Spring Is In The Air

It is definately feeling like spring around here lately. The temperatures have been great, hitting the low (or maybe even mid) teens celcius, the sun has been shining, and cool breezes blowing. I heard a couple of robins singing this morning, but when I looked out the window I didn't see them so I figure they must have been in the trees beside the house where there is no window.
The crocuses have been out, and they look so beautiful! I think they might be a type of flower that spreads because we only started out with a few of them several years ago, and now there are so many of them...there are a few growing in the grass beside the flower bed even!

For some reason, I never thing to post pictures on this blog. I do on my knitting one, but they are usually pics of my completed knitting projects. So, after I was out and took a few pics of the crocuses I thought why not incorporate them in my post!

Spring is a time for rebirth. It is the time of year when flowers like the crocuses, daffodils, and tulips push their way up through the soil and reach up toward the sun, bursting forth with their beauty for all to see. The trees begin to grow buds, and soon leaves will sprout from them, growing until they create a canopy of shade.

I love spring. It it a time to grow, it gives me hope and makes me feel renewed and rejuvenated after a long (or even short) cold winter. I find that my dreams for the year seem to come alive at this time, rather than in January when the new year begins. I feel like I am like a bear (or some other animal) that comes out of hibernation.

I have even discovered that my walk with the Lord becomes renewed as well in the spring. I don't know why that is. It feels like during the winter my spritual journey goes into hibernation and I get lazy in my walk. Though I love the Lord and want to be obedient and do for Him all I can, I seem to run out of steam and get slack in my faith. Oh, I still have faith, etc., don't get me wrong. I just feel so sluggish and stagnant in my walk at that time.

In the spring, especially on the bright and sunny days, my faith and walk seems to get renewed as well. It seems, just like the crocuses, to just push up out of the dirt and stretch and grow in the Son shine. I want His glory and His beauty to burst forth in and through me. Yes, spring is a time for rebirth and new growth, and my prayer is that I will continue to experience a rebirth and new growth in my walk with the Lord, after the lethargy of a winter slump.

Where Did All The Commenters Go and Other News

Yeah, so as anyone who has made a trip to my blog recently knows that I have just completed a nine part series on the Armor of God.

While my stats were pretty good during the run, or at least what I consider pretty good, my comments were mega low (not to be confused with the Megalo Mart on King of the Hill)! Now, granted I know not everyone leaves comments or wants to. Not everyone knows what to say in the comments. I know, because sometimes I myself am like that from time to time.

However, what's a girl to do to get comments? Be careful how you answer that...this IS a Christian blog! Oh, and I will not pay you to leave comments either...mainly because I can't afford it.

Now, to be fair, there were a handful of commenters on the posts and I want to thank you and let you know I appreciate them :o). And, I know that there were some lurkers, those who may have just read and not left a comment, thank you for taking the time to read. Oh, and someone (or more than one) found me several times by doing a search for the Armor of God. Hope you enjoyed the series!

Ok, yeah, back to reality...time to remind myself that it's not about the comments, it's not about me. It's about the Lord. If anything that I have written has even come close to helping someone, then the glory and praise all go to Jesus and not me!

So, in other news, back in February I applied for the Bachelor of Education program at school for next fall. A couple of weeks ago I heard back that I have been selected to have an interview for this. I am one step closer to getting accepted. Not everyone applies gets an interview - it's one of those weeding out processes. Anyway, I go for my interview on April 24, 2006 at 10:00am. I'm excited and nervous as the interview is in front of three or four of the professors and admissions people and I have never had an interview like this.

Also, with regard to school, things are slowly coming to a close and there is only a month left until graduation. Wow, the time has gone by fast! I just finished up my last paper that I will ever do for my BA and all I have left is a presentation (and two exams). My paper is for my world view class, and my topic was comparing the Jehovah's Witness worldview with Historic Christianity. What a broad subject that is! There is so much that I could put in the paper, but I am only limited to 10 pages...I tried to focus on a few main points, but honestly I don't think it came off too well. At this stage in the game, I am hoping for a C on it...though I would like something a lot higher.

