Why We Must All Dress in Our Full Suit of Armor Daily!

Once there was a young girl who was blessed to walk with God. She loved to dream about ways that she would grow up and help His people. Some might say she often talked more than she listened. However, these things are certain where this child of God was concerned:

(1) She knew about God’s laws for she was taught in those things by the Spirit.

(2) She knew that a lot of people did not talk or seek to know God.

(3) She understood that many of them seemed to be trapped in misery and that included                                her very own mother.

This young girl wanted nothing more than for everyone to come to know the God that she walked and talked with. She truly believed that money would somehow help the masses and she longed to be someone who could bless others financially. She often thought of ways that God could bless her later in life financially so that she could bless countless others. She was lost as to the larger picture of God’s plan and often came to Him with her ideas of how to fix the world.

She never truly knew God as a father in her youth. She saw Him as her best friend. Mistakenly she also saw Him as someone who had some powers but who must need help from someone on earth since He had not fixed all the problems of the world himself!

It is not known for sure if this young girl had ever heard God’s advice regarding the need to read and study His word. We do know for certain though that she did not know His word for she knew nothing of her armor, nor did she understand fully the darkness that lurked in the world!

As this same young girl blossomed into a young adult, the lures of the world began to draw her away from the time she spent with God. While she knew right from wrong, she longed to be accepted by those she now counted as friends. As time drifted by, she chose wrong over right more and more often. Even though she had not committed any worldly crimes , she knew she was breaking God’s laws. That alone made her uncomfortable and she sought to hide from Him more than she sought Him out.

Without knowing about the schemes of the devil, she found herself bombarded with negative thoughts about herself and how God thought of her. It wasn’t long before she believed one of Satan’s biggest lies; “God no longer finds you worthy.”

When she thought about going to God about how she felt, she was filled with so much fear over all her wrong doings she lacked the courage she needed to even strike up a conversation with Him.

As she drifted further and further away from God’s laws, she soon found herself believing that not only did God find her not worthy; she became convinced that God was out to get her. No longer seeing Him as a friend, she believed the lie that He was now her enemy.

Through the Catholic school her mother had enrolled her in, she learned about sin, hell and confession. She went to confession every week but she left feeling empty and even more unworthy of God’s time. She was beginning to resent God for being so strict and she believed that she was doomed to die and spend eternity in hell.

As life continued this young girl who had drifted from God transitioned into a grown adult who never sought out God for anything. As life went on, she made decisions she knew were against God’s laws. So much so she was certain He may strike her dead by lightening right where she stood, but alas He seemed content to let her suffer. That just made her view Him as a cruel God for a large part of her wanted her life to end. She had come to the point where she no longer saw any hope of her ever doing anything worthwhile with her life and she often questioned how she could ever be of any real use to anyone.

One day, the world and her problems became so large; she got on her knees and called out to God crying. She told Him she was tired of living life by her will and was ready to live life by His will. She truly longed to hear Him speak again. She knew to her very core that He was her only hope out of the situation she had found herself in. As she knelt before Him weeping, He called her by name. He then gave her a full reply to her prayer and even told her of something that would take place in her future.

She was so elated by all He spoke that she immediately sought to find a bible and she began reading His word that very day. Even though she was reading His word, she did not understand much and she was flipping from book to book completely lost as to how to truly begin gaining knowledge from what she read.

She knew she was going to need help so she sought out others who were also reading God’s word. She had a friend on Face Book that shared verses all the time so she asked her if she could help her gain understanding. She was blessed by her seeking, for this very friend invited her to join her bible study group that she was a part of. She excitedly shared that they were just beginning to study the Book of Ephesians. Thankful for the invitation, she accepted it and joined the group that following day.

As she learned about Christ, grace, and salvation, she began once again trusting God. She made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior the very week she learned the truth about Him.

She wondered why and how she had become so convinced that God was her enemy when His word made it clear that He loved us all. That very next week, she learned about her full suit of armor as well as the schemes of the devil. Understanding just how Satan had tricked her into giving up on her relationship with God, she never failed to wear her full suit of armor from that day forth!

[10] Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. [11] Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. [12] 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. [13] Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. [14] Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, [15] and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; [16] in addition to all, taking up the shied of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. [17] And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. [18] With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, (Ephesians 6:10-18, NASB)

May you be blessed in the reading of this allegory story!

Wendy, mom of many, walks with God

© Wendy Glidden 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

Turmoil Tornados

I started this week out in a panic. The children are off on spring break I signed up for two more college classes that both began this Monday! By day one I was overwhelmed by all of the reading and assignments that were looming ahead. On top of that, we moved to the other side of the RV park and it turns out that the WIFI doesn’t work over here yet. Talk about making life a little harder when it comes to online classes, not to mention blogging and marketing on Social Media!

I am grateful that my classes are focused on the Word of God so that in the midst of my personal panic, I have to fill my mind with the LORD’s words! As the week progressed, my anxiety levels decreased. It is funny what happens as you renew your mind with life breathing words. Yesterday I even managed to stay ahead of the game concerning school and have now completed every assignment with the exception of one paper that is due on Sunday and here I sit today calm as a cucumber sharing a post!

