Welcome to my randomized study & miscellaneous thoughts about the Awesome God of the universe, who He is and what He wants us to be.

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Verse of the Day

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Today's Quote

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Partying with Jesus

In the Gospel of Matthew, we find the following account of Matthew being called to follow Jesus:

Matthew 9:9-13
9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him. 10 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples. 11 When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?" 12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
NIV


Not to get into a deep theological treatise about these verses, I do have a few questions/comments that come to my mind...maybe they'll inspire you as well.

(1) Matthew must have felt very empty inside to have suddenly given up his home and career based upon two words from Jesus, "Follow me." How satisfying and fulfilling is your life currently? Are you "sitting" in a booth or "following" Him?

(2) Matthew invites Jesus into his home for dinner...the culture was much more hospitable and open that way than we are today...maybe we should change.

(3) Many of Matthew's friends came to the dinner as well. Uninvited? Unannounced? Unexpected? Who knows and who cares...they were welcomed to come just as they were. Society has come to believe that we must "become clean" before coming to church or coming to know Jesus rather than the other way around. We must make our friends and sinners all around feel welcome to come dine with Jesus and us!

(4) While the Pharisees asked, "Why does...", they didn't really want to know "why does." Instead, they were really saying, can you believe that he is contaminating himself with all that filth??!!! Seems they forgot Genesis 1:27...underneath all the filth remains the image of our Creator.

As society is redefining and reinventing itself, I am seeking to understand and realize how I may be used to reach a portion of people who, like our friends the Athenians to whom Paul said, (Act 17:22-23) "So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. "It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, TO THE GOD NOBODY KNOWS. I'm here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you're dealing with."


May we have the vision, compassion and effort to introduce the world to this same God,
Dr. Larry

scribbled with crayon by dr. larry at 1:43 PM (0) comments      

 
Judge Roy Moore, the Ten Commandments and the U.S. Constitution


While (or "whilst" for those of you who may be KJV-only) I typically do not comment upon or add my $0.02 into commentary upon politics, daily events and the like...I feel compelled to make mention of the stand that Judge Roy Moore is making in Alabama vis-a-vis the ordered removal of a engraved monument featuring the 10 Commandments from the Alabama judicial complex.

It seems to me, from what I've seen, heard and read, that the vast majority in the media, entertainment and educational industries and those individuals with a liberal political viewpoint, all tend to "gloss over" what the US Constitiution actually states regarding "the separation of church and state"...which is nothing! That's correct, read it again... nowhere in the United States Constitiution will you find the words "separation of church and state" or words to that meaning. It says absolutely nothing regarding this separation! The original intent of our Founding Fathers was to allow the religious freedom that so many had come to America to find, escaping the state-mandated Church of England. The Constitiution intended to avoid having the federal government establish the Church of America or some such entity which would be the "state's" (government's) official religious arm.

For what I believe is a clear and concise read on this issue, I quote the following, in its entirety, from The Mighty Barrister (8/22/03)

(quote)
Like a boxer fighting for vengeance, Judge Roy Moore refuses to drop his gloves, even between rounds. I like his style; I like his hubris. We must all stand up before this secular society - at every level, and before every institution - and stand by our right to call ourselves the followers of Christ, and to follow our sworn oaths.

Don't misunderstand Moore's position. While he did pick this fight, he did it for a good, solid reason - not to shove his religion down anyone's throat, but to stand up to what he perceived (rightly so) as a secular attack (driven by a religious fervor) upon the very roots of our freedom and system of legal jurisprudence. Call him what you will, but he is an honorable and moral man.

In Judge Moore's case, his oath of office required him to acknowledge God; the state constitution of Alabama says so. The United States Constitution, on the other hand, is silent on the issue - the only prohibition even close to the issue is that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances."

How this got twisted around is anyone's guess, but twisted it is. Read it again, carefully.

Who or what is prohibited from acting?

Congress.

What is Congress prohibited from doing?

Establishing a religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

So Judge Moore comes along and installs the Ten Commandments - God's "codification" of Natural Law, the very basis of Western Civilization, the cornerstone of the Constitution of the United States, and the springboard from which all legal jurisprudence has arisen - in the courthouse as an monument to the law and as a reminder to the people of the origin of those laws. Setting aside the fact that Judge Moore is not "Congress," he did not establish a religion, nor did he prohibit the free exercise thereof. If a Muslim woman in a burka comes walking through the courthouse, Judge Moore is not going to be standing there with a shotgun, forcing her to her knees to recite the Ten Commandments.

There is no doubt that there will be a liberal feeding frenzy around Judge Moore, who has previously been targeted by the extreme left for his Christian beliefs. (WARNING - extremely foul language). Another example is this article from Slate, in which the author accuses Moore of being a "demagogue," and states, "Moore, who's made a career of confusing his bench with a pulpit, has evinced such contempt for the rule of law, the Constitution, and the rest of this nation that he's unworthy of another word." Despite this protest, the author spends many more words attacking Moore. Of course, the author fails to note any distinction between what Moore is permitted to do and what Congress is permitted to do, evincing his ignorance of the issue more succintly than I can do in this space.

It is fittingly symbolic that Judge Moore choose a 5,000 pound plus block of granite as the base for these laws, laws that have lasted through time, unchanged in substance and appearance. After all, we don't use the words "carved in stone" to refer to ever-changing and alterable things. Just as Peter was the rock upon whom Jesus built his Church, so too were the laws of God as handed down to Moses the rock upon which civilization was built. Without these laws, without resort to the natural laws of God, our civilization will be built upon the ever-changing, maleable opinions of men, and everyone knows that a house built upon a shifting foundation will fall.

God is not only mentioned in the Constitution itself, but He was part and parcel of the life of every found father. To believe that the founding fathers of this nation intended to wipe God from the face of public life anywhere in this country is beyond ludicrous. The mere thought of banning the Ten Commandments from a courthouse would have been absolutely inconceivable to Jefferson, Washington, or any of the other founders of this great nation.

But Barrister, you cry, what about the other religions?

One anti-religious zealot has already attacked Moore on this issue, stating "But Moore, true to form, didn't stop there. He said he would not permit Buddhists, Hindus or Muslims to erect monuments to their faiths, because they have nothing to do with what he sees as the moral foundation of law."

Well, Mr. Sullivan-County guy, Moore's right, and you're wrong. Please tell me where, and in what way, any clause, phrase, law or foundation of law in American Jurisprudence is drawn from Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim law? What's that? Do they practice sharia in your neck of the woods? No, our law is derived from God's law as handed down to Moses.

At least it was when the Constitution was written.
(endquote)

Additional background information regarding the church/state issue comes from the Jeremiah Project's Separation of Church and State web pages.

(quote)
The assault on America's religious underpinnings is based on a distorted interpretation of the establishment and free-exercise clauses of the First Amendment.
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof ..."
Only a lawyer could claim not to understand the plain meaning of those words.

The Supreme Court has taken Jefferson's "separation" clause (divorced from Jefferson's own explanation of the phrase) and used it to create a new, and completely arbitrary, interpretation of the First Amendment.

In 1947, with the United States Supreme Court's decision in Everson v. Board of Education, Justice Hugo Black construed the First Amendment in a more restrictive fashion, giving an absolute definition of the First Amendment Establishment Clause which went well beyond the original intent of the framers of the United States Constitution and paved the way for future cases that would further restrict religious expression in American public life. This ruling declares that any aid or benefit to religion from governmental actions is unconstitutional. As Justice Black said: "The First Amendment has erected a wall between church and state. That wall must be kept high and impregnable. We could not approve the slightest breach."

