and God is the energizing power of the saved (Phil. 2:15). The saved are to live aware of but not afraid of Satan. The devil prowls about as a lion looking for someone to devour (I Pet. 5:8). But the believer need not live in horror, because “greater is he who is in you, than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4 KJV). We must put on the armor of God to fight against “the devil’s evil tricks” (Eph. 6:11) and remember that Satan disguises himself as “an angel of light” (II Cor. 11:13). Our weapons against Satan are the same as those used by Gabriel and the angelic army: prayer, praise, truth, and trust. We do not rely upon our own strength, but upon God’s. “So stand strong, with the belt of truth tied around your waist and the protection of right living on your chest. On your feet wear the Good News of peace to help you stay strong. And also use the shield of faith with which you can stop all the burning arrows of the Evil One. Accept God’s salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times…” (Eph. 6:14-18). Finally, the Bible tells no story of a throne room encounter where Lucifer is offered a second chance. But the Bible does contain page after page showing God giving grace to the scallywags and turncoats of the world. He seems more willing to give grace than we are to seek it. Such divine love leaves me to wonder one thing more: If the old snake himself sought mercy, wouldn’t he, too, find it where millions have—at the foot of the cross of Christ? John’s description of the “war in the heavens” doesn’t answer all our questions, but it does answer the most important. He tells us who won. God did. He also tells us who matters. You do. Imagine, if God will fight such a fight to save you…He must really think you are worth the effort. Though we may wonder about the war that occurred, there is no need to wonder about His love…He really cares about His children. The birth of Christ spells the end of oppression. Victory for mankind through Jesus, God's Son, is ahead. www.maxlucado.com.

GOD CAME TO US AND OFFERED HIMSELF. HOW DO WE RETURN TO HIM? Psalm 51, was penned by David immediately after Nathan the prophet had confronted him. It is one of the most powerful expressions of repentance in all of the Bible. The psalm is divided into five parts: the basic plea for God’s pardon (vs. 1ff), the reasons on which his plea was built (vs. 3-6), the plea renewed in great detail (vs. 7-12), the resolve to offer grateful service to God (vs. 13-17), and a prayer for the welfare of Jerusalem and the nation as a whole (vs. 18ff). The introduction to Psalm 51 begins with “To the choir director. A psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him after he had gone into Bathsheba.” This introduction is inspirational for us as well, because after the king had fallen, repented publicly, and vulnerably shared his journey back to God, he gave his prayer to the choir director so that all Israel could sing it. No matter how far we fall away from God, he can use our failures to bless the lives of others. Three Hebrew words for sin are used in this psalm. Pesha is rebellion, or premeditated disobedience. ‘Awon is twisting moral standards, or crookedness. Chatta’th is missing the mark for what God created us to be. David confessed to all three of these. In verses three and four, David agrees with God about his sin, and cries that he recognizes his sin ultimately was against Him. The repercussions for all of his wrong choices hurt two families and an entire nation. David is saying that his sin toward everyone else pales in significance to how he broke God’s heart. We would describe David’s statement as godly sorrow. He felt how God felt about his sin. Paul says that godly sorrow brings repentance in 2 Corinthians 7:10-11: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear your- selves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.” NIV Paul is simply describing the wonderful qualities that are developed when we truly repent. Psalm 51:11 says “Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me.” Why would David say that? He had witnessed firsthand the terrible mental anguish King Saul experienced when God had taken His hand off of Saul’s life. That memory of playing his harp while Saul was in torment was indelibly etched upon David’s mind. Finally David asks God to restore the joy of his salvation and to sustain him with a willing spirit. These are wonderful, hopeful words for us. God never leaves us. We leave Him. And the moment we turn toward Him in repentance, He will restore our joy and our ministry. • In John Maxwell’s Book, Failing Forward, he gives some tips on how to handle failure in a positive way. What do you think? Which steps are helpful to you? Which ones can you implement in your life today? Give an example of what each step might look like in your daily life. Steps to Failing Forward Mourn about painful experiences and receive comfort. Find the benefit in every bad experience. See failure as an opportunity for personal growth. Be proactive and reduce your fear. Don’t let the failure from outside get inside you. Don’t let your past define you. Change yourself, and your world changes. Focus on the needs of others instead of your own all the time. Allow God to use others to help you work on your vulnerabilities. • Think about a time when you felt far from God. In Romans 8:31-39, Paul writes “Who shall separate you from the love of Christ?” List those obstacles that Paul mentions and meditate on Jesus holding you and protecting you from each one. Write down those verses on a card and place it in your car or in your home this week.

