October 23

Standing Firm - Helmet of Salvation 23 by SGLY Ministry

And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, Hebrews 5:9

Jesus is the Helmet of Salvation, therefore we are to put on Christ daily.
When we believed and received Jesus we received eternal salvation for our souls, and much, much, more*

We received the mind of Christ (1 Cor.2:16) and the Holy Spirit who leads us to truth and guides us daily in how to live. Therefore the Helmet represents Christ and though we received Him once as our Savior, we need to receive Him daily as the Lord of our life. Romans 13:14 says: “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh,…”

Prayer: Dear God, thank You for Your Son Jesus, who is the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. I am so thankful I for the day I heard the gospel and believed the truth and received Your free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, as my Savior. Now I want to live each day in unity with Him, as my Lord. Therefore as I put on the Armor I am putting on Jesus because each piece represents Him. That is such an amazing thought!

Today: As you wear the Helmet of Salvation realize that you also have the mind of Christ and the Spirit of Christ. Those are really awesome things to have! Take time to give thanks for those and realize that each piece of Armor that you put on daily is a representation of Christ and it will cover you, protect you, provide for you and keep you grounded in truth.

What amazing blessings we believers have been given! Let’s be sure to give thanks and utilize these blessings for our own provision and also as to give God glory. Have a wonderful day wearing Christ today saints!

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You Are Important!

1 CORINTHIANS 12:22,27 NKJ
22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.

There are NO unnecessary parts in the Body of Christ.

The devil wants you to think your part does not matter, so you will slack off.

But your part IS important. Your prayers are important. Your giving is important. Your witness to others is important.

It is easy to believe a famous person who ministers to thousands is vital in God's plan. But we need to be reminded that every member of the Body of Christ is needed -- including you!

Don't condemn yourself because you aren't doing a job that puts you in the spotlight. Don't worry that no one knows what you are doing. God knows.

Someone witnessed to Billy Graham. Someone prayed for Oral Roberts to be healed of tuberculosis. Do you know their names? God does. What if they hadn't been faithful and obedient to do their part?

What if the person who brought you the Gospel hadn't been obedient?

So, when you are tempted to be discouraged and think what you do doesn't matter -- resist those thoughts!

No one but God may see what you are doing, but it is significant.

Have confidence in God. He knows what He is doing. God placed you where you are. God has a plan and a job for you to do there. Be faithful and do it. When it is time for you to do something else, God will arrange it and lead you out.

Don't try to be somebody else. Just be faithful and obey God where you are.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:22 NLT
22 In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary.

A body may exist without some of its parts functioning, but it cannot accomplish as much as it would otherwise.

Do your part! God thinks it's meaningful. Don't let the devil convince you otherwise.

Maybe all you can do is pray, but that is most important.

Obey God and be faithful where you are. You are needed or God would not have placed you there.

SAY THIS: God says I am necessary and important.

A Bible Devotion

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Waiting In Hope

Thought for the Day

"God is moving through your life right now as you read this. Don't get impatient waiting to see the result of Him moving; you need to remember that He moves in His time, not ours. While you wait, rejoice the good days and try to hang on to hope during the bad days."
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Today's Word

"But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." (Micah 7:7 NIV)
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Today's Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me patience and the hope that a new day is coming as you work through my life. Amen

The Whisper Of God

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Clean The Closet By Joe Stowell

Search me, O God, and know my heart. —Psalm 139:23

To this day I can still hear my mother telling me to go and clean up my room. Dutifully, I would go to my room to start the process, only to get distracted by reading the comic book that I was supposed to put neatly in the stack. But soon the distraction was interrupted by my mother warning that she would be up in 5 minutes to inspect the room. Unable to effectively clean the room in that time, I would proceed to hide everything I didn’t know what to do with in the closet, make the bed, and then wait for her to come in—hoping that she wouldn’t look in the closet.

This reminds me of what many of us do with our lives. We clean up the outside of our lives hoping that no one will look into the “closet” where we have hidden our sins by rationalization and excuses and by blaming others for our own faults.

The problem is that while looking good on the outside, we remain well aware of the mess on the inside. The psalmist encourages us to submit to the cleansing inspection of God: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Ps. 139:23-24). Let’s invite Him to inspect and cleanse every corner of our lives.
Lord, forgive me for looking good on the
outside while attempting to hide my faults and
failings. I desire for You to cleanse my life so
that I may walk with You in full integrity.

We can own up to our wrongs— because we can’t hide them from God anyway.

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God Even Cares About Remotes and Car Keys

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. - John 14:26 NIV 1984

Countless times over the years the Holy Spirit has reminded me where things are that I have misplaced and to do things I have forgotten to do. He has also kept me on the right track by reminding me of what God’s Word says about certain issues at key times of decision in my life.

