Nov 08 2024

Today's Bible Verse

And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

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In this verse from 2 Kings, the prophet Elisha comforts his servant, who was afraid of an approaching army. While the army of the enemy nation may seem strong, it was no comparison for the heavenly army—consisting of horses and chariots of fire—surrounding Elisha and his servant. Today, we'll talk about how the Lord is with us, fighting for us and giving us strength in ways that we do not even know.

Have you ever felt like you were in an impossible situation? Elisha and his servant certainly did. They knew that if the army attacked, they would be dead. The natural response to this feeling is fear, which is what Elisha's servant felt. He knew that without intervention from God Himself, they would soon meet their end.

But God was already intervening on their behalf. Even as the enemy army approached, a heavenly army was preparing to meet them. Elisha and his servant were surrounded by a host of divine warriors; their enemies could not even get close to them. Indeed, as they approached, Elisha prayed that the army would be struck with blindness, upon which they abandoned their conquest.

This verse teaches us that God is fighting for us in ways that we often cannot see. Elisha knew about the heavenly army before he saw them—he believed without seeing, whereas the servant needed to see in order to believe that God was protecting them. We can choose to be like Elisha: relying on faith even in situations that seem impossible. Even when we cannot see how God is working on our behalf, we can have faith that He is.

The next time you become fearful about something, think back to this verse. Remember that God is always working behind the scenes. If you are struggling to believe, take a moment to pray as Elisha did for his servant, asking God to help you see. Make the decision to lean into faith instead of fear, submitting to God and knowing that He loves you and is fighting for you always.

Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, thank you for being my strength. When I feel as though I cannot go on, you sustain me. Your name is more powerful than my fears. Help me to rest in you and to remember you always. In Jesus' name, amen.

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Nov 07 2024

Yesterday's Bible Verse

Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.:

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Yesterday's Bible study

In today's verse, Peter tells Christians who have been exiled throughout Asia Minor to have hope. Even though they are suffering, they can have joy and peace in the Lord. They can have hope that a full experience of grace and redemption will come upon Jesus' return and that, in the meantime, they can prepare their hearts and minds.

What does it mean to gird up your mind and be sober? For Peter, it meant to have the right mindset. Rather than dwelling on their own suffering as if it were interminable, he wanted the exiles to find solace and hope in the truths they knew about Jesus. He didn't want them to be disillusioned or frustrated, becoming discouraged when it seemed as if God was not working. Instead, they needed to focus on serving God right where they were, keeping their minds on Christ at all times.

The ultimate reason for their hope was future restoration. They had already experienced the grace of God through the forgiveness of their sins. Now, they had the revelation of Jesus Christ to look forward to. They would see Him when they died and they would dwell with Him forever. In addition, they could look forward to Jesus' return to Earth. They had hope for their futures with the Lord!

We are much like those exiles. We all have our own reasons to become discouraged or frustrated; we all have, at some point, experienced the struggle of making the decision to honor God with our thoughts despite the temptation to succumb to negative emotions. We can return to Jesus again and again, intentionally reflecting on the truths that we know about Him. We will see Jesus, He has defeated death, and one day we will dwell with Him in a new kingdom. All these reasons help us establish an unwavering hope in our God.

Yesterday's Prayer

Dear Lord, help me to keep my eyes on Jesus and hope in Him every day of my life. I want to honor you, Lord, and I want to serve you well. Give me wisdom and peace as I live for you in a world that does not know you. I love you, Jesus, and I thank you for everlasting hope and life in you. In your name, amen.


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