For men shall be…boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents….
— 2 Timothy 3:2

Today let’s continue looking at the signposts the apostle Paul wrote about to let us know when we have entered the very last of the last days. If we see all of these signs simultaneously occurring in society on a widespread basis, the Holy Spirit wants us to know that we have crossed an invisible prophetic line and have now entered into the very last of the last days.

Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Paul next wrote that society at the end of the age will be filled with people who are “…boasters, proud, disobedient to parents…” (2 Timothy 3:2).

Let’s begin today with the word “boasters.” The Greek word used here is the alazon — a word that is only used in the New Testament twice: in this verse and in Romans 1:30. It expresses the idea of someone who is a braggart or boaster. However, this person is not just a braggart — he is a liar, for the Greek word alazon actually represents a person so committed to his own self-promotion and agenda that he is willing to exaggerate, overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a story, and even lie if it will get him a new position or goal that he desires. Today we call this situational ethics: adjusting your morals, beliefs, and convictions to fit any situation. In essence, it is doing and saying whatever you must in order to further your agenda, even if it clashes with your conscience or convictions.

Unfortunately, this philosophy is precisely what is being taught in public schools across the world today. Moral absolutes have been replaced by floating ethics, and the rights and wrongs concretely stated by the Bible are now deemed obsolete. The truth of the Gospel is actively supplanted by the immoral minority, who want to remove the Bible from every courthouse and every place of government and to turn each nation into a secular society free from the rule of Scripture and the mention of God. Ask your own children or grandchildren about the situational ethics being promoted in school.

The only other place this word alazon is used in the New Testament is Romans 1:30, where Paul described a world that lives apart from God. According to Romans 1:29-31, a godless society is “filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful….” Notice the italicized word “boasters” in the middle of this text. It is exactly the same word as in Second Timothy 3:2. But here we see this word “boasters” — the Greek word alazon — positioned in the middle of the godless deeds of a world that has thrown moral absolutes to the wind.

It is truly amazing that this anti-God culture will carry out all of these unrighteous deeds with a haughty, bold, proud, “we-know-better-than-you” attitude. That’s why Paul next mentioned the word “proud.” The word “proud” is the Greek word huperephanos, which is a compound of the words huper and phanos. The word huper means above or depicts something that is superior. The word phanos means to be manifested.

When the two words are compounded, the new word depicts a person who sees himself as above the rest of the crowd. This represents an arrogant, haughty, impudent, snooty, high-and- mighty, insolent attitude that thinks it is intellectually advantaged and therefore has the right to set the agenda for everyone else. What an accurate description of those who would like to remove God from our lives and force their liberal agenda on the rest of us. According to Paul’s prophetic words in Second Timothy 3:2, this will be a mark of society at the end of the Church Age.

Paul elaborated by telling us that these high-minded, immoral agenda-setters will also be “blasphemers.” The word “blasphemers” in Greek is the word blasphemeo, which can refer to blaspheming God, but most often means to speak discourteously, slanderously, and reproachfully or to rail against by bringing abusive, debasing, degrading accusations against those with whom one does not agree.

Peter used blasphemeo in Second Peter 2:11 to describe people who are disrespectful of the things of God. People in this category see themselves as superior to those whom they deem to be resistant to change and stuck in a primitive mode of thinking — that is, moral absolutes that uphold righteous conduct. They disdain, mock, slander, and speak ill of them. That is precisely what the Spirit is forecasting about the end of the age as Paul laid out the telltale signposts that declare the last of the last days is upon us.

But wait — there’s more! In the midst of this last-days society where situational ethics reign and Bible absolutes are thrown to the wind, Paul prophesied it would produce an epidemic emergence of “disobedience to parents.” The word “disobedient” in Greek is the word apeithes. The root of this word is peitho, which means to persuade. However, with the Greek prefix a attached to the front, this word apeithes takes on the opposite meaning. It carries the idea of being unpersuadable or uncontrollable and thereby unleadable. Thus, the phrase “disobedient to parents” in Second Timothy 3:2 actually carries the idea of children that parents can no longer persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority over. In other words, a day is coming when children will no longer be required to submit to or follow the orders and leadership of their dad and mom.

This problem is already widespread in the world today. Children speak disrespectfully to their parents; they don’t want their rights violated by parents telling them what to do; and the court system has stood by the right of a child to sue his or her parents. Parents are so bound by the laws of the new moral agenda that they are fearful to discipline their own children, lest they be arrested for child abuse. Although some children have certainly been protected by such laws, the fact is that these laws have put the child in a superior position in the eyes of the legal system and weakened the leadership of the parents to teach, discipline, and lead their own kids. Just as Paul prophesied, the day has come when parents are under pressure to surrender their parental authority to rule their own children.

If you put all these words and phrases together, an interpretive translation of this verse could read:

“…These boasters are so committed to their own self-promotion and agenda that they are willing to exaggerate, overstate the facts, stretch the truth, embellish a story, and even lie if it will get them the position, advantage, or goal they desire. They are arrogant, haughty, impudent, snooty, and insolent. They disdain, mock, slander, and speak ill of anyone that stands in the way of their plans. And in this environment, parents will no longer be able to persuade, control, lead, or exercise authority over their children….”

All of these are signposts that the last of the last days is upon us. Based on these scriptures and Greek word meanings, can you see the marks of the last days in the world today? Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Just because this is what will happen in the world in the last days doesn’t mean it must happen to you. These are events that will occur in the lost world — not in the Church of the living God! We are in the world, but we are not of this lost world’s system (see John 17:14-16). And since the Holy Spirit warned us of these things in advance, we must take heed to His prophetic word and take action to protect families and homes while we march forward with speed to preach the Gospel to people who are lost and without Christ.

This can be our greatest hour if we will keep ourselves pure in the love of God, live separate from the lost standards of the world, maintain the moral code of God in our hearts and homes, and shine the light of Jesus Christ into the darkness that has flooded into nearly every corner of society. People are looking for solutions to their deeply embedded moral dilemmas, and we have the answers they need — so let’s let our light shine brightly!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, I am deeply moved by the accuracy of Your Word and Your long-planned desire to prepare us in advance for the developments that are happening in the world around us today. Thank You for loving us so much that You desired to tell us in advance what would happen in the last days. Because Your Word is so clear, I know exactly what I need to do to protect my heart, safeguard my home, and keep Your law alive and fresh in my mind. Holy Spirit, I ask You to help me stay free from the distorted reasoning of the world and to stay on fire with the love of God. And I sincerely ask You to help me reach out to others who have been affected by the lost and deceived thinking of the world and whose lives have been made shambles as a result of no moral law. They need Your Word and help — and I know that You are asking Me to be Your hand extended to them. So today I surrender my life to be Your helping hand to this hurting world around me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I boldly declare that regardless of what the world or society says, I will live my life according to the law of God. The world does not dictate my moral code or standard because I am a child of God. When the world around me mocks, laughs, or ridicules me for taking a stand that is contrary to theirs, I am empowered by the Spirit of God to stand strong and to remain true to my convictions. God’s Word is unchanging — and just as the truth of His Word never changes, I will not change my behavior or my convictions to be like the world. Rather, I will live in a righteous manner to please God, and by so doing, my life will shine a great light to people who sit in darkness. Due to my conviction and godly life, I will be a beacon of hope and help to others who have been devastated by the lost immoral standards of the world.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. As you read today’s Sparkling Gem, did any of it sound like the society in which you live today? What part especially hit you as being relevant and pertinent to our modern-day world?
2. Can you think of any areas in your life or thinking where you have allowed the world to affect your view? Maybe you once held tightly to a strict moral code, but in recent years you have let some of your convictions slip to accommodate people who are different from you or people you like but who are living outside of God’s will and His ways? What are those areas where you have compromised your convictions and beliefs?
3. In what way should you respond to what you have read today? Is the Holy Spirit tugging at your heart? If so, what is the Spirit of God asking you to do to get back in line with His Word and His unchanging truth?

