The Giant's Bed #Trust #Nightlight #RTTBROS #provision #Victory

Don't Fear the Giant's Bed #RTTBROS #Nightlight

"Do not fear them, for the LORD your God, he shall fight for you." — Deuteronomy 3:22

You know, there are names in the Bible that most of us skip right over. We see them in the text and our eyes sort of glaze and we keep moving. Og, king of Bashan, is one of those names. But here's the thing, nothing in Scripture is filler. The Holy Spirit doesn't waste words.

So let me tell you about Og.

He was a giant. The Bible tells us his iron bed was nine cubits long, that's somewhere around thirteen or fourteen feet. Scripture actually stops to describe the man's bed. Now why would God put that in there? I believe it's because Og represented something massive, something ancient, something that looked absolutely undefeatable to the people standing in front of him.

He ruled over sixty fortified cities with high walls and iron gates, and he stood between Israel and the land God had promised them. That's a lot of intimidation packed into one king.

But here's where the story gets good. The text says simply, "So the LORD our God also delivered into our hands Og king of Bashan." It doesn't say Israel outfought him or outwitted him. It says God delivered him. The giant fell because God had already decided the outcome.

And then watch what happened next. The territory of that giant, those sixty fortified cities, became Israel's inheritance. The land of intimidation became the land of promise.

I'm too soon old and too late smart, but I've lived long enough to know that most of us are facing our own version of Og right now. Maybe it's a financial situation that looks like an iron bed, too big to move. Maybe it's a health report. Maybe it's a spiritual battle that feels entrenched and permanent. Something towering over you that seems like it will never fall.

Can I remind you tonight that the giants of your life are remnants? Loud, yes. Intimidating, absolutely. But remnants of a dying opposition to the purposes of God. And our God still delivers giants into the hands of His people.

Don't measure the promise by the size of the opposition. Measure the opposition by the size of your God.

Let's pray: Father, tonight we look at things that feel too big, too fortified, too entrenched. And we choose to remember Og. You delivered him. You turned his territory into testimony. Do it again, Lord, in our lives. Fight for us, as only You can. In Jesus' name, Amen.

#Faith #Courage #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #Nightlight

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Building the Plane While You're Flying It #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Building the Plane While You're Flying It #RTTBROS #Nightlight

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way." — Psalm 37:23

I heard a phrase recently that stopped me cold. Someone said, "You can't build the plane while you're flying it," and I thought, well, that's exactly how most of us are living our lives, isn't it? We're up at 30,000 feet, engine roaring, and we're still looking for the instruction manual.

Now here's the thing. Socrates, that old Greek philosopher, said something that's stuck with people for centuries: "The unexamined life is not worth living." And I think he was onto something, even if he didn't have the whole picture. Because the Bible takes that idea and gives it wings, if you'll pardon the pun.

Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established." And Solomon adds in Proverbs 16:9, "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps." Right there you've got both halves of the equation. We plan, and God directs. We build what we can on the ground before takeoff, and then we trust the Lord to handle the turbulence we never saw coming.

Think about Nehemiah for a moment. Before he ever laid one stone on that broken wall in Jerusalem, he spent time in prayer, he assessed the damage quietly in the night, he counted the cost, and he prepared his request for the king. That man did his homework. But when opposition came, and it came hard and fast, he didn't freeze up because he had already committed his work to God. He just kept building.

I've been too soon old and too late smart about this in my own life. I used to think that trusting God meant you just sort of wandered through life with a smile and waited for lightning to strike. But that's not faith, that's just being unprepared and calling it spiritual. Real biblical faith does the planning it can do, lays it all before the Lord, and then holds the plan loosely enough that God can redirect without it feeling like a disaster.

Here's what I've come to believe: God doesn't ask us to check our brains at the door. He asks us to use them, and then surrender the outcome. You plan the wedding, but you trust God with the marriage. You prepare for the job interview, but you trust God with the outcome. You raise your children with everything you have, but you trust God with who they become.

The plane needs to be built before it flies. Do your part on the ground. But once you're airborne, friend, the Lord is your co-pilot, and He's never lost a passenger yet.

Let's pray: Father, give us the wisdom to plan well and the faith to trust You with what we cannot control. Help us to be diligent with the things in our hands and surrendered about the things that are only in Yours. In Jesus' name, Amen.

#Faith #Planning #Trust #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #Nightlight

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God's Four-Handed Provision #RTTBROS #Nightlight

God's Four-Handed Provision #RTTBROS #Nightlight

"And my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." — Philippians 4:19

You know, I've been thinking about something that keeps coming up when I talk with folks who are worried about their finances, their future, their needs. We live in uncertain times, and it's easy to look at our bank accounts or our circumstances and wonder if God's really going to come through. But here's what I've learned, and I'm too soon old and too late smart on this one: God has always been in the providing business, and He uses four different hands to meet our needs.

