Showing posts with label Ephesians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ephesians. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 29, 2015

The Coolest Outfit You Can Own and Wear is Invisible to the Naked Eye!

Ephesians 6:10-20

All believers should know about the importance of wearing their full suit of armor every day so that they will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.



I. Be strong in the Lord and get dressed for the battle.
            A. Our fight is not against flesh and blood
            B. It is important to know what we are fighting against.
                        1. Rulers
                        2. Powers
                        3. World forces of this darkness
                        4. Spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places
II. How a believer is to dress daily in order to stand firm against the evil day.
            A. Loins to be girded in truth.
            B. Hearts to be protected by the breastplate of righteousness
            C. Feet prepared with the Gospel of Peace.
            D. A shield of Faith
            E. Our Heads are covered by the Helmet of Salvation
            F. Our only weapon is the sword of the Spirit (the word of God).
III. Be alert and pray in the Spirit at all times.
            A. Pray for all things in the Spirit.
            B. Petition for all the saints.
            C. Always be alert and aware.
            D. Pray for boldness and courage for all who share the gospel.

There is not a single person, outside of Christ, who has lived a full life and not felt like the world was against them at some point. This is the exact reason why all of us who believe in Christ should be fully aware of the spiritual armor that God has blessed each one of us with, for as Paul warns us in Ephesians 6:12 (NASB), our struggle is not against flesh and blood. If it were, we would be more capable of dealing with things in our own strength. Rather, our fight is against things that can only be defeated by the implementation of all the spiritual weapons that are provided to us by our Heavenly Father. It is in the verses that follow that we will discuss just how all of us can protect ourselves against the fiery arrows that the evil one launches toward the children of God, as well as how we can best help our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Don’t be fooled, there is not one of us that does not come into battle with the dark side. It is only in learning how to dress for battle daily that we can be assured of standing firmly in our faith no matter what this world and the dark forces within it have to throw our way!

Professor’s notes: The main theme of Ephesians is, of course, the disclosure of God’s eternal divine purpose, which is the uniting together and reconciliation of all things in and through the person and work of Jesus Christ. In God’s plan of reconciliation, Jesus Christ is at the heart and center of all that the Father wills. And at the heart and center of Christ’s work is his church. Christ as its Head has given the church an awesome responsibility and role as the redeemed organism by which he brings unity to this alienated, fragmented and fallen world. As the body of Christ, the church is to live out the purposes for which it was called. The church’s calling is to exemplify before the world the unity and love of reconciliation for which Christ died and rose. The gospel of God’s grace has bestowed upon believers a higher calling in Christ. Therefore, believers as a body and as individuals are to conduct themselves in this fallen world accordingly “in Christ” to his glory.


Paul, who once was Saul, is the author of Ephesians. Paul was formerly Saul until he had an encounter with Christ Jesus. Saul truly believed that he was a defender of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob until that fateful day when he encountered Christ on the road to Damascus.

There are many interesting details regarding Saul who became Paul that I believe add flavor to all of his letters as well as his personal story. “Saul of Tarsus was born in approximately AD 5 in the city of Tarsus in Cilicia (in modern-day Turkey). He was born to Jewish parents who possessed Roman citizenship, a coveted privilege that their son would also possess. In about AD 10, Saul’s family moved to Jerusalem. Sometime between AD 15—20 Saul began his studies of the Hebrew Scriptures in the city of Jerusalem under Rabbi Gamaliel. It was under Gamaliel that Saul would begin an in-depth study of the Law with the famous rabbi.” (http://www.gotquestions.org/Saul-of-Tarsus.html)
It is Paul’s extensive knowledge of the Old Testament combined with his persecution of the first believers that makes his preaching, his ministry, and his letters so passionate. Paul truly desired for people of all kinds to come to understand the message of grace and then continue to grow from that foundation.

It is obvious that Saul loved God by his devotion to studying the law and his willingness as well as eagerness to travel in order to bring followers of ‘The Way’ (One of the first names given to the early church) to court and to what he felt was justice. After Saul’s transformation into Paul, he considered himself to be the worst among sinners and the very least of all saints.

He is credited with writing a major portion of the New Testament and was recognized as an Apostle of Christ by the other Apostles even though he never walked with Jesus while Jesus was here on earth. Paul truly longed for the Jews and the Gentiles to understand that they were all now part of the same promise and should to act accordingly.