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous….
— 2 Timothy 3:2

As you drive down the highway to a town or city, signs are regularly posted along the side of the road to keep you on track and help you monitor how far you are from your destination. Those signposts are guides, markers, and indicators intended to point you in the right direction and keep you on track until you finally arrive at your destination. When you reach your journey’s end, a prominent sign usually stands at the entrance of the town, which reads in large, bold letters “Welcome!” When you see that welcome sign, it is the declaration that you have finally arrived!

Similarly, in Second Timothy 3:2, Paul listed the events that will act as spiritual signposts, indicating that we are headed toward the very last of the last days. He wrote, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous….” If all of these events are occurring simultaneously, we need to take it as a big “welcome” sign that lets us know we are no longer journeying toward the last of the last days; we have finally entered them. If all of these things are in evidence in society around us, we are already there — in the last of the last days.

At the first of his list, Paul said, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves….” Speaking through the apostle, the Holy Spirit alerts us to the fact that one of the principal signs of the last days will be self-love, self-consumption, and selfishness. When Paul wrote, “…Men shall be lovers of their own selves…,” he packed this announcement full of insight!

This verse presents the picture of people who are self-focused, self-centered, and self-consumed. These are self-absorbed people whose wants and needs are the very core and center of their world. Rather than live selfless lives in service to others, their first consideration is always their own self-interests and desires. Everything else takes a back seat to their needs being met.

Paul clarified this truth when he stated that they will be “lovers of their own selves.” The phrase “lovers of their own selves” is very strange in the Greek language, because it is the Greek word philautos — a weird compound of two Greek words. The first of these Greek words is philos, a form of the Greek word phileo, which mean to love or to be fond of someone else. It denotes the love, fondness, attraction, or romantic feelings that people have toward one another. In fact, the Greek word for kissing also comes from this word phileo.

As you know, kissing is something you do with someone else; generally speaking, no one stands in front of the mirror and kisses himself. The word philos should never be used to describe oneself. However, in this verse, the word philos is used in conjunction with the Greek word autos, meaning oneself. Thus the compound word philautos does not describe the love, fondness, romance, or attraction for someone else — it refers to one’s love and attraction for oneself.

This word philautos is the picture of complete self-absorption, self-focus, self-preoccupation, and self-love. When you pile all these words on top of each other — the words eimi, meaning I am, and the word philautos, depicting inordinate self-consumption and self-love — the message is plain: In the last days, society will be utterly consumed with itself.

With this in mind, I advise you to take a look at the world around you today. Do you see a high level of selfishness and self-centeredness permeating every sphere of society? If you do, you need to take heed! This is a major sign that you have entered the last days.

Next, Paul said that men will be “covetous” in the last days. This is a translation of the word philarguros, which is another strange adjective used to depict people in the last days. Similar to the word philautos described above, this word is a compound of the words philos and arguros. As we saw, the word philos refers to love, fondness, romance, or attraction. But the second part of the word is the word arguros, which is the old Greek word for silver or money. When these two terms are compounded as they are in this verse, the new word describes a love of money.

In ancient Greece, the word philarguros was often used to depict covetousness, a love of money, or someone who is money hungry. Even more specifically, it portrayed people who had funds available but were so self-absorbed that they refused to share their wealth with others. Thus, they were so involved in self-embellishment that they were miserly about using their money for others. By using this word, Paul let us know that at the end of the age, a lost society will be so self-centered, they will spend ridiculous sums of money on themselves. Being primarily preoccupied with themselves, they will spend, spend, and spend on themselves — constantly searching for ways to treat themselves to more and more while they give less and less for the sake of others.

A major sign that we have entered the last days will be an epidemic of this type of lavish self-spending by people who are self-consumed and self-absorbed. When you look at the world around you, do you see society moving in this direction?

This verse could be interpreted to mean:

“People will be self-consumed, self-absorbed, self-focused, and in love with themselves more than anyone else. As a result of this self-love, they will hoard money for themselves while spending very little to help others….”

Certainly God wants His people to be blessed and prosperous, but as riches increase, we must remember that the Bible warns us: “If riches increase, set not your heart upon them” (Psalm 62:10). Our goal is not self-consumption but to use the riches God gives us to fund the preaching of the Gospel around the world. Deuteronomy 8:18 says, “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.” Establishing His covenant on the earth is our greatest assignment!

How do you know if you have fallen into the same trap of self-centeredness that is so prevalent in the world today? Let me ask you this question — if the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart and tells you to give, can you say no to the things you were planning to buy so that you can obey the Spirit’s unction instead? Or do you find that you regularly hold yourself and your desires above the Lord’s calling to help others?

If your first response is to obey the Holy Spirit, it is a sure sign that the self-consumed attitude of the world does not have a place in your heart. If, however, you find it hard to say no to your own creature comforts and regularly ignore the invitation of the Holy Spirit to help someone else, it is a sign that the attitude of the world is worming its way into your heart and soul.

We are in the world, but Jesus has called us to be different from the world. Therefore, we must ask the Holy Spirit to help us guard our hearts lest we fall into the trap that the world has fallen into in these last days.

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I ask You to help me keep my heart free from materialism and to keep the Gospel as the greatest and highest priority in my life. I know that You want me to be blessed and to be financially and materially increased, but I don’t want to set my heart on riches and fall into the trap of this lost world in these last days. Help me stay focused on souls — what You love most — and to do my part to help establish Your covenant in every part of the earth. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I know I can maintain the godly balance You desire for my life regarding possessions and finances.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I am sensitive to the Spirit of God in regard to money, materialism, and riches. God wants to massively bless me, but He also wants me to make Him and the preaching of the Gospel worldwide the greatest priority in my life. Jesus gave His life for souls — and I must give my all to help see that those souls hear the Good News. Therefore, I will walk in balance in regard to money and possessions. I will pursue the things I know the Lord wants me to have, but I will not overstep and become so self-absorbed that I ignore the souls that need to know about the saving knowledge of Jesus. I refuse to be self-consumed, so I make the willful decision to let the Holy Spirit rule this area of my life.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. When you read this Sparkling Gem today, did you think about the way the world lavishes upon itself with no restraint? Because of easy-to-get credit, people spend money without even thinking of the ramifications of their expenditures. Do you think this signpost of the last days is evident in the world around you today?
2. What does your own spending reveal about you? Do you have a difficult time saying no to your flesh and practicing restraint and budgetary control? Have you fallen into the trap that the world is in by spending more and more all the time?
3. Have you ever sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart that you have gone over the limit in spending on yourself and that you need to stop being so self-consumed? How did you respond? How will you respond in the future if He lets you know that you need to make an adjustment in this area?

What Should You Do When You Get Offended?

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come.…
— Luke 17:1

Every so often, everyone has an opportunity to get offended. In fact, Jesus said, “…It is impossible but that offences will come…” (Luke 17:1). The word “impossible” is the word anendektos, meaning something that is impossible, inadmissible, unallowable, or unthinkable. One scholar notes that it could be translated, “It is simply unthinkable that you would allow yourself to dream that you could live this life without an opportunity to become offended.…”

But what is an offense? The word “offense” comes from the Greek word skandalon, from which we get the word scandal. This is a powerful picture that you must understand! The word skandalon originally described the small piece of wood that was used to keep the door of an animal trap propped open. A piece of food was placed inside the trap to lure the animal inside. When the animal entered the trap and accidentally bumped the skandalon, or the small piece of wood, the skandalon collapsed, causing the trap door to slam shut and the animal to be caught inside with no way to escape.