Hardly what Thomas Jefferson meant or what the constitution guaranteed!

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" had always meant that Congress was prohibited from establishing a national religious denomination, that Congress could not require that all Americans become Catholics, Anglicans, or members of any other denomination.

This understanding of "separation of church and state" was applied not only during the time of the Founders, but for 170 years afterwards. James Madison (1751-1836) clearly articulated this concept of separation when explaining the First Amendment's protection of religious liberty. He said that the First Amendment to the Constitution was prompted because "The people feared one sect might obtain a preeminence, or two combine together, and establish a religion to which they would compel others to conform."

The complete and radical disassociation between Christianity and the State that is sometimes advocated now is not what they had in mind. It's clear that they had seen entirely too many religious wars and religious tyrannies in Europe, and thus that they did want to make sure that no specific church or creed had authority over the State.

Recognizing their failure to win their arguments on fact, the lastest tactic among liberals is simply to deny the very documents that contain the facts.

Schools and courthouses in eastern Kentucky are removing their displays of historical documents - including the Mayflower Compact, an excerpt from the Declaration of Independence, the national motto, "In God we trust", and the preamble to the state's constitution - to comply with an order from Federal District Judge Jennifer Coffman, who said the displays are a violation of the First Amendment. [Dr. Billy James Hargis, Christian Crusade, June 2000]
(endquote)

Maybe the folks that believe that church and state should be entirely separate should stop using the religiously-infected money they carry in their wallets.

"In God we Trust"...yeah, right...how we have strayed....


Be not ashamed to proclaim Him Lord today,
Dr. Larry
scribbled with crayon by dr. larry at 5:47 PM (0) comments      

 
God of the New Beginning…not Jehovah-Do Over


Our 5 year old son, Zachary Robert, began Kindergarten yesterday morning at Phoenix Christian School. This is not only the beginning of a new and exciting adventure for him but also for his mom and me! In honor of this momentous occasion, I write...

How many times have we heard it said that God is a “God of second-chances?” I'm sure that some folks are blessed by that thought, but I can't really say that like the way that sounds. I guess it’s just a matter of semantics anyway, but I prefer to state it thusly, “Ours is a God of New Beginnings, a Fresh Start.”


New Beginnings When We Succumb To Pride
The first example is from the life of Joseph. (See Genesis 37:1 – 47:31)

Genesis 37:2-8
2 These are the records of the generations of Jacob. Joseph, when seventeen years of age, was pasturing the flock with his brothers while he was still a youth, along with the sons of Bilhah and the sons of Zilpah, his father's wives. And Joseph brought back a bad report about them to their father. 3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a varicolored tunic. 4 His brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers; and so they hated him and could not speak to him on friendly terms. 5 Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. 6 He said to them, "Please listen to this dream which I have had; 7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf." 8 Then his brothers said to him, "Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?" So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

So, the pride demonstrated by Joseph led to hatred by his brothers which led to…

Genesis 37:23-24, 28
23 So it came about, when Joseph reached his brothers, that they stripped Joseph of his tunic, the varicolored tunic that was on him; 24 and they took him and threw him into the pit. Now the pit was empty, without any water in it.

28 Then some Midianite traders passed by, so they pulled him up and lifted Joseph out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty shekels of silver. Thus they brought Joseph into Egypt.

This is Joseph’s New Beginning. Read on in Genesis to see additional new beginnings that God favors Joseph with until God ultimately allows a new beginning for Joseph’s brothers through Joseph!

Genesis 45:7-8
7 "God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance. 8 "Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

New Beginnings When We Fall Due To Lust
King David’s life appears to be a continuous saga of trials, tribulations and victories. But we also see an example of a fallen sinner who, when confronted by his own sin, repents, turns back to God and although God punishes David by the death of his first son, is offered a new beginning with the birth of his second son, Solomon. (See 2 Samuel)

2 Samuel 11:3-5
3 So David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" 4 David sent messengers and took her, and when she came to him, he lay with her; and when she had purified herself from her uncleanness, she returned to her house. 5 The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, and said, "I am pregnant."

2 Samuel 12:13-14, 19
13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has taken away your sin; you shall not die. 14 "However, because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die."

19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David perceived that the child was dead; so David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" And they said, "He is dead."

2 Samuel 12:24
24 Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba, and went in to her and lay with her; and she gave birth to a son, and he named him Solomon. Now the LORD loved him.

New Beginnings When We Admit Our Ignorance
In his own words, read about Saul/Paul’s new beginning,

Acts 22:1-21
1 "Brethren and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you." 2 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew dialect, they became even more quiet; and he said, 3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today. 4 "I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons, 5 as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brethren, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished. 6 "But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, 7 and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' 8 "And I answered, "Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, "I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.' 9 "And those who were with me saw the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. 10 "And I said, "What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, "Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.' 11 "But since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus. 12 "A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 came to me, and standing near said to me, "Brother Saul, receive your sight!' And at that very time I looked up at him. 14 "And he said, "The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. 15 “For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 "Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' 17 "It happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, 18 and I saw Him saying to me, "Make haste, and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.' 19 "And I said, "Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You. 20 "And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and watching out for the coats of those who were slaying him.' 21 "And He said to me, "Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'"

New Beginnings to Glorify Himself
Sometimes, God just allows us to experience new beginnings as a means to glorify Himself. (See the book of Job)

Job 1:1-3, 9-11
1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. 2 Seven sons and three daughters were born to him. 3 His possessions also were 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; and that man was the greatest of all the men of the east.

9 Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing? 10 "Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 "But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face."

God then allowed Satan to take away all of Job’s possessions, kill his children and torment Job with great physical ailments.

Job 1:20-22
20 Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.
21 He said,
"Naked I came from my mother's womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the LORD."
22 Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

No, Job did not sin toward God, instead he sought after God even more passionately.

Job 23:3, 8-13
3 "Oh that I knew where I might find Him,
That I might come to His seat

8 "Behold, I go forward but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
9 When He acts on the left, I cannot behold Him;
He turns on the right, I cannot see Him.
10 "But He knows the way I take;
When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 "My foot has held fast to His path;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 "I have not departed from the command of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

And after remaining steadfast and true to God, even defending God to his own friends, Job is rewarded with a new beginning,

Job 42:10-17
10 The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold. 11 Then all his brothers and all his sisters and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversities that the LORD had brought on him. And each one gave him one piece of money, and each a ring of gold. 12 The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had 14,000 sheep and 6,000 camels and 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He had seven sons and three daughters. 14 He named the first Jemimah, and the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 In all the land no women were found so fair as Job's daughters; and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers. 16 After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations. 17 And Job died, an old man and full of days.

New Beginnings When We Accept Him as Lord and Savior!
Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

2 Corinthians 5:14-17
14 For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer. 17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Though we may stumble and though we may fall,
Our God has patience and love for us all.
He wants us to draw near, His Son for He gave,
Who died on the cross but arose from the grave!
So this is the time, there's never any better,
Open that Bible and read every letter.
Begin a God-dialogue (we call it prayer),
Ask Him to meet you - go on now, I dare!
Open your heart, He'll lead not astray
A New Beginning in Christ may you have today.


