Happy Monday Y’all! I want to start out your week right with another amazing song covered by Ms. Lauren Daigle with Hillsong UNITED. A classic hymn that we must never forget.
As promised yesterday, below is the link to Pastor Steven Furtick’s latest message: “Lonely Places.” In this season of social distancing and isolation, Pastor Furtick speaks another on-point message that we need to share with the world.
July 20
13Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17)
Here we get some of the most colorful and most memorable verses Paul writes. Paul brilliantly describes a noble knight, ready to wage battle against the forces of evil. I’m not sure if you have ever done this in regards to these verses: sketched out your vision of what you think these pieces of armor would look like. I recently did this on my deployment to Afghanistan in 2019 to my Bible Study group when I taught them the Book of Ephesians. They were silly drawings, because I am no artist, but when I presented it, my Platoon Leader reminded me that he had his own version of artwork hanging on the door to his sleeping quarters.
Armor is heavy to carry. We have adapted over time to wear much less armor because our weapons are much more accurate, but much less brutal. A bullet can pass right through an arm and do little damage if it misses arteries and bone, but we all know what a sharp sword was capable of doing to an arm in its time of destruction. Jesus never carried any weapon yet He was the most powerful force on this Earth. All His power existed in His heart and His head. He had a heart for God and for the entire world, and He had a mind sharp, wise, and brilliant enough to translate that love into words everyone could understand and relate to. The only weapons and armor we should concern ourselves with carrying are the metaphorical ones we read about here:
- The belt of truth (truth that can only be learned by reading and knowing the Bible)
- Breastplate of righteousness (this can only be achieved by living a life for God and for others).
- Shoes of speedy readiness (knowing the Gospel so well you can relate it to your every day life).
- Shield of Faith. (When you fully believe you carry this shield with you every day)
- Helmet of salvation (protect your mind knowing you are saved)
- The sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God. Here we see that three of the six pieces of Armor result from one thing: READING THE BIBLE!)
Reading plan: Phillipians 1: 27-30
Deeper reading plan: Isaiah 37, 38, 39
Prayer and meditation: Pray for our country. Pray for love to conquer all. Pray that Christ infects our hearts and ignites a final fire of revival to sweep this land.
Fitness challenge: Week 3 of July’s circuit. 25 reps, 3 rounds.
- Hand-release push-up
- Cross-punch sit-ups
- Flowsteps
- Side planks with rotations
- Jumping lunges (21-each leg)
- Leg Lifts
- Burpees
Common Sense Reborn 