A Resolution

A Resolution

10/17/16

Keeping a resolution is a noble gesture and many of us are familiar with this concept with many of us having tried our best to make at least one of these promises work at some point in our lifetime, but like the majority of those who try most have failed at keeping them.  How important is this concept of making resolutions and how serious should we take them?  The question has always been raised that why should we make something we have no intentions of keeping?  What about the Church, should she make a resolution and if so how far should she take it?  This is an important topic that she should take up and one that needs to be completed as soon as possible.  How far should we take a resolution and how far did God actually take His “resolutions”?  God’s resolution for our lives is called a Covenant, not a man-made one but a holy and eternal one that He initiated, to serve as a separation from that which can eternally destroy our lives.

If you read the title of this article you would have noticed that it is not called a New Year’s Resolution, but A Resolution; plus, it is not near New Year’s either.  There is a purpose for this and one that should be taken into our spiritual hearts.  God really does not care about the superficial titles of a New Year’s Resolution He wants a resolution that stays permanent within our hearts, one that is continually renewing itself in order to be fed by His ways and love that only can come from Him.  This is the reason that the Church should be willing to make a resolution to God that is everlasting and not wishy-washy in content.  As each day passes it becomes clearer which kingdom the Church is willing to serve and the resolution from this leader is not the resolution that is needed for her eternal existence.  When a resolution is presented from a defeated leader offering the products of a spiritual wasteland to a hated race, what is there to gain?  That is why only God can present, establish, and keep such a resolution.

I really have not placed too much stock in resolutions that everyone knows about and tries to participate in.  They are a dime a dozen and have real no meaning within their admirations which comes into life a few weeks or even within a few days of their declaration; however, I find it fascinating that with our current trends of less personal communication with each other that it would seem far less likely for us to complete such a relational procedure.  I have long been an admirer of the Lent season when regarding this function.  I understand that Lent is a special time for many people of faith around the world but I question the sincerity of its meaning within our hearts.  The concepts of the New Year’s Resolution and Lent have similarities but should be quite different in origins.  I am not going to bash any holiday or religious belief but I am going to place into question the sincerity of these events and try my best to share with you what God wants from His Church beginning now and to hold onto forevermore.

It is evident that the Church has allowed many sinful beliefs into its walls and these worldly habits have harmed her effectiveness in her commission.  God wants us to make a resolution to rid ourselves of these worldly and religious practices so that our hearts may once again hear His voice.  His voice of guidance and leadership is vital to our existence and if we ignore this portion of His life, we have no hope for any type of survival, both in the physical realm and more importantly in the eternal.  It is this type of eternal commitment that He wishes for our lives so that we may be able to go into a darkened and dying world with the true light of salvation.

This resolution is not a New Year’s concept nor is it a religious one at all.  It is one of a continual renewing and life-giving one that should separate our lives from what the world has to offer.  This resolution proclaims to everyone around us that we love God with all of our hearts and desire to keep His laws within our hearts, not to mention sharing this freedom from death to others.  This resolution defines God and what our lives mean to the world itself.  It also proves that through God eternal life is obtainable and with this concept comes meaning.  What type of resolution is this type of resolution?  It is one that is based on relationship, total relationship coming from a perfect, holy and loving Creator who can do no wrong.

We have read about yearly resolutions within the Old Testament Scriptures and how they became routines within the hearts of the Israelites.  We have also personally witnessed the religious ceremonies that occur each and with every church service fulfilling the allotted time frames measures that allow the roasts at home to fully cook.  And between the two examples to which I have just provided not much has changed over the millennia when it comes to humans’ ideas of trying to pacify God’s laws, along with the fact that once a year conditional methods do not work within our hearts.  How can anyone or anything resolve when no one is willing to conduct an ongoing communication with both sides of the table?  How can we offer up any rightful repentance stances when we are not willing to fall under the only resolution that we can seek?  That resolution does not come from mankind but from God alone.

There is a song that was written a long time ago by my favorite singer and songwriter Keith Green.  The song was entitled “To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice” and it had a powerful message that deals with this exact subject.  It deals with the concept that once we humans get a procedure within our establishment how that idea becomes a routine.  God wants more than Sundays and Wednesday nights, He wants a true relationship with you which means that a constant communication system is required between both parties which require both parties continually communicating with each other.  It is obvious that we do not even give Him those holy days within our hearts much less any other time during our week. 

How much time do we spend actually studying the Word of God versus spending time playing video games or demanding what we deem is important to our worldly existence?  We have made it perfectly clear that the only time we want anything to do with God is when something tragic occurs within our lives or in our society, but even that concept has fallen to the wayside.  This is not accepting His resolution status but running believing that we are in control of such a resolution that we can dictate the rules of engagement.  This is exactly what our enemy wishes for us to believe because as long as he can gain this false confidence he understands that we have no covering and eventually will stop looking towards God for restoration.

Can we even obey anything these days especially since our eyes are so fixed upon ourselves?  We must recognize this unacceptable truth of selfishness about ourselves because if we do not change quickly the only resolution that we will be able to make is to keep healthy enough to provide for our immediate families.  God wishes for us to make a daily resolution to Him.  One that is alive and boisterous on all levels of life.  It is this type of resolution that God was wanting mankind to make during Old Testament times for it would have begun the process of restoration a lot quicker for everyone.  This type of constant resolution would have saved millions of lives on all fronts of humanity and would have basically nullified all of Israel’s problems even before they had started.

How many of us feel rejected when we finish a conversation with a person who we truly love to be around?  We long to hear their voice as soon as the phone is set down and we almost immediately begin to anxiously wait for the next connection.  This type of continual resolution is a renewing process; a constant renewing of not only our minds but of our spiritual hearts as well.  It is a healing resolution that does not stop with you but infiltrates all others that come in contact with you as well.  It is the perfect example of what God meant by restoration on a continual basis; in other words, relationship! 

Instead of trying the human thing by making a physical resolution to a finite creation, why not make an eternal resolution that will have benefits that are immeasurable?  God has given us the perfect setting to accomplish this necessity and it is all recorded in His Word.  There would be many benefits to creating, establishing and then maintaining this daily resolution with God.  I guarantee that the things of the world would become less important in our lives and one might be surprised of how much of the world we have allowed into our lives if we incorporate God as number one instead.  We would also see quite a bit of difference in what we find is important, more family time instead of playing time would ensue.  How much more would we be in tune with the horrors that are occurring each day in our world instead of being shocked by headline-grabbing news; talk about being divinely informed.

In ancient times, it was customary that families, neighbors, tribes, and nations make pacts with each other in order to secure their livelihoods.  It was a code that mankind did their very best to honor and to keep but recognizably sometimes that bond would be broken by some type of action by one or both parties.  For as long as history has recorded mankind’s activities it has been evident that people try their best to organize survivable conditions with their neighbors.  But once and for all it is evident that no matter how hard people try to keep these vows, they find some way to break them and thus undermine the very pacts that we need in order maintain order in our lives and world. How long will it take for us to see that our futile and whimsical ideologies cannot sustain themselves for even a moment due to our selfish desires for greed, power and authority over and with our fellow nations?  None of our pacts, agreements or treaties can ever be considered perfect because of the potentially destructive variables that humanity creates yet we continue to complete such imperfections without realizing the One true plan that can help us avoid so many problems.