May today be a New Beginning in your relationship with Him,
Dr. Larry

scribbled with crayon by dr. larry at 10:29 AM (0) comments      

 
Courage Under Fire

Are you naturally a courageous person? Are you self-confident and self-assured whenever facing new situations? Are you the first one to speak up in a crowded room? Or are you the "fraidy cat" who peers from underneath the covers at the strange sound coming from the darkened hallway? Maybe you're somewhere in between?

Well, God's Word calls us to be courageous and to "fear not." Good words, but how do we apply them in our lives? How do we help spread the Gospel message to a resistant, even antagonistic world, when we may feel overmatched, outnumbered, unprepared?

Thankfully God has not left us to our own strengths and abilities. He has promised to lead us, guide us, teach us, comfort us, heal us, strengthen us, encourage us and reward us. As we abide in Him, place our faith and trust in Him alone, He is able and sufficient. Praise God! Because I know that I personally do not have the abilities and talents to convey His message of love and freedom adequately!

So, we turn to our guidebook, our textbook, as always, God's Word. Here we find many instances where men and women were able to push through their fear, being obedient to God and courageously found victory by remaining steadfastly in His will.

Courage...it is NOT the absence of fear. Rather, it is the ability to do what must be done even in the face of great danger to ourselves - in spite of the fear we may have.

Here are a few examples of those who have faced the fear and pressed on:


Abram/Abraham (and Sarah):
Genesis 12:1-4
1 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you;
2 And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great;
And so you shall be a blessing; 3 And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."
4 So Abram went forth as the LORD had spoken to him; and Lot went with him. Now Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.


Gideon: see Judges 6:11-7:25
Judges 6:14-15
14 The LORD looked at him and said, "Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?" 15 He said to Him, "O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father's house."

Judges 7:15-18
15 When Gideon heard the account of the dream and its interpretation, he bowed in worship. He returned to the camp of Israel and said, "Arise, for the LORD has given the camp of Midian into your hands." 16 He divided the 300 men into three companies, and he put trumpets and empty pitchers into the hands of all of them, with torches inside the pitchers. 17 He said to them, "Look at me and do likewise. And behold, when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. 18 "When I and all who are with me blow the trumpet, then you also blow the trumpets all around the camp and say, "For the LORD and for Gideon.'"


David:
1 Sam 17:23-24
23 As he was talking with them, behold, the champion, the Philistine from Gath named Goliath, was coming up from the army of the Philistines, and he spoke these same words; and David heard them. 24 When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid.

1 Sam 17:32
David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail on account of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."

1 Sam 17:37
And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and may the LORD be with you."


Peter and John:
Acts 4:18-20
18 And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; 20 for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard."


Paul:
Acts 20:22-24
22 "And now, behold, bound in spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. 24 "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.


Now, these men (and women) all have at least 2 things in common:
(1) they were afraid and
(2) they were obedient to God.

David did not conquer Goliath out of his great strength. Peter didn't sway thousands with his eloquence and training in public speaking. And Gideon asked God for proof that He was who He said He was...TWICE! But the Bible does not tell us that these examples were perfect and sinless creatures, for they were not. They had failing just as we do. But they were obedient and placed their faith in God - only He knows the end from the beginning. So, when they fell down (or were knocked down), they kept the faith and with the heart of a champion, they got back up! That's the true measure of a champion, not "does he ever get knocked down" but "does he get back up one more time?"


I have a dear friend who just recently pressed on through her fear in order to step out into an area of ministry that she believes that God is calling her to. She wrote, "It's not easy telling you now. This is what God wants me to do. If I'm going to give my testimony at churches I have to believe it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of me only what God thinks."

I believe that she hits the nail square on the head! Being courageous as a Christian is not about having no fear, it is about recognizing who God is and what your relationship with Him is. Some of our fears may be alleviated through prayer, bible study, scripture memorization and other such preparations. But, I think that only when we come to the point where He is what matters first and foremost in our mind and exhibited in our life, will we be able to leave behind our fear of what "others" will think while we step out into an area that Paul says will make us look "foolish."

May your bumpersticker read: I'M A FOOL FOR JESUS!

Roll on, while clinging to the Rock,
Dr. Larry
Have you seen the Emergent Church yet?

scribbled with crayon by dr. larry at 2:23 PM (0) comments      

 
Arming For Spiritual Battles
The Full Armor of God
Part 6 - The Sword of the Spirit


Finally, we come to, “the sword of the spirit which is the word of God,” Ephesians 6:17. The Greek term translated sword (mavcaira, macaira) refers to the Roman gladius, a short sword about 2 feet long, used for close hand-to-hand combat. This is the only clearly offensive weapon in the list of armor mentioned by Paul. It may also be used as a defensive tool to block or turn aside sweeping or thrusting attacks by the enemy. Unlike the bow and arrow, the catapult or the spear, the sword was used in close-in combat with the soldier never letting go of it. His hold upon his sword could be loosened only upon his death and nothing short of it – as his very life depended upon it.

The sword of which Paul speaks is, as he explains it, the word of God; that is, the revelation which God has given of himself, or what we call the Holy Scriptures. This is called the sword of the Spirit, because it comes from the Holy Spirit, and receives its fulfillment in the soul through the operation of the Holy Spirit. An ability to quote this on proper occasions, and especially in times of temptation and trial, has a wonderful tendency to cut in pieces the snares of the adversary. (from Adam Clarke's Commentary)

And so too, like a soldier’s sword, useful for both close-in offensive and defensive encounters, is the Sword of the Spirit, God’s Holy Bible.

We can use the sword of the Spirit to protect and hit back at the enemy by:
1. Providing us with an understanding of the ugly and destructive nature of sin.
2. Providing us with scriptural answers to Satan’s false reasoning, temptations and arguments.


Using the Sword of the Spirit - against the powers of darkness

The enemy sometimes comes against us directly. Not all circumstances are natural. Sometimes it is easy to discern that we are up against the forces of darkness. Satan will resist our attempts to preach the gospel and press into the will of God. The Sword of the Spirit is given us to enforce God's will.

Let’s see some practical applications of the sword of the spirit:
1. See the value of God's word. Get a hunger and desire for it.
- If you are one with Christ then His promises are for you (Galatians 3:29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise. NASU)
- Satan's lie brought the fall (Genesis 3:4) and God's word will enforce the victory (2 Peter 1:3 – 4 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. NASU)
- Place your hope and confidence in the promise. Don't break His word. Make this your desire (Psalm 119:114 You are my hiding place and my shield; I wait for Your word. NASU)

2. Know the promises that are relevant to your circumstances. Don't just assume. Read the law book yourself. Sort them out and use the relevant ones for your specific circumstances accordingly. The best time to do this is when you are in sound health and free of severe oppressions. This is the time to get prepared for the evil day.

3. Have a good overview of the promises available to you. Know that you are to rely on His grace and not your gifting.

4. Meditate on the promises. This will fill you with the Holy Spirit. Godly wisdom and revelation comes to those who dwell on the word. Don't treat them like a passing stranger; rather like Abraham did the angels (Genesis 18:1-15) bid them to stay. By this, Abraham received the promise of a child. His persistence brought life. For some reason the Almighty God has ordained it to be this way. We see the same example with Jesus (Luke 24:27-32).

