Yes, it is true. Demons attend church, know Scriptures, know Jesus and they know you. Demons also fear God and believe there is only one God. Are you able to quote Scriptures and do you attend church regularly? Do you study about and know Jesus? Do you have the fear of the Lord?
How do we know demons hang out in religious places? Read Mark 1:23 as an example, “Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out”. The demon who was in the man was in the synagogue. How do we know demons know Scriptures? Satan quoted Scriptures to Jesus during the time of temptation in the desert. Read Matthew 4:1, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, 6 and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect you. And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.”
How do we know demons know who Jesus is, read Mark 1:34, “So Jesus healed many people who were sick with various diseases, and he cast out many demons. But because the demons knew who he was, he did not allow them to speak”. James 2:19 says, “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” Demons believe in one God and have the fear of the Lord.
Let’s pray. Lord, please help us to know You, hold You in reverent awe, to learn and know Scriptures, and to attend church regularly. Lord, help us to grow in You and to be aware of the evil in this earth so we may stand firm. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
There are many situations occurring all around us each and every day that cause chaos. Chaos is defined as complete disorder or confusion. God is not a God of confusion, 1 Corinthians 14:33 says, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. . .” Yet we find ourselves unsure of what will occur day by day and how our lives will be impacted from one minute to the next. How should we behave in chaotic times such as these?
Stand in the truth, God’s word is the only source of truth. In it, we discover the steps on how to live in times of chaos.
Trust in God, not what is going on around us. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6. Submit to Him and he will guide you in the path that you should walk. Focus on what you are doing, saying and how you are behaving. . . we are to show the world Jesus.
Shine His light into a dark and dying world for all to see. “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. 14 “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:11-16
3. Anchor to the peace of Jesus. Jesus promises us that we will have trouble in this world, but we are not to fall into the chaos and confusion like all those around us. We are to anchor to His peace and be courageous, take heart in standing firm in the truth Jesus gave us. “I have told you all this, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.
4. Recall Genesis chapter 1. “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” Genesis 1:1-3. God brings order to chaos, that is what He does…in His time and in His way. When you feel impatient or confused, refer back to step #1.
Let’s pray. Father- Help us not to be confused or discouraged by the current times, or what will occur in the future. Instead, let us trust in Your plan and stand firm in Your word. Give us strength. Help us to pray for those who think differently and stand for things that are contradictory to Your word. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.
Ever since humans were created, we desire to know things. We want wisdom. Eve wanted wisdom, so she took a bite of the fruit. Genesis 3:6 says, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”
Proverbs 8:22 describes who Wisdom is, where she spends her time and how she was created. “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works, before his deeds of old; 23 I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. 24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; 25 before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth 26 before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. 27 I was there when he set the heavens in place, when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, 28 when he established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, 29 when he gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep his command, and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.30Then I was constantly at his side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in his presence,31 rejoicing in his whole world and delighting in mankind.”
Wisdom was there as God created the earth, and before He created humanity, He created her. In God’s word, we are told to pursue Wisdom at all costs and cherish her. Proverbs 4:7 says. “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” And in Proverbs 8:10, “Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.”
What is wisdom as God’s word defines it? Proverbs 9:10 explains wisdom and understanding as, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Fear of the Lord is described in Proverbs 8:13, “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I (Wisdom) hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”
If God’s word says to pursue wisdom at all costs, than why did Eve’s pursuit of wisdom turn out so poorly? Two reasons, the first is what humans think will give wisdom does not always align with God’s word. The second reason is that Eve was pursuing something God told her not to. There are times in life when what we are pursuing is not for us – whether it is intended for someone else or God has told us in His word it is not good for us.
As we choose to invest time, treasure and talent into the pursuit of what we think is wisdom or good for us, we need to pray to God and first seek His Will. All that we have is His and we need to ensure that we are following His purpose and intended use for those gifts.
Let’s pray. Father in heaven, thank You for the gifts You give us – time, treasure and talent. Thank You for the gift of wisdom, Lord help us to know what is the good and true wisdom You would have us pursue. Help us to reject what the enemy may tell us is good for us or wisdom-giving. Give us the wisdom and discernment we need to follow Your path for our lives. In Jesus’ precious name we pray, amen.
There are many wonderful spiritual leaders in the world. If we are blessed, we have amazing Pastors, mentors, husbands, Deacons, Elders and others in our lives. Regardless of how wonderful and smart and close to God those around us are, we must have our own personal relationship with God. We must pray to Him daily and read His Word daily. We cannot and should not solely rely on the spiritual leaders or people in our life to guide us in the same way that God would. I was reading a very familiar set of verses that highlighted this topic for me.
