Month: October 2019

Get Ready for Battle!

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Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth.  Ephesians 6:13-14a ESV

After we brought our first baby crib home, I quickly glanced at the diagram on the instruction booklet, then set it aside and began to match up the pieces for assembly. “How hard could it be to put a crib together?” I thought to myself. But after almost an hour of trying to get it together I returned to the instructions manual.

When we read about preparing for spiritual warfare it is easy to fall into that same process. But God’s field equipment has nothing extra and we will need every piece. We might feel we can skip a few things and grab our sword and shield God tells us to start with the belt of truth.

ancient antique armor armour

Photo by Maria Pop on Pexels.com

The Christian life is not only about the blessings; it is also a spiritual battle. Jesus said that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life and if we are to fight side by side with Him then we must start with the truth.

Being victorious means we must begin by buckling on the truth. Truth matters so much to God that He lists it first because it holds the rest of our equipment together. So before we head out the door today let’s pray for God to help us fasten on the belt of His truth!

A Bicycle Prayer

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The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.        John 1:14 ESV

“Lord I’m asking for a new bike for my birthday.” Was the first prayer I ever prayed, not counting my “Bless the food.” requests. As that day drew closer and closer, my fervency increased. But when a real bicycle actually appeared on my big day; no one was more shocked than me!    Imported from phone 296

My family saw only two wheels, a chain and spokes; but for the first time I saw that there really was a God and that He listened when I prayed. If you think my theology was a bit wobbly, you would be right. You might ask; did I deserve a bike? But God was not just interested in how I prayed or the merits of my request. He knew that whether deserving it or not I needed something that I could put my hands on and say, “God is really there!”

The answer to my bicycle prayer gives a dim picture of why God sent Jesus to earth. If He would have waited for us to figure everything out Jesus would have never come. But God knew that we needed more than just words; we needed a person. We needed someone who we could touch and hear and see to show us His love. The people had the Ten Commandments but that was like having a bicycle with no idea of how to ride it. But Jesus came, so we could know that God listens to our prayers and that if we believe in Him we would have someone who could carry us all the way home!

Church Growth Through God’s Eyes

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And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.          Acts 6:7 KJV

Nursing home outreach doesn’t carry with it the razzle-dazzle of building programs, youth ministry or Holiday pageants, but it does offer a unique way to connect to our community. That is exactly what we see in this passage from the book of Acts. The number of Christians grew rapidly not because of some church program but because they agreed to work together in unity to take care of feeding poor widows.  Imported from phone 083

In the early days of the church some things brought about growth that we will not be able to replicate (Such as five hundred people seeing Jesus alive after His resurrection). But there are other principles which we can follow in any culture, time or place. Showing the love of Christ by caring for our older generation connects us with their friends and families in a deep and powerful way.  That is not to say that we could simply use nursing home ministry as a strategy to build our church; but rather that amazing things happen when we align ourselves with the heart of God. Ministering in a nursing home blesses not only its residents but also those of us who serve. Teen-agers are reminded that their energy can give a smile or bring tears of joy. Middle aged people find out that the value of their own life will not change with age. Retired folks discover that residents will treasure their friendship because so few ever come to see them anymore. Through His amazing plan God will help His church to grow in numbers as together we draw closer to Jesus Christ.

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