5. Plead the promises at the throne of Grace. Meditation is similar to a lawyer preparing his brief. Once your heart has been filled with the riches of the promises then is the time to execute them. Bring them before the Lord and spread them before Him. Speak them to the circumstances and forces that oppress you. Use them as a sword to dismantle every intention of the enemy against you.

6. Act your faith. A soldier does not drop his guard immediately after wounding the enemy. Watch your words. Idle words can be destructive. Believe the promise and do not let sense and reason defeat you. Live and act as if the promise is true because they are.

Moreover, like the Roman soldier, today’s Christian should have such a grip upon the Word of God that not even the gates of hell could shake it loose from his/her grip! Also, the Roman soldiers had to commit many hours of practice and training in order to build up the muscles necessary to handle the sword, become comfortable and proficient in handling the sword and allowing the sword to become a “part” of them – an extension of the soldier’s arm. The Christian must also commit the necessary time and effort to reading, studying, understanding and applying God’s Word. How sad it would be to see a mortally wounded soldier with his sword still in its sheath! Let us not allow our Bibles to get or remain unused and dusty on the shelf!

Keep yourself armed and fight on with His weapon,
Dr. Larry
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Arming For Spiritual Battles
The Full Armor of God
Part 5 - The Helmet of Salvation


Now we turn our attention to the Helmet of Salvation, of which Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:17, “And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION.” (NASB)

The soldier’s helmet was a cap made of thick leather, or brass, fitted to the head, and was usually crowned with a plume, or crest, as an ornament. Its use was to guard the head from a blow by a sword, or war-club, or battle-axe. From the descriptions of the Grecian armor, we find that on the crest and other parts of the helmet were displayed a great diversity of symbolic figures. It is very likely that the apostle Paul refers to helmets that had on them an emblematical representation of hope; namely, that the person should be safe who wore it, that he should be successful in all his actions, and escaping safely from battle. While a soldier may live on and even fight with wounds to his legs, arms and sometimes even his torso, a wound to the head may not only incapacitate the warrior but in worst case scenarios, cause immediate death. Head wounds can also cause one to lose the mental abilities to focus, concentrate, remember or communicate. While it is said that, “the life is in the blood,” it may also be said truthfully that “the direction is in the head.” While a brain-dead person may be kept on life support systems that continue to supply blood to the various organs, thus keeping the body “alive,” the person is not truthfully “alive.” Here we see the importance of the Helmet – the protection of the head or better yet, the mind, the intellect and the reasoning of man.

A better translation may be to “receive” the Helmet of Salvation. In the first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul says that we have “for a helmet, the hope of salvation.” (1 Thess 5:8) Hope has a very different meaning from what we use the word for in the normal sense of the word. When we say 'I hope it does not rain' the very sentence itself contains doubt and an expectation we cannot do anything about. Hope from the Bible's point of view is much more powerful. Hope is one of the three essentials. Listen to the following scripture.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

Faith, hope and love are all essential. Faith is of the heart. God gives it to us. We may not entirely understand all that God does but we can still put our faith in Him. Hope on the other hand is of the mind. It covers the head. It is our helmet. A man can survive several days without food or water but take away hope and he will commit suicide immediately.

"a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, "
Titus 1:2-3 NIV

"if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. "
Col 1:22-23 NIV

The above two scriptures help shed light on God's definition of hope. Our hope is based on the eternal life of God. Our hope is held out to us in the gospel. An understanding of what God has promised us brings us hope. God does not lie. Our hope is based on Him. A Christian with the helmet of the hope of salvation will not get confused with the fleeing pleasures of sin. Nor will they trade their birth right (salvation) for the temporary lusts of he world.

The hope that we Christians have rests firmly upon the salvation that we have received as a gift from our Heavenly Father. If that hope is well founded and secure, we will withstand Satan’s attacks and our soul will be comforted with the “peace that passes all understanding.” As Adam Clarke writes, “The hope of continual safety and protection, built on the promises of God, to which the upright follower of Christ feels he has a divine right, protects the understanding from being darkened, and the judgment from being confused by any temptations of Satan, or subtle arguments of the sophistical ungodly. He who carries Christ in his heart cannot be cheated out of the hope of his heaven.” In Genesis 3, we see that one of Satan’s favorite places to attack us is in our thinking. As he did with Adam and Eve, he tries to encourage us to feel doubt, fear, lust, jealousy, envy and to make strife. He desires to break the relationship between God and man, always has and always will.

The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."
Genesis 3:4-5 NASU

Thus, the Helmet of Salvation is available to every Christian. Being given, we ought to accept it. Clearly there is choice involved here. When a soldier goes out into battle and leaves the helmet in his sleeping quarters, it is only a matter of time before a piece of metal hits him in the head and he is injured or killed. There's also a difference between wearing a helmet and simply owning one.

An interesting comparison might be made with the prophetic promise of God in Genesis 3:15 where we are told that the seed of the serpent would bruise the heel of the seed of the woman; but the seed of the woman would crush the head of the seed of the serpent. Satan could hinder and oppose but not destroy the work of the divinely promised seed of the woman. But the seed of the woman, the virgin-born Savior, would crush the head of Satan. Thus, while our Savior purchases for us an eternal salvation, He will destroy the power of Satan. So the Lord provides a helmet for our life. He saves us from sin, Satan, self, death, and hell. There are many more things that we have been saved from, but these things make us think, causing us to remember Christ's faithfulness in each of our lives. It is an encouragement to us and builds up our hope.

It appears, however, that the helmet of salvation here refers to more than the matter of the eternal deliverance of our soul from hell and to heaven. The helmet of salvation is referenced here for those who belong to the Lord and who are called to stand up for the Lord in the battle against the deceiver and the rulers of the darkness of this world. Hence, the helmet of salvation here is referring also to the fact that when the saved are in the midst of the battle for truth and the deceit of Satan cunningly confuses, God has the right antidote for the redeemed. God protects the minds of those who belong to Him. There is a protective helmet for the minds of the redeemed! Whereas the unsaved mind is so easily led to distortion and doubt, the redeemed can fearlessly affirm the truth of God. We have the helmet of His salvation! God has given us the assurance of His reality and of His presence. He also provides us with clear understanding of what is right and how to pursue it as well as what is wrong and how to avoid it. We have the protective helmet of His salvation that protects us in the midst of the battle for truth.

In Philippians Chapter 4, we are urged to think of things that are: true, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. This is because our thought lives are often destructive. Yet, we are told in Scripture that Christians have the mind of Christ (2 Cor. 2). Since we have it, shouldn't we start to think like it? Satan can (and does) use our thoughts against us. Then we turn around and act on those thoughts, often hurting others. The helmet is our main form of protection against the temptations of our own flesh and against the attacks of Satan.

Having right thoughts is our Helmet of Salvation. When we fail to wear this simple piece of armor, we are easy prey. It is almost a grim reminder at exactly how frail we are without God's protection. Notice how this particular piece of armor gets our thoughts off of ourselves and onto God? No longer are we being self-centered, even selfish, but godly. In having this mind of Christ, we are to take our thoughts as captives to make them obedient to Christ (2 Cor. 10). We are the guards! But notice that we are also called upon to make our thoughts obedient. We are also the guardians!

