Category: Spiritual Growth

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Who’s Protecting You?

In response to last week’s question:  
What hurt would you like to see discussed?

My longtime friend and school mate, Ren, suggested: 
“What about relapse? It’s going around.”

Before getting Ren’s suggestion, I had already been led to write about the recovery principle ~Self-Protection.  I was excited to get her suggestion because Relapse and Self-Protection go hand in hand… If we aren’t protecting our self, we will definitely be on the road to a quick relapse!

Long gone are the days when people had the same physician for their entire life. Someone you could trust, who knew your history, had a personal relationship with you and your family, who actually watched out for your health concerns. Gone are the days when we felt safe in our community and country. When we could trust our neighbors; leaving our homes and cars unlocked. 
The principles of Self-Protection can be applied across the board to all areas of our life:
  • Physical-nutrition & exercise
  • Relationships-marriage, friends & family
  • Lifestyle-work & recreation

Today if we are to be protected, we pretty much have to do it our self. We must read and research to be aware of potential risks and know what boundaries to put in place for our own protection.

For myself, as a recovering sex addict, it has been critical for the last 5 years to have clearly defined boundaries on the influences in my life: TV, Internet, music, movies, magazines, friends, environment, etc…

With my new health concerns, Insulin Resistance; I must be just as diligent with boundaries to avoid possible temptations.

Let’s look at some specific guidelines that can help us stay protected:

  1. Be Steadfast in Convictions: Know and understand why.
  2. Seek Good Counsel: Bible, minister, counselor, doctor.
  3. Share with a Friend: Get accountability partner.
  4. Create New Habits: Remove old patterns.
  5. Do The Next Right Thing: Be wise; stay on track.
  6. Stay Rested: Be good to your body.

There’s a familiar recovery acronym: H.A.L.T. that reminds us times of temptation come when we are Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired. I’ve taken the liberty to build on this and add a spiritual aspect to further our protection.

H. A. L. T. E. D. 
When:
Hungry — physical desires of any kind take over. 
Angry — annoyed with life’s frustrations 
Lonely — lonesome and fearful 
Tired — troubled and depressed 
I will:  
Exercise — calming prayer. 
Do — good and expect a reward.

In order to become everything God has created us to be; we must have a deep resolve. We must look for God’s escape out of each temptation and run for it. We serve a faithful God who is always beside us, working for our good and leading us in paths of victory and strength.

We can overcome any obstacle, any challenge, any temptation in Jesus’ name!

If you think you are standing strong, be careful, for you, too, may fall… remember the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it. 
                               ~1 Corinthians 10:12-13 New Living Translation

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What Designer Label Are You Wearing?

Growing up in a lower-middle class family, with one income didn’t provide for many luxuries. We rarely ate at restaurants. We’d buy the Colonel’s chicken but mother would cook everything else. We vacationed in a tent or camper; never staying in motels. And when it came time to purchase groceries my mother was never taken in by brand names. My sister or I would ask for a brand name cereal, shampoo that we’d seen on a television commercial; but mother would buy the ‘store’ brand and say, “It all comes out of the same barrel.”
In the 70’s there were a few designer brands here and there, not like now! It seems in today’s culture women and men are all about the designer labels… 
Burberry, Gucci, Armani, Calvin Klein, Versace, Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Prada, Chanel… ad infinitum… 
There’s designer everything from shoes, purses, clothes, watches, cars, dishes, food, furniture, even dogs.
A person can go designer crazy!
 
According to Wikipedia the term designer label refers to clothing and other personal accessory items sold under an often prestigious marque which is commonly named after a designer. The term is most often only applied to luxury items. While members of the upper-middle class, or the mass affluent, are perhaps the most commonly targeted customers of these designer labels, some marquees—such as Cartier—tend to a wealthier customer base.
The world may be all about designer labels but what about the label we’re wearing on our life?
The Apostle Paul in the third chapter of Colossians writes:
So, if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides.
That means killing off everything connected with the way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing what ever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy.

That’s a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God.
Your done with that old life. It’s like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you’ve stripped off and put in the fire. Now you’re dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete.
So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense.

And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. – The Message Bible

What designer label are you wearing today? A worldly label or The Master Creator’s label?

The best news of all: God’s designer label isn’t targeted to any one class of people.

God is a respecter of all persons.

If you haven’t yet, take this opportunity to try His brand…You won’t be sorry!

PRAYER:
Lord, help me to live the resurrection life with Christ. Help me to take off the old fashions and put on the new wardrobe you have for me. Help me to walk in Your love today.

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Battling Resistance!

