September 20
WEAPONS OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE
Stand and gird your waist with truth. . . . putting on the breastplate of righteousness. . . . having shod your feet with the gospel of
peace. . . .taking the shield of faith. . . .take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. . . . praying with all prayer in the Spirit. . .
—Ephesians 6:14–18; read also Ephesians 6
This is Paul’s spiritual warfare chapter and is worth memorizing.
Since we are fighting against enemies in the spirit world, we need special equipment for both offense and defense.
• The girdle of truth. This part holds all the other parts of the
armor together. The girdle also holds the sword of the Spirit.
Satan is a liar, but the Truth will defeat him!
• The breastplate of righteousness. This piece of armor, made of
metal plates or chains, covered the body from the neck to the
waist, both front and back. When we accept Christ, we receive
the gift of righteousness.
• The shoes of the Gospel. Roman shoes were hobnails to give
better footing. Because we have God’s peace that comes from
the Gospel, we need not fear Satan or men. We bring peace.
• The shield of faith. This shield was large, usually about four feet
by two feet, made of wood and covered with tough leather. This
protected the soldier from the fiery darts of the enemy. The
shields could interlock with others and march into the enemy
like a solid wall. The “faith” mentioned here is faith in the
promises and power of God. Our shield blocks lies and doubts.
• The helmet of salvation. It protects our mind. We must fill our
minds with the Word of God.
• The sword of the Spirit. This is the Word of God.
• Praying in the “Spirit. This is praying in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:14). This is how we can “pray always.” We are to pray
to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Father, thank You that Your weapons are not carnal, but
mighty through God to pull down strongholds! Amen!
Jacquelyn Kruger
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Jacqie Kruger is a Bible teacher who has served in music and prayer ministry for over fifty years.
September 19
WHAT MARRIAGE SHOULD BE
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and
gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that she should be holy and without blemish.
—Ephesians 5:25–27; read also vv. 21–33
What a wonderful verse following the verses on submission to one
another. It is easy to recognize the husband as head of the wife as
Christ is the head of the church, when he lays down his life for her as Christ did for the church. The marriage is a picture of Christ being the Bridegroom and the church being the bride.
The word Paul used for love was agape, which is the God kind of
love, based on decision, not on feelings. It is a self-giving love that
gives without demanding or expecting repayment. It is love so great following that it can be given to the unlovable or unappealing. It is love that loves even when it is rejected.
Jesus’ attitude toward the church is a pattern for the Christian
husband’s love to his wife. Paul is teaching here about the nature of a relationship between husband and wife, and about Christ’s relationship with His church. This is the strongest kind of love there ever was.
When Jesus gave Himself for the church on the cross, He also provided cleansing from every stain of sin. His Word as we read it, speak it, and obey it, cleanses us from every sin. It washes and purifies our soul. As we look into the law of liberty, it points out where we fall short, and teaches us how to get back on the path of truth and excellence and fruitfulness. Jesus Christ’s goal is not only that His church would be spotless, wrinkle free, and without any stain, but that there would not even be a blemish! This desire is for us now, but also when we are joined to Christ in heaven for the glorious wedding feast of the Lamb!
Prayer: Maranatha! (Come Lord Jesus!) We long for that glorious
Day! Amen!
December 22
THOSE WHO DIE IN THE LORD
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: Blessed are
the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
—Revelation 14:13; read also Revelation 14
The one hundred and forty four thousand Jewish male virgins follow the Lamb wherever He goes. They sang a new song before the throne. These are the ones who miraculously made it through the Great Tribulation and preached the gospel. They were marked with the Father’s name on their foreheads.
Then we see the proclamation of three angels: 1) of the everlasting
gospel to all those who dwell on the earth. 2) to Babylon that is fallen. 3) to warn against taking the mark of the beast. Those who do so will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. They will have no rest day or night.
On the contrary, those who die in the Lord will rest from their
labors and their works will follow them.
The patient endurance and work of these saints is remembered
in heaven. Our work for Jesus and His Kingdom goes with us into
heaven, giving dignity and significance to all work here below.
Next, we see the Son of Man on a white cloud wearing a golden
crown and holding a sickle. He reaps the harvest of the earth.
