Daily Devotional for Wednesday July 23, 2014

Your Enemy the Devil Prowls Around Like a Roaring Lion Seeking Someone to Devour

(1 Peter 5:8)

***ASK BILL: Pastor Bill, having pondered man made weddings, where did all this extra paraphernalia come from? The excessive everything, even going into debt, the vows people say which are not in the Word of God, the wedding dresses, the gifts? Understand viewed this is a wonderful God given commitment and beautiful day but having seen so much that is not of him involved in this day I feel God has shown me it is not of him. Can you help me?

ANSWER: Marriage is both a legal and holy union of a man and woman for life. Just like the world has perverted and commercialized Christmas, which is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, so the world has perverted and commercialized this wonderful moment when a man and woman vow before each other, witnesses, and God, their lives to each other. Having officiated dozens of weddings, I use Biblical passages for the vows, and meet with the couple several times prior to the wedding to insure they both fully understand the commitment they are making to each other and God. I also challenge them to stay focused on the spiritual aspects of their day, and not allow themselves to get so caught up in the way the world celebrates weddings.

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8

For many years, I lived in downtown Chicago. You do not have to spend much time in downtown Chicago before you see the Chicago Streets and Sanitation Departments big blue tow trucks. These are not your normal tow trucks. They are about three times the size of a standard tow truck and bright blue.

One afternoon I was sitting on a bench near City Hall and I was watching this one particular tow truck, slowly creeping up the street. Very slowly. The driver was carefully looking at each parked car to make sure they were parked at a meter and there was money in the meter. I watched as the truck slowly went up one block, then back down the next block.

Then all of the sudden, the yellow lights went on, the truck went into action, and within a few minutes, had attached an illegally parked car to its hook and was off to the pound. Now, as interesting as this story may be, you are probably wondering what this has to do with the Lord or anything spiritual.

That tow truck represents the enemy, walking about seeking who he might destroy. The parked cars represent each of us. You see, when your spiritual meter is full and you are properly parked, then the enemy has no control over your life.

The enemy is interested in finding those who are adrift, away from God. He looks for those who are weak. That is why day after day I encourage you to start in prayer and reading the Word. That is the spiritual food you need to be strong for the day. That is the equivalent of putting money into your spiritual meter.

What you do during the day, the places you go, the activities you are involved in, are the equivalent to being properly parked. Remember, when we are illegally parked, in places we shouldn't be, we become an easy target for the enemy.

I love you and care about you so much. The point of this Devotional today is to keep you aware that there is a very real enemy out there whose goal is to kill, steal, and destroy. If you think back on your life, or possibly where you are right now, you can probably trace a lot of the attacks to not being where you need to be with the Lord.

Just like those cars illegally parked, or cars at expired meters, you become an easy target. I love you, and care about you, and try daily to do my best to warn you of the dangers that exist in this life and how we can avoid many of them.

Remember, it is critical to be prayed up, in close daily contact with the Lord. The enemy is out there, lurking. Like the big blue tow trucks of Chicago, the enemy is looking for an easy target. God has given you the tools to avoid being an easy target. Use them.

In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller