TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Philippians 4:6-9
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The great reformer John Calvin was just 27 years old when he published his monumental work, The Institutes of the Christian Religion. Published in Switzerland in 1536, today it is known as ""one of the 10 books that shook the world."" Calvin was a world-class scholar whose Institutes helped to further the Protestant Reformation. The world has never been the same since John Calvin set his mind on the things of God!

We may not change the world by setting our minds on the things of God, but we can change our lives. In the daily battle known as spiritual warfare, a mind focused on Christ is another proven defense against the attacks of the enemy.

Paul knew all about the power of God-centered thinking. Few would argue that the apostle had the greatest mind the church has ever produced. He knew that Satan loves to attack our thinking processes, getting us mentally and spiritually off balance.

James reminds us that the demons believe in God (James 2:19). There are no agnostics in Satan's ranks! He is not above twisting the truth to confuse us. In fact, Scripture-twisting is one of his favorite tactics.

By what he wrote in today's text, we know how much Paul valued a God-centered mind. You can't set your mind on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable when you are anxious and troubled, so Paul prescribes prayer as the antidote (Phil. 4:6).

When we pray, we find new help in spiritual warfare. The ""peace of God...will guard your hearts and your minds"" (v. 7). The Greek word for ""guard"" is a military term, meaning ""to do garrison duty."" God's peace will watch over your mind.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The qualities in Philippians 4:8 that should characterize our thinking are worth reflecting on today.

Here's a suggested exercise to help you do so. List the six qualities on the left side of a piece of paper. On the opposite side, try to list what occupies your mind during an average week: reading material, TV, radio, work, hobbies, and family time. You should come up with quite a list!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The story of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's conversion to Christ in a Siberian prison camp is a remarkable testimony to the truth of today's text. Solzhenitsyn was being examined one day by a fellow prisoner, a Jewish physician who had been won to Christ by the example of another prisoner. Noticing the misery in Solzhenitsyn's eyes, the doctor told him his story, including his faith in Christ. Solzhenitsyn came to faith through the doctor's testimony and survived to tell the world about the power of the spirit over human evil.

What an incredible example of waging war by the weapons of the Holy Spirit! When His people call on Him, no prison or army can lock out the Word and the power of God. Aside from the description of our spiritual armor in Ephesians 6 (which we will study beginning tomorrow), today's passage may be the most critically important on this month's topic.

We don't have to guess about the context because Paul sets the stage for us. He is talking about waging war, using weapons, and demolishing enemy strongholds.

The King James Version helps us here, because ""flesh"" is a better rendering than ""world"" in verses 3-4. Paul is saying that although we live in human bodies, we don't wage war according to human standards. Our weapons are those of the Spirit, so they have His power behind them. These are the only weapons great enough to bring down ""strongholds.""

What is a stronghold? Moody Press author Jim Logan, in his book Reclaiming Surrendered Ground, explains that strongholds are the fortresses Satan builds in our lives when we give him a foothold, a piece of ground on which to build.

How does Satan gain a foothold in our hearts and minds? We give him ground when we sin and refuse to forsake our sin or when we believe his lies. Satan is a master builder. He doesn't need much ground on which to erect his strongholds. And once they are in place, they give the enemy a ""headquarters"" from which to carry on his activities.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The principles found in these few verses are so important that we could spend all week exploring their implications.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 6:10-12
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Armor in its various forms was a major component of military strategy and warfare for many centuries. Animal skins and metals such as bronze and steel protected warriors from the earliest days of recorded history. But according to one source, the invention of firearms made armor obsolete. Armor that was strong enough to protect the wearer against gunfire was so heavy that it became impractical.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are facing some pretty heavy firepower, the ""fiery darts"" of Satan (Eph. 6:16, KJV). We can be grateful that the armor God gives us with which to combat and defeat Satan will never weigh us down while giving us divine protection!

Today we begin a three-day study of the classic biblical text on spiritual warfare. Paul's exhortation to put on the full armor of God suggests that we do in fact have a battle to fight and that we have supernatural resources with which to do it.