I had a fellow student ask me how on earth I manage to get everything done that needs to be done in a day. I still need to go back and answer her on that one. When I read it, I was honestly in the midst of my panic and thinking to myself, “Get everything done?!?” That is truly humorous because there is never a day that goes by that I manage to check off every single item on my to do list!

The truth of the matter is, when it comes to making it through each day, I have a checklist of must do’s, need to do’s, and want to do’s. I also apply self discipline telling myself each day that I can play once all my work is done. Some days I don’t play at all!

I will be honest in saying that even though I have a plan in place, I still find myself swimming in the midst of anxiety at various moments; especially as the end of the day approaches while tasks on my must do list are still looming ahead!

I have found when it comes to chaos, anxiety, fear, panic, waves of overwhelmingness, it is God’s promises that calm my heart and settle me down. It has taken me years to learn that I am truly not in control of much! The rest I must give to God. So let me share what I tell my friends when they are in the midst of their own individual “Turmoil Tornado”.

(1) I ask them if they know what Jesus had to say when it came to the subject of worry?

I usually get a blank stare if this is the first time we have talked about it. I then smile and say something like, ‘He actually asked what one of us could do something as simple (SIMPLE!) as adding an hour to our own lives! Like adding an hour to your life is simple! He basically asked us why do we worry over anything when our own limitations to perform the tiniest of miracles are so blatantly obvious.

“And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?” ~ Luke 12:25-26 (NASB)

I also go on to share with them that God’s mercy and grace are sufficient each day. I remind them that we need to live in the here and now not in yesterday or tomorrow. That is a trick of the evil one to keep us tied up in our inner turmoil; shaming us with the guilt of yesterday and worrying us about the events of tomorrow. God’s word advises us to live each day accordingly.

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” ~ Matthew 6:34 (NASB)

Even with me being a student of the Word, even with me seeking His input daily, I find myself in various spiritual battles. Some so intense I often pull out a devotional or turn up the music on K-Love. As revealed in a chapter out of my latest book, sometimes I even use chocolate as part of my defense!

I don’t think one of us out there has the perfect life full of perfect days. We all face various trials and tribulations. It is the weaponry that we use that differentiates how the battle ends! If you don’t know all the armor God has provided you with, I invite you to read past posts of mine regarding the subject. I will leave a couple of links at the end of this post for you to check out!

Hopefully this has helped someone somewhere with their own anxiety and worry. If you are not a student of the Word, I highly suggest you open up the book of John and learn about Christ. It is my prayer that your eyes are opened to the Truth, The Way and the Life in such a way that you dive fully into the River of Living Water and find yourself refreshed each and every day! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen!

Wendy, Mom of Many, walks with God

http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2013/10/are-you-dressed-for-daily-battle.html

http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2013/07/take-up-shield-of-faith.html

May you find yourself better dressed for battle by reading these two posts. May you find yourself blessed in sharing them with others in need of armor!

Your sister in Christ, Wendy

© Wendy Glidden 2015

Using My Inner Child to Draw For a College Class Assignment

Psalm 46 is my favorite Psalm. God is my refuge. I KNOW He protects me always, through all storms in my life, past present and future. I make sure to dress in my armor daily so that I am able to stand firm in my faith come what may. The girl in the picture is supposed to be me. As you can see, I am wearing my full suit of armor. I am singing praises with a smile on my face!

The mountains are slipping into the heart of the sea. I can be found at the river. I show streams of water, representing Jesus Christ, encircling me and I will not be moved! The sun is just coming up. I hope you can see the sunrise sky; my scanner is not being the kindest as far as the picture is concerned. Under volcanoes, you can see bows are broken, spears are cut in half and the chariots are on fire. I am standing still, firmly rooted in my faith like the trees I stand between. I shout out triumphantly as quoted in this Psalm: The LORD of hosts is with us, The God of Jacob is our stronghold. (Psalm 46:11, NASB)

I think this Psalm has a biblical world view in the truth that we have all witnessed such things as mountains quaking, and waves crashing onto the shore and changing the landscape. We are watching before our eyes a world in turmoil and at war. This Psalm reminds us that when chaos strikes as it is guaranteed to do until the end times, we are to be still and rest in the LORD. I believe we all need reminding that it is pointless to fret!

I am currently in my final week of Psalms and this week’s discussion assignment was to provide an artistic representation of our favorite Psalm. I was going to take a bunch of pictures and photo shop what God had given me in a dream as I prayed for discernment regarding this and I found myself without the use of all those tools. What I did find was white paper and a ton of broken crayons at my disposal. The mere fact that I was led to create a child like drawing cracks me up. As we know we are advised to become like little children in God’s word. With that being said, Here is my picture:

For those without a Holy Bible, below is Psalm 46 in it's entirety:

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and foam, Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah.

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she will not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. 6 The nations made an uproar, the kingdoms tottered; He raised His voice, the earth melted. 7 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, Who has wrought desolations in the earth. 9 He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. 10 "Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 11 The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

Do You Know That the Devil is Scheming Against You Daily?

Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Ephesians 6:13 (NLT) This was the first thing I read this morning. One thing I have learned while reading the Bible is that the battle is real. Satan has been trying to keep God's people in bondage all throughout history. You read about his first spiritual attack in Genesis right in the beginning when He convinced Eve to take a bite of the forbidden fruit. You read about his next attack as you discover what happened to Abel, Adam and Eve's son. You see it unfolding as you read the history of King Saul and King David and it is well written about during the days that Jesus walked the earth. Do not fool yourself into believing the battle is still not going on. It is. Do not believe that Satan doesn't know the likes of you. He does. He has been roaming this earth for thousands of years. He has way more practice at this type of war than any human being could dream of having. We have one major event on our side, the resurrection of Christ. He conquered death. It is through Him that we can also win the battle. Another thing I have learned when reading snippets of scripture is that anytime you see the word 'therefore' at the beginning, it is important to see what was shared prior to the 'therefore'! With that being said, let us dive a little deeper into God's word this morning. 6:11: Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the word forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. This was the first thing I read this morning. One thing I have learned while reading the Bible is that the battle is real. Satan has been trying to keep God's people in bondage all throughout history. You read about his first spiritual attack in Genesis right in the beginning when He convinced Eve to take a bite of the forbidden fruit. You read about his next attack as you discover what happened to Abel, Adam and Eve's son. You see it unfolding as you read the history of King Saul and King David and it is well written about during the days that Jesus walked the earth. Do not fool yourself into believing the battle is still not going on. It is. Do not believe that Satan doesn't know the likes of you. He does. He has been roaming this earth for thousands of years. He has way more practice at this type of war than any human being could dream of having. We have one major event on our side, the resurrection of Christ. He conquered death. It is through Him that we can also win the battle.  Another thing I have learned when reading snippets of scripture is that anytime you see the word 'therefore' at the beginning, it is important to see what was shared prior to the 'therefore'! With that being said, let us dive a little deeper into God's word this morning. 6:11: Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the word forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
The battle is brought on by the devil. He schemes and plots and plans to deceive you in any way possible. He speaks to you and at you through others as well as straight to you. It is vital to your well being that you wear all your armor because without it, you are vulnerable. KNOW this as well, Satan never rests. He has attacked me in my dreams before and I have used scripture to defeat him. When you read the gospels you are shown that Jesus also used scripture to defeat Satan but here is a truly chilling thought, Satan quoted scripture to Jesus. One of Satan's greatest accomplishments has been to infiltrate the church. He is not afraid of the Word of God. He uses it himself. He has punishers use it to control people. I get why so many people want nothing to do with religion. For that matter, I want nothing to do with religion! It was the religious ones that plotted to kill Jesus so that they would not lose their power in the world. That my friends is another chilling thought. A church truly has no need to pass a basket at its service. They do that so that more people will be guilted into donating. In all honesty, God doesn't care much for flash. When a basket goes around everyone sees who is giving and often how much. I have always felt extremely uncomfortable when the basket part of the service begins. I imagine I am not alone in that feeling. I attended a church that never passes a basket. It took me a year before I finally learned how to give money to them. They had service to teach about the Word of God only. Sadly, many churches have service to use the Word of God to make a point that often even isn't the true message that God intended you to hear. This particular church that I attended for close to three years, had service and truly taught its members about the Lord. They drove home the point that it was important for you to build a relationship with Him and then share His Love and Truth with others. They also educated you about spiritual warfare. This fellowship had more than enough money to go on mission trips and to help those that needed help and they didn't do it by reciting verses in the Bible that suggest that you are to give money to God. People sought them out to donate money. This is what happens when you are a part of a true church family. Today I would encourage you to seek the Lord for yourself. While it is important to also find a church family, it is even more important that you spend time with the Lord by yourself. Begin by reading His Word. Ephesians is the first book that I studied and within its few chapters, you are taught a lot. If you have never picked up the bible, this would be a great place to start. After you read that book, it would be wise to learn who Jesus is. The four gospels share many of the similar stories but only the Gospel of John fully reveals the Lords love for His people in a way that none of the other Gospels do. Every day read a chapter and reflect on it. Every day seek the Lord and His will. They are both activities that will help you keep focused on the truth and not get pulled under by one of Satan's never ending schemes. Another thing that help is sharing the Lord with others. By encouraging someone else you will be strengthened yourself. Father today I pray that more and more of your children learn about the armor you have so graciously provided us all with. May they learn it exists and then begin using it daily. May the hands and feet of Jesus be as active as they can be, encouraging others to discover God's love for them as well as discovering who they are in Christ. In Jesus name I pray. Amen! Wendy, walks with God, Mom of Many © Wendy Glidden 2014

Have You Ever Been Perplexed?

Good Morning everyone! Today is Marvelously Magnificent Miraculous Monday! Can I get a whoop whoop! Many of you know I am in the midst of finishing my second book. I am still on course to have it listed on Amazon by this Friday! Last Friday by the time I had arrived at home, I quickly realized I was under a fierce attack from the evil one. He was hitting me hard and fast. I was being bombarded with so many arrows, I felt myself on the brink of a panic attack. After we had put the children to bed, I looked at Mike and said, "I need to start editing book two right now and just make sure I'm not crazy and it really isn't as awful as I am beginning to think it is."

He laughed and asked, "Why are you worried about it being awful, you are clever and your writing is great. Every time you sit down to share a blog post, I'll admit at first I dread it. Then as I listen to you read what you have written, I always find myself thinking wow. That's really good."

I smiled at him, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and said, "I think I'll start by treating myself to a memory bar." and I went into the kitchen to grab one from my well hidden stash. There are only three squares to each bar and they are truly to die for. I took a bite and tossed the bar on my nightstand and Mike asked, "Where's mine?"