In accordance with ancient traditions, God established His covenant with mankind but added an eternal portion that proves His ability to honor all ties with humanity.  The description we have with God and Abraham goes into detail concerning the procedures of such an agreement.  While the sacrifice is burned by human to human covenant ceremonies God changes this procedure a bit by Him consuming the sacrifice with His holy fire of purification and it is this step that makes all the difference in the eternal world and in our lives.  It is also the one step that we confuse so much with how God wants us to live and what we are willing to accept about His presence in our lives.

Covenant is a faith based life changing truth that only God can preside over and it is through this process that our lives can either fall under His protection and guidance or fall away from God’s protection and guidance.  There is no in-between ground or middle of the road living status for God cannot walk both sides of any issue, He makes His way known and the only way that we can effectively live under this Covenant is to understand its meanings.  God never has done anything ½ way it has always been 100% accurate and complete and it is this truth that we need to know about before we accept His Covenant standard in our lives.  God shall never force us to accept Him, it is strictly on a voluntary basis alone.  God has voluntarily given us His Word that if we accept His ways that He will guide us as long as we seek Him first (Covenant).  God has also promised us that He will never leave us or violate His Covenant with us (completeness).  God also states that since He cannot violate this Covenant that means only we can be the guilty party in its violation but if we recognize our sin and repent He will allow this Covenant to be restored again over our lives.

We must acknowledge that our lives cannot function normally and peacefully without God being placed first in our lives.  As stated above, look throughout human history and you will see that the best intention towards each other has come crashing down at some point in time.  I must say that I commend humanity for its continued stance on trying to reach this outstretched goal but at the same time must shake my head in wonder because it has not figured out the truth of such deeds.  It is through these continued failings that we should stop and change tactics and accept God’s way in dealing with life and others.  It pains me to watch the world go to hell in a hand basket because we refuse to accept God’s Ways in our societies.  It is a simple fix yet one that we stomp on as He presents it to us.

Our enemy has done a great job in securing our physical components of life by presenting beautiful lies that we have sucked up with joy and stability.  Needless to say it is a laughable pattern that we have continued to operate in and one that on the surface looks ever so sweet and responsible.  It is through this type of lying that we have turned our backs from God and have voluntarily stepped out from under His Covenant covering, without even recognizing what our actions have done.  Our intentions may have been physically noble but when it comes to the core of our existence Covenant covering is essential for us to function as a complete unit.  If we do not place God first and stay within His Covenant confines we automatically fall into the same category as a human agreement which once again may look and seem sound to the eye but shall falter without fail, even a humanly, wonderfully made well oiled machine will break down if given enough time.

In Genesis Chapter 12, the covenant between God and Abram (mankind) first began its process.  God had already revealed himself to Abram and had guided Abram in some pretty decisive situations.  This Covenant started with God’s chosen people and eventually expanded to everyone who wishes to accept His Ways as their own, through the blood of His Son.  Being a human Abram followed through with this arrangement by doing some ridiculous things and through these measures God had to reinforce the seriousness of the agreement between the two beings.  When God was speaking to Abram in Genesis Chapter 15 concerning the sacrificial process it was not unusual for Abram for it was a custom.  So naturally Abram must have believed that God was going to perform the same type of ritual with him but what Abram did not know is that God had no intentions of including another human in this process for this process that it was going to be an eternal representation and positioning that mankind had with God.  And that it would be through God’s Way of Covenant that would completely separate Abram from the world and at the same time would establish Abraham’s position in God to the world.

As Abraham’s life continued we see that he never lost his faith and trust in God, nor did God him.  But it is interesting that as Abraham’s journey proceeded, both he and Sarah did human customary things instead of being patient for God’s timing to occur.  It is important for us to remember that even though we are living under God’s Covenant and trying our best to project a godly attitude and lifestyle, we are still vulnerable to the tricks of our enemy.  While some of those tricks may seem like small potatoes they can come back to bite us for thousands of years to come.  That is why it is so vital that we place our whole hearts into the message of God and His Word for it is this Covenant that will protect us from so many sickening issues in our future.  It is so easy for us to become caught up in the moment and follow worldly traditions instead of remembering what God has taught us and I am as guilty as anyone else in this situation.

When we do something that is ungodly and places us into jeopardy with God, we must never forget to listen to the spiritual small voice that God uses in order for us to recognize what we have done.  God shall NEVER fail in bringing our sinful actions into question but as He calls us to repentance He shall never force us to return either and it is this ignorance on our part that is the sole reason for our nation’s condition today.  Church, you are included in this truth as well for your ears have become spiritually deaf to the truth about our existence as well.  When a priest or any other pastor stands up in their pulpit and teaches on the destructive powers of our enemy and then becomes the subject of ridicule for their words from God, you have a problem! 

In the time of Abraham, Moses, and all of the other examples of people in the Bible, then include in all of today’s societies with it and one will have a good picture of painted failures due to the selfish patterns of humanity without God.  God has chosen plenty of people to carry out this message of truth but the majority of the world refuses to hear what God is trying to protect us from.  It is not just today that people reject God’s authority and truth over our lives we as a created race have always demonstrated our ignorance to God and His presence in our lives.  We have continually rejected His Resolution for our existence and have angrily and proudly replaced with our finite capabilities as we strut away in defiance from God’s table.

Covenant is not a set of guidelines that God follows in order to keep control over our every move.  God is not in the business of controlling He is in the business of repentance and forgiveness and in order for Him to provide such a blessing He has established a failsafe plan for our covering.  He shall never force us to choose His Will but on the other hand God cannot stop the destructive issues that we face that our enemy throws at us either.  God will do His best to nudge us back under His covering but if we do not comply then He must grab our attention as any good parent would.  God does not have a big stick ready to beat you over the head when you make a mistake or walk away from Him, but it is His gentle voice of compassion and truth that He has that makes all the difference.  How important is this process?  The only way that one can experience godly restoration is to live under this Covenant, there is no alternative, it is THAT important.

This nation was founded on such Covenant procedures and His Church the same.  Our worldly treasures have perverted this truth and now we cannot even recognize what is right or wrong.  We have thrown out absolutes so that we may pleasure our bodies with the ways of the world whenever they may arrive and our guards have been taken down by the wicked lies of humans seeking to be our friends.  Church, God is calling for you to repent and to return to Him so that we can once again re-open God’s Embassies to the dying world. 

I understand you have heard this message over and over in these articles but there is a reason for it.  God does not allow my spirit to ease until this truth is told to His people and to His Church.  Study the consequences of His people when they did not heed His prophets’ words and then study the consequences when His people did hear His Words.  There is a stark contrast and those conditions are in play today and the same choices made as well.  Living through Covenant measures is simple and true and so are the consequences of not living them as well.  We state that we want a resolution to all of the issues of today, then study God’s Word and then place yourself under His Covenant so that these eternal wishes can come true.

DLB

Dangers of Responsibility

Dangers of Responsibility

10/10/16

A few weeks ago God shared with us an article with a precursor title that dealt with missing the truth about His Word.  God continues this theme today in this article on a subject concerning responsibility and how God wants us to raise one another up instead of lowering our lives to please others.  This is another portion of His concept of true and holy separation from the world that He wants from us, for it is through this type of separation that will give us true freedom.  Separation from God is not the plan of action that shall save our country and Church as we know it; only by returning to God shall this desire be completed. Taking responsibility for our actions is what God wishes for us to complete, for when we do and truly learn from these actions it makes our lives so much easier to let go and allow God to live through us.