Notice that our strength and power for warfare are found in the Lord (v. 10). We're not guerrilla warriors on our own out in the jungle, fighting and surviving by our wits. And this is a good thing, because none of us can match wits with the devil and expect to win.

Even though we may not fight as guerrillas, the devil's schemes often resemble guerrilla tactics such as hit-and-run movements and sneak attacks. Satan seldom hits believers with blatant, frontal attacks. These are so obvious that we can sometimes defend ourselves against them.

Whatever strategy the enemy may use, our battle with the spiritual forces of evil is very real. One of the objections often raised against studying a topic such as spiritual warfare is that it amounts to little more than ""looking for a demon behind every bush.""
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today is Memorial Day, a time when we honor those who have worn the ""armor"" of our nation's military and have died defending our freedoms.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 6:13-15
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TODAY IN THE WORD
We observed yesterday that as weapons became increasingly destructive, armor gradually disappeared from the world's battlefields. While that's true, we want to add that we still have some of armor's modern cousins with us today. A police officer's bullet-proof vest is one example, as are the helmets and pads worn by athletes in sports, including football and ice hockey.

The purpose of protection that gave rise to armor has been adapted to the needs of various ""warriors"" today. Our spiritual armor is perfectly suited to us, too. There isn't one unnecessary piece or an ounce of coverage we don't need. That's because the designer of our armor is the Lord Himself.

In verse 13 Paul repeats our primary responsibility in warfare: to ""put on the full armor of God"" (see v. 11). Wearing the armor our almighty God has designed, we are called to take our stand. His armor is meant to protect us in active battle, not to prop us up.

Today's text covers a good portion of the Christian's armor. The ""belt of truth"" pictures the belt that held all the pieces of a Roman soldier's armor together. Last Saturday we learned about the power that God's truth has to defend and protect us. Since lies are Satan's weapon of choice, the truth of God's Word is indispensable in our spiritual warfare.

The breastplate protected a soldier's heart. Because we are covered in the righteousness of Christ, no ""flaming arrow"" of the enemy can attack our relationship with Him. Our hearts are secure in Christ!

The third piece of armor we need to put on is footwear that gets us ready for travel. In Romans 10:15 Paul talks about the ""beautiful feet"" of those who bring the gospel to others (see Isa. 52:7).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We hope that throughout this month we have conveyed this crucially important truth: Satan is the one ""on the run"" in spiritual warfare, not us. And he has already lost the war.

The elements of the armor we have studied today reflect this truth. We have God's truth that no force on earth or in hell can deny. Our salvation is secure in Christ. And we are prepared for action by the ""shoes"" of the gospel.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Ephesians 6:16-18
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Jonathan Edwards, the great preacher and theologian we heard from earlier this month, was a scholar whose keen mind deserves a place among the most influential leaders of the Christian church. One secret to Edwards's ministry was the way he wielded ""the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."" He spent as many as 13 hours a day in Bible study and sermon preparation.

Talk about a well-prepared spiritual warrior! Jonathan Edwards did not wait for the enemy to carry the battle to him. Whether in the pulpit or in the study, he went on the offensive with the Spirit's sword.

Men and women such as Jonathan Edwards are examples worth imitating, even if we are worlds apart from them in time and culture. The armor of God fits every believer no matter what our generation or situation.

Today we finish putting on the full armor of God that Paul lays out for us. Aren't you thankful for the shield of faith? Without it, we would be spiritual ""target practice"" for Satan's ""flaming arrows."" Even in the case of Job, Satan could not penetrate that patriarch's shield of faith.

The helmet of salvation completes the armor we are to put on. Like the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet speaks of the spiritual protection afforded us by our salvation. With our minds and hearts covered in this way, we are ready for the enemy's attacks of doubt and disbelief.