I am told this prof is a hard marker, and when I submitted my outline to him on the topic, he let me know I was on the right page, but also put a lot of comments on it which totally confused me. I don't know if it was ok for minfo in the paper and just try to jazz things up for the presentation, or if he didn't want me to touch it at all. He did say to not focus too much on the Christian aspect because most everyone in the class has a good grasp of it, so he wanted me (I think) to mainly focus on the JW's.

I have an idea for my presentation for it, if I will just allow myself to step out of the box to do it. It's not the way I would normally do a presentation so I need to plan it and work it out. Thankfully I don't present until the 10th so I have a little time to prepare. I was hoping I wouldn't get the 3rd (there are 2 days of presentations because it's a fairly big class) because I have a test on the 4th and it's for my communication disorders class and I really need to study for it...though it doesn't seem to matter how long I study, I can't get higher than C+ and that grieves me.

Anyway, this is turning into a long post. If I expect comments I probably shouldn't have long posts...otherwise no one will want to read!

God bless you all!

The Armor of God (Part 9)

Ephesians 6:18 "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints."

We come to the final segment in the Armor of God series. This section deals with prayer. Prayer is a vital part of our Christian lives and it is something we should be doing often, for it is the way we can communicate with God!

According to William MacDonald in the Believer's Bible Commentary (pg. 1953), "Prayer is not mentioned as a part of the armor; it is the atmosphere in which the soldier must live and breathe. Prayer should be continual, not sporadic; a habit, not an isolated act. Then too the soldier should use all kinds of prayer: public and private, deliberate and spontaneous, supplication and intercession, confession and humiliation, praise and thanksgiving. And prayer should be in the spirit, that is, inspired and led by Him. There must be vigilance in prayer: watchful to this end. We must watch against drowsiness, mindwander, and preoccupation with other things. Prayer requires spiritual keenness, alertness, and concentration. And there must be perseverance in prayer. We must keep on asking, seeking, knocking (Luke 11:9). Supplication should be made for all the saints. They are engaged in the conflict too, and need to be supported in prayer by their fellow soldiers."

One never knows when a brother or sister is involved in a spiritual battle. Keep them in prayer often! Fellowshipping is also a good way to find out if our fellow saints are needing specific prayers for their battles. I encourage each and every one of us to develop a consistant prayer life. As said before: prayer is vital to the Christian!

Matthew Henry's online commentary states: "Prayer must buckle on all the other parts of our Christian armor. We must join prayer with all these graces, for our defence against these spiritual enemies, imploring help and assistance of God, as the case requires: and we must pray always. Not as though we were to do nothing else but pray, [but] we must pray upon all occasions, and as often as our own and others' necessities call us to it. We must pray with all prayer and supplication, with all kinds of prayer: public, private, and secret, social and solitary, solemn and sudden; with all the parts of prayer: confession of sin, petition for mercy, and thansgiving for favours received. We must pray in the Spirit; our spirits must be employed in the duty and we must do it by the grace of God's good Spirit. When God says, 'Seek my face', our hearts must comply. This we must do with all perseverance. We must abide by the duty of prayer, whatever change there may be in our outward circumstances; and we must continue in it as long as we live in the world. We must persevere in a particular prayer; not cutting it short. We must likewise persevere in particular requests. And we must pray with supplication, not for ourselves only, but for all saints."

I encourage everyone to pray. We need to make it a daily part of our lives. When one of God's children gets on his/her knees to pray, satan trembles! He will try to stop you by putting other thoughts in your mind of things to do, places to go, people to talk to, etc. Don't let that hinder you. Keep paper and pen handy and write those things down if you think you might forget. Seek forgiveness from God for your wandering mind, and continue to pray.

My prayer is that each one of us draws closer to Jesus Christ, striving to be the type of people He wants us to be, to use Him as our role model, and to unite together in this battle against evil, and to be effective for His kingdom. Satan will try to separate us and cause divisions, but if we stick together with Jesus Christ as our common bond, we can and will defeat Satan's attacks!