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of both knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1:9; 9:10). To begin at any other place than a faith commitment to the self-disclosure God has provided is to enter upon a futile effort of ever learning without coming to the knowledge of truth. God has provided us a protective armor from such futile pursuits. When Christianity comes into the life, the Spirit of God illumines the mind and an entirely new outlook exists. This new outlook, this Christian logic, provides proof positive of the new birth. So God protects our head and gives us life. He guards our thoughts and gives us light. God makes it possible for us to speak the truth amid the confusion of the world. God gives us the things we need to serve Him well. God makes it possible for us to stand in the midst of strife. We have a helmet... rely on it, use it. It is the hope of our salvation, our eternal destiny with God, that allows us to remain steadfast through the trials day by day, pressing on in the race until we reach the final destination.

Keep thinking on His majesty,
Dr. Larry
Enjoyed the 2003 PDC conference: visit PurposeDriven.com
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Arming For Spiritual Battles
The Full Armor of God
Part 4 - The Shield of Faith

Next, the Apostle Paul instructs us to protect ourselves by “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)

We begin by looking at the Shield of Faith that we are instructed to take up. The Roman shield was usually made of light wood or a rim of brass and covered with several folds or layers of stout animal hide, which was preserved by frequent anointing with oil. It would typically be held by the left arm and was secured by straps, through which the arm passed. The center to the edge of the shield was polished smooth, or anointed with oil, so that arrows or darts would glance off, or rebound. The Scutum, or shield, was the main form of body protection of the Roman soldiers. It served the purpose to deflect missiles targeted at the soldiers, as well as protect them from the impact of hand held weapons yielded at them. The shields large size allowed the soldiers to form a 'tustudo' (tortoise) or shield wall that could protect them during battle.

The KJV starts verse 16 with the phrase “above all.” Barnes states that this should more accurately read “over all” and read not as a reminder of the primacy of the shield of faith ABOVE all other components of the whole armor of God but rather to point out that positionally, the shield would be in front of, on top of or over any of the others in the same manner that a Roman soldier(s) would host their shield(s) to form a seemingly impenetrable barricade in case of attack from in front or above. Matthew Henry disagrees and states that, “This is more necessary than any of them.” I would have to side with Mr. Henry. We see in scripture that it is one’s faith that makes them well, allows for the application of salvation, controls the elements and even moves mountains.

Matthew 9:22 But Jesus turning and seeing her said, "Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well." At once the woman was made well.
Matthew 9:29 Then He touched their eyes, saying, "It shall be done to you according to your faith."

Matthew 15:28 Then Jesus said to her, "O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed at once.

Matthew 17:20 And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, "Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.

Matthew 21:21-22 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, "Be taken up and cast into the sea,' it will happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive."

Acts 3:16 "And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

Romans 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

It is not by our actions, our fleshly attempts at righteous living that we are able to stand holy before the throne of God. It is by having faith that Jesus, the Son of God, died to redeem us and pay for our sins that we are able to cast off the filthy rags of the unrighteous man and put on His righteousness in its stead.
Rom 10:10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Faith bears, to the entire Christian character, the same relation which the shield does to the other parts of the armor of a soldier. It protects all, and is indispensable to the security of all, as is the case with the shield. The shield was an inspired device by which blows and arrows might be deflected, and the whole body defended. It could be made to protect the head, or the heart, or thrown behind to meet all attack there. As long as the soldier had his shield, he felt secure; and as long as a Christian has faith, he is safe. It comes to his aid in every attack that is made on him, no matter from what quarter; it is the defense and guardian of every other Christian grace; and it secures the protection that the Christian needs in spiritual warfare.

“with which you will be able to extinguish”
The Shield of Faith is taken up so that the Christian WILL be able to extinguish not MAY be able to extinguish all the attacks. Various renderings from “extinguish” to “quench” to “stop,” all are intended to indicate that Faith is the shield with which we must use to render the attacks with “flaming arrows” ineffective, that they may not hit us, or at least that they may not hurt us. Of course, the Shield of Faith will only be effective if it is used – the more faith we demonstrate, the larger the shield will be.

“the flaming arrows of the evil one”
Whether called flaming arrows, fiery darts or flaming missiles, these are obviously attacks sent against the believer. Adam Clarke states that, “The fiery dart-ta (NT:3588) belee (NT:956) ta (NT:3588) pepuroomena (NT:4448). It is probable that the apostle alludes to the darts called falarica, which were headed with lead, in or about which some combustible stuff was placed that took fire in the passage of the arrow through the air, and often burnt up the enemy's engines, ships, etc.; they were calculated also to stick in the shields and set them on fire. Some think that poisoned arrows may be intended, which are called fiery from the burning heat produced in the bodies of those who were wounded by them. To quench or extinguish such fiery darts the shields were ordinarily covered with metal on the outside, and thus the fire was prevented from catching hold of the shield. When they stuck on a shield of another kind and set it on fire, the soldier was obliged to cast it away, and thus became defenseless.”

Barnes’ Notes continues further pointing out that, “By the "fiery darts of the wicked," Paul here refers, probably, to the temptations of the great adversary, which are like fiery darts; or those furious suggestions of evil, and excitements to sin, which he may throw into the mind like fiery darts. They are-blasphemous thoughts, unbelief, sudden temptation to do wrong, or thoughts that wound and torment the soul. In regard to them, we may observe:
(1) that they come suddenly, like arrows sped from a bow;
(2) they come from unexpected quarters, like arrows shot suddenly from an enemy in ambush;
(3) they pierce, and penetrate, and torment the soul, as arrows would that are on fire;
(4) they set the soul on fire, and enkindle the worst passions, as fiery darts do a ship or camp against which they are sent. The only way to meet them is by the "shield of faith;" by confidence in God, and by relying on his gracious promises and aid. It is not by our own strength; and, if we have not faith in God, we are wholly defenseless. We should have a shield that we can turn in any direction, on which we may receive the arrow, and by which it may be put out.”

As a matter of practical application, the Shield of Faith, just like a Roman soldier’s shield, takes time and diligent care to build, maintain and learn to use properly. Faith is a Christian distinctive that strengthens and grows through its use. God may graciously grant someone the supernatural Gift of Faith, but everyday faith to resist the accusations, lies and deceptions of the devil are built one moment at a time through our trust and belief in God’s protection and His saving grace.

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

Psalms 37:39-40
But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
He is their strength in time of trouble.
The LORD helps them and delivers them;
He delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
Because they take refuge in Him.

Psalms 55:22
Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you;
He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.

Psalms 115:9-11
O Israel, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.


Have a blessed Easter, because He is not in the tomb, He has risen and is still our shield!

Dr. Larry
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Arming For Spiritual Battles
The Full Armor of God
Part 3 - The Shoes of Peace

Initially, in Part 1, we looked at our need to be prepared at all times with the Belt of Truth. To watch for Christ's return as well as to stand firmly on and seek the truth in our daily lives. As we discussed, truth is the foundation upon which we place our Christian faith and build our defenses to defeat the enemy's lies and accusations. Then in Part 2, we looked at Paul's admonition to "put on the breastplate of righteousness," we saw that this is the righteousness of Jesus Christ and not anything good within ourselves. Now we are instructed in verse 15 to "shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;"

Much like the punji sticks used in Vietnam, the Roman soldier's enemies placed sharp sticks in small, covered holes. If stepped upon, the sticks would immobilize the soldier and knock them out of the battle. I live currently in Phoenix, Arizona. Many of the residents of Phoenix have at one time or another tried to cross a street or driveway here without wearing our shoes. When we try to go without shoes, we cannot stand in one place very long without burning our feet. We are unable to walk where we want to go, but are forced to seek cool ground on which to stand as a refuge from the hot pavement. And even after we get off the hot surface, our feet remind us of the pain we just endured for some time. That is what we are attempting to overcome by putting on the gospel of peace. It offers protection from the enemy and allows us to continue walking forward on the path that God has chosen. It allows us to stand in places where we alone would not be able. Standing in God's peace - that peace which eclipses human comprehension or understanding - allows us to stand in these painful situations and to endure that pain.