 

Spiritually and/or naturally – life is a battle. We are waging war constantly.
We all battle Resistance in some form; whether we’re starting a new company, trying to salvage our marriage, leading a project, writing a blog or just trying to clean the house.
Resistance, like a faithful friend but more of an enemy, will be there trying to keep us from doing what we need, want or are called to do.
I’m reading what’s quickly becoming a new favorite book; one I believe will be a most useful tool for many years to come:
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield.
This book is written to help writers/artists overcome their creative blocks. But it’s really more than that. I see it as a tool to help anyone who’s trying to accomplish anything worthwhile.

 “Do we have to stare death in the face to make us stand up and confront Resistance? Does Resistance have to cripple and disfigure our lives before we wake up to its existence? How many of us have become drunks and drug addicts, developed tumors and neuroses, succumbed to painkillers, gossip, and compulsive cell-phone use, simply because we don’t do that thing that our hearts, our inner genius, is calling us to? Resistance defeats us. If tomorrow morning by some stroke of magic every dazed benighted soul woke up with the power to take the first step toward pursuing his or her dreams, every shrink in the directory would be out of business. Prisons would stand empty. The alcohol and tobacco industries would collapse, along with the junk food, cosmetic surgery, and infotainment businesses, not to mention pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and the medical profession from top to bottom. Domestic abuse would become extinct, as would addiction, obesity, migraine headaches, road rage, and dandruff.
“Look in your own heart… a still small voice is piping up, telling you as it has ten thousand times, the calling that is yours and yours alone. You know it. No one has to tell you. And unless I’m crazy, you’re no closer to taking action on it than you were yesterday or will be tomorrow. You think Resistance isn’t real? Resistance will bury you.” – Steven Pressfield

What is Resistance?  
According to Mr. Pressfield here are some of the characteristics of Resistance: 
  • It’s the enemy within.
  • Tells us anything to keep us from our work.
  • Never sleeps.
  • Plays for keeps.
  • Most powerful at the finish line.
  • Self-Medication.
    “…any act that rejects immediate gratification in favor of long-term growth, health, or integrity… any act that derives from our higher nature instead of our lower… will elicit Resistance.” – Steven Pressfield
    To counter act Resistance, Mr. Pressfield says the writer / artist must be a professional: show up every day no matter what, be committed for the long haul, master the craft or technique, accept pay for the labor, realize the stakes are high and real, not over identify with the job, keep a sense of humor, and receive praise or blame due.
    Personally, I find the above lists easy to relate, to not just as a writer dealing with procrastination when my computer is staring me in the face each day; but in every area of my life…
    Exercise
    Eating properly
    Going to bed on time
     Drinking 80oz of water every day!
    Simply, fighting all temptations big or small…
    I will take on Resistance and his seedy little game.
    Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you. Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will! Then you will receive all that He has promised. –Hebrews 10:35-36

    I’m determined, with God’s help, to be a professional at life…
    • To show up every day no matter what.
    • To be committed for the long haul.
    • To realize the stakes are high and real.
    • To keep a sense of humor.
    • To receive praise or blame due.
    • To keep God’s Word close to my heart and mind.
    • To fight the good fight of faith!

    Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. –Hebrews 12:1

    QUESTION: Where do you feel the most resistance in your life?
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    Who’s Writing Your Story?

    I follow Michael Hyatt’s blog (CEO Thomas Nelson), where he recently recommended a book.

    I was unfamiliar with the author, but because I take Michael’s advice very seriously, I ordered the book.

    A Million Miles in a Thousand Years:
    What I Learned While Editing My Life
    by Donald Miller
    $19.99
    Thomas Nelson Publisher
    ISBN 978-0-7852-1306-2

    This book caught me completely by surprise; and is now one of my top 10 books! I’m so taken by this book, I already want to reread it. I want to buy a case and pass them out to all my friends.

    It’s funny, profound, entertaining, thought provoking but most importantly — life changing!

    Maybe you’re in a low point of your life.

    Maybe not.

    Maybe your life is going great with no conflicts.

    Either way, this book is a must.

    It’s an easy, fast read that will catch you laughing out loud at the wonderful stories Don lives to tell.

    What makes this one of my favorite books?

    Simply – it made me look at my life in a completely different perspective and see that I have the ability to partner with God and write my own story.

    “A story is a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it.” -Donald Miller

    We may feel like we’re a million miles and a thousand years away from being able to live what we believe is our “true story.”

    But whose fault is that?

    We don’t have a story because we are lazy. We don’t want to turn off the TV, get off the couch, and put away the Cheetos.

    We don’t see that God is allowing our character (us) to experience conflict that pushes us to become better people.

    “Somehow we realize that great stories are told in conflict, but we are unwilling to embrace the potential greatness of the story we are actually in. We think God is unjust, rather than a master storyteller.” -Donald Miller

    I don’t usually have to go too far to find the conflict in my life, it seems to come looking for me.

    The big question is:

    What am I doing with that conflict?