Armor of God (Part 8)

Ephesians 6:17 "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Before we can get any piece of the armor, we need to be secure in our Salvation. We need to know and accept Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, for without Him we will not get the armor, nor will we be able to stand up to Satan. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, I highly encourage you to talk with someone, be it to a pastor, a Christian friend, or parent (or you can leave me a comment). Jesus Christ is our only hope for salvation and eternal life!

Here is what the Believer's Bible Commentary by William MacDonald (pg. 1952) has to say about the helmet of salvation: "No matter how hot the battle, the Christian is not daunted, since he knows that ultimate victory is sure. Assurance of eventual deliverance preserves him from retreat or surrender. If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)."

Matthew Henry's online commentary states: "Salvation must be our helmet; that is, hope, which has salvation for its object. The helmet secures the head. A good hope of salvation, well founded and well built, will both purify the soul and keep it from being defiled by Satan, and it will comfort the soul and keep it from being defiled by Satan, and it will comfort the soul and keep it from being troubled and tormented by Satan. He would tempt us to despair; but good hope keeps us trusting in God, and rejoicing in him."

The sword of the spirit refers to the Word, that is the Holy Bible. I encourage everyone to read their bibles on a daily basis, and become familiar with the passages. Scripture memorization is also a great way to use the sword against Satan and his minions. When Jesus was in the wilderness for 40 days and nights being tempted by Satan, He used the scriptures to do battle. He was able to quote the Word in the three instances that are mentioned. If we do not know any scripture, we will not be able to use it against the enemy to help defeat him in the battles in which we find ourselves involved. Part of the armour is the sword, and in order to use this item we need to do our part by becoming very familiar with Scripture. The Believer's Bible Commentary (pg. 1953) says that: "The word of God here does not mean the whole Bible, but the particular portion of the Bible which best suits the occasion."

We need to become familiar with the Bible; that is a fact.If we don't have a verse memorized that could fit to a particular temptation, sometimes just knowing where to look helps. If we recall a certain story that dealt with that particular temptation, we can at least turn to it and read it for comfort and reassurance. However, I strongly recommend memorization of "key" verses to be able to use them such as the way that Jesus used them.

Matthew Henry's online commentary states: "The sword is a very necessary and useful part of a soldier's furniture. The word of God is very necessary, and of great use to the Christian, in order to his maintaining the spiritual warfare and succeeding in it. It is called the sword of the Spirit, because it is of the Spirit's inditing and he renders it efficacious and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword...with this we assault the assailants. Scripture arguments are the most powerful arguments to repel temptation with. This, being hid in the heart, will preserve from sin, and will mortify and kill those lusts and corruptions that are latent there."

My brothers and sisters in Christ, I encourage you to become familiar with the scriptures and to be secure in your salvation in Jesus Christ. We are fighting an ongoing spiritual battle, and although Satan has indeed been defeated already with Christ's death on the cross, we still need to be prepared at all times for the onslaught of temptations and battles Satan has in store for us as God's children. However, keep in mind, that Satan too knows scripture, for he quoted it to Jesus when he was tempting Him. This knowing of scripture I am speaking of is more than just being able to spout off verses. It is knowing what verses to use and when to use them.

So now go with God, rest in His love and know that He will be with you in the battle, equipping you and giving you the strength you need. God bless one and all.

The Armor of God (Part 7)

Ephesians 6:16 "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

In this verse, we are to take up the shield of faith. Faith is a major part of Christianity. Hebrews 1:11 tells us "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Here is what Matthew Henry's online commentary says about this: "Faith and hope go together; and the same things that are the object of our hope are the object of our faith...Christ dwells in the soul by faith, and the soul is filled with the fullness of God...Faith demonstrates to the eye of the mind the reality of those things that cannot be discerned by the eye of the body."

It is our shield of faith which will extinguish, that is to put out, the firey, stinging arrows or darts that Satan sends our way. He does this to try to get our minds off God, to stop us from praying, from spending any time with God and doing His work, etc. When Satan sends his darts our way, if we have our shield of faith in place, they will be put out and will not be able to do any damage to us. The Believer's Bible Commentary by William MacDonald (page 1952) says this about the verse: "Faith here is firm confidence in the Lord and in His word. When temptations burn, when circumstances are adverse, when doubts assail, when shipwreck threatens, faith looks up and says, I believe God."