It breaks my heart to watch as this country forgets its place in the world and to lower herself before the One who created her for His specific purpose.  One of our great leaders just passed away this last week whose name is Shimon Peres.  During one of his interviews, he was asked a question concerning the United States’ position in the world and his response was not only truthful but a statement of reality that everyone should stop and take a hard look at once again.  Peres was asked about why the United States was granted such authority and considered to be the greatest nation established.  Mr. Peres’ answer defines what God had planned for this nation and is the foundation of what God stands for, his answer was that the United States had always been a giver no matter what the situation was, she always gave to those in need.  It is through these words that a leader of a foreign country proves that he understands this country’s foundation better than the majority of those up and coming in this country today. 

Over the last few decades, it has become a common theme that everyone should present themselves as equals.  It has been clearly stated that this nation should become such an example of equality for everyone and while establishing this standard has agreed to lower herself into the confines of the ordinary.  This gesture states that we acknowledge we stand higher than other nations and have the capability to accomplish this request.  But why should we allow ourselves to be lowered?  This is the easy way out and a way that will compromise our foundations of creation.  Through our creation, it is deemed as our responsibility to ensure that the entire world benefits from the blessings that have bestowed upon our nation.  Lowering ourselves to other nation’s standards is NOT a sign of responsibility but a lack of one, one that is identical to another setting that changed the world.

I have been in the medical field now for approximately 30 years which means that I am considered to be a seasoned veteran in this area.  By no means am I an expert in any specific laboratory field and I have not strived to attain such a position or title but there are many who come to me for answers to questions that most cannot answer which places an added responsibility on my position.  If I did not care about my job and to the people that I serve I would not make any effort to procure this type of knowledge in order to provide adequate answers.  Correct and proper treatment for those who are ailing is a must and it is a justice for anyone who is truly in need and it is my responsibility to make sure the information I give to the other medical personnel is accurate and adequate enough for this treatment to occur.

I know all of us at one time in our lives have fallen down on the job, especially when we were younger but it is evident that this lazy attitude has infiltrated our societal level  enough that it is making public news and therefore placing a great deal of concern for many around the world.  We are failing to see that it is our responsibility to be the next generation of workers to ensure that our survival continues but we have become so wrapped up in our selfish rants that we would rather destroy instead of build up. Destroying anything is not our responsibility, it has never been nor shall it ever be.  If we need to grab someone’s attention we should do it civilly and not through violent, demeaning or destructive terms.  It will be impossible for us to achieve this responsible activity when the leaders condone such aggressive and destructive behavior and no one should be allowed to have room for pernicious heartbeats either.  I too must raise my hands in guilt towards this behavior, would you be honest enough to follow my lead?

It is obvious that this country has fallen far from the foundational standards that she was established, and from what we read about in the papers, see on television almost every night we have no intention to give to anyone but ourselves.  We blame others for the conditions that we face today whether that blame is directed towards a political party or to individuals who do not think the same as “you”, it does not matter we are not taking responsibility for our actions.  What I find fascinating is that we are proving the Bible correct with every step we take in this direction and it is sad that while we believe our steps are in the correct direction our nation is falling apart right before our eyes and we cannot even see it.  Through our efforts to separate our existence from God we have forgotten what our standards exactly mean; in other words, we have forgotten that God shall supply all of our needs and those needs when given to those in need shall increase proportionately when used in the correct manner. God, being a complete God, shall also reciprocate what His children wish for their lives; keep this in mind as our supplies quickly diminish after our Garden fall.

It is easy for us to take Genesis 3:16 and place the entire emphasis of that verse on the judgment of the woman and totally leave out the true meaning of what God wanted Adam to understand.  It is through selfish reasoning that we first recognize the judgment of God on the woman, for all of us want a scapegoat, but God wants us to see the area of responsibility that He desires for us concerning His laws and Ways.  It was because Adam and Eve did not live up to their responsibility of God’s 1 law that cost them everything.  Their lives were easy, no corruption present in any portion of their existence but because they fell for the lie concerning responsibility the world is in shambles today.  What is more disheartening is to think that over all of this time we have not figured out the truth of what we should be doing but only what we choose to do instead.

In Genesis 3:8-16 we find that God, Satan, Adam and Eve are all present in one area.  It is evident that it is a tense time and that God is using His command voice to ensure that everyone understands what is going on because of the actions of the involved parties.  As previously stated it is easy for us to grasp that this verse doles out the consequences of the action of the woman and in previous verses, the same can be said for each of the other involved parties as well.  In this entire passage of Scripture we see that the humans do not take responsibility for their lack of responsibility circumstances and they voice the only thing that they can do at this time, blame another.  Such a cowardly act coming from two perfectly created individuals, yet God allows their lives to continue but in different conditions. 

We are not the only society who has completely missed what this verse and this entire passage of Genesis Chapter 3 is telling us.  Many examples in the Bible give us such references including Cain and Abel, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, David, Solomon, Jonah and others who did not figure out what this passage of responsibility meant to the outcome of their and our existence. Today, we have fallen into the exact same trap of laziness through the blessings of life that we do not have to fight for or for many even to think about.  It has become easier to protest for something instead of figuring out a way to earn it or to develop it. Modernism and the luxuries it has provided have made us nothing more than acceptance whores with no outward or inward consciences present.  As long as this condition exists in our lives we have no other option but to lower our standards to make ourselves “equal”.  In truth, all we are doing is lessening our responsibilities that God has created us for and THAT is the lie that shall destroy our country, the Church, and our personal lives.

There is no way possible that God desires that His children disobey His ways and truth by shedding their responsibilities that He has ordained for us to complete.  From the beginning of our creation, it was God’s desire that we live in perfect conditions without spot or blemish.  It is the desire and utter hatred for your presence that Satan commands his armies to do everything in their power to convince us that it is ok for us to not live up to God’s expectations.  It is through this type of manipulation and lies that Satan used against Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and it is through these same tactics that he prevails these lies to our lives today.  This lack of responsibility type of lifestyle and belief does not have a rising up affect on our presence for the world cannot offer such an environment which means God is not a part of it. 

Here is a truth that we need to keep fresh in our hearts.  I understand that I have used this phrase many times in the articles that God has given but He has given us the perfect organ to house these truths and the ability to keep them close and use them at all times, which is why He reminds us of them.  When God shares His truth with us through His Word this gives us added responsibility.  Responsibility must be remembered as a Kingdom principle because if we keep the God-given responsibility as we should, this means we are complying with what God has in store for our lives and thus results in an advancement of God’s Kingdom.  God created Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden for this advancement and it was through their lack of responsibility that the Garden lost and Adam and Eve’s eternal and physical eviction.  Ever wonder why the world is reaching a new height of anarchy and disorder?  Here lies the answer to this question.

It is obvious that we have fallen away so far that we can no longer determine what is right, what is wrong, what our destiny was to be and what our responsibilities actually are.  It takes continual effort for me to see that all duties assigned to me are completed before I walk out of the lab and if those duties are not performed completely and correctly I have fallen from the standards that are expected from me and I therefore should be replaced.  The same goes for any society that believes a foreclosure on responsibility outweighs an honest and just work effort.  This nation has become the poster child for this type of irresponsibility and is in quite the danger of a devastating judgment just as Adam and Eve’s. 

