Read the Bible in a Year (02NOV19)

DAILY REMINDER – Today, November 2’s Bible reading is Luke 21-22.

NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, November 3’s Bible reading is Luke 23-24. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.

LUKE MOMENT – (02NOV19) “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).  Jesus was about to fulfill His ultimate mission for mankind. His time with the disciples was nearly done and He was having a last meal with them before He would be betrayed by one, He called friend. Satan had entered Judas and now, the plot had been set for His arrest leading to his death. Jesus addressed Simon also known as Peter and told him and the disciples that Satan desired to sift them as wheat. Nevertheless, Jesus told him that He had prayed for him so that he would remain in faith, and when he returned, he would come back to strengthen his brothers. Jesus was prophesying about Peter’s denial of Him, but he would be reestablished in his faith.

Satan is also trying to sift the saints of God like wheat. He is throwing every type of trial and temptation our way. He does not want us to have victory over him and he knows that his time is short; therefore, he does all he can to have us discouraged, feeling rejected, tempted, feeling alone, and spiritually lethargic. The devil takes great joy in causing as much pain, stress, anxiety, frustration, and confusion in the believer’s life. He will use any and every tool he can to come against those who are trying to follow Christ. He takes baths in our tears, pleasure in our heartbreaks, comfort in our frustration, and is utterly entertained should we fall. Nevertheless, just as Jesus prayed for the disciples to maintain their strength, He is there to give us support to help us endure to the end.

Sometimes, we may not always feel His presence. Life can be really challenging, and the struggles seem more real than Jesus at times. Nevertheless, the devil would like for us to think so, but we know that our Redeemer lives. There may be days that your heart is broken, but the Bible says: “The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18). There may be times when your pillow is flooded with tears, but the Bible says: “…Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5). You may be sick, and your body riddled with pain, but the Bible says: “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:15).

If you are worried and filled with anxiety, the Bible says: “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Maybe you are feeling all alone, but the Bible says: “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me” (Psalm 27:10). When you are tempted and you feel as if you cannot make it through, the Bible says: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Finally, when the devil tries to bring up your past and remind you of your failures, the Bible says: “…Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death” (Revelation 12:10-11). As you can see, Jesus has all of our bases covered. Now, stand up in victory and allow your testimony to help someone else to do the same. Something to ponder….