Ephesians 6:13-17
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
The world is full of warfare.
One could even say it's a world of warcraft (but only a few single guys living with their parents would say that)
Fight the good fight of faith.
Stand firm.
Allah and any other that would exult their name against or over the Name of Jesus is an idol and will be toppled over when the King of Kings returns.
Friday, July 25, 2014
Thursday, July 24, 2014
day no. 13,058: the day the dust will sing
Isaiah 26:19
Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.
The dead will live.
The dust will sing.
The dead will be born anew.
The dead won't stay dead.
The voice of the Lord will call and the dead will listen.
Some to everlasting life.
Some to everlasting destruction.
For some, death will never again be tasted.
For the rest, death will be drunk deeply for eternity.
Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.
The dead will live.
The dust will sing.
The dead will be born anew.
The dead won't stay dead.
The voice of the Lord will call and the dead will listen.
Some to everlasting life.
Some to everlasting destruction.
For some, death will never again be tasted.
For the rest, death will be drunk deeply for eternity.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
day no. 13,057: foxes in the henhouse
Song of Solomon 2:15
Catch the foxes for us,
the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards,
for our vineyards are in blossom.
Many marriages tolerate foxes.
They simply get used to them and assume them.
They get used to the discord and dysfunction and somehow survive day to day their destructive, deceptive presence.
Catch the foxes.
Don't let them live in your vineyard.
Don't tolerate their existence.
It will make life a little more uncomfortable at first if you've been allowing them to live in your lives, but it is worth it.
In the long run, your marriage will be built on honest and integrous interaction that allows both spouses to know and be known without all the rigamaroo of dancing around the issues that plague your garden.
The name of that unnecessary and deadly dance?
The foxtrot, of course!
Don't do it.
Pick off foxes as you root them out.
More like foxshot.
Catch the foxes for us,
the little foxes
that spoil the vineyards,
for our vineyards are in blossom.
Many marriages tolerate foxes.
They simply get used to them and assume them.
They get used to the discord and dysfunction and somehow survive day to day their destructive, deceptive presence.
Catch the foxes.
Don't let them live in your vineyard.
Don't tolerate their existence.
It will make life a little more uncomfortable at first if you've been allowing them to live in your lives, but it is worth it.
In the long run, your marriage will be built on honest and integrous interaction that allows both spouses to know and be known without all the rigamaroo of dancing around the issues that plague your garden.
The name of that unnecessary and deadly dance?
The foxtrot, of course!
Don't do it.
Pick off foxes as you root them out.
More like foxshot.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
day no. 13,056: the Gospel first and before all other things
Galatians 1:3-5
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul begins a letter he knows is going to be stern and difficult the same way he always does: with the Gospel.
I love the book of Galatians. I love how pastoral and professorial Paul is in fleshing out the theology and doctrine of the Gospel in this letter. You can feel the passion of Paul in his words and the superlative nature of this charge given to the church at Galatia.
I love it.
One of my favorite books.
3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul begins a letter he knows is going to be stern and difficult the same way he always does: with the Gospel.
I love the book of Galatians. I love how pastoral and professorial Paul is in fleshing out the theology and doctrine of the Gospel in this letter. You can feel the passion of Paul in his words and the superlative nature of this charge given to the church at Galatia.
I love it.
One of my favorite books.
Monday, July 21, 2014
day no. 13,055: ashes to ashes...
Ecclesiastes 12:7
...and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Man is at his essence but dust.
When it is all said and done he returns to his humble beginnings.
God took dust and formed man.
He breathed His life into the dust and made man a living spirit-filled dust-formed body.
When it's all over, the body returns to dust and the spirit returns to God.
Hebrews 9:27
...and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Man is at his essence but dust.
When it is all said and done he returns to his humble beginnings.
God took dust and formed man.
He breathed His life into the dust and made man a living spirit-filled dust-formed body.
When it's all over, the body returns to dust and the spirit returns to God.
Hebrews 9:27
And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment...
(pause)
Because of sin, we all die.
But because of Christ, we may live.
(we now resume our scheduled programming)
Hebrews 9:28
...so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.
Friday, July 18, 2014
day no. 13,052: the days of youthful bliss
Ecclesiastes 11:9
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
Have fun.
Be young.
But know that God sees everything and will judge accordingly.
Don't waste your youth.
It's not an excuse to live only for your sweet sacred self.
God does not grade on an age curve.
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.
Have fun.
Be young.
But know that God sees everything and will judge accordingly.
Don't waste your youth.
It's not an excuse to live only for your sweet sacred self.
God does not grade on an age curve.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
day no. 13,051 continued... preaching at the Salt Company
This evening I preached at Candeo Church.
Psalm 84 was the text.
Here's the main take aways:
1. God allows us to be defined by what He has done for us rather than what we've done or what's been done to us by others (the sons of Korah) (vs. 1)
2. God gives value and rest to those who are considered worthless and restless (vs.3)
3. God turns the tears and suffering of our dry seasons in joyful springs of fresh water by which He perseveres us. (vs 6)
4. God, who is owed everything, gives grace, glory and every good thing to those who draw near to Him with integrity (vs. 11)
Psalm 84 was the text.
Here's the main take aways:
1. God allows us to be defined by what He has done for us rather than what we've done or what's been done to us by others (the sons of Korah) (vs. 1)
2. God gives value and rest to those who are considered worthless and restless (vs.3)
3. God turns the tears and suffering of our dry seasons in joyful springs of fresh water by which He perseveres us. (vs 6)
4. God, who is owed everything, gives grace, glory and every good thing to those who draw near to Him with integrity (vs. 11)
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