Way of The Warrior- A Daily Devotional

At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!” Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.” – Luke 2:25-35 NLT

Warrior;
This is such a great story in the Bible. Simeon had lived a full life. He needed nothing to be fulfilled, except to meet the LORDS MESSIAH. What about you? What do you need to sustain you? What are you striving for daily? What would make your life complete? What needs to happen before you take your last breath? In the flesh, we call this a BUCKET LIST. WHAT IS ON YOUR BUCKET LIST, those things to do, before your last breath? When the Israelites were instructed on what to do when they got to the promised land, God created the only country, created in the Bible, ISRAEL. There have been wars for Millennium, continuing today, about who owns the land that the Palestinians and Israel are fighting over. If you read the Bible it is clear, it belongs to Israel. When God portioned the land each Israelite tribe, minus the priestly tribe of Levi (Deuteronomy 10:9) received their portion of the land. When God assigned ownership of the land, each tribe received an allotment. See Numbers 26:52–56; Joshua 14:1–5. This land was their family inheritance and was passed on from one generation to the next (Numbers 36:7). However ONE TRIBE was left out, this is the tribe of LEVI, Moses brothers tribe, the ones who will be the PRIESTLY tribe. “Then the Lord said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel. But to the tribe of Levi, Moses did not give an inheritance; the Lord, the God of Israel, is their inheritance, as He had promised to them.” (Numbers 18:20, Joshua 13:33)

Leader, how about you? Therefore, Levi does not have a portion or inheritance with his brothers; the Lord is his inheritance, just as the Lord your God spoke to him. (Deuteronomy 10:9) What do you need in this world, what\who is your portion, your lot? If you are a child of God, then what you need is JESUS; more JESUS, more INTIMACY with JESUS, more TIME in His Word and in Communion with HIM. When you pray daily, nightly how much of your prayers are for MORE JESUS? Or are your prayers for MORE STUFF? What do you need to not only SURVIVE on this planet, but to STRIVE toward your PURPOSE? Science tells us that we need 4 basic elements to survive; 1. Water 2. Air 3. Food 4. Light. God is our creator, and he knows our frame, He knows what we need to survive and thrive. This is why He sent His son to SUSTAIN God’s children and to grow them into CHILDREN OF THE MOST HIGH! LOOK WHAT THE BIBLE TELLS US ABOUT JESUS, and what JESUS provides. In Matthew 4:4 Jesus, while being tempted by the devil, rebukes him by saying “‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Jesus is quoting the OLD TESTAMENT, Deuteronomy 8:3, reminding the devil that we are to obey God, walk humbly before him, and rely on him. David claims the same privilege. God is his “Portion,” and he needs no other. And of my cup. A man’s “cup”, in Scripture, is his lot or condition in life. (Psalm 11:6; Psalm 23:5) The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. (Psalm 16:5)

Conduit, Jesus made 8- I AM statements when He walked this planet. He was telling us that HE WAS, IS and always WILL BE- ALL WE NEED! And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9). “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25). Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser” (John 15:1). Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58) The eighth “I am” statement is the most profound of the bunch. Here Jesus makes two improbable claims that rocked the world of the Jews to whom he was speaking, and should give us pause. He said that he existed before Abraham who had died perhaps 2000 years prior to Jesus of Nazareth. He also equated himself to God, taking the holy name that God revealed to Moses in the burning bush (Exodus 3:14), and which was so holy that the people of Jesus’ day would not even utter it out loud. Today let us be like DAVID and be a FOLLOWER after Jesus’ sustenance. Let us Cry out to Jesus like David did in Psalm 142: 1-2,5-7. 1With my voice I cry out to the LORD; with my voice I plead for mercy to the LORD. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him. I cry to you, O LORD; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.” Attend to my cry, for I am brought very low! Deliver me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me! Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me. Amen! Now GO and act, AS IF, Jesus is your portion, your shelter, your land, your LOT IN LIFE!