But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
The salvation story of Jesus Christ reaches around the world. So that the readers of our Daily Devotion may see the power of the Savior on a global scale, we have asked the volunteers of our International Ministry Centers to write our Friday devotions. We pray that the Spirit may touch your day through their words.
In Christ, I remain, His servant and yours,
Kenneth R. Klaus
Speaker of The Lutheran Hour
Life is full of choices. Everyday, we decide dozens of different things - what to wear, what to eat, what to say, what to do. For Christians, it's important that we consider our faith in all these decisions and seek to put Jesus first, no matter what the situation.
It's all too easy to become complacent in our day-to-day affairs and forget that we contend with hostile spiritual forces. The evil one is real and "prowls around," in the words of St. Peter, "like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." Considering that we have an adversary who would gladly rip us to shreds, it only makes sense to put our faith and trust in the One who can guard and keep us from the jaws of the enemy. Through his perfect life, death, and resurrection, Jesus defeated the power of sin, death, and the devil on our behalf.
Now, the devil's play for our souls may not always be as dramatic as a lion tearing apart some unfortunate animal limb from limb. In fact, it's in the smaller battles -- those involving words or thoughts or things unseen -- where the enemy overpowers many an unwary victim.
However, we can be certain the Lord is with us each and every time we are tempted. He is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect us. We can depend on Him in every instance to give us what we need to make godly choices. Just as Jesus Himself invoked the Word of God and defeated Satan's wily temptations by reciting Scripture, so too should we turn to God's Word when faced with temptation.
THE PRAYER: Dear Father, even as Jesus rebuked Satan's vile and worthless temptations, so strengthen us through Your Holy Spirit to do the same. You alone are worthy of our attention and our trust. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.
Biography of Author:
Christie A. Nelson is a missionary in Thailand. In March 1982, God used an open-heart surgery life-and-death experience to mark the beginning of her life of joy and service to the Lord. She has served for one year in the Peace Corps in Ecuador and as lay missionary for five years in Guatemala.
To learn more about our International Ministries, click here or visit www.lhmint.org.
Today's Bible Readings: Ezra 5-7 Revelation 11
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