SUIT UP

Finally, my brethren, be strong in
the Lord, and in the power of
his might.
Ephesians 6:10

Lately I have been so blessed by spending time in the book of Ephesians. I realize we are living in a culture that is tossing and turning in pain. However, it must be noted that this culture of ours is made up of individual people. Like it or not, we're in the middle of it and need all the encouragement we can.

How comforting to know that we are not left defenseless. Our loving Father saw down through eternity our need of tools with which to fight the attacks of Satan. He has given us pieces of spiritual armor with which to deal with the wiles of the evil one. Each piece is important. Without even one piece, Satan will attack that weak area of our lives. Thus we are commanded:

Put on the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to stand against
the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:11

All pieces of that armour are for the purpose of protection except for one and that is the gospel of peace. We can fend off any spiritual attack with the Word of God. Without that weapon, we just aren't going to have the strength needed to fight any spiritual battle we are faced with.

Many of such spiritual skirmishes I seem to experience are at night, in bed, in the dark, morning hours, and can't sleep. This happens off and on with me and I've learned to just grab my sword (Bible), head for the living room and allow the sword to do it's work. If we aren't very acquainted with our sword (Bible) we wouldn't know what to do with it. However, the Holy Spirit in His loving patience, can steer us in the right direction.

This kind of thing happened to me just about four nights ago. I had some folks and situations on my mind, things God is very capable of taking care of. I got up, headed for my chair in the living room and turned to one of my comfort zones in the Word...Philippians. At my age, I at times think maybe God is ready for me to “hang up my spurs.” There it was...1:6”

Being confident of this very thing,
that he which hath begun a good
work in you will perform it until
the day of Jesus Christ.

I can't tell you how that warmed my heart at about 2:00 AM. You see, when we think of the spiritual armor and the sword, we think of huge negative events that come into our lives. What I'm thinking is that God wants us suited up for any kind of warfare Satan may bring into our lives. A soldier takes great care to know his weapon, how to shoot it, how to clean it, etc. Without that effort, a soldier could be in great danger when in the course of battle.

Let's determine to know our swords (Bibles). Among all the pieces of spiritual armor, only the Word is our defensive weapon. We need it for battle in the hardest of times, but also perhaps in the midnight hours when we need to come out swingin'.

Dear Jesus, You not only died to save us but you have given us the best of tools with which to fight evil the assaults us. Through Your Holy Spirit, may we be encouraged and even excited about being in Your Word for strengthening and encouragement. Forgive our remiss in not making it more a priority in our lives. In Your precious name....Amen 

TAKE ME BACK

Take me back, take me back, dear Lord
To the place where I first received You.

In recent days, the above words from a song have been running through my mind. For all of us, there are places in our past lives we don't wish to revisit,but there are spiritual events we should revisit every now and then. We've all had more time in recent months to do some thinking. Perhaps this thinking has been mostly on the negative side. It doesn't have to be like that for God's kids though. So I have revisited some places spiritually that have been heart warmers for me.

Jesus came into my heart, one sunny morning after an evangelist's sermon. I could take you to the church and where I was sitting at the time. (Renovations would keep me from taking you to that pew now.) What a wonderful day. We were given little copies of the book of John with a place on the back to fill in our name and date of salvation. I still have it although it looks as worn as I do. I often go back to that day. Little did I recognize at that time what that decision would mean in my life and eternal future. After all, I was only ten years old at the time. There's never been a regret. How often do you return to that time in your life? It should be a heart warmer for you as well.

I received my first Bible at the age of 12, two years after being saved. I admired my friend Donna's Bible. She marked verses in it that were meaningful to her. I had never seen that before and began doing that when I got my new Bible. I still have done it with every Bible I've owned. King James was the Bible in 1949 everyone used. We could never have looked into the future to see all the translations we have now. I have used one in particular I feel a confidence in...however...in these days of revisiting time gone by, I have again pulled out a KJV I have had on a bookshelf. I'm so enjoying going back to the “thee's and thou's.” The Holy Spirit, our teacher, taught us well from the KJV we all grew up with and He still does.

A fun thing I'm doing with returning to the KJV is listing those verses and passages I memorized years ago whether in Sunday school or Vacation Bible School. Some I've never forgotten although their addresses are vague at times. Of course, there is Psalm 23. Long ago in marking my Bible, I underlined all of the personal pronouns like me, my and mine. That made that precious Psalm my own. Although memorized, I still like to read it and absorb all of it's promises on the written page.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart,
that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119:11

I've gone back in memory, remembering those past preachers and teachers in my life. They'll never know how appreciative I am of their investment in the life of a little skinny, tow-headed girl. I'm going back in grateful memory of those folks. They'll never know the difference they made in my life, secondary only to my Savior.

I remember the days of old; I meditate
on all thy works; I muse on the
work of thy hands.
Psalm 143:5

I would encourage us to look back more often. Spiritual highlights in our past lives can be such treasures and blessings for today.