Yes, our nation was created to be a light and beacon for everyone who wishes to serve the One true God’s Kingdom, creation is a direct Kingdom principle and it is our enemy’s job to pervert this holy order.  This nation was established for those who have been beaten down by the suppressing governments around the world who stripped the people of their lives.  This nation was established so that people could regroup then refresh themselves in order to stand back up and to penetrate the evils that drove them away from their homes in the first place.  This nation was created by God in order for mankind to complete these tasks through His name alone and then go spread the truth about who gave them this restored drive and truth.  Our only problem is that we cannot even recognize that we have been driven from our homes – Garden of Eden – so, how do we even expect to fix our problems with this lack of knowledge about what our responsibilities are?

Church, you thought that you would escape this truth as well?  It is your life and lack of responsibility to complete the command of Jesus that has landed us in this place to begin with!  Now, you would rather claim allegiance with your enemy than the One who gave you the command to save the world.  What kind of responsibility is this?  Your actions have given our enemy the courage and the passion to complete his responsibility and unless you figure this truth out real quick the world as we know it will change on a devastatingly level far worse than any world war witnessed before and may never recover to its present state again.  We have turned God’s embassy to an eternally dying entity into a laughing stock to the ones that we are told to save.  Our existence is weak and our presence is void which makes the truth about God not known to the ones that need Him the most.  In turn, our laziness has included us in those that need Him the most and until we stop and pick up God’s responsibility hat again we have no hope.

To complete this process we first must acknowledge to God that we need Him and His laws in our lives.  Second, when we truly allow Him in our hearts He will be faithful and just to forgive us for our wrongdoings.  Then God shall restore our lives back to the place where He wants us to be which will then allow us to once again fulfill our holy responsibilities.  If, and this is a big IF, we do these things with God first in our lives I guarantee that our world’s problems shall drastically diminish.  Church God loves you with all of His heart and it is His desire to see you flourish in peace and prosperity through His Covenant sacrifice. But calamity shall ever be around and in our lives if we ignore God and His ways.  We can avoid these dangers of responsibility if we only listen, God and keep our eyes focused on Him at all times.

It is a known fact that if we place God first in our lives the level of responsibility that we display also bleeds over into the physical.  It is not difficult to see how this level of responsibility is being portrayed either.  We must remember that responsibility and relationship go hand-in-hand and one cannot be present without the other being adequately involved, this is included both in the spiritual and in the physical.  God has laid out His plan of separation from the world through His Word and while He shall never force us to adhere to His ways it sure is an entirely different setting for our lives when we do versus when we do not.  Living under God’s Covenant and in His ways through the blood of His Son is the desired plan of separation that God wishes for our existence.  Church, He is calling to you for repentance, time is short and we are taking steps daily towards His return.  God loves you and is calling for His sheep to return.

DLB

Masked

Masked

10/9/16

The identification through some type of mask is readily produced in human societies.  This is not a new characteristic but one that can be found throughout history, but what true and deep meanings do masks have in our lives?  They serve a temporary purpose but cover the true foundation of what lies within our lives and some even represent a call to gods that rule their cultures.  Is this a good practice or one that only hides the pain to the casual observer?  What about the people who wish to know someone better and deeper than superficial coverings?  It is understandable that people will conceal many personal aspects of their lives from those who they do not know, but what occurs when these coverings become a way of life and refuse to deal with the pain and agony hidden within?  God never intended for us to hide our inner beings from each other, markings and masks are a worldly identification which hides the truth about our experiences.  No matter how much we try to hide our true self, it shall be unveiled at some point in time and we can only hope that God is still in our lives when this occurs.

My family and I have been in our house for almost fourteen years now and we absolutely love all the challenges that owning a home brings.  There have been some rocky times in our home with a few tense moments of doubt that presented itself a while back, but through all of these difficult times we stayed the course, asked for proper help and came through with God’s help and trust in other members of the family.  We personally know the previous owners of the house and their family and because of the extent of this knowledge, the way that we came to own the house was nothing but a gift from God and one that cannot be hidden if we tried. 

One of the stories that we have been told about the house property was how the previous owner would keep the lawn.  Now, I am from the south and I believe in a firm lawn with a great color and look to it but I had never heard of anyone placing phosphorous on their lawn and then scrubbing it in with a broom in order to have the best and deepest green color on the block. This is an ingenious idea and one that if I had the time every day I would complete as well, but I salute Glen and his efforts because what he did set the tone for our lawn today.  While this was a cosmetic solution to a color issue, it had no bearing on the foundation of the grass or base because phosphorus is a natural substance that is found in soil.  It was not going to hurt the grass or soil but it was actually going to help it along and make it healthier in some ways.  The phosphorus addition was not a cover up but one that extended the inner (underneath) beauty of the grass.

This next example is one of importance because it demonstrates the difference between covering up something and placing something on that helps the foundation of a surface.  In no way, am I trying to demean the place of work or organization but I am merely giving an example of this difference.  I understand the purpose of this organization’s action and I also understand it is a viable option from one that totally strips away to the foundation.  This organization recently informed their employees that the entire parking lot options were going to be resurfaced and that some of the spaces that were provided for customers and employees would be blocked off in order to complete this operation.  It was looked upon as a minor inconvenience but one that could be accommodating since there was ample parking space in other parts of the grounds.  When the time came for these facelift operations to occur it was quickly understood that no digging up of any surface was going to occur but only a new coat of tar was going to be placed on the top of the asphalt.  I understand this concept and agree with it but with my mind and heart, the way it is God decided to show me something about Him and His Word that we all need to know about. 

As the company began their preparations to resurface the parking lots they had some preparation work that needed to be completed first which included some cleaning and air blowing to remove rocks and other debris of the specific portion of the parking lot that was to be resurfaced that day.  This cleaning process took almost a half a day and even though it took a fair amount of time not every spec of infirmities was cleared.  I found this kind of amusing but continued to admire the efforts since the intentions were for a good cause.  One of the preparatory steps that had to be included in this process was to go over the cracks that had developed in the asphalt with a heavy coat of pitch and tar.  This step “sealed” the crack and would provide a temporary solution in the advancement of the crack. 

While it did not permanently fix the foundational problem it did temporarily stop the crack from splitting in further directions resulting in large gaps in the surface that could eventually do damage to automobile tires.  This raises the question of why would only a temporary fix be warranted instead of fixing the problem correctly the first time around?  See, there were several large cracks that had developed over the years since the original asphalt parking lot had been placed, and while they were filled with tar and pitch that day the true foundation of the problem had not been fixed, only covered.  The “scars” were noticeable and prominent to the naked eye which when noticed drew the attention of the person walking in that area quite suddenly. 

It was not difficult to know what stage of resurfacing the contractors were in because of the smells that each step produced and by the afternoon the smell of hot oil and tar was radiating in the light breeze that had started.  After a few more moments the portion of the parking lot had been completed with the resurfacing process.  When one stood from a distance and looked at the finished product it would have been easily recognized as a great job, almost brand new.  But when I came up close to the area I could see all of the imperfections of the newly resurfaced lot and it seemed to me that nothing really and truly occurred only a cover up job had taken place.  After a drying time, the parking lot was ready for usage again and it was not too much longer that cars began to park in the newly resurfaced and painted areas.

