Dress Code

Ephesians 6:10-17

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

My son came home from school yesterday with a dress code violation.  It was my fault as I missed that they were not allowed to wear light up shoes.  I saw the line that tennis shoes are recommended and missed that key part. 

Did you realize that we have a dress code as Christians?  To make sure that none of us miss important information on what we are to wear, I thought I would bullet point for us our dress code.

Belt of Truth

Breastplate of Righteousness

Foot wear – Gospel of Peace

Shield of Faith

Helmet of Salvation

Sword of the Spirit

Today, I encourage you to make sure you have the proper clothing that you need to be dressed according to the dress code.

Thursday Devotional - Timely Peace

After the devastation of Jesus’ death and the confusion over the empty tomb, the disciples were timely visited and comforted by Jesus.  

John 20:19-22         ¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus came and provided peace and joy to His devastated disciples! He not only physically appeared, but did so miraculously! He also graciously showed them the proof of His death. Then, He commissioned and empowered them to continue the difficult work He had started.  

Jesus came and gave me peace after devastation and before facing additional difficulties, too. The evening I found out I was going to miscarry (after 13 weeks of pregnancy) I was devastated. When I woke up in the middle of the night with contractions 2 minutes apart, God had me eventually get out of bed and go to the bathroom. My water broke on the toilet and then everything happened. As devastated as I was, I felt like God was holding my hand during the whole thing, starting with the fact that He had my water break not only at home, but on the toilet! I had peace knowing He was there. His peace brought encouragement as I faced the physically and emotionally painful hours, weeks, months and years that followed.

How have you witnessed God bringing peace and joy after devastation? What encouragement and strength did it give you to persevere through the next difficult challenge?

Alice

More Than Enough

When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.  For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night.  So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded.  Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk.  But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us.  Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever.  So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.  1 Thessalonians 5:3-11

My wife and I were on vacation last week, and we had an opportunity to listen to Lakewood Church the week after the floods in Houston.  Although I am not a huge fan of the prosperity gospel, I did choose to listen this past Sunday.  It was great as I listened to a story of one of the pastors whose house had been flooded.  He said something that just shook me at my core.  He said although I have lost everything, I have everything.  I realized at that moment something powerful.  Although there are things that are tough and there are challenges ahead of me, I have nothing to complain about for I indeed have everything.  God has given me so much, who am I to complain?  In fact if someone who has ‘seemingly’ lost everything can rise and say with conviction and confidence, “I have everything,” I must learn to encourage others in all circumstances because I have more than enough.

When we have salvation through Jesus Christ, we do have everything indeed.  In reading the final chapter of Thessalonians, it is a reminder of how we are to live our lives in expectation of Christ’s return.  We do not live in darkness, but instead, we know that there could be calm one day and rain flooding us the next.  No matter what may be happening, we have surety that when we committed our lives to Jesus, we have victory.  That is only half of the story.

The other is to be encouragement to others.  I have heard so many negative stories about floods, politics, and viewpoints that it could drown out everything else two and threefold.  The biggest concern of all of this is that these are Christians who are being negative.  We must not stand for this anymore.  We are the light, and as representatives of Christ, any tendency to jump to conclusions, attack before hearing the full story (ex. Lakewood Church), or lack of showing love and empathy for His children is unacceptable.  He expects better of us.

The greatest encouragement of all comes from understanding the gift of God’s grace.  Jesus died to ensure we will live with Him forever.  How could we not be filled with His love and strength to carry not only ourselves but others?  Let us vow to end the air of negativity and ill will.  Let us show the light to all who may see us being encouragers and wearers of the armor of faith and love.  Where are you failing to assume the best with others?  How can you be more encouraging and less judgmental?  My prayer is that we move forward filled with love and encouragement knowing that even when it seems we have nothing, through Jesus Christ we have more than enough.  Amen.

Tues Devo: Predicted frustration

Hello,

Do you ever get frustrated by those around you? Do you see God working in your life, and yet others don’t acknowledge it? You make choices based on what God says in His word – but feel alone in that stance? This frustration was predicted for us. You see, God’s ways are not the ways of man or this world. They are opposing. As the world searches for answers it looks to go deeper and more complex – when the answer has been here for over 2,000 years in the cross of Christ.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside.” Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (NASB)

I hope this encourages you today. Don’t feel frustrated, and you are not alone!

Have a blessed day,

Will Hill