Jesus assures us that we can cast our cares upon Him. Why don’t we experience His presence and peace? 19 th  century pastor Charles Jefferson wrote, “Be kind to everyone you meet, because everyone is fighting a battle.” Satan often taunts us with fear of uncertain futures or guilt and grief from our pasts. Where is God? I need Him to show up. And so do you! Worshipful  prayers don’t hit the ceiling, unnoticed by God. Worshipful prayers grab God’s attention and change our hearts. Gazing at our miserable problems and glancing at Him won’t get the job done. We must gaze steadily at our Father and simply glance at the difficulties that challenge us. Let’s examine four keys to power-packed praying: 1.     Spiritual songs 2.    Hymns 3.    Psalms 4.    Blessings Ephesians 5:19-20 reads, “…Be filled with the Spirit,  19  speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” NIV Paul teaches three ways to  sing  to the Lord: with psalms (Scripture), hymns (words about God’s character and work) and spiritual songs (spontaneous song inspired by the Holy Spirit). Psalms, hymns , and  spiritual songs  are deep prayers of worship sung in the presence of the Holy.  Blessing  bows the heart in surrender. 1.  Spiritual songs  are spontaneous expressions of worship inspired by the filling of the Holy Spirit. I began playing the piano at three. The Holy Spirit gave me my first spiritual song. I still remember playing my toy piano, chirping, “Little angel, little angel, little angel mine.” Jesus revealed to me that I had a shiny guardian angel hovering over me, making me feel loved and safe. Countless worship services, concerts and compositions later, singing and playing in the Spirit has become my lifeblood. The passionate joy of the Lord explodes through my fingers, my voice or baton. His anointing power electrifies and consumes me. I don’t really care who hears or whether I falter. I just want Him near. 2. Hymns  tell us who God is and what He does for His children.  My infant daughter Jessica died in my arms one bleak Saturday night after suffering nine months of agony, gasping for breath. I needed to grieve her loss. God gave me a hymn in that dark hour. I sang those precious lyrics that Sunday morning: “When peace, like a river, attends my way, When sorrow like sea billows roll, Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.’” Horatio Spafford, a devastated father, composed those words as he mourned the tragic drowning of his four precious daughters. He comforted millions by his “song in the night.” (Job 35:10) Hymns remind us that our Christian brothers and sisters have lived lives of great faith. They encourage us. 3. Psalms  are Scripture songs of praise.  The five books of Psalms, written by ancient Jewish poets like David, Moses, Asaph and Solomon are cries for help, laments over Israel, or questions about God’s plan. The theme in  all  of them is worship. Even when the psalmist was crying out his questions or frustrations to the Lord, he usually ended with a call to praise God in spite of his circumstances. Sing God’s very own words back to Him. God super-charges Scripture songs. Teach them to your kids. Pray them before you sleep. My pastor-husband Roger and I had a remarkable experience worshipping God through the psalms. We met with one of our sound techs in the church sanctuary and casually planned to record Roger reading selected psalms. Roger asked me to accompany him on the piano as he spoke. The more psalms Roger read and the more I “played in the spirit,” the more God’s glory came down. His presence was so palpable, we recorded every word and note without a single retake. A hushed silence filled the air. I will never forget the afternoon we spent with the Shepherd as long as I live. Our CD, “A Shepherd’s Journey” is played in hospitals, nursing homes, battlefields, and mission fields. Psalms quiet and heal wounded hearts. 4. Finally , blessing  God is a critical key in worshipful praying. Blessing the Lord is not easy. David cried in Psalm 34:1, “I will bless the Lord  at all times . His praise shall  continually  be in my mouth.” KJV David, fleeing from Saul, feigned insanity before King Abimilech to save his own life. In David’s most humiliating, terrified moment, he vowed to bless the Lord constantly. Job lost everything, and in the midst of his grief, he cried to God in Job 1:21-23: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I’ll return to the womb of the earth. God gives, God takes.  God’s name be ever blessed. MSG Blessing God  requires humility, discipline and complete surrender. My Mom and Dad knew how to bless God in every circumstance and He rewarded them richly. My parents grew up in poverty. Mom was the only child of an East Texas dirt farmer. Her philandering Dad married and divorced her heartbroken Mom three times. My Dad’s parents eked out a meager living. My granddad was a wounded vet, limping and gasping for air his whole life. When Dad was a child, he had to work to support his family. I grew up in a cracker box house while my parents started a tiny construction business. Mom and Dad loved Jesus. Faithful churchgoers, they tithed every penny they made and gave to God’s work until it hurt. I always heard them bless the Lord in every circumstance. They never complained. After sixty-seven years of marriage and a lifetime of thankfulness, my parents have given millions of dollars to Christ’s work. Dad, now 87 years young, declares, “Everything in my life, EVERYTHING, belongs to God. Now, who needs my money today?” Bless  the Lord.  Sing  to Him. Ignore the sound you make. Just make a joyful noise. Close your eyes. Picture Christ in the manger, at the cross and on the Throne. Pray worshipful prayers that reach God’s heart and transform yours.