I bent down to grab my computer bag and to hide my face as I said, "You don't want a piece, they really aren't that good." I immediately snort laughed because I couldn't help myself. I was already massively enjoying my bite. Knowing the jig was up, I burst into full blown laughter. When I saw Mike's face, I began laughing even harder. By the time I finally got myself under control my anxiety was decreased significantly.

To get my computer out of my bag, I have to take my bible out first. When I did, I remembered an encouraging word I had shared the day before. I was telling Mike about it and I stopped long enough to read it to him. The scripture being quoted is out of 2 Corinthians, chapter 4, verses 7 - 9:

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, NLT

When I put down my bible, I was chattering away about what I felt when I first read the verse. After that, I cracked open my lap top, found my file for my next book, 'You Are Worthy Too: Marriage, Motherhood and My Moral Meltdown', opened it up and began the process of editing it from beginning to end.

I was about half way down the third page when I read; Perplexed but wanting to graduate, I bit my tongue.

I actually gasped because to me there are no coincidences in life. Having written this paragraph long before I had read that encouraging word was like God saying outright that my book is good. I came close to tearing up and had to share the coolness of it all with Mike who was quickly falling asleep.

Over the course of the weekend, I managed to completely finish editing all 12 chapters. Tonight I will be adding all the front and back matter and then it is off to the publisher for final approval. Should I pass the test, this book will be out as planned on February 14, 2014.

Today, I have had everything that could go wrong go wrong. From computer crashes to crazy time wasting calls. On top of that I had things I had to accomplish to qualify for the 'Mom on the ball' and 'Wife who never lets husband down' award.

I am blessed to work with a lady named Joan. I have known her since I was 16 years old and she is a follower of Christ. I can't imagine what daily life would be like if I didn't get to work with her 4 out of my 5 work days. When my computer began making a fire alarm sound, I unplugged the keyboard having learned from a previous incident that was what the issue was and I began laughing about it all with Joan.

We decided this second book is really going to be something because life is getting crazy for me in every way possible. I prefer this type of trouble over a fiery arrow attack. Even knowing how to protect myself from those, it is amazing at how quickly it's all you can do to move yourself to take up your shield of faith and whip out your sword!

I truly am amazed that this January I knew I was going to get my first book completed. I accepted engagements in March based on me being a published Author before then. Talk about stepping out in Faith! I've seen that I will publish at least 5 books this year. It amazes me to think I really will and maybe even more than that! I know God will do whatever He needs to for me to accomplish what He intends me to accomplish. Often people hear all I do in a week and they ask me, "How on earth do you find the time to get so much done?"

Honestly if I didn't recognize God working in my life I would be clueless myself! I would encourage you to seek God and reach for the dreams he instilled in your heart. If you don't know what those are, go to Him and ask.

For those who do not already know, the books I am currently putting out are my true life story. Volume 1 takes you from my earliest memories to the end of my 16th year. It is called 'You Are Worthy Too: In the Beginning' the next book takes you from age 17 to 23. If sequels are something you look for, this will be a great read for you. I am pricing my ebooks at only $3.99.

I must end here as I am out of time to write!

For those that would like to either purchase or take a free sneak peak at the first book, click on the link:

This will take you to: You Are Worthy Too: In the Beginning

Father, today I come to you with thanks. Thank you for laughter, it truly helps. Thank you for great music with awesome lyrics that help me praise you and draw close. Thank you for the bible itself. Not a day goes by that I don't need to read it. You are so kind to give us so many signs that you have us. They become easier to see the closer one gets to you. I pray that I grow in wisdom. I pray I am a light for others. I pray all my dreams come true and I thank you for all your help. May all I do help reveal your glory. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God,
Mom of Many

A Prayer of Protection for the Children of God

It's Tremendously Thankful Thoughtful Thursday! I love this day. Honestly, ever since I renamed all the days of the week a year ago, I have fallen in love with every one of them. I am working on a calendar to go along with the renaming. There is so much work I have set myself up for this year! I am truly super excited to see it all come together.

As many of you know, I start my days out with K-loves encouraging word. Today is one of those days where you see or hear something and you just know it was created especially for you. Many of this years encouraging words have made me feel that way. Today's encouraging word comes from Matthew, Chapter 6, verses 26 - 27:

verse 26: Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

verse 27: And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?

For me when I read this verse it was as if God was personally reaching out to me and reminding me that He always will take care of me. I will never go without. Therefor don't worry about things like, "If I am pregnant with another child, how on earth will I manage everything?"

As of today, I am behind schedule and very well may be pregnant. The old me, the girl who attempted to do everything in her own strength would be freaking out to the max right now. Instead, I see this for what it is. Either a blessing or a gentle reminder to remain firm in my faith. I have no idea what God has in store for me, but I have Faith it is all good.

The other day. Sunday as a matter of fact. We were all getting ready for church. As often happens in a home with more than one child, various arguments were beginning to brew. I have been trying to get my children to realize how silly their disputes are to no avail.

However, something happened this past Sunday and I can only believe it was the Holy Spirit speaking through me to my children. I don't remember exactly what happened prior but what ever it was, it made me call an emergency family meeting with the children.

