Suit Up!

Suit Up!

If you were in the military would you carelessly walk onto the battlefield with not an ounce of armor on and expect not to get injured or would you suit up and prepare for the battle ahead? The answer is obvious, but so often as Christians we walk onto the spiritual warfare battlefield unarmed. You don't have on your helmet. You don't have on our breastplate. You don't have our shield. You don't have your sword. You don't have on our shoes of peace. You don't have our loins held up with the truth.  Yet so often we don't understand why we can't have the victory in certain areas of our lives. But the answer is simple. Put on your armor. The bible says be "be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world" (1 Peter 5:8-9). If you don't have on your armor then you cannot resist Satan. Vigilant means watchful. You must be on your guard, ever ready to resist Satan. And you can only successfully resist him in this battle if you have on your armor. 1 Timothy 6:12 says, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called..." We are called to be victorious in this fight. Here is an overview of what you should wear everyday in order to resist Satan.

1. Loins girt about with truth: we must have the belt of truth firmly buckled on our waist. In order to know the difference between the lies of Satan is to know the truth of God's word. We must diligently read the scripture and digest it on a daily basis. We cannot fight victoriously if we don't know the truth. We also cannot fight victoriously if we don't believe the truth. We must not only know the truth but believe it and apply to our lives.

2. Breastplate of righteousness: we must choose to walk in the Spirit and not according to the flesh. If we are walking in the flesh then we cannot resist the devil. When we sin on purpose then we give the devil place in our lives. So in order to guard our hearts, we must live righteously and keep our hearts pure.

3. Shoes of peace: We must always stand firmly in the gospel of peace. For Ephesians 6:13 says,"Wherefore take unto you  the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." We can stand firmly in the gospel of peace no matter what. For Christ is a firm foundation.

4. Shield of Faith: Satan will send fiery darts our way that are swift. So we must have on our shield of faith.

5. Helmet of Salvation: Our salvation in Christ gives us protection in our mind.

6. Sword of the Spirit: When we say the word of God, we combat the lies and temptations of Satan. In order to combat Satan with the word of God, we must know the word. When we know the word, we can replace the he the lies that Satan brings against our mind with the truth of God's word.

7. Prayer: Prayer is a powerful weapon against the enemy. We should be fervent in prayer. If you don't see the answer to your prayer that doesn't mean that God hasn't heard your prayer. Just keep praying and praying and praying until you get the victory. For the "effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" (James 5:16). A good way to pray continually until you get an answer is to make a prayer journal. I have a journal where I write down my prayer requests, and I try to pray about these matters everyday.

8. Vigilance: We need to remain watchful as saints. It's important to become aware of the subtle devices of Satan and resist the devil using your armor. If you're not careful, his darts can slip past your armor if you are being passive and not actively combating his lies with the truth of God's word. When you don't wear your army, you're an easy target and can become weighed down with Satan's lies, and live in defeat.

So be active and put on our armor everyday in this fight. Let's "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.


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Be Free (A Poem of Freedom)

Be Free

A young woman trapped,

Trapped in a maze of lies,

trapped in a mangled array of selfish goals, ambitions, and dreams,

trapped within the boundaries of time, years, days, minutes,

firmly under the burden of the constant tick tock of the neverending clock

When will she be free?

FREE to follow God's timing?

FREE to let go of her plans?

FREE to give of herself willingly?

FREE to know the blessings of giving rather than receiving

attention, praise, and affirmation?

FREE to see that everything she has is in Christ?

FREE to see that she is complete in Him?

FREE to see that she can obtain affirmation and love in Him?

When will she be free to see that she was made to bring glory to God and Him alone?

Will she be free to see

that it is no more I 

but Christ that liveth in me?

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Will You Drink the Cup?

Will You Drink the Cup?

If you knew that an important part of walking with Christ was suffering would you walk with Him? If He asked you to willingly drink of the cup of suffering would you drink it? If He lead you into the desert would you go willingly? These are all thought-provoking questions that require great thought and an honest answer. I can say quite plainly that a few years ago that I didn't want to suffer. Oh I knew that I would suffer. I had learned from a young age that as a christian, I would experience suffering but when suffering reared it's wretched head I wanted to run far, far away the older I became. I didn't want to experience suffering, and I definitely didn't want to embrace it like I did in High School, but one day a comment that my sister said changed my averse reaction to suffering. One day she plainly said, we need to stop running and embrace suffering. When she said it, I didn't want to accept it, but I was finally ready in my heart to accept what she said. And it was at that moment that I finally understood what she meant. She meant that instead of running away from God's will (because it is God's will that we suffer) I should turn around and embrace it. A few days later, I added the following prayer to my prayer list and I simply wrote,

Lord please help me to drink the cup of suffering willingly. 