[6] to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, (Ephesians 3:6, NASB)

On Paul’s third missionary trip he ended up staying in Ephesus and ministering to the church there for almost three years.

This particular letter was written by Paul while he was being held as a prisoner in Rome. I think the most interesting thing about Paul’s time as a prisoner in Rome was the prison he was held in. As I mentioned earlier, Paul was a Roman citizen. This citizenship allowed him the opportunity to be held in a private room instead of a prison cell and he was watched over by a Roman soldier. Paul wrote this epistle (letter) somewhere between the year A.D. 60-62 and due to Paul’s captivity while it was written, it is often referred to as a prison epistle. One can almost envision Paul glancing at his fully dressed guard, realizing how referring to a Roman soldier’s full suit of armor would provide him with the perfect outline for all believers to fully comprehend how a warrior for Christ need to dress each day to stand firm in their faith.

The Epistle to the Ephesians truly highlights everything that a believer needs to know and understand in order to stand firm and grow in their faith. The first three chapters of Ephesians emphasize New Testament doctrine; that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works. The last three chapters walk us through the ways Christians should behave; to always be thankful for their immeasurable blessings in Jesus Christ which should also produce a desire to live in a manner worthy of such blessings. All Christians will go through various trials, tribulations and temptations of Satan. It is for this reason that Paul shares with believers the full and sufficient spiritual armor supplied to them through God’s Word and by His Spirit.

Be strong in the Lord and get dressed for battle

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. (Ephesians 6:10, NASB)

This verse alerts the reader that Paul is finishing up his letter by opening with the word finally. He has one last important piece of advice to give his readers. He wants to prepare them all for the battle he knows full well from his own experiences, we all will face. “We have one important need as we fight this war. It is the power of God. We ‘must be strong in the *Lord’. You cannot make yourself strong. God must give you strength. He must give it to you more than once. He must give it to you all the time. The *Greek word means ‘continue to let God make you strong’. Then Paul says ‘in the *Lord’, not ‘by the *Lord’, although that would be true. The strength comes from being united with Jesus. It comes from being ‘in Christ’. This is what Jesus taught (John 15:1-5). Apart from Jesus, the Christian can do nothing. So the strength that we have is in ‘his great power’. You could also say, ‘in the strength of his great power’.” (1997-2005, Wycliffe Associates (UK). http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/eph-lbw.htm).

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. ( Ephesians 6:11, NASB)

Paul uses the armor worn by Roman soldiers as an analogy that the readers of his day would be familiar with. He wants them to fully grasp how necessary this armor is for one to hold their position while under attack. The Greek word for schemes carries the idea of one who is clever, cunning and deceitful. The evil ones schemes include all sins, the lure of false idols, the teaching of false theology and religion as well as all worldly enticements.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12, NASB)

Some translations use the word “wrestle” in the place of struggle. Both of these words paint the picture of a type of hand-to-hand combat. Satan and his hosts often attack with trickery and deception. While these types of attacks are not truly hand-to-hand, they can truly make you feel like you are in a physical battle. I call these types of attacks “crocodile rolls” for the enemy comes at you swiftly with your greatest fears and if you are not prepared, you are sure to be taken under. Being prepared, you will have to use all of your armor to stand firm. Not many escape from a crocodile roll in real life!
The struggles we face, we are told will not be of flesh and blood, there are unseen spiritual forces at work. “If we do not guard our hearts, Satan has the ability to fill them with evil thoughts (Acts 5:3). If we do not “gird up the loins of our minds,” then Satan can blind our eyes and lead us astray (II Corinthians 4:4; 11:3). The Bible warns us that through some “snare,” Satan can take us captive to do “his will” (II Timothy 2:26). This snare is evidently the devil's allurement (temptation) to do evil. Of course, this does not teach us that Satan can force us to do his bidding against our own free wills, only that if we are not careful he can fool us or snare us through the “deceitfulness of sin” and the “deceivableness of unrighteousness” (Hebrews 3:13; II Thessalonians 2:10). Finally, the Bible clearly informs us that Christians, even in the 20th century, must not be ignorant of Satan’s “devices” (II Corinthians 2:11)” (A Study Of Ephesians, 2002 by Allan Turner, Allanita press, http://www.allanturner.com/eph_6.html)

Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you sill be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. (Ephesians 6:13, NASB)

Paul simply reiterates the need for Christian soldiers to be prepared in their full armor so that when the evil day arrives, they will be ready and able to resist. The girdle, breastplate and shoes were items that the Roman soldiers wore at all times on the battlefield. The shield, helmet and sword were readily available should fighting begin. Every day since the fall of man has been evil. Our every day goal should be to stand firm against the enemy. The only way we can accomplish that is to be fully armed.
How a believer is to dress daily in order to stand firm against the evil day.

Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, (Ephesians 6:14, NASB)

This is the third time that Paul has called believers to stand firm. It is here that he begins giving more details on how we are to use our spiritual warfare. A Roman soldier dressed in a tunic of loose-fitting clothing that required a belt to be worn to cinch up the hanging material. (Exodus 12:11; Luke 12:35; 1 Peter 1:13) Often our lives can become loosely raveled and this is a reminder to stick to the truth, refraining from hypocrisy. The breastplate that the Roman soldiers wore covered their entire torso, sufficiently protecting their heart and other vital organs. This is a great analogy of how the righteousness of Christ protects the believer in spiritual battles. Without this righteousness, we are left vulnerable to the enemy of our souls, Satan himself.

And having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; (Ephesians 6:15, NASB)

The boots that the Roman soldiers wore had nails in them so that they had a better grip in the ground while in combat! The Gospel of peace allows the believer that same type of grip. When you are prepared with the Gospel of peace, you standing on a firm foundation. It is in our confidence of divine support that we are able to stand firm understanding that we are at peace with God and have nothing to fear. God is our strength and power. (Romans 8:31, 37-29)

in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16, NASB)

This Greek word usually refers to a shield that is 2.5 x 4.5 ft. This shield was large enough to cover the entire soldier. It also had hooks on it so that the soldiers could stand together, locking their shield in place forming an invincible wall. In the same way, Christians can stand in faith together and move mountains. Our faith is a vital component as we are reminded that we are saved by grace through faith and not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9)

“As faith is the grace by which all others are preserved and rendered active, so it is properly represented here under the notion of a shield, by which the whole body is covered and protected. Faith, in this place, must mean that evidence of things unseen which every genuine believer has, that God, for Christ's sake, has blotted out his sins, and by which he is enabled to call God his Father, and feel him to be his portion. It is such an appropriating faith as this which can quench any dart of the devil.” (Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Ephesians 6:1", “The Adam Clarke Commentary". http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/view.cgi?bk=48&ch=6. 1832.)

And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:17, NASB)

As mentioned earlier, Satan schemes. He is not opposed to trying to destroy the believer’s assurance of their salvation. In battle, a helmet is worn to protect your head. A helmet of salvation is meant to be worn so that you never forget that you are saved and therefore have nothing to fear, including the loss of your salvation!

The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, is an amazing part of our armor. It is by the word of God that Jesus battled Satan in the desert. (Luke 4:1-13) As far as the readers of this book would have understood the analogy of the sword being used for the word of God, one only has to take a look into the training of the sword for all Roman soldiers. “The Spanish gladius, a two-edged sword which was used by the Romans during Paul's lifetime, was two feet long and two and one half inches wide, and was designed primarily as a thrusting weapon. With it, the Roman legions were successful in conquering the world. A great deal of skill was needed to master the gladius sword. It has been reported that the Roman authorities thought it needful for their soldiers to train for up to five years before they ever saw combat. Often the sword the soldier practiced with was twice as heavy as the one he would actually use in combat. Developing the strength to wield the heavier practice sword enabled the soldier to use the gladius sword very effectively.” (A Study Of Ephesians, 2002 by Allan Turner, Allanita press, http://www.allanturner.com/eph_6.html)

“Likewise, “the word of God,” which is actually “sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12), requires practice if it is going to be used effectively. Therefore, in his instructions to Timothy, Paul wrote: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). The skillful use of God's Word “belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). When used skillfully, the sword of the Spirit pierces the heart (cf. Acts 2:37; 7:54). In order to defeat the enemy, the Christian soldier must learn to use the sword of the Spirit expertly.” (A Study Of Ephesians, 2002 by Allan Turner, Allanita press, http://www.allanturner.com/eph_6.html)

Be alert and pray in the Spirit at all times.

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, (Ephesians 6:18, NASB)

This verse reminds all believers of the importance of prayer. We aren’t simply to pray, we are to use all forms of prayer and we are to pray at all times. Giving thanks to God is a form of prayer. Talking to God about the troubles you face is a form of prayer. We are also informed here that it is okay and expected to present petitions before the Lord. It is by being alert to the battles we face against unforeseen evil forces that we learn to pray in the Spirit. We are to not only pray for ourselves, we are to pray for all the saints and others as well.