Once I had every one's attention, I began talking. "Do any of you know how sneaky the father of lies is?" No one answered so I wondered if they knew who I was referring to. I talk about him often but you never really know what your children pick up on and what they don't, so I continued, "The father of lies is Satan. He is so sneaky he can say things to you and make you think they are your own thoughts. The thoughts he plants inside of your head can make you angry or jealous and before you know it you are in a fight with one of your sisters or brothers." Now I had their full attention.

I have often wondered why when you have more than one child riding in a car one for any length of time one of them is always bound to begin crying out, "Stop looking at me!" I know I did this myself as a child. Today I truly believe this is one of many arrows the evil one launches at innocent minds; The feeling that a sibling is somehow making fun of them by simply looking at them even when they aren't even being looked at! So, I used that scenario to paint the scene of silliness for them. Using humor when teaching is often effective!

After that I asked them if any of them knew how they could protect themselves from Satan. Wide eyed and captivated they all looked at each other to see if anyone had a hand up. No one did. I told them I was going to teach them a prayer that would protect them and that they would need to say it every morning and every night and anytime they felt they might be under an attack. This is the prayer I taught them:

"Good morning God. I know that I am in a spiritual war. I am just a kid. I do not know how to protect myself. Please protect me in all your mighty ways. In Jesus name I pray. Amen."

Simple, sweet and right to the point. We said it together line by line. Then I asked, "Who knows the first line?" and continued until we had said the entire prayer. As they took turns saying a part of the prayer they either changed it a little or added words to it. I smiled and said, yes. That's it. You don't have to say it exactly the same every time, you just need to say the prayer how it comes out. You are praying for protection because you know that you are in a spiritual war. You are asking God to help you win the battle.

Next I asked them if any of them knew why we pray in the name of Jesus? None of them did so we talked about the sacrifice Jesus made for us. We talked about how He could have called out at anytime to stop it all yet He did not. We talked about how His blood had to be poured out for our sins to be covered and it was in His dying that He concurred death for us. We talked about how important it was to get to know about Jesus. We talked about how after He left, the Holy Spirit came and how we walk in the Spirit today. It seemed to make quite the impression on them. God never ceases to amaze me. I was surprised to hear myself speaking the words I was speaking but I continued to let them be spoken for I knew the source.

I have to tell you, the fights in my house have diminished tremendously since they all began saying this prayer. In all honesty, there has not been a fight between any of them that I can recall this entire week. Traveling in the car has even been peaceful. That my friends is amazing.

Satan uses whatever he can to disrupt your day in an attempt to put your light out. Don't think for one second he is not out to steal your joy, kill your dreams and destroy your family. Children are a great weapon for him to use against adults and use them he does.

God gave me that prayer to share with my children. This morning as I was spending time with the Lord, this prayer came full blown to me again along with the above title of this post and I knew what I would be writing about today.

I love that God gives me titles to write on. They seem to unlock writers block for me. This month I have been doing so much reading and researching and learning that I have not written a lot myself. Yesterday as I went to bed I was thinking to myself, 'It is already Wednesday night and I have written nothing new this week.'

I know it is silly but sometimes I fear no more words will come to me. That is a fiery arrow from the evil one! I know that because of the vision that God gave me last year.

I was in a meeting with my life coach, Cathy Padgett, and she was praying over me. I had my eyes closed and all of a sudden a whirlwind of post it notes were whipping all around me. Quickly they began sticking to the walls in perfect order. One right after the other, side by side, all blank. I told Cathy about the vision and how I was not sure what it meant. I was focused on the post it notes. I am not a fan of them. I thought it was odd that they started out in a tornado like fashion and then quickly got in order against the wall but I admitted I had no real idea what the vision meant.

It was on my way home that I got the second piece of the vision. I was in the process of asking God what the post it notes meant when I clearly heard, "You will fill them all."

Suddenly I knew! He was showing me that I would indeed have the desires of my heart. The whole thing was so abundantly overwhelming I cannot even put into words how big my heart expanded.

I hope in me sharing this amazing testimony you also are better equipped to recognize Satan's fiery arrows. I know he wants to keep me from writing. This is why he fires the thought at me. He wants to grip my heart with fear so that all I can think about is his fiery arrow: 'What if the words stop'. God gave me the vision so I could quickly distinguish that negative soundtrack from playing. The words will never stop. They belong to God and they are never ending.

I also know that Satan does not want me praying. He doesn't want any of us standing firmly in our faith. He will try with all his might to shake it. He never rests, he never stops fighting, he is relentless, shrewd and wise in the ways of war and how to best wage it against you. Don't for one second think you have defeated him! You must put on your full suit of armor every day. Pray for others always and when you think of someone out of nowhere, say a quick prayer for them. There are no coincidences. You thought of them for a reason.

