My Daily Pause

Category: Devotional

  • A Self-Defense Course

    A Self-Defense Course

    The reason I started the My Daily Pause project is to develop a habit of regular Bible study. This is the only way to be fully equipped for our daily needs. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

    The Bible is often referred to as one’s sword or the Spiritual Sword from the “whole armor of God” listed by Paul in Ephesians 6:10-20. Upon closer inspection, the Bible is the whole armor of God.

    • Truth = The Word of God
    • Righteousness = The word of God (Your commandments are righteous – Psalm 119:172)
    • The Gospel of Peace = The word of God
    • Faith is obtained from the word of God (Faith comes from hearing – Romans 10:17)
    • Salvation comes from the word of God sacred writings (the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation – 2 Timothy 3:15)
    • The Word of God

    Soldiers learn to defend through training and repetition. Their skill and strength is enhanced from their armor, and their armor is enhanced from their skill and strength. In the heat of battle, neither has a lot of value on its own.

    So don’t leave your armor piled in a corner! …be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God…

    Daily Bible reading for May 3

    Head count. Hezekiah shows visitors everything he has. Paul describes the armor of God.

    Psalm 122
    Numbers 2
    Isaiah 39
    Ephesians 6:10-24

  • Build up the Family, Build up the Church

    Build up the Family, Build up the Church

    Tight knit families make the local church a functional unit, make communities strong and even spill over and make the workplace better.

    It is heartbreaking for the family when they split up, but the church also feel the injury when one of their own goes through this.

    Families work better when:

    • the wife and children respect the husband as the head of the house
    • the husband loves and protects his wife with the intensity that Christ does the church
    • the couple understands they are to move, live and think as one
    • the children obey the parents

    Out of over 8 million marriages from 1990 to 1994 only 87% made it to their fifth anniversary and less than 75% got to their tenth. (here’s the census data )

    I’ve been around a lot of families that were strong and many that fell apart over the years. Speaking only as an outsider looking in, the ones that fell apart weren’t operating like Paul laid it out in Ephesians 5:22-6:4.

    Daily Bible reading for May 2

    Psalm 121
    Numbers 1
    Isaiah 38
    Ephesians 5:22-6:9

  • Walking in Love

    Walking in Love

    If we can stipulate a perfect world for a minute, a father wants his children to be like him. He opes they believe, act and love the same way as he does.

    It’s no different with God. He made us in his likeness and wants us to imitate him. He even made a huge sacrifice so that we have a better chance. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

    That pang of guilt that you feel when your child makes the wrong decision? That’s what the Father in heaven feels when you do the same thing. If you’re worried about that – that is a walk of love.

    Daily Bible reading for May 1

    Psalm 120
    Leviticus 27
    Isaiah 36-37
    Ephesians 5:1-21

  • Are You Doing It Right?

    Are You Doing It Right?

    Is it just me, or is the world getting bolder in their demands that Christians change their ways? It’s supposed to be the other way around. I guess it goes back to what Solomon said – “There is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) Paul was dealing with the same stuff in the first century.

    Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:17-22 to get rid of the old you and quit living like those people. “Now” is always a good time renew yourself in God and try to be like him instead of the world. (Ephesians 4:23-24)

    While it might seem strange to word it this way, Paul made a list on how to live a new life. Here is a few things on that list:

    • Tell the Truth
    • Be angry, but don’t let it make you sin
    • Get over your anger quickly so the Devil doesn’t use you
    • Work hard, don’t steal
    • Use what you earn to help the needy
    • Watch your mouth and say only good things
    • Be kind
    • Be forgiving – God gave his Son to forgive you.

    But don’t take my word for it, remember to read them for yourself in Ephesians 4:25-32!

  • Tossed To and Fro

    Tossed To and Fro

    Being a part of Christ’s body, that is, being in Christ, takes dedicated effort on our part to maintain that status.

    Paul wanted Christians to make an effort to mature. He set up a system of God’s word (Which was delivered originally by the apostles and prophets), elders and teachers to help us grow to the stature of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13) As we make progress in that growth, we are less likely to be pulled away to the world’s values, fall prey to false teachers or even fail by our own human nature. (Ephesians 4:14)

    Our goal is to do everything we can to function well within the body. Whatever our role, we do it well. Whatever our maturity, we try to grow. (Ephesians 4:15-16)

    Without that focus, the world will treat us like the sea does a derelict ship, tossing us to and fro without direction.

  • The Proof of God’s Power

    The Proof of God’s Power

    In every letter that Paul wrote, he mentioned the resurrection of Christ. In Ephesians 1:19-20 he shows us the power of God through Christ’s death and ascension.

    Has today’s church gotten away from the awe of the resurrection that Paul felt? Paul wanted you to feel that awe. He wrote of God’s:

    • ability to accomplish his promises
    • active power to work
    • power to rule over his dominion
    • inherent strength

    When we remain silent about the resurrection of Christ – when we forget to include it as the focus of our worship, we are giving our attention to something other than our God.

    Let’s be more like the early church, and make everything about Christ’s death, burial and resurrection.