Matthew Henry's online commentary for Ephesians 6:16 has this to say: "This is more necessary than any of them. Faith is all in all to us in an hour of temptation. We are to be fully persuaded of the truth of all God's promises...such a faith being of great use against temptations. Faith, as receiving Christ and the benefits of redemption, so deriving grace from him, is like a shield, a sort of universal defence. Our enemy the devil is here called 'the wicked one'. His temptations are called darts, because of their swift and undiscerned flight, and the deep wounds that they give to the soul. Violent temptations, by which the soul is set on fire [by the fire] of hell, are the darts which Satan shoots at us. Faith is the shield with which we must quench these firey darts, wherein we should receive them, and so render them ineffectual, that they may not hit us, or at least that they may not hurt us. Observe, faith, acted upon the word of God and applying that, acted upon the grace of Christ and improving that, quenches the darts of temptation."

So, without faith we cannot stop Satan's attacks on us. Mind you, he will continue to attack us at any and every possible moment. We need to be prepared! If your faith is wavering, or depleted, his attacks will hit hard and strong. I encourage you to get on your kneees and turn to God. Ask Him to help you increase your faith. Our God is so amazing and powerful! He is here to help and protect us, to guide and use us for His kingdom's work. He has provided us with an armor of protection that we need to have on every single day...in fact, we should not remove even one piece of the armor, lest Satan sends an attack and it hits its target rendering us wounded.

I also encourage those with a strong faith to move in closer to weaker brothers and sisters to encourage them and guide them in their walk. We are all in this together, and the battle calls for unity and dependance upon God. Without Him, we are useless and will not be able to stand against this spiritual battle which we all face daily.

May the Lord our God, the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, guide you and protect you as you prepare for these spiritual battles that we face. May you turn to Jesus for strength, guidance, and protection. May you be blessed with the richness from knowing Jesus Christ, and may you be blessed as you help our brothers and sisters to stand strong in the battle against Satan. God loves each and every one of His children, and is here for us in these times of warfare, just as He is at all other times. He will strengthen us, guide us, and protect us, and He will not leave us! He will also equip us for our daily battles. I encourage you now to put on your shield of faith (along with the rest of the armor), for Satan is waiting just around the corner - don't let him have a foothold in the fight!

The Armor of God (Part 6)

Ephesians 6:16 "and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."

The next piece of armor tells us that we need to be ready (for our battles), and this readiness is what we receive when we delve into the Word - the Gospel. This is why it is important for us to memorize scripture. These passages can be called to mind when we are facing a battle. It is what Jesus did in the wilderness when tempted by Satan - He would give an answer to Satan by quoting Scripture.

Here is what Matthew Henry's online commentary says about this verse: "Shoes, or greaves of brass, or the like, were formerly part of hte military armor. The use of them was to defend the feet against the gall-traps, and sharp sticks, which were won't to be laid privily in the way, to obstruct the marching of the enemy, those who fell upon them being unfit to march. The preparation of the gospel of peace signifies a prepared and resolved frame of heart, to adhere to the gospel and abide by it, which will enable us to walk with a steady pace in the way of religion, notwithstanding the difficulties and dangers that may be in it. It is styled the gospel of peace because it brings all sorts of peace, peace with God, with ourselves, and with one another. It may also be meant of that which prepares for the entertainment of the gospel, namely, repentance. With this our feet must be shod: for by living a life of repentance we are armed against temptations to sin, and the designs of our great enemy."

From the Believer's Bible Commentary by William MacDonald (pg. 1952), we read: "This suggests a readiness to go out with the good news or peace, and therefore an invasion into enemy territory. When we relsax in our tents, we are in deadly peril. Our safety is to be found in following the beautiful feet of the Saviour on the mountains, bearing glad tidings and publishing peace (Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15)."

