As the day begins, let’s be the dads who are aware of what our kids are up to and where are kids are so that we can pray for them and their well-being and protection. Let’s be aware of what’s going on in the world and how it can affect us, our wives, and our kids. Let’s be keeping our eyes on the finish line, realizing that it isn’t about how we start but how we finish that matters most. Let’s be the dads who are seeking truth. Let’s be the dads who are speaking the truth in love! Let’s be the dads who are able to discern truth in the midst of situations by being sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit! Let’s be the dads who are ready to focus on the fundamentals of the Christian faith in order to be able to live our lives in a way that helps us to be the dads our wives, kids, and the world need for us to be!
Scripture from today’s devotional:
‘ So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.’
John 8:31-32
‘ If any of you is deficient in wisdom, let him ask of the giving God [Who gives] to everyone liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproaching or faultfinding, and it will be given him. Only it must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). For the one who wavers (hesitates, doubts) is like the billowing surge out at sea that is blown hither and thither and tossed by the wind. For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord, [For being as he is] a man of two minds (hesitating, dubious, irresolute), [he is] unstable and unreliable and uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides].’
James 1:5-8
God’s Word is the best place to start and the best place to finish. God’s Word is active and alive and able to speak into our very situation to provide us with the wisdom and discernment we need. Let’s be the dads who lean in on Jesus, abiding in Him because we know then He will abide in us! Let’s be the dads who hold on to Jesus’ teachings and live in alignment with His instruction and direction! Let’s be the dads who seek the truth, know the truth, and allow the truth to set us free! Let’s be the dads who know that when we don’t have or don’t know the answer we can turn to God and ask Him because when we ask Him believing, He gives it to us liberally and ungrudgingly, without reproach and faultfinding! Let’s be the dads who when faced with uncertainty or questions or worry turn to God trusting in Him, believing in Him, and asking Him for wisdom, discernment, and clarity in the midst of our situation! Let’s be the dads who turn to God without hesitation and without a doubt because we know we can trust Him over our own thoughts and understanding! Let’s be the dads who turn to God first when we face a challenge, a trial, or troubles because we believe and trust in God so that we don’t get tossed around by unbelief and doubt and worry! Let’s be the dads who cast our cares on God because He cares for us! Let’s be the dads who ask believing that God will answer! Let’s be the dads who trust in the Lord!
Today’s devotional has been provided to us by Discerning Dad!
Reading through today’s devotional, here are some takeaways for me: (check out the devotional on your own too to see if you pick up other nuggets, and please share your findings in the comments)
For more information, please visit: https://discerning-dad.com/
Takeaways from Today’s Devotional:
“Fundamental 1—Discerning Truth (Belt of Truth) (Eph 6:14)”
- Let’s be the dads who consider the full armor of God and how we are to put it on daily so that we are prepared to stand our ground!
- Let’s be the dads who daily reflect on and put on the full armor of God!
- Today’s devotional points us to how the full armor of God and putting it all on is fundamental!
- Today’s devotional speaks to us about the first fundamental: Discerning Truth
- ‘ Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,’ Ephesians 6:14
- Ever noticed that there are many sources of media and news and how they can vary and fluctuate in their reporting and details, making it hard to know what is real?
- Today’s devotional posts the question as follows:
- Let’s be the dads who know where to turn for truth!
- Let’s be the dads who turn to God’s Word as our source of truth!
- Let’s be the dads who “filter what we see and hear through the lens of the Bible“!
- Let’s be the dads who are able to walk in truth and complete freedom because of what Jesus offers us and what we receive from Him!
- Let’s be the dads who are able to see that the truth is solid rather than relative!
- Today’s devotional shares this reality when it says:
- Let’s consider the armor of God and how the belt connects to our first fundamental of truth!
- The belt has “a vital purpose of holding everything together“!
- The belt is “a place to sheathe the sword“!
- The belt is “a way to hold the breastplate together“!
- The belt is “a way for the tunic to be tucked in“!
- Similar to how the belt held together a Roman soldier’s armor, truth plays a similar role in our spiritual armor, the armor of God!
- Truth is critical to every piece of the armor of God!
- Today’s devotional closes with details on this and a challenge for today:
- “The battle against truth is a battle in the mind. Our spiritual warfare does not take place on a battlefield, but in a space within our thoughts. We have to identify the lies that play out in our mind and keep coming back. What fears or desires seem to drive you beyond your ability to control them? Our daily discipline is to take on the mind of Christ by combatting one lie at a time and reminding ourselves of a corresponding Scripture that is relevant in the battle for truth.“
- “What lies keep coming to your mind that you have to fight with truth? What does daily remembering the truth of God’s Word mean for your thought life?“
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