Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table by Louie Giglio | New to The Cross Reference Library

“These thoughts are not of God. No, they’re from the Enemy lurking, ready to seize any opportunity to lie his way into your mind and claim control over your life.”

In the book “Don’t Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table,” bestselling author and pastor, Louie Giglio, unpacks Psalm 23 to break down the enemy's lies and find peace and spiritual security in any circumstance or situation.

This study goes over the tactics of the enemy and the battle field in the mind. Offering biblical insight into restoring peace in your life by taking authority over your thoughts, recapturing your emotions, and and breaking free from the endless cycle of destructive thinking.

The Reader will learn how to:

  • Cancel the lies that will wreck your life and take the empowering steps to live fully alive in Christ

  • Restore peace and rest in your life by taking authority over your thoughts

  • Break free from the endless cycle of destructive thinking and recapture your emotions

  • Embrace the true purpose behind your journey through challenging circumstances

“The Enemy wants to define you by your scars. Jesus wants to define you by His scars.”

Why did God make women who were raped marry the men who raped them?

It can be tough to read some parts of the Bible, especially parts which make it seem like God doesn’t understand justice or doesn’t care about us or our suffering.

However, if we are to believe that the Bible is the Word of God, then it is important we truly understand what it says, even if it is hard to face. And, from my experience, when these intimidating sections of the Bible are faced head on, and are studied within their proper historical, Scriptural, and cultural context, they turn out to be the opposite of what I had feared them to be.

Let’s take a look at one of these difficult topics which is in Deuteronomy 22:28-29 (NIV):

“If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.”

It seems to me that women who have been raped wouldn’t want to marry their rapist. In fact, in many cases having to even be in the same room as their rapist would be a nightmare. So, why would God require them to marry their rapist?

To understand this, we need to understand what a woman who had been raped in 1400 BC (when Deuteronomy was written by Moses) would have been facing in the culture she was living in. 

In their culture if a woman was raped they most likely would never get to get married because marriage was considered a transaction and, according to the men of the time, a woman who wasn’t a virgin had lost her value. Women also needed men to provide for them financially and to keep them safe. So, if a woman was raped and the man who raped her didn’t marry her, then she would most likely be destined to live under her father’s roof for the rest of his life and then a brother’s. If she ended up with neither option she would end up homeless. This is why the consequence for the rapist was to pay her father’s household and to marry her. It is the equivalent of financial restitution in our culture. The man was forced to provide for the woman’s needs for the rest of her life.

God took rape as seriously as He took murder.
— Amanda Hovseth

But, to fully understand this situation, we need to understand this law within the context of other laws which the Israelites would have had in mind while adding this law to the mix. Let’s start by looking right before these verses where we will see God’s opinion on rape. He took it as seriously as murder.

Deuteronomy 22:25-27 (NIV) says:

“But if out in the country a man happens to meet a young woman pledged to be married and rapes her, only the man who has done this shall die. Do nothing to the woman; she has committed no sin deserving death. This case is like that of someone who attacks and murders a neighbor, for the man found the young woman out in the country, and though the betrothed woman screamed, there was no one to rescue her.”

This part of the law shows us that God views rape as a sin worthy of execution. And the only difference between the situation in these verses and the one in the next, is the fact that this woman was already betrothed to be married and had someone to provide for her, while the other wasn’t betrothed and may not have anyone to provide for her. The rapist’s life is spared in the second situation solely because the woman’s life depended on him providing for her.

As the Christian Research Institute says:

“If the woman was not engaged, the rapist was spared for the sake of the woman’s security. Having lost her virginity, she would have been deemed undesirable for marriage—and in the culture of the day, a woman without a father or husband to provide for her faced a life of abject poverty, destitution, and social ostracism. As such, the rapist was compelled to provide for the rape victim for as long as he lived. Thus, far from barbaric, the law was a cultural means of protection and provision.”

Furthermore, this law would have been understood in addition to the law in Exodus which they had already been given by God through Moses years earlier. 

Exodus 22:16-17 (NIV) says:

“If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife. If her father absolutely refuses to give her to him, he must still pay the bride-price for virgins.”

