Good Morning!
Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack—rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]. -1 Peter 5:8-9
The enemy (Satan) has many schemes, some are subtle and some are bold. The bold ones are the ones that are somewhat easy to recognize but the subtle ones are often not noticed until it has been happening for some time. Marriages and families are some of the most commonly attacked areas because Satan hates what both of those stand for. Two of the more commonly used avenues that he uses is offense and comparison, if he can get you to compare to someone or something else you are either prideful or you are feeling insufficient, and neither is where God wants you. If he can cause offense, then he has created dissension between two people which is not where God wants you either. How do we fight against all this? Verse 9 above shows us how to do that, resist the urge to be offended, resist the urge to compare, but instead be firm in your faith and band together with your brothers and sisters in Christ to defeat the enemy!
“You have to expect spiritual warfare whenever you stand up for righteousness or call attention to basic values. It’s just a matter of light battling the darkness. But the light wins every time. You can’t throw enough darkness on light to put it out.” -Thomas Kinkade
“Reading the Bible is an act of spiritual warfare.” -Thabiti Anyabwile
Dad Joke of the Day:
They say with age comes wisdom so therefore I don’t have wrinkles, I have wise cracks.
Have a great Thursday!