Be Strong in the Lord - Part 2 The Belt

 

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Note; this week we are re-visiting a series of devotions from 2016 entitled FAITHFUL WARRIORS.  It’s not something we do often, but this series bears repeating during times of crisis. 

Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth….   Ephesians 6:14a ^(NLT)

Truth is the one thing that is the defining mark of the Christian in our society.  Whatever else we do or don’t do – whether you do visiting to care for folks, teach a class, give a tithe or more, truth is never optional for the believer.  We must always speak the truth in love. 

And we must speak it clearly and openly. 

Martin Luther said,

If I profess with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God, except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.^[1]

When we name the name of Christ, we must conduct every moment of our lives in truth.  And it is critically-important for followers of the One who said that HE is the truth, that we take every opportunity to remind ourselves. 

I spend time on the computer every day, so on my computer screen I have helps to remind me of my commitment to truth.  My desktop is usually cluttered with all sorts of projects, but in the middle is this cartoon:

And on a second computer I use there is this one:

For me these are reminders that I cannot claim to be a follower of the great Truth, Jesus, if I will not conduct my life with truth in the smaller issues of life such as:

·       truth in speech

·       truth in finances (including the IRS stuff)

·       truth in relationships with others (in and out of the church)

·       truth in business. 

If we will not conduct our lives with truth in these material and earthly things, how can we claim to have the greater truth within, which is the One who called Himself THE Truth? 

The truth can only exist IN you when HE presides as Savior and Lord from WITHIN you.

Let’s Pray Together:

Father, we’re at a time – a particularly difficult time – where truth hangs, as a minimal garment, a decoration at best, when our lives depend on having truth surrounding us like a belt that holds everything together.  Lord, give us commitment to truth, the WHOLE TRUTH, and nothing less, that we may truly be disciples of HE who IS truth.

For You Today

It is either all truth or all lie – don’t forget; the chief weapon of the ENEMY, Satan, is anything but truth, and a Faithful Warrior’s belt of truth is not optional! 

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road today.  Have a blessed day!

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Title image:  Pixabay.com  Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation©

This devotion originally appeared 1/12/16 as Faithful Warriors - #2. The Belt of Truth

[1]Martin Luther, as quoted in John Whitehead, Religious Apartheid, Moody Press, Chicago, 1994, p. 161.