Soul And Body

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Good morning, Lord

Father in Heaven, open my heart and mind, Holy Spirit. Fill my consciousness and complete Your joy in me as I take up my cross and follow...In Jesus' name…

Memory verse: 1 John 1:8–9

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the 

truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all 

unrighteousness.

Verse of the day—Philippians 1:21-To me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Today’s reading:  Psalm 103-104 1 Corinthians 2

Body And Soul

Proverbs 21:31-31 “A horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory is of the LORD.”

History tells us that ‘war horses’ were not like what we know as race horses. They were more like plow horses-big and slow but stout fearless. I rode one working on a ranch when I began college. He was 17 hands, black-hooves as big around as a big dinner plate-and it seemed that everything was a challenge to him. I mean that nothing held him back. He was trained to neck rein but sometimes ignored the cues. He pushed through a wall of briers one day I think just to bloody me up and show me he could do whatever he pleased.

We can be well trained-well read and obedient to the word of God. The sin we were born into and living in us still wants to push through a wall of briers to prove it can and that makes us as senseless as a horse.

The point is: much training is just part of our Christian life. Biblical training-our daily times with the Lord in His word and prayer, etc., can be done without being in the spirit(Galatians 5:16) with the mind of Christ(1 Corinthians 2:16 ).

Our prayer for today is for us to be conscious in God’s Spirit where we are totally dependent on Him and locked in on loving obedience.

When I was a child, my Dad taught me how to ‘saddle break’ horses. I got pretty good at it, I thought, until he bought a small stud horse to teach me a lesson(hats off to saddle bronc cowboys). If a horse with no reasoning can be that stubborn, then only God can see how deep is our own stubbornness.

Pray for your own determination-your stubborn streak was saved along with the rest of you-the Holy Spirit can use that if it is surrendered.

...because He loves you, He will do it…

Father in Heaven,

Leader of all Heaven’s armies in Your endless kingdom, train my stubborn heart for obedience. Forgive me for clinging to my ‘own way’. Lead me away from rebellion.

Great and perfect trainer,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen