Warrior Dad

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil... Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore... Ephesians 6:11,13-14

What do you stand for?

You can take this two ways. Either think of it like, I just won't stand for this!you won't tolerate it. Or, think of it this way, I'll take my stand on this issue. I want my life to stand for the things I believe in.

Where do you stand? What are the issues where you refuse to be moved? What wrongs or injustices will you never tolerate?

Paul gives us a good list to start with, telling us four times in Ephesians 6:10-17 that we need to take a stand. Here is what made Paul's list:

First, truth. Put truth around your waist like a belt. Like the light of day that chases away the creatures of night, truth is the light that overcomes the lies of darkness. Stand on the truth of what Jesus has done for you.

Second, righteousness. Did you ever realize that righteousness is not just a moral way to live your life? It is actually a protection for your heart! And while you need to follow in the righteous example of Jesus in your actions, it is His righteousness that covers you and not your own.

Third, the gospel of peace. Stand for the reality of God's peace-His shalom that is far more than just lack of conflict. God's peace restores, reconciles, and makes new. Whatever was lost is found, whatever was broken is fixed, because of the good news of God's peace.

Fourth, your faith. This goes far beyond your faith in Jesus as your Savior, though that is the heart of it. That faith is the faith that settles our eternity, but what are you doing day in and day out that requires faith?

Fifth, salvation. Stand firm on the reality that Jesus has saved you. Never let any doubts creep in concerning all that Jesus has done for you.

Sixth, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. What has God said? Stand on the Word of God and do not be shaken. Let it establish your life as you follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.

If we will stand on these things, then our lives will be blessed. These are our keys for victory, the areas of battle on which we must stand.

Prayer Father God,

Thank You for giving me strategies for a victorious life! This armor is Your armor, so please clothe me in it. Never let me lack even one piece as I live for Your glory!

Amen

One Trumpet, One Throne, and Two Amazing Witnesses

In the same hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. In the earthquake seven thousand people were killed, and the rest were afraid and gave glory to the God of heaven. Revelation 11:13

Everyone is wondering about it. Are we in the end days? Are we nearing the end? The answer is yes, and I'll give you one of the biggest measuring sticks we can use to know: Israel. Now, I'll be the first person to tell you that the Bible gives us a ton of measures to useprophecies-by which we can know that we are in the end times. The Bible is our ultimate lens through which to look at current events, and if we do, then we'll have confidence because we see everything that's happening as what it is-fulfillment of God's eternal plan.

But Israel, I'm telling you, Israel is a special measurement. We can look at what Israel is doing and how the various nations relate to them as a gauge to tell us that the end times are upon us.

Why Israel? Why are they singled out? Simply put, it's because God chose them.

But isn't that a bit dated? I mean, Israel rejected God. You're right, Israel rejected God, but God hasn't rejected Israel.

In fact, Paul tells us in Romans that God has hardened Israel's heart for a time until the fullness of the number of Gentiles comes in. Jesus tells us the same thing in Matthew 24:14, saying, And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

In other words, the only thing holding up Israel's salvation is ours. When the nations have heard, that's the end. Then God lifts the Gentile believers out of the way and, here, in our verse today, we see the moment that salvation will come to Israel.

You see, in the Great Tribulation, many disasters will be poured out that result in nothing more than people shaking their stubborn fists at God. This earthquake, however, is different. This one brings a new reaction-a giving of glory to God by all.

Let me say that again-ALL! It means the totality of Israel will finally get it, the blinders will be lifted, and all of Israel will glorify God.

Israel is the measure for the end times. Why? Because God chose them. He brought salvation to the gentiles through them, and in the end, He's going to bring salvation back home to them.

Prayer Lord God,

Thank You for being faithful! I take so much encouragement from Your faithfulness to Israel. Please help me to be just as faithful to You in these end times!

Amen

All Aboard

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7

All over the world right now, do you know what season it is? It is farming season.

As I travel to different places, sometimes I really get to see this in action. The fields are all plowed up as winter turns into spring, opening up the ground to receive the seeds. The farmer sows the seeds into the ground and spends the summer tending to his crop. Then, finally, after months of work and waiting, what happens? Of course, the crop becomes ripe and it is time to harvest and go to market!

