Thurs., 11/15/12 Devotion (1 Chron. 5:20b)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 Chronicles 5:20b, which says this:

" . . . For [the Israelites] cried out to God in the battle. He [God] heeded their prayer, because they put their trust in Him."

Here is a practical way for all sincere Christians to live. We are in a battle everyday. The struggle is inevitable. In the midst of it, we cry out to God (or pray). The Lord hears us, answers our prayer, and de-livers us. Why? Because we are good people? No; but because (by grace) we put our "trust in Him."

Today, let us take the war to the devil. Let us put him on the defen-sive. But we must not enter the fray without faith. Let us employ faith in Christ by crying out to God for help. He *will* hear every one of our heartfelt petitions.

[Puritan quote of the day: "They who will not confess their sin as Da-vid did, that they may be pardoned, shall confess their sin as Achan did, that they may be stoned." --Thomas Watson, in, "The Doctrine of Repentance"]