"The radical black political groups wanted us to join forces with them. When we refused to take sides, we became a target. This is always the case in spiritual warfare. When we follow the crowd we are no danger to the devil, but when we step out of the crowd for our faith in Jesus Christ, we become a threat to the devil. That puts us in dangerous situations. It seems to be safer to stand in the background and watch other people fight than to be in the front line where the battle is being fought."

Grace Dube, from Day by Day with the Persecuted Church, compiled by Jan Pitt, at One Place.









Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, "Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?" They replied to the king, "Certainly, O king." He said, "Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!" Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!" Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the midst of the fire. The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king's high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king's command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God.

Daniel 3:24-28

Please read Is Faith a Form of Work? by Jack Kelley, at Grace thru Faith.








"I have a question about faith versus works.  I am very much a “by faith alone, in Christ alone” believer (who also believes in OSAS).  But, to be perfectly honest, I find myself wondering if faith itself isn’t a form of works.   Believing is something you have to do to be saved.  In other words, if you don’t “work” it by believing and receiving you won’t be saved.  Isn’t that works?

Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."
John 6:28-29

But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness...
Romans 4:5

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

Please read Why We Cast 'Obama' Devil out of 'Son of God,' by Roma Downy, at USA Today.









"I played an angel on Touched by an Angel for almost a decade, and I've learned a thing or two about spiritual warfare:

     We shine his light but the darkness exists.

     The devil is real.

     When you are trying to do something good in the world there will always be opposition..."

"...In Morocco, on the set of the movie, we had a snake man, to clear our locations of snakes and scorpions. Each day he would clear one or two snakes. But on the morning of the crucifixion scene we had asked everyone we knew to pray. That morning when I got to the set, the snake man had a writhing cloth bag at the side of the road with over 40 snakes in it. He had cleared them from around the foot of the cross. The symbolism of the snake was not lost on us. Prayer -- and the snake man -- had cleared the way."

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

1 Corinthians 10:12-14









"We may find that our imaginations are held captive by an image or ideal that makes demands of us. We may be focused on the image of "the perfect body" and find ourselves swept into compulsive eating disorders, depression, or sexual addictions. We may be focused on the image of "the good life" and find ourselves swept into workaholism, stealing, or lying to try to appease the image we worship. We may have an image of ourselves as "the black sheep of the family" and slavishly live our lives playing out that role."

Please read False Images, by Stephen Arterburn and David Stoop, The Life Recovery Devotional: Thirty Meditations from Scripture for Each Step in Recovery, at One Place.

"This day, we need to stop for a moment to open new eyes to the wonder of God's world. If we will only try to see it through His eyes rather than our own, we will find new beauty that we never noticed before. His is a world of wonder and miracle. See it.  Lord, open my eyes, that I might see all that this world is meant to be. Do not let the pressures of the day create a cloud that prevents me from seeing Your beauty. Amen."

From Wisdom from the Psalms, Daily Thoughts and Meditations at One Place.







The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; Their voice is not heard. Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their utterances to the end of the world. In them He has placed a tent for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber; It rejoices as a strong man to run his course. Its rising is from one end of the heavens, And its circuit to the other end of them; And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

Psalm 19:1-6

All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made You glad.

Psalm 45:8


Please read Make Him Glad with Your Love, by Alistair Begg, at One Place.







"And who are those who enjoy the privilege of making the Savior glad? His church -- His people. But is it possible? He makes us glad, but how can we make Him glad? By our love. We think it so cold, so faint; and so, indeed, we must sorrowfully confess it to be, but it is very sweet to Christ..."

"...Our praise also gives Him joy - not the song of the lips alone, but the melody of the heart's deep gratitude. Our gifts are also very pleasant to Him; He loves to see us lay our time, our talents, our substance upon the altar, not for the value of what we give, but for the sake of the motive from which the gift springs. To Him the lowly offerings of His saints are more acceptable than the thousands of gold and silver."