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Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Ephesians 4:25-28

High school football and soccer teams in Apple Valley, Minnesota, recently had to reschedule their fall 2025 games from night to daytime—not because of weather or scheduling conflicts, but because of a bird’s nest. A pair of ospreys built their home in the floodlights high above the stadium. Since ospreys are a protected species, the nest can't be removed until the chicks have fledged. In the meantime, the lights can't be turned on, since the heat could injure the birds or even start a fire. Cory Hanson, the athletic director for the high school, told a reporter, “When you tell someone this story, "Wow, we have to reschedule because there’s an osprey nest in our stadium,’ they’re like, ‘You can’t make this type of stuff up, right?’” After the chicks have fledged, the nest will be removed, and night games will be able to resume under the lights.

Once the ospreys built their nest, the teams in Apple Valley had no choice but to "give place" to them. The birds quickly took over, affecting the season for the entire school. In a similar, but much more serious way, this is what happens when we give Satan any room in our lives. There are no safe places for us to leave an opening for the devil. If we allow him to work unhindered in our lives even for a little while, we will soon find that he has taken full advantage and set up shop in a way that will restrict our ability to do what God has set before us. 

The smallest temptations can quickly become big sins if we allow Satan to have room to work. Martin Luther said, “You cannot stop birds from flying overhead, but you can keep them from building a nest.” That is what we must do. The best time to remove temptation is the moment that it appears. Keeping the devil completely out is the only way to be safe.

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:4-8

The original building for the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, Japan, was built in the late 1800s. When renovations proved too costly, plans were made to build an entirely new structure. Frank Lloyd Wright was brought over from America to design the building. The work took seven years, and Wright oversaw much of the construction work before returning to America. The project was completed and the building was to be opened to the public on September 1, 1923—which turned out to be the date of one of the worst earthquakes in Japan's history. When reporters contacted Wright about what they assumed to be the destruction of his new building in the Great Kanto Quake, Wright told them that if they reported that, they would have to print a retraction. And just as the great architect predicted, the building sustained only minor damage.

Wright was not confident because of his reputation, but because he knew what kind of foundation had been laid for the Imperial Hotel. He had taken into account the unstable geography of the reason and installed floating pillars that would allow the hotel to move when the ground did. 

There is no foundation anywhere more stable and trustworthy than the promises of God. We do not know or control the future, no matter how carefully we may plan, but we face the future with full confidence because He has already revealed the end of the story to us.

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Hebrews 10:16-19
 

In June of 2024, police in Iowa stopped a man for not having a rear reflector on his bicycle. George Hartleroad initially gave the police a false name and identification, telling them that he was homeless. But when the police discovered that the person Hartleroad claimed to be was deceased, they became suspicious. Using facial recognition technology they were able to identify him and to find the warrant that was out for his arrest from 1995. Hartleroad was living in a halfway house in Wisconsin after his release from prison there before fleeing to Iowa. Though almost thirty years had passed, the warrant was still active, and Wisconsin Department of Corrections officers came and took custody of Hartleroad, taking him back to serve the rest of his sentence.

Christians do not need to worry about the penalty for their sin coming back to haunt them. There may be consequences that remain, but the stain of sin is gone forever. That is our great hope—not that we are perfect, but that our sins are forgiven and forgotten by God. “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Psalm 130:3-4). The Lord will never hold against us a sin we have confessed and forsaken. He convicts us of sin we have not yet dealt with, but He does not look for “warrants” regarding past failures. The price and the penalty has already been paid once and for all by Jesus on the cross. If we have feelings of guilt over such sins, they are coming from the devil who is using our past sins to try to keep us in bondage.

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

Revelation 19:7-9

Edward Mote grew up in a godless home in England, but when he was apprenticed to a cabinetmaker his employer started taking the boy to church with him. Under the preaching of the gospel Mote was converted. He continued in the cabinetmaking business, eventually opening his own shop, but his love for God never waned. When he was in his fifties, Mote left the business world and became a pastor for the final twenty-six years of his life. In addition to his preaching, he also wrote a number of hymns including “The Solid Rock.”

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness,
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in Him be found,
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand,
All other ground is sinking sand.

The only hope that we have of Heaven is that God applies the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ to our account. There will not be any self-righteous people in Heaven because the very best that we can do on our own falls far short of the perfection God demands. It is His grace and not our goodness that provides us a place at His table. It is His mercy and not our merit that dresses us in fine linen and sees us as holy. It is His provision and not our performance that makes us fit for God's presence.

Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Philippians 3:4-7

Our society encourages people to promote themselves in many different ways. Despite what the Bible says about the dangers of pride and boasting, we find it easy to look at what we have done and find cause for self-promotion. Yet that is never the right path. “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips” (Proverbs 27:2). One of the best defenses against this threat is to remember that all we are, all we do, and all we accomplish are the result of what God has given to us.

All that we could boast in is nothing compared to what God provides, and if we are insistent on taking the praise and credit that belongs to Him, we are damaging our fellowship with Him. Oswald Chambers wrote, “God can achieve His purpose either through the absence of human power and resources, or abandonment of reliance on them. All through history God has chosen and used nobodies, because their unusual dependence on Him made possible the unique display of His power and grace. He chose and used somebodies only when they renounced dependence on their natural abilities and resources.”

