Ephesians 6:12 – Who is Your Enemy?

“For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Have you ever wondered where you actual enemies were? It’s not the backstabbing coworker or the troublemaker on the playground. This memory verse reminds us that our true enemies are unseen, evil spirits. How does that make you feel? We’re likely to feel uneasy, to the say the least, when we realize that we’re powerless over something we cannot see.

Context: Paul wrote to the Ephesians about these invisible enemies to make a point about God’s power. Again we look at the armor of God as our protection, and this verse explains why it is so important that we allow God to be our defender. For foes such as are described in our verse, we definitely need more than our own power. Continue reading “Ephesians 6:12 – Who is Your Enemy?”

Numbers 21:21-35 – Fighting our Battles

Read Numbers 21:21-35

The pattern of God protecting his people and fighting their battles continues here. The Israelites are marching their way through foreign lands on their way to the Promised Land. Two more kingdoms have now fallen as a result of God’s hand of protection.

I never like to dwell on the reality that lots of people died in these verses. Why does it somehow seem okay because that’s what God allowed to happen? It was a means to an end. God’s people were granted victories over these ruling kings because of God’s power, that’s what God wanted them to see. Continue reading “Numbers 21:21-35 – Fighting our Battles”

Ezekiel 35:1-14 – Edom’s Turn

Read Ezekiel 35:1-14

There are some nuggets in this reading for me! While it is definitely a passage of judgment against Edom, it can be an encouragement to the LORD’s people of Judah and Israel. The LORD saw all the bullying and resulting devastation because of Edom’s hand on the LORD’s people. It’s one thing for the LORD to punish his children, quite another for an outsider like Edom.

With all that is going on in the world, it’s good to get an approximation of the geographical location of the people to whom this prophecy is addressed. The Edomites, and particularly Mr. Seir, are both mentioned. As I understand it, Mt. Seir was part of the mountainous range south of the Dead Sea along the border between Israel and Jordan, and perhaps as far south as Elath on the Northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. It was likely a traditional stop along the route to Mt. Sinai.

Continue reading “Ezekiel 35:1-14 – Edom’s Turn”

Ezekiel 34:1-10 – Not Really Shepherds

Read Ezekiel 34:1-10

I don’t think I’ve ever met a shepherd, or one who herds sheep, in person. I’ve commonly seen goat herders and cow wranglers here in Mexico, but never a shepherd. They would have been a lot more common in Ezekiel’s day. The Bible uses the shepherd metaphor in other places as well. The 23^rd Psalm begins, “The LORD is my shepherd, I have all that I need.”

Shepherds were some of the first people to meet Jesus face to face. That tells me that God thinks highly of shepherds, perhaps because of their devotion to their flocks. God’s expectations for a shepherd’s behavior is clearly set out here. Feeding the sheep, tending to the weak, caring for the sick, and certainly searching after any sheep that get lost. Continue reading “Ezekiel 34:1-10 – Not Really Shepherds”

2 Chronicles 32:1-8 – All Hands on Deck

Read 2 Chronicles 32:1-8

If you were wondering whether King Hezekiah could do no wrong, what’s the answer now? Even under the pressure of attack or threat of one, the King was encouraging the rest of his followers to have faith in God. That’s a rather bold move from a faith standpoint. For Hezekiah, he seemed fearless because of his unfailing confidence in God’s provision. I’m not necessarily feeling fearless these days. Hezekiah gets it right!

In Hezekiah’s own words to encourage his people, he said this about the opposition. “He may have a great army, but they are merely men. We have the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles for us!” Can you imagine what it was like to have such words of faith coming from your ruling king? Imagine! And the uplifting message giving hope. We all face battles in our lives every day. How much different they look when we let Jesus lead us. Continue reading “2 Chronicles 32:1-8 – All Hands on Deck”