Who Wrote It? Pastor John Kuperus on "Stand in God's Strength"

Hear from Today author John Kuperus about why he selected “Stand in God’s Strength” as his topic for this Today series. Listen as he describes how important it is for everyone to be strong in the Lord and what it means to put on the full armor of God.

>Introducting Pastor John Kuperus on "Stand in God's Strength"

Josh DeGroot – Welcome to Today devotional’s Who Wrote It, where we get to know our Today authors and understand the inspiration behind their writing. I am Josh DeGroot, and joining me on the line is Pastor John Kuperus, who has written August’s Today devotionals.  John, thanks for talking with me. Now, your writing this month is about recognizing God’s strength and being strong in the Lord, putting on the full armor of God. Tell me about why you chose this topic.

John Kuperus – I chose this topic because I just sensed that it is such an important topic in the world in which we live today. There are so many things coming our way, and the need to be protected, the need to be defended in the culture in which we live; and I just felt it was extremely important for us to meditate on what is God’s Word saying in our lives and speaking to us in the midst of the challenges we face in life; and so I felt a need to address that.

Josh DeGroot – One of the common things you talk about this month is marriage, and you talk about how quickly divorce becomes the norm, and we see it all over. In many ways, it is the devil attacking us in a huge way. Are we letting our relationship with God fall, which results in our marriage slipping? Why do you think even in godly relationships divorce becomes all too normal?

John Kuperus – Oh, that is a complicated question. I believe that…I sometimes believe that we’ve got it too easy; other times I do believe that there are some really hard and sticky things that people are going through that are just very, very difficult. So, when it comes to that particular issue, I just know that it is heart wrenching, it is the devil at work; but yet, you know, I love to see people who have been married 50 years, and are a real testimony that they can work through difficult challenges and persevere in the midst of many obstacles.

Josh DeGroot – This particular read was definitely about the armor of God, and I laughed because I have been to this place. You talk about your daughter being in San Pedro Sula…

John Kuperus – Yes.

Josh DeGroot – I have been there and I actually had the same comment that your friend commented on it, which was: Are you nuts, basically, for letting your daughter go to the most dangerous city in the world. My mom said the exact same thing. How, in your opinion, is the best way to make sure we are wearing the armor of God, and how do we kind of escape that fear mentality?

John Kuperus – Well, I had a friend challenge me one time…I was going through some challenges and he asked me: Have you put on the armor of God; and you know, I had to be honest with him, I had to say that I didn’t; and it was an interesting comment from my friend, and so I just sensed that it is important for us to come back to that place of putting on the helmet of salvation and putting on the shield of faith, and being very conscious: Okay, I am entering this day. I don’t know what is going to come my way, but yet I do know that I do need these particular tools to face the day, recognizing that I am walking in the Lord and in his power and his strength; that God didn’t leave us with no equipment. He gave us something to prepare us for the things that are coming our way. So, you know, just to come back to the whole area of prayer and say: Lord, I need you, and to recognize that I am going to use the tools that you gave me today to face whatever comes my way.

Josh DeGroot – You write about how we Christians should be world changers, and I think every person listening would be like: Yes, that sounds great. What is the easiest way that we can make a big difference?

John Kuperus – You know, I come back to the point that somebody had said some time ago, that every person’s life is a sermon. It is the best sermon that we preach; and I think the best way to be an overcomer is to live our lives well, and to be a world changer just by recognizing that our lives are significant, they are important, and to do what we do wherever we are planted to the best of our ability and with cheer and with gratitude. I think that is one of the best ways that we can be a world changer. We don’t necessarily need to be a William Wallace. We can be one of the people who work as a monk and do some writings…and I cannot think of the guy’s name right now who did that, and his writings became famous later on; but in any case, it is not necessarily the world leaders, but it is just us in our ordinary lives. We have a powerful message that we are bringing to the world.

Josh DeGroot – Absolutely. Well, thanks for your writing. I really enjoyed it, and I think our Today audience will as well.

John Kuperus – Thanks for the interview, and I appreciate sharing some of the things that God has put on my heart. Thank you so much.

Josh DeGroot – I am Josh DeGroot, he is Pastor John Kuperus. He has written August’s Today devotionals. Read them, listen to them, study them at todaydevotional.com. Today together let’s refresh, refocus, renew into God’s Word.