“As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and panicked when they saw the Egyptians overtaking them. They cried out to the Lord, and they said to Moses, “Why did you bring us out here to die in the wilderness? Weren’t there enough graves for us in Egypt? What have you done to us? Why did you make us leave Egypt? Didn’t we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It’s better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!’” But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.” Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.” Exodus 14:10-16 NLT
In the last few verses, Moses tells the people to stand still. But then God tells the people to get moving. While there are many ways we can look at these verses, the point to focus on is that Moses had an incredibly close relationship with God. Yet, perhaps he told the people his opinion or he was just wrong – this is why we need to have our own personal relationship with God. We cannot and should not rely on anyone to have a relationship with God for us, we need to be in daily contact with God. Reading His word, praying to Him, and learning Him to know what He would and would not want us to do as His children.
Let’s pray. Lord, thank You for those in our life that lead us, please give them wisdom and discernment. Help us to not rely on their relationship with You but to build our own relationship with You. Help us to hear You, see You and feel You as we seek You in our daily walk. In Jesus’ precious name, we pray, amen.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we know that the ultimate sacrifice of all of history is the act of Jesus dying on the cross. Jesus chose to lay down His life so that we may be forgiven by His precious blood and able to live with Him in heaven forever. One may wonder as we walk this earth, what is an ultimate scarifice that we can offer to Jesus?
When you lose a loved one, it hurts. I have discovered that somehow it hurts deeper when the loved one is younger or the death is unexpected, tragic. During those times of hurt and pain, may we remember that God is the Comforter. 2 Corinthians 1:3 – 4 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
What if somehow, in those moments of pain, we pray over God’s Word as a source of strength. In Matthew 5:4 Jesus promises, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” May we be able to say to God, I understand that I am going through this pain and You will comfort me so that I can comfort others.
At some point in the future, we will find a new way to move through life without our loved one. This may mean that we are never the same again or that we feel like we are missing a vital organ as we continue our journey on earth. But, we keep going. As we keep going, there will come a time when we will know someone that experiences the unspeakable hurt of losing a loved one. In that moment as we move to comfort another who is grieving, may we be able to put our pain on the altar of sacrifice. Isaiah 40:1 says, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.”
I believe that an example of an ultimate sacrifice that we can offer is fruit for others from our pain. If you are in the midst of pain, know that Jesus will bring you comfort so that you will reach the point of being able to walk with someone else who is in pain.
Let’s pray. May we see that You comfort us so that we can then be a comforter to someone else. Please let us see that our pain has a purpose Lord. Please let our suffering become fruit for someone else and an offering to You. Help us to trust You in the midst of pain and suffering. Bring us comfort so that we may then comfort others. Help us to see Your plan to use our pain. In Jesus’ precious name, we pray, amen.
I had a pile of dirt dropped off in my yard and then had to spread it all around. When the pile of dirt arrived, it was much more than I expected. Nonetheless, I was grateful to have the dirt pile and started working on spreading it. Almost six hours later, I felt like I had barely shoveled any dirt, the pile remained huge. I felt overwhelmed as I went inside for the night as it was too dark to see the dirt pile. The next day, I went outside refreshed by my prayer time in the morning and ready to see what God wanted to teach me.
Lesson #5: There were times when I was tiring out, but when you are weary, stay focused on God. Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” So whether you have enough energy to soar like an eagle or enough energy to run or only enough energy left to walk – God will meet you where you are and give you strength to keep going.
Lesson #6: There were times when I lifted a heavy load of dirt wrong and caused pain in my muscles. Isaiah 26:3 says, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”. During those moments when I did not do something quite right or twisted the wrong way, God was right there to protect me. I had to focus on the blue sky, feel the breeze, be grateful for the dirt and be grateful that I could move and lift and garden. I am so grateful that God protects and loves us always, He is always right there – even in a daily task like shoveling dirt.
Lesson #7: Doing the right thing does not mean there will be no issues. The dirt was going to be disposed of. Instead, I requested that the dirt be dumped in my yard because the dirt came from the same land as mine and in my opinion needed to stay on the land; I thought that was the right thing to do. The lesson here is that just because you are doing the right thing does not mean there will be no issues or problems. In fact, many times when you are trying to do the right thing, there are more problems as the enemy tries to thwart your efforts to do the right thing.