However, the New Testament also uses the word skandalon to refer to a stone or an obstacle that caused one to trip, to stumble, to lose his footing, to waver, to falter, and to fall down. In First Peter 2:8, the word skandalon is used to describe how unbelievers react to the Gospel when they don’t want to hear it or believe it. Peter said, “And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word….” Rather than accept the message and be saved, these people stumble when they hear the truth, tripping over the message that could set them free.

But in Luke 17:1, Jesus used the word skandalon to warn us about events that happen in life with the potential to trip us up. Sometimes Satan baits us with something — drawing us into a trap in which he knows we’ll become offended. When we bump into a moment of offense, the trap slams down shut — and like an animal that is trapped in a cage and can’t get out, we suddenly find ourselves caught in a miserable situation, trapped in detrimental and negative emotions!

This means Luke 17:1 could be translated:

“It is simply unthinkable that you would allow yourself to dream that you could live this life without an opportunity to be lured into a situation that could potentially snare you in the feelings of offense.…”

If this is really what Jesus meant, we need to know the nature of the bait Satan uses to get to us. What is the “offense” the devil uses to trap most people?

An offense usually occurs when you see, hear, or experience a behavior that is so different from what you expected that it causes you to falter, totter, and wobble in your soul. In fact, you are so stunned by what you have observed or by a failed expectation that you lose your footing emotionally. Before you know it, you are dumbfounded and flabbergasted about something. Then your shock turns into disbelief; your disbelief into disappointment; and your disappointment into offense.

We’ve all experienced this kind of disappointment at some point in our lives. According to Jesus’ words in Luke 17:1, the opportunity to be offended comes to every one of us. As long as we live and breathe, we must combat this nuisance and refuse to allow it to have a place in our hearts and minds. Even worse, we’ve all been the source of offense at some point or another. It may not have been intentional on our part; in fact, we may not have even known we offended anyone until the person later came and informed us of what we did.

In light of all this, I’d like you to consider these questions:

• Have you ever offended someone?
• When you found out about the cause of offense, were you shocked?
• When the news finally reached you that you had offended that person, were you surprised to hear how he or she perceived what you did or said?

Through the years, I’ve learned to do the best I can to avoid being a source of offense to anyone. At the same time, I try not to be too shocked if I find out that someone, somewhere, has gotten offended. Because people come from different backgrounds, wake up in bad moods, have a bad day at work, don’t physically feel well, and go through a whole host of other negative experiences in their lives, their interpretation of our actions and words may be very different from our original intention.

We can be almost 99-percent sure that someone along the way will misunderstand what we do or misinterpret something we say. Therefore, as Christians, we must: 1) do everything in our power to communicate correct messages to one another; and 2) do everything in our power to bring healing and restoration whenever misunderstanding and offense occurs between ourselves and someone else.

If you discover that you have been a source of offense to someone else, take the mature path and go ask that person to forgive you. And don’t get defensive, for that will only make the problem worse. It may even lead to a deeper conflict, so just say you are sorry and move on!

Do everything you can to bury that offense and destroy what the devil is trying to do between you. Make it your personal aim to help that other person overcome what he thinks you did or said. Sometimes it is more important to help the other person attain a position of peace than it is to prove who is right or wrong!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to repent for ever being a source of offense to anyone. I am asking You to forgive me for fighting to prove my point in the past when I should have just gone to that other person and apologized, asking for his forgiveness. If I ever find out I’ve offended someone again, please help me deal with it more maturely than I have in the past. Jesus, I also need You to help me remember that when others do things that make me sad or that disappoint me, they probably didn’t mean to do it. Help me give them the same mercy and grace that I hope others will give me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am a source of blessing and not a cause of offense! I do everything in my power to communicate correct messages, and I immediately move to bring healing and restoration whenever misunderstanding and offense has occurred between myself and someone else. I do everything I can to bury that offense and to destroy what the devil is trying to do. I make it my aim to walk in the Spirit, to speak the love of God into every situation, and to refuse to let the devil use me to cause others to trip and fall.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you think of an occasion when you unintentionally offended someone, and you were totally shocked when you heard how he or she perceived what you said or did?

2. Have you ever been offended by someone, only to find out later that the person never intended to offend you and was genuinely sorry when he or she found out how you felt about it?

3. What do you think is the most mature way a person can respond when he or she is tempted to get caught in the trap of offense? How do you think you should deal with a potential offense when someone hurts your feelings or lets you down?

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
— 2 Timothy 3:1

It is simply a fact that we are living in the last days. All around us, the world is changing at a staggeringly rapid pace, and events long ago foretold in Scripture are unfolding before our very eyes. In light of the increasing turmoil in the world, it can be tempting for us to succumb to feelings of uncertainty or anxiety regarding the future.

But as we talked about in yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, we as believers are to hold fast to God’s higher perspective and take our place as victors in this hour — no matter what is going on around us! We don’t have to wonder about what the future has in store. God’s Word provides us with a clear picture of what we can expect in the coming years and gives us the spiritual tools we need to face these turbulent times and remain victorious. His Word also lays out our role in the midst of this gathering darkness: to live as children of light, reaching a lost generation with His love and His message of hope in Jesus Christ!

In Second Timothy 3:1, Paul wrote, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” Notice he said these events will occur in the “last days.” The word “last” is from the Greek word eschatos. This word always points to the ultimate end of a thing — such as the last month of the year; the last week of the month; the last day of a week; or the very extreme end of an age. In other words, eschatos doesn’t merely describe the last days in general; it depicts the very last of the last days. It was used in Classical Greek literature to depict a place furthest away, such as the very ends of the earth. It also signified something that is final. It is from this Greek word eschatos that we get the term eschatology — which is a theological term for the study of last times.

By using this word eschatos in this verse, the Holy Spirit is vividly declaring what characteristics will be indicative of society at the very last of the last days. Therefore, the depictions in the following verses of Second Timothy 3 are intended to be signposts that you have entered into the final stage of the last days. If you see these things occurring commonly or on a widespread basis, you are to take it as a signal that we have passed across the line and have entered into the final chapter of history as we have known it.

Thank God that by studying the Scriptures, we can identify where we are on God’s timeline. Because God loves us, He spoke through the apostle Paul to enlighten our eyes and help us see what the world environment would be like in the concluding moments of the Church Age. Having this knowledge before us helps us live soberly with eternity in our view. Time is short, so we must use the time that remains wisely and shine the light of the Gospel into the lives of those whom Satan has blinded.

Because of the word eschatos in Second Timothy 3:1, an interpretive translation of this verse could read:

“You emphatically must know what I am about to tell you. In the very last part of the last times — at the very end of the age and at the very last of the last days — hurtful, harmful, dangerous, unpredictable, uncontrollable, high-risk periods of time will come.…”

As a committed Christian, you have a responsibility to live with your eyes wide open to the events that are occurring around you. And if you have friends or family who are unsaved and blind to the truth, it is time for you to fervently pray for God to open their eyes so they can see and know the truth! Because of the events described in Second Timothy 3, we know that we have already entered into the very last of the last days.

Soon Jesus will come, and everything will change forever. Until then, we have time to pray for those whom Satan has blinded. It’s not that they are naïve — they are blind. Satan has blocked their view and affected their minds. They have no eyes to see. Eyes are created for them when the light of the Gospel, through the work of the Holy Spirit, touches their hearts and minds.

