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Your Salvation Army Daily Devotional Guide: Breakthroughs from Battle Drill
Engage every day with the Salvation Army daily devotional and discover how it can transform your spiritual journey. Battle Drill, fast-becoming a cherished tool in the Salvation Army, is being used as an everyday tool for personal devotion—forming a pathway for people to discover their faith. By encouraging regular, meaningful encounters with the Lord, this everyday ritual provides a timely weapon for spiritual battles and is notably seen as the cornerstone of the spiritual life of many soldiers.
The Salvation Army daily devotional platform has been a light to numerous soldiers, adherents, and friends battling the darkness. It provides an unbroken thread of light, guiding individuals through the labyrinth of life’s twists and turns. The intention of Battle Drill is clear – to equip individuals with the strength to endure trials and tribulations and empower them with the fortitude to conquer whatever life throws at them. By focusing on daily devotions, resilience in the face of adversity can become second nature.
Recognised as a trusty companion in navigating through life, this Salvation Army daily devotional can offer a lifeline to those feeling lost or disconnected. Every weekday, it calls us to delve deeper into the essence of spirituality, encouraging us to harness the power of prayer and reflection. The Battle Drill is not only a testament to the stalwart faith of the Salvation Army but also an invigorating call to arms – offering a timeless beacon of hope for anyone looking to enrich their spiritual lives. It’s not just about a daily routine, but rather, a steady commitment to growing one’s faith and understanding of God.
Been with Jesus? Find Courage & Stand Strong and Confident
September 28, 2023
Been with Jesus? Then discover how being with Jesus empowers you to overcome fear, embrace your convictions, and stand strong in the face of opinions.
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Ushering in the Kingdom of God: Living like we've been with Jesus
September 27, 2023
Transform your life and make an eternal impact. Discover how to live in a way that reflects your relationship with Jesus. Join us on this journey!
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Experience Transformation: How Being with Jesus Inspires Love and Healing
September 26, 2023
Peter and John had been with Jesus. Discover the power of being with him, bringing love and healing to those in need. Join us in transforming lives!
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Life-Changing Friendship with Jesus: "They Had Been With Jesus"
September 25, 2023
Discover the transformative power of friendship with Jesus. Peter and John - they had been with Jesus and were positively impacted. Learn how you can be too.
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How to Be Grateful to God for Everything | Trusting Him in Crisis
September 22, 2023
Discover how to show gratitude to God, trusting him through crisis. Learn to pray, thank, and praise for a faithful God's guidance.
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The Power of Fasting: Unlocking Spiritual Discipline for Focused Prayer
September 21, 2023
Discover the significance of fasting in focused prayer. Strengthen your connection with God through this powerful spiritual practice.
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Pour Out Your Heart to God in Prayer | Find Strength and Hope in Crisis
September 20, 2023
Pour out your heart to God in prayer and discover the power it brings. Find comfort, strength, and hope in the midst of your family, health, relational, or financial crisis.
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Turn Towards God Today: Focus on God and Not Your Problems
September 19, 2023
Discover the right direction to take in a crisis. Learn how to focus on God and not your problems by turning to him and finding peace.
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Enhance Your Prayers in Times of Crisis: How to Pray and Listen to God's Voice
September 18, 2023
How to pray in a crisis? Discover the power of prayer in a crisis. Through Daniel's example, learn how to pray effectively and listen for God's voice through Scripture.
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When You Are Feeling So Far From God: How To Find Him
September 15, 2023
Feeling so far from God at the moment? God wants to be close to you and promises whenever we get serious about seeking him, we will find him.
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You Need to Know God Has Not Forgotten You
September 14, 2023
God has not forgotten you. You may feel in exile now. But God is still working in your life.
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Jeremiah 29:11 NLT: God Has More Amazing Plans For Good For You
September 13, 2023
Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT) reminds us that God will see our lives through to a glorious conclusion. All praise to him!
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You Need to Know How to Pray for Political Leaders
September 12, 2023
Do you know how to pray for political leaders? It's what God asks us to do. And it’s when it’s most needed.
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A Timely and Uplifting Prayer For Happiness In Your Community
September 11, 2023
God commands us to further the public good. A good neighbour prays a prayer for happiness and peace for their community.
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Knowing Your New Identity in Christ Determines Your Future
September 8, 2023
Your new identity in Christ enables you to focus on the long-term future, with hope. You can move forward to the future God has planned for you.
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Finding Your Identity In Christ Will Make You Discover Your Priorities In Life
September 7, 2023
Finding your identity in Christ will make you discover your priorities in life. His values will set your priorities.
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Your Identity In Christ Helps You See What Your Limited Responsibilities Are
September 6, 2023
As your identity in Christ helps you see what your limited responsibilities are, you retain the choice of saying yes to God and saying no to other things.
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How To Find Your Identity In Christ: In God's Beautiful Family
September 5, 2023
If you want to know how to find your identity in Christ, then simply spend time exploring it in the beautiful family God has given you.
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Why It Is Important To Know Your Identity In Christ
September 4, 2023
This week in Battle Drill Daily Devotionals we explore why it is important to know your identity in Christ.
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How Much Stuff Do You Need to be Happy?
September 1, 2023
How much stuff do you need to be happy? It's a question of trusting in God and seeing the many ways he is blessing you.
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Does God Want Us to be Happy?
August 31, 2023
Does God want us to be happy on earth? Rely on Christ’s strength rather than your own and you'll find happiness even in difficult circumstances.
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Happy and Contented With Life and All God Gives Us
August 30, 2023
We can be happy and contented in life when we remember we are stewards of God’s blessings to us. We hold our possessions with open hands.
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Happy Memories Help You Remember the Important Things in Life
August 29, 2023
Happy memories help us remember the most important things in life. Choose to remember the best things in your life and forget the rest.
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Happiness Begins with Gratitude: What Happens When People are Delighted
August 28, 2023
Happiness begins with gratitude. Take some time today to tell God what you’re thankful for. I guarantee you’ll feel happier when you do!
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The Truth About Forgiving What You Can't Forget Right Now
August 25, 2023
As you think about someone who has hurt you, ask God to replace your desire for revenge with his love, and soon you'll be forgiving what you can't forget.
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I Forgive You: The Most Daring Words People Say
August 24, 2023
When you say, I forgive you, and choose to show love to someone who has hurt you badly, you're free to move forward with your life.
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Punish or Pardon? How To Forgive Someone Who Hurt You
August 23, 2023
In Joseph of Egypt's story, we see how to forgive someone who hurt you. We look beyond the unfairness and injustice, and with God's help, we respond in love.
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Forgive Us Our Trespasses: This Is What Amazing Forgiving People Can Ask
August 22, 2023
The next time you ask God to "forgive us our trespasses", remember that he asks you to forgive those who have hurt you too.
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God's Beautiful Gift Of Grace: Does God Forgive All Sins?
August 21, 2023
Does God forgive all sins? Yes! Like Joseph of Egypt, God delights in giving us second chances. We can have a second chance today to fulfil his purposes for us.
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Tested by the Storms Of Life? Jesus Intercedes For Us
August 18, 2023
The Bible says that no matter what life storms we are going through at the moment, Jesus intercedes for us. He loves us and he is for us.
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Don't Panic - Fix Your Eyes On Jesus For Your Survival
August 17, 2023
When we focus on our circumstances – whatever they are – we start to sink. So don't panic! Instead fix your eyes on Jesus for your survival.
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How to Walk on Water? Get Out of the Boat!
August 16, 2023
How to walk on water if you're in the middle of a storm? You have to be willing to do what Jesus wants you to and get out of the boat!
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When Jesus Stills The Storm You'll Immediately Feel Secure
August 15, 2023
When Jesus stills the storm he brings unexpected help and encouragement just at the time you are most desperate.
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You Need to Focus on Jesus not the Storm
August 14, 2023
You need to focus on Jesus not the storm, and trust the one who controls the storms of life and ensure they do not overwhelm you.
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This Is Important : Really Rest With Your Church Family
August 11, 2023
Commit to being in worship with your church family this Sabbath and discover again just how restful that can be.
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Sabbath Worship Is a Fantastic Way To Refocus Your Heart Now
August 10, 2023
Sabbath Worship is vital for our holiness. Allow Sabbath worship to refocus your heart on God and rest in his love, power and authority.
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Had Enough? Rest And Really Focus On God's Word
August 9, 2023
When your heart and your mind focus on God’s Word, they experience less stress and more rest.
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Tired? Why Is Rest Important For Mental Health?
August 8, 2023
Why is rest important for mental health? Like a tennis racket, our emotions need to be unstrung and restrung on a regular basis, to ensure they don’t snap.
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The Truth About Really Needing a Sabbath Rest from Work
August 7, 2023
We all need a Sabbath rest every week. Take one this week and rest your body. It will be thankful you did!
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What If Heaven is Cheering You On?
August 4, 2023
What if Heaven is cheering you on? As we live out our lives here on Earth as Christ's followers, Heaven believes we can do it and is cheering us on.
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How Beautiful Heaven Must Be!
August 3, 2023
Have you ever thought how beautiful heaven must be? Think of the most beautiful place you have seen on Earth. It is just a shadow of how beautiful heaven is.
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What If You Wanted to Go to Heaven?
August 2, 2023
What if you wanted to go to heaven? Jesus says, it's your choice! Hope is not enough. It's a choice you get to make.
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Is Heaven Real?
August 1, 2023
Is heaven real? Jesus says it is and he wants each one of us to become a part of his family and live with him for eternity.
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What Does Heaven Look Like?
July 31, 2023
What does heaven look like? Whatever you have imagined heaven looks like, the reality will far exceed it!
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Finding Genuine Christian Encouragement in Small Groups
July 28, 2023
You're going to need the Christian encouragement of others in your small group as you seek to live like Christ.
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Small Group Prayer Warriors: The Best in Tough Times
July 27, 2023
Small group prayer is powerful! That's why you need to be in a small group. You can ask them to pray for you when you are in difficulty.
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How To Set An Exciting Vision For Church Small Groups
July 26, 2023
Where church small groups have a vision it can have a unifying and inspiring effect, explaining why it's important to be committed and invested in one.
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Never Doubt What a Small Group Can Do with a Boundless God
July 25, 2023
God appointed small groups to care for and multiply his followers. Never doubt what a small group can do with such a boundless God!
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Why are Small Groups Important in The Salvation Army?
July 24, 2023
This week in the Battle Drill daily devotional podcast we answer the question, why are small groups important? Each weekday we share hope and encouragement as we read and study the Bible together.
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How To Grow Your Church or Corps Dramatically: Love
July 21, 2023
If you want to know how to grow your church and increase attendance then you all need to love each other like the early Christians loved each other.
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Gossip in the Church: Keeping Confidences Builds Incredible Trust
July 20, 2023
When it comes to gossip in the church, keeping confidences helps develop healthy relationships and provides a safe space.
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Be An Encourager: Friends Are Those Who Bring Out The Best In Each Other
July 19, 2023
Be an encourager. Surround yourself with encouragers. And then cheer each other on to grow the same attitude that Jesus had.
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Serving in Church: We Are Missing A Piece
July 18, 2023
Serving in church matters because we all depend on each other to function effectively. So don’t be a spectator, get involved!
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We Belong Together: The Power of Unity in the Church
July 17, 2023
We can find the power of unity in the church If we look past our differences and focus on the unity Christ wants for us. God can do amazing work through us.
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What Is the Point Of Confession? An Authentic Life
July 14, 2023
Confession is the first step on a life of integrity. Until you agree with God that you have failed to live a righteous life, integrity will evade you.
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Confession Brings Us Closer to God Than Complaining
July 13, 2023
Sin without confession creates distance between God and us. A prideful attitude that leads to complaining of others or circumstances simply deepens it.
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The Truth About Letting Sin Pile Up
July 12, 2023
If you stumble, confess that straight away to God. He will forgive you and help you grow away from what makes you stumble.
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Confess So You Can Change
July 11, 2023
We will never be able to change unless we openly, honestly, authentically, and humbly confess our sins, our weaknesses, our faults, and our character defects to God and to others.
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Facing Your Failures
July 10, 2023
There are times when we must admit we have wandered far from God and his purposes for our lives. When we let go of our pride, our stubbornness, and our fear, God moves in with his grace.
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Accepting God's Grace: The Most Important Thing You Will Ever Do
July 7, 2023
Accepting God's grace is essential. God's grace is like any other gift. It is of no value to us, unless we receive it.
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How To Break Free From Sin, Once and For All
July 6, 2023
If you want to know how to break free from sin, then you must understand what Jesus has done for you.
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The Power to Change: The Freedom You Desperately Need
July 5, 2023
The power to change is found in God's freedom, which gives you the power to say "no" to harmful things, and "yes" to good things.
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Giving Yourself to God: How To Be A Giver, Not a Taker
July 4, 2023
In giving yourself to God, you discover God gives you everything you need, and that you have found true freedom and purpose in your life.
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Living in Freedom Comes from Choosing Jesus to Control Your Life
July 3, 2023
Do you want freedom from being controlled by sin and the world? Living in freedom comes from making the choice to depend on God.
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Signs You Need to Get in a Small Group
June 30, 2023
When we live and share with a small group of Christian friends, we can share the stress between us.
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A Quiet Time with God is Vital for our Mental Health
June 29, 2023
The noise around us leads to low-grade stress. That’s why it’s important to carve out some time to be quiet and listen to God.
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Focus. It’s More Important than You Think
June 28, 2023
If you want to make a difference in the world, then focus only on doing what God wants you to do.
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What if Approval is the Wrong Motivation for Your Life?
June 27, 2023
We cannot live for people’s approval and God’s approval at the same time. So, whose approval are you living for?
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Don’t Let the World Define You, Be Who God Says You Are
June 26, 2023
We can reduce stress by taking the identity God gave us and doing our best to be who God created us to be, not what other people think we should be.
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How Love Wins
June 23, 2023
Jesus knows that our Father in heaven, whose nature and essence is love, can give us the power, through his Holy Spirit, to forgive those who hurt us and cause us pain.
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Why God Loves You and Why It's So Important (Part 2)
June 22, 2023
Your Heavenly Father loves you. Why is this important? We’re going to look at five different reasons – two yesterday, and three today.
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Why God Loves You and Why It's So Important (Part 1)
June 21, 2023
Your Heavenly Father loves you. Why is this important? We’re looking at five different reasons – we’re discovering two today, and we’re looking at the final three tomorrow.
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Jesus is your Heavenly Father's Portrait
June 20, 2023
Jesus reveals our Father in heaven to us. Read about him, in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (and the rest of the Bible!). Get to know him and you will come to know God.
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What is Love?
June 19, 2023
It is our Father in heaven who gives us the power to love. He lives in our hearts and as we converse with him day by day and moment by moment, he makes us more and more like his Son, Jesus.
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Family and Friends: How to Balance Relationships When Following Jesus
June 16, 2023
Jesus does not expect us to neglect our family or our friends. But he does call us to a higher mission than simply a comfortable family life.
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Standing Up for Christ in Our Confusing Culture
June 15, 2023
As we understand more of God’s Word, we must do all we can to stand for Christ.
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Choose Love Over Individualism
June 14, 2023
Christians need each other to grow. We cannot grow by ourselves. It is our church fellowship that helps us develop.
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True Happiness Comes from Giving and Serving Others
June 13, 2023
Jesus points out that true happiness comes from giving up our lives to serve others.
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The Christian Worldview: How to Handle Money and Possessions
June 12, 2023
We can be involved in the mission of God by helping and blessing those in need.
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How to See the Image of God in Everyone You Meet
June 9, 2023
When we see and connect with another being, we should remember that person is also made in God’s image.
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Why Connecting with a Local Church Matters
June 8, 2023
Life is about deep and lasting relationships. God is love and he created you in his image to learn to love him and to love others with his love.
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The Spirit of God Cares for and Protects You
June 7, 2023
God’s Spirit was actively involved in the creation of the heavens and the earth. And he is still actively involved in our world today. Through his Holy Spirit, God continues to care for and protect you.
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God Loves You, You Are Valuable to Him and He Has Chosen You
June 6, 2023
You are a child of God. Take time to connect with God, your Father and rest in this truth today.
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Why the Universe Says God Is Love
June 5, 2023
The connectedness of the universe reveals something of God. He is relational. He wants to connect with his creation.
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What Should You Do After You Hear God's Word?
June 2, 2023
God’s Word compels us to repent – to change our minds about what we have done – and to ask God for his forgiveness. Then, in Holy Spirit power, we must live like forgiven people.
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Christians Shouldn't Keep Quiet About the Empty Tomb
June 1, 2023
When you share your faith with others, don’t forget the power behind the empty tomb!
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Invite God's Power into Your Life
May 31, 2023
If you haven’t yet received the Holy Spirit's power, then invite the Holy Spirit in today. If you have but you feel you need a fresh infilling of his power and might, invite him in today.
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Why God Can Work Through Anyone
May 30, 2023
You can ask God for opportunities to use the gifts he has given you to serve him and in his Holy Spirit’s power – just like Peter – you can take those opportunities with confidence. You will be amazed what God can do through you!
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The Curiosity About Christians the Holy Spirit Will Cause
May 29, 2023
As you tell your story and about the difference God’s power makes in your life, suddenly you’re sharing the Good News about Jesus!
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Why Women Matter
May 26, 2023
Jesus calls us to take the women around us seriously too, especially any who might be seen as outcasts or marginalised in society. Women are as key to future of the church as anyone else. Everyone matters to God.
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What We Can Learn from Mary of Bethany
May 25, 2023
Mary was one of Jesus’ disciples. She chose to sit at his feet to listen and learn from him. She showed Jesus she was a woman of thoughtful and worshipful action by anointing him with oil before his crucifixion. And she led Jews to Jesus to witness his miracle of raising her brother from the dead.
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Why Mary Is a Hero for All Christians
May 24, 2023
Mary is unquestionably a hero of our faith. She showed remarkable courage and faithfulness to God. We can imitate her faith and her courage in obeying God’s call and being available to be used by him.
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Rahab: The Prostitute Who Became a Hero of The Faith
May 23, 2023
God’s redemption ensures dignity, leadership, and partnership for all human beings. If at times you feel like a failure, or an outsider, remember Rahab trusted in God and was used mightily by him.
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Eve: A Lesson for All of Us
May 22, 2023
Eve is typical of all of us - men, women and children. We consistently repeat her mistake. Rather than blaming Eve for our plight, we should instead learn from her and keep God in our decision-making process.
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Assignment: Be a Living Stone - Build His Church
May 19, 2023
Let’s be living stones and help build his church, being the very best representative of Christ wherever we find ourselves today and beyond.
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Jesus: The Most Important Part of The Church
May 18, 2023
God will build his church together, creating a place where God lives by his Holy Spirit.
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Is Your Church Too Reliant on Structure, Routine, and Rules?
May 17, 2023
Read 1 Peter 2:4-10. What is the church? Many people think of the church as a building. People speak of the local church or the church down the road, and what is in their mind is the building. Peter portrays the church not as a building but as the li...
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A Pool of Grace from The Darkest Places of Life
May 16, 2023
Read Genesis 28:11-18. As you think back over the history of your corps, church, or place of worship, I am sure you are aware of both ups and downs in its life. There will have been incredible high points – when all was good, when people were being saved, and when you could really sense the Holy Spirit moving – and some low points – when times were hard, when people drifted away, when there was conflict and difficulty. When we are travelling on stony ground, when all is helpless, we often feel as if God is hiding from us. Where is he in all this mess? Jacob had deceived his father Isaac into giving him his brother Esau’s blessing. He had fled for his life, travelling more than four hundred miles to escape his family. His life had turned to stone, just like the stone he laid his head on to sleep. He had not thought of God. Whether he had abandoned God or God had abandoned him mattered not. He was all alone. But his deep, exhausted sleep became the place of God’s revelation. Suddenly, Jacob experienced the very real presence of God. As Margaret Silf has pointed out, “we cannot manufacture the ladder ourselves”. We cannot conjure God out of thin air. But when we have sunk down into stillness and despair, God touches our hearts and we hear his still, small voice. As both bodies of God’s people and as individuals, when we feel we have reached rock bottom, that is the very place that God can transform into a pool of grace. Think It Over Think about the following: • Have you ever experienced the presence of God when you felt bereft, lonely, frightened, or exhausted? What was your response?
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You Can’t Rely on Your Past – Start Living Your Own Faith Story
May 15, 2023
This week on Battle Drill Devotionals, we reflect on the awesome privilege of being God’s people. Each weekday we share hope and encouragement as we read and study the Bible together. Read Genesis 28:11-18. How many generations of Christians have there been in your family. Salvationists often talk about being third, fourth, or even fifth generation. They are proud of the history their family have in The Salvation Army. But you cannot rely on the past, nor can you rest on the reputation of your family. God had made a covenant promise to Abraham and Isaac. He had promised them both land, many descendants, and blessings. But it wasn’t enough for Abraham’s grandson, Jacob, to rely on the covenant God had made with his family. He had to establish his own personal relationship with God. It is not enough for us to rely on our family history. It is not enough for us to rely on our upbringing. Our surname will not save us! We must each have a personal relationship with God too. We must take our own place in God’s story. We must grow in faith and in spiritual maturity. Abraham was saved by his own faith in God. We now share his blessing and will be saved by our own faith in Jesus Christ. That is the great heritage we have. That’s a solid foundation for living. Put your faith in God, not in your past. Think It Over Think about the following: • What wonderful story of faith does your family tell themselves? What is your place in that story?
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You Will Never Be Truly Happy, Until You Serve Others
May 12, 2023
Read Mark 9:33-37. I wonder if King Charles III Coronation made him happy. Certainly, it was good to see him, Queen Camilla and other members of the Royal Family smiling as they returned to Buckingham Palace after the Service. Jesus says that true happiness comes from loving God and loving others, and by giving our lives away by serving them. In many ways, it’s amazing his disciples were arguing on the journey through Galilee to Capernaum about who was the greatest. Only a few days before, Jesus had told them: Mark 8:35 LBP If you insist on saving your life, you will lose it. Only those who throw away their lives for my sake and for the sake of the Good News will ever know what it means to really live. The abundant and full life Jesus longs to give us – the happy life – comes from serving and giving. Jesus promises that the more you give yourself away to others, the more blessings God gives you in return. To be happy, we must practice serving and generosity every day. If we are not moving forward in this way, then we will be going backwards. There is no standing still when it comes to serving and giving! Are you more generous to others than you were this time last year? Are you serving others more than you were this time twelve months ago? Jesus calls us to sacrifice and to serve God by serving others. Look for ways to do that today and you will find the happiness you crave. Think It Over Think about the following:What makes you happy? You can listen to an audio of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Seize the Opportunity to Serve Right Now!
May 11, 2023
Read Mark 9:33-37. Are you a procrastinator? I know people who can’t act to do something unless they are under a stressful deadline! But many of us can be guilty of waiting to do something until the conditions are right, or until it’s more convenient for us to do it. When it comes to serving others, Jesus didn’t envisage his followers putting it off until they were ready to do it. He told his disciples that “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else” (Mark 9:35) and he meant straightaway! You have God-given gifts you can use today. You can help someone with the skills you have today. You have talents you can use to serve others today. You have abilities that can meet others’ needs today. You have resources you can use to help those around you. The world is full of people weighed down with care, lost and alone, drifting through life in fear and pain. They have physical needs. They have mental needs. They have emotional needs. They have financial needs. They have spiritual needs. And they need you, and they need Christ. They need your love. They need you to show them his love. Don’t procrastinate! Seize the moment and serve them today. God will be with you! Think It Over Think about the following: • Who do you know in your life who is hurting right now? What can you do to show your love for them today? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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Slow Down to See People Better
May 10, 2023
Read Mark 9:33-37. Have you ever been guilty of conducting a “man search”? You go to a drawer looking for something, and because it’s not right in front of you, you can’t find it. You complain to your wife, who looks in the same drawer, moves something, and at once finds what you’re looking for! Perhaps that’s just me! If you want to serve others as God has planned for you, then you need to slow down, open your eyes, see what’s happening around you, and become sensitive to the needs of those around you. I wonder how many opportunities to serve Jesus’ disciples missed as they walked through Galilee to Capernaum arguing over which one of them was the greatest. Some people seem to have an automatic sixth sense that alerts them to people who are hurting whether that’s physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. The rest of us must try harder to discern these things! For many of us, it is easy to become distracted. We’re too busy. We’re too task focused. Our schedule is already over-full. But if we just slow down and focus on God’s call to serve others, then we will see the needs of those around us more easily. What might you need to add to your “not to do list” to serve others today? Think It Over Think about the following: • Who do you find most difficult to notice? Are you willing to ask God to open your eyes to them today? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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How to Find Your Self Worth in God
May 9, 2023
Read Mark 9:33-37. Where do you look for your self-worth? In the make of car you are driving? In the logo on your tee-shirt or trainers? In the amount of money you earn? In a relationship? Jesus’ disciples were looking for their self-worth in their status. They were arguing over which of them was the greatest! They were consumed by ambition, pride, and even insecurity. When we look for our self-worth in the wrong places, then obedience to God and service to others can easily be pushed aside. We can come to overvalue our position and prestige. The wrong motives are destructive. Jesus says that our self-worth comes from service. It comes from thinking about others more than we do ourselves. It comes from using our God-given gifts, skills, talents, and abilities not for our own benefit but for the benefit of those around us. When we do that, then our self-worth is found in our place in God’s Kingdom, and our ambition is properly directed towards advancing it rather than ourselves. It is always painful to measure our motives against those of Jesus. That is why his disciples were so embarrassed to answer Jesus’ question about what they were discussing on the road. But each of us must examine our hearts and renounce any pride or status-seeking we might have, even our insecurity. We are meant to serve God by serving others. Let’s find our significance in that today. Think It Over Think about the following: • How are you using your God-given gifts, skills, talents, and abilities to serve others? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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How to Serve God by Serving Others
May 8, 2023
This past weekend, many in the United Kingdom and around the world have enjoyed watching the Coronation of King Charles III. Amid all the pomp and circumstance, this week in Battle Drill Devotionals, we are reminded Jesus described leadership from a new perspective – of serving people. Read Mark 9:33-37. When it comes to leadership, who do you admire? Your answer will reveal much about how you view leadership. Real leadership is about serving others. That’s what Jesus taught us. He told the people around him that his mission on earth was to serve others and give his life away. He wants us to have the same servant heart. Servant leaders appreciate others’ worth more than their own and realise they are not above any job. If they see something that needs doing, they simply get on with it. They don’t feel entitled to high positions, honours, and special privileges. Instead, they look for ways to help others. Whether you find yourself with leadership responsibilities or not, each one of us is called to serve God by serving others. One day you will serve God forever in heaven. In the meantime, he wants you to practice serving him by serving those around you. You can use whatever you are good at – whatever gifts, talents or abilities God has given you – to serve others. What needs doing today? Think It Over Think about the following:What do you look for in a spiritual leader? What does that say about how you view leadership?There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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We All Need More Than Enough: A Guide To Life In The Fullness Of God
May 5, 2023
Read Psalm 23:1-6. Are you a “glass half full” or “glass half empty” person? The answer is an important indication of how we experience life. If you are a “glass half empty” person then you will run around thinking you don’t have enough time to get everything done. You will never have enough money, which might mean you overwork to earn more, or over extend on your credit card, for example. You will feel you never have enough energy, which means either your work or your family and friends never get the best of you. A shortage mindset like this focuses on our limited resources, leaving us feeling overwhelmed and short-changed. On the other hand, when our “glass is half full”, we focus on the goodness of God and all he provides for us. We recognise he has unlimited resources and that he has promised to give us everything we need. We can see that God has more than enough to supply our needs and the needs of everyone around us. We don’t have to worry about running short. He will provide all the blessings, all the goodness, and all the unfailing love we will ever need. God wants to meet all our needs. He wants us to overflow rather than be overwhelmed. Let’s make the Good Shepherd the source of our life and enjoy the abundance that brings. Think It Over Think about the following:Why do we worry about “keeping up with the Jones’s” instead of focusing on all the many good things God has given us?There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Do Not be Afraid No Matter What You Are Facing
May 4, 2023
Read Psalm 23:1-6. What are you worried about today? The cost of living crisis? Your health? The backlog and delays in the National Health Service? Your next energy bill? Your future? Whatever it is that you fear, God promises to walk beside you as you face up to it. On Easter Sunday at Maidenhead Corps we focused on the words of the angel, sitting on top of the stone rolled away from Jesus’ tomb. He told the women who had come to tend to Jesus’ body, “Don’t be afraid!” (Matthew 28:5). He was echoing a refrain that comes throughout both the Old and New Testaments: Don’t be afraid! In fact, there are 365 “Do Not be Afraids” in the Bible, one to remind us every day of the year! We fear we are on the losing side. Whilst we might overcome pain, depression, disease, and injury in our lives, we know we cannot escape death. It will have the final word. Except, that because of Jesus, it won’t! God has shown his grace and mercy by sacrificing Jesus on the cross for everything we have and will ever do wrong. God has the final victory! Death is defeated. So, the next time something bad happens to you, remember the ultimate Victor walks beside you. He is close beside you and will protect and comfort you. Don’t be afraid! Think It Over Think about the following: • Why do you think God is so keen for us to get that we should not be afraid? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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How To Know You’re Making A Right Decision
May 3, 2023
Read Psalm 23:1-6. Do you have a hard time coming to some decisions? Do you find yourself prevaricating? Perhaps you’re afraid to make the wrong decision. How do we know when we’re making a right decision? Is it a feeling? A sense of peace and calm, perhaps? Or do we look for advice amongst the many self-help articles we can find on the Internet – 5 Steps to Making the Right Decision Every Time, for example? Maybe you take a supernatural approach to decision-making and look for a miraculous sign that you’re making the right choice – if the next car that comes around the corner is red, then I know I’m doing the right thing? The problem with these signs is they can be deceptive. Our feelings can trick us. There isn’t a proven formula for making the right decision every time. The miraculous sign you put your faith in could just be a coincidence. Instead, the best way to know you’re making a right decision is simply to follow God’s guidance. He will guide you along the right paths. He will get you to the right places. When you have a decision to make, he is there with you, guiding you every step of the way. If you want to make the right decision, then simply let God guide you to it. Think It Over Think about the following: • What do you look for when you are deciding if your decisions are in God’s Will – a feeling, a formula, a miraculous sign, or something else? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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A Guide to Finding Rest for Your Soul
May 2, 2023
Read Psalm 23:1-6. Do you suffer from hurry sickness? John Ortberg suggests some tests to decide. If, when you drive towards a red stop light and two lanes of traffic, you calculate, based on the make, model, and age of the two cars in front of you to decide which one is going to move off quicker, then you are suffering from hurry sickness! Likewise, if you have two queues at the supermarket and you calculate which one you think is going to move faster, and join that one, but keep a beady eye on the person in the other queue who would have been you, you have hurry sickness! There is no doubt the pace of modern society appears to be getting faster and faster. We’re overworked, maxed out even on leisure activities, and many of us feel permanently exhausted. That’s not what Jesus wants for us. He wants us to find contentment and refreshment. The Good Shepherd knows where the green meadows are. He knows where to find the peaceful streams. We simply need to follow him to find the restoration we need. A lot of the hurry and worry in our lives stems from trying to go our own way and do our own thing. But that’s against our own best interests! So, relax. Let go. Learn to rest. Learn the “unforced rhythms of grace” (Matthew 11:29 MSG). Go the Shepherd’s way and live in the goodness of God. Think It Over Think about the following: • Why do you think we value overworking so much in society? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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Everything You Need Has Already Been Provided For You
May 1, 2023
The world can sometimes seem a frightening and chaotic place. This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we are reminded to depend on Jesus, our Good Shepherd, for our provision, guidance, and protection. Read Psalm 23:1-6 (TLB). My Mum’s favourite Bible version was The Living Bible. She based her opinion on one verse, and one verse alone: Psalm 23:1 LBP Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need! My Mum would say that word “Because” makes all the difference to the sense of the words the psalmist wrote. We have everything we need because the Lord is our Shepherd. David, the psalmist, was, of course, writing out of his own personal experience. He had been a shepherd. He knew sheep inside and out. He knew they were completely dependent upon their shepherd for provision, guidance, and protection. Without the shepherd they would soon become frightened, passive animals. In some senses, we are liable to become passive and frightened, especially when our world seems so chaotic and confusing. But if we are obedient followers, following the One we know will lead us in the right ways and to the right places, then we have nothing to fear. When you recognise the Good Shepherd, all you have to do is follow him! When you do, you’ll have everything you need. Think It Over Think about the following: • When was the last time you turned to the Lord for guidance? What was the outcome? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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Your Mission Possible
April 28, 2023
Read John 15:1-17. Every Christian has a mission from Jesus. It is to produce fruit. Not apples or pears but people. Jesus wants you to be fruitful. Productive. Successful. That doesn’t mean busy. And it doesn’t mean successful in the eyes of the world. He’s after Kingdom success. He wants fruit that will last. Most of what we do, won’t last. Our work will fade. Our holidays will get forgotten. What we watched on television won’t matter. What will matter is what we do that will help someone get to know God for themselves. It might be a conversation. It might be a service such as providing food or help to find a job. It is most likely to be in building a relationship that then gave you the opportunity to explain how they could find out more about the God you serve. When you invest your life in people, you’re bearing fruit that will last. Who can you invest in today? THINK IT OVER Think about the following:Who will be in heaven because you shared the Good News about God with them?There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Why You Should Do What God Tells You
April 27, 2023
Read John 15:1-17. Why should I obey God? Many people (including some Christians!) think it is a duty – a sense of obligation. But Jesus says it’s because of love. If you’re a follower of Jesus then he is Lord of your life, and you must obey his guidance and leading. You can’t carry on doing your own thing. Jesus says you are his friend only if you do what he commands. But that leads many people to think we obey God out of a sense of fear or obligation, the idea that we’ll be punished if we don’t. But that’s not how friendship works! We obey Jesus because he is our friend. He knows what’s best for us. That’s why he loved and saved us. And so we obey him as a way of returning his love to him. Many of us listening to and reading this devotional are Salvation Army soldiers. We have promised God to do some things like upholding Christian integrity in every part of our lives, to maintain Christian ideals in all our relationships and to be actively involved in our local Salvation Army corps. We have also promised to abstain from some things like alcoholic drink, tobacco and non-medicinal drugs. We do so, not out of a sense of duty, not because we think we’ll win God’s approval, but because we love him, and we believe those things are best for us. Obeying God makes him smile, because it means we’re making the right choices. And making God smile and making the right choices brings us joy – much more joy than the cheap thrills of other things that look so tempting. Choose joy today – choose obedience! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Do you see obeying God as unnecessarily restrictive or as something that brings you deep joy? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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Make God Smile
April 26, 2023
Read John 15:1-17. Would you like to make God smile? Then be fruitful by using the gifts he has given you! Sometimes, we can be guilty of thinking God only smiles at us when we’re doing “spiritual” things. Things like praying, reading our Bible, serving in church or listening to the sermon. But God smiles when we are being fruitful and using the gifts he has given us. They may not seem very “spiritual.” Perhaps it’s counting money and completing a reconciliation. Perhaps it’s cooking a meal for someone. Maybe it’s making a phone call to someone you know is lonely. Maybe it’s making some craft or colouring in a picture. It doesn’t have to be “spiritual.” If you are using the gifts and talents that God has given you, then that’s worship and it will be fruitful. And God smiles as he sees you doing it. Why? Because it brings glory to him! He’s the gift-giver! When we do what we’re created to do, God smiles, and you feel good doing it too! I can testify that the best feeling comes when you use the gifts God has given you for his purpose and to bring him glory. May you find it’s the most exciting thing in your life too! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What gifts or talents has God given you (everyone has at least one!)? How are you using them to bring glory to God? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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Can Your Remember God's Word?
