Good Morning Friends,
Today on this Thanksgiving, the 400th Anniversary of that story of grace in the face of possible starvation, we read a passage prophesying about the fall of evil’s rule on earth and in it is hope of a tool for success. So, we need to listen for the message for in it is something of strategic importance perhaps especially on a day that is so American that it defies the counterculture movement. So today beyond the stories that mark this day we embrace the scriptural promise of prosperity with no fear and loathing even as we ask, Do You Know What The Devil Does Not Want Us To Hear This Thanksgiving?
Scripture: After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendor. He called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every foul and hateful bird, a haunt of every foul and hateful beast. Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “With such violence Babylon the great city will be thrown down, and will be found no more; and the sound of harpists and minstrels and of flutists and trumpeters will be heard in you no more; and an artisan of any trade will be found in you no more; and the sound of the millstone will be heard in you no more; and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more; and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more; for your merchants were the magnates of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power to our God, for his judgments are true and just; he has judged the great whore who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” Once more they said, “Hallelujah! The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.” And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are true words of God.”
Revelation 18:1-2, 21-23; 19:1-3, 9a (NRSV)
“When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those inside the city must leave it, and those out in the country must not enter it; for these are days of vengeance, as a fulfillment of all that is written. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people; they will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
Luke 21:20-28 (NRSV)
I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture
John 10:9 (NRSV)
Then they approached the king and said concerning the interdict, “O king! Did you not sign an interdict, that anyone who prays to anyone, divine or human, within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be thrown into a den of lions?” The king answered, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.” Then they responded to the king, “Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the interdict you have signed, but he is saying his prayers three times a day.” When the king heard the charge, he was very much distressed. He was determined to save Daniel, and until the sun went down he made every effort to rescue him. Then the conspirators came to the king and said to him, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no interdict or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.” Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!” A stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no food was brought to him, and sleep fled from him. Then, at break of day, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions. When he came near the den where Daniel was, he cried out anxiously to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you faithfully serve been able to deliver you from the lions?” Daniel then said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong.” Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. The king gave a command, and those who had accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. Before they reached the bottom of the den the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces. Then King Darius wrote to all peoples and nations of every language throughout the whole world: “May you have abundant prosperity! I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: For he is the living God, enduring forever. His kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion has no end. He delivers and rescues, he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth; for he has saved Daniel from the power of the lions.” So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
Daniel 6:12-28 (NRSV)
Message: This is a message the devil does not want you to read because it is going to reveal some wonderous things often hidden in our struggle as humans. If one has spiritual eyes to see, it becomes clearer that though evil is sure to come against us in life it will not prevail for God is with us and we have our will and mind to put to the fight. Perhaps you have been pushed to the wall, then you know what I mean. For if we fight for the Lord in the face of our problems, there is no need to be scared that we are not strong enough to win. Evil would have us lay down and die. But all this is a scare tactic. If the Lord is with us nothing can stand against us. Even in the case of unlikely deliverance evil will flee in the face of God’s presence. But when a person is in the bondage of sin, they open a door to bad things. If wickedness is in our heartless hearts and we have no feeling of pity or sympathy for those around us, we have opened a door to evil. Some people are spiritually blind and fall into traps of addiction. Some practice deception and open a door to evil. Our body, mind and soul are all doors. Never back away from your relationship with God. Greet God in your home this Thanksgiving.
And So, some say that the lions could not eat Daniel because he had to much backbone. Perhaps you are facing lions in your life right now. Just remember not to back down in the middle of the trial because if God is on your side, you will be victorious. Stand firm. Do not back down. God’s grace will strengthen and carry you through. You see, the Devil does not want us to know that the victory has already been won. The Devil does not want us to choose the door of Christ. The Devil does not want us to be thankful this Thanksgiving. So, believe anyway. Be thankful anyway. Love anyway. For this is the gateway to victory. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Pray we keep in our hearts the scriptures of hope that give purpose to our lives. Pray we close gates against the enemy. Pray we confess our sins to the Lord. Pray we ask for forgiveness believing in God’s saving grace of the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. Pray we believe that Jesus is the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven but also the point of exit for those who do not believe. Pray we realize that the door swings both ways…entrance and exit… and that evil and good can come and go through the door of our physical perceptions but also be protected by our spiritual insights and inspirations and especially the Spirit of Jesus in us. Pray we learn to exercise our will against things that we do not want in our lives. Pray we repair the destruction done by evil. Pray we close the doors to those things that are not good. Pray we fight the good fight from the inside out. Pray we dedicate our lives to God with courage. Pray we realize that Jesus is the door of salvation. Pray this day we choose God’s plan for our happiness.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 