Good Morning Friends,
Today’s lectionary selections are from Galatians and Luke. The idea is about salvation coming to us by faith through grace. But there is something perplexingly about this gift. Though we believe that Jesus has defeated death we still seem to be hardwired to keep struggling. Still, I hope that though the tension of our unrest we are being moved to greater love. You see, the battle is both spiritual and physical woven together into the world in which we live as we seek a balance of the inner life with the outer world. There is the conflict, but it need not be. So, look in the mirror, look at each other and ask God and those closest to you what the future holds and ponder this about the demons of this world…. If The Victory Has Already Been Won, Why Are We Still Fighting?
Scripture: so, you see, those who believe are the descendants of Abraham. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, declared the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the Gentiles shall be blessed in you.” For this reason, those who believe are blessed with Abraham who believed. For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the things written in the book of the law.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law; for “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” But the law does not rest on faith; on the contrary, “Whoever does the works of the law will live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Galatians 3:7-14 (NRSV)
But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” Others, to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they were thinking and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? —for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.”
Luke 11:15-26 (NRSV)
Message: This morning I am wondering why, if Jesus disarmed principalities and powers, and caste out demons, we are we still wrestling with evil. And I have concluded that we still wrestle, in part, because we are arming the enemy with the words of our mouth and the decisions we make, handing the Devil our God-given authority to use against us when we fail in the commands to keep the earth including those who inhabit it and to love. Friends, we too often are double minded and unbalanced in those things internal and external. Sure, we believe that Satan has no authority over us unless we give it to him, just like the serpent had no authority in the garden until Adam gave it to him. But words are weapons. See how they are used in today’s scripture. Then know that when we speak God’s Word out of our mouth, it casts out death and opens the door to life in our situations. And when we make the mistake of speaking the enemy’s fearful lies out of our mouth, we are allowing the enemy to use our own words as weapons against us. This brings us to a point that we must address. Friends, we are facing a great battle. Some do not realize it. Others do not understand the dynamics of this battle. We all could learn more for too many are unprepared to face the battle before us. It is the battle between Satan’s kingdom and the kingdom of God, and the effects are seen in our world. And I do not want to get too dramatic about this, but I really cannot, for our lives hang in the balance. There is drama in the dogma surrounding our salvation. And as Christians, we can reign victoriously over the assault of the enemy we sense. But to reign victorious in the kingdom of God is to understand the dynamics of this spiritual warfare that is before us for every kingdom divided against itself will fall. America could learn from the history of Israel if she would…We can learn from it as individuals too.
And So, the drama of war is on for the souls in the world, and it is both and inner and outward fight as we seek recovery. So even in this writing, if I am wanting to influence you to learn something from this devotional about the thin places of nature in life’s storms and the casting out of our personal demons, it may well be pure vanity unless God chooses to use it to extend the love in our lives. Perhaps the only good is if through some supernatural act we are somehow connected to loving more in the reading of scripture and the living of our lives. Friends, learning has its merits especially for those who lead worship, but unless it is ultimately about learning to love and practicing that love for a purpose that honors God it is all worthless. So, if we save the world from the negative effects of our cultures and climates but do not love, maybe something even worse than the catastrophes of nature, like hurricane Ian, may replace them. Beware of demons and know that God ultimately wins the war for us but that the battle for the souls of people everywhere is not yet done. Yes, as Christians we win, but that does not mean we do not have to fight the good fight of faith in the power of love.
Pray we fight the good fight that is not clouded by the images of Crusades and Jihads of the past. Pray we are equipped for battle with the truth that is shared with great love. Pray we exercise great care in how we deal with evil in the world realizing that it is often in us. Pray we go to God in prayer and seek a divine purpose. Pray we learn from the suffering and the need for trusting God in of our life’s experiences. Pray we are not double minded. Pray the demons of the chronology of terror that has befallen the people of our world and its divisive politics be exorcised from our memory. Pray still that we would heed the warnings and take notice of the prophecies of God and the healing needed. Pray we act like we are redeemed by God. Pray we choose to love even in the face of the struggle to do so. Pray we play to win. Pray we are victorious in the battle inside before we try to convince others. Pray we give life to God’s plan through the words we share.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 