April 25, 2023
Read John 15:1-17. Can you remember your telephone number? Where you left the TV remote last night? What your favourite meal is? We remember what’s important to us. One of the most important ways we can ensure that Jesus’ words are guiding and directing our lives is to memorise Scripture. But many people say, “but I can’t memorise!” Whilst I agree it takes some effort, you’ve probably just proven that you can memorise what’s important to you! Memorising Scripture can help in so many ways. It can help have the victory over worry (worry is negative memorising in many ways!). It can keep you encouraged when things are tough. It can help you resist temptation. It can help develop your prayer life. In fact, Jesus says that if his words remain in you, then you can pray for anything you want, and it will be granted! (Of course, if Jesus’ words remain in you, you’re not going to ask for anything that’s contrary to those words). Memorising Scripture can also make it easier to share God’s Good News with those with whom you come into contact. If you haven’t tried it before, I encourage you to give it a go. Just start with one verse a week. Write it on a piece of paper or a Post-It note and put it somewhere prominent to remind you. Or make it your smartphone’s home screen. There are even apps that will help you. Review it several times a day and only move on to another verse when you have the first one under your belt. As you move forward, keep reviewing the verses you have already learned. It might be helpful to ask a friend from the corps or church to help you. You could say the verses out loud to each other and you could encourage each other to keep going when you come across a tough verse to crack! Memorising Scripture is the key to unlocking the Bible. Give it a go today! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What can you do today to start the habit of memorising Scripture? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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Get Connected to Grow Your Church
April 24, 2023
This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we focus on what it means as God’s family to remain connected to Jesus. How does that change the way we “do” church? Read John 15:1-17. Do you want your church to grow? Do you want to see it continuing to bear fruit? Then each member must remain connected to Jesus. Jesus uses the metaphor of the grapevine, which in the Bible is a picture of God’s people. The church is God’s people of today. Jesus wants the church – your Salvation Army corps or church – to be fruitful. To be productive. To grow. In order to do that, we all need to stay connected to him. The church – as the Body of Christ – has a part to play in this. It is in the church that collectively we find the Holy Spirit power to live on. It is in the church that we find the Christian family that Jesus wants us to live with and learn to love as he loves them. It is in church that collectively we learn the principles to live by. It is in the church that we discover God’s plan for the world and his plan for our own lives. And it is in the church that we find our purpose in life. You won’t find all of that outside of the church. So get connected today. It might be difficult. It might be uncomfortable. It might take some sacrifice. But it is worth being connected to Jesus and to his people. It’s time to plug in! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Do you find it easier to have a deep relationship with God or a deep relationship with other followers of Jesus? Why do you think that is? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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Encouraging Each Other To Look Forward to The Family Reunion in Heaven
April 21, 2023
Read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. Do you ever think about heaven and what it will be like? I think your answer to that question might depend on your age. When you’re young there doesn’t seem to be much motivation for thinking about heaven. But as we get older, we are confronted by human mortality. Soon, family and friends whom we love have passed away from this life, and we begin to think more about what it will be like to be reunited with them. Who are you excited to see when you finally get to heaven? Of course, nothing will compare to meeting with and worshipping the Lord in person. But who else do you want to see? I have recently seen a clip of pastor Alistair Begg, who really wants to interrogate the prisoner who died on Jesus’ left when he was on the cross. How on earth does Jesus’ promise that “today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43) accord with his understanding of Scripture?! But along with famous Bible characters and famous Christians throughout history, many of us will be excited to see family and friends whom we miss terribly. It’s going to be exciting. It’s going to be joyful. It’s going to be emotional. Paul encourages us to encourage each other with the hope we have that one day this great, big family reunion will happen. Death is not the end! We will see our loved ones again. We will be with God and with them for eternity. Be encouraged! Think It Over Think about the following:How does knowing about the coming family reunion in heaven motivate you to tell others about God’s good news?There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Use Your Gifts to Serve Others and Bring Glory to God
April 20, 2023
Read 1 Peter 4:7-11. What talent has God given you? Some people are tempted to think God hasn’t given them any talent – nothing with which to serve his people. But that’s just not true! Each one of us has been given at least one thing we can do to serve God’s family and others. Peter encourages each of us to “use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10). If you keep your talent or ability to yourself, then I suffer, just as you suffer if I don’t serve you with the gifts God has given me. I would be nowhere if people didn’t share their gift of DIY – the ability to repair things – because God hasn’t given me that gift! But God has given me the ability to preach and teach his Word, and I am grateful that people encourage me that they are blessed when I use that gift. We need to use the gifts God has given us to bless others. In that way, we contribute to God’s Kingdom. Don’t keep your talent to yourself! Use it to serve others, blessing them and glorifying God in the process. Think It Over Think about the following: • What gifts has God given you? How are you using them to serve others? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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Don’t Be an Outlier. Learn To Be Considerate of Others!
April 19, 2023
Read 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 MSG. Are you a team player? Or are you an outlier? I know people who hate working alone – they need the creative spark of a team around them to function at their best. I’ve known others who like to do everything alone and will complain if others help that they don’t do the job to the same standard they do it to. The Bible makes it clear that God’s work is meant to be done together. That’s why it holds so much teaching about what we should do towards “one another”. In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes to a rather difficult church that they should “learn to be considerate of one another” (1 Corinthians 1:10 MSG). Consideration is one of the most important aspects of living and working together. It is consideration that helps us learn to cooperate with each other. We begin to see what we each bring to the team. We learn to notice each other’s needs. We soon see that though we are all different, we are stronger together. It is consideration that leads us to be thoughtful with our words and actions, learning to take people’s fears and doubts into consideration. Being considerate takes time and effort. It is challenging work. But it brings happiness, strong relationships, and a good and effective team. Think It Over Think about the following: • Why are members of our church family often the hardest ones to get along or work well with? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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How Can We Love the People We Work With?
April 18, 2023
Read Romans 12:9-16. Do you love your work? Do you love what you do? Sometimes, we choose to work simply to survive – to earn enough money to live on each month. It’s not what we would choose to do, but it keeps us going until we can finally do what we’ve always wanted to do. It must be difficult to love our work in those circumstances. But whatever we do, we can choose to work in love. That can be the motivation we need. When we do anything in love, it pleases God. You can look at a computer screen and please God. You can clean a floor and please God. You can fit hundreds of widgets every day and please God. The key is to love those around you. Paul encouraged the Romans to “live in harmony with each other” (Romans 12:16). That sounds great, until you remember the people you work with who make life difficult! Those who are disagreeable, those who are grumpy, those who are defensive, and so on. If we are going to be God’s witnesses in our workplaces, then we are going to have to learn to love these people. We can live in harmony with them by treating them with kindness. We can live in harmony with them by keeping quiet about at least some of our opinions. We can live in harmony with them by responding with grace and forgiveness when they hurt us. We can live in harmony with them by trying to be at peace with those we work with. Let’s choose to work in love by living in harmony with those colleagues we find difficult. We will please God as we witness to his love. Think It Over Think about the following: • What would have to change in your work – and in your own attitude – so that you can work in harmony with as many people at your workplace as possible? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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Love Others – Prove to Those Outside the Church that We are Christians
April 17, 2023
One way we can encourage each other as Christians is to practice the “one anothers” in the Bible. This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we focus on just five of the fifty-nine “one anothers” found in Scripture. Read John 13:31-38. “My faith is fine, thanks. I don’t need a church to be a Christian”. Have you ever heard someone say that? Perhaps you believe it, yourself? Whilst Christians have a personal, individual relationship with God, the Bible makes it clear that we were created to be together. Never is this so important than when it comes to our collective witness to God’s love. Jesus makes it clear to his disciples that it is our love for one another that proves to the world that we are his followers. When we gather as a church family, we strengthen each other. We encourage each other and provide each other with motivation to keep going on our faith journey. We need each other to grow. Spiritual growth towards holiness happens in community. If you’re in a good place and growing, then you can encourage those who are struggling. Let’s commit to loving one another – however difficult that might be on occasion – and witness to the world that we follow the God who loves them. Think It Over Think about the following: • What would you say to someone who once attended church but no longer does so because of a hurt or disappointment from the past? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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Jesus’ Resurrection: The Good News Worth Telling
April 14, 2023
Read Matthew 28:1-10. What’s one of the first things you want to do when you receive good news? Tell other people! It might be the birth of a child. Perhaps a new job. Maybe exam success. A new relationship. But when you have some good news, you just want to share it. What’s remarkable about Jesus’ resurrection, is that once his followers found out about it, they just wanted to tell others the good news! The women ran back from the tomb to tell the disciples. Peter and John went home to tell their families the tomb was empty. Soon, all the disciples were spreading the gospel in Jerusalem and beyond. The resurrection is the basis of our good news for the world. The resurrection means Jesus wasn’t just a good man. He wasn’t just a remarkable teacher. He wasn’t just a religious leader. The resurrection means he was indeed the Son of God. Your family, friends, neighbours, and co-workers – in fact, anyone you meet – can have a relationship with God because of Jesus’ resurrection. Now that’s good news worth telling, isn’t it! Think It Over Think about the following:Who do you know who needs to hear the good news of Jesus today?There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Power On: Your Life Is an Advert for God
April 13, 2023
Read Matthew 28:1-10. Have you seen those battery adverts where dead electronic items are brought back to life? The message is: all you need is the power from our batteries and life will be good again. When it comes to our lives, there are two types of power: the power of bad and the power of good. Satan has the power to control your life. He can control your mind; your emotions and you can allow him to control where your life goes. We are powerless against Satan without Christ. On the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). At that moment, Satan was defeated. No longer can he control you. No longer can he manipulate you. No longer can he condemn you. Jesus destroyed Satan. And the power that brought him back to life is available to you and me today, to resist Satan in the future. Jesus can breathe new life into our spiritually dead selves and then give us the power to live for him. Satan can’t harm you. Jesus will protect you. You have the power to say no. With Jesus, you can power on today! Think It Over Think about the following: • What do you need Jesus’ resurrection power to say no to today? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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The Resurrection of Jesus Brings Hope for Desperate Times
April 12, 2023
Read Matthew 28:1-10. Do you sometimes wish you had a crystal ball? I wonder what your response would have been if just over three years ago your crystal ball had told you what we faced in 2020 and beyond? Sometimes we wish we could see into the future. But do we, really? How many of us could face the future knowing all the difficulties and problems we would face? But because of the resurrection of Jesus, we can see into the future. If we trust him, our future is secure. One day, like him, we will be resurrected. He has promised us that death is not the end. And his resurrection proves what he says is true. An eternal future awaits us. One day we will see him face to face. Because of Jesus’ resurrection we have hope for the future. Who doesn’t need some hope today? God will not disappoint us. What an amazing promise! How do you claim it? Simply believe in Jesus today. Think It Over Think about the following: • What does it mean to know you have been accepted into God’s eternal home today? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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How to Be Sure That Jesus Won’t Scam You
April 11, 2023
Read Matthew 28:1-10. One of the hot topics now is scamming and those who fall victim to it. Some people have lost thousands of pounds worth of their savings paying money over to imposters who have scammed money from them through seemingly legitimate purposes. Once you know about these scams it makes you sceptical about many of the promises you see. Sometimes, things seem too good to be true. Perhaps that’s how you feel about Jesus and his promises. Could he really make right our relationship with God and make the world perfect again? His resurrection shows us that he is indeed who he says he is. He is the living Christ who rules God’s eternal Kingdom from heaven. Jesus is not a scammer. He is not a false prophet. He is not an imposter. He is God’s Son. He came to die for your sins and mine and he did. Jesus kept his word. His resurrection split history in two. It changed my life, and it can change yours too. You can rely on Jesus to be who he says he is. Think It Over Think about the following: • Why is the resurrection proof that Jesus is God as he says he is? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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The Resurrection of Jesus Will Free You from The Fears of Life
April 10, 2023
“He isn’t here!” This report of Jesus’ resurrection is the key to Christian faith. This week we focus on the different those three words can make in our lives and in the lives of those around us. Read Matthew 28:1-10. Do you trust every promise that has ever been made to you? How about the preacher who says, “And finally …”. Maybe not! The truth is that for a variety of reasons, sometimes we are not particularly good at keeping our promises. You may have every intention of keeping your promise, but something prevents you from following through, and you end up breaking the promise you made. The resurrection of Jesus proves you can trust God’s promises. Jesus told his disciples he would rise from the dead three days after he was killed. On that first Easter Sunday, the angel who met the women who had come to his tomb, exclaimed that Jesus wasn’t there. He was risen, just as he had said would happen. He had kept his promise. The Bible holds over 7,000 promises from God to you. They cover any subject you can think of: your health, your wealth, your relationships, your work, your past, your present and your future, your salvation from sin and your own resurrected, eternal life. God’s promises can help end any fears you have. Read them, remember them, and trust them. Thank him for his resurrection power and ask him for a new touch of power in your own life. You can find hope today because Jesus lives. Think It Over Think about the following: • Which of God’s promises do you need to claim today? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Click on the link – https://linktr.ee/battlefieldresources – to listen, watch or subscribe to this podcast.
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How Can I Understand What Happened on Good Friday?
April 7, 2023
Read Mark 15:33-37. Can you really understand the events of Good Friday? I have to say I struggle at times. Jesus is the Son of God. More than that, he is God the Son. So, on Good Friday, God goes and gets himself killed on a cross, suffering the cruel, excruciating death of a common criminal. Explain that! No wonder Paul exclaims: 1 Corinthians 1:18 NLT The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. It all seems like utter foolishness. Surely the point of God is that he is all-powerful, indestructible? How can we worship and offer our whole lives to a God who allows himself to be hanged to death? And yet this moment is one of the most intense divine revelations. What we discover about the God who created us is that he chooses to reveal his power through powerlessness. The power of the cross is the power of selfless love. And there is no greater power in the universe. As Jesus dies, the powerful are shown to be utterly powerless. Those who indulge in handing out injustices are faced with God’s justice. Those who oppress are placed under God’s judgment. Those who pollute God’s world face their day of reckoning. As we gaze upon Jesus and as his life ebbs away, we see a world transformed by love. Our sin is overcome by his love. Our selfishness is replaced by his selflessness. What can we do in response? Simply love as Jesus loved. We may not fully understand it all, but the cross must become our lifestyle. We must offer our lives as a living sacrifice to those who have nothing. Think It Over Think about the following:When do you most often doubt God’s love for you?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them three times a day on Salvationist Radio! Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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When the Worst Thing Happens
April 6, 2023
Read Mark 15:16-20. He came in at the end of our evening worship meeting. He swore like a trooper. The Salvationists heard some words that night that would have been an education to them! I tried to placate him. He calmed down for a bit. But then he was off again. And as he made his way out of the doors, he turned and spat at me. I was shocked, but somehow God still gave me words of peace and calm to give him as he left us. Being spat at is revolting. The lady at the dry cleaners who was tasked with cleaning my uniform almost refused to do so. But spitting is just one of the appalling abuses that Jesus faces from the governor’s soldiers. They rough him up. They pretend to worship him. They mock him. The make a fake crown out of sharp thorns and press it into his skull. It’s horrible and humiliating and just reading it makes us want to turn our heads away. But as Jesus suffers the ignominy of the soldiers’ abuse, he puts himself in the place of all human suffering. Whatever you have suffered in your life, Jesus has suffered it too. He can identify with the victims of bullying, with the person who is always mocked and put down in the workplace, with the victim of torture. He can walk alongside victims of abuse. He stands with the fearful and anxious, with those who look in terror at the future. Jesus doesn’t offer a quick fix. But he is there with those who suffer. He is willing to take their pain on his shoulders. If you are suffering today, know that Jesus is there with you amid it all. Think It Over Think about the following: • Do you find it difficult to reach out to Jesus when you’re suffering? Why or why not?
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Jesus Is in Control: Trust Him
April 5, 2023
Read Mark 15:1-15. Do you ever despair over our political class? There sometimes seems to be culture of abusing power, whether it’s a case of bare faced lying and hoping to get away with it, or potential fraud, nepotism, bullying or a number of any other problems we are faced with on our television screens and in our newspapers. Pontius Pilate is alive and well it seems! He underpays his staff and subjects them to poverty. He covers up his crimes and those of his cronies. He deliberately spreads lies and disinformation. People like Pontius Pilate think they are in control. But they are not. Their power is a sham. One day they will be judged for the way they used and abused power by the One whose power raised Jesus from the dead. By his silence, Jesus made it clear to Pilate that he was not in control. Real power is found only in trusting ourselves to his power. Jesus is the One who holds creation in the palm of his hand. He was the only One with power to bring about God’s plan of salvation. Are you ready to give him the power over your own life? Think It Over Think about the following: • When do you tend to hold on to power in your own life?
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Sin Is a Condition: The Real Issue
April 4, 2023
Read Mark 14:66-72. What is sin? Many of us, including many Christians, name sin as an action or series of actions. We could name several of them: murder, theft, gossip, greed and so on. But sin is deeper than the action. It is a condition. It describes a broken relationship with God from which negative actions may flow. Sin is the attitude that we know better than God how to run our lives. Peter wept because of his sin. He thought he knew better than Jesus. Any one of his eleven fellow disciples might deny they knew Jesus, but he never would. Peter would defend Jesus to the death. In the end, he didn’t even have the courage to make a stand for Jesus. He denied him three times instead. You might think that would be the end of Peter. Like me, there might have been times in your own life when you have let Jesus down and thought there was no way back for you. But for those of us who have been beset by sin, perhaps the two greatest words in the Bible are those found in Mark 16:7: Mark 16:7 NLT Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died”. The angel outside Jesus’ empty tomb specifically included Peter when he instructed the women to go and tell his disciples that Jesus was risen from the dead. His sin was not the end for Peter! It’s not the end of the story for us either. We simply need to understand we have no power to overcome sin by ourselves. Instead, we must rely on the forgiveness of Christ, just as Peter had to learn. Peter was able to start again with a clean slate. So are we! Think It Over Think about the following: • Do you believe God will forgive your worst sin? Why or why not?
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Right Now, There’s Something You Can Do to Achieve True Freedom
April 3, 2023
This week, during Holy Week, we meditate on some of the events of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday as we journey with Christ to the cross. Will we be changed by this encounter? Read Mark 14:32-42. Our cocker spaniel, Harley, has a look. I can’t describe it, but when I am out with him and see it, I instinctively know he’s about to run off and make a burst for freedom! I’ve always said dogs have much to teach us! In those moments (or sometime afterwards when the panic has subsided!) I reflect that Harley’s bid for freedom matches our own. Since the beginning of time, humanity has wanted to be free of God’s call on our lives. We want to be in control ourselves. This is the fundamental question Jesus faces in the Garden of Gethsemane in the late hours of Maundy Thursday: will he follow God’s will and all that he knows that will mean for him, or will he bid for freedom and take back control of his own life? Mark 14:36 NLT “Abba, Father”, he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine”. In that moment, Jesus hands his freedom over to God, fully trusting that by doing so he will one day find in him the freedom that lasts for ever. Following our own will and having control over our own lives is not what it’s cracked up to be. We cannot set ourselves free. We need a Saviour who is willing to give up his own freedom so that we can be free. The best we can do in response is to offer our own lives to God in response. That is the path to true freedom. Think It Over Think about the following:Where are you still trying to take or keep control in your own life?
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Trying to Connect with God When You Feel Lost and Discouraged
March 31, 2023
Read Psalm 130:1-8. Where is God when you find yourself in a hole? The psalmist certainly wonders if God has abandoned him. He calls for help. He asks God to listen to his prayers. Sometimes, God appears to be missing-in-action, especially when we are struggling. This feeling of separation from God is a test of our faith. God has promised us that he will never leave us, that he will never abandon us. So, the psalmist continues to count on God. He puts his hope in his word. He throws himself on God’s unfailing love. The test is, when we cannot feel God’s presence, will we continue to trust the promise? Will we continue to trust him, to obey what he has asked us to do and to worship him? If we can hold on to the promise, if we can look ahead to the endless life in his presence that’s before us, then we will be drawn into deeper relationship with him. His love will reach us and heal us. Think It Over Think about the following:Have you ever experienced a time in your life when God seemed to have abandoned you? How did God use it to grow your faith?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them twice a day on Salvationist Radio! Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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A God for Every Storm
March 30, 2023
Read Psalm 130:1-8. Just over three years ago, our world seemed to fall apart. Everything changed as the Coronavirus pandemic hit hard around the globe. Many people went into lockdown, isolated from their family and friends. Some found their jobs in peril. Children’s education was interrupted. Many did not get help for health problems. Some wondered if God had abandoned us. Coronavirus was a huge hole for the world, and we still see the effects of this pandemic today and, I suspect, for years to come. But God reassures us that his presence is inescapable. He will never abandon us. And nothing that happens to us can separate us from his love. We can continue to hope in him. Christian scholar, David Bartlett writes: The Christian looks at Good Friday and Easter, at the love of God in Jesus Christ, and knows that God is God and shall be God and that nothing will be able to separate us from God’s love. That is our Hope. That is our confidence. As we look back on the pandemic, we can reflect on and celebrate the ways in which God has delivered us through it and look back and see his presence with us throughout. If this pandemic has taught us anything, surely, it’s that nothing can ever separate us from the love of God! That’s worth celebrating! Think It Over Think about the following: • How did you experience God’s presence through the Coronavirus pandemic?
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No Matter What Hole We Find Ourselves In, God Is Always There
March 29, 2023
Read Psalm 130:1-8. What happens when you find yourself in a deep hole? Do you give up and stop trying? Do you decide to simply drift through life instead? Do you simply change your priorities and jettison what mattered to you before? Or do you simply sit in despair? If the hole you find yourself in is a setback, you need an anchor to stop you drifting. God’s presence is that anchor. When Paul was writing to the Roman church he explained that whatever hole they found themselves in – death, spiritual warfare, frightening situations, the day’s little worries – nothing would ever separate them from the love of God (Romans 8:31-39). A few years later, the Christians in Rome needed to hold on to that anchor for dear life as they faced terrible persecution for their faith. God loves you. No matter what happens to you, no matter where you are, no matter how deep the hole, we can never be separated from the anchor of God’s love. He will seek you in your pain and assure you of the promise that one day he will help you overcome your setbacks with his unfailing love and redemption (v.7). Think It Over Think about the following: • Have you suffered a setback lately? How have you known God’s presence in such times?
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How to Move from Your State of Despair to God’s Unfailing Love
March 28, 2023
Read Psalm 130:1-8. If you ever find yourself in a hole, it will likely be dark. Certainly, the hole the psalmist found himself in was – he describes it as “the depths of despair” (v.1). When we’re in the dark and we’re afraid, we often reach out to a reassuring presence. It might be a parent, a leader, a spouse, a trusted friend. That’s true both for physical darkness and for dark times in our lives such as a mountain of debt, a relational conflict, grief, depression, or discouragement. Because God is the Love who will never let us go, no matter what we do or where we go, we can never be far from his reassuring presence. We can reach out to him because darkness and light are the same to God. His Son is the Light of the world. We can trust him to guide and lead us as we lean into his comforting presence. The psalmist didn’t just call out for help. He called out to God. He put his hope in the unfailing love of his Lord. When you sense you are in darkness, the best thing you can do is turn to God’s light. He will lower your stress as you trust in him. He knows your journey and he will guide and lead you. Think It Over Think about the following: • How has God kept you safe during dark periods of your life?
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Resting in The Presence of God
March 27, 2023
This week we are reassured that God’s love is deeper than any hole we may find ourselves in. Read Psalm 130:1-8. Where are you now? I don’t mean geographically. I mean in your head. In your mind. Some of us may find ourselves in a hole and losing hope that we will ever see the light of day again. One hole we often fall into is that of spending too much time on the past or of worrying about the future. We replay difficult or painful or worrying times from our past. A challenging conversation. When someone has hurt us. When we felt abandoned by God. Or we worry about the future. What is going to happen to us? What is going to happen to those we love? Perhaps a challenge is on its way. Maybe a difficult conversation is needed. Perhaps we just cannot see the next step to take. Allowing our minds to focus on the past or the future can lead to discontent and unhappiness. Our hole becomes deeper. The key to the happiness we crave, to the contentment we are searching for, to the peace of mind we so desperately need is simply to rest in the present moment in the presence of God. He is always there. We can put our hope in him: Psalm 130:5 NLT I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on him. I have put my hope in his word. God hears our cries. He pays attention to our prayers. Will you rest in his presence – in the moment – today? Think It Over Think about the following: • What can you do to help you live in the present (rather than the past or the future) today?
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Hope and Dreams in Christ
March 24, 2023
Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-9. What hopes and dreams did your Mum have for you? I know my Mum longed for me to be a Salvation Army officer, and I am glad she was alive to see me commissioned. God has hopes and dreams for us too. In fact, Paul tells us we cannot begin to imagine the hopes and dreams God has in store for us, both in this life and for eternity. In this life he sends us his Holy Spirit. His Spirit gives us the courage to go forward in this life, to press on through all the challenges it throws at us. It his Spirit who gives us the power to endure hardship and avoid giving in to temptation. His Spirit reminds us the best is yet to come! And the best is that one day God will create a new heaven and a new earth. We will live with him forever. The Bible gives us but a tantalising, breath-taking glimpse of what this will be like. We can be confident that Christ has great blessings in store for us when one day we are Promoted to Glory. Our hopes and dreams are not yet realised. So, let’s continue to love God with every fibre of our being. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to unfold to us increasingly the love God has for us. And let us – mothers, fathers, children, brothers, sisters, friends, whoever – express that love to those around us. Forward, ever forward to God’s hopes and dreams for each one of us! Think It Over Think about the following:How is your outlook on life affected by God’s hopes and dreams for your future? You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them twice a day on Salvationist Radio! Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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A Heartfelt Invitation to Accept God's Love
March 23, 2023
Read Isaiah 53:1-12. I was often reluctant to tell my Mum when I was hurt. Why? Because I could tell she carried that hurt in her own heart. How much more then does Jesus carry our pain and sorrow and the world’s hurts and weaknesses on the cross! Today’s passage vividly and unmistakably describes and explains the meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross. Because of the depth of the love and holiness of God, Jesus chooses the path of obedience, one that led to intense pain and terrible suffering, as he bore our pain and sorrow on that tree of death. He took our place. He was pierced because of our rebellion. He was crushed by our sins. He was beaten so we could be made whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. On the cross, Jesus took our sin and its consequences on to himself. Jesus says to you and me, as he did the disciples at the Last Supper: Matthew 26:26 NLT As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body”. Let’s not be afraid to accept God’s love for us. Jesus has done everything necessary for us. We must accept the offering. It’s time to be free! Think It Over Think about the following: • What spiritual wounds has Christ healed in you?
