Morning, December 10
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Bible League: Living His Word
And take. . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

What is the purpose of the word of God? No doubt it has many purposes. II Timothy 3:16-17 says that "it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Other passages from the Bible could be cited in order to add items to the list.

Our verse for today is one of them. It says that the word of God is a weapon. Metaphorically, it is a sword. This is because it is not for use against flesh and blood, "but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12). Of all the armor of God listed in Ephesians Chapter 6 – the "shield of faith" and the "helmut of salvation" are two of them – it is the only offensive weapon.

The sword is "the sword of the Spirit." This refers to the fact that the word of God was given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It also refers to the fact that the word of God is the most effective weapon against our spiritual enemies. The shield of faith protects us against "the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Ephesians 6:16), but the sword of the Spirit puts the wicked one and his henchmen to flight. We definitely need the defensive pieces of armor to protect us, but it is the sword of the Spirit that does damage to the enemy.

Like a sword in battle, the word of God must be wielded. It is not just for ceremonial use; it is not just to make the one who bears it look good. It is best wielded when spoken out loud against the forces of darkness that attack us. If they attack us with serious illness, for example, we can say "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD" (Psalm 118:17). If they attack us with a thorny financial situation, we can say "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). The sword of the Spirit is effective for use against any attack of the enemy.

Don't just stand there anymore. Don't just take the shots of the enemy. Take up the sword of the Spirit and do some damage.

Bible in a Year
Old Testament Reading
Hosea 5-8


Hosea 5 -- Judgments against the Priests, People, and Princes for Their Manifold Sins

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Hosea 6 -- Exhortations to Repent; Israel's Refusal

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Hosea 7 -- Ephraim's Iniquity

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Hosea 8 -- Israel Will Reap the Whirlwind

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


New Testament Reading
Revelation 1


Revelation 1 -- John's Greeting to the Seven Churches and Vision on Patmos

  NIV   NLT   ESV   NAS   GWT   KJV   ASV   ERV   DRB


Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library.
Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion
And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.
Insight
If wealth, power, and status mean nothing to God, why do we attribute so much importance to them and so much honor to those who possess them? Do your material possessions give you goals and your only reason for living? If they were gone, what would be left?
Challenge
What you have in your heart, not your bank account, matters to God and endures for eternity.
Morning and Evening by Spurgeon
1 Thessalonians 4:17  So shall we ever be with the Lord.

Even the sweetest visits from Christ, how short they are--and how transitory! One moment our eyes see him, and we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, but again a little time and we do not see him, for our beloved withdraws himself from us; like a roe or a young hart he leaps over the mountains of division; he is gone to the land of spices, and feeds no more among the lilies.

"If today he deigns to bless us

With a sense of pardoned sin,

He to-morrow may distress us,

Make us feel the plague within."

Oh, how sweet the prospect of the time when we shall not behold him at a distance, but see him face to face: when he shall not be as a wayfaring man tarrying but for a night, but shall eternally enfold us in the bosom of his glory. We shall not see him for a little season, but

"Millions of years our wondering eyes,

Shall o'er our Saviour's beauties rove;

And myriad ages we'll adore,

The wonders of his love."

In heaven there shall be no interruptions from care or sin; no weeping shall dim our eyes; no earthly business shall distract our happy thoughts; we shall have nothing to hinder us from gazing forever on the Sun of Righteousness with unwearied eyes. Oh, if it be so sweet to see him now and then, how sweet to gaze on that blessed face for aye, and never have a cloud rolling between, and never have to turn one's eyes away to look on a world of weariness and woe! Blest day, when wilt thou dawn? Rise, O unsetting sun! The joys of sense may leave us as soon as they will, for this shall make glorious amends. If to die is but to enter into uninterrupted communion with Jesus, then death is indeed gain, and the black drop is swallowed up in a sea of victory.

Daily Light on the Daily Path
John 10:29  "My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

2 Timothy 1:12  For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

2 Timothy 4:18  The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Romans 8:37-39  But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. • For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, • nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Colossians 3:3  For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

James 2:5  Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

2 Thessalonians 2:16,17  Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, • comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org.

Evening December 9
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