Put Your Shoes On

Don’t go out without your shoes on. I remember my mom saying those very words to me and I hated it. Now barefoot weather is approaching; some places slower than others. But there are places where, even in nice weather, we don’t go barefooted. Soldiers in combat seldom are without shoes. In Viet Nam although it was almost always plenty warm to go barefoot, whenever we did any walking we usually had something on our feet. When we were on the move we always had our boots on.

In Ephesians 6:15 we are encouraged to put on specific shoes. In each of the more literal translations that I have these are described as the “preparation of the gospel of peace.”

Frankly I do not like the whole idea of “Soul winning classes.” Just my prejudice. But here I am commanded to put on the preparation of the gospel of peace… Get ready to share the gospel. To me, this relates directly to 1 Peter 3:15.

“but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear;”

Sometimes it feels like I’m the last person on the planet who reads the King James Bible. Everyone says they can’t understand it. Anyway, when you ask them to tell you about their hope, they almost always quote the KJV. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life. I thought you didn’t understand that? Even Microsoft Word didn’t hiccough at “believeth” in that context.

The whole point is, can you, in simple English, give a personal answer to the question, “What do you believe and why do you believe it?” As I have thought and prayed about this, I do believe that these 2 verses (Ephesians 6:15 and 1 Peter 3:15) tell me that having an answer ready, is important.

Back in 2011 I wrote an article and tried to encourage people to write what they think they might say to someone who would ask them to “Tell me what you believe, and why”. No one replied. I will ask again.

Can you write down what you would say if someone asked you, “What do you believe and why?” I would love to see what some of you might say. If you would like for me to share that on this blog, I would like to do that as well.

Try to keep it under 1000 words. That doesn’t sound hard to most people but some of us like to write.

If you want to keep it just between you and me you can email me at rdeham47@gmail.com. You can also see my answer to the question at the link.

http://rickeveringham.blogspot.com/2011/09/gospel-as-i-see-it.html

By the way comments are welcome. Thanks

It’s something to think about.

Fact and Truth

In one of the Indiana Jones movies Dr. Jones makes a profound statement. He says, “We deal with facts not truth, if you want to know about truth go to the philosophy department.” The thing that is profound is that facts and truth are not always the same thing.

The fact is I have sin active in my flesh and have often chosen to do sin (1 John 1:8). The truth is I can have victory over my sin (1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 John 2:1).The fact is God sees my sin (Psalms 139:23-24). The truth is that God’s vision for me is that I do overcome and have victory (Romans 8:29). If I focus my attention on the facts I will be discouraged and frustrated, but if in view of the facts I focus on the truth I will have hope and be encouraged.

Ephesians 6:14 says “Therefore STAND having your loins girded about with truth, and having the breastplate of righteousness.” We don’t hear a lot about girdles anymore, but when I was young a lot of women would wear girdles to hold their stomachs in but they also provided support and comfort. The girdle of truth is there to support and comfort us in the world of facts that would discourage and tear us down.

Notice also that the girdle is flexible and will encourage and support in many situations. Each of us needs to find the word and words of truth that will comfort and encourage us individually and apply that to our own life. What words help you when you see your weakness to not be discouraged and to overcome in the time of temptation? I would encourage you to commit those to memory and think about them, meditate on them, even to write about them.

As the girdle of truth is flexible and can fit each individual in their various needs, the breastplate of righteousness is a solid plate that will cover all who will put it on. Our righteousness is our accepting the sacrifice that Jesus made to pay for our sin. My righteousness is accepting the fact that I can never do enough good to erase or cover all of the corruption that I have embraced, and in complete poverty of spirit humbly and confidently placing all of my hope on the cross of Christ Jesus. Jesus truly did pay it all and that is the solid breastplate of my righteousness which I must consciously put on every day and usually more often than just every day.

Does the truth that you hold in your mind and heart comfort, strengthen, encourage and protect you?

It’s something to think about.

Get Dressed for the Day

When I get up in the morning, I check the weather to see what the day looks like, so I will know how to dress for the day. I do that every day. Then I get dressed appropriately to what the day is going to be and according to what I need to be doing in the day. I imagine you do something similar.