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God's Love Is Unconditional—Even for The Activist
March 22, 2023
Read Luke 10:25-37. “It hurts, Mum! Ouch!” Can you remember running to your mother for comfort and sympathy when you fell over and scraped your knee? Mum was the one who would supply the plaster and kiss away the tears. Likewise, Jesus wants to soothe our wounds. Often, we read Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan as a call to live a life of neighbourly love. And of course, it can be read that way. As we thought about yesterday, Jesus wants us to show compassion on those with physical needs, just as he did. But like a mother, Jesus wants to heal us too, and his parable has hidden depths that can bind up our wounds too. Perhaps, particularly as Salvationists, Jesus wants to heal us of the notion that we must do something to earn God’s love. The expert in religious law is an activist, like many of us. Notice his question. He does not ask about a way of life. His question is how he could make his way to life: Luke 10:25 NLT One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” To bind up the activist’s wounds, Jesus first meets him where he is. The expert wants to know what he must do to merit God’s favour, so Jesus tells him. Jesus’ story isn’t a nice, comforting story about a man who spots someone else in trouble and helps him out. The twist in the tale is that this is an encounter between sworn enemies: a Samaritan helping a Jew. Unheard of! They were sworn enemies. Imagine a black freedom fighter helping a white supremacist. You get the idea. It’s impossible! But that’s the point Jesus is making. It’s impossible to do anything to inherit something. Inheritance is based on relationship, not on performance. It’s impossible to do anything to make God love you. He loves you already! Life with Jesus isn’t about religion. It isn’t about frenzied service. Discipleship is different from busyness. God doesn’t ask for incessant good works. Following Jesus is about devotion and dedication. Jesus seeks our commitment, not our achievements. He’s not impressed by our activities, but our attitudes. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus looks to heal the wounds of the activist, as a mother puts a plaster on the skinned knee of her child. May each of us be healed of the futility of trying to win God’s love through human effort. Think It Over Think about the following: • Am I tempted to try to earn God’s love? How does that leave me feeling?
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Jesus Commands Us to Feed the Hungry
March 21, 2023
Read Mark 6:30-44. Mum’s picnics were legendary affairs. I remember a battered, old green hamper that came out, with proper China plates and silver cutlery. There were beautiful sandwiches, crisps (which were a treat in those days!), other snacks, cake, and fruit. Each one was an event! Mothers are generally loving, caring, and feeling people. They want to look after every aspect of their children’s lives. Likewise, Jesus provides this picnic to 5,000 men and their women and children, not because he wanted them to believe in him, not because he had something to teach them, but simply because “he had compassion on them” (Mark 6:34). He saw they were lost, straying from God and in grave danger, “like sheep without a shepherd”. He was deeply moved, and like a mother, simply had to do something about it. He could have sent them away, of course. But like a mother, Jesus is concerned with every aspect of our lives – the physical as well as the spiritual. But as well as meeting their physical needs, Jesus did have something to teach his disciples. It’s a lesson we must learn too. When his disciples point out the problem of a large crowd in a remote place, late in the day, needing something to eat, Jesus’ response must have astounded them: Mark 6:37 NLT But Jesus said, “You feed them”. “With what?” they asked. “We’d have to work for months to earn enough money to buy food for all these people!” It is a command we cannot afford to take lightly. Jesus’ compassion for the hungry is such an important lesson that it’s one of those rare events that is recorded in all four gospels. For people who are desperately hungry, there is no better way to show God’s love than simply to feed them. As the consequences of the current global pandemic continue to unfold, I suspect there may be many opportunities to meet people’s physical needs as well as their spiritual ones, in the name of Jesus, who likewise as compassion on them. If my Mum could supply a feast of a picnic, may I do the same to those who most need God’s love. Think It Over Think about the following: • What excuse might you be tempted to make when God calls you to do something about the human needs in your community?
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Don’t forget, God is a mother too
March 20, 2023
This week, having celebrated Mothers’ Day in the UK, we consider the ways in which God is like a mother to us. Read Deuteronomy 32:9-18. Our thoughts about God are dominated by him as father. Images of a God who nurtures and cares for us, who holds us, grieves with us, and laughs with us are less common. Do you remember running into your Mum’s arms when something had scared you? Can you recall the comfort and security you felt when you reached her, and she flung her arms around you to protect you? Deuteronomy 32:9-18 is part of the great Song of Moses, composed as he was coming to the end of his life and as the children of God prepared to cross into the Promised Land. In it, Moses paints a picture of a God who mothers us. Moses reminds God’s children that as they journeyed through the barren and dangerous Sinai desert on to the Promised Land, God “found” them and seeing they were vulnerable, surrounded, watched over and guarded them. He calls them the apple of his own eyes. The theme of God’s mothering love and care for his children continues, as Moses conjures up the image of an eagle spreading her wings and taking hold of the eaglet, carrying them away to safety. When the Israelites reach the Promised Land, it will be God who deserves the credit. Moses goes on to remind his people that God has fed them in the desert, supplying food spontaneously from the rocks. He supplies food through livestock, from both the animals themselves and what they produce. Sadly, Moses’ Song ends with him calling God’s children out for forgetting the God who mothers them, exclaiming: Deuteronomy 32:18 NLT You neglected the Rock who had fathered you; you forgot the God who had given you birth. God our Mother gives us many blessings. Many of us can look back to times of material wealth or success. We can remember times when God protected us, when he has kept us safe and supported us. Let’s ensure that whilst we enjoy these blessings, we don’t make light of God. Let’s not become soft and entitled. May God’s blessings draw us closer to him rather than turn us away from him. Think It Over Think about the following: • What kind of mother is God to you? What kind of child are you?
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How to Worship God Anywhere
March 17, 2023
Read John 4:5-14. Where do you go to worship God? The Salvation Army Hall? A church? A cathedral? Have you ever thought about worshipping God in your home? At your place of work? In the supermarket queue? In the park? As a Samaritan, the woman Jesus met at the well thought God could only be worshipped on Mount Gerizim. The Jews on the other hand thought God could only be worshipped in Jerusalem. Jesus revealed the truth: God is not confined to a particular building or a specific setting. He can be found anywhere! So, we can worship anywhere! Our worship is not dependent on a place or time. It depends on our attitude. We can work with an attitude of worship – working for God, whatever we do. We can clean dishes with an attitude of worship – doing it whilst aware of God’s presence with us. Any activity – if it has God at the centre – can be an act of worship. Think It Over Think about the following:What are your plans today? What can you do to ensure God is at the centre of them all, and that you are worshipping him throughout your day?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them twice a day on Salvationist Radio! Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Stop Feeling So Depressed and Frustrated – Come Home to Jesus
March 16, 2023
Read John 4:5-14. Yesterday, I suggested coming home to Jesus satisfies our souls greatest longings. So why is it that many Christians still feel so dissatisfied with life? If you look at many Christians today – me included – you might conclude they are as unhappy and dissatisfied as anyone else over feelings of low self-esteem, a lack of love in their lives, of loneliness. They seem to struggle as many others do over sex, money, work, and their position in life. What’s that about? Did Jesus overstate his claim to be the Living Water that could satisfy us fully? Or is it because, like the woman at the well, we’ve misunderstood what Jesus is saying to us? When Jesus told the woman he could give her water so she would never be thirsty again, she was thrilled! Imagine never again having to make the long journey in the midday sun to draw water from this well. Now all her needs would be met from this man’s gift! But Jesus didn’t promise an escape from life. He promised freedom within life. In fact, later he would tell his followers they should expect trouble in their lives (John 16:33). But he also promised he would overcome them all. We may experience the same problems and worries as many other people do, but the presence of Jesus in our lives makes a significant difference in the ways we respond to them. Jesus gives us the spiritual power we need to face the challenges of everyday life. And one day he will hand us the ultimate victory! Think It Over Think about the following: • How does Jesus strengthen you to face the challenges in your life?
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Jesus Came to Satisfy Your Hungry Soul
March 15, 2023
Read John 4:5-14. Are you satisfied with your life? Or do you find yourself hungering and thirsting for something else? The world offers several ways to satisfaction, but often they leave us wanting something more. Watch any advert break on your television and will find a list of things that will make you feel happy and secure. It might be a takeaway. It might be a new brand of perfume or aftershave. It could be a new car or a new gadget. It might be a complete change of wardrobe. It could be the promise of limitless wealth if only you part with a little money for a worthy cause. Jesus tells the woman at the well that the problem with these things is that they come up short. They are like water: they may quench your thirst for meaning for a while, but soon you will be thirsty again. Jesus says that only he – the Living Water – can satisfy our hungry and thirsty souls. When we come to him, it is like coming home. We will never hunger or thirst again. Jesus satisfies that desire every one of us has – whether we know it or not – for God’s presence. This Living Water – this sense of happiness, security, of wholeness – is available to you and me today. Maybe it’s time for you to come home to Jesus today? Think It Over Think about the following: • What did you thirst for before you met Jesus? If you haven’t met him yet, how do you quench your thirst?
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When You Feel Guilty and Ashamed
March 14, 2023
Read John 4:5-14. Do you ever avoid God because you feel ashamed and guilty about something? That can be your experience before you become a Christian, but it can also happen when you’ve been a Christian for many years. Jesus meets a woman at a well when she approaches in the middle of the day to draw water. Nothing unusual about that, you might think. Except that there were wells that were closer to the village she lived in – she had walked further than she needed to. And women generally drew water from the wells much later in the afternoon, when the temperature was cooler. What was this woman up to? She may have walked further in the heat of the day to avoid contact with other women. She was ashamed. This woman was a Samaritan. She was hated by the Jews. She was known to be living in sin – having had five husbands, the man she was now living with was not her husband. And she was a woman in a public place. No respectable Jew would have anything to do with her in such circumstances. But Jesus did. He shows remarkable grace to her, even though he is tired and thirsty. If you’re loaded down with guilt today, why not allow Jesus to take your guilt away? If you dread judgment and rejection, why not sink into his acceptance of you? Jesus wants to speak with you. He wants to strike up a conversation. He loves and cares for you no matter who you are or what you’ve done. Today, you can rest in the unconditional love of your Saviour, Jesus Christ. Think It Over Think about the following: • Why is shame such a powerful trap in our lives?
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How Jesus Broke Down Barriers
March 13, 2023
This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we focus on what it means to place God at the centre of our lives – our work, our rest, and our worship. Read John 4:5-14. Is there an area of your town that you avoid? A place that has a bad reputation – perhaps because of violence or drug misuse. Or perhaps it makes you afraid and uncomfortable. Jesus gives us an example of breaking down our barriers to these areas. The account of Jesus’ meeting with a woman at a well begins by telling us he had to go through Samaria. Why is this significant? The Jews hated the Samaritans, and strict Jews would do anything they could to avoid going through Samaria as a result. When travelling from Judea to Galilee, they would take a route around it, through Perea, east of the river Jordan, even though the journey took much longer. So why did Jesus have to go through Samaria? It was unlikely to be roadworks! Jesus was not following those yellow diversion signs! We can understand it was necessary for Jesus to go through Samaria because the gift of salvation he had to give was for the Samaritans – in fact, it was for everyone – not just the Jews. Jesus’ good news is for everyone – no matter their race, social position, religious orientation, or past sins. As his followers, we want to be prepared to share this good news with everyone at any time and in any place. Jesus crossed all social barriers to share his good news. We must do the same! Think It Over Think about the following:Where is your Samaria? What could you do to share Jesus’ good news in that place this week and beyond?
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How Small Groups Help Us Grow in Faith
March 10, 2023
Read Romans 4:1-4; 15-17. Whilst we are saved by God through faith alone, we also know we need spiritual exercise too. There are things we can do to help strengthen our faith. We are looking at four of them during this week. We’ve already looked at the first three. The final habit is to find a small group of Christians to share with. If you’re looking for ways to strengthen your faith, it’s important to make sure that you have people in your life who will support and encourage you along the way. One of my favourite times of week is to join my online Growth Group and to read and discuss God’s Word together. A small group can help strengthen our faith by reminding us that we are not alone. Small groups are a place where you can share your story, find people who understand you and relate to each other’s struggles and joys. We can support each other as we grow in faith together. A small group helps us learn from each other because we’re encouraged to share openly about our struggles – and everyone has struggles! This creates an environment where everyone feels safe enough to talk about their feelings without judgment. But it also allows each person’s experience become part of the fabric of community life together. And a small group helps us receive encouragement. We can get discouraged when things don’t go our way or when we feel like we’re struggling with something. But our small group can listen to our struggles and encourage us. They can even celebrate our victories with us! The Bible tells us we need each other to grow as Christians and to strengthen our faith. Think It Over Think about the following:Are you part of a small group? If not, who amongst your Christian friends might be willing to get together with you to start one?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them twice a day on Salvationist Radio! Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Write Out Your Christian Testimony Now
March 9, 2023
Read Romans 4:1-4; 15-17. Whilst we are saved by God through faith alone, we also know we need spiritual exercise too. There are things we can do to help strengthen our faith. We are looking at four of them during this week. We’ve already looked at the first two. The third is to write out your testimony so you are ready to share it. No one else can tell your story but you. Some of the most powerful testimonies come from people who have been through demanding situations in their lives. When they share their stories with others, we quickly see that everyone has their own struggles, but these struggles are what makes us stronger as individuals and as a church. When you’re asked about your Christian testimony, you should be prepared to share what God has done for you and how Jesus has changed your life. Don’t let an opportunity pass by because of fear or shyness! The Bible tells us that our hope is found only in Jesus Christ–and this means we must be able to explain why we believe what we believe. Writing your testimony down can strengthen your faith and help you share it more easily with others and make sure that it doesn’t get lost when people ask about your faith journey. It’s time that you started sharing your story. Just like nobody else can study for you, nobody else can tell your story like you can. Think It Over Think about the following: • Why is writing down your testimony so helpful?
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How to Be a Better Christian by Reading Books
March 8, 2023
Read Romans 4:1-4; 15-17. Whilst we are saved by God through faith alone, we also know we need spiritual exercise too. There are things we can do to help strengthen our faith. We are looking at four of them during this week. We looked at the first yesterday. The second is to read Christian books. Reading is one of the best ways we can learn more about God and strengthen our faith. The Bible tells us that reading can help us understand God’s word and grow in our faith, which leads to understanding God’s will for your life. Reading can also strengthen your faith through relationships with other Christians. Reading books can help you form those relationships because it allows you to connect with others who share your beliefs and experiences, which can lead to deeper understanding of God’s word. Reading also gives you an opportunity to share your thoughts and ideas with other people who may not agree with you. Reading is a fantastic way to strengthen your Christian faith. It not only helps you better understand God and his Word, but it also gives you access to other believers who share your beliefs. The benefits of reading are many: it can improve your memory, reduce stress levels, and even improve brain health! And if you really don’t like reading, you could always turn to audiobooks! If you’re looking for ways to strengthen your faith in Christ, consider picking up some books on Christianity today. Think It Over Think about the following: • If you struggle with reading, how could you make reading Christian books more interesting and engaging?
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How to Strengthen Your Faith with The Bible
March 7, 2023
Read Romans 4:1-4; 15-17. Are you into exercise? Since the beginning of the New Year, I have started going to the gym again, after an absence of a few years. I can’t say I ever wake up thinking, “Oh great! I get to exercise today”! To be honest, the only think I find “great” at six o’clock in the morning is a mug of coffee! But I do know that I need physical exercise. Whilst we are saved by God through faith alone, we also know we need spiritual exercise too. There are things we can do to help strengthen our faith. We are going to look at four of them during the rest of this week. The first is to study the Bible. You can’t strengthen your faith simply by listening to someone else preach from the Bible. You must study the Bible for yourself. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. It’s the source of truth and wisdom. Spending just a few minutes in it every day will strengthen your faith. When we read small portions of the Bible at a time, our minds are more prepared for deeper understanding – and we’re less likely to be distracted by life’s daily distractions that come between us and God’s Word (like Facebook). God wants you to know his Word so that it can strengthen your faith, transform your life, and keep you strong during difficult circumstances. Think It Over Think about the following: • How can you make studying your Bible more engaging?
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What Is the Point of Faith?
March 6, 2023
During Battle Drill devotionals this week, Paul reminds us we are saved by God through faith alone. In what ways can we strengthen our faith? Read Romans 4:1-4; 15-17. Are you a worrier? If you are, then when you hear that we are saved by God through faith alone, you probably start to worry. Do I have enough faith? Is my faith strong enough the save me? If you do, then I’m afraid you miss the point. Faith is not about us. It is not about our efforts. It doesn’t matter how powerful our faith is. It is Jesus Christ who saves us. He does not rely on our feelings or even our actions. He is strong enough to save us no matter how weak our faith might be. Our salvation is a gift from God. He gives it to us because he loves us. We cannot earn it. Our own efforts will never be enough. So, what do we do: Hebrews 11:1 NLT Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Faith is to look for that for which we hope. It is to trust in Jesus for the things we cannot see. All we can do is reach out to accept the wonderful gift of salvation he longs to give to us. Think It Over Think about the following: • How can you show your faith in God today, even when you can’t see what the future holds?
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Be Free from The Things That Tempt You
March 3, 2023
Read Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:1-7. I said I’m free / To do what I want, any old time / I said love me, hold me / Love me, hold me / ‘Cause I’m free / To do what I want, any old time. So sang British and Albanian singer, Dua Lipa, back in 2019 for a Yves Saint Laurent advert with the strapline, “Don’t be afraid of your freedom”. That’s what many people think freedom is. Freedom to do what they want. That was the freedom Adam and Eve craved. Satan tempted them into deciding they wanted to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that they wanted the freedom to judge what was good and what was evil for themselves. And as a result, they disobeyed God. The consequences were disastrous. God tells us that true freedom comes from obeying him. As our Creator, he knows what’s best for us. Freedom comes from following God’s guidance and knowing what not to do. The restrictions he places on us are for our own good. They help us to avoid evil and its disastrous consequences. We don’t have to give in to temptation to learn more and enjoy life. The best way to be free from the things that tempt us is to always follow God’s guidance. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:Where have you looked for freedom outside of God’s will? What was the result?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. You can even catch up with them twice a day on Salvationist Radio! Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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The Secret to Resisting Temptation: Thank God for What You Have
March 2, 2023
Read Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:1-7. Do you try to keep up with Joneses? Or do you look over the fence and think the grass is greener over there? One of Satan’s biggest strategies for tempting us to sin is to make us doubt God’s goodness to us. That’s what he did to Eve. He got her thinking that God was being strict, stingy, and selfish by telling her and Adam not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Why would God want to keep their eyes closed and their minds ignorant like that? By introducing this doubt to Eve, Satan succeeded in getting Eve to forget all that God had given her. She lived in a beautiful garden. She could eat from any tree in it, except one. God had given her and Adam stewardship over all the animals and plants in the garden and had encouraged them to multiply over the earth. He was close to them and walked in the garden with them. But suddenly, as Eve focused on what God had forbidden rather than all he had given, it wasn’t enough. The countless blessings and promises seemed worthless. Satan tries to do the same with us. If he can get us feeling sorry for ourselves for all we don’t have, then he has a chance to persuade us to doubt God and all his goodness to us. The next time that happens, choose to focus on all you do have and thank God for it. When you list everything you’re grateful for, your reminded just how generous and loving God is. That’s a fantastic way to resist temptation! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What are the first three things that come to mind for which you are grateful?
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When Temptation Attacks (Part 2)
March 1, 2023
Read Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:1-7. How can we resist temptation? By following four simple guidelines. We looked at two yesterday, and today we study two more: Say No when confronted with what we know is wrong: Have you ever told yourself you couldn’t help it? I know I have. The problem is that’s a lie. How do I know? Because God’s Word says we will never be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). God will always give us a way out. He will always give us the opportunity to say “No.” Saying no can be painful. It can even be embarrassing at times. But it is the first step to winning the battle of temptation in your mind. Satan is shrewd. He’ll use all sorts of weapons to attack you. He can suggest the wrong things are good, pleasant, and desirable. He can get you to rationalise that the wrong things are harmless and that you are entitled to say yes to them. We need to be ready to say a firm “no” as soon as Satan comes scheming. Hold firmly to God’s Word: God’s Word is a sword. A sword that can puncture any puffed-up temptation Satan might put in your way. A sword is no good if it stays in its scabbard. Your Bible is no good if it stays on your bookshelf, or even on your desk. What happens when you’re away from it? It’s not very practical to carry your Bible everywhere with you, although those of us who have the Bible on our smartphones might come close. What is much better is to learn to memorise Scripture. That way we have it to hand when we need to brandish it in front of some temptation. These guidelines will all help to resist temptation. They can be used in combination, as the temptations arise. As we use them, we can strong against sin and become more like Jesus. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What could you do to start memorising Scripture?
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When Temptation Attacks (Part 1)
February 28, 2023
Read Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:1-7. How can we resist temptation? By following four simple guidelines. We’re going to look at two today, and two tomorrow: Pray for the strength to resist: The Bible is full of people who prayed to God to give them the strength to resist temptation. David, Daniel, Peter, and Paul all prayed this prayer in several ways. What do you pray? It doesn’t have to be complicated. When you’re being tempted, there isn’t much time to construct a prayer full of poetry and beauty! Most of the time, it’s enough simply to pray, “Help!” “Help! I’ve got to work with that co-worker who really winds me up, today, Lord”. “Help! I’m supposed to be dieting, but that piece of chocolate cake looks good!” “Help! I really want to have a social media rant today!” We can find the strength to resist temptation simply by asking God to help us. Activate the emergency plan: Run for your life! Sometimes, the best thing to do when faced with a temptation is to run away from it! That’s not weakness. You don’t win any brownie points for getting as close to a temptation as you can, especially if you then fall into it because you’ve gotten too close! Tempted to think about something you shouldn’t because of what’s on your television? Change the channel, or better still, turn off the television and do something else. Tempted to overindulge in snacks? Lose yourself in an enjoyable book instead or go for a walk. Run away from the situation. Don’t stick around to see if you can resist the temptation. Just get away from it. Every time you follow one of these guidelines and resist temptation, you become more like Jesus. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What changes might you need to make in your life to minimise your exposure to temptation?
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The Temptation to Sin Is Not a Sin
February 27, 2023
This week in Battle Drill devotionals we look at temptation and how to resist it. Read Genesis 2:15-17 and Genesis 3:1-7. Are you frightened by tempting thoughts? Do you feel demoralised that you aren’t beyond temptation? Many Christians are, including me at times. The first thing that will help us resist temptation when it comes is to realise and remember that being tempted is not a sin. Jesus was tempted to sin. Of course, unlike Eve, and unlike us, Jesus did not sin. And he stands ready to help when we face temptation. He understands our weakness because he has had to resist temptation himself. He was tempted to get angry. He was tempted to give up. In fact, the Bible says he was tempted in every way we are. But he did not sin. And he has the power to help us not to sin too. Because Jesus was tempted to sin but did not sin, he can help you overcome any temptation that comes your way. He wants to help you. Ask him to defeat your fear and discouragement about being tempted and he will give you the power to resist the temptations you face each day. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How does knowing Jesus never sinned help you trust he has the power to help you overcome your temptations?
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Leaning Into The Truth Of Our Vulnerabilities
February 24, 2023
Read Matthew 17:1-9. Do you ever look at your weaknesses and your vulnerabilities and think I’m never going to amount to much for God? I’m destined to being a mediocre Christian at best? I suspect poor Peter might have felt a little of that as he, James and John, and Jesus began to make their way back down that high mountain. Six days before, he’d tried to protect his friend Jesus by challenging him over his insistence that he would be going to Jerusalem, where he would suffer at the hand of the religious and political leaders in the city and would eventually be put to death, before rising again. Jesus called him Satan in return! (Matthew 16:21-23). Then he’d got over-excited at seeing Jesus transformed on the high mountain and had suggested building three shelters as memorials of the event, and God had to interrupt him to get him to shut up and listen to Jesus! A bad week in anyone’s book! As they made their way of the mountain, Jesus tells Peter, James and John not to tell anyone what they had just witnessed until after his resurrection. Why? Because he knew they did not yet fully understand. In fact, perhaps they could not fully understand until Jesus had died and been raised from the dead. We can’t always understand our weaknesses and vulnerabilities. We’d rather not have them. But we can learn to sit with them. We can lean into the truth that God has the strength to transform them, to equip us to take the next step in our journey of faith. We have so much more to learn! And there is so much more to come! THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What weakness and vulnerability might you need to learn to sit with and allow God to slowly transform?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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How To Start Building The Kingdom Of God Right Now
February 23, 2023
Read Matthew 17:1-9. Are you a talker? I’ve met people who can sit for hours and say nothing. I’ve also met people who can “talk the hind legs off a donkey”! If you’re one of the latter, then this report of Jesus being transformed on a high mountain whilst three of his closest disciples watched on has some good news in it for you! Matthew reports that as Jesus was transformed, his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as light. Then suddenly, two of the most important people in the Jewish faith – Moses and Elijah – appeared with Jesus. And what were they doing? They were all talking together! This transformation was a foretaste of heaven – and the participants were talking! Why? Because in the Kingdom of God, relationships matter. The Kingdom of God reminds us we are individuals that are part of a wider whole, connected by relationships – our relationship with God, and our relationship with others. The great thing is we don’t have to wait until heaven before we start talking! We can have them today (and some of us have a lot of catching up to do to some others!). We can talk with God. And we can have good conversations with each other. Both are good training for eternity. The Kingdom of God is a community. One day it will be the perfect community. You and I can start building it today. And all we have to do is talk! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Who does God want you to have a good conversation with today?
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Are You Really Following Jesus?
February 22, 2023
Read Matthew 17:1-9. Have you ever been in a noisy, crowded room when a teacher, or someone else in authority has shouted for everyone to be quiet and listen? The silence that follows often seems like a miracle! I wonder if that’s what happened on this high mountain to which Jesus brought his disciples Peter, James and John? I can imagine Peter babbling on about how wonderful the whole experience was and whether he should build these three shelters in remembrance of it all, when suddenly the voice of authority – the voice of God himself thunders: “This is my dearly beloved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him”. Shut up, and listen! It’s a message I need to hear from God more often that I might choose to admit! Shut up, and listen! Don’t know what to do next? Shut up, and listen! Need direction and guidance over a big decision you need to make? Shut up, and listen! Jesus is more than a great leader. He is more than simply the best example of how to live the human life. He is more than a good influence. He is the Son of God. When you understand this profound proof, then what other response is there but to shut up, and listen? He is our authority for truth and guidance. We must listen to him. We must learn to pause and wait for his direction. We must align our lives to his will. If we call Jesus, “Lord” then we have no choice but to listen to him and follow his guidance today. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What is Jesus saying to you today?
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Why You Should Say Yes To Jesus
February 21, 2023
Read Matthew 17:1-9. Have you ever wondered if the disciple Peter was a Salvationist? He was an activist! He always wanted to do something, to say something, to act on what Jesus was teaching him! Peter has just experienced the most spiritual mountaintop experience he has had in his life. His teacher, Jesus, whom he has recently declared is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, has just proved it to him by being transformed so that his face shone like the sun and his clothes were as white as light. And what’s his response? I must do something! I know, Jesus, shall I build these three shelters as a memorial? Poor Peter had missed the point, as we so often do. He had the right idea about Jesus, but his timing was off. There is a time to act. But there is also a time to simply worship and adore. The heart of worship is surrender. Arch-activist, General William Booth had it right when he said, “The greatness of a man’s power is the measure of his surrender”. Peter wanted to please Jesus. He wanted to do something to win his approval. But so often, the Bible teaches us that rather than trying, rather than acting, rather than doing, what Jesus wants us to do is to submit, to obey, to surrender. To stop doing and be what he wants us to be. Let’s be ready to say “Yes, Lord” to whatever Jesus asks of us today: whether it’s being still, worshipping and learning from him, or whether it’s a specific action. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What might you need to stop doing today in order to be with Jesus?
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Why You Exist To Worship Someone
February 20, 2023
In Battle Drill devotionals this week we examine a true mountaintop experience and consider what Jesus’ divinity means for us today. Read Matthew 17:1-9. Until you come to understand that God created you to worship, life will not make sense. But if you look around you, and consider your own experience, you will realise that every human being has an innate need to worship someone or something. That someone or something we worship is where we discover our own worth. If we don’t worship God, then we will find something else to worship – money, possessions, career, family, even a football team! After nearly three years together, it seems as if Jesus’ disciples had finally understood this. When Jesus asked them who they thought he was, Peter replied, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). But immediately afterwards, this declaration of Peter’s was tested, and he came up short (Matthew 16:21-23). So a few days later, Jesus leads Peter, James and John up a high mountain, to be alone. In this place, the disciples experienced a vision, a brief glimpse of Jesus’ true glory. His face shone like the sun. His clothes became white as light. This was a special revelation of Jesus’ divinity to them and God’s affirmation that he truly was what they had declared him to be. It was also a reminder that the only proper response to Jesus’ glory and divinity was to worship. When we truly worship Jesus, when we focus on his glory and his divinity, then anything else that might call on our attention, anything else that might seem worthy of worship, fades into darkness. As Cathy and Wayne Perrin wrote: When I look into your holiness, When I gaze into your loveliness, When all things that surround Become shadows in the light of you; When I’ve found the joy of reaching your heart, When my will becomes enthroned in your love, When all things that surround Become shadows in the light of you: I worship you, I worship you, The reason I live is to worship you. Wayne and Cathy Perrin © 1981 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music/Adm. by Capitol CMG Publishing excl. the UK, adm. by Integritymusic.com, a division of David C. Cook, songs@integritymusic.com Used by permission. CCL Licence No. 135015 Copied from The Song Book of The Salvation Army Song Number 402 THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What are you tempted to worship instead of Jesus? What can you do to ensure you remain focused on him?
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Why Love Is A Choice And Not A Feeling
February 17, 2023
Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20. “I just fell in love!” Have you ever heard or said that? It gives us the impression that love is something uncontrollable. It just happens to you. But here’s the problem. Jesus commands us to love one another: John 13:34–35 NLT So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples”. How could Jesus command us to do something that is outside of our control? The answer is, he can’t. Because love isn’t uncontrollable. It isn’t something that just happens. It’s a choice. It’s a commitment. God gives us the choice to love and to follow him. You can choose to turn away from God and go your own way. But he warns you that ultimately, that choice will lead to death. He still won’t force you because love is a choice. It can’t be forced. The same is true in respect of our relationships. We choose whether to love someone else. God won’t force us to love anyone. It’s a commitment only we can make. Will you choose to Love God and Love Others? If you do, then you’ll choose life. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:How do you understand love differently once you realise it’s a choice rather than a feeling?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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How To Be A Better Person
February 16, 2023
Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20. What’s the difference between dogs and cats? Adam and Eve asked God to create a companion for them, that would remind them of God’s love for them. So, God invented the dog, a reflection of his love for humanity. But there was a problem. The dog loved Adam and Eve so much that they became prideful, strutting around the Garden of Eden like peacocks, believing they were fully worthy of the love that dog gave them. The angels complained about Adam and Eve’s pride, so God said he would create a companion who would see them for who they really were and would remind them of their limitations. So, God invented cat. Cat would not obey Adam and Eve and when they gazed into cat’s eyes, they weren’t sure whether he loved them or was just waiting for them to supply his next meal. Adam and Eve learned humility. Humility is a choice. It is easy to become proud and forget about God, particularly if we are experiencing some success. But we can choose to think about God and others more than ourselves. That was the choice Moses laid out before God’s people: choose to focus on God, on his commands and his ways and you will choose life. Rely on yourselves and think the Promised Land is all down to you and what you’ve done and choose death. Like our humble dogs, will we choose life by focusing on others? Or will be cats who think life revolves around them? It’s up to us to decide! THINK IT OVER Think about the following:How can you choose humility in the small, insignificant choices you make every day, as well as in the more obvious ones?