    “One of the reasons we fail to acknowledge the brilliance of life is because we don’t want the responsibility inherent in the acknowledgment. We don’t want to be characters in a story because characters have to move and breathe and face conflict with courage.

    … we can be unwilling victims rather than grateful participants.” -Donald Miller

    What’s Your Story?

    Are you in conflict today but trying to numb the pain of it by depending on something or someone?

    Or you pressing through the conflict to find the resolution/freedom/joy that waits on the other side.

    “It’s a good calling, then, to speak a better story. How brightly a better story shines. How easily the world looks to it in wonder. How grateful we are to hear these stories, and how happy it makes us to repeat them.” – Donald Miller

    Let’s not be lazy and allow our life story to pass us by.

    Let’s partner with God to help tell His story through us.

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    Passover: A Memorial to Freedom

    As Christians many of us don’t know exactly what to do with the Passover holiday.

    Isn’t it only a Jewish tradition?

    I’d like to take a look at this important holiday and maybe give you a fresh way to look at it in your life today.

    You may recall the 1956 classic movie The Ten Commandments with Charlton Heston playing Moses. Although Cecil B DeMille took artist license with some of the story, most of it is taken directly from Old Testament accounts of the Israelite’s deliverance from 400 years of slavery.

    No doubt it will be shown this week on cable. If you haven’t seen it or it’s been a while since you have, I encourage you to watch it with you family this week. The visuals from this movie help me to have a clearer perspective on the reality of the Passover and its importance.

    In this story, God has heard the cry of the Israelite people who have been bound by slavery to the Egyptians for hundreds of years. A series of events leads Moses, who has grown up as a Prince in Egypt, out into the wilderness.

    God comes to Moses in a burning bush and asks him to go rescue the Israelites and lead them out of Egypt. After some initial doubt, Moses agrees. He goes before Pharaoh multiple times asking for the Israelite’s freedom to leave so they can worship God. Pharaoh denies them their freedom.

    With each of Pharaoh’s denials God brings upon Egypt 10 plagues:

    1. All the water in Egypt turned to blood

    2. Frogs covered the land

    3. All of Egypt was swarmed with gnats

    4. Then a swarm of flies

    5. All the livestock dies

    6. All the people broke out in boils

    7. A hail storm killed all the plants and animals

    8. Locust covered Egypt and ate what was left after the hail

    9. Three days of such darkness that no one could move

    10. Death of all first born including people and animals

    During the first 9 plagues God protected the Israelite people. But for the final plague-Death of the Firstborn– the Israelite people had to take an action to protect themselves.

    Before the Death Angel came, God commanded the Israelites to put blood from an unblemished, first born lamb, over the door posts of each home; this would protect them from death.

    Inside their homes, the Israelites ate a meal of roast lamb, bitter herbs and bread made without yeast. They ate bitter herbs to signify the bitterness of slavery. Unleavened bread; because the dough didn’t have to rise.

    The meal was to be eaten while dressed for travel as a sign of their faith that God would deliver them. Although they were not yet free, they were to be prepared, for God had said he would lead them out of the bondage of Egyptian slavery. The Israelites were ready to leave at any time.

    I’m sure you know the rest of the story, the Death Angel comes; the Pharaoh’s son dies then in his grief finally agrees to let the Israelites leave.

    So what can we take from this story and apply to our modern lives today?

    What lesson is here for us?

    For us who are recovering addicts…?

    For us who have overcome a particular challenge in our lives?

    For us who have been freed from our own bondage?

    Since Jesus was Jewish, he celebrated all the Jewish traditions. As followers of Jesus doesn’t it make since that we would celebrate those same traditions as well.

    I suggest we take the Passover holiday and use it as an opportunity to celebrate the freedom that God has given us. Maybe have a Passover dinner with lamb, unleavened bread and some bitter herbs. I don’t mean in a legalistic way but simply to honor what God has done in our lives.

    I don’t know about you, but the Death Angel has passed me by several times!

    Praise God!

    I am free today from the bondage of drugs, alcohol and cigarettes, from sexual and relationship addiction, from the grips of pornography, fantasy and disease.

    Father God, thank you for sending Jesus Christ; The Perfect Lamb, and covered me with The Blood that saved me from the ultimate Death.

    Let’s use Passover as a memorial to the freedom God has given us.

    QUESTION:

    What bondage has God freed you from?

    What can you do to remember the freedom God has given you?

    Maybe you aren’t yet free of your bondage?

    What can you do as a sign of your faith that God will bring you out as He has promised?

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    Is Chastity Possible in the New Millennium?

    Since I’m a married woman, you may be wondering…

    “Tamara, why are you writing on chastity?”