I am learning more and more about God, His Word and how to protect myself from the evil one. However, I also know just how shrewd the evil one is and how quickly he can attack you out of nowhere. So, it is my suggestion that everyone say a daily prayer for protection. You can make it simple, you can use the one above and change it to fit who you think you are. For example, you could say: Good morning God. I know I am in a spiritual war. I am just learning about spiritual battles and the armor I need to protect myself. So I am here to ask you to please protect me in all your mighty ways. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Or you can say something like, "Good morning God. I thank you for all you do for me in the ways of protection. I thank you for always having my back. I am not the wisest when it comes to the ways of war and I have moments of weakness. I know that is all the evil one needs to come at me full force. When I put my guard down Lord I pray you shake me awake so that I quickly see my foe at work and understand all I need is to trust and rest in You. You are faithful Lord. I know that. I trust that. Help me be a mighty warrior so I can help more captives break free. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Prayer is incredible. It is a form of protection and one you should use daily! I used to fear saying prayers out loud. I was afraid I didn't know how to pray the right way! The funny thing is I have been saying prayers most of my life, I just never thought of them as prayers. I thought of them as talks with God. It is impossible to say a bad prayer. Satan wants to keep you from praying for he knows their is actual power in prayers. Don't allow him to keep you from praying. We all need to pray every day. We need to come to God with joy in our hearts knowing how incredible He is and thanking Him for everything. Next we ask for help with something. After I ask for the help I need, I thank Him again. He is the almighty God and nothing is too hard for Him.

I know when it comes to praying all of us have gone to God and asked for something and have felt like we didn't get it. The best example I can think of is those that ask for a loved one to be healed and instead of being made better, they pass away. This is a big reason many in the world have lost faith in God. I would like to remind all of you that our days on earth are numbered. We don't get to chose where we are born and we don't get to pick how we exit this life. We are born, we live and we all die a physical death. We should not fret over this. We can and should always pray for healing but we should not lose heart when a loved one does not recover. It is my belief that it was their time to die. The way they exit may indeed cause much heartache and despair so pray for the lives around that person as well.

It's been a few posts since I have added a song to a blog post. I am sure I am meant to share this song with you here on this post for it just began playing in my head. That is no coincidence for my son is sitting next to me watching a kid show on Netflix and there is a song playing that is nothing like this. Try thinking of a song on purpose while another song is playing. It's hard. With that being said, I leave you with Sanctus Real and their hit song, Pray: 

Father, I thank you today for all you have done for me. I am blown away by the visions I see now and all I can say is thank you thank you thank you. I am humbled to think you love me so much. After all who am I? Yes. I am a child of yours. Plain and simple. You love your children. How that knowledge explodes my heart. Help me be a bright light Lord. Help me be a mighty warrior. I want nothing more than to help my fellow brothers and sisters break out of captivity. Please use me Lord. In every way you see fit. I am so pleased to finally be doing what I have always wanted to do. Write words of encouragement. Thank you for using me in such great ways. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy Glidden, walks with God

Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2014

I Am FREE!! Do You Know Who You Are in Christ?

Today is Terrific Testimonial Tell All Tuesday! My tell all testimony is this. KNOW WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST!! It will completely change life as you know it. I was reminded of so many things this morning as I opened my mail and checked out a status update from a few of my uplifting friends out there on Facebook. I started out by reading a status update from a special friend of mine. I will be seeing her tonight at the monthly meeting for her ministry 'Hagar's Fountain of Hope'. Interestingly enough I met her by going to an event she was putting on last year. I went because the girl that had returned my wallet to me with a message from God had invited me to it. Funny enough, they are sisters. I didn't even know that until I went to my first monthly meeting this past January. I have attended the meetings every month since then. It's awesome to have a strong group of God loving women to surround yourself with. It truly helps to keep your focus on the things that are important. I'm super excited to share with them how I have shed 23 1/2 inches of fat off of the main areas of my body since the last time we hung out! I still have to double that loss to get to my final goal but you could certainly say I'm busting a move toward that goal!! I will share this, it's truly about nutrition and after three years of marketing in the wellness field, I have learned a boatload about nutrition. Add that with my experience with various types of exercise and I am absolutely killing it. I must openly admit that this all began with a heartfelt prayer for my health to be given back to me. I truly believe that as long as my passion is for the Lord, He will indeed honor His promise and give me the desires of my heart. I have been witnessing desire after desire come to fruition. It is very hard to deny the truth of God's word when it manifests itself around you constantly. Honestly, it makes me feel like I'm getting a constant edge on this faith thing! My faith overflows. I love our Father for he is always Faithful, even when we aren't 100% faithful ourselves. His love is amazing. His grace is amazing. He IS AMAZING. My heart breaks for all who have not found their way home. For all who are longing for a relationship with the Lord but don't know where to start. Start in His word. Start with simple prayer. Talk to Him as if you would a friend. When trouble smacks you in the face, before you pick up the phone to vent or discuss with a friend, I encourage you to get to your knees and connect with God. The more you seek Him, the more you will recognize Him. You see, He is already around you, watching and waiting for you to invite Him in so He can better help you. The Father of Lies will always be working on destroying that relationship for when you draw close to the Lord, he loses more of his power. This does not make him happy and he will work harder at taking you out of your happy zone. Don't allow him to take that from you. Make sure to put on your proper fighting attire every day. If you are not sure what this is, I covered it pretty well last week. Check out my blog entitled 'Are you Dressed for Daily Battle? Here's the link:  http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2013/10/are-you-dressed-for-daily-battle.html 

So back to where I started, my friend was talking about how she did not always use her title 'minister'. She commented that when someone else introduces her they mention all her titles and she is thinking, "Dang, I want to meet that girl!" and then she realizes it's her. So today she mentioned all the titles she is described as when others are introducing her and it reminded me of this song by Matthew West. You know I went and found it for you! Please take the time to listen and understand this is who you are in Christ:

I love this song. When it comes on the radio, every one of my children sing it LOUDLY with me!! Great words to hear from the mouths of your babes!! Count me loving life and living it abundantly just the way my Savior intended me to!! Speaking of my Savior and all He has taken care of for me, here is today's encouraging word by K-Love:

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.

