Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Properly Clothed

 Ephesians 6:14

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed.

Our garments of spiritual warfare are compared to the armaments of soldiers, who prepare themselves before going to into war.
Each piece of armor is absolutely necessary to enable the Properly Clothed Spiritual Warrior to succeed in his or her designated field of warfare wherein God, the High Commander, has placed us. An unarmed soldier will always fail, for each item of armor is connected to another. 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 225

Truth: Reality, Moral Truth, Truth revealed to mankind by God; truth of idea, reality, sincerity, truth in the moral sphere, divine truth revealed to man, straightforwardness

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1343

Righteousness:  righteousness of which God is the source or author, but practically: a divine righteousness

If any of these are not in alignment with God's Word before we go into prayer, then we are not ready to pray to God.

We must know the Truth of God's Word, we must know Jesus Christ.

The Belt Conforms & Transforms The Body

John 14:6

Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.

The Breastplate Covers The Heart of The Body

We must receive God's Righteousness before God can hear our prayer.

Romans 3:14

Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.

Romans 3:22

And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction.

Colossians 3:12

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Recognizing Our Enemies

 Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

RECOGNIZE THE ENEMIES OF YOUR SOUL

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 746
Principalities: beginnings, origins

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 1849

Powers: authorities, influences, operating in a designated jurisdiction, dominion, moral authority

 Rulers of Darkness: 

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2888

Ruler: world-ruler asserting independence from God; ruler of this world, that is, of the world as asserting its independence of God; used of the angelic or demonic powers controlling the sublunary world.

From Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 4655: 

 Darkness: the principal  (beginning/origin) of sin with its certain (it has the power of rendering men bold to commit crimes [Luke 22:53]

ignorance respecting divine things and human duties, and the accompanying ungodliness and immorality, together with their consequent misery [Acts 26:18, John 3:19]

the shadow of a looming presence, a spiritual reality (good or bad) relating to God's light or spiritual darkness, densest darkness, spiritual death [Isaiah 1:9-10 (cf) Romans  Matthew 4:16, Luke 1;79]

results: persons in whom darkness becomes visible and holds sway [Ephesians 5:8]

From Strong's #4152

Spiritual: the realm of the spirit, whether divine or against God, belonging to a spirit, or a being higher than man but inferior to God 

From Strong's #4189

Wickedness: pain-ridden evil, malice, iniquities, depravity [Luke 11:39, Romans 1:24-32]

From Strong's #2032

High Places: celestial, sphere of spiritual activities, heavenly

 

These are the born again believer's enemies. But we should not fear this fight. Fear will only cause us to lose our faith in our Lord God. 

Recognizing the fact that we cannot win this battle on our own we turn to God for wisdom on how to fight. Since we do not wrestle against people, we do not need ordinary weapons which people use against each other. We need spiritual weapons and we need to know how to use them.

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Fully Equipped For Service

Ephesians 6:13

Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.

In addition to all of the armory pieces listed in the next few verses in this passage (Ephesians 6:14-19), we have a couple more available to us.

Resistance Is Not Futile

James 4:17

Submit yourselves, then, to God. RESIST THE DEVIL and he will flee from you.

How do we resist the devil? By saying, "No!". By reminding him we belong to Jesus now and that the devil has no hold on us. By reminding him of his future. By keeping near the Word of God, getting more and more of it into our hearts, where the Holy Spirit can draw it out when necessary. 

It is impossible to draw water up from an empty well. We are the well. The Word of God is the water. Our faith is the bucket. The Holy Spirit reaches into the well to bring up the water of life and gives it to whomever needs it that we come in contact with. 

Moral Understanding & Intentional Thoughts

1 Peter 4:1

Therefore, since Christ suffered in His body, arm yourselves with the same RESOLVE, because anyone who has suffered in his body is done with sin. 

Resolve to never back down, to never return to the sinful life from which Christ has delivered us. Resolve, determine, to maintain our walk with Christ, staying near Him: where we can clearly hear His voice and know He is present with us. 

Resolve to know Christ more and more on a day by day basis. Determine to bring as many people with us as we can reach with the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

Resolve to think only those thoughts (and this is probably the hardest thing to do) which glorify God and uplift ourselves and others (because we tend to speak without thinking, therefore we should think only good thoughts of each other and ourselves).