So, the Israelites would have understood that the woman didn’t have to marry the man who raped her. The man was legally required to marry the woman, but the woman wasn’t legally required to marry him, she had that as an option, but she could take a different path. If she had a father and he could provide for her, or if there was the potential for a different husband, then her father could refuse to have her marry the man who raped her. And the rapist still had to pay the bride price in order to make restitution and to provide for the woman’s future. So, even if her father wasn’t wealthy she could potentially stay in his household instead of getting married, but still be provided for financially.

However, if the woman had no other options for her future, no father, and no other potential husbands, then in most cases, the only way she could survive was to become the wife of the man who raped her, forcing him to provide and care for her for the rest of their lives.

The law was not designed to force the rape victim into an unbearable marriage, but to secure her future and that of her children.
— The Christian Research Institute

With all of this in mind it is clear that God’s heart when it comes to these laws was with the women. His desire was to make sure the women who had been wronged wouldn’t end up dying destitute and homeless because of what had been done to them. This means that even though it wasn’t God’s desire for women to have to live completely dependent on men who had hurt them, He understood that, realistically, this was what the women in 1400 BC were facing. So, God wrote His laws accordingly, to make sure the women were provided for the best they could be within their society’s culture and that the men took responsibility for their actions.

Yes, it’s clearly not ideal. Through the context of the Bible, we see that God makes it clear that the ideal would be the sinless world He intended, but humans “muddied the waters”. And, instead of giving up on us–like God as an all-powerful being could have easily done–God decided to walk with us through the mess we create, trying to guide us to best possible outcomes amongst the mess, and then He even redeemed us through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross so that someday we can live the painless ideal reality which He desires for us.

“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” - Revelation 21:4 (KJV)


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more things written by Amanda Hovseth.

Lord of Lords

Mark 4: 35-41 (NASB) says:

On that day, when evening came, He said to them, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him. And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up. Jesus Himself was in the stern asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Hush, be still.’ And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm. And He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They became very much afraid and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?’

  • Even the wind and the sea!

  • What about Christ’s math? Five loaves of bread and two small fish, certainly not enough to feed twenty people let alone five thousand. Yet we get caught up in arguing that it was only five thousand men.

  • The raising of Lazarus. He was dead and buried four days already stinking and decaying. Does that not declare Christ’s mighty authority?

  • His own resurrection, personally conquering death once and for all.

  • Then His ascension up through the clouds.

  • And His promise to return in the same way.

I would say most of the Jews missed who He really was. They were looking for a remake of King David. Someone who would rid them of the Romans and give them their land back. They could not comprehend an eternal kingdom and undershot His true glory. They wanted Him to give them more earthly food not the everlasting manna. And the Pharisees were the most blind of all. They couldn’t get over Christ healing on the Sabbath. That was their line in the sand?

At Christmastime, we celebrate the sweet baby child lying in a manger. We see Him in His swaddling clothes being visited by shepherds and the three wise men. All is soft and gentle. We are able to accept Him as a little child. No real pressure on our belief system.

At Eastertime, we see Him beaten and bruised, covered in scars of blood, dying on a cross for our sin. We praise His sacrifice for us and some of us even shed a tear on Good Friday. Then on Easter morning we celebrate an empty tomb. We say, “Thank you Jesus.” But do we truly know Him? What exactly is our relationship with Christ? And where is He?

As Americans we have never had a king. We have presidents that we vote in and out of office every four years. We have no comprehension of kingship. In today’s world, in other countries it seems to be the prime minister who does all the work, and the king is only a figurehead. That is definitely a false assumption when it comes to Christ. We do not respect Him nearly enough. His very essence is complete sovereignty and majesty.

There is a throne at the right hand of God where Christ rules all, both heaven and earth. The wind and the sea obey Him. The angels cry, “Holy, holy, holy!” The stars shine His glory. Even the demons cry out, “He is the holy Son of God.” The Father gave Him the throne of honor at His own right hand and certified that His name is far above any other name. He is the one and only true Eternal King. If only we could understand!

Where do you think the true power of faith comes from? He is who the bible says He is. His full disclosure is written in there. We should not put Him in a manger. Don’t hang Him on a cross. There is no one more than Christ. There is no one better than Christ. He is master of all. He is Lord of Lords and King of Kings. When you look to Christ, see Him as such. It will change all your perceptions and give power to your faith.

Amen?