I would wager that all of us have also tried to climb a rocky hill or wade into a river without stumbling. Millions of dollars each year are made selling shoes and boots that are specifically designed for stability in these harsh environments. We buy these shoes to protect our feet and to enable us to get the traction needed. The Romans had studs or nails in the bottom of their sandals to prevent them from slipping or sliding. This provided a firm foundation even on muddy, rocky or uneven ground. The gospel of peace allows us to stand firm. It gives us the foundation we need to continue moving forward even when facing a troublesome path.

Notice that in Ephesians 6 verse 14, Paul says, "Stand firm therefore,..." First, we must learn how to stand. There will always be temptations to go in the wrong directions. Old actions and friends will come calling on us to return to our wicked ways. Watch out though. When we give in, even just a little, we may be starting on a downhill trip. Christians typically refer to this condition as "backsliding." Instead, we could just as well call it "disobedience to God" or plain old "willful, deliberate or intentional sinning," but "backsliding" sounds better and is easier to stomach! However, most backsliders don't just jump off a cliff headfirst into sin. Instead, we start slipping down a steep slope, the more we slip the faster our fall gets and the next thing we know we cannot stop ourselves. Know this truth: the Christian life is an uphill battle. Either we are climbing or we are slipping. If we try to just stand still, we will soon begin sliding backwards, that's just our human nature. Thakfully, God gives us the ability to continue growing and maturing in Him no matter how long or short our walk with Him is.

The spiritual sandals that we are called to put on not only provide stability, they also provide mobility - the ability to move forward in a moment's notice. We need that mobility to share the gospel with others and to minister to their needs. As warrior's in God's army, we are called not just to hold our ground , but to move forward and gain ground. 1 Peter 3:15 says, "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always {being} ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;" (NAS) We must always be ready, always on guard. We are always on duty for God.

Romans 10:14-15 says, "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" (KJV)

The "preparation of the gospel of peace" signifies a prepared and resolved frame of heart choosing 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 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 to prepare ourselves to receive the gospel by way of 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. Dr. Whitby writes: "That you may be ready for the combat, be shod with the gospel of peace, endeavour after that peaceable and quiet mind which the gospel calls for. Be not easily provoked, nor prone to quarrel: but show all gentleness and all long?suffering to all men, and this will certainly preserve you from many great temptations and persecutions, as did those shoes of brass the soldiers from those galltraps,"

So what does this mean for us today? How do we shod ourselves to not only stand firm but also to move ahead? We must decide that we are going to be men and women after God's own heart. We must prepare by committing to become ones who study and learn God's Word, hide it in our hearts and apply it in our daily lives. We need to approach God with an attitude of genuine repentance, admitting our sins and asking His forgiveness. This alone will allow us to be in a state that God can use us. The Holy Spirit will work through us showing love and gentleness and peace if we allow Him to, if we put His will ahead of our own. We are called upon to walk forward, to spread the Good news to every corner of the world. Standing firm and being prepared with the gospel of peace is a matter of priorities. Are we putting God's priorities first or our own? Which pathway will our feet tred upon today, our own path or God's?

Deut 28:14 and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Deut 5:32-33 "So you shall observe to do just as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right or to the left. You shall walk in all the way which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you will possess."

Proverbs 4:27 Do not turn to the right nor to the left; Turn your foot from evil.

Keep walking straight with Him,
Dr. Larry
Visit our church's website at: Pure Heart Christian Fellowship

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Arming For Spiritual Battles
The Full Armor of God
Part 2 - The Breastplate of Righteousness

Last time we looked our need to be prepared at all times with the Belt of Truth. To watch for Christ's return as well as to stand firmly on and seek the truth in our daily lives. As we saw, the truth is the foundation upon which we build all of our Christian faith and defenses upon to defeat the enemy's lies and accusations. Now we will turn our attention to Paul's admonition to "put on the breastplate of righteousness," (Eph 6:14)
Eph 6:10-17 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may 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, that you may 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 shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil {one.} 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (NAS)

The breastplate was designed to cover the Roman soldier's chest and belly, protecting the vital internal organs such as the heart, lungs and stomach. An arrow or sword piercing the chest or stomach area would probably be a fatal blow. If the breastplate wasn't on properly, one blow could bring the soldier down.

Likewise, Satan can bring us down with one well placed attack. How many times have we heard of a highly acclaimed man or woman of God falling victim to some immoral (usually sexual) sin which brings down the entire ministry they had worked for? Satan will attempt to use the sins within our own lives to convince us that we are not worthy to call upon the Lord. He will accuse us and make us want to hide in the bushes like Adam. Satan will tell us, "You are a sinner. You've failed" And he is correct in saying that. Satan will say, "You are not worthy to come into the presence of God," and he's telling the truth in a sense. On our own record we are not worthy. But Satan neglects to tell the whole truth.

The truth is that God Himself has provided us the way to come into His presence.
I John 2:1-2 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for {those of} the whole world. (NAS)

Propitiation is defined as the atoning sacrifice. We recognize the sinless nature of Christ and the righteousness that He embodies,
2 Cor 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin {to be} sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Rom 5:17 For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
The righteousness of Jesus Christ covers our own sins when we ask Him to become our Lord and forgive us.

So, what is this breastplate of righteousness and how do we as believer's put it on and use it to repel the enemy's attacks? Well, as Christians we know that we will come under attacks. Jesus Himself said that this would happen,
John 15:19-20 19 "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. (NAS)

The enemy will fire flaming arrows at us by saying, "You don't deserve to go to God. God won't hear you you miserable sinner." We have two courses of action at this point:
1) We can respond by saying, "Hey, I read my Bible and pray every day. I go to church and tithe regularly. I'm doing just fine!" If we try that, we are only fooling ourselves and following the examples that the Pharisees gave to us.
2) On the other hand, we can say, "Satan, you are correct. I am a worthless sinner and m My own righteousness will never allow me to sit before God's throne, but the righteousness of my Lord, Jesus Christ will. I call upon Him for the grace and forgiveness which He offers. I, as a sinner, lean upon Him and call upon His power and righteousness for protection from Satan's wicked attacks to our very heart and soul!"

God has given us His Word to instruct us in His ways,
2 Tim 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

God gives all believer's the gift of the Holy Spirit to guide us away from the sinful nature of the flesh and towards the things of God, He asks us to follow His ways and give ourselves to Him.
Rom 6:13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin {as} instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members {as} instruments of righteousness to God.
Rom 8:10 And if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
1 Tim 6:11 But flee from these things, you man of God; and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance {and} gentleness.