The sword was the main offensive weapon of the well-equipped Roman soldier. It's an appropriate image for the Word of God, which is even sharper than a sword (Heb. 4:12). The same weapon that destroys our foe also cuts into our own lives, but for the purpose of healing and blessing. Only God could design such a sword!
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Now that all of our armor is in place, it's time for an inspection.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: James 4:7-10
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TODAY IN THE WORD
When the Soviet Union decided to put nuclear missile sites in Cuba in 1962, attorney general Robert Kennedy called it the worst crisis since World War II. President John Kennedy, in a grim speech on October 22, warned that any ships bound for Cuba with nuclear weapons would be turned back. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev sent his ships toward Cuba anyway, and the world awaited Armageddon. But the United States held firm, and the Soviets withdrew the missiles.

The Cuban missile crisis gives us a pretty good picture of what Satan attempts to do in our lives. He tries to bring his weapons into close range, from where he can launch an attack on us. But when we resist him, he has to turn his ships around. He has no other choice.

For many of us, James 4 is familiar territory. Resisting Satan's temptations and lies is one of the most fundamental weapons of daily Christian living available to us.

In many ways, we are like the neighborhood runt who can stand on the street corner and wave his fist at the local bully because he has his father standing behind him. Even the weakest believer on his or her knees is stronger than all the armies of hell.

There's nothing mysterious about resisting Satan. Notice that James does not tell us to go looking for the devil so we can engage him in a contest of wits or wills. We are to resist his advances, not invite them. James tells us to draw near to God, not to temptation. The focus is on prayer, repentance and holy living.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
James 4 gives us a solid strategy for building the kind of life that can successfully resist Satan's opposition.

First, we are urged to submit to God and to humble ourselves before Him. This is an inner attitude of humility that recognizes His Lordship over us and relies on His power for our daily living.

Second, we must deal seriously with sin. As we have learned, any time we harbor sin in our hearts we are giving Satan a piece of territory on which to build a stronghold.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
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TODAY IN THE WORD
One of the more unusual political parties in American history was a group called the ""Know-Nothing Party."" Made up of members of certain secret societies, the party flourished for a few years before the Civil War. Meetings were held in secret, and the ideas that the Know-Nothings promoted were never openly discussed. Their standard answer to a question was, ""I don't know,"" giving the group its nickname. When the Know-Nothings split over the slavery issue in the 1856 election, the party soon disappeared.

Being a know-nothing in politics is probably of no use to anyone. So why was Paul ""resolved to know nothing"" when he came to Corinth for the first time ""except Jesus Christ and Him crucified""? Since ""being a know-nothing"" is a sound strategy for spiritual warfare, we need to answer this question.

Let's start with what Paul did not mean. He was not saying that when he came to Corinth, he was determined to bury his head in the sand and ignore everything that was going on around him. Paul's two letters to the Corinthians show that he was very much concerned with events in their city.

Our text explains what Paul did mean. He did not want the Corinthians' faith to rest upon the persuasive power and eloquence of his preaching. Instead, Paul desired that Christ alone take center stage in his preaching and in the lives of his converts. He didn't want to talk people into believing something just because he made it sound good.

After all, anything that someone can talk you into, someone else can talk you out of. That's why we suggest that the heart attitude of knowing nothing but Christ, a humble desire to make Him preeminent, is a good strategy for spiritual warfare.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
We hope that you are now firmly convinced that when it comes to spiritual warfare, you are on the winning side, not on the defensive.

But absolute confidence in Christ and His power is different from the kind of presumption that assumes we are immune to spiritual failure. We don't have to tremble before the enemy, but neither can we afford to become cocky and assume we are above stumbling.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Deuteronomy 3:18-22
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Iraq's military forces rolled into the tiny kingdom of Kuwait on August 12, 1990, effectively swallowing that nation and triggering the Gulf War. Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had been warned for weeks not to invade Kuwait, but he refused to take the warnings seriously. But when the forces of the multi-nation ""Desert Storm"" coalition arrived and when President George Bush announced, ""The liberation of Kuwait has begun,"" everything changed.

