Let’s face it. It’s war out there. And the battlefields multiply. They are everywhere you turn.
There are battles in our schools, battles in our workplaces, battles on our roadways, and battles in our own homes.
There are battles with our parents, battles with our spouse, battles with our children, and battles with our boss.
There are battles with our health, battles with our finances, battles with our careers, and battles with our relationships.
And most deadly of all, we have battles with the devil, battles with the world, and battles with our own sinful flesh.
But we also have a God — a Savior, Jesus — who gives us a solid place to plant our feet for all these battles. He trains us for life’s battles through the teaching of his word. He provides us a safe fortress to run to, a stronghold in which to hide. He is our shield, our refuge and our deliverer.
He is our confidence, our courage, our hope and our ultimate victory.
No matter what the current battle might be.
“Praise be to the Lord my Rock,
who trains my hands for war,
my fingers for battle.
He is my loving God and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield, in whom I take refuge,
who subdues peoples under me” (Psalm 144:1-2, NIV).
Lord Jesus, I have many battles going on in my life. But with you at my side, I am confident of victory. You train my hands. You provide me a place of refuge. You are my shield and my deliverer. Thank you for all your love, mercy and forgiveness. Grant me especially to obtain victory over the devil, the world and my own sinful flesh.
Our Bible reading for Wednesday, December 16, is Malachi 2:17 – 4:6, Revelation 7:1-17 and Psalm 144:1-8.
Header image based on "Think He Got The Point" by Paul Kitchener, CC By 2.0
pastorjeffgunn 
Our Bible reading for Wednesday, December 16, is Malachi 2:17 – 4:6, Revelation 7:1-17 and Psalm 144:1-8.
Today I’m thankful for… An amazing display of nativity, Angels flying through the air, and an angry moon looming in the sky.
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.””
Revelation 7:9-10 NIV
“I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, “they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. ‘Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat down on them,’ nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’ ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’ ””
Revelation 7:14-17 NIV
Heavenly Father, what great hope you give us in your word. A wonderful promise for all people that are on and have walked the earth. Our salvation rests in you Lord and through faith alone we know the truth. Lord I pray that you protect me and those I love. Times can be tough and I can’t imagine what a tribulation has in store. I know in your grace you can bring us through any trial, any fear. Thank you Lord for the strength that surrounds those who call on your name.
~Paul Montenieri
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