Man's Hand 

Let me take you back to the book of Exodus for a minute. The children of Israel are about to leave Egypt after 400 years of slavery. Now, you'd think they'd be leaving with nothing but the clothes on their backs, right? But look what happens. God moves the hearts of the Egyptians, and they give the Israelites gold, silver, and clothing. The Bible says they "spoiled the Egyptians" (Exodus 12:36). That's provision through man's hand. Later, Nehemiah needed resources to rebuild Jerusalem's walls, and God moved the heart of King Cyrus to provide everything he needed. Sometimes God provides through the generosity of others, even when we least expect it.

God's Hand

But then there are times when man's hand isn't enough, when no human source can meet the need. That's when God provides directly from His hand. Think about those same Israelites wandering in the wilderness. Every morning, manna covered the ground like dew. Water flowed from a rock. God Himself provided supernaturally what no human could give. Now, we don't live on miracles day to day, but we need to remember they happen in the lives of believers when we need them most.

Your Hand

Then comes the third way, and this is where most of us live most of the time. God provides by your hands. When the Israelites finally crossed into the Promised Land, the manna stopped. They had to plant crops, tend flocks, work the land. The psalmist writes, "thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee" (Psalm 128:2). God blesses the work of our hands. He doesn't call us to sit around waiting for miracles when He's given us the ability to work.

Your Enemy's Hand

But here's the one that really gets me, the fourth way God provides that we almost never think about. God provides by our enemies' hands. When Caleb was looking at the giants in the land, do you remember what he said? Those giants would be "bread for us" (Numbers 14:9). What looked like an obstacle was actually provision. Your greatest challenge might just be God's way of bringing you your greatest blessing.

So when you're worried about how God's going to provide, remember He's got four hands working on your behalf. Sometimes it's through people's generosity. Sometimes it's a flat-out miracle. Sometimes it's through honest work. And sometimes, that very thing you think is going to destroy you is actually going to feed you.

Let's pray: Father, help us trust that You know how to provide for Your children. Whether it's through man's hand, Your hand, our hands, or even through our enemies, we know You will supply all our needs. Give us eyes to see Your provision in every circumstance. In Jesus' name, Amen.

#Faith #GodsProvision #Trust #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #Nightlight

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At The Cross #RTTBROS #Nightlight

At the Cross: The Amazing Exchange

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." — Romans 5:8

You know, there's a hymn that's been sung in churches for over a hundred and fifty years now, and every time I hear it, I find myself stopped in my tracks by one particular verse. The hymn is "At the Cross," written by Isaac Watts way back in 1707, and the verse goes like this: "Was it for crimes that I have done, He groaned upon the tree? Amazing pity, grace unknown, and love beyond degree!"

When Isaac Watts wrote those words, he was wrestling with a question that should stop all of us dead in our tracks: Why would Jesus do that for me?

Think about it. The Creator of the universe, hanging on a cross. And for what? For crimes that I have done. My sins "Big" and "Small" (no such thing as small really) the lies I've told. The times I've chosen my way over His.

I'm too soon old and too late smart on this, but one thing I've learned is that we have a tendency to minimize our own sin while we maximize everyone else's. But when we look at that cross, we have to face the truth: it took the death of God's own Son to pay for those "slip-ups."

But here's where it gets really amazing. That verse doesn't stop at the crime. It goes on: "Amazing pity, grace unknown, and love beyond degree!" The cross isn't just about what we've done, it's about what He's done for us.

When Jesus hung on that cross, He wasn't dying for some abstract concept. He was thinking about you. About me. And He didn't do it because we deserved it. He did it because that's who He is.

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:21, "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." That's the amazing exchange. He took our sin and gave us His righteousness.

I remember talking to a man once who told me he just couldn't accept that God would forgive him. He'd made too many mistakes. And I asked him, "Do you think your sin is bigger than the cross?"

The cross says that no matter what crimes you and I have done, His grace is enough. His love is beyond degree. It's a love that looked at us in all our mess and said, "I'll die for that one."

History is just HIS story, and the cross is the central chapter. It's where your sin and His grace came face to face, and grace won.

Let's pray: Father, we stand amazed at the cross. Thank You that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Help us never to take for granted the price that was paid. In Jesus' name, Amen.

#Faith #TheCross #Grace #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #HymnHistory #BiblicalWisdom #SpiritualGrowth #RTTBROS #Nightlight

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The Herring Barrel Valentine #RTTBROS #Nightlight

The Herring Barrel Valentine #RTTBROS #Nightlight

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath punishment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." — 1 John 4:18

You know, I've always been fascinated by love stories, especially the ones that seem absolutely impossible. And let me tell you, the love story of Martin Luther and Katie von Bora is one for the ages.

Picture this: it's 1523, and Katie is a nun trapped in a convent. She's read Luther's writings about the freedom we have in Christ, and she's desperate to escape. So Martin Luther, this bold reformer who's already been excommunicated and declared an outlaw, arranges for her and eleven other nuns to be smuggled out in empty herring barrels. Can you imagine that? The smell alone would have been something fierce.