I wrote this prayer after I read the following verses in Mark 10:20-23 which says,

"Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou? She saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.

Initially the mother of Zebedee's children asked Jesus if her sons could have essentially a position of authority much like we sometimes ask God for without really thinking it through. The world stresses the importance of having authority over others or gaining recognition but Jesus doesn't grant the mother of Zebedee's children her wish. Instead he brings her to a more important question when he asks, "Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of..." He asks this because before we can reign with Christ we have to suffer with Him first.  2 Timothy 2:12 states, " If we suffer, we shall also reign with him." Before the sons could reign with Christ they would have to drink of the cup of suffering first. And so must you and I, if we want to reign with Christ. We must embrace the fact that we WILL suffer in this life. We must suffer willingly. For Hebrews 13:13 says Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. Reproach means "a cause of blame; shame; disgrace." We must bare his reproach meaning we must share in his suffering. So go ahead and go without the camp and share in his suffering when coworkers at work distance themselves from your company, go without the camp when people bring false accusations against you. Go without the camp willingly when people hate you. For John 15:18-20 says, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you, if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also."  

So now I ask you, will you drink of the cup of suffering willingly?

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Elevator Diaries (The Case of the Repeated Encounter)

Elevator Diaries

She ambled swiftly down the hallway, a spray bottle in tow. She hit the button beside the elevator. She waited patiently humming a tune from her heart. She yawned in an effort to wake up although a smile was on her face and in her heart. Before the door opened, a lady walked up and joined her in the hallway. When the doors opened she hit the second floor.

"I'm going to the fourth floor," the anonymous lady said.

She quietly hit the fourth floor.

"It's getting warm already," the anonymous lady said.

"Yes, it's pretty humid out," she said, although the fall season was in full bloom.

When the elevator stopped at the second floor I said, "Have a good day."

"Thanks, you too."

The following day, she headed toward the elevator on her morning routine, a melodious tune on her lips.

Surprisingly, she saw the same lady entering the the elevator.

She smiled politely, "How are you today?"

"I'm doing well, I tried to wear an Island look, but I don't know if it was successful or not."

She smiled widely, nodding her head. The appropriate response eluding her as the elevator stopped at the second floor.

"Have a good day," she said.

"You too."

Hmm, she was beginning to wonder if God's providence was at work. Only time would tell. (To be continued...)



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In the Stillness

In the Stillness

~Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy ... milk without money and without price.~ Isaiah 55:1

In the hustle and bustle of today's world sometimes it's hard to be still. From going to school, work, home, church, church social related activities, and everything in between we feel like we are spinning in a neverending world of busyness. But in the stillness, God longs to speak to us through His word. He wants us to take a moment, breathe, and listen.  ~Pause~ What is God trying to say. So here are three ways to pause and hear from God not only during your quiet time, but all throughout the day.

1. Read, Read, Read

In the morning, when you wake up make it a priority to read God's word first. Don't litter your mind with your upcoming schedule for the day or make that important phone call that just can't wait another second. Isn't it important to hear from heaven first? And as you read God's word allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate the verses so that you can understand what you are reading. Oftentimes a scripture will jump out at me and I will take extra time to study that particular scripture which is helpful for me during the day. The Lord will give us our Daily bread if we reach out to Him by digesting His word on a daily basis.

2. Pray, Pray, Pray

In the morning, it can be as simple as telling God thank you. Praising Him for a new day. Then proceeding to pray the Lord's prayer.  Many times we put a huge emphasis on the words we say, but all God wants to do is to commune with us. Don't just say the words from memory in almost a robotic fashion, but think about them. Ponder what you are praying and be thankful to the God of the universe for allowing us to have a relationship with Him. Also ask God to fill you with the Spirit and enable you to live a holy life. Ask for wisdom and grace for the day. Rely on God to live through you and then you will be able to be the hands and feet of Jesus as you rely on Him to live through you each and every day.

3. Meditate
I make it a practice to learn a phrase of scripture each day. So whether I am repeating that scripture in my mind at work or meditating on another scripture that I learned the previous week, I love to meditate on God's word. That way in the midst of life you can pause and meditate even if you're in the midst of chores, or running errands or what have you.

So don't be afraid to jump in and drink of the Living water everyday and find refreshment in Him.


~For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.~ Jeremiah 31:25







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