Life Plan Devotion #150 [Remaining faithful]

Nehemiah 9:19-21 "Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the desert. By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. For 40 years you sustained them in the desert; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen" (NIV).

About 1,000 years have passed, since God and Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt. God has not changed, and, unfortunately, neither have the Israelites (in general). At the time of the writing of the book of Nehemiah, the children of Israel have been through yet another time of captivity, in Babylon.
God has remained faithful, however. Through Nehemiah, who gains favor as King Cyrus' cupbearer, the walls of Jerusalem get rebuilt...finally. On the day of dedicating the walls, the Levites (one of the 12 tribes of Israel) pray the longest prayer in the Bible. It's long, but it's good.
In the Levites' prayer, they remind God (and, hence, remind the people) of how faithful He has been. It's good to think back to all that God has done for you and your family, of how He has walked through the wilderness with you. It develops in us an attitude of gratitude.

Psalm 100:4c [NLT]
"Give thanks to Him and praise His Name."

What this has to do with weight loss: For those of us who have lived with weight issues, we know that this is our Egypt or Babylon...our time of enslavement. But we don't have to live there forever! God wants to lead us out--no matter how long it takes (which will depend on our ability to listen and obey). Maybe you're still there, but you recognize that you're not as deep in it as you once were. Maybe you're well on your way out. Maybe you're out but working really hard not to go back there. Wherever you are, recognize that God has been the ultimate Promise Keeper, and has helped you on your journey. Take time to remember, and give Him thanks and praise His Name.

Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, we've been through some wilderness wanderings, You and I, haven't we. I've not always been faithful, but You have. I remember the times I walked the wrong path, but still You gently led me back to the right road. I remember the times I didn't listen to Your Voice, yet You continued to whisper to me. I remember the times when I stubbornly left You out of my life, and You let me be...for a time. You have been so wonderful to me--much better than I deserve. Thank You, Father. I praise Your Holy Name."

Go forth today, remembering how God is leading you out of enslavement--for good and for always, and give Him praise.

Life Plan Devotion #80 [God's Armor--Shield of Faith, Part VIII]

Last time, we looked at the first of 4 practical ways to guarantee that you can extinguish every flaming weapon of Satan, by thinking thoughts of faith. Today, let's look at the second way to "hold up the shield of faith, to stop the fiery arrows of the devil" (Ephesians 6:16).
To extinguish every dart, you must speak faith. Words are powerful, so powerful that the Word says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 18:21, NKJV). With faith words, Jesus said we could move a mountain (Matthew 17:20).
If you want to be able to stop the enemy's fiery darts of doubt, discouragement, and depression, you must use the Word of God to do so. Jesus Himself used God's Word to counter every temptation of the devil (Matthew 4:1-11), and you'd be wise to do the same. In the heat of battle, you won't have time to grab your Bible and Concordance, so you must prepare by hiding God's Word in your heart (Psalm 119:11). If you do that, you will have the mightiest weapon of warfare on the tip of your tongue, and you will pull down every stronghold (II Corinthians 10:4).

Revelation 12:11 [Amplified]
"They overcame him [the accuser of the brethren, Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony..."

What this has to do with weight loss: You will be on the receiving end of Satan's whispers of doubt, discouragement, and depression, even in the area of weight issues, and he will seek to hear you repeat them. If you desire to defeat his words, speak God's words of faith, hope, and love, even about your body and its ability to release weight. Which words will you speak today?

Prayer for Today:
"Heavenly Father, Your Words are 'light to all who find them, and health to all their flesh' (Proverbs 4:22). I need that light and health today, Lord. I know that Your Word is 'alive and powerful' (Hebrews 4:12), and with it, I will defeat every dart of the devil. May Your faith-filled Word be in my mouth and on my tongue throughout this day. I pray in Jesus' Name. Amen."

Go forth today, speaking words of faith, to defeat words of doubt, discouragement, and depression.