Are you the one God wants to use to share the Good News of Jesus with the people you encounter today so their eyes can be opened to the truth and find true hope in the midst of this turbulent time we live in? Maybe you should quit praying for someone else to do the job and accept the fact that God is asking you to share the Gospel with those who come across your path and need the saving power of Jesus Christ. And you don’t have to do it on your own! He has thoroughly equipped and empowered you to be His witness to a lost world in these very last of the last days!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I recognize that I am living in the last of the last days. Your Word gives me a clear description of the end times and the characteristics that will be evident. Help me live more soberly than ever before with a constant awareness of eternity. Show me day by day how to fulfill my responsibility not only to pray for people to awaken to righteousness, but also to spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth, starting with those nearest to me now. I ask You, Father, to give me a spirit of boldness to speak and live without compromise. Jesus is coming, and soon everything will change forever. Help me to be prepared and to prepare others also.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I live soberly in this hour. I set my affections on things that are eternal as I seek first the Kingdom of God and pursue His ways. I do not allow myself to become entangled in low-level living or distracted by the cares of this life. I give myself to prayer, to the study of God’s Word, and to a lifestyle that honors God and blesses people. I keep myself in the love of God so that I remain strong in faith to please God in all things.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you know a person or a group of individuals who seem blinded to the fact that we are living in the last days? How does this spiritual blindness affect the way they are living their lives?
2. Do you pray for these people on a regular basis? If not, why don’t you make a list of people you know who are lost and begin to pray for their salvation every day. Ask God to send someone to reach their hearts so they can know Jesus Christ as you know Him.  Aren’t you glad someone prayed for you?
3. Is it possible that you are the person God wants to send to them? Why wouldn’t you want to tell them this good news so they can escape an eternity separated from God? What is holding you back from telling them the most important news they could ever hear?

Cast All Your Care on the Lord!

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
— 1 Peter 5:7

When we were constructing a huge church facility many years ago in the Republic of Latvia — a former Soviet nation where our family once lived and worked — worry and anxiety tried so hard to control me. In fact, worry nearly broke me until I really came to understand and embrace the meaning of First Peter 5:7.

At the time, no credit was available for building churches in that nation. This meant we had to believe for all the finances to come in quickly so we could pay cash as we constructed the massive facility. Then the local authorities gave us a deadline by which the building had to be complete and occupied; otherwise, there was a possibility we could lose everything we had invested. With this kind of pressure on me, I found myself continually worrying that we wouldn’t have enough money to finish the project on time. I was constantly fighting thoughts about losing the building if we didn’t make the deadline that the government had given us.

I would lie in bed at night, rolling this way and that way, turning again and again, unable to sleep because my stomach was churning with acid and my mind was spinning with doubts, worries, fears, reservations, and concerns. My heart pounded harder and harder each day and night as anxiety reached out its demonic fingers to grab hold of my emotions and twist them into a mangled mess of panic. My wife would tell me to quit worrying and start trusting the Lord, but instead of appreciating her advice, I only got angry that she wasn’t worrying with me!

Finally one night, I got up, walked down the hallway to my study, opened my Bible, and read these words: “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). I had read this verse thousands of times in my life, but that night it was as if it reached out from the pages of the Bible and grabbed hold of my attention. I read it and read it and read it again. At last, I picked up my Greek New Testament and began to dig deeper into the verse. What I discovered in that verse changed my life and set me free from worry, anxiety, fretting, and fear!

That night, I saw that the word “casting” used in First Peter 5:7 was the Greek word epiripto, a compound of the words epi and ripto. The word epi means upon, as on top of something. The word ripto means to hurl, to throw, or to cast, and it often means to violently throw or to fling something with great force.

The only other place this word epiripto is used in the New Testament is in Luke 19:35, where the Bible says, “And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus there on.” It is important to note this passage, for it correctly conveys the idea of the word epiripto, which in secular literature often pictured the flinging of a garment, bag, or excess weight off the shoulders of a traveler and onto the back of some other beast, such as a donkey, camel, or horse.

We are not designed to carry the burden of worry, fretting, and anxiety. This load is simply too much for the human body and the central nervous system to tolerate. We may be able to manage it for a while, but eventually the physical body and mind will begin to break under this type of perpetual pressure. In fact, the medical world has confirmed that the major source of sickness in the Western Hemisphere is stress and pressure. Man was simply not fashioned to carry pressures, stresses, anxieties, and worries; this is the reason his body breaks down when it undergoes these negative influences for too long.

If you are struggling with sickness or depression, your condition very possibly could be related to stress and pressure. In First Peter 5:7, it is almost as if Jesus is calling out to you and saying, “Your shoulders are not big enough to carry the burdens you’re trying to bear by yourself. This load will eventually break you — so please let ME be your beast of burden! Take that load and heave it with all your might. Fling it over onto MY back, and let ME carry it for you!” Just as Luke 19:35 says they cast their garments upon the back of the donkey, now you need to cast your burdens over on the Lord and let Him carry those burdens for you!

But exactly what problems and cares are we to throw over onto the shoulders of the Lord? The apostle Peter says we are to cast all of “our cares” upon Jesus. The word “cares” is the Greek word merimna, which means anxiety. However, in principle it described any affliction, difficulty, hardship, misfortune, trouble, or complicated circumstance that arises as a result of problems that develop in our lives. It could refer to problems that are financial, marital, job-related, family-related, business-oriented, or anything else that concerns us.

This means anything that causes you worry or anxiety — regardless of why it happened — is what you need to throw over onto the shoulders of Jesus Christ! Nothing is too big or small to talk to the Lord about, Peter says, because He “careth for you.” The word “careth” is taken from the Greek word melei, which means to be concerned; to be thoughtful; to be interested; to be aware; to notice; or to give painful and meticulous attention. Peter uses this word to assure us that Jesus really does care about us and the things that are heavy on our hearts. In fact, He gives meticulous attention to what is happening to us. He is interested in every facet of our lives.

So don’t ever let the devil tell you that your problems are too stupid, small, or insignificant to bring to Jesus. The Lord is interested in everything that concerns you!

Because of the Greek words used in First Peter 5:7, this verse carries the following idea:

“Take that heavy burden, difficulty, or challenge you are carrying — the one that has arisen due to circumstances that have created hardship and struggles in your life — and fling those worries and anxieties over onto the back of the Lord! Let Him carry them for you! The Lord is extremely interested in every facet of your life and is genuinely concerned about your welfare.”

When I saw these Greek words and perceived how deeply Jesus cared about the burdens that were on my heart, I realized I was carrying a load I didn’t have to bear by myself. Jesus was standing right at my side, longing to help me and inviting me to shift the weight from my shoulders to His shoulders. By faith, I heaved those financial cares onto the back of Jesus — and when I did, I was set free from the stress, anxiety, and pressure that had been weighing me down at that time in my life.

You don’t have to carry the whole weight of the world by yourself. Jesus loves you so much and is so deeply concerned about you and the difficulties you are facing that He calls out to you today, “Roll those burdens over on Me. Let Me carry them for you so you can be free!”

If you are lugging around worries, cares, and concerns about your family, your business, your church, or any other area of your life, why not stop right now and say, “Jesus, I’m yielding every one of these concerns to You today. I cast my burden on You, and I thank You for setting me free!”

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for what I’ve read today. I regret having carried these burdens and worries so long by myself when, in fact, You were always ready to take them from me and to carry them on my behalf. But it’s never too late to do what is right, so right now I make the decision to yield to You every one of these matters that are bothering me. Thank You for coming alongside me to take these weights from my shoulders. Because You are so loving and attentive to me, I can now go free!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that Jesus is standing right at my side, yearning to help me and inviting me to shift the weight from my shoulders to His shoulders so I can go free! By faith I have already cast my cares onto Jesus. As a result, I am liberated from stress, anxiety, worries, pressures, and all the other things that have been bothering me! 