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Bold Witness

 

Ephesians 6:19

Pray also for me, whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel.

Ephesians 3:9

And to illuminate for everyone the stewardship of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

Colossians 4:2-4, 6

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful, as you pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the Word, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may declare it clearly, as I should.

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

1 Peter 3:15

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

Boldly speaking the Truth of the gospel of salvation also requires us to speak forth the Word with grace, compassion, mercy and wisdom. Knowing when to speak and when to keep silent is a lesson each disciple must learn for themselves. A lesson learned from studying both the Word and observing one's circumstances, being able to gauge correctly through the Spirit what to say, how to say it and when to speak it. 

Here Paul shows us that we need to ask our fellow Christians to pray for this process. He asks for boldness to declare the gospel. We also seek that you would pray for our boldness in speaking the gospel. We ask that our witness be salt and light: words of grace and humility. We ask for open doors, opportunities to speak what we believe and that we are ready to speak. 

I am not a public speaker by nature. In school I hated having to stand up in front of others and talking about anything. I'm still not a fan. Any public speaking I may have to do now, I do by the grace of God. Teaching and preaching fall in this category. So, whenever I do either of these in public, it is not I who speaks on my own accord, nor of my own opinion. I pray God to give me words to speak and the timing to speak them. Whether I speak them out verbally or speak the Word out on the web or via email. Everyday. If I covet anything, I covet your prayer for me.

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Pray In The Spirit

 

Ephesians 6:18

Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.

IN: indicates locality, position, realm of; the condition in which something operates from the inside/within; within the limits of, near, in the proximity of

Pray In The Spirit

Romans 8:26

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

So, to pray in the Spirit, is to be in the realm of the Holy Spirit. We can't be there if we are not fully equipped to be there. Our prayers will not reach God, nor will they ever make it out of the heavenly realm in which battles are fought on our behalf when we pray for ourselves and on behalf of other people when we pray for them. 

We must get our act together and be the Spiritual Warfare people God has called us to be. 

All the preceding verses in this passage of Scripture have told us how to do so. 

Praying Always 

Everywhere and at all times.

Where we pray is not necessarily in four walls and a roof. Not all places of prayer are in a building.

House of Prayer

Isaiah 56:7

I will bring them to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My altar, for My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.

Matthew 21:13

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

In Everything Pray

Philippians 4:6

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

Petitions are when we beg and plead with God to not only hear our prayers but respond to us and move on our behalf. When was the last time we begged God for anything? 

 

Perseverance In Prayer

This word Perseverance (Strong's #4342) is used only one time in the Bible and it is used here to describe the type of prayer we are to interact with God in. It means 'steadfast' which means 'to consistently show strength which prevails in spite of difficulties' and 'to endure: to remain firm in a fixed position'. How does that apply to our prayer life as a Spiritual Warrior?

We are to remain in a fixed state of prayer in the Spirit at all times. This is not as difficult to do as many may think. When we belong to Jesus Christ and He lives in us, it is through the Spirit that we are able to have that relationship. Therefore, it is through the Spirit that we must continue to seek God's face, seek out the Truth of God's Word and it is through the Spirit that we are refreshed again and again when we pray in the Spirit. 

Not all prayers are spoken aloud. Many are silent prayers as we go throughout our day. Not all prayers spoken by the Spiritual Warrior are spoken in a known language. The Spirit intercedes for us with groanings, a heaviness that cannot be uttered, an anguish that comes from the depths of the heart and reaches the throne of God. 

For All Saints

(cf Strong's #40 NT)

Saints are holy. But what does holy mean for us? To be different from the world. To take on the likeness of the nature of the Lord. To be holy is to be set apart from. Since we are different from the world, we are set apart from the way the world works. 

Who Are The Saints?

1 Peter 2:9

 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people (of the world), but are now the people of God (not of the world): which had not obtained mercy (lived under the curse), but now have obtained mercy (live under grace).  

Saints Have Obtained Mercy From God

Hosea 2:23

And I will sow her unto me in the earth; and I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will say to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God.