And every year without fail, the farmers receive income from their harvest that is proportionate to what they sowed in the springtime. Why? Because they cannot reap a large harvest unless they sow a lot of seed. If they sow sparingly then they will reap sparingly, but if they sow generously then they will reap generously.

This is a law of nature that God established in the way He created the world, and it is a principle that also governs our finances, along with other areas of our lives.

If we withhold what we have from others, selfishly hoarding it for ourselves then we will eventually find what we have dwindling. Our fear of lack will actually lead to lack. However, when we sow into others with our finances, time, love, gifts, and more, then we will receive back in kind according to what we have sown.

This principle is easy enough to understand, so why do we have a hard time following it? It is because the real issue is in our hearts. The issue is whether or not we love others as we love ourselves and trust God to be our provider. Because if we love others and we trust God then the natural extension of those things is cheerful generosity.

When we go on a business trip, we expense everything we pay to the company we represent. Why would it be different in the kingdom? When we sow our finances into building God's kingdom, He keeps a record and is faithful to make sure we reap according to how we sow.

Let's be a people who trust God, love others, and sow generously.

Prayer Father God,

You are my provider, and I repent for not loving others as I love myself and for not trusting You with my finances. I put my trust in You today! Please give me courage as You show me opportunities to be generous with the seed You have given me to sow.

Amen

Head-On Collisions

But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. 1 Corinthians 11:3

Have you ever wondered what the Bible really says about women submitting to men? There's a lot of tension out there where submission is concerned, but I want to help us all set the record straight today.

When God created everything, He looked around creation and He's like, Well, everything looks good. But you know what? It's not good for man to be alone. I need to create a help-mate. I need to create a helper because man needs a lot of help.

And men like this verse because we know we need a lot of help. But a lot of women don't like this verse. They're like, I don't want to be his helper. I want to be my own woman.

Well, maybe you missed it, but when God created you as man's help-mate, He puts you in select company. The only other person in the Bible of whom that same word is used is God, as in, I will lift up my eyes to the hills-from whence comes my help? (Psalm 121:1). Listen, this is an honor and it's who God created you to be.

But we need to understand something about this, because a lot of people have looked at this and somehow understood that women are inferior. They're not. Holy Spirit is not inferior to Jesus. Jesus isn't inferior to Father God. They have different roles, but they are equal, and each role is equally important.

Listen, we don't go to extremes-neither chauvinism nor feminism. Woman was not created from the feet of Adam to be stepped on and treated as inferior. Nor were women created from his head, leaving part of his brain missing, as if men are inferior. Women were created from his-what?-from his rib, from his side, proving women to be of no greater or lesser value, but equivalent, a complement, a help-mate, an equal partner.

The problem is that sin comes along and mars who men and women were created to be and they both start thinking that they have to take care of themselves and dominate each other instead of serving and blessing each other.

The cure for this curse is the cross. You've got to come under the covering and protection of that yoke in order to make it to Heaven, in order for your sins to be forgiven, and in order to become who God made you to be-a man who raises his wife up into her callings, and a woman who helps her husband become all God intends for him.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your example of godly submission! Please teach me to be like You in my family, leading as a spouse and a parent through love and service as we learn to become all that You made us to be!

Amen

Better Jobs

Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as menpleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God...knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. Colossians 3:22,24

Is your job worth it? Is it worth all the effort and long hours you put into it? Do you ever get thanks from your boss, any kind of reward for your labor?

Most of us probably think the answer to these questions is no. No, Bob, I don't get any-

thing for all the work I do, but I do it anyway. I work my tail off for this company and I never get anything to show for it.

I have two things to say to us today that will help us where the workplace is concerned. First, I think most of us have to shift our paradigms of work expectations. We think we are working above and beyond when really we are only meeting the basic expectations for our positions.

If all we do is show up on time, leave on time, complete our assigned tasks on time in a satisfactory manner, and contribute nothing to the negative aspects of the workplace, then we are barely breaking even. We do these things and then expect a five-star review from our boss when we are only doing three-star work.

We have to find ways of going above and beyond the basics of what we were hired to do if we expect to be considered excellent. Otherwise we should not be surprised to receive little thanks or recognition, as we are merely meeting expectations. I will not go out of my way to thank an employee for average.

However, assuming that we think of ourselves rightly at work, yet still receive no credit or reward, here is our comfort: God will reward us for our faithful service, for we have been serving Christ Jesus the whole time.