Each of us must choose whether we are going to rely on ourselves or on God. His unlimited strength and power are available to us, but only if we humbly seek them from Him. “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). The reality is that God does not need us to accomplish His purposes but allows us to be part of His work in the world.

Whoso keepeth the commandment shall feel no evil thing: and a wise man's heart discerneth both time and judgment. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the misery of man is great upon him. For he knoweth not that which shall be: for who can tell him when it shall be? There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

Ecclesiastes 8:5-8

Patrick Gass was in his early thirties when he joined the Lewis and Clark Expedition as they set out to survey the land the United States had acquired from France in the Louisiana Purchase. In addition to his military experience, he proved invaluable to the expedition for his carpentry skills. Gass constructed canoes and shallow draft boats for the travelers, and he constructed their quarters to survive the harsh winters. He remained in the army, fighting against the British in the War of 1812 where he lost an eye. Gass was ninety-one years old when the Civil War began, but he considered himself still fit to fight. In fact,, he had to be physically removed from the recruiting station near his West Virginia home because he refused to accept that he would not be allowed back in the army.

The spiritual battle that we join when we become part of God's family is not a temporary or passing thing. It will last as long as we live. There will never be a time when we do not need to be ready and willing to fight. While age or injury may change what we are able to do, we do not need physical strength to fight a spiritual battle. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” (2 Corinthians 10:4). If we are still in this world that means God still has things for us to do for Him, and we must remain willing to answer the call.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Romans 5:1-5
 

Known today as The Father of Modern Missions, William Carey left his home in England and set sail for India. After years of difficult work and study, his ministry began to see results. When he had mastered the language, Carey began translating the Bible. In addition, he wrote dictionaries and grammar books for future missionaries to use. Christians in England sent a printing press and equipment, and Carey began to print Bibles for the Indian people. Tragically, in 1812, a fire that started accidentally in the printing shop destroyed the entire press, thousands of printed pages, and most painfully, the only manuscripts of Carey’s years of translation work.

When Carey was told what had happened, he did not sink into despair. Instead, he knelt and thanked God that he still had the health and strength to begin again—which he did with renewed energy. Remarkably, before his ministry ended he had redone all his translation work so that nothing was permanently lost.

While it would be nice if things always went well, that is not the way the world works. When things go wrong, it is vital that we understand God is still in control, and that if we endure the hardship and remain faithful, He will use even our most painful and negative experiences for our good and His glory. We learn far more in trials than we do when life is easy. Charles Spurgeon experienced great physical pain throughout his ministry. On the wall of his office was this verse: “Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction” (Isaiah 48:10).

The same Lord who justifies us by faith also walks with us through the fire. Because of His grace, no trial is wasted, and every hardship can be turned to His glory.

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

James 4:7-10
 

Late in the Civil War, in an attempt to cut the supply lines that Union General William T. Sherman relied on for his campaign in Georgia, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest led his troops north toward Tennessee. He encountered a small Union fort in Athens, Alabama, which blocked his path. After shelling the fort, Forrest sent a message to the commander asking for his surrender. The story goes that Wallace Campbell refused to surrender, but agreed to a meeting. Forrest took the colonel on a tour of his forces, attempting to convince Campbell to yield. By the time they returned from their trip around the fort, the Union officer was convinced he was hopelessly outnumbered and agreed to surrender. What he did not realize is that he was seeing the same troops again and again. Forrest had given orders for his men to take up new locations once he had passed. This gave the appearance that the army was much larger than it really was.

The devil is a powerful enemy, but sometimes we allow him to convince us that he is even stronger than he really is. We may become discouraged and give up, not because the situation is hopeless—for no circumstance with God is ever hopeless—but because we have lost hope. God tells us, instead, to stand firm against the devil and promises us that when we do, he will be forced to retreat on the run. We have divine assistance available to us, even when we cannot see it. When the king of Syria sent soldiers to capture Elisha, the prophet's servant was terrified by the size of the enemy army. Yet Elisha was not worried at all. “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kings 6:16).

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

1 Peter 1:23-25
 

The devil has been questioning the authority and credibility of God's Word since the first pages of Scripture. We see it frequently in our day, as even some pastors are revising or updating the Bible, choosing for themselves which parts are worthy of respect and obedience. But God's Word never changes or ceases to be true. “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). It is just as sure and trustworthy now as it has been throughout history. No matter who attacks the Bible, it still stands. 

John Clifford, who pastored Baptist churches in London for decades wrote a poem called “The Anvil” that describes the powerful and enduring nature of God's Word.

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door,
And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;
Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor,
Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,
“To wear and batter all these hammers so?”
“Just one” said he, and then, with twinkling eye,
“The anvil wears the hammers out you know.”

And so, thought I the anvil of God’s Word,
For ages sceptic blows have beat upon;
Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,
The anvil is unharmed—the hammers gone.

The best that human intellect can produce is still flawed because we are limited. The best that Divine intellect can produce is perfect and flawless because God knows everything. The more that we know, and more importantly practice and believe the Word of God, the more we will live as God intends. If we do not know the Bible, we will not walk the right path. “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God” (Matthew 22:29).