When a vastly superior force joins the battle, things change, whether in earthly or in spiritual warfare. For the Christian, things always change when the Lord joins the battle. That was the promise Moses made to the people of Israel as they prepared to conquer Canaan. When the Lord your God fights for you, the outcome is assured. We want to leave you with this encouraging note as we wrap up the month.

The setting of Deuteronomy 3 is an interesting one. Two of the tribes of Israel, Reuben and Gad, along with the half tribe of Manasseh (v. 13) had settled on the eastern side of the Jordan River (the area known as Transjordan). Moses was upset with the arrangement at first, thinking the people would defect and not come to help their brother Israelites conquer Canaan.

But the men of these tribes promised to help when the need arose (Num. 32:16-19). Now it was time for them to keep their promise. Moses rallied them with the reminder that they were going into battle under the banner of the Lord's blessing and protection.

Someone may say, ""Well, if the Lord is going to fight my battles for me, I guess that means I can relax."" Not exactly. The men of Reuben, Gad and Manasseh still had to pick up their weapons and fight, but they weren't out there on their own.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
David told the Philistine giant Goliath that he was a beaten foe, because ""the battle is the Lord's"" (1 Samuel 17:47).

If you sometimes feel like a shepherd boy facing a giant when it comes to dealing with the devil, join the club! The enemy uses fear, discouragement and intimidation against all of us. That's how he fights.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Chronicles 29:26-30
The Lord is my light and my salvation–whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life–of whom shall I be afraid? - Psalm 27:1
TODAY IN THE WORD
Space Services, based in Houston, is selling opportunities to send the ashes of deceased loved ones into orbit. Cost depends on weight and can range from $995 to $5,300. Despite the high price, it seems to be a popular option; for example, one rocket last February carried the remains of 125 people from half a dozen countries. Aluminum canisters carrying the ashes go up as part of a rocket's payload, then orbit the earth for about ten years before burning up on reentry.

David had a better destination in mind for himself after death. He and Solomon may actually have been co-regents for a brief time, but he died relatively shortly after his son's coronation. He had been king of Israel for forty years (about 1010-970 B.C.), including 33 over the entire nation from his capital city of Jerusalem. He had enjoyed a long life, earned great wealth, and achieved much for his people. These were not the only measures of success, as 1 Chronicles as a whole has already made clear—the spiritual dimensions were far more important. Perhaps the best summary of David's life was written by himself: “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” (Ps. 27:1).

Ezra, the probable author, retold the story of David's life as a way to encourage the returned exiles with proof of God's guidance and lovingkindness in their national history. The themes of victory when one is on the Lord's side and seeking His glory through worship emerge as key. Along the way, we also learn that anyone can sin and be forgiven: David's attempts to bring the Ark to Jerusalem were surely a consolation to those who knew that the Exile had come about because of their sin. Now they needed to regather at the temple and through faith and obedience get right with God again.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
To conclude this month's study, pray that your heart will be prepared for next month's devotions. From the life of David, we move to the life of the Son of David, that is, 1 Chronicles today will give way to the Gospel of Luke tomorrow. Our prayer is that studying these two books back-to-back will illuminate both in stimulating and unique ways, leading all our readers to a renewed understanding of our year's theme: “Every Good and Perfect Gift: God Supplies Our Needs.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: John 14:1-3
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TODAY IN THE WORD
For anyone who has visited Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, the encounter there with America's beginnings is unforgettable. But Colonial Williamsburg did not suddenly appear as it is today. The town is the result of a massive building project, an effort of restoration and preservation that took more than six decades and involved the restoration or reconstruction of more than 500 buildings.

As we read in today's Scripture passage, Jesus Christ has undertaken an extensive, heavenly ""building project"" on our behalf; and it is truly a labor of love. On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus reassured His distressed disciples that even though He was about to leave them, they would be with Him again one day.

In reassuring the disciples, Jesus told them He was returning to heaven, which He called ""my Father's house"" (v. 2), to prepare it for them--and for us! As we begin our study this month, a look at what the Bible says about heaven, hell and eternal destiny, we do well to remember our Lord's comforting promise.

