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I began my typical evening wind down last night, which will usually consists of 2 Oreos, a glass of milk, and me removing myself from everything to spend some time with the Lord. I will eat the Oreos and drink the milk after I have spent my time with the Lord, don't ask me why, I guess I really enjoy Oreos and milk before bedtime, but what I enjoy even more is to retreat to my quiet place where I know I will be able to spend time one on one with the Heavenly Father, the absolute perfect way to finish the day.

Every night is different in some way, not drastically, but subtly, almost capable of being missed if I am not truly focused, or if my mind is wondering and not listening for the Lord's small still voice.

Maybe it's just me, but I have found that the hardest part of prayer is patiently waiting on the Lord to reply. I am not very patient by nature, or at least I don't feel that I am most of the time, but it becomes an especially difficult struggle during prayer.

Patience is one of the many fruits of the Spirit, to find the other fruits look in Galatians 5:22-23. So since this is a Godly characteristic, it seems even harder to properly grasp. So when the right moment for me to exercise this gift does present itself, it inevitably eludes me. I will say that I have been slowly, key word, slowly getting better at patience and for this I must thank the Lord.

So last night as I began to shut the light off to the spare bedroom where I spend my time with the Lord (and practice patience) when I suddenly felt compelled to open my Bible. The first verse my eyes caught was 1 Corinthians 16:13:

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

I continued to read the next verse,

Let all your things be done with charity.

Both of these verses immediately began churning in my mind, as I fell asleep and even into today. So I sat down and looked into these verses a little deeper just to see what they might mean.

In verse 13 What ye or grā-go-re'-ō in Greek means to pay strict attention, be cautious, to take heed lest through remission (decrease) and indolence (slothfulness) some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one (you).

I began to further break down 1 Corinthians 16:13, taking the original meaning from the Greek, it looks something like this:

Then I rewrote in English what the original Greek means in expanded form and added verse 14 to the end, it reads like this:

Pay strict attention, be cautious and take heed, lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake you. Stand firm, preserve, persist, and keep your standing in the conviction of the truth and belief that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, through whom we obtain eternal salvation in the kingdom of God. Be you confident in God and in Christ, let your faith spring trust and holy fervor that is born only in the relationship with God and having been joined within Him whom you rely. Be brave and become a man, increase in your strength, grow, and be made strong. 14 Let all your things be done with charity (love).

As I finished the message became very clear. Here was the small still voice in the midst of the chaos, whispering peace to my soul that I was patiently waiting for, and as usual God presented it when the time was just right.

Through this verse in 1 Corinthians 16:13,14 the Lord is reminding you and I to always be on guard, to stand firm in Jesus Christ. Reminding us that through His Son we can become braver and stronger than ever imagined, and through our faith in Him we are spiritually prepared for any calamity. When we stand strong residing and trusting in the Lord's divine protection we are capable of victory no matter the onslaught of destruction. This is especially true when compared to the individual who as gone into remission, becoming indolent, foolishly having rejected the Lord and His divine protection, hopelessly left to suffer the consequences of avoidable destruction, spiritually and physically.

Everyday Satan will in most cases successfully use various things or situation to instill fear, worry, and hopelessness into the hearts and souls of anyone who will allow him to. The best way to defend ourselves from Satan's attacks comes only in holding close the promises of the Lord that we find not only in 1 Corinthians 16:13,14 but all throughout our Heavenly Father's infallible Word. We must remember the Lord is always there for those who call out His name, we were not created to be without the Creator, only when we stop denying our inability to survive by our own flesh can we allow our eyes to be opened to the new spiritual body the Creator has created for all who will accept salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Be strong; take courage in knowing that you aren't alone.

God Bless, daniel

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