Saints are the set apart by God for God, for God's purposes, God's will, God's plan. Saints belong to God.

Daniel 7:18

But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. 

The saints are the holy ones of God, simply put. And we are to pray for them, we are to pray for each other at all times in every circumstance in a fixed position with perseverance. What fixed position do we pray in? A humble one. A meek one. With the understanding that we have a purpose in life and that purpose is to seek God's kingdom according to God's will IN PRAYER, BY PRAYER. 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior - Strength In The Lord

 

Ephesians 6:10

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.

1 Corinthians 16:13

Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong.

Nehemiah 8:10

And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the Joy of the LORD is your Strength!”

To be strong in the Lord is to be empowered and empowerment comes from the Holy Spirit. In order to do the Lord's work properly we need to be filled with the Spirit of God.

Empowerment Promised

Acts 1:4

While He was with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” He said, “you have heard Me speak about."

Acts 1:8

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Empowerment Received

Acts 2:1-4

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Does The Spirit Always Arrive In This Same Manner? No.

Acts 9:17, 18, 22

So Ananias went to the house, and when he arrived, he placed his hands on Saul. “Brother Saul,” he said, “the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here, has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

At that instant, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and his sight was restored. He got up and was baptized.

But Saul was empowered all the more, and he confounded the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.

When I was baptized in the Spirit, I not only started singing in a heavenly tongue, but it was as if I became a mountain of music which poured from me like lava flows from a volcano. Except it was blue like the sea.  I had already been dabbling in writing some songs, but now the music totally began to flow from me. That was an awesome night.

What is your testimony of when you became filled with the Spirit the first time?

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- Our Helmet and Our Sword

 

Ephesians 6:17

And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

The Helmet of Salvation

1 Thessalonians 5:8

But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation.

Psalm 140:7

O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You shield my head in the day of battle.

Psalm 27:1

A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Ephesians 2:4-5

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved! 

 In order to wear the Helmet of Salvation we have to be born again believers, faithful followers of Jesus Christ.

The Sword of The Spirit

Hebrews 4:12

For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Jeremiah 23:29

"Is not My word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that smashes a rock?"

The Word of God

Psalm 119:105

Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path.

Jeremiah 15:16

Thy Words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

John 1:1. 14

In the beginning was THE WORD, and THE WORD was with God, and THE WORD was God.

And THE WORD was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

And in order to carry the Sword of the Spirit, The Word of God, we have to know the Word of God before we can speak it earnestly and sincerely, with love and compassion towards the hearers of the Word of God.

2 Timothy 2:15

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Peter 1:10

Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. 

That Bible sitting on your shelf needs to be opened and read, read with understanding. But if we want to understand the Word of God when we read it and study it, we need not only to be born again believers, but Spirit-filled born again believers. Once we have the two basic tools required (Salvation through Jesus Christ and being filled with The Spirit) to advance in our understanding and knowledge of the Word, then and only then can we reach the next step of preparation in becoming an effective and fervent Spiritual Warrior. 

 

Arming The Spiritual Warrior - The Shield

 This month in the Being Born Again Series I am working on being armed properly before going into battle (prayer and lifestyle). 

 

 Ephesians 6:16

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 

 

The SHIELD

The shield described here would give a person full body protection, covering a person completely. Since it refers to an armament of spiritual warfare, this shield of faith would cover a person completely once they have it on.

2 Samuel 22:36

You have given me Your SHIELD of salvation, and Your gentleness exalts me. 

Psalm 18:30

As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a SHIELD to all who take refuge in Him.

Zechariah 12:8

On that day the LORD will DEFEND the people of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD going before them.

Exodus 14:19

And the angel of God, who had GONE BEFORE the camp of Israel, withdrew and WENT BEHIND them. The pillar of cloud also moved from before them and stood behind them.

 FAITH

Romans 10:17

So then FAITH comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

Colossians 3:16

Let THE WORD OF CHRIST RICHLY DWELL WITHTIN YOU as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Romans 1:16, 17

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by FAITH from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by FAITH.” (Habakkuk 2:4)

Galatians 2:16

Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the FAITH OF JESUS CHRIST,  even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the FAITH OF CHRIST, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Jesus said unto her, "I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this??”