[19] And pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, [20] for which I am an ambassador in chains, that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:19-20, NASB)

Paul doesn’t ask for the believers of his day to pray for his physical comfort or well being. Rather he asks for them to pray for his boldness and faithfulness. It is truly his desire to continue proclaiming the gospel even to his own detriment!

“Observe, Paul had a great command of language; they called him Mercury, because he was the chief speaker (Acts. 14:12 ), and yet he would have his friends ask of God the gift of utterance for him. He was a man of great courage, and often signalized himself for it; yet he would have them pray that God would give him boldness. He knew as well what to say as any man; yet he desires them to pray for him, that he may speak as he ought to speak. The argument with which he enforces his request is that for the sake of the gospel he was an ambassador in bonds, v. 20. He was persecuted and imprisoned for preaching the gospel; though, notwithstanding, he continued in the embassy committed to him by Christ, and persisted in preaching it.” (Matthew Henry's six volume Complete Commentary, 1706, http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/ephesians/6.html


Application for Ephesians 6:10-20

In today’s world it is vital that believers get up each day dressed in their full suit of armor. The battles that Paul spoke of to the church in Ephesus are the very same battles we face today. Without being fully dressed, our fast paced world is certain to take us under.

When Paul speaks of the shrewdness of Satan, he is leaving nothing out. At all times, we must be alert and we must pray in times of duress as well as in times of blessings. Our faith is something that is meant to be shared for by sharing we strengthen one another much like the Roman soldier’s strengthened their defense by sharing their shields to form a formidable wall.

In recognizing the training that the Roman soldiers went through in order to use a sword, we should understand that we simply cannot read the bible here and there and be prepared in battle. As the Roman soldier had to train, so must we. Not a day should go by that we don’t pick up the word of God, described in this letter as the sword of the Spirit and do a little reading. It is in reading the word of God that we begin to hear God himself.

Our armor is designed to keep us focused on the truth, having confidence in our salvation and always being prepared to share the gospel with the world.

It is in discovering that we have been set free that we should share the glory of God with all who come into our lives. By being alert and always praying for others, we should be able to discern evil for evil and recognize where our light needs to shine.


Bibliography

A Study Of Ephesians, 2002 by Allan Turner, Allanita press, http://www.allanturner.com/eph_6.html
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Ephesians 6:1", “The Adam Clarke Commentary". http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/view.cgi?bk=48&ch=6. 1832.

Duvall, J. Scott; Hays, J. Daniel (2012-05-08). Grasping God's Word: A Hands-On Approach to Reading, Interpreting, and Applying the Bible (pp. 229-230). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

Got questions ministry, 2002 - 2015, http://www.gotquestions.org/Saul-of-Tarsus.html

Matthew Henry's six volume Complete Commentary, 1706, http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/ephesians/6.html

The MacArthur Study Bible, 2006, Thomas Nelson


Wycliffe Associates (UK), 1997 - 2005, http://www.easyenglish.info/bible-commentary/eph-lbw.htm

© Wendy Glidden 2015

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Have You Been Called?

Over the last couple of days, again and again and again I have heard "Go forth and Make Disciples." Ironically when I glanced at my alphabet picture on my wall today I realized I am on Letter G and it highlights The book of Matthew, chapter 28, verse 19. Taken out of my MacArthur Study Bible, it reads:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."


Now if you recall, anytime you see therefore you really need to go and read what was happening prior.
I jumped to the beginning of the segment which began at verse 16 only to discover that verse started with the word "But" meaning I needed to go a little further back only to discover to do this verse justice, I needed to start back in Chapter 27. It's such an awesome chapter and it thrills me to no end no matter how many times I read it that I am almost tempted to go even further but for now this will suffice! I am going to start off with Chapter 27 verse 45 and suggest if this intrigues you, do your own due diligence and read the prior 44 verses for yourself!