So, as in all of our battles, being ready and being prepared to fight is a must. I encourage each and every person to get into the Word, to study it, meditate on it and memorize it. The Word is Truth, the Word is from God, The Word is Jesus, and He is a mighty strong weapon when used in battle against the enemy.

May the grace of God rest upon you. May His peace fill your life, and may He bless you abundantly as you pursue Him through His Word.

The Armor of God (Part 5)

Ephesians 6:14 "Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place."

This installment of the Armor of God series begins the discussion of the actual parts of the armor. Keep in mind that when Paul wrote this that he was in jail and was around the Roman soldiers who were dresssed in their armor, and in turn he used this as an object lesson to his readers.

Truth is important; it is the foundation of the entirety of the armor. What is our truth? Jesus Christ of course. He is the Way, the TRUTH, and the life. In John 8:31-32 Jesus says this: "...if you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." We read throughout the gospels where Jesus often says "I tell you the turth". With this foundational piece put on, we have the base of the armor set in place. Without this, the rest of the armor is no good. We NEED to know and believe the truth. We NEED Jesus Christ.

The following is what Matthew Henry's online commentary says about this verse: "Truth or sincerity is our [belt]. It was prophesied of Christ (Isa. 11:5) that righteousness should be the girdle of his loins and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. That which Christ was girded with all Christians must be girded with. God desires truth, that is, sincerity, in the inward parts. This is the strength of our loins; and it [holds] on all other pieces of our armour, and therefore is first mentioned. Some understand it of the doctrine of the truths of the gospel."

The Believer's Bible Commentary by William MacDonald (page 1952) says: "Certainly we must be faithful in holding the truth of God's word, but it is also necessary for the truth to hold us. We must apply it to our daily lives. As we test everything by the truth, we find strength and protection in the combat."

The next piece of the armour we encounter is the breatplate of righteousness. A soldier wore a breastplate to protect his vital organs, including his heart. Here is Matthew Henry's take on this piece of the armor: "Righteousness must be our breastplate. The breastplate secures the vitals, shelters the heart. The righteousness of Christ imputed to us in our breastplate against the arrows of divine wrath. The righteousness of Christ implanted in us is our breastplate to fortify the heart against the attacks which Satan makes against us. The apostle explains this in 1 Thessalonians 5:8. Putting on the breastplate of faith and love - Faith and love include all Christian graces; for by faith we are united to Christ and by love to our brethern."

The Believer's Bible Commentary states (pg. 1952), "Every believer is clothed with the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21), but he must also manifest integrity and uprightness in his personal life...If our conscience is void of offense toward God and man, the devil has nothing to shoot at. DAvid put on the breastplate of righteousness in Psalm 7:3-5. The Lord Jesus wore it at all times (Isa. 59:17)."

Do you know and have the truth?

The Armor of God (Part 4)

Ephesians 6:13 "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everthing, to stand."

Again, we are told to put on the full armor of God. To me it is seeming to tell us just how important we need the full armor, and not just a few pieces. The only way to stand against Satan, his minions and all of their attacks is by using the full armour. As a reminder, the Lord provides His children with this armor...all of it.

Here is what the Believer's Bible Commentary by William MacDonald has to say about verse 13: "As Paul wrote, he was probably guarded by a Roman soldier in full armor. Always quick to see spiritual lessons in the natural realm, he makes the application: we are flanked by formidable foes; we must take up the whole armor of God, that we may be able to withstand when the conflict reaches its fiercest intensity, and still be found standing when the smoke of the battle has been cleared away. The evil day probably refers to any time when the enemy comes against us like a flood. Satanic opposition seems to occur in waves, advancing and receding. Even after our Lord's temptation in the wilderness, the devil left Him for a season (Luke 4:13)."

Be on your guard my brothers and sisters, put on your full armor, keep watch and don't give up or give in any of these attacks you may be faced with. Turn to God, for His is on our side and will help us get through these times, and He will offer protection through out it all. The Lord is faithful, and will reward those who are faithful.

The following two paragraphs is what Matthew Henry says in his online commentary: "Satan is the wicked one, and his kingdom is the kingdom of sin: to stand against Satan is to strive against sin. That you may be able to withstand in the evil day, in the day of temptation, or of any sore affliction.