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Do you habitually worry and fret about certain things? What are the issues that weigh on your mind more than anything else?

2. Are you able to cast these cares over onto the Lord, or do you keep stirring yourself up with thoughts of fear, reigniting the fretting and the worry all over again even after you have already released those cares to the Lord?

3. What triggers worry, fretting, and anxiety in you? Have you noticed key words, phrases, or events when worry and fretting begin to operate inside you? Recognizing those moments may help you prevent them from reoccurring, so consider well what kinds of situations arouse these emotions in you.

Peace That Passes Understanding

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
— Philippians 4:7

Are you tired of letting the devil get you all stirred up? Has it been easy for the enemy to throw you into a frenzy of panic and anxiety? Maybe it doesn’t happen continually to you, but every once in a while, something happens or someone says something that pushes a button inside you and throws you into a tizzy! When this occurs, do you say and do things you later regret? Do you feel sorry that you allowed the devil to get to you again?

If what I just described sounds familiar, I have help for you today! In Philippians 4:7, the apostle Paul writes, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

As we begin our study today, I want to draw your attention to the word “passeth” in the verse above. It is the Greek word huperecho, which is a compound of the words huper and echo. The word huper literally means over, above, and beyond. It depicts something that is way beyond measure. It carries the idea of superiority; something that is utmost, paramount, foremost, first-rate, first-class, and top-notch; greater, higher, and better than; superior to; preeminent, dominant, and incomparable; more than a match for; unsurpassed or unequaled. The second part of the word “passeth” is the Greek word echo, which means I have, as someone who holds something in his possession. It can be translated to keep; to possess; to have; to hold; or even to acquire.

When these words are compounded into one, they form the word huperecho, which Paul uses in Philippians 4:7. This Greek word denotes a peace so superior that it is held high above all other types of peace. This is a peace that transcends, outdoes, surpasses, excels, rises above, goes beyond and over the top of any other kind of peace. The implication is that people may try to find peace in other places, but there is no peace like the peace of God. The peace of God completely outshines every other attempt to produce peace, causing it to stand in a category by itself. There is absolutely nothing in the world that can compare with the peace of God.

Paul continues to tell us that this peace surpasses and excels above “all understanding.” The word “understanding” is the Greek word nous, the classical Greek word for the mind. This word refers to the ability to think, to reason, to understand, and to comprehend. It also depicts the mind as the source of all human emotions. In Greek, the word “mind” represents the inner powers of a person and thus the place from which a person rules and controls his environment and the world around him. The Greek word emphatically depicts the mind as the central control center for a human being. Therefore, it was understood that the condition of the mind is what determined the condition of one’s life.

Then Paul tells us what this powerful peace will produce in our lives! He says that this peace “…shall keep your hearts and minds….” The word “keep” is the Greek word phroureo, a military term that expresses the idea of soldiers who stood faithfully at their post at the city gates to guard and control all who went in and out of the city. They served as gate monitors, and no one entered or exited the city without their approval.

The apostle Paul uses this word phroureo to explicitly tell us that God’s peace, if allowed to work in our lives, will stand at the gates of our hearts and minds, acting like a guard to control and monitor everything that tries to enter our hearts, minds, and emotions. When God’s peace is ruling us, nothing can get past that divine “guard” and slip into our hearts and minds without its approval!

This is the good news you’ve been waiting for! It means you can refuse to allow the devil to access you, throw you into a state of panic and anxiety, or push any button inside you any longer. When the peace of God is standing guard at the entrance of your heart and mind, the devil has lost his access to your thought life and your emotions!

Taking these Greek words together, Philippians 4:7 could be understood in the following way:

“And the peace of God — a peace so wonderful that it cannot be compared to any other type of peace; a peace that stands in a category by itself and rises far above and goes beyond anything the human mind could ever think, reason, imagine, or produce by itself — will stand at the entrance of your heart and mind, working like a guard to control, monitor, and screen everything that tries to access your mind, heart, and emotions.”

By using this word, Paul tells us that the peace of God will keep and guard your heart and mind! God’s peace will surround your heart and mind just as a band of Roman soldiers would keep dangerous nuisances from entering a city or from breaking into special, private places. In the same way, peace keeps fretfulness, anxiety, worry, and all the other wiles of the devil from breaking into your life. When this peace is active in your life, it surpasses all natural understanding. It protects, guards, keeps, and defends you.

Nothing compares to this powerful, protective, guarding peace that God has positioned to stand at the entrance of your heart and mind! When this peace operates in you, it dominates your mind and your life. Since what is inside you is that which rules you, peace rises up and conquers your entire being. It stands at the gate of your heart and mind, disabling the devil’s ability to disturb you by preventing his attacks from bypassing and slipping into your mind. The devil may try his best to find access to your mind and emotions, but this guarding peace will paralyze his efforts.

So make sure Philippians 4:7 is a reality in your life. In every situation you face today and every day, let God’s supernatural peace rise up to dominate your heart and protect your mind and emotions. If you’re tired of the devil getting you all stirred up and throwing you into a tizzy, it’s time for you to let this supernatural peace go to work and start monitoring, guarding, and approving what does and does not get access to you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for placing Your wonderful, powerful, protective peace in my life. I am grateful that You have positioned it to stand at the entrance of my heart and mind and that it dominates my mind and controls my life. Because what is inside me is what rules me, I choose to let this peace rise up and conquer me. With this peace standing at the gate of my heart and mind, I know it will disable the devil’s ability to attack my emotions and will not permit his lies and accusations to slip into my mind! Thank You for loving me enough to put this powerful peace in my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am guarded and protected by the powerful peace of God that works in my life. It rises up to dominate my mind; it controls my thinking; and it determines the condition of my life and the environment where I live and work. I am unaffected by the circumstances that surround me, for this supernatural peace stands at the gate of my mind and emotions to monitor everything that tries to access me. Because no fretting, anxiety, panic, or worry is allowed to enter me, I remain free, calm, and peaceful — even in difficult situations that in the past would have upset me! 

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you noticed specific events or moments in your life when the devil seems to be able to access your mind and emotions to upset your peace and throw you into one of these regrettable fits I’ve described to you today? If your answer is yes, do you know the “buttons” he pushes to throw you into this state that you detest?

2. What can you do to slow your reactions down long enough to let the peace of God rise up and conquer your emotions so you don’t end up saying and doing things you later regret?

3. Why don’t you really think this through and ask the Holy Spirit to help you come up with some ideas you can write down and pray about?

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
— 2 Timothy 3:1

Few people would question that we are living in dangerous and treacherous times. Especially for people without God, the last decades have brought fear and terror into the hearts of people around the world. Regardless of where you live — whether in the United States, Europe, Asia, or the former Soviet Union — people have been rudely awakened to the truth that the world is no longer the place it used to be.

This is definitely a different age, far removed from the world many of us remember as children. Even today it is difficult to imagine how things could have spiraled out of control so quickly; however, nearly 2,000 years ago when the apostle Paul wrote the book of Second Timothy, the Holy Spirit spoke through him to alert us that such a day would come. By the inspiration of the Spirit, Paul wrote, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come” (2 Timothy 3:1).

The word “know” in this verse is a translation of the Greek word ginosko. The word ginosko is a common word that is normally translated knowledge. In this verse, Paul used ginosko in the present imperative tense, which means this message is something so critical that it must be known, must be recognized, and must be acknowledged. Whatever the Holy Spirit is about to say, it is so important that hearing it is not optional — it MUST be known and understood.