With that being said, again from my MacArthur Study Bible:
The sub heading is: Jesus Dies; Accompanying Signs
and it references The Book of Mark, Chapter 15, verses 33-41, The book of Luke, Chapter 23, verses 44-49; The book of John 19, verses 28-30

verse 45: Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour.

verse 46: About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"

verse 47: And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, "This man is calling for Elijah."

verse 48: Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.

verse 49: But the rest of them said, "Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him."

verse 50: And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit.

verse 51: And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.

verse 52: The tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;

verse 53: and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

verse 54: Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

verse 55: Many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ministering to Him.

verse 56: Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

As we proceed on to verse 57, we have another sub heading: Jesus is Buried. (This part references Mark 15: 42-47; Luke 23: 50-55 and John 19: 38-42)

verse 57: When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.

verse 58: This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.

verse 59: And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

verse 60: and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.

verse 61: And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave.

verse 62: Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate,

verse 63: and said, "Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that the deceiver said, 'After three days I am to rise again.'

verse 64: Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead', and the last deception will be worse than the first."

verse 65: Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how."

verse 66: And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone

Now we come to Chapter 28: The subheading for the first 7 verses reads: The Empty Tomb. This section references Mark, Chapter 16, verses 1-8; Luke, Chapter 24, verses 1-11:

verse 1: Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.

verse 2: And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it,

verse 3: And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

verse 4: The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

verse 5: The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.

verse 6: He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.

verse 7: Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you."

The next subheading is: The Appearance of Jesus to the Women

verse 8: And they left the tomb and quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.

verse 9: And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him.

verse 10: Then Jesus *said to them, Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me."

The next Sub Title: The Bribery of the Soldiers

verse 11: Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.

verse 12: And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

verse 13: and said, "You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.'

verse 14: And if this should come to the governor's ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble."

verse 15: And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.

The following sub heading is: The Great Commission

verse 16: But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.

verse 18: And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

verse 19: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,

verse 20: teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

You see why I get so excited! Jesus conquered Death. His only request for those brothers and sisters that believe in this Truth is to spread the good news. Honestly, I don't know how you can know all of this and not  share it with others at every opportunity.

Since the beginning Satan has schemed, lied, stolen and deceived countless numbers. Jesus conquered him! The evil one, the devil, The father of lies, he has more names than anyone other than Jesus in the bible. I found this list that really lays out just who Satan is by name and book so that you can verify it all for yourself. http://www.markbeast.com/satan/names-of-satan.htm In all things when attempting to "win" against another team, business, person, you study the competition. You find their weakness, you recognize their strengths. How can you win over Evil if you don't understand the True source? The simple answer is you Can't!

When you realize who Jesus is and what He represents, you also begin to understand who the enemy truly is. Once you accept Christ as your Savior, you must accept Satan for who he is. It is foolish to think him nothing. Satan has been around for a VERY long time. He has had time to practice on countless beings. There is only one person on earth that defeated him and that is Jesus. Jesus Christ, our Savior, already won the battle for us. For daily protection we Must put on our armor each and every day as described in The book of Ephesians. I warn you though, even with dressing daily for the battle, Satan is scheming and looking for a crack in your armor. Don't grow weary for he never grows weary. On top of this you must alert your brothers and sisters. You must spread the good news. You must sound the warning. You are commended to Go forth and make disciples of All nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

I only have one question for you, "Are You Ready to Answer the Call?"

Father, I pray my fellow brothers and sisters hear the call and answer. I pray more of my fellow brothers and sisters that dream of one day working for you, simply start right where they are. I pray we all seek your wisdom. I pray we become excellent students, who in turn, with Love, share what we learn from you Father. I pray we get bolder and brighter. I pray the lost seek the Light.  In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, Mom of Many

On a side note, when you see all caps in a New Testament Book, it is a direct quote from a book in the Old Testament.

On a bigger side note, many argue over who Jesus really was. I did a walk through the gospels based on Luke as he goes chronologically in order with his gospel where I attend fellowship on Sunday. It was the most exciting, eye opening, undeniable truths study I have done to date. I, myself cannot recite all the messianic miracles Jesus fulfilled or where they are located, but I did take the time to find an article that lays it all out for you. If you are curious to discover the truth for yourself. Here is the link: http://lbcc.org/files/2012/03/prophesies_yeshua_fulfilled-1.pdf


©Wendy Glidden 2013

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Self Control is A known Fruit!

Good morning world! Today the birds are singing, the sun is shining and the day has started off with a blast. If you don't just love your life today, you are who I am praying for! Life. It can be brutal but much much much better than the alternative! I am saddened by the truth that people can be so mean to other people. Stress, depression, suicide, they are All on the rise. Spanning age ranges from the youngest to the oldest. How did that happen? One can't help but wonder, "How did we get to be such a rude, inconsiderate, hateful, uppity, better than, haughty human race?" We have steered so far from Grace it is almost scary.