According to Daniel Juster, Messianic Jew, this is the rapture of the
church mid-tribulation. Others say it is the final judgment.
Another harvest is spoken of next and this is the harvest of all the
wicked that are thrown into the great winepress of the wrath of God. The blood in this battle, Armageddon, came up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of about 184 miles.
Prayer: Thank You for the cross, Lord, and for the price You paid for
our salvation and our revelation to walk in the truth! Amen!
December 21
THE MARK OF THE BEAST
He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to
receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.”
—Revelation 13:16–18; read also Revelation 13
John saw a beast rising up out of the sea. The sea is symbolic of
humanity in prophetic literature. This beast here has all the attributes of the beasts/kingdoms described in Daniel 7:4–6: Babylon is like a lion; Medo-Persia is like a bear; and Greece is like a leopard.
The beast of Revelation 13 combines the ferocity of all three. He is
like the dragon (Satan) because he also has seven heads and ten horns. The ten horns represent ten kingdoms according to Daniel 7:7. This beast is the Antichrist, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. John also wrote about this Antichrist in 1 John 2:18: “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming.” The person indwelt by Satan during the Tribulation is the Antichrist. There is also a “spirit of antichrist;” both are in rebellion against God.
In verse 3 we see that this Antichrist was wounded in his head, died,
and came back to life. The world worshipped the dragon which gave power to the beast. The beast blasphemed God, and all those whose names are not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life worshipped him.
Then the false prophet arose in verse 11 and had great power to do
miracles and caused the earth to worship the beast. He gave life to
the image of the beast, and all who did not worship him were killed.
He required all to receive a mark in the right hand or in their foreheads, so that no one could buy or sell without the mark. The number of the mark was 666.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the anointing that abides in us and
teaches us the truth, that we will not be deceived in these last days
(1 John 2:28). Amen.
"Manna and Miracles" is a devotional available for purchase on amazon.com in book or E-book form.
August 24
THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
—1 Corinthians 15:3–4; read also vv. 1–28
This is a most amazing Scripture and is well worth memorizing in
order to share the core of the gospel concisely and powerfully. This
gospel is not just insightful teaching or good advice. At the core of it are things that happened—actual, real, historical events. Our faith is not based upon opinions, but upon facts.
Christ died: This is the center of the gospel. How did He die?
The Roman government executed Him by one of the most cruel and excruciating forms of capital punishment ever devised: crucifixion. The stripes on His back, His hands and feet nailed to the crossbeam: these things caused excruciating pain.
He died for our sins. The Father laid upon Him all the guilt and
wrath our sin deserved and satisfied the wrath of the Father against
sin. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).
He was buried: This is a very important part of the gospel. It is
positive proof that He really died. It also fulfilled Scripture that “they made His grave with the wicked; but with the rich at His death” (Isaiah 53:9).
He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: Jesus proclaimed He would rise three days after His death (Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19). “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty” (v. 14). Then He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve, then by over five hundred brothers at once, by James, and then by Paul himself.
Prayer: Hallelujah for the resurrection! And now He goes to prepare a place for us and will come again for us soon. Amen.
August 22
MIGHTY TOOL IN INTERCESSION
I wish you all spoke with tongues. . . .
—1 Corinthians 14:5; read also vv. 1–20
The gift of tongues is speech inspired by the Holy Spirit in a language the speaker does not understand. In First Corinthians, Paul seems to speak about two different forms of this gift: tongues as a language for personal prayer and praise, and tongues as a public message for the congregation.
Tongues as a prayer language is a means by which the Holy Spirit
enables a person to praise and thank God in a way that bypasses the mind and comes directly from the heart. It is a gift given when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:2, “For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God, for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.” “One of the most beautiful forms of this gift is when a whole congregation is singing in tongues together, in a rising and falling harmony inspired by the Holy Spirit, worshiping God with one voice.”
Tongues as a prayer language is the only spiritual gift that Paul
notes as being beneficial to the one using it (1 Corinthians 14:4). It
also is a mighty tool in intercession—in praying for others. Sometimes we don’t know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit intercedes through us with deep groanings (Romans 8:26–27).