Carefully determine what pleases the Lord (Ephesians 5:10 NLT)   Yet what should be the basis for your intentions? Better asked: What does God look at to judge that your intentions are right – and from Him?   1 Samuel 16:7 says, “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”   Think of a grill thermometer. The steak may look done on the outside, but the thermometer will reveal whether the meat is fully cooked inside. Our lives are the same way. Appearances are fine, but deep down are areas that are still not done to completion.   So what is the mechanism the Lord uses to help you see inside yourself?   “The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)   The Bible is the thermometer. We look at Scripture as a guide and encouragement, and that’s good. But the Word of God will also, like the thermometer, pierce you; it’ll challenge you to place your life’s journey in alignment with God’s intentions.   At this point, it’s one thing to say you’re going to use this insight to live intentionally. It’s quite another to actually move forward. In Part 2 we’ll tackle the nasty issue of procrastination and the good intentions it creates that stay unrealized and destructive.   More Than Just a Good Intention 2: God's Intentions are Best! Procrastination is progressive and it stifles your efforts to live an intentional life in Christ. Martin Luther had it right when he said, “How soon ‘Not now’ becomes ‘Never’.” In the Bible, Nicodemus with Jesus (John 3) and Felix before Paul (Acts 24) are both examples of people who had good intentions about knowing and following God, but they procrastinated – never following through on what Christ told them. You can easily do that as well.   Psychologists have identified a myriad of reasons why we procrastinate:   Complex projects seem daunting Projects are deemed unpleasant An inability to prioritize Fear of failure Distractions   The old saying says, “The path to Hell is filled with good intentions.” These good intentions have a definite pattern that may seem all-too-familiar to you: 1.     Good intentions recognize a need in your life that 2.     Creates an interest where you want to know more, but then 3.     Leads to an emotional response, usually fear, that holds you back from doing anything else.   Other truths about good intentions: They are not decisions; they’re just illusions of good decisions. They release you from guilt, making you feel better. But you never take it further. They’re all about the future, but not connected to now. They’re not accountable to anyone else except yourself. They promise much, require little, but accomplish nothing. They are the facilitator of procrastination.   So how do you go forward from having good intentions that do nothing to possessing God’s intentions that do something and can be life-changing?   3: God-given Passion A good intention alone is fed by procrastination and accomplishes nothing. But God’s intentions, when birthed in your life, will not only move you forward. They can accomplish the incredible for you, and dramatically impact the lives of others.   What do I mean? Take the example of one of my favorite Bible personalities, Nehemiah. He discovered God’s intention for his life by using the process of having a intention – then taking it to the next level. Nehemiah:   Recognized a need (the walls of Jerusalem were destroyed, and his people were in danger – Nehemiah 1:3), that then… Created an interest where he wanted to know more (Nehemiah sought God for insight – Nehemiah 1:4-11), which then… Led to an emotional response; not fear, but bold faith (Nehemiah went to the king and secured permission and resources to rebuild the walls – Nehemiah 2:1-8)   The key was this: Nehemiah asked God, “What is your intention about this situation?” When he received the answer from the Lord, he immediately acted because he had a about the need. I love that!   Often, people with bad intentions have more motivation than those with good intentions because they, too, have a passion: to kill, to steal, to cheat. Yet when you break through to discover God’s intentions for you, you’ll do the right things based on His leading and direction, not yours.   Now think. What are God’s intentions for you regarding your faith, family, health, finances and work? How can you employ your thinking, emotions and action to live intentionally?   You start by finding the next right One Thing for each area of your life. You can live by Ephesians 5:10, “Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it!” (The Message) http://www.theintentionallife.com/onething/   Used by permission of the author.