Lastly, we must approach God on the basis of the sacrificial blood of Jesus, not on the basis of our own righteousness. We don't deserve His forgiveness. Remember the parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15), we also must say, "I am no longer worthy to be called Your son." But God's response is to embrace us, forgive us and call us His own.
Phil 3:9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from {the} Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which {comes} from God on the basis of faith,

Growing in Him,
Dr. Larry
Visit our son's swimming teacher: Kids Aquatic Center

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Arming For Spiritual Battles
The Full Armor of God
Part 1 - The Belt of Truth


Are we in the "end-times" ?
What is the condition of the world around us today? Does Satan continue to do battle with us on a daily and even hourly basis? God's Word teaches us to prepare ourselves for the spiritual battles which we face with the enemy. As Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans,
Rom 13:11-12 And this {do,} knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. (NAS)

Quite an alarm Paul was trying to send to Christian believers. To tell us that it is time to throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light because the day of the coming of the Lord is at hand. Every battle which we face counts, every day is important!

The enemy is busy working in the world. Two of his key methods of attack are the use of (1) lies and (2) accusations.
John 8:44 "You are of {your} father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own {nature;} for he is a liar, and the father of lies. (NAS)
Zech 3:1 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. (NIV)

Satan will attempt to convince us to do something with the use if a lie, "Go ahead, you're not hurting anyone. God will understand that you have to do it," and then afterwards he will accuse us of the very thing we did saying that we are not worthy to go to God now, God won't accept us because of our sins.

So what do we do to battle this treachery?
Well, Ephesians 6 reminds us :
Eph 6:10-17 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, that you may 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, that you may 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 shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil {one.} 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (NAS)

We are going to take a look at each of these pieces of "invisible armor" that can help to protect us against the spiritual battles we face. It is important that we see what each is designed to do and then to use the "full armor". If we pick and choose only the parts which we want, we will be ill-prepared when facing the enemy.

What if you put on your breastplate, your helmet and your shield but carried no sword? You would maybe be able to defend yourself and maybe even hold your own ground, but you would be unable to move forward because you had no offensive weapon. Or if you had on your sandals, belt and sword and fought with the enemy, you would quickly lose what you might gain due to improper defense. And once we have clothed ourselves, with God's armor, we must practice using each piece constantly and consistently lest we fall into the same troubles David had:
1 Sam 17:38-39 Then Saul clothed David with his garments and put a bronze helmet on his head, and he clothed him with armor. And David girded his sword over his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested {them.} So David said to Saul, "I cannot go with these, for I have not tested {them} " And David took them off. (NAS)

The armor which Paul lays out is designed for offense and defense. As we all know from battles and sporting events, both are equally important. Paul did not haphazardly introduce these items to us, but was led by the Holy Spirit to present them in a certain order with the significance of each piece well in mind.

First, we look at the Belt of Truth.

The Belt of Truth is for long range preparation and protection it is an item which we should never take off at any time. The Roman soldier wore a belt that bound together his loose garments, his robe and toga. When relaxing, he loosened it but did not remove it. When he was ready to travel or fight, he would tighten his belt or "gird himself." The belt was also important because of two other strategic pieces which it held in place. The soldier's breastplate was attached to the belt as well as the sheath for his sword. If an enemy removed your belt, your garments would drop interfering with your ability to move, your breastplate would be unloosed and you'd lose the sheath for your sword. No matter how well trained you might be, if your belt fell off, you'd be in big trouble.

Although we may not think of the belt as an important piece, Paul obviously did. It is important to see that Paul starts off with the "belt of truth" because it is central to the Christian life and preparation for action.

Moses told Israel concerning the Passover meal:
Exod 12:11 'Now you shall eat it in this manner: {with} your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste?? it is the LORD'S Passover. (NAS)
The Israelites were to eat the Passover meal poised for action, ready to go should they get the word to move.

Jesus warned us to be prepared when He said:
Luke 12:35-37 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; "and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them. (NKJ)

Peter used the same expression saying:
1 Pet 1:13 Therefore, gird your minds for action, keep sober {in spirit,} fix
your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (NAS)

To gird our loins or tighten our belts, means that we Christians need to be prepared for action. We need to be alert, on guard. What does that mean to us today? What are we to be prepared for? To be on guard for? One thing is the coming of the Lord. Jesus said; Matt 24:44 "For this reason you be ready too; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think {He will.} (NAS)

We sometimes hear news of someone who claims to know exactly when Jesus will return to this earth. But the Bible teaches us: Matt 25:13 "Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. (NAS)
Acts 1:7 He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. (NIV)
Read Matthew 24, we do not know when Jesus will return but we can see the signs, we know that "of the times and the seasons you will know."

Do you recall the story of Gideon's army? In Judges 7, God reduced the size of the army by having Gideon ask those that were afraid and fearful to go home. Immediately 22,000 men left. God then told Gideon to test the remaining 10,000 men.
Judg 7:4-5 Then the LORD said to Gideon, "The people are still too many; bring them down to the water and I will test them for you there. Therefore it shall be that he of whom I say to you, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go with you; but everyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go." So he brought the people down to the water. And the LORD said to Gideon, "You shall separate everyone who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, as well as everyone who kneels to drink." (NAS)
Only 300 men passed the test. 300 men who remained alert while they were drinking. The other's were oblivious to the surrounding while fulfilling their own desire. God wants us to be alert, be watching and be ready and available for him to use.

But we must remember that Paul calls us to be girded with the belt of truth. We aren't merely to be ready in a general sense. We are always to be prepared with truth. This part of the armor is essential. Other pieces are dependent upon it. This tells us that truth is the first thing that we must put on. Without truth, we are completely unprepared! Exactly what does Paul mean by "truth"? He means we must have a firm conviction in our heart with regard to the facts. No uncertainties, no doubts, no lack of clarity. Satan will try to confuse us and we must know what is true. We need to know what God has said to us.
2 Cor 11:3 But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity {of devotion} to Christ. (NAS)
James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (NAS)

But instead, Eve had a conversation with the devil and ended up believing him instead of the Word of God which is Truth. Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17:17 "Sanctify them in the truth. Thy word is truth."

How much time do we spend looking into the Word of God. When we don't spend enough time studying the truth of the Scriptures, we don't know fact from fiction. Our faith is weakened and doubts are raised when we neglect God's Word and listen to other counsel.
1 Tim 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, (NAS)

Failing to be ready with the truth and girding our lives with it can produce defeat before we have the opportunity to put on the rest of the armor. We must live for and by the truth. It is absolutely essential for us to be honest, especially with God. We may be able to lie and deceive each other, but like Adam, we cannot hide from God behind excuses. Never forget that Jesus harshest words were used on religious hypocrites, the Pharisees. We are called to put on the belt of truth and be prepared at all times. Unlike the world, we must not put it aside when it is convenient for us to lie or misrepresent the truth. If we believe that God is Truth, then we are to cling to Him, to seek Him, to do all we can to become more like Him and closer to Him. The only way to approach God is truthfully, be honest with Him.

May the Truth of God's Word be wrapped around your life,
Dr. Larry
Visit us at: The Rickity Rack Shack
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Some Miscellaneous Thoughts

I went up to the mountains around Prescott, AZ this past weekend to attend our church's Men's Retreat. While there, we were treated to some wonderful winter weather - they called it "snow" - that is very rare down here in Phoenix. Fun to see grown men having snowball fights! Anyway, I had a great time and some good rest and closer talks with the Lord. Some items that I came away thinking about after the weekend was over:

Time Alone With God
I read a great book "How To Develop A Powerful Prayer Life" by Dr. Gregory Frizzell while on the retreat. It caused me to reevaluate my prayer life both in terms of time and essence. I wonder how many of our prayers are unfulfilled due to our own unspecific prayers to God or due to unconfessed sin in our lives? Do we just throw up the typical, "Lord forgive me of anything that I may have done that is a sin." Or do we carefully examine ourselves thoroughly while asking God to direct our thoughts toward our sinful attitudes, actions or thoughts? I do know that when I gave ample time for this introspective search, God was loving and pointed out a number of items that I may have glossed over in the past. I pray that You would create in me a clean heart God and place the hunger to know You more intimately and earnestly follow Your Way.