Lesson #8: Pace yourself. Ecclesiastes 9:11 says. “The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle.” Take your time and move at a pace that your body is comfortable with, take breaks and talk to God. Pray and listen to Him versus running yourself ragged. Hebrews 12:1 says, “And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” Notice that this verse says ” with endurance”, not speed.
Lesson #9: If you can, find someone to accompany you in your task. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. 10 For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.” If you can find someone to help you physically with your task or through praying, two are better than one.
Lesson #10: The most important lesson from the dirt pile is a personal one that may also apply to you as we enter a new year. I learned through the dirt pile that God is still talking. He is talking all the time, but sometimes the busyness of this world drowns Him out. As I shoveled dirt for hours, there was nothing to take my attention away from God. I removed myself from the noise of the world, got into nature and just had a conversation with God.
When was the last time you put the phone away, turned off the television, and went to be alone with God? Jesus did. Mark 1:35 says, “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” In this new year, may we spend more time in prayer than we ever have before, may we create time and space to just be with God, the lover of our souls. This new year, there will be hustle and bustle and there will be problems and hurt – that is life. Make a relationship with God your priority every day and you will be filled with a peace that surpasses human understanding.
Let’s pray using Solomon’s prayer of blessings. “Lord God, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below, who keeps the gracious covenant with your servants who walk before you with all their heart. You have fulfilled your promise by your power as it is today. Therefore, Lord God, listen to your servant’s prayer and petition, so that you may hear the cry and the prayer that your servant prays before you today. When your people return to you and praise your name, may you hear in heaven and forgive the sin of your people. When they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and when they return to you with all their heart and all their soul and when they pray to you, may you hear in heaven, their prayer and petition and uphold their cause. May you forgive your people, and may you grant them compassion. May your eyes be open to your servant’s petition and to the petition of your people, listening whenever they call to you.” In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Gardening is a wonderful activity! There’s fresh air, exercise and the chance to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. There are occasions when I underestimate the time commitment needed for gardening, such as how long it takes to plant multiple large trees. Or that two hundred flower bulbs take several hours to plant deep enough and then water. Recently, I had the opportunity to obtain some ‘good’ dirt. Gardners know that there is regular dirt and then there is ‘good’ dirt, which is the kind that makes plants grow better.
This pile of dirt was deposited into my yard and then had to be spread all around. When the pile of dirt was dropped off, it was much more than I expected. Nonetheless, I was grateful to have the dirt pile and started working on spreading it. Almost six hours later, I felt like I had barely shoveled any dirt, the pile remained huge. I felt overwhelmed as I went inside for the night as it was too dark to see the dirt pile.
Lesson #1: The next day, I returned to work on the dirt pile, convinced that I would finish it that day. After a few hours, I stepped back and focused on how much dirt was left to be moved. I started to feel overwhelmed again. I then heard the Holy Spirit say, “Do not focus on what is undone, focus on what has been done.” I went back to work feeling inspired.
Lesson #2: To spread the dirt, I had a shovel, a wheelbarrow and a pitchfork. The wheelbarrow always leans to the left and tips over a lot. I was getting frustrated each time it tipped over spilling dirt in a place that I did not want it. I then heard the Spirit say, “Use the tools you have in the way they work best.” This made me realize that things do not always work as they were made to work. Knowing the wheelbarrow was always going to tip left, I needed to change the way I was using it. I loaded it up heavier on the right and lined it up to dump out the dirt on the left so it would tip easier. This made me think about people. God made each of us with a certain way that we are inclined to work best. Instead of trying to get others to fit into the way I think they should work, I need to to see the way they work as a strength.
Lesson #3: There were times that my back hurt or I felt tired, in those moments I had to realize that it is okay to take a break. The dirt pile will still be there after I take a few minutes to just breathe and pray.
Lesson #4: I learned that working on the same side of the dirt pile did not provide a complete picture. It is good to walk around the situation and take inventory. Consider things from all sides and you may learn something about what you are working on that will make the task easier.
Let’s pray. Father, as we enter into a new year, we pray Solomon’s prayer of blessing.“Blessed be the Lord! Not one of all the good promises He made has failed. May the Lord our God be with us. May He not abandon us or leave us so that He causes us to be devoted to Him, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commands. May all the peoples of the earth know that the Lord is God. There is no other! Be wholeheartedly devoted to the Lord our God to walk in His statutes and to keep His commands, as it is today.” In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Wounded Butterflies 