I learned I could trust God to help with big decisions by taking small needs to Him too. One time we had some family members over and wanted to watch a movie, but we couldn’t find the remote control. We searched everywhere for it, but nothing was producing the remote control. I decided to pray. So silently in my heart I said, Holy Spirit, show me where the remote control is, please. Immediately in my spirit I thought of the bathroom and, sure enough, that’s where it was.

The same thing happened to me concerning my car keys one day when I needed to leave. I was in a time crunch and couldn’t find my keys. I searched frantically to no avail and then decided to pray. In my spirit I saw the keys on the front seat of my car, and that is exactly where they were.

One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit discussed in 1 Corinthians 12 is the word of knowledge. God gave me a word of knowledge about the remote control, as well as the misplaced keys. We can count on the Holy Spirit to remind us of things we need to be reminded of. If we needed no help, we would always perfectly remember everything and never need to be reminded; but if we are honest, we all know that is not the case.

If the Lord cares enough to speak to us about remote controls and lost keys, think how eager He must be to talk to us about more intimate things.

Trust in Him: If you need help learning to trust God with the big decisions in your life, as I did, start by taking your small needs to Him. He cares about all your needs, no matter how insignificant they may seem!

From the book Trusting God Day by Day by Joyce Meyer.

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A Bible Devotion

Imitate God

Did you know that the Bible tells you to imitate God?

It surely does!

EPHESIANS 5:1-2 NIV 1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, 2 just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

No doubt you have seen a child imitating their parent. Sometimes the parent is glad -- sometimes embarrassed.

Just as earthly children imitate their parents, children of God are supposed to imitate their Heavenly Father.

In what way are we to imitate God? Should we try to create planets? (You're probably not quite ready for that! But who knows about the future.)

We are to imitate God by walking in love instead of selfishness. By being givers instead of takers.

SAY THIS: I will imitate God my Heavenly Father, and walk in love.

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Bible Verses

Joshua 1:9 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

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Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

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1 Thessalonians 3:12 – May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

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Ephesians 2:4-5 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

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If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. — James 1:5

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Romans 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

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Prayers

For Joy in God's Creation

O Heavenly Father, who has filled the world with beauty; Open my eyes to behold your gracious hand in all your works; that rejoicing in your whole creation, I may learn to serve you with gladness, faithfully managing your bounty; for the sake of him by whom all things were made, your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

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Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the things I can; and the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time; Enjoying one moment at a time; Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him Forever in the next. Amen.

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Holy God, I pray to be filled with your Holy Spirit for the rest of this day. Let me go forth, walking with your Spirit in my heart, that I may be filled with the joy and energy and praise for your entire creation, thankful in the many gifts you have given me, and showing forth your light in my every word and deed. This I pray in Christ's name, Amen.

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Redeemed

O, my LORD, I give You thanks for You are good! Your mercy endures forever. I am redeemed from the power of darkness and I say so. I cried to You in my trouble, and You delivered me out of my distresses. I thank You for Your goodness, and for Your wonderful works to my children. You satisfiy my longing soul, and fill my hungry soul with goodness. You are my God and I will praise You in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Psalm 107:1-9

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Dear Lord, ... why? Just when I thought I was making some progress in becoming a better Christian, why do I find a house painter who never keeps an appointment on time, who also gets half-way through a job and then loses the code number of his paint? Lord, why is it that I find Your strength and assistance to weather the really serious crises in my life and then dissolve into hysterics over the disarray caused by my three-week's dealings with one elusive painter? ... Could it be, Lord, that there is something I have yet to learn, such as humility, patience, and forgiveness? Could it be that now I can better comprehend the profound way in which You exercised patience at the time of Your crucifixion? ... Even though my problems are small, perhaps I too need to learn to pray, "Father forgive him, even though he seems not to know what he is doing." Thank You for listening, Lord.

In Jesus' name I pray.

Amen.

© 2000 by D. L. Hammond, Permission to copy granted for noncommercial use.

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Lord, lead me not to be hasty in jumping to conclusions about people. Influence me not to stereo-type individuals or make sweeping generalizations. Free me from prejudices which leave no-one free. Help me to appreciate that there are other ways of looking at things, realizing that others can have as equally valid a view as mine. Inspire me to grow in the ability to understand others and think as generously of them as I would like them to think of me. Amen.

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Worthy of the Calling

Ephesians 4:1-4

Dear Father,

You have called me to your kingdom and glory! Help me to live a life worthy of the calling I have received from you.

Help me live the same life style that King Jesus lived. Let me live with humility and submission, with patience.

Help me to forbear others out of love for them.

Help me to be eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit.

Help me to be bound to my brothers and sisters in peace.

By Jesus' authority and in his name I boldly come to you, asking all this. Amen.

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Lord, as a new day dawns, send the radiance of your light to shine in our hearts. Make us true to your teaching; keep us free from error and sin.

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Dear Lord, thank you for this day. Today I may face obstacles I am not sure I can overcome. Please guide me as I go and give me wisdom to do the right thing.