Now, Luther believed these women deserved a chance at marriage and family, so he set about playing matchmaker. One by one, he found husbands for them all, except Katie. She was a bit particular, you see. She told Luther's friend that she would only marry two men, Luther himself or his friend. Well, that put Luther in quite a position.

Here's the thing though, Luther had convinced himself he would never marry. He was living under a death sentence from the Pope. Every day could have been his last. He figured, why make a woman a widow? But Katie saw something different. She saw a man worth the risk.

In June of 1525, Martin Luther, age 41, married Katharina von Bora, age 26. And you know what? It turned out to be one of the most beautiful marriages in Christian history. Luther, who once said he would never marry, wrote to a friend, "I would not exchange Katie for France or for Venice." He called her "my lord Katie" and said she made him rich beyond measure.

Katie wasn't just a wife, she was a partner. She ran their home, which became a hub for students and reformers. She managed their finances, she brewed beer, she ran a farm, and she gave Luther six children. More than that, she gave him a place of peace in the midst of the storm.

You see, love has a way of casting out fear. Luther was afraid of making Katie a widow, but love said the risk was worth it. Katie was afraid of leaving everything she knew, but love said freedom was worth it.

And here's what I love most about their story: it wasn't perfect. They argued, they struggled, they faced poverty and danger together. But Luther said his marriage taught him more about God's love than all his theology books combined.

History is just HIS story, and God writes the most beautiful love stories in the most unexpected places. Sometimes love means climbing into a herring barrel and trusting God with the outcome. Sometimes it means marrying someone when the whole world says it's foolish.

Because perfect love, the kind that comes from God, casts out fear. It makes impossible things possible. It turns a monk and a nun into a marriage that would inspire millions for centuries to come.

#Faith #Love #ChristianLiving #DailyDevotion #ChurchHistory #TrustGod #BiblicalWisdom #RTTBROS #Nightlight

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Silence is Golden #RTTBROS #Nightlight

Silence is Golden #RTTBROS #Nightlight  

"He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace."

 Proverbs 11:12 (KJV)

There is a quiet strength in knowing when to speak and when to simply be still. Solomon draws a sharp contrast here, the fool rushes to tear down his neighbor with words, but the man of understanding holds his peace. That word holdeth carries weight; it isn't passive silence born of indifference, it is a deliberate, disciplined choice. How often do we mistake the urge to speak our mind for wisdom, when the truly wise response is a closed mouth and a steady heart? The world rewards the loudest voice in the room, but God honors the one who has learned that not every thought needs an audience, not every offense demands a response, and not every conflict is ours to win. Friend, the next time your patience is tested and your tongue is ready to fire, pause. That pause may be the most powerful thing you do all day. A man of understanding holds his peace, because he knows that God's justice is far more reliable than his own reaction.

This Is the Day #RTTBROS #Nightlight

This Is the Day #RTTBROS #Nightlight

"This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." — Psalm 118:24

You know, I was humming a little song this morning that I first learned in children's church, probably six decades ago. Maybe you know it too. "This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord hath made, that the Lord hath made. We will rejoice, we will rejoice, and be glad in it..." I caught myself singing it almost before I was fully awake, and I thought, now isn't that something. Here I am, all these years later, and that little song is still doing its work on my soul.

That simple round was written by Les Garrett, a New Zealand worship leader, back in 1967. He wasn't writing for Carnegie Hall or a great cathedral choir. He was writing something children could sing, something simple enough to wrap a young heart around. And yet that little melody has been circling the globe ever since, showing up in hymnals and children's programs and, apparently, in the early mornings of old preachers who need to be reminded of something important.

Because here's what Psalm 118:24 is actually doing. It isn't a gentle suggestion. It's a declaration. "This is the day which the LORD hath made." Not tomorrow, not the day things get easier, not the day the bills get paid or the diagnosis comes back clean. This day. The one you woke up to this morning, with all its uncertainty and its ordinary Tuesday-ness. God made this day on purpose, and He handed it to you.

The Psalm was written in a context of real deliverance. The writer had been through the fire, through rejection, through the kind of circumstances where it would have been very easy to greet the morning with dread instead of praise. And yet, right in the middle of all of that, he plants a flag and says, "We will rejoice and be glad in it." That "we will" is a choice, not a feeling.

I'm too soon old and too late smart on this one, but I've learned that some of the most powerful spiritual habits are the ones we learned when we were small. That little round I learned in children's church wasn't just a song. It was a posture of the heart being built into me before I even knew I needed it.

So let me ask you this morning, what are you doing with the day God handed you today? It is His gift. It won't come around again. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Let's pray. Lord, thank You for this day, this specific, unrepeatable day that You made and gave to us. Help us not to sleepwalk through it or spend it dreading tomorrow. Teach us to receive it as the gift it is, and to rejoice, genuinely rejoice, in it. In Jesus' name, Amen.

#ThisIsTheDay #Psalm118 #MorningDevotion #ChristianLiving #RTTBROS #Nightlight

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