This series of blog posts titled, “Pondering Hope”, are written by Craig Stevens. If you are interested in reading more from him you can find his blog at ponderinghope.com.

What's New in the Cross Reference Library? The Jesus book & workbook by Max Lucado

The Book - For thirty-three years Jesus felt everything you have ever felt: weakness, weariness, sadness, rejection. His feet got tired and his head ached. He was tempted and his strength was tested. And you know why? Because in becoming human, Jesus made it possible for us to see God. His tears, God's tears. His voice, God's voice. Want to know what matters to God? Find out what matters to Jesus. Want to know what in the world God is doing? Ponder the words and life of Jesus. For more than three decades, pastor and bestselling author Max Lucado has shown us Jesus. In this capstone book, he takes us further on the journey to know the life and character of the Savior.

The Study Guide - This book describes both the person Jesus was on earth and how to live in a personal relationship with him. It is divided into six sections:

  • Immanuel

  • Friend

  • Teacher

  • Miracle Worker

  • Lamb of God

  • Returning King

This compilation from Max Lucado gives readers the chance to become more familiar with the man at the center of the greatest story ever told. Max explores Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, including how Jesus interacted with his friends and his enemies, what he did with time alone, and how he acted at a party.

What's New in the Cross Reference Library? How to Grow Spiritually. . .

Thrive - The only way to be the hands and feet of Jesus is to love him and serve others out of our love for him. But to do that we must first be deeply rooted in our life with God. In Thrive, Mark Hall, lead singer for the popular band Casting Crowns, shows us what it really looks like to walk with Jesus. In part 1, Digging Deep, Hall demonstrates how to truly engage with the Word and a community of faith, worshiping and pursuing God wholeheartedly as our hearts and minds are transformed. In part 2, Reaching Out, we see the fruits of our engagement with the Word and the community, the grateful giving back of service and love. Using relatable stories, grounded teaching, and great application, Hall helps everyone who wants to take the next step of faith and see their life grow deep and strong.

So, You Want To Be Like Christ? - Practice makes perfect. And readers of So, You Want To Be Like Christ? learn how to cultivate spiritual discipline through projects, activities and exercises that lead to the essence of what it means to be a Christian. Inspired by the acts of sacrifice and discipline exemplified by the D-Day generation as well as the current generation of young American soldiers, many Christians today are looking for an obedient, disciplined approach to faith. In this user-friendly study, Chuck Swindoll guides readers toward a greater understanding of eight spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith-- prayer, humility, self-control, sacrifice, submission, solitude, silence, and hope.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? The Life You're Meant to Live from author John Bevere

Extraordinary - Isn’t it true that we long to see the extraordinary, experience the extraordinary, do the extraordinary? Yet, so often we settle for mediocrity when greatness is within our grasp. Why are we drawn to stories of heroic triumph over seemingly impossible circumstances? In our fascination with adventure movies, superheroes, and tales of incredible human feats, do we reveal an inherent desire for something larger and greater in life? Maybe what we think is a need to escape or be entertained is actually a God inspired longing…for the extraordinary. Best-selling author John Bevere reveals how all of us were “meant for more,” extraordinarily created and intended for a life that is anything but ordinary. Here is the roadmap for your journey of transformation. You are marked for a life that far surpasses the usual definitions of success or fulfillment.

Extraordinary: Devotional Workbook - The Extraordinary Devotional Workbook is linked with John’s dynamic book and teaching series that will launch you into your journey of unveiling the hero within. You’ll discover the eye-opening connection between faith and God’s empowering grace, and how it’s possible to please our flawless Father. Each of the 12 chapters features revealing questions, an inspiring devotional and prayer, fascinating facts, important definitions, plus special sections like…

  • Heaven’s Appeal - life transforming words from Scripture

  • Voice of the Ages - timeless truths from heroes of the faith

  • John’s Quotes - power statements from the book and teaching series

  • The Bottom Line - a concentrated overview of the entire lesson, encapsulating the highlights and insights you’ll want to remember

Night of Darkness

I’ve read the gospels many times but as I was reading Mark the other day, it struck me that we have no real perception or understanding of what Jesus experienced the night they came for him.