John 11:25, 26

I do.

 

Intelligent Worship -- One God -- Part 1

      Before we can worship God we have to recognize that there is but One God and that God is the God of the Holy Bible. He is the God of all creation: the heavens: the stars, the moons, the planets, the suns, the galaxies, the black holes, the comets, the milky way, the asteroids and every other thing up in the universes. God is the God of the earth and everything in it, on it, under it, above it; including people. 

Genesis 1 and 2 tell us in some detail exactly how our planet came about and where we, as people, originate. And why. 

Recognizing that God Is, we also come to the logical and reasonable conclusion that there is only One God, as His Word says.

Exodus 34:14

For you must not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Deuteronomy 4:39

Know therefore this day and take to heart that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.

1 Corinthians 8:6

But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him.

Ephesians 4:4-6

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

In addition to these listed there are so many more Bible passages declaring not only that there is One God but WHO GOD IS. One must merely set aside some time each day to read The Word of God. And when merely reading is no longer enough, we will find ourselves seeking God's Wisdom for understanding what we're reading, digging deeper into His Word to find nuggets of wisdom to apply to our lives. 

Plus, thoughtful prayer times must be initiated. It is impossible to know God deeper without knowing what His voice sounds like in your heart. 

When We All Get To Heaven

 

WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVEN

     For those of you that don't already know, my Mother passed away on June 13 from leukemia. She was diagnosed in January and chose to fight until she had no fight left in her. I am not sad. I know where she is. She's at Jesus' feet basking in His glory! 

     The song "When We All Get To Heaven" takes on greater meaning when someone you love gets there before you do. And while she's not the first one I've loved and lost here, nor is she the last, she's my Mother. And I love her. 

     So if I have any crying left to do, it's for myself. I won't get to hear her voice any more. I won't get to hear her laughter here any more. I won't get to text her every night and anticipate her responses. I won't get to visit her any more. But that's okay.

     Because as long as I remain in Christ and Christ remains in me, my Mother is also near because she was a born again believer as well. She lives in Christ Jesus and He lives in her. I live in Christ Jesus and He lives in me. No, she isn't here. She's only "sleeping in Christ". 

     1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

• Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who are without hope. 
• For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, we also believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.
• For this we say to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
• For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
• Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.
• Therefore encourage one another with these words.

     We sang two of her favorite songs at her beautiful Memorial Service:

IN THE GARDEN 

and 

I'LL FLY AWAY 

     Every one who loves the Scriptures has a favorite verse. My Mother was no exception. She loved Ephesians 2:8-10. 

• For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
• Not of works, lest any man should boast.
• For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has before ordained (prepared) that we should walk in them.

And she was fascinated with the last days leading up to Christ's return.

In addition to her nightly Bible reading, she was also reading Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins' Are We Living In The End Times prophecy research book. 

She loved the book of Revelations and had read it several times in the last year or so. But it was Matthew 24:27-36 that grabbed ahold of her prayer life. She was at the same time both excited about the coming events and fearful for her family members who had not yet accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives. 

 

     That's why she chose to fight the cancer, even though it took everything she had. She wanted her children, her grandchildren and her great grandchildren to be with her and Jesus. The fields of labor into which God had lastly placed her needed lots of loving attention. But in the end it was God's will to bring her into her heavenly home. It was not her lot to beat the cancer, but to overcome it. But her prayers will not go unanswered. As long as someone answers the call to salvation which God the Father has proffered through God the Son by the power of God the Holy Spirit. 

     Believe God. Trust in God. Obey God's Word. Love God's people. Feed God's sheep. Water God's planting. Harvest God's fields. And then go home to God's home. 

     The KJV of the Bible was her favorite, so that version of Matthew 24:27-36 is what I am using. 

•  For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
• For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.
• Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
• And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
• And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
• Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
• So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
• Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
• Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
• But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

I know this passage filled her with anticipation because she sent it to me twice. At a later date I will write about our chat life. I never deleted it, so I have a couple years worth of Scripture sharing to write out. Until then.

Today's Word -- Without Ceasing

 1 Thessalonians 5:17

Pray without ceasing.