The gift of tongues in the second sense can be a message for the
church. It must be followed by an interpretation, so people can understand it and be built up by it. “One who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret” (1 Corinthians 14:13). This then becomes a form of prophecy.
Paul said in verse 18 that “I thank my God I speak with tongues
more than you all.” If he needed it, so do we!
Prayer: We thank You Lord for these beautiful and wonderful and
useful gifts You have given us! More, Lord! Amen!
August 21
LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things endures all
things. Love never fails.
—1 Corinthians 13:7; read also 1 Corinthians 13
Really. Who has this kind of love? We might have hoped that Paul
would have chosen anything but “bears ALL things.” “All things”
covers everything! God calls us farther and deeper into love for Him, for one another, and for a perishing world.
• Love bears all things. Love covers. As it is said in 1 Peter 4:8:
“And above all things, have fervent love for one another, for love
will cover a multitude of sins.” This means that it never proclaims the errors of good men.
• I would, my brothers and sisters, that we could all imitate the
pearl oyster. A hurtful particle intrudes itself into its shell,
and this vexes and grieves it. It cannot eject the evil, and what
does it do but cover it with a precious substance extracted out
of its own life, by which it turns the intruder into a pearl.
• Love believes all things: We, of course, will not believe a
lie, but will we receive or believe an evil report? We must
believe the best of people and not pass along an evil report. If
someone comes with an evil report, ask how you can be a part
of the solution.
• Love hopes all things: Love has confidence in the future and
puts its trust in God for His solution. Love is never pessimistic. It doesn’t see the glass as half empty, but it sees it half
full. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in
believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy
Spirit” (Romans 15:13).
• Love endures all things: Most of us can bear all things, and
believe all things, and hope all things, but only for a while!
Agape love (the God kind of love) doesn’t give up. Love never
fails.
Prayer: “And now abide faith, hope, and love, these three; but the
greatest of these is love” (v. 13). Help us to love! Amen!
August 20
GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. . . .
—1 Corinthians 12:7–10; read also 1 Corinthians 12
Following is a definition of each gift of the Spirit:
• Word of wisdom: supernatural wisdom that gives a person
wisdom in making decisions given supernaturally in the
moment. It is not wisdom gained through experience and
knowledge.
• Word of knowledge: a supernatural knowledge of facts that does
not come through study, research or experience.
• Faith: an unshakeable conviction given by God that He is
going to act supernaturally in a particular situation. “Have
faith in God.” It is different than saving faith.
• Gifts of healing: supernatural action to bring a sick person to
physical, emotional or spiritual health. It is not something we
can do in our own strength or ability.
• Working of miracles: God uses us to bring about a miracle by
His divine power.
• Prophecy: Speaking a message inspired by the Holy Spirit, especially for the “edification, exhortation and comfort of others.”
• Tongues: speech inspired by the Holy Spirit in a language the
speaker does not understand and has not learned.
• Interpretation of tongues: a supernatural ability to understand
the message and to proclaim it in a language understood by
the listeners.
Randy Clark gave this testimony of the gifts in one of his meetings in Ukraine. “There was a Jewish man who was a Holocaust survivor. He came in a wheelchair, having been unable to walk for some years. There was a word of knowledge for the man. He stood in response. When he did, he was healed. Later he accepted Yeshua as his Messiah.”
Here we see the gifts of a word of knowledge, healing, and miracles.”
Prayer: Praise You Lord, that Your gifts are for today! Amen!
August 19
THE SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS
For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that
the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took
bread; and when He had given thanks He broke it and said, “Take,
eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
—1 Corinthians 11:23–26; read also vv. 17–34
We remember that the Last Supper was actually a Passover meal
when Jesus celebrated the remembrance of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt to the Promised Land.
The unleavened bread had the scorch-mark stripes and the holes
from baking that looked like “pierce” marks. In the same way Jesus’
body was broken for us. It was broken for our healing. 1 Peter 2:24
says: “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” This is a quote from Isaiah 53:4–6 which foretold the crucifixion, and what Jesus’ work on the cross would mean. His body was whipped, beaten, and striped for me, and by His stripes, I was healed. When we receive the bread, we receive by faith the healing that it provided. We will no longer be weak, sick, and we won’t die early.