Paul then told us what we must know. He let us know that “perilous times shall come.” The word “perilous” comes from the Greek word chalepos, a word that is used only two times in the 27 books of the New Testament. This word chalepos was used to denote spoken words that were hurtful, harsh, cruel, ruthless, cutting, wounding, and therefore hard to bear. But it was also used to describe animals that were vicious, ferocious, fierce, unruly, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and dangerous. In nearly every place where this word is used in secular literature of the ancient world, it depicts something said that is harmful or an environment besieged with high risk or danger.

The only other time the word chalepos is found in the New Testament is in Matthew 8:28, where Matthew used it to describe two demon-possessed men. Matthew 8:28 vividly tells us, “And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.”

This phrase “exceeding fierce” in Matthew 8:28 is actually a translation of this very same Greek word chalepos. Because the word chalepos is used to describe these two demon-possessed men, it categorically conveys that they were vicious, ferocious, fierce, unruly, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and dangerous. In fact, if you read the entire story in Matthew’s gospel, it’s clear that the people who lived in the region of the Gadarenes kept a safe distance between themselves and these two men because they knew that being in close proximity to them would put their lives in jeopardy. These two demon-possessed men were chalepos — vicious, ferocious, fierce, unruly, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and dangerous. But they represented no threat to Jesus because He knew that He had authority over them. Therefore, instead of running like everyone else, Jesus stood up against those dark forces and set those men free.

This brings us back to Second Timothy 3:1 where the Holy Spirit prophesies through Paul that “perilous times shall come.” If you take all of the original Greek words into consideration, it delivers a potent message from the Spirit of God.

Taking the definitions of all these words into consideration, Second Timothy 3:1 could be taken to mean:

“You emphatically must know what I am about to tell you! In the last days, periods of time will come that are hurtful, harmful, dangerous, unpredictable, uncontrollable, and high-risk.…”

The Holy Spirit warned us 2,000 years ago that the world would become a dangerous place at the end of the age. However, we had no idea how fast or how far it would spin out of control. But as we live in the world today, we are waking up to the harsh reality of a world that is exceedingly fierce.

Because the word “perilous,” the Greek word chalepos, is used to describe the demon-possessed men in Matthew 8:28, I personally believe that the Holy Spirit was warning us that demonic activity will be released in the last days that will bring about hurtful, harsh, cruel, ruthless, cutting, wounding situations that will be emotionally hard to bear. As a result of demonic activity, the world will become a place that is vicious, ferocious, fierce, unruly, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and dangerous. We are living in a generation that faces threats that no other generation has ever known. As always, the Holy Spirit was correct in what He was trying to tell us.

• So how should we as believers respond to all of this?
• Should we stay in our houses, close the blinds, and hide from what’s going on in the world?
• Should we never fly on a plane again or take public transportation?
• Should we stop sending our children to public schools?
• What should we do in response to these Spirit-predicted truths and the external reality that continually faces us in the world today?

Instead of retreating in fear, you and I must accept the challenge to step forward as Jesus did when He encountered the demon-possessed men of the Gadarenes. What terrified other people and made them retreat in fear is exactly what beckoned Jesus to action. In this hour, we must not retreat in fear!

The situation in today’s world beckons you to action. This is the time for you to step forward and use the authority Jesus Christ gave you to bring deliverance, freedom, and peace to each place that the devil has tried to bring chaos, harm, hurt, hazard, and risk. The situation that exists in the world today is your opportunity to let the power and glory of God shine through you!

Read carefully the words of Isaiah 60:1,2. Accept the challenge of the Holy Spirit as He cries out to you and me: “Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee”!

Although the world is sinking deeper into fear and darkness, this is our finest hour as children of God! So tell fear to leave you in Jesus’ name, and embrace the opportunities you encounter along the way to bring deliverance and freedom to people gripped with fear by the news they hear each day. Think of it — God considers you well able to live for Him and to fulfill His purpose for your life, even in the midst of these perilous last days! Embrace the honor of that position in His plan, and determine to trust Him with your life and be who He needs you to be every moment of the day!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for choosing me to live in the last days when prophecies are being fulfilled before my very eyes. I ask You to help me keep a soft heart and not become hardened when others around me grow cold and hardened through the deceitfulness of this age. People everywhere need freedom, and deliverance from the torment of fear and pain. Instead of retreating into self-preservation mode, I will deliberately yield to Your heart for the hurting world that is all around me. Your love is shed abroad in my heart by the Holy Spirit who was given to me. Therefore, I give place to Your love within me to see them with Your eyes, to feel for them as You feel for them. I hear and respond to Your call that is beckoning me to step forward with the authority of Jesus to make a difference in the lives of everyone near to me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare by faith that I am anointed by God to live in this day and age! I am alive today for a purpose. God has chosen me to be a part of this special generation so that I can shine His glory and power into the darkness that exists in so many places and in so many people’s lives. I will not allow fear to paralyze or intimidate me. Instead, I will allow God’s goodness, power, and love to operate in me for the freedom, deliverance, safety, and preservation of those who are near me. I am fully equipped by the Holy Spirit to glorify God without compromise in these difficult times. God is depending on me to do my part to bring His authority, His peace, His rule, and His reign into every place where Satan wants to create hurt, harm, hazard, and fear. Jesus commanded me to occupy until He comes. Therefore, I choose to establish His Kingdom and to enforce His will on the earth as it is in Heaven!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Can you think of someone who is seized with fear because of the events happening in the world today? What effect has fear had on that person’s life?
2. What does the Spirit of God want you to do to bring deliverance, freedom, and peace to people in your life who are tormented with fear? You have the answers they need — so what is He asking you to do to make a significant difference in their lives?
3. When you step into a situation where fear or panic exists, in what ways can you exercise the authority of Jesus Christ — publicly or privately — to bring peace and safety to that situation? Have you made a practice of doing this?

Are You Dressed In the Whole Armor of God?

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
— Ephesians 6:11

Not far from our personal residence is Moscow’s Great Kremlin Palace. Its massive red brick walls rise to the sky with bell towers and clock towers. Its huge, famous ruby-red stars can be seen from all directions in the city of Moscow. One entire side of the Kremlin is surrounded by the beautiful and historical Red Square, which includes St. Basil’s Cathedral and Lenin’s tomb. Another side of the Kremlin is encompassed with the lovely, tree-lined Alexandrovski Gardens.

At the far end of that Garden is a tall tower through which thousands of tourists enter every year to visit the State Armory Museum, one of the most fabulous museums in the entire world. As a person enters the State Armory Museum, he quickly becomes mesmerized as he walks past glass-enclosed dresses spun of pure silver that formerly adorned Russian queens. He can’t help but be stunned by the dazzling crowns and regalia worn by the Russian monarchy.

As the onlooker is led along the museum corridors, he looks in amazement at thrones made of ivory, covered with diamonds or spiked with precious stones. With fascination he gapes at the gold-covered, diamond-encrusted carriages that once transported various branches of the Russian royal family.

But a favorite part of the museum, especially for men, is the section that displays the heavy metal armor that was once worn in battle hundreds of years ago. Behind walls of glass, one can look at hundreds of years of metal armor, including a huge horse that is dressed in heavy metal armor from medieval times. Every time I see this armor section of the museum, I think of Paul’s words in Ephesians 6:11: “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

The phrase “whole armor” is taken from the Greek word panoplia, and it refers to a Roman soldier who is fully dressed in his armor from head to toe. It is the word pan, which means all, combined with the word hoplos, which is the Greek word for armor. Together they form the word panoplia, which was officially recognized as the word to describe the full attire and weaponry of a Roman soldier.

Although not all-inclusive, the following list is the basic military hardware each soldier possessed:

• Loinbelt

This was the central piece of weaponry that held much of the other pieces of armor in place. In Ephesians 6:14, Paul tells us that the believer is equipped with a loinbelt of truth, referring to the written Word of God.