All seemed well as the next day came and I was once again faced with the looks of this newly resurfaced parking lot but this time, as I looked across the area many cars were parked in the spaces and from all intense purposes, normalcy had returned. However, as I was walking across the parking lot a few details immerged that I noticed, ones that caught my eye and were the subjects that God used to grab my attention for this article.  As I was walking across the parking lot and just about to enter into my building, I noticed that a car had been parked in one of the parking spots close to the entrance door.  Nothing special about the car but it had been through some type of mud recently and had dropped a big glob of it on the new surface of the parking lot.  This stood out like a big brown spot on a dark black surface.  As I approached this spot I noticed and confirmed that it was a spot on top of the newly tarred area and not something coming through the underneath.

Later that day as I was on my way to my car to leave for the day I noticed that there were a set of footprints coming from one of the parking spots headed to the main hospital building.  At this moment I really did not think much about it because I figured those prints were of someone walking in the mud and forming a similar pattern on the new surface as the glob of mud did earlier.  I went home and really did not think about those footprints anymore until the next day.  It had rained a fair deal during the night and when I was on one my journeys across my regular parking lot path I noticed these same footprints from the day before.  I stopped and bent down to take a closer look and it was then I noticed that those footprints were marking of the undersurface and that someone had walked on the tar too soon after resurfacing and had taken up the layer that had been placed on the old surface.  I kind of laughed as I said “oops” because it was then that I realized that someone had fresh tar on the bottom of their shoes.  Quite a difference than the glob of mud on top of the surface I thought and it was at this moment when God spoke and gave me the topic of this article.

When God chose Moses to lead God’s people out of slavery and into the Promised Land Moses argued because of his cosmetic speaking abilities and publicly hidden past.  When Jonah was called to tell Nineveh to repent and that God was going to destroy the land if they did not turn back to Him, Jonah quivered at the thought of completing this command because of his physical fear and basic chicken attitude towards God’s truth.  When Jesus was talking to the woman at the well He understood her past and that she was hiding the truth from Him when she spoke.  There are numerous other examples given in God’s Word that describe how we cover up our infirmities when we come in contact with people.  Yet, God does not call us to complete our purpose because of our infirmities but He calls us to sue our infirmities to help people instead.  Our problem is that we hide these so deep that we cannot effectively complete the mission God has for our lives because we hide the very restoration foundation that God uses to reach those who are hurting and are lost.

It is these masks that we use to cover up the things that we did when we were not following God.  But if we do not allow God to shine through these masks our foundation towards others becomes a lie to them.  Yes, some of us have done minor things that are easily hidden but others have committed horrible acts which can lead to deeper wounds which require more “tar” to hide. Masks and scars are trials that we have experienced through our daily life and we cannot afford to allow Satan to temporarily cover up our lives with these types of masks.  We need to allow God to heal these foundational cracks so that we can be fully functional to a dying world.  When we allow Satan to mask our spiritual appearance in this manner the world’s spirit shall have a foothold on your life and when it comes time and the opportunity arises to talk with that person or group about God, your words shall fall on deaf spiritual ears. 

God understands our lives far better than we can ever imagine, that is why sometimes it is difficult for us to understand why God chooses us for the plan that He has for us.  But if allow Satan’s kingdom to rule our superficial boundaries there will be no way that God’s true foundational repair can be adequately portrayed to those that need fixing.  In religious terms, it is this topical resurfacing that appears to many who do not know God and Christ as their Savior.  It says to the world that it is “ok” to have a superficial knowledge of God but it is not necessary to have a personal relationship with Him.  It is this belief and this teaching that the Church is in the condition she is in today.  She has no idea that she portrays all of the dirt that Satan throws on her AND the underneath scars that Satan exposes that provide a faulty message to those who want a way of peace and truth.  How can she walk into a dying world and proclaim her Groom when she has not fulfilled the requirements of protection?  The Church’s foundation must be intact and holy made before any she can speak of salvation without being hypocritical in her separation from the world.

We are all created in the image of God, which means all of us have a godly foundation, to begin with, and as time passes along and we do not allow God to restore the foundation that He built within us, the only other option we have is to let Satan resurface our lives with a useless coat of tar that will fade away and be immediately subject to the worldly elements we encounter.  This is NOT how God created us nor is it the manner in which He wants us to live, so why don’t we stop pushing God out of our lives and invite Him in to complete the foundation work that we all need, His Way.  See, resurfacing will not correct the issue for the cracks will only become deeper, wider and longer until that portion of our lives no longer can be used.  A process that our enemy loves to see go unchecked and corrected the right way.

It seems like the world always has answers, but those answers cannot penetrate the real issues that people harbor.  A temporary fix is not the correct way to handle eternal issues or physical ones for that matter.  If the foundation or root of the issue is not solved and changed then the problem will only fester until it boils over sometime in the future.  Look at the Middle East crisis, the tensions in Asia, the terror acts all across the globe, power hungry leaders and nations snatching up land from rightful owners.  All of these issues are not new but have been resurfaced over time until now the true tensions are seeping through again.  These examples are proof of what a superficial resurfacing project will lead to in the future; nothing good and nothing pretty as an outcome.  Shed these masks of our enemy and allow God to heal those wounds instead.

Church it is time you wake up and shake the worldly dirt off your feet and begin doing what Jesus tasked us to do.  Allow Our Heavenly and Eternal Father to restore our foundation so that we can once again preach and teach the Gospel as Jesus did.  There are countless resurfaced individuals and groups in the world that are crying out for help and it is our responsibility to be in spiritual tune enough with God that we can hear His direction of where to go.  Jesus loves each and every one of us and we can no longer live with our superficial cracks from the world being presented.  Allow God to heal them properly and then He will allow our lives to be shown off as a testament to His restoration process and Kingdom.

DLB

Spiritual Vietnam

Spiritual Vietnam

10/8/16

It is a common cry that no one likes to be involved in wars.  War symbolizes everything opposite of the peace initiative and wrecks every family involved.  But if war does come to that group or nation must be able to sustain the ability to fight appropriately and according to traditional warfare, battle lines must be drawn in order for movements to accurately be determined.  It is the wish of every commander that their lines be strong and continuously defendable with the adequate amount of effective fighting soldiers, but for those who have been in combat know this is just not the case.  This type of occurrence happens in the spiritual realm as well and while our Supreme Commander wishes His children and properly prepared He knows that the lines of His Kingdom are filled with holes and move in both directions on a constant basis.

My military career was a routine four-year hitch that lasted from 1988 – 1992.  I was in the United States Air Force and while I had orders to be deployed overseas at one time, I never stepped foot out of the USA.  It was a period of ups and downs but I managed to end my career on a positive note and have no regrets about my stint in military terms.  When I was in med tech school the skirmish of Panama broke out but was not in any condition to be activated for this deployment.  Plus, this type of operation was pretty much cut and dry and within a few days the objectives had been reached and most of the hostilities had died down.  A quick and effective military maneuver to catch a wanted military dictator with a drug cartel history, some say useful others say unless.

