One Year Bible Reading Plan and Devotional
Today’s Bible Reading: February 20
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One Year Bible Reading Plan
Clicking on the Scripture links above will open a new window where you can read the scripture from the Holman Christian Standard Bible at Biblegateway.com or choose the Bible version you prefer to read. Check back each day to get the Scripture to read in the One Year Bible Reading Plan.
A House Divided
What causes a house divided?
Jesus tells us that a house divided cannot stand. The same is true for a nation that is divided. It’s time we kick Satan out and stand united in Christ. James wrote: “For where envy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every kind of evil.” (James 3:16) Envy, pride, anger, bitterness, jealously, selfishness, dishonesty…they all have something in common. They are home-wreckers. The are also the things that divide and wreck a nation – and we are seeing them all in America today.
The more internal divisions and strife there is in a home or nation, the quicker and harder it will fall. Since homes and nations are made up of sinful and willful, selfish human beings, having a home or nation that is united and strong can be a very daunting task. Satan would love nothing more than to see a Christian home fall to ruins and he works hard every day trying to make that happen. He has been at work for generations to divide this nation, too. When you crack the door open just a small amount, Satan will squeeze his way in and take up residence. And before long, you will have a house divided and a nation divided.
Guarding against a house divided
We need to guard our homes, our marriages, our children, and our nation. We do that through complete and total surrender to God, as he molds us into His character and image. When we are surrendered to Him, then we are on the same team, working to achieve the same goals rather than seeking our own selfish best interests. As we become more like Him, we will take on His nature and character and display it in the world around us.
The key to guarding our homes and nation against becoming a house divided is through submission. James 4:7 tells us, “Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Notice that submitting to God comes first. We do not have the power to resist the devil if we have not submitted to God. Once we submit to God, then He will enable us to resist the devil. Then the devil will flee. It’s way past time that we kick Satan out on the curb and give Christ the place of honor and make Him Lord in our homes, marriages, and family.
We fight against a house divided in our War Rooms
Let’s face it. Every day we are fighting a Spiritual battle. Satan wants to claim our homes, our marriages, our children, our faith, and our nation. Such battles are fought on our knees – daily. We must enter our war rooms if we are going to fight against a house divided and a nation divided.
A war room is a room in which strategic decisions, especially for a military or political campaign, are made. We have a spiritual war room. Jesus says in Matthew 6:5, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father.” This is our war room. Some call it a prayer closet. The Kendrick Brothers released a movie entitled “War Room” in 2015 that explores the power that prayer can have on marriages, parenting, careers, friendships, and every other area of our lives. The movie challenges each one of us to establish a “war room” and a battle plan of prayer for our families. But we also must fight for our nation.
Spiritual Battles Require Spiritual Armor
God knew fighting for our homes, marriages, children, and nation would be a constant battle, and so He gave us spiritual armor for these spiritual battles. Ephesians 6:10-18 days:
Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace. In every situation take the shield of faith, and with it you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.
It is time we suit up in our spiritual armor and go into our war rooms – our prayer closets – and pray!
War Room Movie Scene
I love the scene in Kendrick Brother’s movie, War Room, where Priscilla Shirer tells the devil to get out of her home and leave her family alone. How would our homes, marriages and children be different if we stood up to Satan by kneeling in prayer and surrendering everything to God, giving Him first place – the place of honor in our homes. Remember, James 4:7 tells us how to do this. He says, “Submit to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you.” It’s time we submit to God and place our homes under new management – with Christ.
Watch this powerful scene below and let’s kick Satan out of our homes, families, marriages, and nation together. In one voice, let us cry out “There is no place for you, Satan, here anymore! Jesus is Lord in my home, my marriage, my children, and my nation! Go back to hell where you belong!”
#ReadYourBible #Leviticus #Mark #housedivided #nationdivided #kickSatanout #WarRoom
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