• Breastplate

This was a crucial piece of weaponry that defended the heart and the central organs of the body against attack. In Ephesians 6:14, Paul informs us that in our spiritual arsenal, we have at our disposal the “breastplate of righteousness.”

• Greaves

These specially formed pieces of metal were wrapped around the soldier’s lower legs to protect him from being bruised and scraped and to defend his lower extremities from being hit hard and broken. In Ephesians 6:15, Paul refers to this vital piece of weaponry when he tells us that our feet are “…shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”

• Shoes

These heavy-duty shoes of a Roman soldier were covered with thick leather on the top and fitted with hobnails on the tip of the toe and the back of the heel. They were also heavily spiked with hobnails on their undersides. Paul makes reference to these shoes in Ephesians 6:15 when he talks about our feet being “…shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”

• Shield

The shield that the Roman soldier used in battle was long, door-shaped, and covered with leather hide. It was lubricated every day by the soldier to keep it soft and flexible so arrows that struck the shield would slide off and fall to the ground rather than penetrate it. In Ephesians 6:16, Paul declares that as a believer, you are specially outfitted with a “…shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”

• Helmet

The helmet of a Roman soldier, made either of brass or some other type of metal, was especially fitted to the shape of the soldier’s head, thus protecting the head from receiving a mortal wound from an arrow, a sword, or an ax. In Ephesians 6:17, Paul proclaims the good news that God has provided every believer with “the helmet of salvation” to protect him against the mental assaults of the enemy.

• Sword

The Roman soldier’s sword, shaped similarly to a long dagger that was intended to be used in close battle, was absolutely indispensable to his ability to attack, overcome, and defeat his adversary. In Ephesians 6:17, we are taught by Paul that every believer has “…the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” This sword is God’s Word, specially quickened inside us to use in times when we are in close combat with the adversary.

• Lance

The lance gave the Roman soldier the ability to strike his enemy from a distance; therefore, no Roman soldier would be caught without his lance. Although Paul does not specifically mention the lance in his list of weaponry in Ephesians 6, it is suggested in verse 18 when Paul writes, “Praying always.…” With the lance of prayer, each believer is able to assault the enemy from a distance, doing him so much damage that he is paralyzed in his attempts to come any nearer!

Because of Paul’s many imprisonments, this was an easy illustration for Paul to use. Standing next to these illustrious soldiers during his prison internments, Paul could see the Roman soldier’s loinbelt; huge breastplate; brutal shoes affixed with spikes; massive, full-length shield; intricate helmet; piercing sword; and long, specially tooled lance that could be thrown a tremendous distance to hit the enemy from afar.

Everything the soldier needed to successfully combat his adversary was at his disposal. Likewise, we have been given the whole armor of God — everything we need to successfully combat opposing forces. Nothing is lacking! Every piece of armor has great significance for us in our battle against an unseen enemy.

God has provided everything you need to successfully stand up to the devil, to resist him, and to defeat him. Will you choose to obey or ignore Paul’s urgent command to “put on the whole armor of God”? Your success against an enemy that seeks every opportunity to destroy you depends on the choice you make!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, how can I ever thank You enough for providing me with everything I need to successfully stand against each and every attack the devil tries to bring against my life? I thank You for loving me enough to equip me with these kinds of spiritual weapons. Because of what You have provided for me, I can stand fast, confident that I can withstand every assault, drive out the enemy, and win every battle. Without You, this would be impossible; but with Your power and the weapons You have provided for me, I am amply supplied with everything I need to push the enemy out of my way and out of my life!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I joyfully declare that I am dressed in the whole armor of God. There isn’t a part of me that hasn’t been supernaturally clothed and protected by the defensive and offensive weapons God has provided for me. I proceed with my loinbelt of truth; I walk in my shoes of peace; I boldly wear my breastplate of righteousness; I hold up my shield of faith; I am clad in my helmet of salvation; I make use of my sword of the Spirit; and I have a lance of intercession that deals a blow to the enemy from a distance every time I aggressively pray!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. How long has it been since you took time to stop and reflect on all the weaponry that God has provided for your defense and offense against the enemy?

2. Have you ever taken time to deeply study the spiritual weapons that God has supernaturally provided for you? If yes, what other steps can you take and what other books can you read to become better acquainted with this subject?

3. What did you learn from reading today’s Sparkling Gem that you never realized before? After you think this question through and come up with the answer, why not share it with someone else today?

As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
— Romans 8:14

When I was a young man growing up in the city of Tulsa, I always thought I would attend Oral Roberts University (ORU). ORU was and continues to be one of the premier Christian universities in the world, and it just happened to be located in my hometown. I was so fervent about attending ORU that I even began taking a class there while I was still in high school in order to try to get a jump-start on my education.

Finally the time came for me to graduate from high school, and I eagerly anticipated attending ORU full-time in the fall. However, one day as I was praying about my future, the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and forbade me from attending. I was completely stunned!

“Why don’t You want me to go to ORU, Lord?” I asked incredulously. “There’s no better place for a young man like me than ORU.”

The Holy Spirit answered, “Because there are things I want to teach you that you can only learn somewhere else. You’ll be in a good environment at ORU, but you’ll miss the greater things that I want to impart to you that are important for your future.

When I consider how the Holy Spirit worked with me as I faced the decision of what university to attend, I think of Romans 8:14. It says, “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”

The word “led” is the Greek word ago, a word that was used in the agricultural and athletic worlds. In agricultural terms, it described a person who led an animal who was attached to the end of a rope. Wherever the farmer led, the animal was to follow. But interestingly, it is also where we get the word agonidzo, which described the intense struggle of a wrestler as he fought an opponent. From this word, we derive the word agony. It depicts the struggle — or the wrestling — of two opponents, each who are fighting furiously to throw the other to the mat in defeat.

Romans 8:14 tells us that the Holy Spirit wants to lead us about, but often there is a wrestling between our flesh and our spirits. The Holy Spirit leads one direction, but because the flesh doesn’t understand the leading of the Holy Spirit or doesn’t want to obey, it throws us into a struggle. The Holy Spirit is willing to lead us — and He will make sure we are in the right place at the right time — but we may have to overcome the flesh in order to follow. To be honest, it was a very big struggle for my mind to yield to the leading of the Holy Spirit to forego ORU and to attend a secular university.

But as difficult as the decision was, I knew in my heart that I needed to follow the Holy Spirit’s direction. So I made the choice to forego Oral Roberts University and enroll at a state university located a couple hours away from my hometown. As the school year progressed, it soon became apparent that by attending this secular institution, many new doors were being opened to me that might otherwise have been left shut if I had attended a Christian university. It was in this environment where I first began to get deeply involved in the ministry. My earliest experiences teaching the Bible publicly took place in the university church — and because I was constantly surrounded by unbelievers, I had opportunities to share Christ with people. These experiences emboldened me and familiarized me with the academic community’s objections to the Gospel, which in turn sharpened my ability to be an effective witness for the Lord.

That university was also where I began to study Classical Greek in earnest. These studies allowed me to delve deeper into the Word of God by analyzing the New Testament in its original Greek form. Before long, believers at the university church I attended began to approach me if they had a question about the Greek New Testament. Through these interactions, I saw how I could fill a vital niche in the Body of Christ by using my understanding of New Testament Greek to open up Scripture in such a way that listeners could gain new insight about God’s Word. The skills I gleaned from this discipline profoundly affected my entire life — reshaping my approach to studying the Bible and laying the foundations for my teaching ministry that would touch the lives of thousands of people across the world in the years to come.

When I look back on my years at that state university, I completely understand why it was God’s will for me to attend a secular school. It was a necessary training ground that provided me with the foundational skills I needed to succeed in ministry, and I am very thankful for that experience. As wonderful as Oral Roberts University is, God wanted me at a secular university so He could impart certain truths that I personally could not have received in another environment. And to top it all off, I even met my wife Denise at the university church!

Your environment — the surroundings and conditions in which you live and operate — is so important! Being in the right place at the right time according to God’s plan for your life is crucial as you seek to discover and fulfill His will for your life. God will use people, places, and the opportunities around you to shape you, sharpen your gifts, and prepare you to do His will. As First Corinthians 12:18 (NKJV) teaches, “…God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”

Are you where God has directed you to be? It might be that the place to which you are called is outside of your comfort zone and you wish you could escape to somewhere else far away. However, if you know in your heart that God has spoken a word over your life, don’t second-guess Him. Instead, trust that He is working to fully develop the gifts He has placed within you so you can fulfill your divine mandate. God knows exactly what you need and where you need to be

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Lord, as I reflect on my life, I can see how You have led me at times when I didn’t understand that I was even being led. You put me exactly where I needed to be. You surrounded me with the people who were essential for my training and preparation. I am so thankful that I allowed You to show me what to do and that You gave me the courage to obey. I ask that You reignite that willingness and courage in me right now as I follow Your leading again and again. I receive Your wisdom and strength to do Heaven’s work upon the earth. I believe that You are doing everything to develop the gifts and callings in my life so that I can fulfill my divine mandate.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I thankfully confess that God leads me even when I don’t understand that I’m being led. He puts me exactly where I need to be and surrounds me with the people that are essential for my training and preparation. God’s Spirit shows me what to do. He gives me courage to obey. And right now, He is reigniting that willingness and courage in me as I follow His leading again. He is doing everything to develop the gifts and callings in my life so I can fulfill my divine mandate!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Have you ever thought you knew where you were supposed to be, but God interrupted your plans and led you differently than you anticipated?
2. Although you may have been taken off-guard at how God led you, as you look back on that experience, can you see how important it was that God led you to where you were and to be with the people you were with? How did that place and those people help prepare you for the next season of your life?
3. Is God leading you differently right now than you had anticipated? Is it a place that is outside of your comfort zone?

Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
— 1 John 5:21

When the apostle John was on the island of Patmos, he received seven messages to the seven churches in Asia. His spirit had been pierced by Jesus’ words, and he vividly recalled the Lord’s loving rebuke concerning the sin that was trying to creep back into some of those congregations. John knew from Christ’s words that idolatry was trying to seep into the Church. The apostle understood that the willingness of believers to compromise jeopardized the Church’s holiness, weakened the power of the Holy Spirit among them, and nullified their witness for Christ. Thus, the apostle solemnly admonished them, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”

This was a strong admonition for believers to guard their lives against evil that was looking for a way to get back into the mainstream of their lives. John instructed his readers to “keep” themselves from idols and the disastrous implications of idolatrous worship — which was connected with all types of sinful, sexual, riotous behavior. Since First John 5:21 is the living Word of God, it also speaks to you and me: We are to “keep” ourselves from insidious evil and sin that would try to creep back into our own lives.

The word “keep” in this verse is the Greek word phulasso, a word that occurs at least 400 times in the Old Testament Septuagint and 31 times in the New Testament. In each instance, the usage of this word is indisputable. It describes the guarding and protecting of a thing, such as the guarding of a house, property, possessions, or even graves, and it denotes the alertness and sleeplessness of the person who is on guard. The word phulasso could also imply the safekeeping of something entrusted to someone, and it was often used in a military sense to describe a garrison, a guard, or a sentinel. To “keep” (phulasso) something demanded that a person be loyal to the task — never lethargic or lackadaisical. If that individual “fell asleep on the job,” the consequences could be grave; therefore, he must be on full alert at all times.

The Greek word phulasso means we are to remain wide awake and stay on course to the very end. We are to defend ourselves against the evil just as a garrison defends a strategic position. We are to be the sentinels of our lives and of the Church.

When John commanded his readers to “…keep yourself from idols…,” he was urging them to stay on alert regarding the danger of idolatry and sin. The tense used in First John 5:21 stresses continuous responsibility, which indicates this vigilance must be constantly maintained. Idolatry and other sin — and all their insidious effects — were so close that the believers needed to continually stay alert in order to remain free from their contaminating effects. It was absolutely essential that they stood firm, steadfastly refusing to compromise in the face of worldly pressures.

The believers in the First Century were surrounded with temptation. Pagan temples abounded with perverse sexual practices connected with idolatry. Those pagan temples were hotbeds of demonic activity and sinful actions. In order for Christians to stay free, they had to decide to stay free — that meant deliberately avoiding contact with these places. If they didn’t maintain an alert attitude and stay continually alert, idolatry would creep back into their midst with devastating consequences. This is the reason why John called on believers to “keep” themselves from it — that is, to protect themselves from idols and to stay continuously alert about the need to be vigilant against idolatry’s temptations.

Likewise, we must take John’s words to our hearts and realize that it is our responsibility to protect ourselves from sin that would try to creep back into our lives. The world is full of sin — and as time progresses, the sin will get darker and more depraved. Society (without God) is gravitating toward normalizing even the most debased base instincts in order to make these things acceptable in society. Hence, it is essential that you and I stay fully alert to the creeping effects of sin.

We may not have actual idols to deal with in today’s modern world, but sin is still a reality — and believers must avoid the pull to compromise with a world that is drifting further and further from the absolute truths of God’s Word. Regardless of what the world says is acceptable, we still have an unchangeable compass — the Bible — which serves as our absolute and final authority in these last days until Jesus returns for His Church. Until then, we must hide the Word of God in our hearts so we do not sin against God (see Psalm 119:11).

You are the guardian and overseer over your heart, and it is up to you to make sure your heart stays sensitive to the Holy Spirit and to God’s Word by setting aside time each day to spend with Him. It is up to you to do all you can to “keep” yourself from the creeping effects of sin in this crucial hour. And here’s the good news: You are well able to remain steadfast and pure in every area of your life, because through Jesus, you have everything you need to hold on to that victorious testimony!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I hear what You are saying to me, and I take this responsibility deep into my heart. You have called me to be the guardian and sentinel of my life and to retain this vigilant position until the end of my spiritual journey. Forgive me for times when I have been spiritually slack. I pray for the Holy Spirit to empower me to remain alert and wide awake and to stay on track — completely unresponsive to and unaffected by sin and its creeping effects that are in the world. Regardless of what the world and society may say or do, I thank You for Your continual supply of supernatural strength to draw upon, Father, to keep myself from sin and to live my life according to Your Word.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am dedicated to obeying the Word of God and that I do not allow society or the world around me to dictate what is right or wrong. Sin is looking for a way to creep back into my life — and into the lives of all believers — but I have determined that I will remain on guard, as a sentinel of my life. God expects this of me and will hold me responsible for keeping my life free from the contaminant of sin and its creeping effects. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will walk with God in a manner that is pleasing to Him and that is free of the sinful influence of the world.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. Do you know any believers who have been morally compromised by the world and the thinking of society? As you consider their waywardness, what were the early signs that showed sin was creeping back into their minds and lives again?
2. What do you need to do to “keep” yourself from the moral and spiritual contamination that is in the world? What steps do you need to take to build a strong spiritual barrier between you and the creeping effects of sin?
3. Are there any areas where you’ve already been affected by the world? If so, what do you need to do to reverse this trend, to cleanse your life of it, and to get back on the straight and narrow path with the Lord?