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We Can Choose to Keep Learning
February 15, 2023
Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20. Continuing Professional Development. CPD. What a pain! When I was a solicitor, even after I had qualified, I was expected to undertake a certain number of hours learning every year to keep my right to practice law. In the first five years after being commissioned as a Salvation Army officer, I was obliged to carry out 160 hours of added learning. Why? Because learning never stops! There is always more to learn. Being teachable is a lifelong choice we should make. When Moses encouraged God’s people to choose life over death, he made it clear that this meant “to love the Lord your God and to keep his commands, decrees, and regulations by walking in his ways” (Deuteronomy 30:16). You can only do that if you learn what they are! But you don’t just learn them once and then decide you’ve made it. God has so much more to teach you. God wants us to learn something new every day. He wants us to grow. We should be able to look back over the past year and see that we have become different because of what we have learned. Lifelong learning will make me a better leader. It will make you a better worker, parent, spouse, and friend. Author Stephen R. Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People ends with Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw. Lifelong learning is the way to sharpen your saw. Learning and relearning to keep God’s commands and to walk in his ways will make create growth and change in your life and make you more effective as a follower of God. What will you learn today? THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What’s one specific way you could “sharpen your saw” today?
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You Can Choose Life or … ?
February 14, 2023
Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20. “God’s in control. I’ll let him decide”. Have you ever thought or said that? Like God is some kind of Magic 8-Ball who will make a choice for you, if only you give him a shake! The Bible teaches us life is not like that. Whilst God planned our existence – when he would create us and the number of days we would spend on the earth – and has a purpose for our lives, neither are automatic. God gives us choices to make. God wants us to choose whether to love him or not. He gives us the choice to accept his gift of salvation or to reject it. We have the choice to obey him or to disobey his directions in life. We can choose to accept his purpose for our lives or to try our hand at what we want to be and do. Even as God led his people to the brink of crossing over to the Promised Land he had given them, he made it clear through his servant, Moses, that they had a choice. They still had to choose between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. God wanted his people to enjoy the Promised Land he was ready to give them. But he wanted them to make the choice. In the same way, he gives us the choice: do we want to escape the slavery of sin? Do we want to experience the freedom he longs to give us? The choice is ours. The Israelites had to choose to love God, obey him and commit their lives to him. You and I have the exact same choice to make. God gives you the choice between life or death. Which will you choose? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Can you think of a promise of God that came true because you chose to follow and obey him?
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Life is Defined by our Choices
February 13, 2023
Moses encouraged God’s people to Choose Life. This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we explore what that means for us today. Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20. One of my favourite bands of the 1980s used to wear t-shirts emblazoned with the anti-drug abuse and suicide slogan, Choose Life. But the phrase was not invented by fashion designer Katherine Hamnett. It comes straight from Scripture. As Moses reviewed God’s covenant with his people before they crossed over the Jordan into the Promised Land, he encouraged them to love God, obey his commands, and walk in his ways. In that way, they would choose life. But if they chose to turn away from God, refuse to listen to him, and to serve and worship other gods instead, then their choice would lead to death. Our lives are defined by our choices. Good choices lead to life. Bad choices lead to death. Take difficult circumstances as an example. If we choose to respond to painful situations in positive ways, then they can help us grow and mature. If we choose to resent terrible things happening to us, and wonder “why me?” then in the end we will become bitter. Two people may face the same situation. How they respond and the choices they make will decide whether they experience life or death. God will put choices in front of you today. How will you choose to respond? Will you choose life? Or will your choices lead to death? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What choices is God placing before you just now? Will your response lead to life or to death?
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Prayer Works!
February 10, 2023
Read Exodus 2:11-25. Do you ever find yourself in a hopeless situation and wondering if praying about it will work? When all around you seems hopeless, when God seem silent and uninterested in your situation, it’s tempting to think that praying is a waste of time. It would have been tempting for the Israelites to look at their situation – the might of the Egyptians, the hundreds of years of slavery they had endured – and to think, God’s forgotten us. Who do we think we are, even thinking God would be interested in our plight? But prayer works because God is in control, and he always comes through on his promises. He had promised the Israelites they were his chosen people. His power and authority were greater than the Egyptians, and now was the time for him to act. In his wisdom and goodness, he sent Moses to be their leader and to lead them out of Egypt and slavery. Your situation is in God’s control. You may not be able to change it. But he can. Pray to him. Leave your situation with him. He’s in control. He knows best and he will answer at the right time and in the right way. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:How do your prayers reveal whether you genuinely believe God is in control of the universe? You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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No Answer from God? Keep Praying!
February 9, 2023
Read Exodus 2:11-25. Do you have a prayer that God has not yet answered? Then keep persisting. God knows the best time to act. If you’re feeling hopeless at the moment, then perhaps the most difficult words to read in our key verses for this week are at the beginning of Exodus 2:23: “Years passed …”. The Israelites had been in slavery to the Egyptians for hundreds of years. And as the years ticked by, they still found themselves groaning under the burden of slavery, with no end in sight. God had promised to free them, but perhaps he had forgotten. It would have been easy to give up. But they kept persisting. God’s rescue doesn’t always come when we want it. Sometimes, we must wait a long time for the right time to come. But God doesn’t forget us, or our troubles. He has a plan that we cannot see. And at just the right time, he will answer our prayers. In the meantime, as we persist in prayer, God helps to focus our attention. It reminds us that God is the answer to whatever we need. It helps us see that we should not rely on ourselves to get us out of our hopeless situation. When God seems silent, keep praying. He is the one who Paul describes: Ephesians 3:20 NLT Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What is something you’ve been praying for a long time? How can you show your willingness to be persistent to God?
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Find a Bible Verse to Help You Pray
February 8, 2023
Read Exodus 2:11-25. When you feel hopeless and you talk to God, he can help you make specific prayers to him. As you turn to God and lay before him your situation, and the difficult circumstances you find yourself in, you begin to gain some perspective on what is causing your difficulties. As the Israelites began to cry out for help, they knew for certain what was causing their misery. God had promised they would be set free from their captivity in Egypt. But they were still under the burden of slavery. They knew they needed rescuing. They knew they needed God to fulfil the promise he had made them. The Bible holds many verses that can help, whatever the source of your unhappiness. There are verses of lament, which can help you to cry out to the Lord in your pain. There are verses that tell you of the goodness of God, about his justice, his grace, and his mercy. And there are many, many promises. In any difficult situation, you can pray one of those verses back to God. And when you do, you will sense hope returning and filling your heart once more. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What Bible verses do you find particularly comforting when you are facing difficult circumstances?
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Share Your Emotions with God
February 7, 2023
Read Exodus 2:11-25. How do you speak to God when you pray? Do you speak formally to him? Do you tell him what you think he wants to hear? Or are you honest with him? Many Christians think they can’t be honest with God. They want to shout at him with anger about the situation they find themselves in, or express doubts about what is happening or perhaps whether he is working in their circumstances or not, but they don’t think that’s “religious” enough. My answer is: have you read the Psalms? The psalms are full of the psalmist telling God exactly how they feel. The psalmist does not hold back! And in our passage for this week, the Israelites don’t just politely ask God if he could perhaps think about doing something about the slavery they find themselves in, and perhaps try to recall the promises he made. They shout! They cry out! They groan. And God doesn’t smite them! He doesn’t turn a deaf ear, thinking, well, if they can’t address me properly, then I’m not going to listen. He remembers and he gets ready to act. God wants to hear your heart. He wants to hear from your honestly about your anger, your fears, your doubts, and everything else. God cares about what you’re going through and the pain it’s causing. If you’re feeling hopeless, don’t just pray the same, emotionless prayer. Cry out. Groan. Shout. Whatever you need. God promises to hear and to respond. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Do you think it’s wrong to be emotional with God? How does knowing that God wants to hear your heart change your thinking?
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If You’re Feeling Helpless, Tell God!
February 6, 2023
This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we hear God’s people cry out for help and God’s answer through his covenant, reminding us that God knows the best time to act. Read Exodus 2:11-25. What do you do when you feel hopeless? Surrounded by worry or conflict, or plagued by depression and guilt? The Israelites – God’s people – were in slavery in Egypt. Even the death of the king had not freed them from their oppression. They were at rock bottom. Hopeless. In their suffering, they looked up to God. They groaned and cried out for help. They begged God to fulfil his promise to bring them out of Egyptian slavery. Some problems can only ever be overcome through prayer. Institutional oppression like slavery could only be overcome through God’s intervention. You may have deep-rooted problems, or a sudden, deep crisis. That requires persistent prayer, speaking over and over to God. The God, as Exodus tells us, that sees your hopelessness and is ready to act at the right time. If you’re feeling hopeless today, don’t despair. Instead, look up to God and reach out to him in prayer. He is listening and ready to answer. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Have you ever wondered if God has forgotten you in your troubles? Can you look back and see his hand in your situation?
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Happiness Comes from Being Humble
February 3, 2023
Read Micah 6:1-8. Many people spend a lifetime pursuing happiness and yet never seem to find it. In one small verse, God sets out the requirements for finding true happiness. We’ve looked at the first two requirements over the last two days. Today, we explore the final one. Are you growing in your journey with God? Or are you stuck? Many Christians fail to reach spiritual maturity because they think they’ve got it all together, that once they’ve reached a certain stage in life that they have arrived and there’s nowhere else to go. But if we want to be truly happy, God says we must “walk humbly” with him. The Hebrew word translated as “humbly” is haṣnēaʿ which doesn’t just mean being modest and self-effacing. It also has the meaning of being teachable, of never stopping learning and growing as we are attentive to God, walking with him and watching him during our journey together. It requires us to pay attention to God’s will rather than our own, looking to him for guidance and correction, where needed. How can we be sure we are walking humbly with God? The best way is to give ourselves a regular check up. We could ask God each day what he wants us to work on. That should keep all of us going for a long while! Happiness comes from continuing to grow in Christ. As Jesus encourages: Matthew 11:29–30 M:BCL Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Walk humbly with Jesus and you can find happiness today! THINK IT OVER Think about the following:Do you honestly think you have grown spiritually in the last year? Why or why not?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Find Happiness by Showing Mercy
February 2, 2023
Read Micah 6:1-8. Many people spend a lifetime pursuing happiness and yet never seem to find it. In one small verse, God sets out the requirements for finding true happiness. We’ve been looking at the three requirements beginning with the first yesterday. We explore the second today, and the third tomorrow. When you look at others, do you see their good points, or their bad ones? Someone who chooses to judge, criticise and second-guess others often ends up miserable. It makes those around them miserable too! Instead, God encourages us to “love mercy”. Actually, the Hebrew word is ḥesed and it means so much more than mercy. Ḥesed is covenant love. It is the love that binds us together with God. In human terms, it is the deepest love a spouse has for their husband or wife or that a child has for his or her parent. We are to love that same covenant love so that it binds us together with those around us, whoever they are. Happiness then, comes from loving others and giving ourselves away to them. If you choose to be an agent of mercy, an agent of ḥesed, then you’ll be happy and so will those around you! Life will be so much more enjoyable. If you want to be happy, show mercy. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Think of someone who has judged, criticised or second-guessed you. Can you pray for that person? Why or why not?
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The Best Way to be Happy
February 1, 2023
Read Micah 6:1-8. Many people spend a lifetime pursuing happiness and yet never seem to find it. In one small verse, God sets out the requirements for finding true happiness. We’re going to look at the three of them over the next three days. Firstly, God says you must “do what is right”. Many translations translate the Hebrew word of mišpāṭ as “act justly”, which gives it connotations of justice in a court of law. But generally, “do what is right” is a better translation. Mišpāṭ is about setting up every area of your life so that it matches God’s will and purpose for you. It means letting go of your advantages, comfort, and desires. Thinking only about yourself, your problems, your worries, and your needs will lead to unhappiness. Genuinely caring about others and their needs, focusing on who needs your help and how others are doing is the best way to be happy. As the United Kingdom and Ireland Salvation Army’s mission statement says, Love God, Love Others. That’s where you’ll find true happiness. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What distractions in your own life keep you from focusing on the needs of others?
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Legalism Robs You of Happiness
January 31, 2023
Read Micah 6:1-8. Do you ever think you need to do something in order to earn God’s love? It’s a trap many people fall into, and Salvationists – as part of an activist church – need to be especially wary of it. When God accused his people of taking him for granted and of never being satisfied, their response was to say, “what shall we do”? They came up with some pretty over-the-top ideas! The list gets weirder and weirder! Shall we make burnt offerings to God? Perhaps that will satisfy him? Maybe it shouldn’t be just any old sacrifice? Perhaps we should sacrifice yearling calves? Maybe that will make God happy? Perhaps it’s about the quantity of sacrifice, not the quality? Maybe we should offer thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Perhaps that will make God love us again? Better still, perhaps we better join the pagan religions around us and sacrifice our firstborn children? Maybe then God will stop being angry? If only the children of Israel had realised that God could not love them any more than he did, even as he charged them for their unfaithfulness. Knowing there is nothing you can do to make love God love you more is one of the most freeing lessons you can learn. Trusting in what you can do for God is called legalism. It leads to following a list of orders and regulations in order to prove yourself worthy to God. And it’s a trap. It leads to judgmentalism and being critical of others. When you realise life is about what Jesus has done for you, then you can show the grace he has shown you to others around you. You can relax and you can find happiness. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • When are you most tempted to rely on your performance for God, rather than on the pardon God has shown you through Jesus’ sacrifice?
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The More Gratitude You Show, the Happier You Will Be
January 30, 2023
Many people spend their lives seeking happiness. This week in Battle Drill Devotionals, we discover God’s surprisingly simple requirement for happiness. Read Micah 6:1-8. Are you grateful for the people around you, or are you guilty of taking them for granted? It takes effort to show gratitude to those around you. The people of God were guilty of taking God for granted. They had forgotten all he had done for them over the years and yet they had grown tired of him and his will and purpose for their lives. If only they had remained grateful that God had freed them from slavery and helped them escape Egypt. If only they would recall that God had raised up godly leaders for them, starting with Moses, Aaron and Miriam. How could they forget that God had saved them from the curse of Balak. How could they take for granted the Promised Land that God had given them and led them towards. When we, like the children of Israel, refuse to see how fortunate we are as God’s children and begin to take all God gives us for granted, we become self-absorbed, just like they did. Everything centres around us, our lives, and our priorities. The antidote to this is to regularly remember God’s goodness to us and to thank him for it. Remembering what God has done for us in the past will help us see what he is doing for us in the present. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What are you grateful to God for today?
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The Door to Freedom
January 20, 2023
Read John 10:1-10. “If one door closes, another will open”. Have you ever heard or used that phrase? It suggests that with every end, there’s a new beginning. Sometimes that is true. Sometimes it isn’t. People have been made redundant or voluntarily chosen to leave a job and struggled to open the door on a new job. Some people have closed the door on a relationship and opened the door of a new one, only for that door to close soon after. But God does want you to be free and he is ready to open doors for you. In fact, he is willing to be the door for you. Jesus said, “I am the Gate. Anyone who goes through me will be cared for—will freely go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9 MSG). In Jesus, you can move about with freedom. When his door opens, it is always to something good. The same power that rolled away the stone and opened up Jesus’ tomb, the same power that sprung Paul and Silas from prison, is the same power that will open the door of freedom for you. Choose Jesus and he will help you break free! THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What door do you wish you could close? Do you believe God wants you to be free from it?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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God Wants You to be Free
January 19, 2023
Read John 10:1-10. Many people mistakenly believe that being a Christian is full of restrictions. That it’s all about following the rules and a long list of “don’ts”. But that cannot be further from the truth. Jesus said, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 MSG). God wants us to live in freedom. He wants you to be free from your past. Many of us are locked down by regret about something we did or didn’t do in the past. We are wracked by guilt. Others resent something that was done to them. They allow bitterness to continue to eat away at them. It keeps us from the freedom God longs for us. God wants us to be free from the stress and exhaustion we face from trying to control our every day lives. If only we hand over the complexities of modern life over to God and allow him to take control, we would find the freedom we crave. And God wants us to be free of the worries we have for tomorrow. The best thing we can do is to let go of all of those and grab hold of God instead, the One who offers us true freedom and a more and better life than we’ve ever dreamed of. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:How can you plug into the freedom God longs for you to experience?
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What Abundance Really Means
January 18, 2023
Read John 10:1-10. It’s pantomime season. Some pantos include a genie, a mythical person who grants their master or mistress’s every wish. Some people mistakenly believe that when Jesus promises “real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 MSG) that the Christian life will be an easy one. All we have to do is click our fingers, or rub the lamp, and Jesus will come running, ready to serve our every whim. But the life that is better than we have ever dreamed of doesn’t mean a comfortable lifestyle, perfect health, the perfect job, instant relief from problems and constant happiness. Earth is not heaven. God is planning heaven for you in eternity. In the meantime, we will inevitably face difficulties in our lives. That’s how God grows and strengthens our character so we are ready for eternal heaven. If you need to grow more love in your heart, God will send someone unlovable to help you. If you need more patience, then God has an endless supply of circumstances that make you feel impatient! God wants to help grow your character, so you become more like his Son, Jesus Christ. If you ever wonder, “why is this happening to me?” then the answer might be that God is using your circumstances to help you grow towards that more and better life you’ve never even dreamed of. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How does God’s character development help you gain perspective on the difficulties you face?
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God is Good!
January 17, 2023
Read John 10:1-10. Are you a worrier? Do you worry so much that if you’re not worrying, you start to worry that you’re not worrying? Worrying is a scourge. It robs us of any joy there is in the world. How can we rid ourselves of worry? One of the best ways is to remind ourselves that God is God. We are not! That means he is in control. We can relinquish control! When we understand that, we can start to let go of worry. The God who is God has promised to take care of us. He is a good God and he wants to provide all of our needs and more. Jesus said, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 MSG). If we relinquish control then he will feed us, lead us and meet our needs today. Perhaps one we can combat worry is to remind ourselves of this each day. If we begin each day reminding ourselves that God is good and that as the Good Shepherd Jesus will feed us, lead us and meet our needs for today, we can let go of worry and trust him. Why not give it a go? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How might Jesus’ promise of “more and better life than they ever dreamed of” help you not to worry?
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Is Your Mindset Scarcity or Abundance?
January 16, 2023
Jesus said, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 MSG). This week on Battle Drill devotionals, we explore what that might mean for us today. Read John 10:1-10. Do you feel your life is overflowing? Or are you focused on what you don’t have? Many people today suffer from what’s called the “scarcity mindset”, the sense that there is not enough to go round. Not enough money, food, time, energy, attention, followers, friends, praise, and so on. This kind of thinking leads to feelings of not being in control. And so we overwork, over eat, overwork our bodies, overvalue what others think of us, and so on. Jesus wants us to move on from this mindset. He promises us “real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 MSG). This is the “abundance mindset”. This is thinking that recognises God’s resources are limitless. God wants to meet all of our needs. He will never run out. He has more than enough resources to meet your needs, whilst meeting other people’s needs too. If God is the source of your life then you no longer need worry about not having enough. He wants to overflow in your life with goodness, joy, peace, love and many other blessings. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How might an abundance mindset produce peace in your life?
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You Bring God Great Joy
January 13, 2023
Read Matthew 3:13-17. Do you know how much God loves you? God created you to love you. Love is the essence of his nature. So he cannot help but love you. He wants to love you. He enjoys you. He takes pleasure in you all the time. And it’s not because of what you do for him. When Jesus came up out of the waters of the River Jordan following his baptism, a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy”. Jesus hadn’t done anything yet! He was just about to start his ministry. And before he had the opportunity to do great things for God, God exclaimed that he already loved him and that he already gave him great joy! Some Christians only think God is pleased with them when they are doing something “religious” for him. That’s just plain wrong! God loves watching you, whatever you’re doing, because he made you who you are. If you ever struggle with knowing who you are, or with a lack of self-worth, then take this truth on board today: you are OK. You are wonderful, in fact! You are great. You are a beloved child of God. It’s in his love that we find our soul, our identity, and our life purpose. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:Do you struggle to accept the truth that God takes pleasure in you and loves you? Why? You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Live Simply and Generously
January 12, 2023
Read Matthew 3:13-17. It sometimes seems that the height of ambition in our society is to acquire as much as we can. To live a comfortable and enjoyable life, surrounded by our possessions and basking in our status. That is not the life Jesus calls us to. He asks us instead to focus on a life of service and sacrifice to God. He asks us to deny what this world seems to offer us. He asks us to forego pleasure and the consumer goods the rest of the world values. Jesus teaches us to live simply and generously instead. Jesus came to serve and to give to others. If we are not doing the same, then we are not following Jesus. Our faith compels us to offer our lives to God as living sacrifices and to serve him by serving others. It calls us to live simply and to give generously. Perhaps your response might be to say you don’t have enough to be generous. But that’s when God calls us to sacrifice the most. Jesus came to the River Jordan with nothing. He began his ministry of living simply and generously with nothing. It’s easy to be generous when we have a lot to be generous with. But God calls us to be generous when we don’t have enough money, when we don’t have much time, and when our energy seems spent. That’s radical obedience! Will you make that your ambition today? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • In what ways are you generous with your money, time, and energy?
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Do Things the Way God Wants Them to be Done
January 11, 2023
Read Matthew 3:13-17. “If you want something done properly, do it yourself”. Have you ever said that, or heard it said? It’s often said in frustration when someone hasn’t done something in the way you would have done it. What’s amazing about God’s work in the world is that he doesn’t take this attitude. He leaves his followers to learn how to do things the way he wants them to be done. Matthew tells us that Jesus was baptised in the River Jordan by John to “carry out all that God requires”. A better translation of this might be to “fulfil all justice”, a justice that comes from the heart of God. It is clear from the outset of Jesus’ ministry that he is on the side of the weak, the helpless, the people at the margins of his society. Fulfilling all justice, then, is doing things the way God wants them to be done. Our call is the same as Jesus’ call. God tells us we need to have the same attitude of humility and submission to the will of God as Jesus did. He wants us to have the same desire for justice that comes from the heart of God. And he promises us that if we call on the power of the Holy Spirit, then we can have the strength and the determination to see it through, just as Jesus did. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What could you do this week to bring justice for the weak, helpless and marginalised in our society?
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Wearing Salvation Army Uniform is Dangerous!
January 10, 2023
Read Matthew 3:13-17. Being identified with God’s mission is dangerous. Jesus was baptised by John to validate and advance God’s work in the world. Some Christians are baptised as a sign of taking on God’s purpose for them. Salvation Army soldiers are not baptised with water. But they are baptised in the Holy Spirit, and they wear uniform to signify that they belong to Jesus and that they are taking on the mission and message of Jesus. That means, like Jesus, we can be exposed to frightening danger. Like Jesus, we may be tempted to settle for a comfortable, powerful life (see Matthew 4). Satan may try to pull us away from the life of service and sacrifice that God calls us to lead through the Soldier’s Covenant we have signed. We are called to proclaim the Kingdom of God and to bring God’s justice for the poor, the infirm, the immigrant, the stranger, the unloved, and the lost. Our ministry may take us to the most dangerous parts of our towns and cities. Our uniforms might propel us into back alleys and hostile territory. We are called to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. The rest of the world may react negatively. Being baptised in the Spirit and wearing uniform is dangerous, but when we live out the vocation God has given us, it is also world-changing. It marks us out in the eyes of God as children who will join him in renewing his good creation. Whether the tasks God gives us are easy and safe or dangerous and frightening, uniformed Salvationists, like all Christians in the world, are called to follow Jesus out of the water and into the world. Are you ready to go with him? THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What’s the most dangerous situation you have found yourself in as a Christian?
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Arrive with the Right Attitude
January 9, 2023
This week on Battle Drill devotionals we focus on Jesus’ obedient service to the Father, and how following his example will lead to God’s approval. Read Matthew 3:13-17. “The name’s Bond. James Bond”. When a superhero bursts on the scene, he or she often announces their arrival with all guns blazing. When Jesus began his ministry, he did the complete opposite. His first ever words recorded by Matthew did not announce his arrival. Instead, he simply asked to be baptised by John. Just reflect on that for a moment. Jesus, God’s one and only Son, asked his cousin John to baptise him. No wonder John felt unqualified to do so! Jesus, the perfect man, who never sinned, did not need to be baptised. But he accepted baptism in obedient service to his Father. He did it to “carry out all that God requires” (v.15). Jesus wanted to accomplish God’s purpose for him. He saw baptism as validating and advancing the work God had for him to do. You and I cannot earn our salvation. There is nothing we can do to make God love us any more than he does now. Salvation comes as a gracious gift from God alone. But as children of God, like Jesus, we can bring pleasure to our heavenly Father by obeying what he asks of us. Why? Because our obedience shows we truly love God. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What has God told you to do that you’re delaying doing? Are you ready to obey?
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Who’s Your Role Model Going to Be in 2023?
January 6, 2023
Read Luke 15:11-32. Do you have a role model? It might be someone in your life whom you admire – a parent, a teacher, a leader. Or it might be a celebrity – a footballer, a singer, a dancer. When you read the story of the Lost Son, who do you identify with? Maybe you’re the lost son or daughter, returning to God after an absence from him? Maybe, if you’re honest, you can see some of yourself in the reaction of the older son – harbouring resentment against the lost son because the father chooses to show him grace. As we begin 2023, I am sure that God wants us all to identify with the father rather than the two sons and make him our role model. As followers of Jesus, we are each on a journey to become more like him – growing his heart, his mind and his other-centredness in our lives each day. That’s exactly what the father shows. He continues to show love and compassion to his lost son, scanning the horizon, praying, and hoping for his return. We are called to resemble this father of love, compassion, and grace by allowing the Holy Spirit to make us more like the loving, compassionate and gracious Son. Will you resolve to look more like Jesus in 2023? Will you make him your role model? As each of us opens to more of his Holy Spirit’s power in our lives this year then we will grow to greater Christian maturity and become who God wants us to be. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:Do your New Year’s resolutions reflect a desire to become more like Jesus in 2023?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. Unless otherwise shown, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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What’s on Your ”Not To-Do List” in 2023?
January 5, 2023
Read Philippians 3:12-21. Do you have a to-do list for 2023? Maybe it’s a work one, or maybe it’s fun things that you want to do – holidays, days out and so on. Many of us have a to-do list, and it seems to be a never-ending one! What we sometimes do not realise is that whenever we say “yes” to something and add it to our to-do list, we say “no” to something else. There are only 8,760 hours in 2023 – if we fill them all then we are saying no to other things! One of the ways to combat this is to have a not-to-do list running alongside your to-do list. For example, not having my emails open all day and responding to them as they come is on my not-to-do list, so that work that needs focus – like preparing these daily devotionals – can be carried out without interruption. To focus on one thing, I must move everything else to my not-to-do list. That’s what God wants you to do in 2023. He wants you to focus on his purpose for your life – this year and every year. Surely, you don’t want to miss God’s plan for your life by filling it up with all sorts of other things. So, ask God to clarify what he wants you to do this year. Then ask him what he wants you to eliminate so you can focus on that goal. Add those things to your not-to-do list and then fix your eye on the goal, and in God’s power, go for it! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What is God’s purpose for you in 2023?
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Have a Clear Out at the Beginning of the Year
January 4, 2023
Read Mark 2:18-22. Do you begin the New Year with excitement and ready to make those changes in your life you’ve been promising yourself for goodness knows how many New Years? Many of us start a New Year with good intentions – me included – but end up breaking our resolutions even before we’ve put the Christmas decorations away! Why? Jesus says that often it’s because we’re trying to pour new wine into old wineskins. When we do that, we’re bound to fail because the old wineskins will burst. If we try to pour the new wine of “kindness” into the old wineskin of “being judgmental”, for example, then it will never work! If you want to become the person God wants you to be in 2023 – more like his Son, Jesus Christ – then you must throw out your old wineskins – whatever they are – so that God can pour the Holy Spirit of his new wine into your New Year’s life. Are you ready to throw out the old stuff? Are you excited that God has the power to mould you into the person he wants you to be, and that deep down, you want to be too? Do you trust that God won’t just help you to make the changes you want to make but lead you through them? Then get ready: 2023 is going to be a life-changing year! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What are some of the “old wineskins” you need to discard at the beginning of this New Year?
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Just One New Year's Resolution for 2023
January 3, 2023
Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-16. Here we are at the beginning of the New Year. Many of us are back at work today. Others are preparing to return to school or clearing up the house from the festivities. Are you still struggling to make a New Year resolution? Then Paul has one for you: forget everything except Jesus Christ. Don’t you think that’s a great resolution? For Paul, life and ministry is simply Jesus Christ and nothing else. What does that mean for you? It means that life is not Jesus Christ plus being good so that God is pleased with you. It’s not Jesus Christ plus not missing a day of Battle Drill. It’s not Jesus Christ plus all the things you do at church. It’s not Jesus Christ plus the pips on your shoulders. It’s not Jesus Christ plus how much you put in your weekly giving. It’s not Jesus Christ plus how many Christian books you read this year. Life is Jesus Christ plus nothing. The best thing we can all do in 2023 is focus on Jesus, who he is, what he did for us and what he has planned for us this year and beyond. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What do you try to add to Jesus Christ to ensure God is pleased with you?
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It’s a New Year – Are You Ready to Make a New Start?
January 2, 2023
Welcome to 2023! What’s going to be different this year? Have you made any New Year resolutions? On Battle Drill devotionals, we’re going to consider some this week. Read Psalm 51:1-19. Do you ever wish you could start again? That your life could be a blank sheet of pristine, white paper, waiting to be written on for the first time? Of course, that’s not possible. What we’ve done, what we’ve said and what we’ve thought before follow us into this New Year. We wish we could just get rid of them. And yet, with God it is possible. God has the power and the will to wipe our slates clean so that we can start again. We can seek this from him at any time, but a New Year is always a good moment to ask for a Genesis moment. Any power we have to think right, to live right and to speak right comes through the Holy Spirit. If your life is in chaos, if you sense that all you do is react to circumstances, events, or feelings, if you feel as if life is going nowhere and you’re lacking in energy and motivation, then simply ask God for a fresh start. Pray the psalmist’s prayer today: “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me”. Give me a new beginning. Give me new hope. Give me new life. It’s yours to claim today. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:How does it feel to know that God always has the power to give you a fresh start?
