Way of The Warrior- A Daily Devotional

Abram lived in the land of Canaan, but Lot settled in the cities of the plain and pitched His tent toward Sodom. – Genesis 13:12 BSB

Warrior;

Where in our lives have we pitched our tent toward Sodom.  Things were going great.  Lot was with the chosen friend of God.  He had flocks and herds and tents- he was doing well, loaded! (v5-6) Then He was given the opportunity to CHOOSE.  Choose this day what will you chase after?  Will you follow the one who follows God?  Or will you COVET more for yourself and seek after the DELIGHTS of the WORLD?  “And Lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east.  Thus, they separated from each other.” (v10-11) Consider, like Lot and America- are you journeying EAST, and separating from the God who brought you this far?

Leader, Sodom was NOT destroyed because of homosexuality, that is NOT the sin of Sodom.  Homosexuality is one of the manifested sins of the heart, but the sins of Sodom, can be called the sins of America today.  The sins of Sodom were according to Billy Graham; False Security, Living for Pleasure, Over- Indulgence, Worshiping other Gods-idolatry and Greed!  PRIDE and LUST; Covetousness. To God no sin is worse than any other.  Sex outside of marriage whether with a man, a woman, or anything, is outside of the WILL OF GOD, it is a sin.  God does not change; He is IMMUTABLE. God meets us where we are and then helps us to change into the SAINT that He created us to be!  In order to do that we need to pitch our tent toward the LORD.  To seek HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and to quit WANTING what the world is offering and be CONTENT with the LORD as your portion!

Conduit, the sin of covetnous is rampant in our hearts and in our world.  This is the basis for the whole privilege movement, the basis for the world thought, “men are evil, and woman are good”, proposed reparations and the other desires of the flesh the world is seeking through ‘social justice’.  Covetousness is basic to the commandments against murder, adultery, stealing, and lying. Those who accept bribes are coveting, leading to murder (Eze 22:12). Coveting a neighbor’s wife is a form of adultery (Exod 20:17). Achan admitted to coveting a robe and silver and gold, so he stole them, which was a sin against the Lord (Jos 7:20-22). Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, coveted the property of Naaman so much that he lied to get what he wanted from Naaman the leper (2 Ki 5:19-25) and was struck with leprosy. Proverbs warns that a covetous person brings trouble to his family (15:27). Thus, covetousness is the root of all kinds of sins, so that Jesus gave the warning, “Be on your guard against all kinds of greed” (Luke 12:15). Want the LORD.  DESIRE HIS WORD and WAY.  Pitch your tent toward the Kingdom of God and leave this world, and its system of thought, behavior and acceptable practices- behind you!

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” -Luke 23:39-43 ESV

Warrior;

If you think about it, the whole of civilization is here. The enemy uses CONFUSION as his greatest weapon formed against a believer. These Thieves represent all of mankind and it shows that there are ONLY 2 CAMPS. Both thieves wanted to be saved. One wanted to be saved by Christ ON THE CROSS, and the other wanted to be saved with CHRIST-apart from the CROSS- SANS CROSS. It sounds a lot like the DEVIL and HIS SCHEMES.

Leader, the TEMPTATION of CHRIST in the Wilderness in LUKE 4, shows us the DEVIL did everything to keep JESUS OFF THE CROSS. The three temptations of turning stones into bread, getting the Kingdoms of the world by bowing down to Satan and having him go to the highest pinnacle and throw Himself off- where all designed to KEEP JESUS OFF THE CROSS and to make it EASIER for CHRIST. Even Jesus said to Peter, who wanted to keep Jesus OFF THE CROSS, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Mark 8:33, Matt 16:23)

Conduit, If there was any other way, God would have done it! Hebrews 9:12 tells us; he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Cor 3:17) For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. (Gal 5:1) The one person who could have come down from the CROSS, JESUS- did not! One thief mocked Jesus, one thief accepted JESUS. One is in paradise, one is separated from God for eternity- in HELL! There is only ONE CHOICE, two outcomes- CHOOSE WELL!

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth … From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (Jn 1:14, 16-17)

Warrior;

The gospel of grace is the gospel and there is no other. This gospel is built, not on a doctrine or a theology, but on Jesus Christ himself! Deuteronomy 27:26 makes it clear; “‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ Moses law could NOT be kept by anyone other than JESUS.  Moses Law was a THREAT; You will, and you SHALL NOT- or else! It is a Religion dependent on Mans duty, man’s obedience, man’s work- it is grounded in the WORKS OF MAN!

Leader, whenever you read the word “grace” in the Bible, you can substitute the name “Jesus.” Jesus is grace personified. What does the grace of God look like? It looks like Jesus. What does the grace of God sound like? It sounds like Jesus. How do we know that God is gracious? He gave us Jesus who is full of grace and truth. So, when Paul refers to the ‘Gospel of Grace’ in Acts 20:24, he means exactly the same thing as when he and others refer to the gospel of Christ or the gospel of God or the gospel of His Son or the gospel of peace. All of these gospels reveal the One who is called Grace, who was given to us out of the fullness of the Father’s grace, and through whom we have received GRACE UPON GRACE.

Conduit, what are the four most important bits of the gospel message according to the MAN who was taught by CHRIST for 3 years in Arabia? They are: 1-Christ died for our sins as foretold in the Scriptures, 2- He was buried, 3- He was raised as the prophets foretold, 4-He appeared in bodily resurrection to many. On the cross Jesus became our sin offering, taking our punishment and securing our eternal forgiveness. He died so that we might live, he was wounded that we might be healed, and he was cursed so that we might be blessed. Jesus forged a new covenant in his blood, exchanging our sinfulness for his righteousness. His miraculous return from death confirmed that Jesus was God’s Son, just as he said he was. It also showed that the demands of justice had been fully satisfied and that no further payment was necessary. As Derek Prince famously preached in The Divine Exchange, Jesus’ death on the cross was “perfectly perfect and completely complete.” There is nothing more that needs to be done! Today- decide, BE HIS witness, telling people about JESUS, everywhere–in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth!

Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. – John 15:3-5 ESV

Warrior;

This is an incredible farming metaphor. When we think about a plant and all the nutrients that flow through the plant to feed the different parts of the plant. The ‘new shoots’, the flowers, stems, the roots and the leaves all MUST BE ATTACHED to be sustained. It will not grow and blossom into its full potential unless it REMAINS attached! A metaphor is taking something known and laying it besides something ‘not known’. The ‘laying beside’, transfers understanding from one to the other. How will we ever GROW if we are NOT ATTACHED to the WORD OF LIFE! For it is written, Man does NOT live by bread alone, BUT by every word that comes from the mouth of God!

Leader, ‘transport’ is the movement of things from one place to other. Transport happens inside our bodies- our heart is connected to a superhighway network of veins and blood vessels that make up our circulatory system, which is responsible for transporting nutrients from food you ingest throughout your body; nose to toes! In plants water and minerals are transported up from the roots to the leaves, through xylem. Certain plants have a vascular system that moves water, minerals and nutrients through their bodies- however, this system only works when IT IS ATTACHED to the SOURCE! However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. (Romans 8:9-10)

Conduit, “Abiding” only happens when we are connected, when we are in a UNION. This union with our LORD depends on HIS GRACE. It means we are to OBEDIENT to HIM, not the world! Abiding involves being DOERS, not just ‘hearers’ of the teaching of Jesus: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you …” (John 15:7a) As Sinclair Ferguson stated: We are called, as part of the abiding process, to submit to the pruning knife of God in the providences by which He cuts away all disloyalty and sometimes all that is unimportant, in order that we might remain in Christ all the more wholeheartedly. IF Father God is allowing you time in the desert, or in the valley- if He is pruning, then that means He is making you stronger, healthier and more attractive! If the LORD is PRUNING, then He is expanding your territory and increasing your responsibility. Know: God is always GOOD and know that God rebukes those that He loves, those that are His, those that He believes in! Rejoice, Child of God!

who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. – 2 Cor 3:6 ESV

Warrior;

God is a God of order and design. We see His Divine Order throughout the Bible. From the consistency of how numbers are used in Scripture, to how He organized His people in both the Old Covenant and the New. 3000 Lost the day Moses presented the Law and 3000 gained on the day of Pentecost- the new,better covenant! We see an orderly flow of ceremonies and practices within the tabernacle and the temple. He has a purpose and a plan for everything as it is written ; “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. (Matt 5:17-18)

Leader, Erickson Fabien, Hit the mark when he said, “We cannot find the God of the Bible without following the Bible of the God.” The opposite of order is confusion and CONFUSION is our enemy’s greatest weapon formed against us. Our enemy is the anti-GOD; For God is not a God of confusion but of peace(1 Cor 14:33)

Conduit, God has a plan for your life and your usage as His Ambassador in chains! But all things should be done decently and in order. (1 Cor 14:40) In order to get our ORDERs – we must be IN HIS WORD and in communion and communication with HIM IN PRAYER. How else will we get our marching orders? General Jesus, ORDER MY STEPS- I am reporting for duty Savior! Use me!

The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand. – Psalm 37:23-24 ESV

Warrior;

This is a great picture of our FATHER in heaven. It is the picture of a child walking with his Father and who, if he\she stumbles, their GREAT FATHER, keeps them from falling. If you have ever walked with a small child HAND-in-HAND, you have experienced this. The child ALMOST falls to the ground but since you are taller, bigger and MIGHTIER, you keep the child from hitting the ground, and most often- IN STRIDE- you continue without the child any worse for the wear! And even if they do fall, we pull them up quickly and continue! For though a righteous man falls seven times, he will get up, but the wicked will stumble into ruin. (Proverbs 24:16)

Leader, this is our GOD! He DIRECTS our STEPS, HE DELIGHTS in our walk and He ENCOURAGES us in our WALK through HIS WORD! You will know you are HIS child, by how you VALUE HIS WORD, and how much you spend IN HIS WORD. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psalm 119:105) We are walkers through the city of this world, and we are often called to go out into its darkness; let us never venture there without the light-giving word, lest we slip with our feet. Each man should use the word of God personally, practically, and habitually, that he may see his way and see what lies in it. His Word is a lamp by night, a light by day, and a delight at all times. If you are HIS CHILD, then you need HIS WORD to guide you. Illuminate your path with THE WORD OF GOD!

Conduit, our FATHER doesn’t change His mind, or HIS WORD- you can trust in it! Forever, O Lord, thy Word is settled in heaven. God’s Word, or Law, is eternal and unchanging – fixed and established forever in the heaven of heavens. (Psalm 119:89) My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you. For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life. (Proverbs 6:20-23) The Word of God is TRUE, and it NEVER CHANGES, it is a PURE GUIDE, He will never give you instructions that go against HIS WORD! If it is TRUE, it’s NOT NEW and if its NEW, it’s NOT TRUE! God is immutable, and He is omniscient; He is the GREAT KNOW IT ALL! He cannot learn, HE KNOWS ALL THINGS, and always has! There is security in this knowledge and WISDOM! He knows our NEEDS, He knows our SINS, He knows our CHOICES, so TRUST in HIS GUIDANCE! Today, be confident as we walk with HIM and be content being- IN HIS HANDS! Amen!