~ Acts, NLT 

Many people will say oh you will be saved as long as you believe in God or you do more good than bad or what ever it is that they come up with. It's right there in God's word that the only way you can be saved is through Jesus Christ. I would encourage you that if this topic is a struggle for you that you seriously give Jesus a true look. I encourage you to pray for wisdom on the matter and read the gospels. Follow the gospel of Luke for the first one you read. You will realize all four gospels share the life of Jesus from a slightly different angel for they are writing to different sects of society. Many of the things the four share are almost word for word. What makes the gospel of Luke the best to follow for the first one you read is that he is the only one that writes it all in chronological order. As you read it, you will come to understand that Jesus fulfilled messianic miracles prophesied about in the Old Testament and your belief level in who He is will grow. For a mere human to complete just 8 would be phenomenal. However Jesus completed many more than that. To save me a little time, I cheated and found what I think is the best written article of facts regarding this. Feel free to check it out for yourself. http://christianity.about.com/od/biblefactsandlists/a/Prophecies-Jesus.htm

It is my prayer that you recognize the truth and become a follower of Christ yourself.

Father, today I pray that the evil one is bound from those in search of the truth. May his lies be kept silent from the ears of all who are searching for salvation. May they come to know your son, our Messiah, Jesus Christ. May they too begin to follow Him and share the good news with others. May the workers grow, may the fields be harvested. May we work as the body of Christ as you intended us to. I want to thank you for all you have done when it comes to strengthening my faith and all my many blessings. You are so kind and loving and your grace amazes me daily, hourly, minute by minute. I am so blessed to have the relationship I do with you. I never want to be disconnected from you again. Thank you for clearly laying out the armor I will need every day to protect myself from the dangers of this world. Thank you for the wisdom you have shared. Thank you for the freedom I have. To be able to openly read your word where ever I am. So many of my brothers and sisters do not have such freedom. Go to them Father and lift them in your loving arms. Shine your light so that doubters are changed into believers. May the truth be so clear even the blind are given perfect sight. In Jesus name I pray. Amen

** For the full story of my wallet being returned these are the links to the two blogs that cover this testimony. May you find yourself blessed in reading them.

1. http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2012/12/show-me-sign.html
2. http://youareworthytoo.blogspot.com/2013/07/unpacking-treasure-show-me-sign-part-ii.html

Wendy, walks with God,
Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2013

I AM a Daughter of the Most High!

Terrific Testimonial tell all Tuesday. Today my tell all is this. KNOW who you are in Christ. Sometimes when you put your foot down all the way, God intervenes for you. Keep praying and listen to the voice of truth. It will never steer you wrong. 

This was part of my morning post on my "You Are Worthy Too" page on face book. If you are wishing there was a way you could follow my blog without having to subscribe, you could always hop on face book and like my fan page (hint hint here is the link should you feel so inclined! https://www.facebook.com/YouAreWorthyToo ) Anyway, this morning, I woke with so much joy. I just knew my blog was going to rock today.  I could feel the spirit moving me. All day long, what I felt I was being drawn to share, has been built upon with a teaching here and a word there that I caught on Moody radio and then a song on the radio kind of helped tie it off. With that being said, here is what I learned today:

My day started out with hearing several directions for all believers to follow. I was so cracking up by this lesson. It was about 10 AM. I do not know who it was teaching it and I'm sure I won't do it complete justice, but here is what I caught. When you become a follower of Christ, you are called into ministry. When you answer the calling, life is not going to be all roses. Much the opposite. You see people are busy. They are not interested in what you have to say. They are hard headed, set in their ways, it is hard to get their full attention, and even when you do succeed at gaining their attention, many will call you names, make fun of you, you will even be taken advantage of. I encourage you to answer the call anyway! I laughed out loud. He went on to say something like this:

1. When you go about doing good, there will be those that accuse you of doing so for personal reward. Do good anyway.

2. When you go about your life being kind to others, no matter how kind you are, you will often be treated badly. Be kind anyway.

3. While helping others, you will be accused of doing so for some type of personal gain.  Help anyway.

4. When you succeed you will make false friends and real enemies. Succeed anyway.

These all made me laugh. While sad, these claims bear much truth. I have been accused of having false motives. I have caught the ire of complete strangers while doing no harm to them. I have even collected a few false friends. It is what it is. However, I am going to keep doing what I am doing. Sharing my story. Testifying about Jesus, my Savior. Spreading the message of the good news. I am a follower of Christ and I simply have no choice. I honestly cannot help myself. Nothing brings more joy to me than receiving a message from someone touched by my writing. I love to be an encouragement to others. I love to inspire and give others hope. This life is full of pain. There are always moments of joy for all who live but it seems the daily grind wears us down quicker than the good moments lift us up. When you concentrate on the "things of this world" you lose sight of the real cause of joy. Most of us have fallen into this trap. The evil one is a clever liar. Usually you don't even realize he has your ear until it is too late. Fear not, there is a way to protect yourself better. All you need to do is build your relationship with the Lord. Please do not misunderstand me. I am not saying you need to become religious. Much the opposite. Just read God's word, pray and knock on that door. Build your relationship. He is your Father and he has a message for you. "Come Home, you are loved."

