Be Strong in the Lord - Part 5 Shield of Faith

 

Monday, August 3, 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. 

In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  Ephesians 6:16

There is a lot of teaching around about what constitutes genuine faith.  And, if Paul’s analogy of a shield holds up, that’s the way it should be.  We all have faith.  You and I are exercising a form of faith right now.  We are sitting or standing, perhaps reclining in our chairs or at a desk somewhere; we believe they will support us.  The point is never whether we will use faith – it is to what or whom we will direct that faith. 

A man bought a new hunting dog.  Eager to see how he would perform; he took him out to track a bear.  No sooner had they gotten into the woods than the dog picked up the trail.  Suddenly he stopped, sniffed the ground, and headed in a new direction.  He had caught the scent of a deer that had crossed the bear's path.  A few moments later he halted again, this time smelling a rabbit that had crossed the path of the deer.  And so, on and on it went until finally the breathless hunter caught up with his dog, only to find him barking triumphantly down the hole of a field mouse.

Sometimes Christians are like that.  We start out with high resolve, keeping Christ first in our lives.  But soon our attention is diverted to things of lesser importance. One pursuit leads to another until we've strayed far from our original purpose. 

In his book Rebuilding Your Broken World, Gordon MacDonald shared an event from his life which illustrates just how far resisting faith will take you:

A few years ago – a friend asked a strange question.  If Satan were to blow you out of the water, how do you think he would do it?  I'm not sure I know, I answered, but I know there's one way he wouldn't get me – He'd never get me in the area of my personal relationships.  That's one place where I have no doubt that I'm as strong as you can get. 

A few years after that conversation – a chain of seemingly innocent choices became destructive, and it was my fault.  Choice by choice by choice, each easier to make, each becoming gradually darker.  And then my world broke – in the very area I had predicted I was safe.  Oswald Chambers comments on the tendency of men and women to lose major personal battles not at the points of their weaknesses but, strangely enough, at the points of their perceived strengths.  He wrote, The Bible characters never fell on their weak points but on their strong ones; unguarded strength is double weakness. 

Funny!  During my earlier years I'd thought we were most vulnerable at our weakest points – until I realized from personal experience that where we perceive ourselves to be the strongest is where we're least likely to be prepared for a battle that isn't psychological or emotional.  It's spiritual!

Let’s Pray Together:

Father, we’re supposed to be spiritual warriors.  Help us to remember to bring our shield of faith to the battlefield every waking moment.

For You Today

Satan will tell you there’s a way out – a more conservative approach, some win-win solution; that is the stuff of human strength, not spiritual.  If you want a shield of faith that works, there is no other choice but to lay down everything else and get behind it!  Otherwise you could wind up barking down a mouse hole.

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 1/15/16 as Faithful Warriors - #5 The Shield of Faith

 

Be Strong in the Lord - Part 4 Sandals of Peace

 

Friday, July 31, 2020

Note; this week we are re-visiting a series of devotions from 2016 entitled

For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.

Army basic training at Fort Gordon, Georgia in August of 1966 was such a joy.  We went on marches in the woods.  It was like a rain forest, hot and steamy.  It rained for two centuries during those 8 weeks of basic. 

There were two things our Drill Sergeant’s voice bored into our brains on those long wonderful 

He would (so lovingly) drone:

Gentlemen…and also yo’ lowlife privates, that little salt tablet will keep yo’ insides wet; an’ whut-evah y’all do, y’all bett-ah keep them socks dry! 

Yes, Drill Sergeant!

Paul is no drill sergeant, but he was concerned about making sure the church at Ephesus understood Gospel footgear – the preparation of peace. 

Next to his weapon, correct footwear is one of the most important items of equipment to a soldier.  A Roman soldier caught with ragged foot gear was liable to severe punishment.  It wasn’t just a fickle, arbitrary military game.  If a soldier couldn’t march, he couldn’t fight. 

The gospel conquers the inner world.  Every victory in the Christian’s life depends on that peace. 

Friend, just like the ancient soldier was going nowhere without his proper footwear,

And, truth be told, walking in those sandals is the only way to have the peace promised by the Prince of Peace.

Let’s Pray Together:

Father, we’re at a time – a particularly difficult time – when, no matter where you look there are angry, anxious, agitated people.  There’s little real peace on our planet right now.  We’re parched for the presence of the Prince of Peace.  Help us to be that for our culture, a non-anxious presence of Jesus in the midst of storms.

For You Today

Good news – Good shoes!  If you lack peace today, give up whatever religious activity in which you’ve been dabbling…and let God give you real peace. 