After my schooling was complete I went to my permanent base and after a certain period of time the first Gulf War broke out. Our reserve unit was on base and all pre-orders were being implemented so that when the festivities began we would be ready to deploy to Germany.  As one knows, this war was quickly decided in a matter of weeks and no further action on our part was needed; however, our base did suffer a single casualty when one of our pilots was killed in an unusual crash.  This ended my “combat” involvement in the military and my tour ended in 1992.  I wanted to establish this setting because in both instances battle lines had been drawn up and decisive figures put into place for these engagements to work.  Some agreed with this motive and others did not, just as every other US military involvement.  No fluidity of the lines was rendered and every combat team’s mission was cut and dry.  The might of the US military was witnessed and quick installments completed. 

The Vietnam War is the latest long long-term that our nation was involved in that most of the current population remembers. Many remember its causes and almost everyone remembers its consequences.  Many families throughout this country were touched in one way or another through this war and for many people only bitterness remains.  When this tragedy was over many soldiers returned home to horrific settings with hardly anyone proud of their return, many newscasts had portrayed these men and women as baby killers, home destroyers and nation destructors.  The general population could not understand that in most cases there were no battle lines defined and that each operation had an objective and when that objective or allotted time period ended the troops were taken away and returned to their established base.

Many times they would be redeployed into the same area some days later and have to fight for the same territory again just to leave it when that day’s fighting was over.  How can anyone win a war or battle with tactics of this sort?  It is difficult enough to hold a line with little personnel involved but holding the line may be tough but it has been proven a worthy accomplishment for centuries.  There are many facets that this war entailed and most of these diversions came from the political standpoints which hindered our men and women from doing their job properly.  No one can for sure say that if the military was allowed to complete their duty continually that the war would have ended sooner, but due to the choices that were made it is known that many lives were needlessly sacrificed on both sides of the fighting table.  A point to think about for a moment about this type of fighting and positioning, it is this type of action that describes an addiction, an addiction that takes hold of a person’s life and does not release.  It also describes how the Church is fighting the kingdom of Satan, one that we should be able to handle quite easily but struggle to even survive a small skirmish.

Over the decades of listening to interviews, watching documentaries and personally talking with Vietnam veterans it is easy to see that the lack of solid battle lines had a devastating effect on our men and women.  Advancing to a position and then pulling back had no real completion only a minute tactical scene and then that positive position was taken away almost as soon as it was secured, only the major outposts and bases were properly placed and defended.  It is this setting that the Church has adopted as well and it has proven to be just as disastrous as the Vietnam position was as well.  The world would love to convince you that there is not an eternal war ongoing for your life and for the most part the world and its leader has convinced the Church that this lie is actually the truth.  Thus, the Church accepts the fluidity of kingdom battle lines and accepts the fact that she can operate with lines moving back and forth instead of a continual advancement.  It is this tactic that cost countless civilian and military lives and the same tactic is being carried out in church settings today.  When a commander took out a squad or platoon after its battle the mission was officially cancelled and therefore completed but no one was left to make sure that the conquered territory remained in “our” possession.  It was given back to the enemy instead who then reinforced the positions that we had driven them from and resulting in an overall defeat of our military.

God has NEVER intended for Hs people to stop the advancement of His Kingdom.  This truth of our existence was given to Adam and Eve and has been in our buildings ever since.  It was established in the Garden of Eden that there are two kingdoms that are vying for our livelihoods Genesis Chapters 1-3 gives us these details.  The examples of this fighting are easily obtained when one studies the Bible, the entire Bible.  When we allow the position of God’s Kingdom to be compromised through worldly acceptance in our lives the battle lines are pushed backward and thus allows our enemy to gain territory around us.  This makes the kingdom lines fluid instead of a complete line moving forward.  This is a dangerous tactic because this fluidity of the spiritual battle lines strictly depends on our choices.  For God shall never force His will on our lives which means it is our choice to obey His ways and thus advance His Kingdom.

The Church cannot sit back and just defend the buildings it possesses.  Keep in mind that the Church is you and when God says that it is useless to defend buildings this means that He recognizes that we are sitting in the pews instead of out in the world advancing His Kingdom by telling people about Him.  Church buildings serve a purpose, that is not in question but when we stay inside those buildings instead of going out to the world we are allowing the enemy to close in around us so that he may begin the direct assault on these buildings and consequently you!  This is what the modern Church has accepted as a defensible position and it is costing not only the lives of those who do not know God but the ones who are succumbing to the lies of the enemy that surrounds them.

In Vietnam one of the main issues that our men and women faced were that the lines were broken up and never consolidated into one single aggressive line.  I have read about references where lines were so broken that the enemy could have – and did – walked through the lines to the rear and had their advance commit to the front and rear of our soldiers.  Whatever army faces this type of condition it is a hopeless case because there is no defense from bullets coming at you from two directions.  Not many people recognize that it is this type of surrounding that our spiritual enemy has against us; not because God has allowed it but because we have volunteered it into existence.  The kingdom battle lines are alive and continually trying to advance and if we allow ourselves to retreat or to break the lines into small segments we will soon face attacks from behind.

An important concept to keep in mind here and it one that we need to understand for our spiritual survival; a few days ago God shared with us about the Armor of God and how important it is that we put on the entire armor.  If we study this passage – Ephesians Chapter 6 – then we will find out that the armor that God intends for us to wear is designed to protect the front of our spiritual bodies, not the back.  This means that God intends for us to keep a unified line while we are fighting our enemy and as long as we have this continual battle line we do not have to worry about the enemy being behind us.  It is through this description of the Armor of God that gives us the fact that God’s Kingdom and Satan’s kingdom can never mix and it also illustrates to us how important it is that ALL Christians be united as One Church to fight our enemy.

It is obvious that the Church has not allowed these battle lines to stay congruent by what they deem as important and acceptable.  Their doors are open to sin instead of the sinner and their walls are seeping with the remnants of such sin.  She fails to recognize that this infiltration inside her confines is the enemy taking measures of points inside defining his striking points so that his weapons will be most effective when used.  The only way that this can be occurring, through the definition of the Armor of God is that our lines have been voluntarily broken and the enemy allowed to legally infiltrate our bases (churches).  In other words, the embassies that God has established for the advancement of His Kingdom have been overrun and are under constant attack and its inhabitants are sitting around watching it unfold and not doing one thing to change the situation.  How can we fight an enemy that we do not recognize as the enemy?  It is impossible to do so.

God wishes to refresh our memories and hearts with an important Scripture to show us who our enemy is and what his position is around us.  Matthew Chapter 4 gives an account of when Jesus was being tempted in the desert by Satan himself.  He took Jesus up on a mountain top and made a startling claim.  Satan told Jesus that he (Satan) would give Jesus all of the kingdoms of the world if He only bowed down and worshipped him.  Jesus did NOT ARGUE THIS POINT!!!  This means that Satan was actually telling the truth when he made this claim.  Through this claim and admission by Christ, our enemy is defined and he operates through the kingdoms of the world as his own which in turn defines his kingdom.  If we accept any part of this kingdom into our lives we are voluntarily allowing God’s Kingdom to be pushed back and to be broken.

If our lines are intact and we are completely under the protection of God’s Covenant then we have no worries that the enemy will be able to attack us from the rear.  Our Commander has guaranteed that He will be right in the midst of the battle if we follow His commands continually.  If we obey His commands then we shall know who our enemy is and we will be able to recognize the attacks that he brings.  I find it very intriguing that God’s Word states that only when we have on the full armor of God that we will be able to fend off the attacks of Satan which means that it is in this fully dressed armor that we can recognize these attacks as well.