As I look in the review mirror and see how far I have come on my own journey back home, I am amazed at not only God's grace, but His amazing timing. Many place blame on Him and say He put me through this to help me grow. I don't believe that for that would take away from free will in a way. I believe the evil one is always on the prowl watching for those he can force to stumble and he is the true cause of destruction and pain. Many times when bad things or pain enters into our life, it is of our own doing. By not following the narrow path we subject ourselves to much of this and then there are the various players we come into contact with in our daily walk. They all have their own free will and the evil one can use them against us even when we are walking the narrow path. What we must remember is that God will use all evils for good for those who trust in Him. I get how crazy scary letting go and letting God, trusting in Him when the whole world seems to be falling apart, but that is the biggest illusion. That is the devil's game. Having you believe you can do something to save the situation on your own, in your own strength. Think of it as an awful dream. It is just this world. It's already fallen. It's going to continue to fall. The good news is we have eternal life after we leave behind this body that Satan can attack. On the other side, the father of lies cannot touch us. Let him do what he may in the here and now. Profess the love the Lord has for you and you will begin to see it more evident in your day to day walk. I encourage you to step out in faith. Read my story. Hear my joy. I have not led an easy life. The majority of hard times were of my own doing. When I do what I want out of fear or jealousy or pride or whatever, man things just go wrong. When I do what the Lord puts in my heart to do regardless of how crazy it may seem at the time, it always turns out good. Take this blog for example. You have no idea how blessed I am in sharing my story. Blessed beyond measure. Does the evil one still come at me? Are you kidding?!? DAILY! I just know he is out there and I put on my full suit of armor. 

I had really meant to post this blog on Tuesday but time simply was not on my side! I attend a fellowship meeting with a few awesome, God seeking woman every 3rd Tuesday of the month. If you are in Indianapolis or anywhere close by, you should check us out. This is my challenge / dare to you, if this affirmation we say every day and meeting speaks to you at all, I dare you to come and hangout with us. We have dinner together, discuss goals and plan ways to help and encourage other women!!

Hagar's Affirmation

I am a Daughter of the Most High. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am beautiful, whole, and complete. Everything I need can be found in and provided by my Father. I don't have to beg for anything or any one's attention. I realize that I am the prize, the good thing to be found. I will not beg for scraps when I know that my Father has prepared a table for me. I am empowered, encouraged, educated and edified. God has opened my eyes to see that I can do all and be all I've been called to be through Christ who strengthens me. I will allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct me as I begin again the kingdom way and receive all that my Father has for me. I am beautiful and whole and perfectly me. I am a Daughter of the Most High, just who I've been called to be!

This is K-Loves encouraging word from Tuesday

So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. ~ Galatians 6:9, NLT

Indeed! I just love it. Here I am on Thursday finally back to my blog post I began Tuesday to finish it up. Busy would be a good word for my life. I do manage to post an encouraging statement everyday on my face book fan page, so if you desire to see what the Holy Spirit has me sharing on a daily basis, just like my page and you won't miss a thing! Here is my post for today. 

Totally Tripping Thoroughly Thankful Tremendously Thoughtful Thursday! How my heart lept with joy as I read this truth from God: 

There is a time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.

~ Ecclesiastes 3:4, NLT

In the last 45 days I have done all of these to the most extreme forms! There is healing in crying and letting go of past hurts and laughter, well it truly is the best medicine . . . and grief . . . it let you have a taste of true total overwhelming engulfing pain and then you dance because you realize you made it through the storm and you are more alive than you were when you went in. No matter what is going on, hang onto your faith, call upon your Father, you will survive . . . after all, You're an Overcomer! I dedicate this song to you my beloved friends  

Father, thank you so much for the life you have blessed me with. I am so amazed at how you work and move and take the bad and flip it to good. I am humbled to be adored by you. Me, a beloved. I only desire to please you Lord. To say thank you and sing your praises. Teach me how to be a fisher of men Father. Move me, work through me. Allow me to be an extension of you. Help me to burst forth with so much fruit that those around me have no choice but to witness your Love. I am super excited today for I am being baptized. Not a requirement by law but a symbol of my belief and choice to follow Christ. I am so elated my Lord. So overwhelmed by my journey. Thank you, thank you, thank you. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

** On a side note, I think it is so cool that this morning I received a message from a fellow believer with the following scripture to read. Mark 16: 15-20. My study bible is in my car, so I googled it on the Internet. Here it is:

Verse 15: He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

Verse 16: Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Verse 17: And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

Verse 18: they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well."

Verse 19: After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.

Verse 20: Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.

I am telling you, that really fired me up. I often wonder how many people would be reading the heck out of their bibles were they to understand the incredible thrilling stories inside. Stories from those who witnessed the Lord and those who listened to God before the arrival of our Savior Jesus Christ. I hope you find yourself interested in God's word today. May you be moved by the spirit. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Wendy, walks with God,

Mom of Many

© Wendy Glidden 2013