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

Go to VIDEO                                                                                                                 

Title image:  Pixabay.com  UnlessThe New Living Translation©

This devotion originally appeared 1/14/16 as Faithful Warriors - #4. Sandals of Peace

 

Be Strong in the Lord - Part 3 the Body Armor of God's Righteousness

 

Thursday, July 30, 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. 

…and the body armor of God’s righteousness.  Ephesians 6:14b

In His sermon on the Mount of Olives Jesus said we would be blessed; we would be happy to hunger and thirst after righteousness.  He said we should seek the righteousness of the Kingdom of God first, and worry about material things later.[1] 

What is this righteousness we’re supposed to seek?  It’s certainly not self-righteousness; that even sounds bad.

The word “righteous” comes from a basic verb which means to show.  In a religious sense or application it means to stand before God with your heart open and on display.  There is nothing hidden; your heart is on display so God can inspect you. 

Is that a comfortable idea? 

Each of us has at least a few things in our life that, if it were known by our neighbors, friends or family (especially our church family), we would die of shame. 

How do I know that? 

I don’t have a crystal ball, but I do have a human heart.  God knows that the flesh lives inside us all.  And when we stand before Him there is nothing hidden.  At all!

Most of us know this to be true from experience – and the rest of us could guess from sheer human intuition – that it is not a wonderful prospect to stand before a righteous and holy God without some super-asbestos holy shield to protect us from a blast of judgment from the throne. 

The breastplate (or body armor) covers the vitals, the heart.  Having a breastplate of righteousness can only happen when your heart has been cleansed, when you’ve been forgiven of sin and made to stand righteous, openly on show for God. 

David prayed: 

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends you….  Psalm 139.23-24a

When it's like that, beloved, Satan’s darts are way out of range. 

A fellow Christian once accused me of being uncaring and cold towards him and his family.  He then widened it to include the whole church (and probably the whole of Western civilization!).  I told him that I believed he was misunderstanding me, but that I would pray for God to help me understand. 

I did go to prayer, and while God affirmed to my heart that I really did care for and love this brother in Christ and his family, there were some other things in that area that needed my attention, like showing that love better.  When I shared this with the brother, I could stand with the breastplate of righteousness.  I had stood honestly before God, and Satan could not use this rift of understanding to break that church apart. 

He tries to do that, you know. 

Let’s Pray Together:

Father, we’re at a time – a particularly difficult time – when the whole church could stand to stand open before you.  We think we have it ‘right’ and most of the time we’ve hardly begun to get it right.  Keep us centered in humility; that will save us from being yanked back to reality when common sense kicks in.

For You Today

Put on God’s body armor, the breastplate of righteousness; have a clean heart before God.

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

       Go to VIDEO                                                                                                         

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

This devotion originally appeared 1/13/16 as Faithful Warriors - #3. The Body Armor of God's Righteousness

 

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[1] Matthew 6:33

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.

Be Strong in the Lord - Part 1

 

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

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

A final word:  Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.           Ephesians 6:10-12

Paul is like the Old Testament prophets, Moses and Joshua.  He tells us to stand strong, and in the Lord’s power and might.   What kind of advice is that – and why do we need it? 

It is good advice, and we need it because the kinds of enemies we face are not the ones we can see, or engage in physical battle.   For the next several days, let’s inspect the armor God has provided for us to be protected and fight well in the battles of spiritual warfare.

Consider how difficult it is to fight the unseen even in nature:

Here’s to the chigger, the bug that’s no bigger

Than the end of a very small pin;

But the itch that he raises simply amazes,

And that’s where the rub comes in.

It’s important to learn to stand against both big and little things the devil throws in our pathway; God's people have always had to do so.  There are enough false things out there to trip up anyone who is not strong in the Lord; everything from cults to Satanists and other assorted lunatics. 

But, while there are all those spiritual traps Satan provides, there is also the reality that we are beings of the flesh as well.  Sometimes we are like Pogo -- We have met the enemy, and he is us! 

God knows us; He knows our frame, that we are dust.  And so, God provides protection, effective armor.  If we will take it, and put it to the intended use, we will be successful in waging spiritual warfare.

It’s wise to ask someone who is used to battle how to approach battle.  Joe Lewis was the heavyweight boxing champion of the world.  He fought, 71 times; he lost only once.  During the fifteen years he held his title, he defended it 25 times.  Bill Stern, the voice of American sports on radio, decided toward the end of the Brown Bomber's career that he would interview him and find out the technique or the secret that Lewis used in fighting his opponents and how he could win over people who were at times much larger than he.  His answer was very simple, I study my opponent, I plan my fight very carefully.  The results are always the same – I’m never surprised and I stay on the offensive.  That's pretty good counsel for dealing with the devil. 