Church, you represent the foundation that the dying world needs and it is your responsibility to make sure that the true, unadulterated and 100% of God’s truth goes out to these nations.  We must recognize that we are almost completely surrounded by our enemy and our perimeter is being steadily enclosed around us.  We shall not survive this overall attack unless we clean our walls and our pews and get back to the only way possible for an advance.  God desires that no one perish and eternally be separated from Him, but God is warning us that not only will those who do not know Him perish but those who sit on the pews and do not advance His Kingdom are in the same boat as those who do not know.  The Church is alive and she needs to act accordingly just as the battle lines of the spirit are.  These lines cannot mix only be advanced or pushed back.  Stand strong Church and fight with the full Armor of God on us for it is through this condition only that we can survive.  God knows that we cannot fend off our enemy through a spiritual Vietnam tactical position, only a complete and continual advancement shall defeat this enemy.

DLB

Foundation of Armor

Foundation of Armor

10/5/16

Everyone likes to be protected and to have the best possible defense at the ready when trouble has been spotted.  Accurate and up-to-date armor is required for such a defense posture and for offensive measures as well.  It is the responsibility of the person or group using such armor to maintain its upkeep and status while using the chosen protective devices.  God also has His armor so that His children can protect themselves from our true enemy when the attacks invade our lives.  Maintenance and thorough wise inspections are necessary when placing God’s armor on because just as physical protection the spiritual aspect of our existence totally depends on the well suited and properly addressed attire.  Do we know the foundation of such an all-purpose spiritual armor?

There was a very tense period of time after World War I concluded with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.  The majority of the nations around the world directly involved in the fighting or not suffered considerably due to this massive conflict that claimed millions of lives and ruined countless amounts of families.  It has been stated that this gigantic war touched every family in Europe that was in existence during that time period and thus was dubbed the “War to End All Wars”.  Little did humanity know that even after this terrible event had concluded war would still ravage nations in the future.  Some leaders saw this fact as an opportunity to build up their arsenals and use these articles for offensive purposes at a later time yet others ignored these calls and maintained the current status quo for their protection.

During WWI, Poland was an exemplary army and posed as a major threat to the opposing enemy.  Their military minds and hearts functioned at top speeds and conducted one of the finest hours in Polish military history.  The Polish military fought on level terms with the best militaries from around the world and built a reputation for having one of the finest cavalry systems ever established.  The Polish cavalry proved to be an essential fighting force for the armies it supported and gave a great deal of strength to those armies as well.  The usage of horses was not a new concept in warfare and some of the mightiest victories were won with excellent combat tactics using such procedures, the Polish advanced at this tactic during WWI and was proven to be such a force.

Armored vehicles and its concept were in its infancy when WWI broke out and while armored vehicles made an advance statement they really proved to be a hindrance in trench warfare.  The interwar years gave rise to the modern engine which demonstrated more power and resulted in faster speeds for those who dreamt of riding in the mechanized horse.  Some people within the military had greater ideas for the armored carriers and weapons and thus implemented certain new tactics by using these scaled down versions of WWI tanks.  While few nations supported this new armored concept many scoffed at the chance to be involved in the development of such a new weapon.

Poland fell into this scoffing category and due to its positioning and ideologies at the military top with horses still ruling the hearts of the leaders and thus groomed as the future of the Polish military.  As further developments in armored technology advanced some of Europe’s most powerful armies accepted this new mobile tank technology and began producing these giants for their protection.  As we all know, Germany, France, and Britain all had tanks in their Order of Battle but it was the Germans who had the military masterminds behind the tactics of this warfare and used it to their advantage while making plans to sweep through all of Europe.  Poland and its horse cavalry units were obliterated in minutes because a sword coming up against an armored tank is not even a contest. Poland had failed to upkeep its military standard with the rest of the pack and through their choices was slaughtered and their country overrun within a few weeks.  The world then was witness to one of the greatest travesties that mankind had ever known World War II.  Most of us can conjure up a notion of what atrocities occurred during this time period and what the consequences of the unprepared conditions of such nations, groups, and people resulted.

Many of us are familiar with the New Testament passage of Ephesians 6:10-18 states and how it gives the Spiritual Order of Battle for our protection against our eternal enemy.  But while these great protective devices are excellent tools for our defense and offensive objectives against our enemy many of us do not understand what the foundation of these tools are and where they originate, we must always keep in mind that in this spiritual war there are no squires present.  It does not matter if a person watches another person dress this armor nor does it matter if we put on the armor itself if we do not understand its foundational material and how it works.  Remember the old cartoon where a young boy was chosen to go out and fight against the enemy who was calling his unit out?  The young boy did not have any armor or protection at all so the other men in the unit gave him a piece of theirs which was huge on the boy and served the young boy no purpose because while it was great armor for them end it was way too big for the boy.  The unit did not take into consideration first that the young boy may be called upon to fight; totally unprepared. 

So, how do we really know that truth is supposed to be guarding our loins, or how to use the shield of faith, or even what the helmet of salvation actually means and all of the remaining pieces of the protection that God wishes for us to survive our fight? It is these questions that God wants us to understand so that we may have the full armor of His Word and to wisdom to know where the origins lie with His armor.  It is always loosely stated that God takes care of all our needs and that He is our provider for all necessities.  This is one of the foundational truths of God and one that cannot change, but if we do not live within His confines and laws our wisdom becomes intelligence and therefore we fall short because of our own choice of limitations.  See, a bullet will not penetrate a sheet of armor that is properly made and correctly put into place, but if the sheet of armor does not have these perfect standards present a person who is adequately trained can fire a bullet into the weak areas and cause serious damage to those inside the tank or armored vehicle.  ALL aspects of that armor need to be understood for both the defensive and offensive sides of the battle and the same is true for the spiritual Armor of God.

It does not matter if one is referring to an individual home or a nation, those in charge of such must be aware that there are enemies out there that wish to do you and your establishment harm.  On all levels of habitation, we must have the capability to defend ourselves and it goes without saying that God believes in this tactic because He has given us the prime examples of defensive and offensive armor so that we may complete the mission that His Son gave us to do.  Remember, God is a complete God so if He speaks concerning one aspect of our lives He means for the same to be true in the remaining portions of our lives. Therefore, we must understand where the Armor of God receives its power and authority and where it originates.

There are a few more passages that we must use in this article in order for us to understand the foundations of the Armor of God and while the example used so far has been from the New Testament, the remaining passages will come from the Old Testament.  In Genesis Chapter 15: 1-17 gives us a look of who initiates a covenant with mankind and the person who initiates this binding and legal contract is God which means that everything that occurs in mankind’s life is subject to this contract.  It is through the Covenant that we have our protection and receive the protection of God.  This Covenant is not one that God can just get out of or find the loophole so that He can void His will.  Through the words of His Word, God personally burns and consumes the sacrificial offering of Abraham which means that God began this Covenant and He ended it with this example. There is nothing left after total consumption by fire.

The word God used in Ephesians Chapter 6:11 is the same translated word “God” as is used in Genesis Chapter 15:1 when God speaks to Abram and tells him not to be afraid for He is his shield.  Now, while Hebrew is considered, and is, to be a higher language than Greek, I find this very interesting that both the words Lord and shield are used in this verse and represent identical meanings for our lives.  This verse also ties the foundation of the Armor of God to the Covenant that mankind has with God.  This means that as God identifies Himself to Abram in this vision God initiates the process of His Covenant with mankind which means that this Covenant cannot be broken or violated by God.  Covenants were not unusual in the Old Testament times but many all of them were human originated, not through God.  It is the origin of this Covenant that differs, mankind will almost always find or initiate ways to overturn these agreements, God cannot, God’s Covenant is 100% intact and eternal at all times.

