Continuing on, I noticed something in verse 13. It says to put on the whole armor of God. Not just part, but the whole thing. Each part will be essential. It also talks about withstanding. That means there will be conflict of some sort. I heard a commercial for notreligion.com today that depicted a young man giving his ticket to ride on the Salvation ship. When someone told him to get down after he had boarded, he realized he was in the middle of battle. He said something like, “hey, I didn’t sign up for this!” I think sometimes we might forget this Walk really is a battle.

So the Word says to take on the armor of God so that you can “withstand” the battle in the evil day. This is the evil day. Tomorrow will be the evil day. There’s a sense of relentless attached as the verse continues. After I’ve done everything I can against the enemy, where on my own I would certainly have fallen, the armor of God gives the strength to remain standing.

Next up: the armor.

-j

More great posts:

• Here’s Some Help For Your Bible Reading
• Seder Series Part 3 – The Order of Things
• Food for my Seder
• My First Seder
• Languaging

I was encouraged by a friend to begin a study of part of Ephesians 6. I decided to share it here as I go along. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to read it for yourself first. Let’s jump right in.

Why armor? This is indeed a battle, though verse 12 quantifies it. It’s not a physical battle; it’s mostly a spiritual battle, but maybe also partly a mental one. Not necessarily that I can will myself to fight (but I do have some responsibility, says 1 Cor. 9:27), but our minds can be a playground for temptation.

The purpose of this armor is to be able to withstand the onslaught of Satan. The King James Version uses the word “wiles”, or schemes. Those are perhaps the most dangerous kinds of attacks because a scheme is meant to deceive. The blatant attacks don’t surprise us. Our armor protects us, but we see those coming a mile away. It’s the schemes we don’t necessarily see and need to pay special attention to guarding against.

One important thing to note before going further is it’s not our own strength in which we stand. Paul, in verse 10, tells us to “be strong in he Lord, and in the power of His might.” The only way we can really be successful in fighting Satan’s schemes is to be standing firm on the Rock and relying on His strength to see us through.

-j

More great posts:

• Here’s Some Help For Your Bible Reading
• Seder Series Part 3 – The Order of Things
• Food for my Seder
• My First Seder
• Languaging

It’s no secret that I like comics. Especially Superman. I also like your occasional X-Man. My favorite show on TV right now is Heroes. It’s about people who were “normal” and one day realized they had supernatural abilities. The show tells of how they adapted to these abilities, learned how to use them, and saved the world. It appeals to me because what guy doesn’t wish he had some sort of superpower? I can live vicariously through a TV show. I know, I’m a dork.

When I read the Bible, I read stories of people who had what seemed like superpowers. Moses divided a sea so people could pass through it. David killed a giant. Peter walked on water. Not a few disciples healed people. Stephen was killed with a smile on his face. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s some pretty cool stuff.

Sometimes I think of their childhoods. They were probably pretty normal in their own circumstances. I bet when they were 10 they didn’t really think one day they would be in a book that people still read and live by after several thousand years. They were ordinary people, but something about them made them different. They had faith in God.

I have faith in God, and a lot of you do too. Do you really think you could part a sea? I know, Moses didn’t do anything other than obey God, and God did the work. But that’s how it works anyway. We wouldn’t be doing any of that stuff, God would. I started at the same place guys like Moses and Paul did. I gotta think there isn’t really anything physically different about me in relation to Paul. So then why do I consider Paul a spiritual superhero and myself nothing?

Humility aside (Paul would consider himself nothing as well, I think), I’m starting to believe that we really could do stuff like Paul did. If it wasn’t him doing it, but God, then it stands to reason that God could perform these works in us. We could be spiritual superheroes to someone else. Some people have. I haven’t, and I think it’s my fault.

Moses was just as ordinary a guy as I am (aside from his palatial Egyptian residence). God, help me to believe I can part a sea, and then take me to that sea. Use me to bring glory to Yourself.

Mark 16:15-20

-j

More great posts:

• Here’s Some Help For Your Bible Reading
• Seder Series Part 3 – The Order of Things
• Food for my Seder
• My First Seder
• Languaging

“If you ask anything in My name, I will do it” – Jesus, John 14:14

In Jesus’ Name…

We’re taught in church not to use the Lord’s name in vain. What that means to us is not saying things like “Oh my God!” when something crazy happens, and certainly not saying the big “G-D”. That is all well and good. I do not personally appreciate people invoking the name of God when they don’t really mean it (especially people who don’t even believe in Him…why do they keep saying His name if He doesn’t exist?).

Last night something hit me. I use Jesus’ name in vain all the time. Almost daily. Probably several times a day.

I was praying, and after I finished with my “In Jesus’ name, Amen,” I realized I didn’t mean half of what I had just said. I mean, I meant it in my head, but I didn’t really mean it in my heart. When I pray, I am speaking to my Lord and Savior. I am thanking Him for what He has done, asking His forgiveness for the sins I commit that put Him on the cross, petitioning Him to bring healing into someone’s life. At least that’s what should be happening. Instead, more often than I’d care to admit, the effect is something like, “Hey, Jesus, how’s it goin? Hey, I’m sorry for that stuff I did. I won’t do it again (but I probably will). Oh, and by the way, can you take care of this person for me? Thanks, man! I’ll holla at you later.”

I don’t mean to sound crass, but when I finished praying last night, that’s what I felt like the heart of my prayer was, even though it sounded more “spiritual”. Then to top it off, I added “In Jesus’ name” to the end. At that point, God really spoke to me and said “How dare you use My Son’s name so flippantly? After all He’s done for you, you have that much disrespect for His authority?” I had to repent for praying the way I did, and today it hurts me that I hurt Him so much yesterday.

His name is not just a name. It’s not just something we say. It has power. It has strength. It has victory. He said himself that if we ask anything – *anything* – in His name, He will do it. There isn’t a person alive who can claim that kind of integrity. Even more than integrity, sometimes the stuff He does in His name is literally impossible for humans to do. I believe there is much, much more to the name of Jesus than we realize. It’s no wonder the Jews didn’t write out God’s name. They realized the power in it. Somehow I think I have lost that realization, and I want it back.

Think about this the next time you pray. Are you praying as if you’re speaking to the Love of your life, your Savior, your God? Do you really mean what you’re saying, or is it just habit? Be careful how you use Jesus’ name in your prayers…you may find you’re almost as profane as I am.

-j

More great posts:

• Here’s Some Help For Your Bible Reading
• Seder Series Part 3 – The Order of Things
• Food for my Seder
• My First Seder
• Languaging