And what is the reward He will give us? Inheritance.

Wait. Inheritance means someone died and gave me something they earned during their lifetime. Who was that?

Jesus. That's right, Jesus died so that you could receive an inheritance from your FatherGod. Can you imagine how glorious an inheritance from God might be? Yeah, me neither, but one thing I do know-I know it changes the way I go to work in the morning.

No matter who my boss is-good or bad-I know I work for Christ Jesus, and He will give me the inheritance as my reward.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You that You are really the one that I serve when I go to work and You are a just boss. Please help me to be a good employee, and thank You for my reward.

Amen

Fender Mender

There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself. Proverbs 11:24-25

There are a lot of great churches and ministries out there, but let me tell you one church that was not exactly a model church-Corinth.

Why was the church in Corinth so bad? Well, because you could really sum up many things they did with one word-selfishness. And in their marriages, families, fellowship, spiritual gifts, giving, and everything else, they put themselves first before others. They thought the Christian life was all about themselves, instead of it being about Christ and His love for His entire body.

One particular area that Paul needed to address was that of giving, and I think we need to learn from what he says, too.

Now, this isn't about me. I don't have any beef. I don't have an agenda in teaching on this other than this: I want our church-that's us, not the buildings-to be ten times more effective in ministry than Corinth was ever known for being.

I'm saying that I want you in your life to be blessed all the more because of your faithfulness to God where your finances are concerned. And let me remind you of what God gave for you-everything, I mean everything! So we should not be bashful now in talking about what we give back to God.

But in case you didn't notice, let me say it again, that I want you to be blessed because of your faithfulness. Because, yes, there is a great big blessing for us when we're faithful to give as the Lord instructs us.

In fact that's what it says in our verses today; did you notice? Go back and read it again. Let it really soak in.

Now, that's some good news, there. There are those who scatter, who spread it, who share it. And you know what? A lot don't. It's kind of getting hard in this culture and recession to find sharers.

Yet God's Word says it's the ones who are sharing who are increasing the more. But the ones who are hoarding, who are holding on, find that strategy unfulfilling. In fact, it leads to poverty.

Why listen to God's Word for what He says about giving? Because there's poverty in disobedience, but blessing and increase in obedience.

Prayer Father God,

Thank You for providing for all my needs and for teaching me how to be faithful with all You have given me! I choose to loosen my grip on all that You have given me and ask that You show me where to share.

Amen

Lost in Passion

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18

What's the problem? It's my body. I can do with it whatever I want to!

Our culture is trying to justify their extramarital sexual relationships as somehow okay. You know, God's Word on the matter should be enough for us. He said it. We do it. But there are reasons behind His instructions that are for our good, and I'll give you three of them.

First, unguarded passion leads to pain. Paul had just finished telling the Corinthians that fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals, and sodomites will not inherit the kingdom of God. This is pain to the most extreme degree-eternal pain-but it's not the only pain that comes with unguarded passion. The pain now is the hole we're trying to fill with all those relationships, but no one can fill that hole except Jesus. Trying to fill the hole with relationships only deepens it as we break our heart over and over again.

Second, unguarded passion has a powerful progression. Do you remember the first time you held hands? It was pretty exhilarating that first time, but not for long after that. Soon you put your arm around the girl. Then there's the first kiss, and of course that only revs your engine for more. If you never put up guards, you will quickly find yourself going all the way. And when you've gone all the way, you're as confused as ever, because it wasn't the fulfillment you were looking for.

Third, unguarded passion leads to perversion. The Corinthians tried to justify their sexual hunger by comparing it to their hunger for food. When I want food, I eat. When I want sex, I go get it.

Paul responded, saying that God will one day do away with both food and your stomach, but your body and what you attach to it remains forever because you are the temple of God. Are you really going to go join yourself to a harlot? Are you really going to join yourself to someone who's willing to give themselves to you without first committing to a lifelong marriage?

There is ruin on the road of unguarded passion. Don't waste one of the greatest gifts God has given you. Guard yourself, choose Jesus, be whole, and be blessed.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Your Word is very clear on the values I should hold regarding my sex life. I repent for the ways I have violated Your plan for my sexual relationships. Please help me stay on the right path and experience the blessings You have for when I follow You!

Amen