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Celebrate that God Wants What's Best for You
December 30, 2022
Read Romans 8:31-39. So here we are at the end of 2022 and the end of another year of the Battle Drill Devotional. Thank you for taking this journey with me. I look forward to sharing more daily devotionals with you in 2023. As we reach the end of the year and look back over this past year, what role has God played in it? Do you think he’s been brooding over you, waiting for you to slip up and ready to judge you for every wrong you did? Or do you see that God has wanted what’s best for you throughout the year? That he has a plan for your life and wants you to be happy? God never wanted us to be afraid of him. That’s why his Word – the Bible – holds 365 times when he says to us, Do Not Be Afraid! One for every day of this past year! None of us knows what 2023 will bring. The last few years have taught us that if nothing else! But we can go into the New Year knowing that God loves us, that he is with us and that he is on our side. Jesus stands ready to rub out anything you’ve done wrong in 2022, anything you regret, and he’ll do the same again for you in 2023 and beyond. So, there is no need to fear. It’s a reason to celebrate instead! THINK IT OVER Think about the following:As you look back over this year, where do you see God’s hand on your life? You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Celebrate that God is Love
December 29, 2022
Read Ephesians 3:14-21. Why does Christmas even exist? It’s because God loves you. He loves you so much that he came to earth as a human – the only way you and I could really begin to know him and love him back. When you look at the baby Jesus, lying in the manger, you begin to understand what God is really like. You are made in God’s image. You have the ability to love God. But he doesn’t wait for that! He makes the first move by sending Jesus so we could better understand his love and our need for God. God could have chosen a myriad of ways to communicate with us. Instead, he chose the best way: in the face of a child. God is love. Love is his nature. Love is the essence of his character. He made you to love you. He loves you on your good days as well as your bad days. He loves you when you’re full of Christmas joy and when you’re channelling the Grinch! He loves you whatever mood you’re in, whatever you think and whatever you do. There is nothing you can do to make God love you more, and nothing you can do that will make him love you less. You may not be able to understand that. A love so great is beyond our understanding. But that doesn’t make it less true. The face of the child Jesus says to you today, God loves you! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How does it feel to know that God loves you this much?
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It’s Christmas – Keep Celebrating!
December 28, 2022
Read Luke 2:8-20. That’s it! It’s over. Christmas Day has come and gone. Even the extra Bank Holiday is over. Some of you may have cleared up and put your Christmas decorations away. Some may still be enjoying meeting family and friends, eating too much and being off work. But what’s it all about? Why do we celebrate Christmas? Why does an unremarkable birth of a Jewish peasant boy over two thousand years ago merit the largest celebration in the world each year? It’s because the birth of Jesus Christ transformed our lives. Quite apart from anything else, do you realise it transformed our calendars? Now every event is classified as BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini, the year of our Lord)! The angel told the shepherds that Jesus’ birth would bring extraordinary joy to all people. I don’t know whether that has been your experience this Christmas or not. I hope so, but I also recognise that it can be a difficult time for some, and many of us are feeling exhausted and worn out after another year of turmoil. May this Christmas season be an opportunity for all of us to remember that Christmas brings all of us immense joy because it proclaims that God loves us, that he is with us, whatever we are going through and that he is on our side. Those are good reasons to keep celebrating! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Do you find Christmas a time of boundless joy or is it more of a hassle?
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Celebrate that Jesus has moved into the neighbourhood
December 27, 2022
Read Matthew 1:18-25. Have there been moments this Christmas when you have felt all alone? Perhaps you have spent Christmas alone, for whatever reason. But we can feel lonely even when surrounded by family and friends. The good news of Christmas is that however we feel, we are never alone. Matthew tells us that one of the names Jesus is called is Immanuel, which means God is with us. God came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to remind you he is always with you, wherever you are and whatever circumstances you find yourself in. Whether you are full of joy, celebrating Christmas and spending quality time with friends and family, or whether you feel stressed, in difficulty and abandoned, God is there with you. He will never abandon you. God knows what you are experiencing today – good or bad – and he cares about it, he understands it and he is experiencing it with you. You are never alone. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What can you do today to “tune in” to God’s presence with you?
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Celebrate the Good News of Christmas
December 26, 2022
This week as we continue through the season of Christmas, we examine what it’s all about. Is it just a time of socialising and overindulging in food and drink? Or does it mean something more? Read Luke 2:8-20. What are you celebrating this Christmas? Maybe you’re just celebrating the fact you’ve made it through 2022 – another year of turmoil as the world reels from the consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic, a war in Ukraine, and a cost-of-living crisis. Perhaps you’re celebrating having time to spend with family and friends, especially as so many of us missed this over the last couple of years. Perhaps you’re glad of some time away from work or school. Maybe you’re not celebrating at all – just gritting your teeth and surviving from one day to the next. God wants us to celebrate at Christmas. Through his angel, he told the shepherds that Christmas – Jesus Christ’s birth – was an event that would bring immense joy to everyone. Christ’s birth is good news that causes us to rejoice and celebrate. The good news of Jesus’ birth is for you personally. It is something positive in our lives – we all crave good news amongst all the unwelcome news we hear each day. And it is for everyone – all people! It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve had a good Christmas or not. It doesn’t matter what has happened in your life. This good news is for you: God loves you! He is with you, and he is on your side. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Does God’s good news give you a reason to celebrate this Christmas season?
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God Loves You So You Can Love Others
December 23, 2022
Read Titus 3:1-11. For many of us, friends and family might be arriving today to spend the Christmas weekend with us. This can sometimes lead to strained relationships! God calls us to love everyone. That means the unlovely. It includes the difficult people in our lives. It means the irritable and the irritating! It includes those who are difficult or demanding. How on earth can we love people like that? We can only do so if we have God’s love in us. We must open ourselves up to the extravagant, unconditional love of God so that it lives in us – in fact, so that he lives in us! When he does then our whole focus in life changes from ourselves to others, even the difficult ones. You and I must have God’s love flowing into us so that it can flow out of us to others. Will you take time this Christmas to know and experience God’s love overflowing in you so that it can flow out of your life to others around you? THINK IT OVER Think about the following:How can you get to know God’s love better this Christmas?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. These Advent devotionals are based on Max Lucado’s book, Because of Bethlehem (© 2016 Max Lucado, published by Thomas Nelson). Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Celebrate God’s Grace This Christmas
December 22, 2022
Read Titus 3:1-11. Do you feel good enough to receive God’s love this Christmas? The truth is that none of us deserve his love. We have all let him down in various ways. It can leave us feeling hopeless. But we are not without hope! God always shows us his love, mercy, and grace. God’s mercy and grace towards us is based on his love for us, not our performance for him. You can’t do anything to make God love you any more than he does now. And there is nothing that you’ve done that will ever make him love you less. Isn’t that amazing? We should be amazed by God’s love! It is totally undeserved. It is totally unmerited. It’s not something we can earn. It is not something we can work to obtain. It’s God’s free gift to you and me. As a follower of Jesus, you may make mistakes this Christmas. It’s a busy and stressful time. Sometimes, we spend time with family and friends that we don’t spend much time with the rest of the year, and relationships can come under pressure. Often, things will go wrong when we want it all to be perfect. The good news is that God doesn’t get angry with us. He always acts in love, mercy, and grace. We can celebrate God’s grace this Christmas, knowing that when we mess up, he will respond with mercy and we can hope. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Is it difficult for you to accept God’s love, mercy, and grace? Why?
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Sing of God's Love This Christmas
December 21, 2022
Read Psalm 89:1-52. What’s your favourite carol? Have you sung it yet this Christmas? I have so many, it’s difficult to pick just one. But this year, I have been struck once again by the words of It Came Upon the Midnight Clear: For lo! the days are hastening on, By prophet bards foretold, When with the ever-circling years Comes round the age of gold, When peace shall over all the earth Its ancient splendours fling, And the whole world give back the song Which now the angels sing. Edmund Hamilton Sears (1810-1876) Used By Permission. CCL Licence No. 135015 Copied from The Song Book of The Salvation Army Song Number 111 It speaks of so much hope and peace in a world that seems hopeless and conflicted so often. Why are Christmas carols so popular? It’s because they are an accessible way for us to express the wonder of God’s love. All of us can sing (well, make a noise, at least!). So since the earliest of times, humans have sung their love to God. As the psalmist says: Psalm 89:1 NLT I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever! Young and old will hear of your faithfulness. Can you hear the psalmist’s heart as it opens wide to God? Can you sense the fervency and devotion? Let’s be so amazed by God’s love this Christmas that it gives an extra polish to our carol singing! If you haven’t sung your love to God yet this Christmas, or you haven’t sung your favourite carol yet this year, it’s not too late. Go to a carol service, or find one on radio, television or online and sing your heart to God. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Which line in your favourite Christmas carol best expresses your love for God this Christmas?
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Let God Love You This Christmas
December 20, 2022
Read 1 John 4:7-21. The story of Christmas is that God loves us. We don’t have to make it any more complicated than that. God loves us. Christmas reminds us that God loves us so much, he is willing to wrap himself in human flesh – in the form of a helpless baby – and to become fully human in order to connect with us. There is no question of his love for us! Max Lucado writes: You might question his actions, decisions, or declarations. But you can never, ever question his zany, stunning, unquenchable affection. (Because of Bethlehem) Of course, that might depend on your experience of love during your lifetime. You may have endured a painful breakup. Perhaps there are times in your life when you’ve felt abandoned. You may have received little attention as a child. Sometimes, the bad experiences of human love we experience can colour our perception of God’s love. But there is no person God does not love. No person is too afraid of love. There is no person he cannot reach. His love has no limits. Christ was born so that we would know just how much God loves us. That includes you! So what is your response? Can I suggest inviting him into your life. Give him a seat at your table. At your request he will scatter the darkness and bring everlasting light into your life. He’ll be born in you if you love him back. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Do you find it difficult to let God love you? Why?
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We Love Others Because God Loves Us
December 19, 2022
Advent is a time for us to renew our love for God. This week on Battle Drill devotionals we celebrate the One who “came down at Christmas” to take the initiative of loving us first. Read 1 John 4:7-21. What’s your purpose in life? Jesus says it is to love God and love others. Jesus was once asked what the greatest commandment was that God had given his people: Matthew 22:37–39 NLT Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ That sounds impossible, especially when you consider that Jesus suggested everyone is our neighbour! There is no way I can always and for ever wholeheartedly love God, and there is even less chance of me being able to love everyone, especially at this busy time of year! But that kind of love – other-oriented, self-sacrificial, choice-based love – comes from God first. God loves us first, and that gives us the power to love others. So, in order to be able to love God with all our heart, soul and mind and to love our neighbour as ourselves, we first need to understand just how much God loves us. But it’s not enough just to read about his love for us. It’s not even enough to think about how much he loves us, or to talk about it to other people. We need to truly experience his love for us. When we can feel just a little of how much God loves us, then we can begin to truly love others. We won’t get so irritated by them. We can stop being frustrated when they don’t behave in the way we want them to behave. We can show love and grace to them. This Christmas and beyond, let’s live as people who know we are loved by God and risk loving others with his love too. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • In what ways could you love others with God’s love this Christmas?
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Take Joy With You, Wherever You Go
December 16, 2022
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22. Are you going to be driving home for Christmas? Or travelling during the season? Many of us travel to spend time with family and friends, or to go on holiday at this time of year. As we do so, let’s take God’s joy with us and spread it amongst those we meet. Joy travels well. This week, we’ve seen it travel in the past, as the Psalmist reminded us: Psalm 126:3 NLT Yes, the Lord has done amazing things for us! What joy! Paul’s admonition is to be joyful in the present: 1 Thessalonians 5:16 NLT Always be joyful. And we can look forward with joy to what God is planning for our future: Isaiah 61:10 NLT I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels. As we remember the past, experience the present, and anticipate the future, we can do so with boundless joy, knowing that God promises to lavish goodness on us. We look back this Christmas and remember with joy the gift of God’s Son, Jesus. We experience, with joy, God’s presence with us in the present, and we anticipate with joy Christ’s return. Will you ask Jesus to be your joy this season? And will you spread the joy you receive to those around you? THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What brings you the greatest joy? The past, the present, or the future?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. You can also watch a video version of each devotional at www.youtube.com/@RobWestwoodPayne. These Advent devotionals are based on Max Lucado’s book, Because of Bethlehem (© 2016 Max Lucado, published by Thomas Nelson). Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Face the Future with Joy
December 15, 2022
Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-58. Soon, 2023 will be upon us. Another New Year. How do you feel about the future? Can you face it with joy? Or are you filled with dread? Part of the problem, of course, is that we don’t know what the future holds. Even those of us who have accepted Christ as our Saviour, and who know we are on the way to heaven, have no idea what that looks like. It’s a mystery! However, we do know what it won’t look like, and that helps us face the future with joy. We do know that in heaven, there will be no more sickness. Our bodies might be broken. We may suffer weaknesses. But when Jesus returns, our bodies will be raised in glory and strength. If you are suffering now, then you can face the future with joy, because God promises that when his Son, Jesus, returns, there will be no more suffering. One day, our suffering will be transformed. And in heaven, God promises there will be no death: 1 Corinthians 15:54–55 NLT Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The reason we can face the future with joy is that one day we will be in God’s presence forever, free of sickness, suffering and death. Now that’s worth celebrating! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Is it enough to help you face the future with joy to know that God will one day take away all suffering, sickness, and death?
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Don’t Grumble, Give Thanks and Find Joy
December 14, 2022
Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22. It’s easy to turn into the Grinch at Christmas! As the season gets busier and we get more tired, there seems to be more to grumble about! Extra activities, queues in shops, late deliveries, a shortage of some foodstuffs, inconsiderate drivers – the list goes on! It can be a hard habit to break. We seem surrounded by negativity – just watch or read the news if you don’t believe me! It’s easy to fall into the trap of negativity, grumbling and grumping! But we can choose to be joyful! It’s easy to think that others make the choice for us. We blame others for making us feel negatively – if only people didn’t expect so much from us, if only the shops had more tills open, if only delivery drivers would turn up when they say they would, if only the supermarkets would sort out their supply chain issues, if only people wouldn’t cut me up on roundabouts! But joy is our choice, not someone else’s responsibility. Paul encouraged the Thessalonians and us to “always be joyful” (v.16). Joy and gratitude are always healthier than grumbling and complaining. We can choose one or the other. So much of what we grumble about isn’t worth the effort. We get so hung up on the small stuff! So why not let go of grumbling this Christmas and choose to be joyful instead? You’ll feel much better, I promise! Christmas reminds us that God is always with us, he lives in us, and he is for us. That should bring us never-ending joy! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What are some of the practical ways you can choose joy throughout your day?
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How to Find Joy in Uncertainty
December 13, 2022
Read Isaiah 61:1-11. We live in uncertain times. There is a cost-of-living crisis. Some of us are worried about how we will pay our energy bills as the weather turns colder. The war in Ukraine continues. We face political uncertainty. But God’s promises cut through the uncertainty: Isaiah 61:3 NLT To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. If we can hold on to God’s promises of a crown of beauty instead of ashes, of joyous blessing rather than mourning, of festive praise rather than despair, then even in these dark days, we can be released from our fears and anxieties. How do we hold on to God’s promises? By relying on God’s power to help us. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that can bring us beauty for ashes, joy instead of grief, and turn our despair into praise. In uncertainty, the only certain thing we can reach out for is the joy found in Jesus. Will you reach for him this Christmas? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How does remembering how God has brought you through uncertainty before, help you to reach for joy today?
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Spread Joy, Even When You Don’t Feel Like It
December 12, 2022
Advent reminds us that our hope is sure. We have peace with God, and his Messiah is coming to put everything right. We can choose to respond with joy. This week, in Battle Drill devotionals, we look at ways in which we can respond to God’s love and goodness. Read Psalm 126:1-6. Do you find choosing joy challenging work? It’s not always easy to be kind to people. It’s not always easy to be generous when time and money are short. It’s sometimes hard to find hope when everything seems so hopeless. Sometimes, our circumstances make us want to weep rather than choose joy. Biblical writers, like the Psalmist, never gloss over evil and suffering. They don’t encourage us to simply “don’t worry, be happy”. Instead, they promise that God will give us real joy even amid our dark realities and conditions: Psalm 126:5–6 NLT Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. If we choose to spread joy, even when we don’t feel like it, God’s promise is that we will harvest with shouts of joy. Sometimes, we are called to sacrifice. That could be our money, our time, our talents, even our whole lives. Sometimes, it’s our feelings. But when we make the sacrifice God asks from us – whatever it is – he will bless us beyond measure. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What does it look like to live by faith and choose to spread joy, even in difficult circumstances?
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Who You Are is More Important than What You Do
December 9, 2022
Read 2 Peter 3:1-16. So, are you busy? Many of us wear busyness like a badge of honour. And the lead up to Christmas is a busy time for most. Time is short. Today, there are only sixteen shopping days left until Christmas! Our to-do lists are long. Someone asked a couple of weeks ago if my to-do list had footnotes! There is so much to do to prepare for Christmas. But God is much less interested in what we do than in who we become. Our passage invites us to focus on who we want to be – who God wants us to be – people who live holy and godly lives. We are invited to slow down and discover God’s peace – the peace which is beyond our understanding, the peace the world cannot give us. How might our priorities change this Advent season, if we chose to focus on being the people God wants us to be rather than on what we have to do? We will find peace if we choose to take on God’s values, his attitudes and his character. My prayer is that all of us will grow spiritually this Advent season. I pray we will be found doing the right thing even when we’re tired and stressed and don’t feel like it. Let’s all be determined to be more interested in who we are and who we are becoming than about what we are doing. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:How might God be trying to build your character during this season?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. These Advent devotionals are based on Max Lucado’s book, Because of Bethlehem (© 2016 Max Lucado, published by Thomas Nelson). Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Jesus is Working in You Even When You’re Stressed
December 8, 2022
Read Colossians 1:24-29. Do you ever sympathise with Paul writing in Romans 7? He tells his readers that as a follower of Christ he wants to do what is right, but he doesn’t do it. He goes on to say he wants to do what is good, but he doesn’t. And he doesn’t want to do what is wrong, but he does it anyway. Does that sound familiar? Why are we often caught up in sin like this? As Paul says, “it is sin living in me that does it” (Romans 7:17). Our sinful nature is such that under the right circumstances, we will do the wrong thing, even if we don’t want to. Usually, those circumstances involve a degree of stress. Stress often shows us up for who we really are. We cannot become more like Christ in our own strength. Years of failed resolutions, will power and good intentions testify to that! What’s the answer? The answer is that not only does Jesus do a work for us in coming to earth and then going to a cross to die on our behalf, but he does a work in us. This is the secret, Paul says, Christ lives in you. His Holy Spirit inhabits us so that Christ lives in and through us. Jesus comes not only to save us, but to change us. We can be transformed because of our relationship with Christ. How? By influencing the choices we make. He helps us makes the right choices so we become more like him. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How would you describe yourself when under stress? Does this differ from who you really want to be?
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Jesus Can Save You from Yourself
December 7, 2022
Read Matthew 1:18-25. Do you sometimes feel as if you are your own worst enemy? Do you make choices you know are bad for you, seemingly unable to stop yourself? Many of us simply need saving from ourselves! The problem is that each one of us entered the world with a sinful nature. Salvation Army doctrine describes us as “totally depraved” – which is a bit Victorian – but simply means that every part of our lives is touched by sin. As Max Lucado puts it in his book, Because of Bethlehem: The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart. Only God can fix that problem. We cannot save ourselves. He must save us from ourselves. The angel of the Lord explained to Joseph that Mary’s son – Jesus, the Son of God – would save us all from our sins. Jesus’ name literally means, God saves. Jesus is “God saves”. God does not simply sympathise about our sin. He doesn’t just listen to us as we complain about the bad choices we make. He doesn’t just help us try to make better decision or simply assist us in avoiding temptation. He doesn’t stand idly by and then applaud us when we sometimes make good choices. He saves us. We can find true peace this Christmas because we are saved from ourselves. We are saved from the guilt of our sin. God continues to save us from the problem of our sin. And when Christ returns, we will finally forever be saved from our sin. Thanks be to God! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • When was the last time you thought you “just weren’t yourself” in a particular situation?
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Peace Comes in Getting Rid of Bad Habits
December 6, 2022
Read Psalm 85:1-13. Satan doesn’t have to be very creative in tempting us to do wrong. Usually, he simply tempts us to fall back into our usual bad habits. If you think back over the sin you have battled throughout your life, I suspect you will see it’s been the same one! And yet the Psalmist says we should not return to our foolish ways. Why do we do so, so often? Our bad habits are built over many years. They may even have developed in childhood. They may help us resist pain or deal with stress. They’re so familiar to us we are tempted to think there are no better ways to deal with pain and stress in our lives. Often our bad habits reward us with something that seems good at the time (another cream cake, anyone?). The short-term reward often seems to cover up the long-term consequences. And Satan is very good at whispering in our ears. If we do try to deal once-and-for-all with our bad habits, he will tell us it won’t work. He’ll persuade us we’re not strong enough. He’ll remind us how many times we’ve failed before. So how can we sin less and get rid of our bad habits? It’s by learning to know Jesus, the One through whom you were created and to allow his Holy Spirit to help us become like him: Colossians 3:10 NLT Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Take the opportunity this Advent to listen carefully to what God is saying to you and ask his Son to help you turn your back on your bad habits. That is the path to true peace. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How does it feel to know it is possible to leave in freedom from your bad habits?
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Peace is Found in Trusting in God
December 5, 2022
Advent is a time when we remember Jesus first coming to earth, and eagerly await his return. This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we reflect on whether we are ready for Christ’s coming or if anything is keeping us from being at peace with God. Read Isaiah 40:1-11. Many Christians today emphasise God as a loving and all-forgiving God rather than as a God of wrath and anger. In an unloving, dark world that emphasis seems particularly needed. But the Bible holds God’s love, mercy and grace and his judgment in tension. Isaiah prophesies that Jesus will be both the Sovereign Lord who comes in power and a Shepherd who will feed his flock. This can leave us very confused, especially if the message we hear about God emphasises his love and grace and fails to hold in tension his sovereign power and judgment. But God’s judgment is not about punishment or vindictiveness. The Psalmist makes it clear: Psalm 19:9–10 NLT Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. The message is that if we choose to trust in God, then all will be well. The promise of God’s judgment is also the promise of his grace and peace. God’s fierce anger is coupled with his infinite forgiveness. We must be ready for Jesus to return. We can trust God to help rid our lives of all that would affect our relationship with him. Then we know his judgment will be given in love, mercy and grace. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:In what ways do you seek God’s approval, even though you already have it?
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God is Inviting You to Come Home
December 2, 2022
Read Romans 15:1-13. Will you be “driving home for Christmas this year”? Or are you opening your home to others who are coming home to spend time with their family and friends? Many people “come home” at Christmas. Others don’t want to, because for them, home is full of anger, violence, abuse, shame, resentment, or manipulation. God’s home is not like that. And he wants you to come home to him this Christmas. Jesus sent his Son Jesus Christ into the world, as a human being – as a weak, helpless baby – because he doesn’t love us from a distance. He makes his home with us. God invites you to make your home with the One who created you, who loves you, and sent his Son to die for you. God is ready to welcome you whenever you are ready to come home to him. All you have to do is accept the invitation. You can have a relationship with God simply by saying you want him to make his home in your heart. That really is the best Christmas present you could receive this year. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What next step might you need to take to come home to God today?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. These Advent devotionals are based on Max Lucado’s book, Because of Bethlehem (© 2016 Max Lucado, published by Thomas Nelson). Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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The Thrill of Christmas Hope
December 1, 2022
Read Revelation 21:1-7. Things are beginning to gear up for Christmas. Today is the first day of December! Before you get too far into the season, I invite you to stop and to receive the promise of Christmas: God is for us. God gets us. He understands the human condition. God wants to save us. From ourselves and from the world. God is always near us. He has “moved into the neighbourhood” (John 1:14 MSG). But Christmas is not the end of the story! Jesus may well have arrived on a silent night in Bethlehem, but the Bible tells us he will arrive again one day. And not so quietly this time! The skies will open, the trumpet will blast, and a new Kingdom will be ushered in. What will it look like? John tells us that Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes, that graves will be emptied and the winter of death will pass into the summer of eternal life. Sorrow will end. Crying will stop. Pain will be healed. The hope of Christmas will endure long after the last carol is sung, and the Christmas decorations are taken down. God’s promises endure. He offers each one of us a lifetime of hope. May each of us live in anticipation of the thrill of Christmas hope. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • If Christmas this year could be everything you ever hoped for, how would you describe it?
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Get Ready to Receive the Best Gift Ever Given
November 30, 2022
Read Luke 7:36-50. Advent is full of anticipation. We anticipate the giving and receiving of gifts. We anticipate a feast. Many of us anticipate peace and quiet after a busy season! Some of us may be anticipating the arrival of guests into our homes, either for a meal, or for a longer stay. We may be preparing to show hospitality, to make them feel warmly welcome in our homes. This might include cleaning and tidying, making a bed up or preparing a meal. Hospitality was highly valued in Jesus’ day. As this story shows us, welcoming a guest might include greeting them with a kiss, providing water for them to wash the dust from their feet, and anointing them with oil. These gestures made guests feel wanted and appreciated. Advent is an opportunity to get ready to welcome Jesus into our world. To tell him that not only do we worship him, but we want and appreciate his presence too. In his book, Because of Bethlehem, Max Lucado asks: “If you knew Jesus was coming tomorrow, what would you do today? Then do it! Live in such a way that you would not have to change your plans.” Let’s live in anticipation of Jesus’ return and be ready to welcome him. After all, he is the best gift we can ever receive. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • In what ways might you need to reschedule your life to prepare for Christ’s return?
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How to Find Real Peace this Christmas
November 29, 2022
Read Isaiah 2:1-4. The lead up to Christmas can be a stressful time. If we’re not careful, we can become tired and irritable, snapping at those around us, or cursing those who jump in the supermarket queue ahead of us or cut us up on busy roads. Advent can become a time when we get our own swords and spears out! It might be the sword of cutting words or the spear of well-aimed elbows. But that’s not what the real Christmas is all about! The grand vision laid out by Isaiah is not one of conflict, but one of peace; overwhelming, healing peace. Isaiah says that when Messiah comes nation will no longer fight nation, or even train for war anymore. All their weapons will be hammered into ploughshares and pruning hooks. Fighters will become farmers, soldiers will tend the soil, and troopers will tend the flocks. Christmas is an opportunity to find peace with God. In Jesus Christ, God took on flesh and became one of us – a human being – because he no longer wanted us to be disconnected from him. Christmas is also an opportunity to find peace with others. The closer we are to God, the better our relationships will be. A relationship with God pulls us all closer together. Christmas is finally an opportunity to find the peace inside ourselves. To discover emotional peace. Wholeness. Shalom. The peace of God. Will you lay down the arms of Christmas this year and find the real peace God longs to give you? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • When Christmas gets stressful, what are your weapons of choice? How could you hammer them into ploughshares and pruning hooks instead?
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Jesus Can Light Up Your Life
November 28, 2022
The season leading up to Christmas – Advent – is an opportunity to immerse ourselves in hope. We can wait in certain hope knowing that God will always fulfil his promises to us. This week in Battle Drill Devotionals, we focus on some of those promises. Read Isaiah 9:1-7. Are you looking for Christmas gifts yet? Whether you go window shopping and look in physical stores for the right presents for those around you, or whether you spend hours online scrolling through Amazon or other online retailers, many of us spend a significant amount of time looking, looking. God’s people spend an awful lot of time looking – for light, for rescue, for the good things God promises. Isaiah’s prophecy looks in eager and hopeful anticipation for a great light to banish the deep darkness. He prophesies that light will come when “a child is born to us, a son is given to us” (Isaiah 9:6). As we draw to the end of this year, at times, it has felt as if we have been surrounded by a great darkness: the darkness of war and conflict, the darkness of a cost of living crisis, the darkness of the continued impact of the global pandemic and its aftermath. We are lethargic and exhausted. God promises to bring light, rescue, vitality, rest and above all hope, in his baby Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus can light up your life this Christmas. Will you look to his light today? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Which do you think you will most need this Christmas? Light, rescue, vitality, rest or hope?
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God Blesses Those Who Are Generous
November 25, 2022
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Paul’s words to the “idle” can seem quite harsh if you misunderstand who they are directed towards. The suggestion that “those unwilling to work will not get to eat” (v.10) seems cruel until you understand that Paul is addressing those who are unwilling to work. In other words, he was warning those who were fully able to work and had work to do, but chose not to, for whatever reason. Paul was not attacking those who were involuntarily unemployed or who were unable to work. When it comes to the unemployed and those unable to work, Paul follows the Christian obligation to provide help for those who cannot maintain themselves. That is why he encourages the Thessalonian Christians – and us – to “never get tired of doing good”. If we’re honest, many of us earn more money from work than we need to earn a living. If that’s the case, then we have an obligation to give our money away and share it with those in need. Paul encourages us to give freely and spontaneously to others – to use our money to do good. As we do so, we discover that God blesses our work and our money even more, because he is a generous God. Let’s all do good and as we do so, we become more like him. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What do you need to change about the way you share with others that will help make you more like Jesus? You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Why Do You Work?
November 24, 2022
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. What are you working for? More stuff? To keep up with the Joneses? For recognition and approval? The problem with working for more and more stuff is that we never have enough. John D. Rockefeller once had a net worth of around one percent. of the entire economy of the United States of America. But when he was asked how much enough money was, he replied, “just a little bit more”. The problem with keeping up with the Joneses is that we’re haunted with the idea they’re catching up or overtaking us. Recognition and approval are drugs which we can never escape from. If we place our worth in our work, then often we end up overworking, stressed and spending much less time with our family and friends. The answer is to allow God to control our work. He will help us to “earn our own living” but he will also provide times of relaxation and recreation to bring much needed balance to our lives. He will assist us to make the most of our talents and time, doing all we can to provide for ourselves and our dependents, but he will also help to keep our values in check. Working for God and not for our worth will help us work when we should be working and rest when we should be resting. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Do you think our society puts too much value on work and not enough on rest? Why or why not?
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Invite God into your Work
November 23, 2022
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Do you find yourself demotivated at work? Is your default position procrastination? Do you feel stuck? There may be one very good reason you’re feeling this way: you’ve never invited God to be in your work. Maybe that’s what had happened to those whom Paul warned for “living idle lives” in Thessalonica? Perhaps they just didn’t see a connection between their faith and their work? One of the best examples of this in the Bible is the disciples. Twice they went out to fish – their usual work – and despite the fact they were experienced fishermen, they caught nothing. At sunrise, Jesus comes along and tells them to cast their nets on the other side of the boat. This time, they catch so many fish, their nets almost break. Same lake, same boat, same fishermen, but a very different outcome. What was the difference? Jesus was in their work. When we ask God to take control of our work, he can use it for great blessing. When we give our work over to God, he can work through it. He can use your work for his glory. If you want to find true meaning in your work – whatever it is – then give control of it to God. Then watch him bless it beyond your imagination! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What would it look like if you dedicated your work to God?
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Your Work is for God Too
November 22, 2022
Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. You have a calling on your life. Sometimes, we think God’s calling is only for Salvation Army officers or church ministers and pastors. Salvation Army officers used to describe ministry as “the work”. But the truth is that God calls all of us to work. Paul and Silas were God’s missionaries, working to honour God and to help others. Paul encourages the Thessalonian Christians and us to imitate them and do the same. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Salvation Army officer, a teacher, a cleaner, an office-worker or a stay-at-home parent, Paul encourages you to see your work as working for God. Do it to honour him and to help others. Whatever you do, do it in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Teaching children, writing a proposal, selling something or taking out the rubbish can all be a blessing if they are done to honour God and to help other people. Your work – whatever it is – is significant. So, let’s all work for God and help others today, whatever we’re doing. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Have you ever thought of your work as being done for God? Can you think of something you do that could be done with this in mind?