“They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took Peter, James and John along with Him, and He began to be deeply distressed and troubled. ‘My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,’ He said to them. ‘Stay here and keep watch.’ Going a little farther, He fell to the ground and prayed that if possible, the hour might pass from Him. ‘Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’”

-Mark 14:32-36 (NIV)

Jesus knew something horrific was about to happen to Him. I think we all assume it was fear of knowing that He would be tortured and put to death, but it was so much more. Yes, there had to be fear, after all Jesus was human, but He also knew He would have to face it alone and He must’ve felt deep heartache. He knew that one of His close friends had betrayed Him and He knew that Peter would deny Him. And possibly the most critical thing happening was that He was taking on the sins of the world:

“God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.”

- 2 Cor 5:21 (NIV)  

Jesus also knew and felt His Father turning away, Notice that He uses the name “Abba” when praying, not Yaweh or Adonai or any other of God’s names. No, He used Abba, which was the familiar term people used when speaking to their human fathers (dads). Oh, what loneliness and sorrow He must’ve felt!

Hebrews 10:5-7says:

“Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: ‘Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, Here I am – it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God.’”

And when Peter drew his sword and cut off the officer’s ear, Matthew 26:53-54 tells us that Jesus said:

“Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled that says it must happen in this way?”

Luke 22:53 (NLT) tells us that when the officers and temple guard went for Him, Jesus spoke:

“…But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.”

Satan must’ve been celebrating what he thought was a victory!

So, we know that Jesus willingly took on our sins as He allowed Himself to be a sacrifice so that we would have the freedom to choose life! What is required is that we believe in Him and that we confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

Jesus told Nicodemus (in John 3) that no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born again. If we sincerely believe in Him and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, repentance is a natural thing that happens as we realize that we are so unworthy. That is when I believe the Holy Spirit gives birth to our spirit and we become alive in Christ and born again.

Nothing complicated, just believe!

-Della Stevens (Work of Joy)


This series of blog posts titled, “Pondering Hope”, are written by Craig Stevens. If you are interested in reading more from him you can find his blog at ponderinghope.com.

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? The Books of History Chronicles by Ted Dekker

The Gist: This six book teen adventure series by Ted Dekker will have kids on the edge of their seats! Thomas Hunter, supreme commander of the Forest Guard, has seen a great evil decimate much of his beautiful world. With a dwindling army and an epic threat, Thomas is forced to supplement his fighters with new recruits ages 16 and 17. From thousands, four will be chosen to lead a special mission. Unknown to Thomas, the chosen four are redirected to a different endgame. They must find the seven lost Books of History before the Dark One. For these seven books have immense power over the past, present, and future, controlling not only the destiny of their world . . . but that of ours as well.

Chosen (Book One): The land of the Forest Dwellers has been decimated by the Horde under the watchful eye of the vilest of all creatures, Teeleh. Thomas Hunter, supreme commander of the Forest Guard, is forced to lower the recruitment age of his army from 18 to 16. From among thousands, four new recruits are chosen to lead—and perhaps die—for the greater good. The chosen four are sent on a quest to prove their character, but their mission takes a dramatic turn when they are intercepted, sworn to secrecy, and redirected to a different endgame. Now they must find the seven lost Books of History. Books that have power over the past, present, and future. Books whose words are alive. Books sought by the Dark One that control not only the destiny of their world . . . but that of ours as well.

Infidel (Book Two): After being stretched to their limits, the four heroic young Forest Guard recruits—Johnis, Silvie, Billos, and Darsal—are pulled into deeper danger on their mission to secure the seven lost Books of History. Celebrated as a hero, Johnis’ world is shattered when he learns that his mother may not be dead as presumed but could be living as a slave to the Horde. Throwing caution to the wind, he rushes to her rescue. But this is precisely what the Horde has planned. Now he will face a choice between Silvie, whom he is quickly falling for, and his sworn duty to protect the Forest Dwellers. How can he save those he loves without betraying his own people? In the end, one will be revealed as the Infidel. And nothing will be the same for the remaining Chosen. 

Renegade (Book Three): Turning his back on all that he once believed, Billos enters the forbidden book  and lands in a reality that is as foreign to him as water is to oil. A place called Paradise, Colorado, where he discovers he has strange new powers given to him courtesy of a mysterious figure known as Marsuvees Black. The chosen four have survived the desert, escaped the Black Forest, battled the Horde, and added a spirited refugee to their number. But nothing has prepared them for the showdown that Billos, the renegade, will lure them into. 

