Daily Devotional
How to Protect Your Family
“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.”
Psalm 127:1-2
November 28, 2023
Ponder This
Imagine you are at the pool and there is a beach ball in the water. You could keep it under the water as long as you sit on it. But suddenly it pops up to the surface again. Even if you have two or three people trying to keep it under, you can only hold it down so long before it comes back up. That’s the way people often fight sin. They say, “I’m not going to do this anymore. I don’t like this. I’m against it.” And they put it down in their minds, but then it just comes to the surface again. And they are fighting a hopeless battle.
Let me tell you one way to keep that ball sunk. Let the air out of it. You need to let the air out of Satan’s lies too. One way is to remove temptations. This is also a way to help others avoid sin. Ultimately there is absolutely nothing you can do to keep your kids from sin because God gave them a will. But I’ll tell you one thing I don’t want to do: I don’t want to build a home that is dangerous for children. If they want to climb over the wall and jump off, that will break my heart. But I don’t want to have the kind of home where they fall accidentally because I have not removed the temptations from that home. Do you understand what I am saying? You need to at least build the wall.
- What are some boundaries against temptation you have in your home? How are they beneficial to you and your family?
- What are some sin struggles that keep popping back up in your life? What are some lies from Satan you need to “let the air out of”?
Practice This
Pray and consider what sin struggles repeatedly arise in your life. Repent and surrender them to God.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