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Find God’s Work-Life Balance
November 21, 2022
Work is a fundamental foundation of human life. But often we separate God from our work and our work becomes disordered. This week in our Battle Drill devotionals, we explore ways to find God’s intended rhythm in our work and rest. Read 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13. Are you a “doer”? Do you set out every day to achieve, to accomplish, to work hard, to push forward, to make things happen? If so, then I would imagine that at first glance, this passage must feel as if it’s right up your street. If there’s one thing that really annoys “doers” (and I speak with some experience!) it’s people who prefer not to do! So, Paul – who appears to be to be a gold-plated “doer” – coming along and telling the idle to get on with it deserves a round of applause! Except, when you look at the word that is translated as “idle” it has an odd history. It wasn’t translated as “idle” until 1948, and many scholars wonder why it’s still translated that way today. It would be better translated (as the King James Version did) as “unruly” or disordered, out of line. What Paul is saying here is applicable to anyone whose work-life balance is out of kilter. Human beings are called by God to work (see Genesis 1:27-31). But out of that same creation story comes the command to rest (Exodus 20:8-11). Some of us might need to work more. But many of us need to work less. Our work-life balance is unruly, disordered and out of line. Let’s work when God wants us working and rest when he wants us resting. It’s the only way to get back in line. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What does you work, rest and worship rhythm look like? Does it need rebalancing? What can you do to bring it back in line?
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People Will Remember You Loved Them Most of All
November 18, 2022
Read Matthew 26:6-13. It may have been expensive. It may have been a family heirloom. But Mary’s decision to anoint Jesus with expensive perfume would have meant nothing if it was not given in love. Mary could have made her sacrifice in expectation that Jesus would give something back to her in return. She could have poured expensive perfume on Jesus’ head because she felt guilty about something. She could have done it for attention – after all, she chose to do it in the middle of meal in someone else’s house! But love was the motivation for her giving. Jesus – who knows our deepest motivations – said so. He said that what she did was a good thing. He said that she had done it to prepare his body for burial – perhaps the most loving thing someone can do for someone else. He said that because her sacrifice was given in love, her deed would be remembered and discussed. Today, almost 2,000 years later, it is still an example for all of us. If we don’t give out of love, then nothing we give will matter. If we give in love, then it will be remembered. As we remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice once more, let’s pledge to give our lives away for others. As we do so in love, God and they will remember our sacrifice. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What do others say about how you show your love to others? You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Your Service Will be Remembered by Others
November 17, 2022
Read Matthew 26:6-13. What are you good at? What capabilities has God given you? Whatever they are, they have been given to you not for your own benefit, but to benefit others. When you serve others, they remember. Mary used what God had given her to serve her Master, Jesus. As he faced the long and lonely road to Calvary, where he would make the ultimate sacrifice for you and for me on the cross, Mary discerned that he should be anointed with the expensive perfume that God had placed under her stewardship. How soothing it must have been for Jesus as the expensive ointment flowed down his body from his head. What love he must have felt pouring from Mary as she served him in this way. Jesus said her service – her giving – would be remembered. Whatever capabilities and abilities God has given you, the best thing you can do with them is to give them back to him by serving others with them. You can use them for the purpose for which God gave them to you. One day God is going to ask you what you did with what he gave you. How did you use your abilities? Did you make a living with them? Did you serve others? How wonderful it will be if he is able to interrupt you and remember that “whatever you did for the least of these … you did for me”! (Matthew 25:40). THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How can you show God you are using your abilities to serve others rather than yourself?
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People Will Remember What You Give Them
November 16, 2022
Read Matthew 26:6-13. How much are you willing to give to others? Are you miserly with your time, money or other resources? Or are you willing to sacrifice your time, money and resources to give to others? People remember those who make sacrifices for them. Mary sacrificed a great deal to show her love to Jesus by anointing him with expensive perfume. The alabaster jar she carried it in was beautiful. It likely had a long, slender neck and was carved from translucent gypsum. It was beautiful and expensive. The pure and genuine nard from the mountains of India was also very expensive. We don’t know how Mary came to possess it, but it could have been a family heirloom. But she loved Jesus so much she was prepared to break the vase and pour all the ointment on Jesus’ head. It was a royal anointing, suitable for her Messiah. Jesus made it clear her sacrifice would be remembered and discussed, and now it appears in our holy scripture. There is always a cost in giving to someone else. We must be prepared to give up our resources – time, money, talents, whatever – to give them to others. We must be willing to make sacrifices if we are going to be agents of healing in the world. Those who gave their lives in the two world wars and conflicts since, gave the ultimate sacrifice, and in many ways helped to heal the world, if only for a little while. They are remembered today for that sacrifice. We may not be called to give the ultimate sacrifice. But every time we sacrifice something for the benefit of someone else, that deed will be remembered – both by the other person and by Jesus himself. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How do you use your worldly resources to benefit others?
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The Way You Bless Others Will Be Remembered
November 15, 2022
Read Matthew 26:6-13. All of us remember people who are generous towards us. People who can’t wait to bless us because God has blessed them. Whether it’s their time, money or other resources they share with us, we remember their generosity. The woman who anointed Jesus’ head with expensive perfume from her beautiful alabaster jar was certainly generous. The perfume is described in Mark’s gospel as pure nard, a fragrant ointment imported from the mountains of India. It was very expensive! Mary was nothing but radically generous with what she had. What if you and I were as radically generous? What if our Salvation Army corps and churches were as radically generous? We are all responsible for what God has given us. But his blessings are not to be hoarded for ourselves. They are to be shared with others. We can use the resources God has given us – individually and corporately – to make an impact. A Kingdom impact. We can make an impact in our families, amongst our friends, in our neighbourhood, in our community, in our school or workplace and in the world at large. Christians and the Christian church can be remembered for their radical generosity. We have been blessed! Let’s be a blessing to others. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What’s one practical step you can take this week to be radically generous towards someone?
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Your Attitude of Gratitude will be Memorable
November 14, 2022
On Battle Drill devotionals this week, in the week following Remembrance Sunday, we ask, what will we be remembered for? The brave men and women who gave their lives in the two world wars and in conflicts since leave a legacy of freedom for many people. What will our legacy be? Read Matthew 26:6-13. Do you know someone who always shows gratitude in everything they do? It is so beautiful! A gift to those around them. Something they will be remembered for. The woman who anointed Jesus during a meal at Simon the Leper’s house in Bethany certainly showed her gratitude. She is identified in John’s gospel as Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. She had much to be grateful for! She was a long-time follower of Jesus, sitting at his feet and learning about the Kingdom of God from him. She believed Jesus was Messiah, the Saviour of the world. Jesus had raised her brother, Lazarus, from the dead. Her decision to take a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and pour it over Jesus’ head was a sacrifice of praise. In doing this, she was proclaiming who she knew Jesus to be and how thankful she was for his presence in her life. Jesus says it is an act that will be remembered and discussed. Sure enough, here we are nearly 2,000 years later remembering what she did that day. That’s the power of an attitude of gratitude! We have much to thank God for today too. An attitude of gratitude is contagious. As we show gratitude to God and to others around us, it catches on! Others begin to do it too. People remember someone who shows gratitude to them. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What are you grateful for today?
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Don’t Wait to Confess!
November 11, 2022
Read Nehemiah 9:1-38. Which do you find the most difficult? To confess to something you did years ago? Or to confess to something you’ve just done? There is no right answer! Sometimes, it’s easier to confess something you did ages ago, because somehow the lack of immediacy takes the emotion out of it. Confessing to something you’ve just done is sometimes more difficult because our pride gets in the way. Nehemiah and the people of God found one particular difficulty with waiting to confess their sins: there were a lot to confess! In Nehemiah 8 they had spent six hours listening to the Book of the Law and confessing their sins. Then later in the month – in Nehemiah 9 – they spent another three hours listening to the Book of the Law and confessing more sins! They had let their sins pile up in their lives over many generations and therefore had many to confess before God. You don’t let rubbish pile up in your home. So don’t let sin pile up in your heart either! Take the rubbish out of your heart on a daily basis by examining yourself before God every day and confessing any sins he brings to mind. God will never get bored of your confessions. He never tires of forgiving you – even for the same sins over and over again. God doesn’t criticise you. He blesses you with love, grace and mercy. If you stumble, confess that straight away to God. He will forgive you and help you grow away from what makes you stumble. Don’t let the rubbish pile up! THINK IT OVER Think about the following:In what way are you struggling with sin today? Take a moment to confess it to God and make a clean start. You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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If You Want to Change, You Need to Confess
November 10, 2022
Read Nehemiah 9:1-38. As we reminded ourselves yesterday, if we ever want to change, then we have to move from blaming and complaining about everyone else and the circumstances we face, and confess the problems we bring on ourselves. Nehemiah and the people of God could have blamed God for exiling them from Jerusalem and placing them under the evil Persian empire. They could have blamed their enemies for enslaving them. But having studied the Book of the Law, they recognised they and their ancestors were the architects of their own downfall. They had no one to blame but themselves. So they confessed their part to God. And life began to change for them. We too will never be able to change unless we openly, honestly, authentically, and humbly confess our sins, our weaknesses, our faults, and our character defects to God and to others. When we approach God to tell him about our sins and our weaknesses – everything that’s wrong in our lives – he isn’t surprised. He already knows! But he does want us to confess to him before he can begin his work of change in us. Why not confess to him today, knowing that his grace and forgiveness are bigger than anything we have ever done in our lives? If we do, then change will certainly follow. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Do you really want God to change you? If so, what steps are you willing to take to confess to him today?
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Confession Requires Humility
November 9, 2022
Read Nehemiah 9:1-38. When things are going wrong in your life, what do you do? Do you complain that it’s everyone else’s fault or that events are conspiring against you? Or do you confess your part in what is going wrong? Complaining comes from a sense of pride; confession comes from a sense of humility. God responds to those who confess their sins and their failures with a sense of humility. Having listened to the Book of the Law and realised just how far they were from God’s standards for their lives as God’s people, Nehemiah and the Israelites humbly confessed their sins. The decisions to fast and wear burlap and dust on their foreheads were all signs of their desire to be humble before God in their confessions. God responded with forgiveness, mercy and grace. Unconfessed sin creates distance between God and us. A prideful attitude that leads to complaining about others or our circumstances simply deepens that distance. Only humble confession allows our holy God to bridge that gap and to answer our prayers as we agree with him about our sin. God will never reject a broken, repentant, and humble heart. Give him yours today. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Why do we struggle to be honest and humble about our sin when we know God already knows all about it?
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Your Integrity Depends on Confession
November 8, 2022
Read Nehemiah 9:1-38. What comes to mind when you hear the word confession? Depending on your tradition, or perhaps the way you’ve seen it portrayed in films or on television, you might picture a confession box in an empty church, and an embarrassing conversation with the local priest. Those of us who are Salvationists, might recall conversations at the Mercy Seat. However you picture it, confession is the first step on a life of integrity. Until you agree with God that you have failed to live your life in accordance with God’s standards, integrity will evade you. Nehemiah and the Israelites understood this. Having read from the Book of the Law for hours, they recognised just how far from God’s standards they had fallen. At last they chose to agree with God about the state of their lives. God wasn’t surprised by this. He knew exactly how his people had sinned. But he still loved them. His unfailing covenant of love remained intact. So instead of condemning them, he gave them grace. When we decide to take the first step to integrity and to confess our sins to God, he is faithful to forgive us. We can trust him and his love. Why not take the first step to integrity today? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • As you listened to or read this devotional today, did God bring to mind any parts of your life you are not living with integrity? Why not confess that today and faithfully believe that God forgives you?
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When It's Time to Move On
November 7, 2022
This week in Battle Drill devotionals, we focus on confession. It’s tough to admit our sins and entrust ourselves to God’s grace, but it is essential if we want to be God’s Future Builders. Read Nehemiah 9:1-38. Do you find it easy to admit your failures? I know I don’t! But sometimes, you reach a point in your life when you realise it’s not working. Life is just not as it should be. This is the point Nehemiah and the people of God had reached. Having been exiled from Jerusalem many years before and having returned to rebuild its walls, they realised just how far from God they had wandered. So they confessed their sin and entrusted themselves to God’s grace. They were determined to put God back front and centre in their lives. They reminded themselves what he had done throughout their history and trusted that God’s unfailing covenant of love would mean he would save them once more. There are times when we too must admit we have wandered far from God and his purposes for our lives. When we let go of our pride, our stubbornness and our fear, God moves in with his grace. Great is his faithfulness! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Do you struggle to confess your sins to God? Why?
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Don’t Worry – Worship!
November 4, 2022
Read Nehemiah 8:1-11. Do you have much to worry about? We are in the middle of a cost of living crisis. The financial markets have been in turmoil. There is a war being waged in Ukraine. Sometimes, it seems even our streets are not safe. Most of us have plenty to worry about! How can we learn to worry less? Nehemiah and God’s people had plenty to worry about too. They faced severe opposition to the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls. They were on the brink of war as the work continued. Then as they read the Book of the Law they realised just how far away they were from being the people God wanted them to be. No wonder they were worried! But worship helped them to move their focus from their worries to focus their lives on God instead. As they did so, they were able to lift their eyes from their worries and celebrate God with great joy! Once a week we are called to come together with a family of God’s people to refocus and to re-centre our lives in God. When we do, our worries can melt away. If you want to worry less, then worship more! THINK IT OVER Think about the following:How would life be different if you gave your worries to God and worshipped him instead?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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You Learn Through Worship
November 3, 2022
Read Nehemiah 8:1-11. How are you at exams? Do you relish the opportunity to show your learning? Or do they make you sick with worry? Are you always the first to finish? Or do you run out of time? Worship can help us become great students! How? Because worship tells us what is most important. Our world is full of information – many of us have mini computers in our hands in the form of smartphones and we have access to huge amounts of information. If you Google the word “student” for example, you have around 7,300,000,000 pieces of information to wade through! When Nehemiah and God’s people completed the rebuilding of the walls around Jerusalem and met together to worship, their worship soon turned them into great students. As they listened closely to the Book of the Law, they quickly realised the most important thing they needed to know: they had strayed horribly from the laws God wanted them to follow. It left them mourning and weeping. But it also gave them the necessary information to put things right and soon they were able to celebrate with great joy and to begin celebrating the Festivals God laid out for them. Our worship and study of the Scriptures help us learn more about God and his purpose for our lives. When we stand before God and face our final exam, he will ask us, “Did you learn to know me?” THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Do you think it’s possible to be well-educated but miss God’s purpose for your life?
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Good Worship is Not a Feeling
November 2, 2022
Read Nehemiah 8:1-11. How do you know when you’ve been to a good worship meeting or service? Is it when you get to sing your favourite song? Or hear a good piece of music sung or played by a talented group of musicians? Or hear your favourite Bible verse? Maybe when the preacher tells a funny joke? Many people seem to rely on their feelings when it comes to judging what a good worship meeting is. If they feel uplifted and encouraged then it’s been a good service. It’s a good job Nehemiah and God’s people didn’t think that way! Nehemiah 8:9-10 tell us their worship left them mourning, weeping, dejected and sad! They had listened so closely to the Word of God they realised there lives were far from the ones God wanted them to lead. They had discovered that worship wasn’t seeking an experience, a feeling – it was seeking God. God doesn’t want us to depend on our feelings when we worship. He wants us to seek him. To focus on him. To listen intently for what he has to say to us. As we do, we are drawn into a closer and deeper relationship with him. That’s the reason we worship. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How do these thoughts about worship change your attitude to the worship meetings and services you attend in church?
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Worship When You Face Opposition
November 1, 2022
Read Nehemiah 8:1-11. What does it cost you to be a Christian? When Nehemiah and God’s people obeyed God and set about rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls, they faced much opposition. They were afraid, but they kept going. They also turned to worship. We may not face the kind of opposition Nehemiah and his people faced. But there are ways in which Christianity is being repressed as our western society becomes more secularised. If we are going to face such opposition with courage rather than with fear, then worship can help us. We can focus on God and who he is. We can recall that he has already had the victory. We can pray for the strength and courage we need. Worship helped Nehemiah and God’s people to focus on God rather than on the persecution they faced. Worship can do the same for us too. It can help us take our focus off our problems and turn our attention to God. When you face opposition, you face two choices: you can worry or you can worship. Which will you choose? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What opposition have you faced because of your faith? How did worship help overcome it?
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You Can Worship God Any Time and Anywhere
October 31, 2022
This week we focus on worship, one of the most important ways God uses to transform us. Read Nehemiah 8:1-11. Where do you worship? I guess most of us who are Christians have been conditioned to answer that question with the name of our church or Salvation Army corps. But think about it for a moment. Is church or a Salvation Army hall the only place you can worship God? Of course not! We can worship him at any time and anywhere. When God’s people returned with Nehemiah to the ruins of Jerusalem to rebuild its walls, they had no building to worship in. The temple had been destroyed. When they completed the work on the walls, they gathered together instead at the square by the Water Gate. It didn’t matter. It didn’t stop them from worshipping God! You certainly don’t have to wait until you are in church to worship God! He will accept your worship at any time and anywhere. You can worship God at home. You can worship him in the shower. You can worship him at your desk. You can worship God in the garden. You can worship washing the dishes (or loading the dishwasher!). You can worship him whilst you’re driving (just don’t close your eyes to pray!). You can express how much you love God at any time and anywhere. Where will you choose to worship him today? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How often do you sing in worship and love to God? Where and when could you do it?
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Your Past Does Not Determine Your Future
October 28, 2022
Read Mark 3:31-35. Throughout this week we have reflected on the impact our family have on the way we think and act in the present. But our family’s past does not decide our future. God does! When we place our faith in Christ and his work on the cross, we are spiritually reborn by the Holy Spirit into the family of Jesus. God adopts us. We are a new creation reborn into a new family. We are now in a new relationship with God our Father. This is the profound truth Jesus was pointing to when he looked at those seated in the circle around him in Mark 3 and declared: “Here are my true family members” (Mark 3:34b TPT). The church, our fellow Christians, now becomes our “first family” – the place where we learn new patterns of thinking and new ways of behaving. Being a Jesus follower is about putting off the sinful patterns of our past – usually passed down to us by our families – and being transformed into new creations and learning to live as members of Christ’s family. The church is the place where slowly but surely, we are “re-parented” on doing life in Christ’s way. It’s where we learn that success means being faithful to God’s purposes for us. It’s where we learn to seek God and his righteousness first. It’s where God declares we are loved and that we are good enough in Christ. God intends the church to be a family where we are set free. We honour our parents. We love our family. But, as Jesus’ followers, we learn to obey God. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What was considered “success” in your family?This daily devotional draws widely on the book, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero, published in 2006 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Unhealed Wounds Lead to Unhealthy Habits
October 27, 2022
Read Mark 3:31-35. When you look back at your family, you may challenge me and suggest that it has not passed on any unhealthy habits or patterns of behaviour. Or you may feel that your family are so messed up, there is no hope of breaking free and moving forwards. The truth is that all families are broken and fallen in some way, because all human beings are broken and fallen to some extent. There are no perfect families with perfect parents because only Jesus was perfect! Most parents do the best they can in bringing up their children, but as we have been reflecting this week, it’s likely they were passed unhealthy habits and patterns of behaviour by their parents. It is no reflection on them or us or on their love for us. But if we are unwilling to go back to move forwards, then our unhealed wounds open us up to habitual sin against God and against other people. The good news is that if we do face up to our past, then in Christ we can emerge from it free, more whole, and newly alive in him. Our family is part of God’s plan for us. Even the most painful family experiences are part of our total identity. The more we know about our families, and the more we find out about ourselves as we go back to move forwards, the more we can decide – with God’s help – what to keep and what to let go. And we don’t do it alone. Our Christian family can help us. Wise friends, a mentor, our officer, or pastor, or even a therapist or counsellor can all help us on this journey. Are you ready to go back to move forwards? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What challenging work of discipleship might you have to undertake?
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The Pain of Disconnecting from Our Past
October 26, 2022
Read Mark 3:31-35. Our families teach us so much. If we grew up in a Christian family, then they may have taught us how to pray, how to read the Bible, and how to take part in worship. But they may also have ingrained habits and ways of behaving which have an annoying habit of raising their ugly heads when we’re under stress. Dealing with these is painful. None of us want to feel we are betraying our family in any way. And digging up the “dirt” on them seems unfair. But if we do not do the challenging work of going back to move forward, then the only way we can deal with these unhealthy habits and ways of behaving is to compartmentalise our “spiritual life” from the rest of our lives. The problem is, of course, that it doesn’t work. I know from my own experience that we can make sure that our shoes are clean and that our uniforms are well pressed, and then dress up in them on a Sunday morning and then proceed to have an almighty row because someone in the family isn’t ready on time, or the girls are fighting or no one helped to get lunch ready. The family arrive at church barely speaking to each other and silently seething. The jack is out of the box again! If we have unhealthy habits and patterns of behaviour that “pop out”, especially when we’re stressed, then the only thing we can do is go back to move forwards. It’s painful but we have little choice. The good news is that Jesus is more than willing to help remove the weight of this baggage. Let’s choose to place our hope in him. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Over two or three generations, how was conflict handled in your family? Can you see this pattern in the way you handle conflict?
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The Imprint Our Family Leaves On Us
October 25, 2022
Read Mark 3:31-35. What beliefs does your family hold that still have an influence on you today? We often underestimate the deep imprint our families leave on us. But they teach us certain ways of behaving and thinking. These can be hard to break without God’s help and a life of biblical discipleship. We are taught to believe things like the more money you have, the more important you are; avoiding conflict at all costs; sex must not be spoken about openly; you must get over losses quickly and move on; sarcasm is an acceptable way to release anger; you don’t air your family’s “dirty laundry” in public and so on. These beliefs affect us and our relationships today. It is therefore essential that we reflect on these messages that have been handed down to us and submit them to God and to his Word. The cost of simply ignoring our past and its impact on our present is just too costly. If our family’s script is contrary to God’s purposes for us, then we need to deal with them and ensure we are following God’s desires for our life rather than the rules and beliefs of our family. It’s time to go back to move forwards. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Are there any heroes in your family? What about losers? Why do you think of them that way?
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You Are Shaped by Your Family
October 24, 2022
Following Jesus requires us to break free from the destructive patterns of our past and living out the purpose God has for our lives. Sometimes, we need to go back to move forward. This week, we focus on the part our family plays in our life with God. Read Mark 3:31-35. More people seem to be interested in researching their family tree, fuelled by television programmes like, Who Do You Think You Are? and websites like ancestry.co.uk. There was great excitement at the beginning of this year when the 1921 Census data was published, allowing many people to begin adding more pieces to their jigsaw puzzle of origin. The Bible sees some importance in our ancestry too. When it talks of our “family”, it usually means our entire extended family over three or four generations. It is important, then, for us to know all about our brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, grandparents, and great-grandparents, and to delve back at least as far as the mid-1800s! Why is our ancestry important? Because whilst our lives our shaped by our circumstances, by far the biggest influence on how we live life is our family. Some of us leave home determined to “break away” from our family ties, only to discover, years later, that our family way of doing things follows us wherever we go! What happens in one generation, often happens again in the next, however hard we try. The consequences of actions and decisions taken in an earlier generation can also affect us today. You are not acting alone. You are a player in a much larger family system that may well go back three or four generations. It therefore helps if we know who our family are and what their patterns might be. Sometimes, going back is the only way to move forward. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How would you describe each of the family members you know with two or three adjectives? What do you learn about your family from these descriptions?
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The Hardest Part of Jesus' Command?
October 21, 2022
Jesus seems to include a very 21st century concept in his command to love God and love others: love others as you love yourself. Read Matthew 22:34-40. The command to love others as you love yourself is right down our 21st century street! So, some Christian writers will look to tell you that cannot genuinely love anyone else until you can truly learn to love yourself. For example, they might argue you need to build up your own self-esteem before you can affect someone else’s self-esteem in a positive way. Unfortunately, that is the trend of modern society. As someone once pointed out, we have moved from People magazine to Us magazine, to Self magazine! Jesus teaches us to move in the other direction! He says we move from ourselves to us (the church) and then to the people (the world). Maybe The Salvation Army should think about changing the title of our periodical from Salvationist (which is the church) to Self-Denial! Don’t get me wrong. Jesus’ command does assume a healthy level of self-love. He is thinking of the natural way we are created to look after our bodies, our minds, and our souls, and to attend to our needs (rather than our wants). But he expects us to avoid the kind of self-love that is selfish, always looking to put ourselves first before others. If I am honest, I have to say I don’t need to work hard to focus on my needs. I must work much harder to think about loving others and loving God more than I love myself. I must constantly focus outwards rather than inwards. Why? Because the meaning of life is to be found in loving God and loving others. It’s what’s at heart of Christianity. May this message soak into our souls in the coming days. May it transform us and the world around us. Love God. Love others. There is nothing better you can do with your life. THINK IT OVERWhat’s the motivation behind the ways you look after yourself and your needs?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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What's Love Got to Do With It?
October 20, 2022
The eighties might be the greatest musical decade ever, but I am showing my age this week! But Tina Turner’s question does seem to suggest that today we seem to have strayed so far from what love really is, we don’t really know what it is. Read Matthew 22:34-40. Sometimes, if you look in our families, or around our community, or watch the news, or read social media, you’d be forgiven for thinking that love is in short supply. And yet, Jesus says it’s the essence of who we are as human beings. When he was asked, which is the greatest commandment, what is our first purpose in life, he said it was to love God, but then went on to say: Matthew 22:39 NLT A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. Some have used the shape of the cross to explain what Jesus meant. You have the vertical connection – the command to love God – and the horizontal connection – the command to love others. The two are connected. Our love for God is the motive force behind our love for others. In giving this answer, Jesus is quoting from Leviticus in the Old Testament (Leviticus 19:18 and 19:34). In Leviticus, loving your neighbour isn’t a way to fulfil your needs or to get something from someone. It isn’t about feeling good about yourself or furthering your career or about loving someone only when things are going well. Loving your neighbour, according to Leviticus, is about not harbouring anger at someone in your heart. It’s about not seeking revenge when someone wrongs you in some way. It’s about not bearing a grudge. It is about reasoning with them and gently correcting them when needs be. How different would the world be if we learned to love our neighbours as ourselves? Sometimes, we are guilty of minimising loving them down to showing them a little random kindness or asking if they’d like to come to church. We feel, if we’ve done that, we’ve done our duty and obeyed Jesus’ command. But which of us can say we have genuinely loved this way, yet? I know I can’t. In many ways, we are all beginners. We’re still learners on this lifelong journey. We are utterly reliant on God’s love for us and the power of his Holy Spirit to enable us to love others as we should. THINK IT OVER • How can you show true neighbourly love to someone today?
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Totally Devoted to You
October 19, 2022
Even after the recent passing of Olivia Newton-John, you may be showing your age if you get the cultural reference in today’s title! But have you ever been head over heels in love? Read Matthew 22:34-40. When you are totally in love with someone, the relationship almost consumes you. It takes up much of your time, and certainly takes over your thoughts. In many ways, this is what Jesus means when he says: Matthew 22:37 NLT Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind’. In response to the question, “Which is the greatest commandment”, Jesus replies, it’s not really about all the commandments and which one is the most important. What matters most is your loving relationship with the one true God. And that relationship requires everything of you: all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. In other words, you must be totally devoted to God. The key is to notice how many times the word “all” is mentioned in that one sentence: all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This repetition reinforces the view that what is needed is total devotion. There is nothing half-hearted in our love for God. This is total allegiance. If you want to look for examples of the love Jesus is looking for then read about the widow who gave everything she had (Mark 12:41-44) or Mary, who washed Jesus’ feet (John 12:1-11). God must be first in our lives. Not second, third or fiftieth. The whole of the Bible can be summed up in the commandment to love God and to love him before all others. We must love him more than anything or anyone else. Is the purpose of your life to live for God? Do you love him? Not perfectly, because we all fail at times. But completely, totally, with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind? I hope and pray that your answer is yes! THINK IT OVER • How do you know what your true purpose in life is?
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What Matters Most
October 18, 2022
What matters most to you in life? Answering that question goes a long way to revealing what it is you worship. Read Matthew 22:34-40. When Jesus is asked what matters most, his reply is to put God first: Matthew 22:37–38 NLT Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind’. This is the first and greatest commandment. Jesus says, first things first: If you believe God is God then the practical outworking of your worship is to love him with all you heart, all your soul and all your mind. In the end, he says, it doesn’t matter about all the laws, and which one is most important. What matters most is your loving relationship with the one true God. Loving God is your first priority in life. When we make anything else our top priority, then our lives can be easily wasted. So, your life is not about you. It’s not about making as much money as possible. It’s not about being popular and seeking people’s approval. It’s not about anything the world thinks is important. The goal of your life is to love God with total devotion. When we understand that, then life really starts to make sense. THINK IT OVER • In what ways do you ensure loving God is your first priority in life?
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The Two Most Important Things in Life
October 17, 2022
This week we go right to the heart of Christian living, as Jesus answers the question, “Which is the most important commandment?” Read Matthew 22:34-40. Have you ever been asked a tricky question? “How do you grow seedless grapes?” Or “Why do you never see a baby pigeon?” An expert in religious law asks Jesus a tricky question. Or, at least one that had been debated amongst religious teachers and leaders for thousands of years: Which of the 613 laws of Moses was most important? Jesus’ answer is not unexpected. First, he quotes from the daily prayer those of the Jewish faith recite at the beginning and end of each day: Deuteronomy 6:5 NLT And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. You are here to learn to love God. Nothing else comes close. Not your achievements. Not your accomplishments. Not your acquisitions. You are here to learn to genuinely love God with your heart, soul, and mind, and to focus on giving yourself wholeheartedly to him. Secondly, Jesus quotes from Leviticus 19:34: Leviticus 19:34 NLT Treat them like native-born Israelites, and love them as you love yourself. Remember that you were once foreigners living in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God. The second most valuable thing in life is to learn to love others. We are to give ourselves away to them and ensure we do to them only things that are good. If you want to know what God’s will is for your life, then there it is: Love God and love others. That’s the best practical advice I can offer anyone! How far are you following it today? THINK IT OVER • How do you like the way Jesus reduces the whole of the Law down into two simple statements?
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God Gives Second Chances
October 14, 2022
Read Luke 15:1-10. Are you glad that God is a God of second chances? I know I am! What if the shepherd in Jesus’ story had just let the one sheep go? After all, he still had ninety-nine. He didn’t need the one. He could have told himself the silly sheep had decided to wander off. It was his own fault. But the shepherd was willing to seek and find the lost sheep and to give him a second chance. The Bible is full of examples of people being given a second chance by God. Moses murdered someone. David committed adultery and put the woman’s husband to death. Jonah knew what God wanted him to do and ran away from the assignment. Paul ruthlessly persecuted Christians before God gave him a second chance. There is no doubt that God offers a second chance to anyone who is willing to take it. All you must do is reach out to him, face the future with the courage, and hope he gives you. When you allow God to rescue you, bring you home and give you a second chance your darkness becomes light, the dry desert becomes a living stream, hopelessness becomes hopeful. If you’re lost today, ask God to find you. He’s looking for you! THINK IT OVER Think about the following:Do you believe the promises God makes in the Bible are for you? Which one do you need to claim today? You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Are You Ready to Return?