Chaos (Book Four): Deep in the mountains of Romania stands a fortress, and deep within the fortress lies a chamber. In that chamber, ruling the dead for over two thousand years, lives one Shataiki bat straight from the bowels of the Black Forest. He seeks the final Books of History with which he will destroy the world. But there are four who stand in the way. The chosen are trapped in a new world of high technology and weapons of mass destruction. In the midst of chaos, they must find the last book before the Dark One can in this final test to save the world. 

Lunatic (Book Five): Separated by time and space, our heroes finally return home. But five years have passed and they find a nightmarishly changed world. The despised Horde are now in control. The healing lakes of Elyon are now blood red. And mighty Thomas Hunter and his Forest Guard have disappeared. Then the world unravels further. Dive into a journey among the Horde whose sole mission is the destruction of the Circle. Come face-to-face with an enchantingly beautiful creature with unearthly powers—and questionable motives. Take a stand with the chosen but be wary, for not all is as it seems. Now the chosen themselves are questioning their very sanity. For the only way to win may be to lose. The only way to live may be to die. And the only one to lead may be a lunatic. 

Elyon (Book Six): Shaeda has one blue eye and one purple eye. No one fully knows her story, but her mere gaze eats away at the core of one’s being. In his quest for power, Johnis now finds himself in her intoxicating grip. Assumed identities, a magic amulet, control of the fearsome Shataiki bats, and a troubling alliance with the Dark Priest all converge against the three remaining chosen. Only Elyon knows what will happen when the forces of ultimate good and evil clash in their final battle. Dive deep with them in this epic conclusion to the Lost Novels—if you dare!

What’s New in the Cross Reference Library? Hero by Meg Meeker

What It’s About: Whether you know it or not, if you’re a Dad, you’re a Hero. That’s the message of best-selling author and pediatrician Meg Meeker. Even if you’re struggling with all the demands of fatherhood, let Dr. Meeker reassure you: every man has it within him to be the hero-father his children need. With simple step-by-step instructions and drawing on long experience—including her work with the NFL’s Fatherhood Initiative—Dr. Meeker shows you how to be the father you want to be and your children need you to be. In Hero: Being the Father Your Children Need, you’ll learn: 

  • Why fathers are even more important to their children than their mothers are

  • Whey your children want you to be their hero—even if their relationship with you has been strained or distant

  • Secrets that can help divorced dads, widowed dads, and stepfathers maintain—or rebuild—a strong relationship with their children

  • The three questions every son or daughter needs to have answered by you

  • The three qualities that can ensure your success as a father—and how they’re part of every man’s DNA

As Dr. Meeker writes, “If you want what is best for your children—if you want what is best for you—you should strive to be a hero father. In this book, I hope to show you how.” 

A Memorable Quote

“Heroism can mean saving a man in combat or rescuing someone as a firefighter. But there are also less dramatic ways to be a hero, and one way is to be the best dad you can be. Every child wants his dad to be a hero, and every dad has it within him to be hero to his children.”

What's New? Two New Kid's Books About Finding Your Purpose!

A World Wonder - Ever since she was a little girl, Cora has dreamed of designing truly fantastical things, awe-inspiring structures that everyone recognizes as world wonders…and that’s exactly what she does! As Cora ages and her accomplishments and acclaim grow, she returns to her hometown to fulfill her childhood dream—to transform the house on top of the hill into a true world wonder. In the process, Cora learns that living a meaningful life isn’t all about amazing achievements or always making bigger and better things, but about building community, giving generously of your time and talents, and loving others along the way. Vividly illustrated and imaginative, A World Wonder helps parents encourage children to dream big but also to value wonder and beauty in the ordinary. Most important, young readers will learn that in a world of limitless possibility, it’s the bonds we form and the people we love that bring real meaning and satisfaction in life. 

Sacred Purpose - When a canvas tries to paint the beautiful picture she has in mind, everything goes wrong. Her life is ruined and the master artist is coming to see her. What will he say? What will he do? Will he be just as disappointed in her as she is in herself or does he have something else in mind? Through this beautiful story, kids will learn about how important it is to let God paint the great picture of our lives.