Today I would like to encourage everyone to pay attention to their emotions! Were you aware that self control is a fruit of the spirit? Did you know that you are warned to steer clear of anger for your own protection? The more I learn about Jesus, The Lord of Air, The fruits of the Spirit, and my armor needed to live the abundant life I was promised, the more aware I am of the evil we face daily. I know I have blogged before on how important it is to realize we are indeed in a spiritual battle and therefore how vital it is that you understand the force you are fighting. I think it is in my blog titled "Why you need to know Scripture". Please do not mistake me for some great teacher when it comes to God's Word. I only know what He wrote on my heart. It was written on yours too. Just because it is there does not mean we all pay attention to it. If that were the case I don't think we'd be instructed to seek God. The more you understand God's Word, the more you will long for it.

One of the first books of the Holy Bible I studied with a small group was Ephesians. I will openly admit I really struggled with my tongue at this point in my life. For that matter, I struggled with the whole "Submit" issue. That was a year ago. Literally. Now I submit to Mike but not how I first thought that meant. When you "get" the beauty of what The Word is actually speaking to you, submitting to your spouse is an awesome thing. That is not to say that Mike and I don't occasionally disagree over something. What it does mean is we know how to communicate now. I submit to Mike because He submits to me. After 9 years I am in awe that we are like newlyweds again. We appreciate each other. I could weep due to the amount of gratitude I have for God's Grace. The Word saved my marriage. The Word is helping me with every element of my life. It is the number one book when it comes to "Self-helpers".

I imagine that fact alone is why the evil one has blocked it's use at every opportunity. It's why he created so many false religions. He is so darn sneaky he will have you convinced you need to work on your sin. Have you ever heard you can only concentrate fully on one thing at a time? It is true. It is why Lamaze works as well as it does. When a woman is concentrating on how to breath that is her focus, not the pain itself. With that in mind, when Satan can get you busy "working on your problem" you are not paying attention to your righteousness. You are focusing on the problem which will always result in making you stumble again and again. Giving the evil one more ammunition to use against you. There is no need for you to live that way. You see, you are already sanctified. If you pay attention to your righteousness and not your sin, you will sin less. Instead of beating yourself up or putting yourself down, listen to the positive voice inside of you.

The Lord of Air came here with one purpose in mind, to steal from you, to destroy you, and to kill you. Jesus came so that you could have life and live that life abundantly. Jesus came here to live out "The Law" perfectly. He was able to do what no human could. He did not have an earthly father. He is God's only begotten Son. He came here to save us. He too was messed with by Satan. He understands our pain, our confusion, our fight. We have an ally in Heaven. Through is fleshly death and His resurrection, we have nothing to fear. Stop crucifying yourself for past mistakes. Not one of us is perfect! Stop asking for something you already have. Forgiveness is already granted for all past and future sins. There is nothing you could do today or tomorrow that has not already been forgiven. Instead of asking for forgiveness, ask for strength!

The Holy Bible warns you about the enemy and gives amazing advice for how to get the most out of life. Stop thinking of it as a Religious book. The Holy Bible is the Word of God. Nothing More. Nothing Less. If you desire a better life, if you long for happier days, if you wish you could become a better person, there is only one book you need to check out. It holds all the secrets to abundance!!! I highly encourage you to get into The Word and to find a small group to study with. We were not meant to walk through this life alone my friends, don't help the evil one seclude you from relationships with fellow believers.

I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to share a song yesterday. No sooner than I had posted it in various groups on Facebook a dear friend of mine replied that she had added it to her play list. She stated that it was right where she was in her walk. With that in mind, I am sharing it here too.



Today I pray for all who are lost, lonely and without hope. Father, I ask you to go to them. Get their attention  like you got mine Father. I know I sought you as a child and I thank you for your Grace. We both know how far I ran from you. Father, those that have never turned to you and those that have run from you, they need you more than ever. I ask you to go to them Father. Lift them up. Speak to their hearts Father. I come to you asking that you turn up the volume. So many of us hear the Lord of Air much clearer and louder than we Hear the voice of righteousness. Teach us to be still Father. Tune in our inner ears. Magnify your word that you wrote on our hearts. Make it clear and undeniable Father. I am so grateful that I know you. I only long for my fellow brothers and sisters know you too. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

© Wendy Glidden, published 5/15/2013