October 13, 2022
Read Luke 15:1-10. What if the sheep had said “no”? They can be stubborn creatures, as anyone who has tried to round them up would tell you. The sheep could have told the shepherd he didn’t want to be rescued. “I’m OK thanks. This grass seems so much greener than the stuff back at the sheepfold”. When I was younger, I vividly remember being stopped in my tracks by a wayside pulpit outside of a Methodist Church in Norwich. It read: “If God seems far away, who moved”? God doesn’t move. We do. If we no longer feel close to God, then oftentimes it’s because we’ve moved away from him, like the lost sheep. God will seek us out, but he won’t force us to return. That’s a choice he leaves to us. He wants us to return, but we must be ready. We have to get to the point where we say, with the lost son (whose story can be found later in Luke 15), I’m tired of being lost and unhappy. When we’re ready to return, then God will carry us joyfully and safely home on his shoulders. Heaven will rejoice with him. Returning to God and putting our relationship right with him is the route to peace and happiness. Like the lost sheep, we need to be willing to allow God to carry us home on his shoulders. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How close to God are you just now? If he seems far away, are you ready to return to him?
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You Are Worth Finding
October 12, 2022
Read Luke 15:1-10. What do you do when you lose something valuable? You search for it. You keep searching for it, until you find it! I recently helped a colleague search his computer for a lost dissertation that disappeared when his computer crashed. It represented a huge amount of work – it was valuable! I was determined to keep searching for it until it was found. Jesus’ story of the lost sheep shows us that we’re lost only because we’re worth finding. The lost sheep mattered to the shepherd so much that he left the ninety-nine other sheep to find it. At face value that makes no sense: surely, it is better to let one lost sheep go and protect the ninety-nine? But the lost sheep was so valuable it was worth finding. We matter so much to God that he has set out from the sheep fold to search for and rescue us. God came to earth as a human being – a baby – so that one day he could rescue us by dying on a wooden cross for all the wrong we have done. God gave up his divine privileges, his glory, and his honour to set out from heaven to rescue us. He did so for one simple reason: because he loves us and believes we are worth finding. We may not fully understand why a shepherd would leave ninety-nine sheep to find one lost sheep. We may not fully understand why God loves us. But we don’t have to understand. We just have to accept it. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Who do you know who most needs to hear that God loves and values them? How could you reach out to that person today?
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What It Means to be Lost Without God – Part 2
October 11, 2022
Read Luke 15:1-10. Without God, you are lost. You are disconnected from God, separated from him, and out of step with him. In the story of the Lost Sheep, Jesus explains that when we are without God we are not under his protection. We’re on our own. We must care for ourselves and supply our own security. That’s not how it should be. So, we end up stressed out, burned up, lost and insecure. The good news is that God senses the danger. Because we are of such high value to God, he knows it is worthwhile to diligently search for us and to return us to his protection. God loves you so much that he seeks you out and rejoices when you are found. You are not beyond hope. You are not on your own. God is searching for you. He is still seeking you. He wants to return you to his protection. Will you stop wandering away and return to the safety of God? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How does it feel to know that God is seeking you out?
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What It Means to be Lost Without God – Part 1
October 10, 2022
This week we learn that our God is one who seeks the lost and returns them to his fold. Read Luke 15:1-10. Without God, you are lost. To be disconnected from God, to be separated from him, to be out of step with him, is to be lost. In the story of the Lost Coin, Jesus explains that when we are without God, we lose our purpose in life. The ten silver coins that belong to the woman may have been from her marriage dowry or from a family inheritance. Just one of the silver coins was of significant value. For most people in Jesus’ day the lost coin might have been essential to survival. Whilst the coin remained lost, it could not fulfil its purpose of enabling the woman to live a normal life. Everyone who is still lost to God cannot fulfil the purpose he created them for. God grieves over this loss of potential. Just like the woman, he rejoices when one is found. When you turn to God and live for him then you begin to understand where he wants you to go and what he wants you to do in life. You are immensely valued by God. He wants you to fulfil your life purpose. Are you willing to be found by him? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What does it mean to you to understand that God is looking for and saving the lost?
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God Will Make Everything New!
October 7, 2022
Read Revelation 21:1-27. The redemption story we have been following this week is not yet over. We are living in it – stretched between the tension of a Kingdom that is both “already here” and “not yet.” One day, God’s Kingdom will be fully here. Creation and humanity will be redeemed. John’s vision confirms that one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth. One day, sin, evil, decay and death and their consequences will pass away. One day, God will make everything new! Whilst this is some time in the future, it is being built in the present and we are called to be Kingdom builders. We are blessed with the glory of God’s presence in our lives and that should be reflected in the way we live and in the way we treat creation and our environment. We can bring about God’s gift of a new heaven and a new earth through our words and actions today. What can you do today to continue God’s redemption story and help bring about its ultimate fulfilment? THINK IT OVER Think about the following:How much do you think non-Christians in your circles see climate change as something the Church cares about? How might this limit their understanding of God and the gospel? You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Creation Groans for its Freedom
October 6, 2022
Read Romans 8:18-30. Many of us know the story from Genesis of the fall of humanity. Adam and Eve were tempted into thinking they could be like God, and as a result they disobeyed God. Ever since, humanity has been plagued by sin and wrong, suffering their dire consequences. But we often overlook that creation itself was destined to suffer the same fate. In Genesis 3:17, God points out to Adam and Eve that the ground is cursed to suffer the consequences of sin and wrong too. Since then, the world has suffered decay and pollution, largely because – in our sin – human beings have forgotten or ignored the responsibilities God has given us to steward the earth. Climate change and its consequences are a direct result of this. Because of this, Paul tells us that creation itself is groaning, longing to be set free from the tyranny of change and decay. Can you hear it? When you read or see reports of continuing climate change or of the effects it is having on our environment, can you detect creation groaning for rescue? Paul’s words are not without hope. He anticipates that creation’s frustration will end one day and it will be free from sin, evil, decay and death, just as we will be. In the meantime, we can choose to do all we can in the light of that hope to clean up and care for the environment. But we must realise that creation requires the same kind of transformation as we do in order to be set right again. Thank God that he has a recycling plan in mind! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How could you as a Christian or your church take care of creation more seriously as part of your missional activities?
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Salvation for the World!
October 5, 2022
Read John 3:1-21. John 3:16 is the most famous verse in the Bible. You often see it displayed on banners at sporting fixtures or at other large gatherings of people. But we often miss that it’s not just about human beings. Jesus tells us that God loves the world. God’s love is not inward-looking, it is outward-reaching, and it reaches out to all of creation. When you love someone or something you are ready and willing to make sacrifices for them. You seek ways to meet their needs. God’s love for the world expresses itself in infinitely practical ways. He sets out to rescue not only human beings but creation itself. And God paid dearly to do this. He gave his one and only Son, Jesus. That’s the highest price he could pay. God made his sacrifice on the cross and set about reconciling all things to himself through Christ. We spend much time at present wondering how we can “save the world.” Certainly, there are things we can and must do to slow down climate change and its effect on creation and human life. But ultimately, only God can save the earth. We must put our trust and confidence in him and ensure we live in a way that fulfils his purposes for us. If we are guilty of overexploiting creation, then he alone has the power to change our attitudes and behaviour. Will you accept salvation for both yourself and for the world? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • To what extent does the care of creation fit into your understanding of mission? Has this always been the case? If not, what changed?
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The Land Needs a Sabbath Too
October 4, 2022
Read Leviticus 25:1-7. What do you think of when you hear the word, Sabbath? For many of us, it means our Sunday, the chief day of worship in our society. For others, it means a special day of rest for us as an individual. In Leviticus 25, God radically extends this principle of Sabbath rest and relief to creation – to the land and the environment, to the economy and to society in general. God had already given an inkling of this approach in his commands found in Exodus 23, telling his people that allowing the land to lie fallow so as to not overwork it would also benefit the poor, wild animals, the animals made to work the land, and marginalised persons such as slaves and foreigners. God’s commands remind us that creation is not ours. We do not own it to do with as we please. It belongs to God. He generously shares it with us. It is given to us to use, but not to abuse. Despite these commands, it is clear we have overworked the land. Our lifestyles demand more and more from creation. We are so reliant on so much land that we have to admit that trying to implement a Sabbath for the land every seven years would be challenging. But we must each pray that God would give us wisdom to ensure we are not contributing to over-exploitation of creation. Self-denial and Sabbath each have a part to play in the way the Christian interacts with creation. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • The Salvation Army has always striven to put people to work and take care of them. It is the foundation of the Cabhorse Charter and our approach to tackling poverty around the world. How could we apply this same ethos to our care for creation? What part might Sabbath play in that?
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We Are to Both Serve and Preserve Creation
October 3, 2022
In the northern hemisphere we are in the middle of the harvest season, an opportunity to thank God, the Giver of Life and the Giver of Joy for all he provides for us. As we do so, this week we explore the redemption of creation. Our climate is in “code red” crisis. Can it be saved? And as God’s people, what can we do to help? Read Genesis 1:1-2:3. Genesis tells us that God made human beings in his image. We reflect his nature. We are not little gods, but God has endowed us spiritually with the things we need to fulfil his purposes for us on earth – intellect, free will, self-awareness, consciousness of the existence of others, moral conscience, responsibility and self-control. They were given, not just for our benefit, but for the whole of creation. God decided that human beings would “reign” over creation. But as we look at the world today, as we see and hear news reports on climate change and the effects it is already having on the earth, we have to admit there are times when humanity has gone beyond “reigning” over creation and turned to “abusing” it instead. We are called to rule, not to destroy. As God’s people we are challenged to ensure we are taking responsibility for God’s creation, as he envisaged, and that we are following our duty to make God’s purposes prevail. Let’s each pray for guidance on how we can best serve and preserve creation. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Why do you think tackling climate change is important for a Christian? How does it fit with our values and beliefs?
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Manage Your Money Wisely
September 30, 2022
Read Proverbs 21:5. Do you ever wonder where your money goes? As much as I hate to admit it, the only times I have ever thought this is when I have failed to plan my spending. If you want to decide where your money goes, rather than simply wondering where it went, the only thing you can do is to budget. Budgeting is a spiritual discipline because it helps us to steward – to manage – the blessings God has given us. Everyone needs to budget – regardless of their level of income. Why? Because finding financial freedom comes not from earning more, it comes from spending less. It comes from planning to spend less than you make. The wisdom writer of Proverbs says that good planning leads to prosperity. But hasty shortcuts – spending without planning it – leads to poverty. Those with a budget, those with a spending plan, spend less. That’s responsible stewardship. That’s being faithful in money management. As God’s Future Builders, it’s essential we keep good records, give a percentage of our income back to God, save for the future and repay our debts. God will help each of us to become responsible stewards of all he has given us, if we ask him to help manage our finances. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What one thing can you stop doing so that you are spending less? You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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You’re the Manager, Not the Boss!
September 29, 2022
Read Matthew 25:14-30. Who owns your money? Some of the more cynical amongst us might answer the tax man! But if we are being serious, I guess many of us would say, I’ve worked for it, I’ve earned it, my money is mine. That’s not what the Bible says. The Bible makes it clear that everything we have belongs to God. That includes our money. His purpose for us is that we manage everything he has given to us – including our money. We are to be stewards of what belongs to him. Everything we have is a gift from God. After all, it is God who gives us the strength and the energy to earn the money we do. It is he who has given us the mind and the intelligence to work. We don’t own our money, it is on loan from God. On the face of it, this might seem unfair. But instead it is liberating! Once we realise our money belongs to God and that we merely manage it for him, suddenly all the worries we have, the stress and the pressure surrounding money, all disappear. Managing the money God has entrusted to us is a spiritual discipline. How we do it, as we build the future together, is a sign of how spiritually mature we are. Let’s focus on managing God’s money well and grow more like his Son every day. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What role does prayer play in your financial decisions? Why do you think this might be important?
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The Best Use of Your Money
September 28, 2022
Read Luke 16:1-15.What’s the best thing you can spend your money on? In Luke 16:9, which is a verse we don’t focus on very often, Jesus says the best thing we can do is invest in resources that will have an eternal impact. Jesus tells us to invest in friendships that will literally last for ever. When you use money to help people find or build a relationship with Jesus, that’s the shrewdest investment you can make with your finances. So how can you do that? You could buy a Bible or a devotional book and give it to someone who doesn’t have one. You can support a programme that introduces people to Christ. You can help build a church – a place where people can learn to love God and love others. There are many different ways to invest in eternity. Please do not misunderstand Jesus, or me. Jesus is not saying you can buy your way into heaven. He knew that one day, he would pay the price for us to enjoy eternity with God. But you can use your money to help others meet Jesus. When you do, you can be assured that one day, you will receive a reward in heaven as you meet those people you have helped into the Christian faith. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What are some ways you can use your money to invest in helping others meet Jesus?
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Look Ahead and Make a Plan
September 27, 2022
Read Luke 16:1-15. Jesus’ story about the Shrewd Manager is problematic. It seems the manager was dishonest, or at the very least wasteful, but Jesus turns him into a hero! So what did the manager do right? He looked ahead and he made a plan. As soon as he realised he was in trouble, he needed to budget. He planned how to spend the money he had. By lowering the debts that were owed to his master, he helped others and ensured he had friends. We need to be careful how we handle this story. Jesus is not praising the manager’s dishonesty. What catches Jesus’ eye is the man’s attitude. His attitude was to think ahead, to make a plan and then to put that plan straight into action. That’s what Jesus wants us to do about our own finances. We’re not to hoard our money. It’s not about stockpiling it. We’re certainly not to worship it. Jesus wants us to use our money, and to use it wisely. In order to do so, we need a plan. As his Future Builders, Jesus wants us to plan ways we can use the resources God has put in our hands for good. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What do you want to accomplish in the future with your money?
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Are You Serving God or Money?
September 26, 2022
If we’re going to be God’s Future Builders, then we must be financially free. This week, we discover ways to ensure money supports God’s purpose for our lives rather than enslaves us. Read Luke 16:1-15. If God asked you to sell your house, what would you say? If he asked you to give your car away, would you say yes? If you felt he was asking you to give up your television or your technology, would you do it? If, on reflection, you feel there is something in your life you would not be willing to give up if God asked you to, then essentially you are serving that thing, not God. Jesus says we cannot serve both God and money. It’s impossible. If we want him to be Lord of our lives, then he has to be Lord of our purses and our wallets too. God doesn’t need your money, of course. He can accomplish his purposes without it. But what he longs for is what your money represents: he wants your heart. Perhaps the best way in our modern life to show God that we have given him the whole of our hearts is to surrender control of our money to him. We may be willing to say that God is the centre of our life, but often our bank statement reveals that is not yet true. Are you willing to cede control of your money to God? If so, then you will find the freedom to be his Future Builder and he will use it in service to him and to others. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What can you start doing today so that the way you use your money reflects who or what you want your master to be?
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Your Friends Can Help You Through Difficulties
September 23, 2022
Read Galatians 6:1-10. I’ve lost count of the number of times I have spoken to people who have decided to step away from church – either temporarily or permanently – because they are hurting. It might be a bereavement, a job loss, a relationship breakdown, any number of reasons for their pain, but their response is to step away from their Christian community. I am left baffled and hurt, because that’s not the way church should be. Christians should be there for each other in difficult times. We are called to bear each other’s burdens. I understand it’s natural for some people to want to isolate themselves and to handle their hurts in their own ways. But it’s a terrible idea! It’s then that you need your friends the most! I’ve spoken with people who have told me, “I can’t even pray right now, I’m hurting so much”. That’s when you need friends around you to pray on your behalf. Sometimes, it’s the love and support of friends that gently brings us back into faith, when we fear we may have lost it. Trying to handle pain and stress ourselves often leaves us feeling more tired and stressed than before. The best thing we can do is accept help from others and let our Christian family carry us through the pain, knowing they are the hands and feet of Christ who walks with us every step of the way. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:Whose support can you count on to help you through times of loss and disappointment?You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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You Don't Have to Walk Alone
September 22, 2022
Read Ephesians 4:1-16. “I’m not a team player. I’d rather be alone. I’m an outlier”. Have you ever said anything like that? The Bible tells us that every Christian is a team player. Why? Because that’s the way God designed us! We were never meant to walk through life alone. Every church, every Salvation Army corps, every Christian community should be a place where the followers of Christ walk together, work together and support each other. Why has God designed it this way? First of all, it is safer. Most of us would not walk through a major city on our own in the dark. In the same way, the devil finds it much easier to pick off an isolated Christian than one who is deeply part of a loving community. Secondly, it helps us to grow in spiritual maturity. We learn more in a community than we do out on our own. If you walk and work alone, you come to think that whatever direction you’re heading in, you must be right. Sometimes, we need each other to say, “hang on, we’re going the wrong way. We need to get back on the right path together”. God has designed it that you and I need to live, walk and work with other people in order to grow into the people God longs for us to be. God is love and he wants us to Love God and Love Others. We can only do that together. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Are you a loner or a team player? How do you think that impacts your spiritual maturity and your Christian community?
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We Can Help Each Other Change
September 21, 2022
Read Ecclesiastes 4:7-12. Have you ever wished you could escape people – especially the ones who wind you up – and be alone? Have you ever thought you’d be a better Christian if it were not for other people? The problem I’ve discovered is this: I can get angry, even when I’m by myself. I can have negative thoughts about a situation without help from anyone else! I can sin, even when I am all alone. The problem isn’t other people; it’s me! In fact, God has designed the world so that other people can help me be the best I can be. We need each other to help us break free from our pain, our bad habits and our hang-ups. The truth is we need each other to grow. The church is a laboratory for testing out how the fruit of the Spirit is growing in us. If you want to grow more love in you, then find someone you think is unlovable to love. If you want to be more patient, then spend time with someone who tests your patience. If you want to become more kind, then find someone who fails to return your kindness. That’s how you grow! We are called to Love God and Love Others. As we help each other to grow we become better at doing both of those things. Let’s help each other to be faithful to God’s purposes for our lives. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What is one specific way you could help someone in your church to Love God and Love Others today?
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Show Some Respect!
September 20, 2022
Read 1 Peter 2:13-17. The relationships in a church or Salvation Army corps are precious. When they come under attack from those who want to complain about everything, or criticise what’s happening, or hang around with a negative attitude, or cause arguments or disagreements, the church is in danger. Perhaps one of the chief dangers these days is a lack of respect. As the world has focused on people’s rights and entitlements and on flattening social hierarchies, so a dangerous side effect seems to be less value placed on showing respect. The Bible makes it clear that Christ followers should show respect to everyone – our parents, civil authorities, church leaders, spouses, basically everyone. No one is left out. Why does God think respect is so important? Because he created each one of us. No matter how many wrong decisions we make, we are still valuable to God. So valuable in fact, that Jesus – God’s Son – died for us. How can we show lack of respect to someone who God values so much? Our mission as Salvationists in the United Kingdom and Ireland, in common with all Christians everywhere, is to Love God and Love Others. Love always treats people with respect. Let’s keep learning to love one another, and in doing so, let’s be eager to show each other respect. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Why do you have trouble showing respect to some people?
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You Belong!
September 19, 2022
One of the greatest strengths of a healthy church is the loving relationships between its members. This week we focus on how to cultivate those relationships. Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31. Why do Salvationists wear uniform? One very important reason is that it is a visible sign of unity in our movement across the world. Even our local name patches have a way of saying we belong to each other and the community we serve. Our uniform shows we belong to Christ and to the part of the family of God that is The Salvation Army. Just because we wear uniform, it doesn’t mean we are all the same. Just as our physical body is made of many different parts, so is the church. But like our body, we are meant to work together in unity. We may have differences in culture, in race, in national background, in education, in family circumstances, but our uniform says it doesn’t matter. We are each baptised into the same Holy Spirit and that makes it possible for us to wear the same uniform and work together in unity. God can do amazing work through a church or Salvation Army corps that is unified and focused on spreading his Good News. Are you willing to look past any differences that don’t really matter and focus on working together with your fellow Christians and Salvationists towards God’s purposes on earth? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • The Christians and Salvationists in your church or Salvation Army corps are your brothers and sisters in Christ. How does that change the way you feel about them?
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Make the Most of Your Gifts
September 16, 2022
Read Mark 10:35-45. The Queen was incredibly gifted. She was gifted a smile that could melt a room. She was gifted the ability to meet people where they were and put them at ease. It is clear that she was a world diplomat. She had wisdom and tact. She nurtured her family, and the nation and the Commonwealth. Like the Queen, you too have unique gifts, talents and abilities that makes you who you are. The Queen learned that she had been given her gifts in order to serve others. We must learn the same lesson, taking to heart Jesus’s words that we must be the servant of others, slaves of everyone else. You may be a musician. You may be a cook. You maybe a teacher. You maybe a communicator. You may simply have a winning smile or a way of connecting with people. Whatever gifts God has given you, he has given them to you to make a difference in the world, just as Her Majesty the Queen did. Many people are finding ways this week to mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. Perhaps the best way you and I can commemorate her life is to follow her example, follow her Saviour and use the gifts he has given to serve others and to bring them into his Kingdom. May Her Majesty the Queen rest in peace and rise in glory! Amen. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:Can you really believe that the gifts God has given you are as important in changing the world as the ones he gave the Queen? You can listen to an audio of these devotionals every week. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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God Has Given You a Special Job to Do
September 15, 2022
Read Mark 10:35-45. It must be pretty special to be the Queen! The monarch is sovereign in our nation and in many places in the Commonwealth. Everyone looks to you for leadership. You are acclaimed wherever you go. If you are Queen, then you can make a difference in the world. We are tempted to think that those of us who are not kings and queens cannot make a difference in the same way. What on earth can we contribute to human life? But that’s not what Jesus thinks. He knows that serving others, becoming a slave of everyone else, can change the world! Each one of us has good things to do for God. If you’re a Christian, God has something for you to do to serve others. And it will make a difference to those people. The Queen spent over seventy years serving other people. Every time she did so, she was actually serving God. The same is true for us: we serve God when we serve others. What are you doing to fulfil God’s purpose for your life? Are you doing the good work he has given you to do? God has a mission for you in the world. May he help all of us to answer his call. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Do you ever struggle with the idea that God has a good work for you to do? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
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If You Want to be Happy, Give Your Life Away
September 14, 2022
Read Mark 10:35-45. What makes you happy? I wonder if the Crown Jewels made the Queen happy? Maybe it was her wealth? Perhaps it was the castles and the palaces? Or the acclaim of people around the world? Whilst Her Majesty may have enjoyed some of these things – it is clear, for example, that she enjoyed spending time at Balmoral, Sandringham and Windsor especially, and clearly enjoyed making other people happy – she also famously would have preferred not to have been Queen. What made her happiest, I believe, was serving other people. Giving herself away to others is what gave her a happy heart. You only have to see photos or film of her broad and winning smile as she greeted and spoke to people to understand that. A servant’s heart is a happy heart! Jesus came to serve and to give his life for others. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II followed his example and served others for the whole of her life as Queen. It gave her lifelong happiness as God blessed her work. How is your faith encouraging you to offer your life as a living sacrifice to God and to others? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • When have you experienced happiness through serving other people? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
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Start With Others
September 13, 2022
Read Mark 10:35-45. “His problem is that he thinks the world revolves around him!” Have you ever said that about anyone? Some people are so self-centred and self-absorbed that they only seem to think about themselves. The Kingdom of God is different. Jesus says that instead of thinking of ourselves first, we must first seek the needs of others. Start with what others want rather than what you’d prefer. Focus on understanding them rather than being understood. Be thoughtful of them. Again, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a supreme example of this to us. People who met have spoken of feeling they were the only ones in the room when she spoke to them. Over many years, she met hundreds and thousands of people and put their needs before her own. The good news is that when we follow her example and the example of her Saviour, Jesus, God promises he will meet our needs. Queen Elizabeth was rewarded with a long life – more time to meet the needs of others and to be God’s blessing to them – and with the strength and energy required to do it. God will bless us too as we follow Jesus’ instruction to be the slaves of everyone. Let us pledge to serve others as Her Majesty the Queen did throughout her reign. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How can you meet someone else’s need this week? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
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Your Faith Must be Active
September 12, 2022
This week we are reflecting on the life and Christian service of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and what they say about how we should shape our own lives. Read Mark 10:35-45. What makes a Christian a Christian? It is not just a belief in God. The Bible tells us even the devil believes in God. Faith is more than just belief. It is more than head knowledge of God. It is a relationship. It’s a commitment to Jesus. It is something you do. It’s active. Her Majesty the Queen understood that. To the very end of her life, her faith was active. She never wavered in her duty. She continued to serve her people, day after day, for over seventy years. It was her Christian faith that motivated her to do so. Her faith shone through her daily lifestyle. Jesus calls us to live life with same attitude. To exercise our faith. To make sure it is a faith of action, not just of belief. Our faith changes us and changes the things we do. What can you do today to serve other people? How can you serve those around you? How can you encourage them? How can you support them? Let’s follow the Queen’s example and demonstrate our faith to those around us. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How are faith and action a part of your daily lifestyle? There’s a new episode of Battle Drill Devotional every Monday through Friday. Head to https://battledrilldevotional.podbean.com for more details and to subscribe to the podcast wherever you get your podcasts or you can catch up with us on the Battlefield Resources Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/battlefieldresources. Like the page and get a notification when a new episode drops or sign up to be sent an email – http://eepurl.com/h2FPND.
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When Discouraged, Remember God Loves You
September 9, 2022
Read Nehemiah 4:1-15. How do you defeat discouragement in your life? You remember that God loves you. And because God loves you, he doesn’t give you what you deserve. He shows you grace and mercy instead. The people of Judah didn’t “deserve” to have Jerusalem’s walls rebuilt. They didn’t “deserve” to have Jerusalem safe and secure again. They had sinned against God. They had turned away from him and abandoned their covenant with him. They had not obeyed his commands. They had been unfaithful. God had every right to be angry with them. He could have refused to listen to Nehemiah’s prayers on their behalf. But instead, he showed them grace and mercy. He brought them back to Jerusalem, the place he had promised to dwell with them. God gave them what they needed, not what they deserved. He does the same for us. He loves you. All you need to do is to let him love you. When you do that and you experience his love, mercy, and grace, then your discouragement disappears. You can pursue his purpose for your life and fulfil all that he has planned for you. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:When you hear God speak, do you feel he criticises you or speaks to you in love? Why?Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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When Discouraged, Stay Away from Negative People
September 8, 2022
Read Nehemiah 4:1-15. What has the most potential to make you feel discouraged? I guess most of us would say the difficult situation we’re in. But consider this for a moment: entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker Jim Rohn once famously stated, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” The people you spend most time with have the most potential to make you feel discouraged. If they are negative people, you will feel discouraged. If they are positive people, they will likely encourage you to be positive, even if your situation isn’t. To avoid feeling discouraged and fearful, the best thing you can do is avoid negative people as much as you can. Nehemiah saw the impact the people of Judah’s enemies were having on them. They were angry about Jerusalem’s walls being rebuilt. They mocked the people’s efforts. They suggested they weren’t up to the job. They made fun of what they had achieved, suggesting it wouldn’t last five minutes before it collapsed again. And suddenly the people of Judah were discouraged. They started to complain. They lost confidence in themselves and in God. So, Nehemiah placed armed guards around the wall and kept the enemies away. Don’t listen to the negative people in your life. Don’t let them drag you down. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. He will enable you to keep going. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Is there anyone in your life who drags you down? Are there ways you can avoid their negativity?
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When Discouraged, Refocus
September 7, 2022
Read Nehemiah 4:1-15. Do you ever feel like you’ve failed when you’re feeling discouraged? When things don’t seem to be going right, when you haven’t achieved what you had planned it can be easy to feel discouraged and to lose confidence. When the people of Judah looked at the progress they had made in rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls and on the mountain of work still left to do, when they feared attack by their enemies, they began to feel like failures. They thought they’d never get the job done! So, what did Nehemiah do? He reminded them that God was greater than their disappointment! He was more powerful than their feelings of discouragement. God had a plan. And he would ensure the plan was fulfilled. When you find yourself giving in to self-pity, when you start blaming others for your lack of progress, when you think that what God is asking you to do is impossible then it’s time to refocus on God and who he is and get moving again. Don’t give up! Everyone gets discouraged. Everyone makes mistakes. The important thing is to remember who God is and, in his power, to respond positively to your setbacks. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How can you reduce the negative thinking that keeps you feeling discouraged?
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When Discouraged, Turn Back to God
September 6, 2022
Read Nehemiah 4:1-15. Do you get frustrated when you get discouraged? It often feels like your head is too full of “stuff” and you don’t know where to begin. That’s how the people of Judah felt as they began rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls. They looked around and saw the rubble from the destruction of the walls, and they didn’t know where to start, and they certainly couldn’t see how they would ever finish the job! What do you do when you’re surrounded by rubble? The best thing to do is have a clear up! Clear it out and dispose of it so that you can make progress. If you’re discouraged, if you’re stressed, if you’re frustrated, if you’re overworked, if you’re tired, then deal with what’s making you feel like that. You may have to own up to your own part it in and make changes in your life. The best thing you can do is re-evaluate your relationship with God. Turn back to him. Ensure he is in control. He’ll help you clear out the rubble in your life and soon your discouragement and frustration will start to ease. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What is the rubble in your life?
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When Discouraged, Let Your Friends Help
September 5, 2022
This week we discover that discouragement is curable! Read Nehemiah 4:1-15. Do you ever get discouraged? I know I do. It can affect me in many ways. We are going to look at four of them this week and some of the cures for discouragement. When I get discouraged. I get tired. Like the people of Judah, I start complaining! I’m tired. There’s too much to do. This work is too hard. I’m never going to get it all done. Do you ever feel like that? When you feel tired and discouraged, you need your friends to encourage you. The people of Judah’s response to their tiredness was that they all returned to working on repairing Jerusalem’s walls (v.15). The encouraged each other and then did the work together. Your friends will encourage you when you get tired and discouraged. They are the ones who will have faith for you when your faith is done. Trying to handle discouragement by yourself will leave you more tired, more stressed, and even more discouraged. Your friends are the ones who will carry you through it, knowing that God is with you. Isn’t that encouraging? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Who supports you when you are feeling tired and discouraged?