When the children of Israel came to the Jordan River after 300 years in captivity and 40 years in the desert, they were given specific instruction about how far to follow the Ark of God. Joshua said “Because you have not passed this way before.” (Joshua 3) As I am on a spiritual journey into the Promised Land of the Kingdom of God, every day I meet things in my life that need to be conquered and put to death so that Christ can be formed in me. I may have met these things before, but many of them I have not realized that I have a responsibility to destroy. In the same way therefore I have not passed this way before.

Every day is a new day that I have never known before. It is only reasonable that when I am going somewhere I have never been that I see if I can get some clear directions for how to navigate in the new day. When I was driving a truck, I learned to always get specific turn by turn directions for how to get to my destination. In many situations this was very important because there were hazards that could not be navigated if I strayed from the correct route.

After writing about the principalities, powers and rulers of this present darkness and wickedness in high places Paul exhorts us to get dressed appropriately for what the day has in store so that we can function as we should in our place.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore…  (Ephesians 6:13 +)

Recently I am impressed with the emphasis of the evil day. Each day I need to prepare. Each day I need to put on the armor of God because I will face enemies in my flesh that will conquer me if I am not prepared.

God’s intention for me is that I become like Jesus. If I am becoming angry when things don’t go my way I am not becoming like Jesus. If my words are not glorifying to God, I am not becoming like Jesus. If my heart is full of desires other than to please God, I am not becoming like Jesus. If I am not loving like Jesus loved, I am not becoming like Jesus. In these cases and many more I am not standing in my place because I am not prepared and clothed spiritually.

I must be properly clothed each day for the day’s activities. This is true spiritually even more than physically.

Think about it.

Present Darkness

In my everyday life it is evident that there are conflicts. People do things that tend to irritate. I am disappointed with things that I do and with the things I do not accomplish; I am even in conflict with myself. Ephesians 6:12 clearly says that the conflict is not with other people and to some degree not even with myself. There are spiritual forces at work that fight against me and against the will of God.

There was a popular book several years ago about the rulers of the darkness of this world. It focused on spiritual beings that affected people and their behavior. As I was reading this passage I became aware of another darkness that strongly affects the people of this present age and time. It has far too great an affect on me and I suppose others may be able to see how it affects them as well.

The darkness I am referring to is the darkness that entered the world in the Garden of Eden. I am not speaking of original sin or sin nature. These seem to me to be Theological terms with little meaning. Rather I am simply referring to the introduction of another point of reference. Before Adam and Eve ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil God was the point of reference that said what was good and what was not good. Once they took the knowledge of good and evil for themselves the conflict began.

Jesus came with a different point of reference than was common in the world at that time and now. His central and main point of reference was God’s will, even at the point of being beaten and crucified (ref Luke 22:42). He didn’t even speak his own words but waited and spoke the words from the father (ref John 14:10).

In verse 10 we are encouraged to “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” The strength of Jesus is the strength and power of humility. In Philippians 2:5-8 we can read, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

The strength and the might of Jesus was not his own strength or might, rather his strength and might was in the fact that he humbled himself and was obedient to God in all things.

The darkness of this present age is the spirit in each of us that says “I know what is good and what is evil.”

It’s something to think about.

January 2015 Here I am

In January I seem to want to say, “This Year I…” But I don’t truly think I’m that big a deal. Rather I think I should say. Right now and probably for a season, I believe God wants me to think about the passage in Ephesians 6:10-18. How does this truly apply to my daily life?

In the very beginning I see my first problem (where I get it wrong). Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. The human condition and especially my condition thinks that I can be strong by exercise and good nutrition. This applies spiritually as well as physically.

I have over the years gone on several diets to become a less rounded person. Some have been marginally successful and others not at all. In the end my desires were not changed and I coveted the foods I liked and that led me to giving up the “diet” in favor of my own lusts.

The truth is that physically and spiritually, on my own I am in a fallen and helpless condition. I must continually recognize and acknowledge that my own strength, wisdom and ability is not enough to live the life or be the person I was created and intended to be.

I must recognize that Jesus is the Lord not because he was God, but because, as a man just like me he overcame all of the weaknesses and failures that separate all men from God by humbling himself in ALL situations and being obedient. He had to live the life he lived in constant awareness of his need for wisdom and strength from God.

This is my only hope for any real success in my daily life.