For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

Some of the Daily Devotioners have never been involved in an auto accident. The same cannot be said of a man from Utah named Navid Monjazeb. In the five-year period covering 2010 to 2015, Monjazeb has been in no less than 22 accidents.

Well, that's not exactly correct.

While Monjazeb has been in 23 auto crashes, none of them were accidents.

According to the director of the Utah State's Fraud Division, Monjazeb is "an opportunistic person, looking for opportunities to crash his vehicle into others or to position his vehicle in such a manner that he puts himself in a blind spot." More than that, Monjazeb rigged his cars so that, when bumped, pieces would fall off. If the damage after the "accident" wasn't bad enough, he would take matters into his own hands and get creative by adding more dents to his jalopy.

After his accidents, Monjazeb would try to intimidate the other drivers and get them to pay him cash to cover the damages. Almost always he tried to get his victims to sign a paper saying the accident was all their fault. Then, armed with their confession, he would go to the insurance companies and try to collect on his damaged vehicle. Although Monjazeb gets an F for morality, ethics and care for his neighbor, he has to get a C+ for creativity.

Do you think the C+ is too low? I don't.

I don't because Monjazeb is an amateur in doing dark deeds. The real professionals in messing up humanity are the ones Paul mentions in our text for today. You know, the rulers, the authorities, the cosmic powers, the spiritual forces of evil. These guys really know how to give us problems.

Remember how those forces took Adam and Eve's desire to be wise like God and caused them to sin. Recall how they took Cain's offering to the Lord and used it as a cause for murder, or Abraham's love for his son to drive a wedge between the patriarch and his Lord. Of course, there is Peter's desire for self-preservation, which showed itself in his three-time denial the night Jesus was arrested, tried and condemned.

Truly, we humans don't have much hope when we are targeted by these forces of darkness.

This is why we need the Savior. Jesus resisted the temptations of these evil powers and refused their invitations to sin. The success of His sacrifice was proven by His third-day resurrection from the dead.

Now, because of all the Christ has done, we who have been called to faith can give "thanks to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57).

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, the hymn rightly says, "I am weak, but You are strong." May this day be spent giving thanks for, and relying upon, the invitation to call upon You in the day of trouble (see Psalm 50:15). This I ask in the Savior's Name. Amen.

P.S. - Monjazeb is facing charges of reckless endangerment in addition to insurance fraud.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Genesis 49-50    Matthew 23:23-29

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