In the first half of this month, we will consider some fascinating and enlightening passages from the Old and New Testaments concerning heaven. We will also study some other biblical names for heaven, a description of our future home, and the activities of heaven.

Since God's Word balances the reality of heaven with the reality of hell, we also need to understand what the Bible teaches about hell. To do that, we will examine key texts which teach a truth that many people have chosen to ignore: the fact of eternal punishment for those who refuse Christ.

Then during the final week of March, leading into Easter, we will return to the subject of heaven, focusing on the glorious future God has for those who love Him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Most homes have a favorite room--the place where the family always seems to gather for good times and conversation.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Psalm 24:7-10; Isaiah 66:1-2
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TODAY IN THE WORD
""The largest land empire the world has ever seen"" is the way one writer describes the vast area across Asia that was conquered by the Mongol hordes of the early thirteenth century. Riding out of their homeland, these huge armies swept east and south to conquer everything in their path. They were led by a remarkable ruler who was given the title Genghis Khan, which means ""universal ruler.""

Every earthly empire, it seems, tries to extend its borders as far as warfare, diplomacy or economics will permit. And every empire seeks to elevate its leaders by giving them exalted titles that suggest absolute power and authority.

But there is only one all-encompassing throne, and only one universal Ruler. ""The Lord Almighty--He is the King of glory"" declares the psalmist (Ps. 24:10). One of the most important truths we need to know about heaven is that above all else, heaven is the exalted place from which God rules over His creation.

The Bible does not give us an exact location for heaven. But biblical language makes it clear that by any standard of measurement, heaven is far above the earth. That truth is clearly evident in the incredible word-picture God gives us in Isaiah 66.

To the Lord the earth is a ""footstool,"" a place, speaking metaphorically, on which to prop His feet. This imagery doesn't suggest that God is indifferent or callous toward earth and its inhabitants, as if He were an inattentive monarch. Instead, the picture is one of rulership and majesty.

In fact, as we will see next Sunday, God is anything but an uninvolved ruler. He inhabits heaven's throne not only as King, but also as Judge. God is ever watchful over His subjects, both those who are in rebellion against Him and those who obey Him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The fact that heaven is God's throne as well as our future home should comfort us when things seem out of control.

When you have a need or a worry, who better to bring it to than the King of heaven? In Philippians 4:6, Paul urges us to bring our requests to God in a spirit of thanksgiving.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Isaiah 6:1-7
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TODAY IN THE WORD
According to a report on the history of the automobile, the boom in the fast food industry may be explained largely by the car's entrance into American daily life. The first ""carhops"" appeared in the 1930s, allowing people to eat without leaving their cars. Then in the 1970s some restaurants tested the idea of ""drive-through"" service. The new service was a big hit with people who were too busy to park and eat, let alone sit at a table.

Drive-through service, cell phones, beepers and other time-saving devices say a lot about a culture that always seems to be in a hurry. Unfortunately, as Dr. Tony Evans points out, this ""hurry up and get it"" mentality has invaded the church.

The result is that many Christians want their worship the way they want their hamburgers. They want to drive up to church, grab an hour of worship, and drive off--what Dr. Evans calls ""drive-through worship.""

Nothing could be more opposed to this mentality than the awe-inspiring heavenly scene before us today. The vision Isaiah saw would bring the busiest ""drive-through worshiper"" screeching to a halt. In Isaiah 6, the curtain is pulled back on the never-ending worship of God that fills heaven.

There is a lot happening in this chapter of Scripture. One purpose of Isaiah's vision was to commission him for service (see vv. 8-13). Another purpose was to reveal God's holiness and worthiness to be worshiped. Today, we want to step back and take in the incredible scene the prophet describes.

