With a Subtitle: Pray the entire verse from 1 John 1:9 – that God will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, as we confess our own sins. Draw near to God, a place where the devil wants no part of.

A brief Excerpt: Pray the entire verse from 1 John 1:9 – that God will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, as we confess our own sins. Draw near to God, a place where the devil wants no part of. 

The Author is: Rich Holt

Scripture

Our verse for today comes from 1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and of a sober mind. Your enemy the devil walks around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” 

Background

Devour? Really? Your kids and my kids, they might devour some hot McDonald’s french fries. You might devour that cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. Or maybe that new novel that you’ve been dying to read. When we hear the word “devour,” we think of something wonderful that we get to consume. And anyway, isn’t the devil always presented as a cute guy in a red suit with a tail and trident? Even in sports, there is the Duke blue devil, with his smiling face, goatee and cape. Arizona State has the Sun Devil, whose name is Sparky. His furrowed brow and sheepish grin do little to strike fear in anyone. But definitions of devour include, “consume destructively, eat hungrily or quickly, be totally absorbed by an unpleasant feeling.” That is more like what the devil is out to do. You see, we can forget that he is our enemy. We forget that when enticing opportunities arise that might call for a compromise of some sorts, that the devil is not interested in helping us succeed or making us content. He is a lion, interested only in devouring and destroying. Whatever pleasant steps he provides along the way will all lead to the same end. 

Application

And don’t kid yourself. The someone he is looking to devour is not someone else. When you read a scripture or hear a sermon and start thinking of all the people who need to hear that message and shape up, he is just taking another bite out of you. When you’re complaining to someone else about another’s shortcomings, there goes another chunk out of you. It takes a sober, clear mind to realize that the faults in others should drive me to Christ. They should swell up prayers for me and them. They should be a reminder, a warning, a mirror. Not a chat room topic or a blog post. Mistakes, poor judgment, and bad choices have been around since the Garden. Someone’s latest doozy is no match for the grace of God. But we must be there to offer it. We’re not there to help devour. Remember, Satan is already defeated. Remind him of that every chance you get. Every time you take food out of his mouth. 

Charge

As we seek Him today, pray the entire verse from 1 John 1:9 – that God will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, as we confess our own sins. Draw near to God, a place where the devil wants no part of. 

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words