We all face death. Every day. Especially this year. How do you cope? 1. Don’t fear death. Anticipate it with joy. Paul said it best, “And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. “  Philippians 1:20-21  NLT Most Christians don’t fear going to be with Jesus. It’s the pain, the debilitating suffering that often precedes death that terrifies us. My husband often preached, “Most of us think that we are in the land of the living enroute to the land of the dying. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If we know Jesus Christ, we are in the land of the dying traveling to the land of the living.” I have experienced glorious peace during my hard days. Complete release, contentment and surrender wash over me.   2.      Be brave.  When I open my eyes each morning, I hear God sing these words in my heart. “The Lord is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life! Of whom shall I be afraid?”  Psalm 27:1. KJV My daughter Brianna fights intense pain, nausea, aching and migraines every day. Her medicine box is a tool kit and a wall of her garage is stocked with hospital paraphernalia. But like other courageous soldiers fighting chronic illness, Brianna is fearless. She wakes up every day and puts one foot in front of the other. She doesn’t complain. She serves God powerfully, her family tirelessly, and bubbles with a remarkable sense of joy. I thought of Brie constantly as I suffered. If she could face the pain with faith, so could I.   3.      Let God’s Word empower you.  Speak it. Pray it. Sing it. Envision it. The more you allow it to feed your soul, the stronger your spirit becomes. When I was too weak to speak, I listened to my Daily Audio Bible and pictured every scene. His words  fortified  me. The psalmist wrote in  Psalm 119:92-93 : “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.” GNT 4.      Remember. Be grateful. Be glad.  My husband bought two rotating picture frames and uploaded 20,000 photos of family, friends, ministry experiences and travel adventures we have shared. He placed them on our kitchen island. Every day we stop, smile and thank God as we re-live those moments. I feel so blessed connecting with thousands of Facebook friends: family, classmates, fellow pastors, missionaries and church members from 40 years of ministry. I see my sweet FB buddies and smile every day.   Paul cherished his ministry partners as he penned these words from a dank cell in the Mamartine prison:   “How we thank God for you! Because of  you  we have great joy as we enter God’s presence.”  1 Thessalonians 3:9. NLT 5.      Revel in each precious moment.  Don’t leave any words unsaid. Don’t leave any sin unconfessed. Hug the people you love. Share Christ boldly. Give freely. Leverage your time and energy for His priorities.   My husband Roger taught me that. He faced life threatening open heart surgery at 13 and preached his first sermon that same year. My brave boy has faced death many, many times and came back swinging. His motto: “Four things really matter: the person of Christ, the purpose of God, the people He gave you, and the prizes you earn to lay at His feet.” “For this reason we never become discouraged. Even though our physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day. And this small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble. For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever.”  2 Corinthians 4:16-18  GNT   When life gets dark, the glory of God shines brighter. I am not afraid of the valley of the shadow of death, because He is with me….closer than I imagined!