"We must stand our ground. We must resolve, by God's grace, not to yield to Satan. Resist him and he will flee. If we distrust our cause, or our leader, or our armour, we give him advantage. Our present business is to withstand the assaults of the devil, and to stand it out; and then, having done all that is incumbent on the good soldiers of Jesus Christ, our warfare will be accomplished, and we shall be finally victorious."

The Armor of God (Part 3)

Ephesians 6:12 "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

While we may have struggles against flesh and blood in personal relationships or in our business dealings, or courntries war against each other, this is not where our battles lie as Christians. These types of battles are human or fleshly battles and not spiritual ones.

As a Christian, our battle is with Satan and his minions. The 'dark world' refers here to those not of Christ's light, but Satan and his demons - those who follow him. Matthew Henry's online commentary says this: "The combat for which we are to be prepared is not against ordinary human enemies, not barely against men compounded of flesh and blood, nor against our own corrupt natures singly considered, but against the several ranks of devils, who have a government which they exercies in this world." Satan and his devils are roaming the earth in search of not only finding people to join their forces (in other words those who deny Christ), but also to make war against those doing the work of the Lord - God's children.

We need to be on guard for Satan's attacks. He is cunning and sneaky. He knows our weaknesses and where to hit during an attack and is not afraid to use whatever means possible to strike. He is subtle and will tempt us, try to twist God's word around to cause doubt in us, cause oppression in the church, and manyother things. Mr. Henry's commentary goes on to say: "The devils are wicked spirits, and they chiefly annoy the saints with, and provoke them to, spiritual wickednesses, pride, envy, malice, etc. Our enemies strive to prevent our ascent to heaven, to deprive us of heavenly blessings and to obstruct our communion with heaven."

The Believer's Bible Commentary by William MacDonald states: "While it is true that the [demons and evil spirits] cannot indwell a true believer, they can oppress and harass him. The Christian should not be morbidly occupied with the subject of deomonism; neither should he live in fear of demons. In the armor of God, he has all he needs to hold his ground agains their onslaughts."

So, we need not fear Satan and his minions. We have God on our side and we have the protection of the full Armour of God, as well as God Himself. However, we do need to be aware and prepared for the attacks Satan will throw at us.

Satan will attack those who are doing God's work - we are a threat to him! If we aren't doing God's work we aren't a threat to Satan, and he won't bother us. However, doing the Lord's work will bring attacks that will be used to try to keep us from doing it. Satan wants us to be separated from God, to not be focused on Him and to not do His work. Don't let Satan have that chance with you.

My friends, as we are told, put on the full armor. Stand firm. God is with us, He is for us and not against us. God will equip us to fight the good fight!

The Armor of God (Part 2)

Ephesians 6:11 "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's scheme".

Here we are instructed to "put on the full armor". We are told this for a reason. If we only include one or two items, or none at all, then we are setting ourselves up for defeat. God supplies this divine armor and by using it we will succeed in our battle and be invulnerable to Satan's attacks.

Matthew Henry's commentary online says: "It is called the armor of God because he both prepares and bestows it. We have no armor of our own that will be armor of proof in a trying time. Nothing will stand for us in stead but the armor of God." In other words, anything we use of our own power to shield and protect us from Satan's attacks will not work. We must have the armor of God on at all times!

The word 'devil' comes from the Greek word diabolos. Thayer's Greek Definitions defines the 'devil' as being a deceiver, lyer, slanderer and false accuser. These are the very ways that he will use to attack us. He will try to cause rifts between us and God, or between us and our fellow Christians. The Bible tells us in Luke 11:17 "...any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall". We need to be prepared for this - to know when he is using these things against us. He will be sneaky, he will cause doubt...the devil (satan) will use any ploy he can think of to attempt to destroy and divide us; to try to cause us to fall!

Be on your guard my brothers and sisters, but rest assured that this battle has already been won and satan has been defeated on the Cross. The victory belongs to Christ! However, this battle is still ours to fight on the spiritual realm. But with God on our side, and being completely dressed in the full armor of God, we will succeed!