Dear Father God, how grateful we are that You never change. You are our loving Father past, present and future. More important, Your love and care for us never changes. Thank You for all those dear folks in churches and other places You chose to be blessings in our lives. Thank You for Jesus and Your sweet Spirit. In Jesus' precious name...Amen 

AFFLICTION

It is good for me that I have
been afflicted; that I might
learn thy statutes.
Psalm 119:71

When I think of affliction, I think of the first time I remember hearing the word. Polio was the big panic when I was in my latter grade school days. A really sweet girl from our school in a couple of grades lower than mine had “caught” polio. She had to immediately be put in what was then called an “iron lung.” Even with polio, there wasn't a panic I knew of. Schools didn't close nor masks worn. I'm sure parents and teachers were watching out for us. Thank God there was a polio vaccine that came on the scene preventing a great deal of damage across the country.

I heard adults use that A-word, but just thought it was a sickness someone was going through. I know now that affliction covers anything that has to do with pain or suffering. Affliction isn't always going to be physical. There are people who are afflicted with any number of hardships, disease, pain or other troubling events. So several years ago, when I came across the above verse, it was puzzling to me. How could the Psalmist possibly see affliction as being a good thing?

Through time, I've come to understand some things first by looking at many of my past difficulties, many of which I didn't see coming. Some afflictions I also brought on myself. Ten years ago, I didn't ask for bladder cancer. When the doctor told me of it, I wish I could say that my response was “blessed be the Lord.” I was really in a state of shock. God got me through it with treatment, and in those days, I felt such a closeness to Him. That was amazing to me.

When affliction comes, no matter it's cause, it usually comes on quickly. Some circumstances may start small and grow, but many times it comes to us with a shock. Very often it comes with a phone call or a knock on our door. Mental stress brings a different kind of affliction as it is a very lonely thing, often not revealed by anyone who is afflicted with it.

The above verse from Psalm 119, seems to take on a positive look. Affliction is a time of testing God hopes will be spiritually beneficial. Our times of affliction may not be times we first think of when it comes to spiritual growth. However, that's exactly what God means for us in such times. If I've never learned much from these difficulties, I have learned one big thing. It's in my best interest to pass any test God sets before me, for if I don't pass the test, God may retest me. Retesting may be harder yet.

Whatever the affliction, God's desire in it is for us to learn more about Him and His Word. These difficult times are not times to skip spiritual activities....Sunday school, church, Bible reading and prayer and even serving others. A lady said to me: “I'm so down, if I read my Bible I'll get nothing from it.” I said to her, “Read it anyway.” Prayers may change even into complaining. God can take our being upset. He can take our venting in our prayers. After all, He knows our circumstances anyway. He won't allow any difficulty in our lives leaving us alone and helpless. When affliction passes, we'll know God so much better. That's His desire for us and so much more.

Dear Father, help us to remember that there is no affliction that can come into our lives but that it is filtered through Your loving fingers first. Strengthen us in such times. Keep us from bitterness and anger in those days. May we come to know You better through it all. Thank You for Your unconditional love. In Jesus name...Amen 

WORSHIP

Come, let us worship and
bow down, let us kneel
before the Lord our Maker.
Psalm 95:6

So many people through the years have spoken privately or in the course of a spiritual setting of this thing of worship. Of course, the world has used the word with regard to hero worship of favored people such as (“I worship the ground she/he walks on.”) The world also worships fame, money, things,etc. But how are we Christians to view this thing of worship?
I realize a myriad of books have been written on the subject, but my very finite mind chooses to view it in a simple, practical way.

Worship was always been meant for one Person. Worship for we Christians has to do with our Heavenly Father, Jesus and His Spirit and for them alone. How is worship defined for we believers? When we worship God, we are giving our complete attention to Him as we express our honor for His greatness. We may have our own definitions of worship, but that is only a knowledge of it. We don't worship words and definitions. It's something we do regularly out of our loving relationship with God. God delights in His children worshiping Him. I've listed some things below in the fashion I'm accustomed to doing that can contribute to our putting worship into practice.

W-ord
Study to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.
II Timothy 2:15

O-bedience
If ye love me (Jesus), keep my
commandments.
John 14:15

R-ejoice
Rejoice in the Lord always: and
again I say, Rejoice.
Philippians 4:4

S-inging
O sing unto the Lord a new song:
sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord, bless his name;
shew forth his salvation from
day to day.
Psalm 96:1,2
WORSHIP

H-eart
Let the words of my mouth, and
the meditation of my heart, be
acceptable in thy sight, O Lord,
my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

I-mitate
Be ye therefore followers of God,
as dear children;
And walk in love, as Christ also
hath loved us....
Ephesians 5: 1,2a

P-raise
But I will hope continually,
and will yet praise thee more and more.
Psalm 71:14

There are many ways we might choose to worship our Heavenly Father. My list isn't exhaustive. You might think of some words to go with those letters that would be worship for you. Whatever the methods we choose, our worship should be backed up by our living. It's not a one time thing for just a moment. The wonderful thing is that we can be people of worship anytime and anywhere. Worship of God should be a vital part of who we are. He deserves no less.

Dear Father, we love You more than we can express. Thank You for Your love and forgiveness for the so many times we disappoint you. Through Your Spirit, strengthen and encourage us to be more for You than we've ever been. We worship and praise You. In Jesus' precious name....Amen