February 13

Proverbs 2:6, 11-14 “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding… discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil.”

Many of us live what we would consider secure, peaceful lives, without having to worry about threats to our safety except infrequently. Others live in crime-ridden neighborhoods, political hotbeds, or war zones where security is a minute-by-minute concern. However, all Christians are confronted with threats every day, whether we are conscious of it or not. Our flesh that rails against our spirit, the devil schemes against us, and the world exerts pressure on us to conform to its immoral values and principles. In the January 2018 issue of Tabletalk magazine, two authors reminded us of our struggles. Trilla Newbell wrote, “Sin affects us to our core. Sin wreaks havoc on every aspect of life, especially on our ability to keep the commandments to love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves.” (1) In another article, Dr. Albert Mohler wrote, “We must not underestimate what we are up against. We face titanic struggles on behalf of human life and human dignity against the culture of death and the great evils of abortion, infanticide, and euthanasia. We are in a great fight for the integrity of marriage as the union of a man and a woman. We face a cultural alliance determined to advance a sexual revolution that will unleash unmitigated chaos and bring great injury to individuals, families, and the society at large. We are fighting to defend gender as part of the goodness of God’s creation and to defend the very existence of an objective moral order.” (2) As we watch the Olympic Games, prepare to vote in primary elections, or make day-to-day decisions, the world would have us show our tolerance toward evil by compromising our biblical convictions.

Wisdom emboldens us when evil threatens us, either from within or without. “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith.” (1 John 5:4) We mortify our sin by the Holy Spirit who indwells us and empowers us to love and obey God. We are also called to fight against all external forces of evil. “Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me-practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)

Will you wisely support and do what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable and excellent today?

(1) Trilla J. Newbell, “Sin’s War Against Love,” Tabletalk Magazine, January 2018, Sanford, Florida.

(2) Dr. Albert Mohler, Jr, “Is the Enemy of My Enemy My Friend?” Tabletalk Magazine, January 2018, Sanford, Florida.