In Genesis 15:1 God uses the word shield and describes Him as such an instrument for Abram’s protection.  In Ephesians 6:16 states that the shield of faith is above all the most important tool and weapon we have against our enemy.  I find it fascinating that this word “shield” God uses in the Old Testament to describe Himself and that Paul uses this word as an identifier to the Armor of God.  Both settings use two words that define both the origins of the Armor of God and those are Covenant and God, a coincidence that proves to be a fact.  There will be more to come concerning Covenant and how important it is in our lives in the near future.

Genesis 15 explains this process of Covenant and what it means to both God and mankind.  In ancient, Middle East, this ritual was popular with all the land and had a great deal of substance to its fulfillment.  When two human groups, various peoples, etc performed this ritual it had every stability of being taken seriously especially in times of need, and as we all know, when humans get involved with these types of circumstances things can become a bit technical and hairy when good times fall apart.  Humans love to find ways to escape such pacts and justify their means by actions of the other parties involved, a disgrace to the definition of the word covenant.  But when God makes a Covenant with mankind it is totally opposite of what humans believe and many times wish to adhere to which in the end can prove to be very costly for the human.

God is perfect in every way possible, so much that our limited and finite minds cannot comprehend this perfection.  God is also eternal and our minds fall into the same category of non-compliance with this truth.  It is this aspect of God that He brings to the Covenant table, which marks a completely different level of play according to the definition of Covenant.  Once God makes His Word manifest He cannot withdraw it, rescind it, or change it in any way because if He does then He is a liar and cannot truly proclaim that He is the original Creator of everything.  This means that once His Covenant with mankind has been established He cannot go back on His Word and therefore cannot violate the Covenant He has established.

God is eternal and it is through this eternal and pure status that defines the Covenant as all binding for eternity.  This means that the originator of Covenant cannot in any way break what He has established and since it is eternal there is, by this portion of the definition alone, no way that the Covenant can be broken which in turn means that it can only be violated.  Also, since God is God and is pure and holy in every manner He cannot violate this Covenant in any way, shape or form either.  With this fact stated, that means that there can only be one party involved in this Covenant that can do wrong, you got it the human.  The question that is now presented is why would anyone wish to violate this eternal agreement with God?

Through this definition of Covenant and everything that it stands for means that the very defensive and offensive measures God has originates from Him. And since Genesis 1:1 States that in the beginning God, this means that God was already present when the beginning of life itself was made.  This everlasting presence is a subject that is difficult for us to fathom but at the same time, it is the foundation of faith that we so desperately need as the children of God.  God who is eternal cannot die or fade away and if He serves as the origin for the Covenant that means that by default Covenant cannot fade away or die either.  Then this means that Covenant is the foundation or covering for the Armor of God which Galatians mentions.  This means that if we do not fully live within Covenant measures we are in violation with life itself and cannot receive total benefits from what God has provided. Covenant separates us from the world and it is the world which serves as the holding ground for God’s eternal and immortal enemy Satan, who is our eternal and immortal enemy as well.  God has provided us with the perfect spiritual defense through His Armor and at the same time this holy and pure armor can be used as the perfect offensive weapon to advance God’s Kingdom.

This is why it should come as no surprise that our enemy does his best to deceive us by telling us that we do not need to always live under the protection of God’s Covenant.  Western societies and other populated associations have come to believe this notion that they can handle the situations on their own, especially when they have accepted the lie that no spiritual condemnation awaits anyone after we draw our last breath or even before this second arrives.  This false sense of security is the basis on which Satan uses in order to keep us away from God and the plan that He has for each one of us.  It is also a lie that we believe that when attacks come our way that the Armor of God that we have had on will adequately protect us when the same person strikes.  The Armor of God CANNOT fit properly if we do not fully understand its presence and know how it works. The Armor of God is a full-time position and nothing less and it is our responsibility to ensure that we know every detail about that armor for it is the one defense that we have to thwart the attacks from the enemy.

Now we have the basic understanding about a vital piece of information concerning our lives and how we need to be prepared for the attacks of our enemy.  The Armor of God is the perfect gift of the One who loves us the most and this armor is easily obtainable and easily maintained if we only obey God’s Ways and keep His commandments.  I wish that I could say that the societies around the world have fully accepted this truth and wartime weaponry but I cannot.  I cannot even say that God’s Church has accepted these weapons against our enemy.  We have lost the concept that the Armor of God protects our spiritual vitality; we have not correctly understood the meaning of Covenant and thus not understood God Himself.  The Armor of God is the only way possible that we can survive the attacks from our spiritual enemy, but if we cannot define our enemy we surely cannot define what can protect us either and that is the God’s honest truth.

Without obeying Covenant there is no possible way that the Armor of God can fit us correctly.  Without obeying and believing in God totally there is no way that we can obey Covenant either.  And if we cannot or do not obey God and Covenant there is no way possible that we can live with the protection of the Armor of God.  That is why we need to “put on” the “full” Armor of God and not part of it.  100% participation is required for the armor to be effective, not 50% or even 99%.  It is through the belief in God, obeying His Covenant and receiving His protection that forms the foundation of our existence and advancement of God’s Kingdom. 

It is this truth that God provides that represents protection and not governing and dictating laws that so many think the Old Testament screams.  Our lives are far too valuable to God to have limiting values placed over our heads and hearts but that is exactly what our enemy tells us and what he wishes for us to believe.  That lie is the #1 reason why people doubt God’s existence and His presence around and in our lives and it is this lie that many people die and are eternally separated from God, which is in itself a crack through which Satan shall attack our spiritual lives.  No matter how much we contend against it, if we do not have the true foundation under our feet at all times our existence as humans cannot survive, the physical is already no longer in doubt but our eternal is sure taking the stage.

These examples are living proof that God’s Word is not dead but it is alive and well and provides us as the only source of wisdom against our enemy.  You want to know how the Church is doing, look at its Covenant status and through this status one can easily ascertain the vitality of the Church.  How far we have fallen by not fully accepting God’s Word for its deep and meaningful truth is the question we need to ask ourselves, with “ourselves” being defined as the Church.  To use the Armor of God we must first understand the enemy, and then understand what each piece of this holy protective device is used for and provides us.  

This is a continual study effort on our part and one that God shall never force us to complete.  If we choose to accept this protection we automatically come under the Covenant laws of God because that is exactly what choosing God means but just as easily we can become subject to the wiles of our enemy when we choose to violate this Covenant.  The entire Word of God is connected and relates to our lives as one entity.  It is our responsibility to live through these promises of God and live accordingly.  The Word of God is alive and while it continues to grow we need this growth in our lives so that its truth and values can be maintained in our lives; if only Adam and Eve had understood and believed in this truth from the outset.  Living in Covenant is a restorative setting that God desires for all of His children.  God understands that there is no way that we can change the truth that our lives represent everything that goes against His Kingdom, but when we live under the Blood Covenant of His Son, all sins are washed away from His sight.  It is this Armor that provides us with the beauty of holiness before God.

DLB