Ephesians 6:18

With all prayer and petition pray [with specific requests] at all times [on every occasion and in every season] in the Spirit, and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition [interceding in prayer] for all God’s people.

Without Ceasing: with no interval in between, incessantly, without remission

Luke 18:1-8 tells us of the persistent widow who constantly brought her appeal for justice to the local judge who finally gave in and granted her what she asked for. 

We can turn to Daniel 6:10 and see that even though the law was now against him, this did not stop him from praying to God as he had always done before. 

(10) Now when Daniel learned that the document had been signed, he went into his house, where the windows of his upper room opened toward Jerusalem, and three times a day he got down on his knees, prayed, and gave thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

Romans 8:26

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.

Philippians 4:6

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Matthew 26:41

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

When our hearts seem too full to speak the words we cannot say, the Spirit of God speaks for us. Yet, we will keep watch through the night and pray with God as long as we are needed. 

Know this, that until God calls each of us home, we are needed intercessors, praying for one another's needs. And even after we are called home, God will still honor the prayers we prayed before we left this world for our heavenly home. 

Today's Word -- Sufficient

 2 Corinthians 12:9

And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

SUFFICIENT: adequate for the purpose; enough 

(synonyms for 'sufficient': acceptable, plentiful, ample, proportionate, satisfactory)

YOUR GRACE IS ENOUGH by Chris Tomlin

Ephesians 3:16-19

I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Then you, being rooted and grounded in love, will have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Romans 8:35-37

Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

Philippians 1:20

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.

THIS IS AMAZING GRACE by Phil Wickham

GRACE THAT IS GREATER THAN ALL OUR SIN by Sovereign Grace Music

Regardless of the trials, the tests, the afflictions we suffer, God's GRACE is SUFFICIENT for us, His children, for the GRACE of CHRIST rests on us, on we who are born again into His Kingdom by the blood of Jesus Christ His only begotten Son. His Grace is truly enough, His Strength is our strength, His Peace is our peace. 

As the verse reminds us, in Acts 17:28 "For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring." 

The Lord Is -- May

 

KURIOS THERISMOS

LORD OF THE HARVEST

Matthew 9:38 

"Request therefore of The Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers to His harvest."

Matthew 9:37

Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."

Matthew 10:1

And calling His twelve disciples to Him, Jesus gave them authority over unclean spirits, so that they could drive them out and heal every disease and sickness.

Psalm 68:11

The Lord gave the Word: great was the company of those that published it. 

MIQVEH YISRAEL

THE HOPE OF ISRAEL

Jeremiah 17:13

O LORD, the Hope of Israel, all who abandon You will be put to shame. All who turn away will be written to the dust, for they have abandoned the LORD, the fountain of living water.

Isaiah 1:28

But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the Lord shall perish.

Jeremiah 17:17

Do not be a terror to me: You are my Hope in the day of evil.

1 Peter 1:3

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

MAQOR MAYIM CHAY

FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS

Jeremiah 2:3

"For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the Fountain of Living Waters, and they have dug their own cisterns --broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

John 4:14

But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life."

Psalm 36:9

For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. 

Jeremiah 1:16

And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.

Psalm 115:4-8

Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; they have hands, but cannot feel; they have feet, but cannot walk; they cannot even clear their throats. Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.

Isaiah 65:11-12

But you who forsake the LORD, who forget My holy mountain, who set a table for Fortune and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and you will all kneel down to be slaughtered, because I called and you did not answer, I spoke and you did not listen; you did evil in My sight and chose that in which I did not delight.”

1 Corinthians 10:21  

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too.

LOGOS

THE WORD

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

LOGOS: expressing the thoughts of the Father through the Spirit, reasoning expressed by words. Used 330 times in the New Testament 

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 8:58

"Truly, truly, I tell you," Jesus declared, "before Abraham was born, I am!"

1 John 1:2

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have gazed upon and touched with our own hands—this is the Word of life.

1 John 5:7

For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

AGAPAO

BELOVED ONE

Ephesians 1:6

To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He has made us accepted in The Beloved.

Matthew 3:17

And a voice from heaven said, "This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased!"

Colossians 1:13

He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son.