War, (huuah) What Is It Good For? Absolutely Nothing, Say It Again
I also spent some time reading through some Old Testament accounts of wars, battles, etc. and meditating upon the impending (?) war - at least the current "conflict" - between the U.S. and Iraq - with our without the UK, Aussies, Canada, et. al. or UN approval. Maybe I'm just getting older, but I think that my attitude regarding the potential war may have shifted over the weekend. I am by no means what one would consider a pacifist. Actually, I attended the U.S. Naval Academy in 1985. But it appears to me to be a conflict that will never cease! It's older than Cain and Abel, more like God and Lucifer. And I don't see any "winner" coming out of this war...while I do see potential losers if long-range weapons of mass destruction are being stockpiled by Iraq. Anyway, this wasn't in any way meant to "convert" anyone because I myself am more confused than converted! :-) The US is not a theocracy like Israel was with God being the head...well, in the famous words of Ben Stein in Ferris Beuller's Day Off, "Anyone, anyone?"

Our God Is Unmeasurable
We had some awesome times of worship at the retreat and one particular song really resonated within me. The lyrics reminded us that God's,
"Your love is deep.
Your love is high.
Your love is long.
Your love is wide.
Deeper than my view of grace,
higher than this worldy place.
Longer than the road I travel. Wider than the gap He filled."

This caused to, once again, ponder the incredible vastness of God on the one hand coupled with His incredible love for me as an individual on the other hand. An intimate, personal love. And again I was reminded that,

Psalm 139
O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up;You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue,Behold, O LORD, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;It is too high, I cannot attain to it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night," Even the darkness is not dark to You,And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You. For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret,And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You. O that You would slay the wicked, O God;Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. For they speak against You wickedly, And Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with the utmost hatred;They have become my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

Jer 23:23-24
"Am I a God who is near," declares the LORD, And not a God far off?
Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?" declares the LORD.
Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" declares the LORD.

Jer 29:13-14
"You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, "and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,' declares the LORD, "and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.'

God is near you now, may He be even in your heart.

Glowing in His grace,
Dr. Larry
The Rickity Rack Shack



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Who's Life Is It Anyway?
Recognizing God's Timing and Opportunities

Have you ever thought or tried to do a good deed for God or someone else only to have it backfire on you or fail miserabley? Why would God allow this to happen? Why do we fail when we are trying to do good for the world?

Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV)
Jer 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (KJV)

2803 chashab (khaw-shab'); a primitive root; properly, to plait or interpenetrate, i.e. (literally) to weave or (gen.) to fabricate; figuratively, to plot or contrive (usually in a malicious sense); hence (from the mental effort) to think, regard, value, compute:
KJV-- (make) account (of), conceive, consider, count, cunning (man, work, workman), devise, esteem, find out, forecast, hold, imagine, impute, invent, be like, mean, purpose, reckon (-ing be made), regard, think.

7965 shalowm (shaw-lome'); or shalom (shaw-lome'); from 7999; safe, i.e. (figuratively) well, happy, friendly; also (abstractly) welfare, i.e. health, prosperity, peace:
KJV-- X do, familiar, X fare, favour, + friend, X great, (good) health, (X perfect, such as be at) peace (-able, -ably), prosper (-ity, -ous), rest, safe (-ty), salute, welfare, (X all is, be) well, X wholly.


Recognizing and realizing that God is in charge of every aspect of our lives
A) Prior to birth
Gal 1:15
But when He who had set me apart, {even} from my mother's womb, and called me through His grace, was pleased (NAS)
1) Paul was called by the Lord from the womb. The Lord changed his entire being on the road to Damascus.
2) Think about Abraham and Sarah, Joseph and Mary, Zacharias and Elizabeth. God had plans for and control over the births of their children. He even named them! See Gen 17:19, Luke 1:13 and Matthew 1:21.
B) Life giver
1) Gen 2:7 Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. (NAS)
C) Death
1) II Ki 20:1 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.'" (NAS)
2) Exod 31:14 'Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. (NAS)
3) Rom 8:6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, (NAS)
4) Rom 8:13 for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (NAS)

What happens when we try to do it ourselves?
A) Prov 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.(NIV)
B) Ps 33:10-11 The LORD nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation. (NAS)
C) Jer 10:21 For the shepherds have become stupid and have not sought the LORD; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered. (NAS)
D) Read through Proverbs regarding wisdom and counsel.

Turning our ears towards God to hear His will and His call
A) His view encompasses all.
1) Ps 33:13-15 The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; From His dwelling place He looks out On all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works. (NAS)
B) His call to all believer's
1) John 21:19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow me!" (NAS)

Actively seeking to do His will
A) Use God's supplied help
1) Ps 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you. (NAS)
2) John 16:13 "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. (NAS)
B) Learning His ways
1) In prayer
i) James 1:5-6 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. (NAS)
ii) Eph 6:18 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, (NAS)
iii) Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a certain man of Macedonia was standing and appealing to him, and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." (NAS)
2) Reading and studying His Word
i) Deut 11:18 "You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. (NAS)
ii) 2 Tim 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. (NAS)
iii) 2 Pet 3:2 that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior {spoken} by your apostles. (NAS)
iv) 2 Tim 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (NAS)
v) 1Thes 4:1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us {instruction} as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still more. (NAS)
vi) 1 Cor 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, (NAS)
3) Being with His children
i) Rom 12:5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
ii) Heb 10:25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging {one another} and all the more, as you see the day drawing near. (NAS)
iii) Eccl. 4:9-12 Two are better than one

Looking for opportunities provided by Him
A) Pray for opportunities
B) Pray for guidance
1) Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two?edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (NAS)
C) Pray for the courage to obey Him
1) Heb 3:7 Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "Today if you hear His voice, (NAS)
2) James 1:23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; (NAS)
3) Luke 11:28 But He said, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and observe it."
D) Proceed in God's timing
1) Luke 14:28-31 "For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see if he has enough to complete it? "Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' "Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and take counsel whether he is strong enough with ten thousand {men} to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? (NAS)

Seek God's instruction and His will for the path to follow. Even if you are making a life-or-death decision, make sure you have asked God for guidance and waited for His answer showing you the way. Even if this means you may not attempt something in your timing, if you wait for God's timing there will be less back-tracking and greater success! Then when you have received His guidance and started down the pathway you feel He has directed you, continue to seek His Will!!!

Be in His will,
Dr. Larry

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Pray for us!

Tonight we are having a sleep-over to celebrate our son's 5th birthday. He has two of his friends from pre-school over spending the night with him until 10 tomorrow morning...maybe we'll be raptured soon! I can only pray :-) Why does the attention span over a 5 year old only last for 33 seconds and their volume control seems to be broken as well?

Actually it's not been too bad...1 hour down 15 hours to go. And I keep reminding myself that, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction."
Philippians 4:13-14 (NAS)

Anyone want to Galatians 6:2 me? :-)

God bless,
Dr. Larry
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