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We Can Risk Loving, Because We Are Loved
September 2, 2022
Read 1 John 4:7-21. What’s your purpose in life? Jesus says it is to love God and love others. Jesus was once asked what the greatest commandment was that God had given his people: Matthew 22:37–39 NLT Jesus replied, “ ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ That sounds impossible, especially when you consider that Jesus suggested everyone is our neighbour. There is no way I can always and for ever wholeheartedly love God, and there is even less chance of me being able to love everyone! But that kind of love – other-oriented, self-sacrificial, choice-based love – comes from God first. God loves us first, and that gives us the power to love others. So, to be able to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind and to love our neighbour as ourselves, we first need to understand just how much God loves us. But it’s not enough just to read about his love for us. It’s not even enough to think about how much he loves us, or to talk about it to other people. We need to truly experience his love for us. When we can feel just a little of how much God loves us, then we can begin to truly love others. We won’t get so irritated by them. We can stop being frustrated when they don’t behave in the way we want them to behave. We can show love and grace to them. Let’s live as people who know we are loved by God and risk loving others with his love too. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:How do you go about loving others with God’s love?Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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God's Love Runs Deeper Than Your Problem
September 1, 2022
Read Deuteronomy 33:1-29. When I was a child, I used to love to swim in the sea. But I remember one occasion when a large wave pulled me under, and I really thought I was going to drown! I just about got my breath back, when another large wave hit and pulled me under again. I struggled to reach the surface and struggled for air and manage to get to the shore. Have you ever felt like you’re about to be pulled under? Sometimes, we think we’re about to sink. Maybe we’re about to go broke. Maybe our emotions have hit rock bottom. Maybe a relationship is breaking up and we feel like we’re sinking. Maybe a health problem makes us want to give up. It’s then we need to remember that God’s love is deeper than our problem. Just when you think you’re about to hit the bottom, at the end of your rope, there you find God is underneath you. His everlasting arms are holding you up, keeping your head above water. One of the things they teach lifeguards is to try and get the person they are saving from drowning to stop struggling. Continue to struggle and the concern is that both the victim and the lifeguard could drown. Maybe it’s time for you to stop struggling and drop into the deep and everlasting arms of God’s love. Let him catch you. Let him support you. He can keep your head above water. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What pain or hurt do you need to hand over to God today? How could you sink into his everlasting arms of love?
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Nothing Can Ever Separate Us From God's Love
August 31, 2022
Read Romans 8:31-39. Have you ever felt lonely? I can remember times in my life when I’ve sat in a room – in a bedroom, even in an office – and felt all alone. I can even recall times I’ve felt lonely even in a crowd. Loneliness is a scourge of our age, and it has been made worse by the global pandemic we journeyed through. Many people have been left locked down in their homes for months at a time, feeling very lonely. Some have lost loved ones – loved ones they couldn’t even properly say goodbye too because of certain restrictions – and have been left all alone and grieving. The antidote to loneliness is this: there is nothing that can ever separate you from God’s love for you. No situation can ever pull you apart from God’s love – not even a global pandemic. There is nowhere you can go – even in lockdown – where his love isn’t. Whenever you feel lonely, look at God’s love and realise that the Creator of the universe loves you, now and for ever. You can’t stop him from loving you! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What is the closest you have come to feeling the despair and loneliness of being separated from God?
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God Never Gives Up On You
August 30, 2022
Read Psalm 89:1-52. I was seven years old when I fell in love with my first girlfriend. We used to share a chaste kiss in the cloakroom before going home from school each day. I thought it would last forever. It didn’t! That’s the problem with human love. It doesn’t matter how many promises we make or receive; human love is limited. It sometimes dries up or runs out. But God’s love never gives up. The Bible promises us it will last forever. Not just for our time on earth, but for eternity. It’s long enough to last forever. God cannot love you more than he does now. And there is nothing you can do that will make him love you less. That’s a true today as it will be 10,000 years into eternity. All we must do is accept his love. When we do, we will sing of his love, just like the psalmist did. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Does God keep his promises with you, or have you ever felt he has misled or confused you?
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You Are Worth Everything to God
August 29, 2022
This week we return to the subject of God’s love, reminding ourselves of the width, length, height, and depth of his love for us, and the power he gives us to love others. Read Psalm 145:1-21. Do you have an object that makes you feel good about yourself? It might be an item of clothing, or a status symbol like a fast car. Those who experience the width of God’s love find their worth in him. God’s love is as wide as creation. It encompasses everything. He is gracious in all he does with us. God never made a person he didn’t love, which means he loves you. His love for you is unconditional – it is not based on how you perform. You do not need to earn his love. If you ever suffer from low self-esteem, if you worry that you are unlovable, then know that you matter to God. We don’t have to prove our worth or our value. God has already done that. He values you so much he sent his one and only Son to show you. May that be sufficient for you today! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What has influenced your picture of God? Does that picture need adjusting?
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Jesus is the Image of God
August 26, 2022
Read 1 John 4:7-21. No one I know has ever seen God. So how can we know him, if we’ve never seen him? It’s difficult to imagine this in a day and age when we can see people in so many different ways – face-to-face, on television, over the Internet. But for most of human history, important people – like the king or queen, for example – would have been invisible – unseen – by most of the population. How did they know the king or queen actually existed if they’d never seen them? Perhaps one of the most important ways people knew their kings and queens in history, was through portraits. They at least made it possible for people to know a likeness of their ruler. Jesus is God’s portrait. Actually, he’s much more than that. He is the complete expression of God in human form. If you want to know what God looks like, then look at Jesus. In his gospel, John wrote: John 1:18 NLT No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. Jesus reveals God to us. Read about him, in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John (and the rest of the Bible!). Get to know him and you will come to know God. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:How do you see God in the life of Jesus? Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Why Knowing God is Love is Important – Part 2
August 25, 2022
Read 1 John 4:7-21. God is love. Why is this important? We’re looking at five different reasons – we discovered three yesterday, and we’re looking at the final two today.Love is why Jesus died. As we said yesterday, you and I – in common with all human beings – often let God down. Nothing sinful or evil can exist in God’s presence. And so God needed a solution to our sin. God’s love moved and motivated him to offer that solution: the birth, life, death and resurrection of his one and only Son, Jesus Christ. If we trust in him, then God promises – in love – that we will never have to bear the penalty for the wrong we have done. We will be acquitted by Christ’s sacrifice! Love is why we receive eternal life. Because God is love, he will express that love forever. There will never be a moment in your life when God does not love you. For those who choose to accept God’s love, John paints a picture of God showing that love to us for all eternity:Revelation 21:6–7 NLT And he also said, “It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega—the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How can a person know and experience God’s love?
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Why Knowing God is Love is Important – Part 1
August 24, 2022
Read 1 John 4:7-21. God is love. Why is this important? We’re going to look at five different reasons – three today, and two tomorrow.Love is why God creates. You are here on this earth, today, reading or listening to this devotional, because God created you. And God created you so that he could love you. His love motivates him to create. Everything and everyone you see around you is created because of God’s love. Love is why God cares. God’s love is why he reaches out to us. Almost since the beginning of time, human beings – God’s creation – have let him down. You and I both do things every day – we call it sin – that God cannot overlook, condone or excuse. And yet, he chooses, moment by moment, to reach out to us and show us that he cares. Love leaves us free to choose to follow him. Because God loves us, he does not compel us to love him back or to follow him. You can never force someone to love you. Neither does God. God wants us willingly, sincerely and lovingly to respond to him.THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How has God demonstrated his love for you?
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Show Others That God is Love
August 23, 2022
Read 1 John 4:7-21. Our world says, “Love is God.” Put whatever you love in life – whatever makes you feel good – first, even if that means trampling over other people to do so. The Bible says, “God is Love”. When we get this the right way around, when we truly know and love God, we learn not to live in selfishness, but to love with the love of God. Because God is love, the person who shares God’s love will love others with sacrificial love. Knowing God’s love for us and our love for God is evident in how we treat others. As Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, sacrificial love powered by God’s love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It is not selfish, always demanding its own way, it isn’t irritable and isn’t resentful. It is never unjust but rejoices when truth wins out. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How is God’s love evident in the way you treat others?
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Life is Really All About Love
August 22, 2022
Many people are obsessed by love. They look for it. They crave it. They would do anything for it. This week we are reminded that God is love. Read 1 John 4:7-21. Everyone agrees that love is important. We talk about it. We sing about it. We show it. Sometimes, our society seems obsessed by it. John remind us that love starts with God. It comes from him. We were created by God to learn to love him and to show his love to others. When we realise that, we come to understand that life really is about love. If we want to truly know what love is, then first, we must learn to know and love God. To recognise that he is the source of our love. He loves us so much he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us and to restore our relationship with God. Jesus shows us perfectly what it means to love God and to love others. Everything he did in life and in death was perfect love. It is God who gives us the power to love. He lives in our hearts and makes us more and more like his Son, Jesus. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How well do the choices you make reflect your love for God?
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What Salvation Means for You
August 19, 2022
Read Luke 19:1-10. What does it mean to be “saved”? Saved from what? Many people today feel they don’t need saving from anything. They have a good life and have no time for God. But if they stop and think for a minute, they know, deep down, that’s not true. Most of us have some pain or other in our lives. It might be in the past, but it can still affect us in the present. Many of us carry resentment over something that has happened to us. We all feel pressure. Many of us feel guilty about some wrong that we have done in our lives. Especially after the last couple of years, many of us worry and are anxious about life and what it might hold for us. In other words, we all have problems we cannot solve on our own. We need a Saviour. We need Jesus. Zacchaeus might have had a job. He might have been rich. But even if he had the hide of a rhinoceros, the rejection he sensed from his people must have hurt. Possibly, he tried to laugh it off. But it must have smarted. Zacchaeus needed Jesus to show him where he was going wrong and to lead him on the better way to holiness and generosity. Salvation reconnects us with God, our Creator. It makes peace between us and him. We come home. If you haven’t yet accepted Jesus’ salvation, it’s not too late. Confess your sin. Tell him about everything wrong in your life that you can’t put right yourself. And accept him as your Saviour. You’ll be glad you did! THINK IT OVER Think about the following:Do you struggle to admit you need God? What happens when you try to rescue yourself? And if you have accepted Jesus as your Saviour, how does salvation reconnect you with him?Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Jesus Loves and Affirms You
August 18, 2022
Read Luke 19:1-10. Does God’s grace ever astound you? Have you ever been tempted to think, “Jesus, I don’t have a clue what you see in him!”? There is no doubt Zacchaeus was unpopular. As a tax collector he would have been resented, even if he had only been collecting what was due. But Luke hints he was corrupt and charging people more tax than was due to line his own pockets. That’s the only way a tax collector could become rich. And he wasn’t collecting taxes for the Jewish religious authorities. He was collecting them for the hated occupiers: the Romans. He was a traitor in the eyes of his people. So, I guess it’s no surprise the people muttered against Jesus for even thinking about spending time with this rotten man. But in yet another display of God’s amazing, mind-boggling, audacious grace, Jesus affirms Zacchaeus by inviting himself to his home for a meal and confirming he has shown himself to be a “true son of Abraham”. Whatever we might think of someone, Jesus thinks nothing but love and affirmation for them. They are a child of God as much as we are. Jesus shows radical hospitality, radical belonging, and a radical extension of grace to those who we might prefer to avoid. Are we willing to remain open to the full extent of Jesus’ mind-boggling grace and generosity? THINK IT OVER Think about the following:In what way are we sometimes guilty of muttering about the people Jesus would choose to go and stay with? What can we each do to combat this attitude when it arises in us?
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God's Presence Transforms
August 17, 2022
Read Luke 19:1-10. Over the years, I have heard several people testify to a dramatic change in their lives because of their encounter with Jesus. My experience is less dramatic, but nevertheless, I have been slowly transformed throughout my life by the presence of Jesus. Zacchaeus’ life changed in one day. He woke up a tax collector. Corrupt, deceitful, isolated from his people as a traitor. By the end of the day his heart had been changed. He was willing to pay back those he had cheated and to be generous towards them instead. His transformation was so complete it must have staggered those who were there that day. All because of the presence of Jesus in Jericho that day. His presence is transforming. But Zacchaeus had his part to play he had to be willing to change. As we encounter Jesus in our own lives, the question is: are we willing to be transformed by him? Whether dramatic or small, the challenge is to allow our encounters with Jesus to be moments of real change for us. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Have your encounters with Jesus produced a change in your lifestyle, beliefs, and attitudes?
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Jesus Calls You by Name
August 16, 2022
Read Luke 19:1-10. Having recently taken up a new appointment, I am getting to know, and hopefully to remember, people’s names. I must admit to making a few mistakes in the early days! I am always mortified because I know how important it is to be known by name. When someone knows your name, it confirms they know you. When Jesus finds Zacchaeus, he calls him by name. That must have been a shock to Zacchaeus, because as far as we know, Jesus had never met him before. But he knewZacchaeus. As God the Son, Jesus knows Zacchaeus better than he knew himself. He knows about the corruption. He knows about the deceit. He knows about the sin. Yet, Jesus still calls him. He calls him by name: Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus means “Pure One”. Jesus calls Zacchaeus “Pure One”. He was far from that! But Jesus could see past his sin to what he could become, who he was, deep inside. Jesus knows you too. Yes, he sees the mistakes we make and the failures we have. But he sees far beyond those to what we can become, who we are, in the power of his Holy Spirit. Are you willing to allow him to make you into a Pure One too? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How do you feel knowing Jesus affirms you not for who you are but for who you could be in his power?
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The Two Kinds of People in the World
August 15, 2022
This week the story of Zacchaeus reminds us that each one of us is loved by Jesus, no matter how good or bad we are. Read Luke 19:1-10. When you look at someone what do you see? Their gender? Their race? Their wealth? Their talent? That’s not how Jesus categorises them. To Jesus, people are either saved or they’re lost. That’s it. Saved or lost. To him, nothing else matters. What that means is that Jesus loves you and me enough to want us to be saved. God sent his Son, Jesus, to seek us out, to find us, and to save us. Why? Because he believes we are worth it. The people categorised Zacchaeus in different ways: tax collector, traitor, and notorious sinner. But Jesus sought him out because he knew he was lost. He wanted to find him and save him. That’s Jesus’ good news: he came to seek and to save the lost. That’s the message behind his stories – the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. Humans are so valuable to God; Jesus would do anything to find and to save just one of them. You matter to Jesus. He loves you and he wants to connect with you. He wants to be in relationship with you. The question is, are you willing to be found? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Who in your life needs to know they are loved by Jesus? How can you affirm their worth to him today?
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Pray for God's Vision
August 12, 2022
Read Nehemiah 2:11-20. I can think about experiences I have missed out on in my life because I was worried or fearful about something. Have you ever missed out on something because you looked at it with the eyes of fear rather than the eyes of faith? Nehemiah had every reason to be fearful about what he would face when he reached Jerusalem. Powerful enemies of Israel did not want the walls to be rebuilt. Indeed, Nehemiah had already asked the king for letters of authority to grant him safe travel to the city. So where did Nehemiah find the courage to fulfil God’s vision? He prayed. In fact, according to Nehemiah 1 he spent four months praying and waiting on God before he acted. Pray helps bolster our belief. It helps us to put our trust in the One we are conversing with. It helps us to let go of our fears and our worries and to see clearly with faith. God has good plans for you. He has a vision of his purpose for your life. He has good plans for your church too. Prayer will help you to see that vision clearly and the next step of action God wants you to take towards it. THINK IT OVER Think about the following:What action does God want you to take today in faith towards his vision for your life?Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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See with Faith, Not Fear
August 11, 2022
Read Nehemiah 2:11-20. “We shall send to the moon 240,000 miles away, a giant rocket, more than 300 feet tall on an untried mission to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to Earth. … We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard”. So announced President John F. Kennedy more than sixty years ago. Many said it could never be done. But they were proved wrong. What happens if you listen to the negative naysayers in your life? The ones who tell you God’s vision can never be achieved? If Nehemiah had given in to the opposition of Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem the Arab, then Jerusalem’s walls would never have been rebuilt, and God’s vision would have been thwarted. Sometimes, we can be paralysed by other people’s opinions. But Future Builders understand that in fulfilling God’s vision, the only voice that matters is his. His opinion is the most important. He can keep you on track rather than sidetracked. So ask him to help you see with faith and not fear. Then listen for his still, small voice that will calm your fears and ensure you fulfil his purpose for your life. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • Has anyone ever sidetracked you from fulfilling God’s vision in your life? What have you learned from that experience?
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Open Your Eyes to See God's Vision
August 10, 2022
Read Nehemiah 2:11-20. Do you ever find yourself looking for something that turns up to be right under your nose? Sometimes I wonder if it’s “a man thing” but I have seen at least one woman looking for the spectacles that were on top of her head! Sometimes we find it difficult to see God’s vision too. I imagine that when Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem and surveyed the state of the city and the destruction of its walls, he may have had moments when he doubted what God’s vision was. What do Future Builders do when they can’t see God’s vision clearly? We ask for God’s wisdom. We quieten our hearts and our minds, and we wait before God. We might ask him a question: Is there anything you want to say to me? or Is there anything I need to know that I am not seeing? I suspect Nehemiah’s decision to survey Jerusalem’s walls at night was for security and protection. But it also afforded him space to be quiet before God and to wait on him in the darkness and in a city that was sleeping. If you need to see God’s vision for your life or the mission of your church more clearly then ask God to open your eyes. As you do so, you’ll soon discover what God wants to say to you about his vision. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What stops you from being still before God and seeing his vision more clearly?
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Seeing God's Vision is Essential
August 9, 2022
Read Nehemiah 2:11-20. I’m pretty useless without my glasses on. I can see blurry shapes, but not much detail. Similarly, if you ever come to say hello at my office door when I am using my computer, I may not recognise you, as my reading glasses make everything further away look blurry too! For Future Builders, being able to see God’s vision clearly is essential. If you don’t know what God’s vision for your life or for the mission of your church is, then it is more difficult to make the right decisions about what to do. You end up drifting through life and ministry instead. If you cannot see God’s vision for your life, then you are at risk of living life to the expectations of others. A church without a sense of God’s vision is likely to lead to conflict as different groups in the church assume what the vision is. Not being able to see God’s vision clearly often leads to conflict, at home and at church. Visionless people and churches often lurch from one crisis to another as they are buffeted from all sides. Nehemiah carried out a night survey on Jerusalem’s broken walls so he could mull over the vision God had given him. As a result he could see more clearly and had a better understanding of how to move forward. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What vision do you think God has for you?
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Seeing More Clearly
August 8, 2022
This week we focus on the importance of catching God’s vision. It’s essential we know what God thinks our situation is supposed to look like. Read Nehemiah 2:11-20. Sometimes, we are guilty of not being able to see the wood for the trees. We focus on the here-and-now and the minutiae of everyday life and fall into the trap of short-term thinking. As Future Builders, we must raise our sights from what is immediately in front of us and ask God to show us how things could and should be. When we focus on what God wants to do in our lives in the long term, suddenly our character becomes more important than our comfort, our spiritual maturity and holiness become more important than our happiness and eternity becomes more important than our enjoyment. When we move from short-term to long-term thinking it becomes much easier to see how God is working in our lives. So why not ask God to give you a glimpse into your future and help you to see the hope that is available when we try to catch his vision for us? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What does long-term thinking look like for you?
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Get Ready to Act!
August 5, 2022
Read Nehemiah 2:1-10. Whilst you’re waiting, God is working. There may be a delay, but at some point, God will release you to take the next step. You’d better be ready! Nehemiah prayed about the state of Jerusalem and its walls for over four months. Whilst he was doing that, God was working. He was working in the heart and mind of the king. When he released Nehemiah to act, he went to the king and asked if he might be allowed to go and rebuild Jerusalem and its walls. He also asked for letters to provide for safe passage and materials for use in the rebuilding. And the king granted all three requests! If you’re facing a delay, don’t despair that nothing is happening. God is working. You may not yet see it, but it’s happening. At just the right time, God will answer your prayer and bring his will to fruition. Let it be, let go and let God. And then be ready to act! THINK IT OVER Think about the following:Why do think God sometimes make us wait before we can act?Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Timing is Everything
August 4, 2022
Read Nehemiah 2:1-10. What does your life look like today? What needs to stay the same? What needs to change? And most importantly, how do you take God’s timing into account? Timing is everything. If you mistime kicking a football, you’ll miss or slice your kick away from where you were aiming. If you mistime investment in the stock market, you can lose a lot of money. If you play and instrument or sing, you’ll know the chaos that ensues if you don’t keep time with the rest of your band or choir. Nehemiah couldn’t create the right circumstances so he could act in rebuilding and repairing Jerusalem’s walls. Only God could do that. Over the four months he waited for God’s word, he must have seen plenty of times when it looked like the right time to act. But he had to let them go. Learning to do the right thing at the right time takes wisdom and discernment. As you grow as a follower of Jesus, the better you get at discerning when God is ready for you to act. So how is your timing? Are you in tune with God? Or do you need to slow down and wait on God? THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • When has your timing been right? And when has it been wrong? Can you see any difference in the way you related to God at the time?
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Waiting Patiently in Prayer
August 3, 2022
Read Nehemiah 1:1-11. What are you like when you’re waiting for something? Think back to when you were last standing in a long queue. Did you wait patiently and quietly? Or did you start to get restless, moving from one foot to the next? We can sometimes get restless and wriggly when we’re waiting for God to answer a prayer!We try to be patient. We try to stay relaxed. But we want to jump and do something! To solve the matter ourselves. To be the answer to our own prayer! That can be disastrous! Imagine what might have happened if Nehemiah had taken things into his own hands. He might have marched straight off to Jerusalem without asking the king’s permission and soon found himself in jail. Or he might have gone to ask the king’s permission to go and repair Jerusalem’s walls before God had prepared his heart and mind, and simply gotten a flat “no”. Jerusalem would have continued to lay in ruins. Instead, Nehemiah waited patiently and prayed to the God he knew was in control of it all. At just the right time, God told him to act. As a result, Jerusalem’s walls were repaired and God’s people returned home. Don’t be tempted to be the answer to your own prayer. Instead, like Nehemiah, wait patiently for God and pray! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • What can you do to help you focus on God whilst you are patiently praying for him to act?
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Learning to Wait Expectantly
August 2, 2022
Read Nehemiah 1:1-11. Do you ever wonder what’s going on in your life? Are you waiting for God to make something better and wondering why it seems to be getting worse? Are you unsure about a decision you need to make and wondering why God hasn’t given you the answer? Are you confused about a relationship and wondering what to do next? Sometimes, we feel powerless and hopeless. When Nehemiah heard about the state of Jerusalem and its walls, he must have felt that way. He must have wondered what he could do to change the situation. Even more than that, he must have wondered why God hadn’t done anything about it! But he wasn’t discouraged. Instead, he turned to prayer. For days, he mourned, fasted and prayed to God. As days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months, he must have wondered if God was ever going to answer him. He must have struggled to understand God’s silence. But Nehemiah knew and trusted that God was in control. He knew better than Nehemiah what the best thing was to do. God had a plan. All Nehemiah had to do was to wait expectantly for him to reveal it. If you learn to wait expectantly like Nehemiah, then one day he will honour your patience. THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How has God honoured your patience in the past?
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God is Working Even While You’re Waiting
August 1, 2022
This week we are reminding ourselves about the spiritual discipline of waiting. When God makes us wait, we have to learn to trust he is still working. Read Nehemiah 2:1-10. Do you like waiting? When you’re in a queue in the supermarket, do you remain super cool and relaxed? Or do you start getting fidgety if the line is moving too slow? Does your blood start to boil if you’re stuck behind a slow-moving vehicle for too long? Or what about waiting for that must-have Amazon delivery you’re desperate for? Life is full of waiting. Sometimes, God makes us wait too. Imagine what spoiled human beings we would be if he answered every prayer we made immediately! There would be no need for faith! No need for trust! Our faith would never be tested. But God sometimes makes us wait. Nehemiah waited. It was the month of Kislev when he heard about the state of Jerusalem’s walls. He was so desperately sad about it he must have wanted to go straight to the king and demand to be allowed to go and rebuild them. But he waited until God told him it was the right time to act. That was four months later. Nehemiah had to endure a long winter of waiting first. But whilst he waited, God worked in the mind and heart of the king. When we’re waiting, we can’t always see God working. But we can trust that he is. Whilst you pray, whilst you long for a change in your circumstances, whilst you wait for things to change, God is working! THINK IT OVER Think about the following: • How does practising patient waiting grow your faith?
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God Has a Divine Appointment for You Today
July 29, 2022
Read Nehemiah 1:1-11. It’s amazing how many times God drops a person or situation into our day to give us an opportunity to do something for him. As Future Builders, we must be alert to this and ready to respond. The day that Hanani and his friends decided to visit Nehemiah was just another ordinary day. The devastating information they had about the state of Jerusalem and its walls seems to have just cropped up in everyday conversation! But it led to Nehemiah deciding to become a Future Builder and take some action. This divine appointment in one of Nehemiah’s ordinary days led to God being able to do extraordinary things through him. He eventually found himself as the foreman responsible for getting Jerusalem’s walls rebuilt and it changed his life and the lives of God’s people. God can take an ordinary person on an ordinary day and do extraordinary things through him. That means you and me! This could be your moment to become a Future Builder! THINK IT OVER Think about the following:Why do you think God delights in taking ordinary people on ordinary days and doing extraordinary things through them?Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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10 Minute Devotionals for a 10 Minute Bible Study
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The Salvation Army daily devotional has become a kind of spiritual battle drill for many of today’s busy individuals, helping them maintain a solid faith foundation amidst the pressures of contemporary life. The essence of these devotions lies in their ability to provide timely spiritual nourishment, acting as a spiritual compass guiding you through life’s daily battles.
Understanding the Salvation Army daily devotional
The Salvation Army, known worldwide for its Christian teaching and humanitarian efforts, fosters a deeper relationship with God through a daily devotional. The purpose of this Salvation Army daily devotional is to enable individuals to draw closer to their creator amidst their busy routine. These devotions contain scriptural passages and reflections, specifically designed to provide spiritual armour for the day’s battles.
How the Salvation Army daily devotional assists your spiritual journey
Spiritual fitness, like physical fitness, requires regular exercises, and this is precisely what the Salvation Army daily devotional helps to achieve. It acts as a spiritual Battle Drill, a consistent spiritual practice that instils inner strength, resilience and a strong spiritual perspective, getting you prepared for the day’s challenges.
The structured content of the Salvation Army daily devotional is framed to provide nourishment for your mind, soul and spirit, creating a ripple effect that seeps into your daily lifestyle thereby enabling you harness the inner strength to face the day’s struggles.
Your spiritual Battle Drill: A Salvation Army daily devotional
Using this Salvation Army daily devotional as your spiritual Battle Drill means incorporating this spiritual routine into your daily life. Starting each day with a scripture, reflection and prayer customises your mind setting the stage for a faith-led day. It is like a workout for your spiritual muscles, which strengthens your faith and cultivates resilience.
This devotional isn’t just a good listen or read for starting your day; it is interwoven with practical life applications, a tool in navigating the daily challenges life throws at you. It becomes a solace in times of distress, a spiritual oasis that refreshes and rejuvenates your spirit, and a compendium of wisdom that offers depth and insight into God’s word.
In conclusion, this Salvation Army daily devotional indeed serves as a spiritual Battle Drill. It is a means of starting and ending your day immersed in faith, a spiritual workout that nourishes and strengthens your spirit, and a guide navigating the daily trials of life. As you make it a part of your daily life, you remove the heavy armour of worry and wear the light armour of faith, ready to face your daily battles, whatever they may be.
Conclusion
This Salvation Army daily devotional provides an indispensable tool for our spiritual nourishment. This collection of daily thoughts and scripture illuminates the relevance and applicability of faith in our everyday lives. In essence, we find solace and strength in the truth of this devotional’s content, much as a battle-drilled soldier is fortified by discipline and training.
Indeed, this Salvation Army daily devotional isn’t merely a selection of readings; it’s akin to a survival manual guiding us in our life-long spiritual journey. Its invariably thoughtful insights and edifying teachings are daily doses of truth that prompt us to thrive in our Christian faith. The battle may be relentless, and the path fraught with challenges, but the wisdom imparted by this daily devotional becomes our spiritual armour.
In summation, Battle Drill—a Salvation Army daily devotional—proffers a wealth of spiritual insights that inspire us to face life’s battles with confidence and hope. The profundity of its verses and their sagacious interpretation invite introspection and shared discussions, eliciting an informed and enriching exploration of our faith. Adopting it as an integral part of our daily routine will nurture a life of prayer, faith, and deep connection with God.
Key Takeaways
– Exploring this Salvation Army daily devotional provides insights into faith and spirituality that are deeply rooted in Biblical principles. Its message helps individuals navigate life’s challenges with grace, wisdom, and resilience.
– Your understanding and connection with the Gospel can be significantly enhanced through the disciplined approach of this Salvation Army daily devotional. Consume these devotionals daily to foster a stronger bond with God, and learn to interpret his messages in a transformative way.
– This Salvation Army daily devotional offers a fresh perspective every weekday, grounded in scriptural truths. It encourages you to engage in thoughtful reflection and introspection, making your spiritual journey more meaningful.
– In the hustle and bustle of life, this Salvation Army daily devotional acts as a lighthouse, guiding believers with life-affirming messages. Each devotional reading replenishes the soul, providing the spiritual nourishment necessary to face the day.
– The practical wisdom derived from this Salvation Army daily devotional transcends the personal, invoking the spirit of service, community, and charity that The Salvation Army embodies. Developing a daily habit of reading these devotionals can inspire you to integrate these principles into your life’s mission.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
What Exactly is The Salvation Army Daily Devotional, Battle Drill?
The Salvation Army daily devotional, as featured in our Battle Drill podcast, is a spiritually enriching resource material designed to strengthen Christian faith through daily reflections based on biblical scriptures. These devotionals are aimed at fostering spiritual growth, encouraging deeper understanding, and fostering a stronger relationship with God.
What is the Format of the Salvation Army Daily Devotional Battle Drill?
Our Salvation Army daily devotional on the Battle Drill podcast is presented in digestible nuggets that are easy to understand and imbibe. Each daily devotional starts with a scripture reference, followed by a meditation that draws practical life lessons from the scripture, and concludes with a reflection question.
How Can I Incorporate This Salvation Army Daily Devotional Into My Daily Routine?
Integrating this Salvation Army daily devotional into your routine is easy. It can be the first thing you listen to or read in the morning or the last thing at night. It serves as a great tool for quiet times or personal worship and can be the backbone of your prayer or Bible study time. Its versatility makes it easy for you to decide where it best fits into your day.
Will Listening to or Reading This Salvation Army Daily Devotional Be A Good Fit for My Spiritual Needs?
Absolutely. Whatever your spiritual need may be, we believe that this Salvation Army daily devotional on our Battle Drill podcast can meet you right there. We strive to cover a large scope of topics in our devotionals, based on core Christian beliefs, making it an effective tool for all believers irrespective of their spiritual needs.
Can I Share Insights From This Salvation Army Daily Devotional on Social Media?
We highly encourage it! Sharing insights from this Salvation Army daily devotional is a great way to inspire and motivate others in their faith journey.
How Can My Church or Small Group Benefit from this Salvation Army Daily Devotional?
This Salvation Army daily devotional serves as a profitable resource for Church leaders, small group coordinators, and even parents for family devotions. It can be used as a guide for group discussions, bible study, or as an aid in sermon preparation.
Can This Salvation Army Daily Devotional Be Used for Personal Self-Study?
Yes, this Salvation Army daily devotional is an excellent resource for personal self-study. It provides individual believers with practical insights that can be applied to their daily lives, aiding them in their journey of spiritual growth and development.
Why Should I Choose this Salvation Army Daily Devotional Over Any Other Daily Devotional?
By choosing this Salvation Army daily devotional, you are embracing a devotional crafted with rich insights, based on practical Christian living. Our material is designed to make complex biblical truths easy to understand and apply in everyday life, making it a unique tool for your spiritual growth.