We learn much about heaven in these few verses. For instance, God's throne is in the heavenly temple, which, as we will learn later this month, served as the pattern for the earthly temple. We also catch a glimpse of the ceaseless worship that the angels of heaven render to God (v. 3, cf. Rev. 4:, and we can almost feel the ""doorposts and thresholds"" of the temple shaking.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Is your worship being offered to God on His terms and timetable, or has it become a ""drive-through experience""?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 8:22-27
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Government officials in China are tired of construction companies using names that promise features their buildings don't deliver. For instance, Beijing officials want developers to stop calling their apartment buildings ""gardens"" when there are no plants in sight. A complex that wants to call itself a ""plaza"" must now have an open area of at least 2ꯠ square meters that can be considered a plaza. And in a big city, a building must have at least 18 floors before it can use the name ""tower.""

The Chinese are attempting to enforce ""truth in advertising,"" a difficult task indeed. Marketing concerns aside, there's something to be said for accuracy and clarity when it comes to naming one's creations. God was very accurate and clear when He labeled His universe.

The Bible distinguishes between ""heaven"" and ""the heavens,"" the atmosphere around us and the regions of interstellar space. In his great prayer at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem, Solomon drew on this distinction when he said that neither ""the heavens"" nor the ""highest heaven"" could contain God (v. 27).

The apostle Paul made a similar distinction when he described a man's experience (probably his own) of being caught up in a vision and shown the glories of the ""third heaven"" (2 Cor. 12:2). Without a doubt, what Paul saw was heaven, the dwelling place of God (cf. 1 Kings 8:39). Nothing else could fit Paul's description of scenes too wonderful to tell.

If God's dwelling place is the ""third heaven,"" what are the other two heavens that Paul's statement assumes? Bible teachers are generally agreed that the writers of Scripture considered the earthly sky as the first heaven, while the recesses of space make up the second heaven.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Since our great God fills heaven and earth and everything in between, you are never separated from His presence.

If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, that truth ought to be an encouragement to you today. Saying you are in God's presence is another way of saying you are the object of His continual care and concern.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 4:1-11
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TODAY IN THE WORD
When a teenager named David Thompson first arrived in western Canada in 1784, few had explored the region. The map was largely a blank.

Thompson learned surveying from a mentor at the Hudson Bay Company, and the local Indians taught him wilderness survival. Years later, those skills became critical to Thompson as he set out on foot, by canoe, and on horseback to map out western Canada, an immense piece of work for which he traveled more than 80ꯠ miles and kept meticulous journals.

No one else has ""mapped out"" heaven as thoroughly as did the apostle John in the book of Revelation. And nowhere in that book was his description of heaven more detailed than in the great vision recorded in today's text.

Here in one chapter is an unparalleled ""look behind the door"" of heaven (v. 1). Once again we find that the center of heaven's attention and worship is the throne and the One seated on it.

John did not name this One, but we know that only God is worthy of the titles and worship given here. John describes what he sees in terms of the colors and appearances of precious stones, suggesting the majesty and glory of God.

In Isaiah 6 we saw that an order of angels called ""seraphs"" worship God. Here we meet two more groups of heavenly beings, the ""twenty-four elders"" and the ""four living creatures."" Since John does not identify them further, we cannot be precise about their origin; but their function is clear--they are created to worship God.

John's report of lightning and thunder coming from the throne reminds us of the awesome and holy, even terrifying, presence of God. This scene is reminiscent of the giving of the Law, when God came down to Mount Sinai to meet with Moses (Exod. 19:16-22).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Are you getting the picture that we serve a holy God? No sin of any kind will be allowed to defile His heaven.

Holiness is God's will for us too (1 Pet. 1:15-16). We can be holy because our God has credited the holiness of Jesus Christ to our account and because we have the Holy Spirit living within us to empower us for holy living.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Corinthians 5:1-8; Philippians 1:21-2
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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Today's lesson reminds us of the ""great cloud of witnesses"" cheering us on from heaven's grandstand (Heb. 12:1).

We are not told precisely what these heavenly witnesses know of earth's activities, or in what way they urge us on. But the point is clear. The knowledge that others have run the Christian race before us should give us renewed energy for our race.