Some days God the Holy Spirit seems to compensate for my emotional and spiritual tiredness. Some days I seem to float through the day unaware of the pitfalls and perils all around me. It's almost like being on spiritual anti-depressants – as if God in his mercy – seeing my plight has decided to numb me to the presence and influence of the enemy. Today has been such a day. I've managed to get a lot done, caught up with administration, answered emails, made phone calls – generally caught up with everything. The devil has been barking at me from a distance but God seems to have encased me in a bubble which the enemy can't penetrate. Today I remembered to put my spiritual armour on – I try and do this every day but sometimes I forget. Maybe it was that act of spiritual self defence that protected me. On reflection it almost certainly was; thank you Jesus for the provision of such wonderful and practical resources.
Today's bible readings: Hosea 10:1 to 11:11
Can't help but think of The Salvation Army and its current state of rebellion when I read the following verses from Hosea 11:
1 "When Israel was a child, I loved him,
and out of Egypt I called my son.
2 But the more I called Israel,
the further they went from me.
They sacrificed to the Baals
and they burned incense to images.
3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk,
taking them by the arms;
but they did not realize
it was I who healed them.
4 I led them with cords of human kindness,
with ties of love;
I lifted the yoke from their neck
and bent down to feed them.
Psalm 89:1-13,
6 For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD ?
Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?
7 In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared;
he is more awesome than all who surround him.
8 O LORD God Almighty, who is like you?
You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.
Romans 8:8:39
Do you not agree with me that Romans chapter 8 stands at the heart of the bible like some great industrial generator – masses of metaphorical steel and concrete, huffing and puffing with power beyond comprehension, ceaselessly driving the whole gospel forward!
The spirit of God actually prays for us – using our feeble words and groans!
"26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will."
Everything that happens to me God can take and use to our mutual benefit!
"28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."
In Jesus Christ I am irrepressible!
"37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Thank you Jesus – Hallelujah and Amen!
Grace and peace, A
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