1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:10,400 Speaker 1: Life Audio. You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, 2 00:00:10,840 --> 00:00:13,640 Speaker 1: where we're dedicated to helping moms pray God's word for 3 00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: their families in the areas they need at most. I'm 4 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: your host, Nicolette Belle. Over the last decade, we've helped 5 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: thousands of moms make prayer a priority for their families. 6 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: Our mission is to help you do the same. Prayer 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: is not a last resort. It's our first and best 8 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: response to the challenges of parenting, a partnership for the 9 00:00:35,159 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 1: hearts of our children that God invites us into. Today's 10 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:42,879 Speaker 1: devotion is written by Stacy Thacker, author of ten books, 11 00:00:42,920 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 1: including our brand new book, Every Day Prayers for Christmas. 12 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: To learn more about Stacy, or to learn more about 13 00:00:49,760 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 1: how you can get involved in the ministry of Million 14 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:57,400 Speaker 1: Praying Moms, visit Today's show notes or Millionprayingmoms dot Com. 15 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 1: After a word from our sponsors, will pray together for 16 00:01:01,080 --> 00:01:01,640 Speaker 1: our children. 17 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 2: The armor of light. The night is far gone, the 18 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 2: day is at hand. So then let us cast off 19 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:11,760 Speaker 2: the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. 20 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 2: There is a famous story from World War One called 21 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:18,320 Speaker 2: the Christmas Truce of nineteen fourteen, and this account verified 22 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 2: on both sides by German and British soldiers. Opposing forces 23 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,560 Speaker 2: met in No Man's Land to celebrate Christmas. It is 24 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: estimated that as many as one hundred thousand soldiers participated 25 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 2: in this spontaneous, unsanctioned cease fire. How to men going 26 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 2: from shooting at each other one minute to exchanging handshakes 27 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:41,039 Speaker 2: and gifts the next, No one is certain, but those 28 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 2: who lived it were never the same. Something to think about. 29 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 2: It is bittersweet to imagine a wartime truce on Christmas Eve, 30 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 2: but the reality for the christ followers is that we 31 00:01:52,520 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 2: are still very much in a battle between darkness and light. 32 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 2: While battle rages, we are called to live out our 33 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 2: ordinary life in extraordinary ways that honor God. How do 34 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 2: we manage to do that? In today's passage, Paul reminds 35 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:10,200 Speaker 2: us to cast off the works of darkness and put 36 00:02:10,240 --> 00:02:13,200 Speaker 2: on the armor of light. We do this by fleeing 37 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:16,399 Speaker 2: from the sin that easily entangles us, and by avoiding 38 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 2: dark patterns that lead us into sin. Some of the 39 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 2: sin Paul tells us to avoid in Romans thirteen thirteen 40 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 2: are obvious ones, but he also says to cast off 41 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:31,040 Speaker 2: things like quarreling and jealousy. Honestly, these seem to be 42 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 2: rearing their ugly heads quite frequently during the Christmas season. 43 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: Have you ever seen people fighting in a store over 44 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 2: low's stock of a must have toy for the season. 45 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:44,160 Speaker 2: Do you remember the frenzies over cabbage patch kids, Beanie babies, 46 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 2: or Tickle Me Elmo. The bottom line is that we 47 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 2: need to get rid of anything and everything that doesn't 48 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 2: look like Jesus. Instead, we are to put on the 49 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,519 Speaker 2: armor of light. Because the days of salvation is drawing near. 50 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: This is such news. The night may feel like it's 51 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:05,639 Speaker 2: growing darker, but the light is approaching, my friend, and 52 00:03:05,680 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 2: we need to be ready. The word used here for 53 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 2: put on is a Greek word which means to sink 54 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,760 Speaker 2: into clothing. According to Romans thirteen fourteen, this means that 55 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 2: we are to wrap or clothe ourselves with the Lord 56 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ. Does this remind you of Day six when 57 00:03:23,600 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 2: we read about God covering himself with light as with 58 00:03:26,240 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 2: a garment, and stretching out the heavens like a tent 59 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 2: from Psalms one hundred and four, verse two. The beauty 60 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 2: we discover here is that because of Jesus, we are 61 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 2: wrapped in his light as well. This light is not 62 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 2: merely a heavenly garment, it's also the daily armor we 63 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 2: wear and constant protection in the heat of battle against 64 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 2: the darkness, not only during Christmas, but every day of 65 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 2: the year. Let's pray, Father, it's get to remember that 66 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 2: the day is drawing near when Jesus will return. May 67 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 2: we let go of sins that easily entangle us and 68 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 2: instead sink into the armor of light that we wear 69 00:04:06,440 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 2: because we are your children in Jesus' name. Amen. 70 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: I hope you're enjoying reading along with us this month 71 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 1: in our new book, Every Day Prayers for Christmas. Grab 72 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 1: your copy in a few for gifts wherever books are sold. 73 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: If you love the Everyday Prayers podcast, consider joining our 74 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:27,440 Speaker 1: community with a ten dollar monthly donation through Patreon. When 75 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 1: you join, you automatically receive a new downloadable scripture inspired 76 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:35,800 Speaker 1: prayer calendar every month, plus the devotions and prayers from 77 00:04:35,839 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: this month in written form, along with an invitation to 78 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:43,480 Speaker 1: our monthly live mom chat. Learn more in today's show 79 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:48,799 Speaker 1: notes or at Million Prayingmoms dot com. Until next time, friends, 80 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 81 00:04:53,600 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 1: shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the 82 00:04:57,320 --> 00:04:59,840 Speaker 1: Lord look with favor on you, and give you p 83 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 1: kiss