Satan wins many of his attacks and victories because he surprises us.  We continually live shocked.  The believer has no reason to be shocked, intimidated or surprised by the attack of the enemy – none whatsoever.  God has given us the armor and the battle plan to overcome his attacks.

Paul was chained 24 hours, 7 days-a-week to a Roman guard.  It is no wonder God used the imagery of armor and weapons to impress the apostle to warn us how to be strong in the Lord. 

We should never underestimate the enemy! 

Let’s Pray Together:

Father, we’re at a time – a particularly difficult time – where our culture is so unhinged with anger and it’s really hard to feel any kind of certainty about anything.  That is, except YOU.  Lord, You are our rock and shelter in storms, and our mighty power in all you call us to do.  We know we shouldn’t underestimate the enemy, but that is more manifestly true about YOUR power.  Help us to be strong in our LORD.

For You Today

In tomorrow’s devotion we will start getting dressed; we will begin with the belt.

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©

For other posts on God’s Armor:  Shield, Savior, Safety and Figuring It Out

Taking the Measure of Wisdom

 

Monday, July 27, 2020

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.  But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying.  For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom.  Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.  For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.  James 3:13-16

Trying to define, or measure something like wisdom is much like the tale of three blind men who were describing an elephant.  Their “eyes” were, of course, their hands.  One of the men stood at the front of the elephant feeling the trunk; he exclaimed, it’s like a tree, round and reaching upwards.  The second man stood at the side of the elephant with his hands exploring the animal’s rib cage; he said, what do you mean, tree…this beast is a wall.  The third man stood at the rear side holding the elephant’s tail.  He concluded, well, whatever this is, it’s tied up with a rope.  Three men seeing the same animal and giving three different opinions…and all three of them right.  Sounds like a board meeting at church, doesn’t it?

I used to have a somewhat different opinion than I do now of wisdom.  I used to think wisdom was common sense that made sense.  It was like Ossie and Bobby McDuffie.  One was highly educated, the other barely so.  But, when either spoke, their common sense just seemed to cut through any difficult situation and set a standard you could count on.  I still think they were among the most clear-headed and Godly men I ever met. 

But, my understanding of how you define true wisdom, especially of the Godly sort, has matured past that point.  It’s like the three men describing an elephant…their analysis of what they’d felt was correct; it just wasn’t complete. 

James, the half-brother to Jesus, gives us a more complete, no-nonsense description of true, or Godly wisdom.  The measure of true wisdom is not taken by merely looking at a person’s words; rather it is the person’s actions.  If you want to measure whether someone is wise, check the life, and the way others are treated.  Do their actions match up with their words?  Is there a sense of honor, that a person would never lie to you?  James warns that evil and disorder is to be found in selfish ambition, boasting, and lying.  It is the polar-opposite of honor, which lives in truth-telling.

There are times I’m tempted to lie.  I don’t like being in situations where I must tell someone a hard truth, and if there is a lie, small, white, somewhat “harmless”, that would make the uncomfortable moment fade away with nobody getting shamed or angry, the temptation causes me real internal conflict.  It’s a genuine temptation, because my desire to not hurt another person is pressing my mind to search for a way out of the possibility of causing harm.  But the honorable, wise person, recognizes where that suggestion comes from, because it smells like smoke, right out of the pit of hell.  It eases into the back of your mind with a smoothness that got Eve’s attention in the garden. 

If a person is a practiced, skilled liar, there comes a time when lying becomes, for them, the only truth they know.  They go past the point of even being able to recognize truth.  But the opposite is also true; the person who lives in truth, being honrable, always speaks truth, because nothing less will let them sleep. 

I served as pastor at a church once that was falling apart.  A power stuggle had erupted into a full-on congregational split.  The music director had moral issues and had to be fired, and we were in dire need of a music program.  News like that gets around, and one Sunday a couple showed up at church.  After worship the man asked if I’d come to visit them; they were interested in becoming part of the church.  When I visited with them the next night, he and his wife showed me into their den.  On the wall were at least 10 certificates…all extolling the merits of the man’s muscial talent.  He elaborated on each one, boasting how he’d taken terrible music programs and brought his gift of music to each one.  Then he got to the agenda; he and his wife had just left another church that, in his opionion, had no spirit at all.  He had taken six other families with him, and they were just waiting to find out where he was going so they could follow him.  He then laid out the offer:  If you’ll make me your new music director, you’ll get those other six families; I just have to give them the word. 

Frankly any definition of honorable, or wise, does not include that!

Let’s Pray Together:

Father, we would be wise; help us to know it is always found in truth.

For You Today

The next time temptation to bend, twist, or re-invent the truth comes along, don’t!

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©

For other posts on Wisdom, James 3:  The Marriage of Belief and Behavior and Humility