In the same manner, He took the cup saying it was the new covenant in His blood. We recognize the juice represents His blood that was shed for the remission of sins. And “without the shedding of blood there is no remission (of sin)” (Hebrews 9:22). Now, because of the blood He shed, we can be born again and receive the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
We do this to proclaim the Lord’s death and look forward to the
coming of Jesus and the marriage supper of the Lamb!
Prayer: Father in heaven, thank You for sending Your only Son to die
for our sins and purchase healing for us as well! We will never forget the sacrifice on the cross! Amen!
August 18
HEADSHIP AND AUTHORITY
But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.
—1 Corinthians 11:3; read also vv. 1–16
This verse has had a tremendous impact on our marriage and home. My husband many years ago went to a Bill Gothard seminar and learned that the man was to be the spiritual head of the home. That revelation went deep into his spirit. This meant that his family was not going to go deeper spiritually than he did. When I (Jacqie) was filled with the Spirit, Jim knowing that he was my head or authority had two choices: either he could squelch me, or he could seek to be filled with the Spirit himself. Praise the Lord forevermore—he chose to be filled with the Spirit himself.
In its full sense, “head has the idea of headship and authority.” It
means to have the appropriate responsibility to lead, and the matching accountability. It is right and appropriate to submit to someone who is our head.
In this passage, we see Paul describes three “headship” relationships: Jesus is head of every man, man is the head of woman, and God is the head of Christ.
This is a wonderful model for marriage. The following principles
for the husband-wife relationship are illustrated in the relationship of Jesus and the Father:
• Husband and wife are to share a mutual love (John 13:34).
• Husband and wife have different roles and accomplish different functions in the marriage (John 10:17).
• Though having different roles, the husband and wife are equal
and live in unity. The husband as head of the wife does not
ascribe inferiority to her. It recognizes God-ordained order of
authority to be respected. Jesus was totally under the authority
of God, yet He is equally God (John 1:1).
• Husband and wife live in unity, mutual respect and love (John
5:20).
Prayer: May our homes reflect biblical order and love! Amen!
("Manna and Miracles" may be purchased in book form or E-book form on amazon.com)
18/08/2022
See a combat Veteran's Perspective on Afghanistan. It has been one year since the pull-out. His heartfelt remarks are on Dutch Sheets' Give Him 15 devotional for August 18th. https://www.givehim15.com/prayer-1
https://www.givehim15.com/prayer-1
Prayer | Give Him 15 5 min readAugust 10, 2022“What Is Unshakable Will Remain”The past 48 hours have shocked many Americans. While my responsibility and calling is not to defend individuals or political parties, it is worth pointing out that what the Left did on 8/8, has never been done in our 246 year history as a ...
August 14
YOUR LIFE IS A SHINING
EXAMPLE TO OTHERS
Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat
meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
—1 Corinthians 8:13; read also 1 Corinthians 8
This verse is written in the context of food that has been offered to
idols. Now some people knew that idols were nothing and that there was only one God. Therefore, their conscience was not bothered by eating that food. However, this was a bad example to a weak brother in Christ who would not eat meat offered to idols. Therefore, to influence the weak brother to go against his conscience was actually to sin against Christ. “But when you sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ” (v. 12).
Paul makes the principle clear. Our actions can never be based
only on what we know to be right for ourselves. We also need to consider what is right towards our brothers and sisters in Jesus.
We had a family member who was married to an alcoholic. At
that time my husband participated in “social drinking.” I observed
that their drinking together was only reinforcing his alcoholism. In
Romans 14:21 we read: “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.”
Because of these verses, my husband and I decided we would never
participate in “social drinking” of any kind because of the bad example it would set. We may never have become alcoholics, but there would be those watching us who could become alcoholics.
It is easy for a Christian to say, “I answer to God and God alone”
and to ignore his brother or sister. But we will answer to God for how we have treated our brother or sister.
Prayer: Lord, help us to consider what kind of example we are setting in what we eat and drink, what kind of entertainment we watch, what kind of music we listen to, etc. Help us never to put a stumbling block in front of anyone that would lead them down a wrong path away from You. Amen.