    I’m reading an excellent book by John Michael Talbot – The Lessons of St. Francis-How to Bring Simplicity and Spirituality into Your Daily Life, where Talbot discusses how to apply the spiritual disciplines taught by St. Francis in our modern world and relationships.

    As I was reading the chapter on chastity I was prompted to write a blog that relates chastity to the challenges sex addicts face today.

    With the hyper-sexualized media that’s thrown at us today, many are desensitized. From fashion magazine at the grocery checkout, to billboards on the freeway, to commercials on TV. It’s almost impossible to avoid the near naked images of provocatively posed models vying for our eyes and pocketbooks.

    For some of us, this is a serious battle, continuously waged; always careful to look away, preventing possible triggers from being set off. Sober now 5 years from sexual addiction, Praise God today these images are not a big problem; not that I dare let my guard down.

    Jesus said, “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman [or man] lustfully has already committed adultery in his [her] heart.”-Matt. 5:28

    I take these words very seriously, because I know it only takes one look to lead to… a fantasy, which, if meditated on long enough, can easily be acted out on.

    Chastity, along with celibacy, is usually seen as something only practiced by men and women who’ve made specific vows to God.

    I’d like to challenge that thinking with the idea of celibacy and chastity to heal or improve sex in a marriage relationship.

    Celibacy is critical in the very early days of sex addiction recovery. It’s important the sex addict refrain from all sexual stimulation for a period of 3-6 months, this may vary by individual. (includes sex in the marriage and self-sex). For an addict beginning recovery this is very difficult, but crucial to recovery.

    Chastity in a marriage can be as simple as cherishing your sexuality as a gift from God, using it in appropriate holy ways that respect God and your mate, resisting any temptation, no matter how small, when they come your way.

    Our marriage relationships are tender gardens that need to be cared for. If we’re not careful, the weeds of fantasy and comparison can easily tear down any healthy growth, if not kill it completely.

    Talbot writes from an interesting perspective on sexuality:

    “I’ve personally lived through at least three completely different approaches to sex: the freewheeling sensuality readily available to a rock musician; the cleansing fire and spiritual passion of repentance and sexual abstinence; and the rejuvenating joy of marriage, a union through which the church has long honored sex as a sacrament, and which helps me see sexuality as sacred and God-given.”

    Talbot further notes that many people don’t remain faithful in their marriages because they never learned the value of sexual control.

    I heartily agree with this last statement and will even go further to say, when you make a covenant with your eyes, to not look at another person with lust, examining them like they were the roast about to be served up for lunch, you’ll have more desire for the mate God has given you.

    If marriage was respected as the sacred covenant that it is, with its vows taken as seriously as our brothers and sisters who take a vow of celibacy, we’d have much healthier sexual relationships.

    Similar to Talbot, I’ve lived through three different worldviews of sexuality:

    • Relational – sex is part of a loving relationship; without commitment to marriage
    • Recreational – sex is purely for pleasure; dispenses with romance and spirituality
    • Traditional – sex is exclusive with mutual respect; emphasizes lifelong commitment

    For most of my life I used sex to substitute unmet emotional and spiritual needs.

    After trying all the world has to offer, sexually speaking, I tell you today, without a doubt, sex kept simply between a husband and wife, with no toys, no fantasies, no porn; is better than any orgy, better than being hyped up on drugs using every toy one can imagine.

    If you would’ve asked me 5 years ago:

    “Is ‘Meth sex’ possible without the Meth?” I would’ve said, “NO WAY!”

    Today, I tell you it is! Because with God, ALL THINGS are possible!!

    By God’s grace and mercy, practicing the discipline of chastity in mind, soul and body, God has not only restored my marriage but continues to renew our desires in ways we could never have imagined before sexual sobriety.

    If you struggle with sexual sin or are just playing with the idea of it, I want you to know first of all you are not alone.

    Millions of women struggle with sexual sin even in the church.

    Find someone you trust and share your struggle with them; that’s the first step to freedom.

    Whether you’re single or married; one who struggles with sex or not; I encourage you to make a covenant of purity with your eyes, your heart and your mind.

    It will change your life!

    Question: What’s your world view of sex? How important is chastity to you? What are you doing to maintain a pure heart and mind?

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    Treading Water in Times of Trouble???


    Many of us are in seasons of transition; job, finances, relationships maybe even in our recovery journey. During these times we often feel like we’re treading water; not making much progress but expending a lot of energy just to stay afloat.

    The Lord is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid? The Lord protects me from danger-so why should I tremble? When evil people come to destroy me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will know no fear. Even if they attack me, I remain confident. The one thing I ask of the Lord- is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his temple. For he will conceal me there when troubles come; for he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. Then I will hold my head high, above my enemies who surround me. At his Tabernacle I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music. –Ps. 27:1-6 NLT


    Let’s find hope in this passage for our struggles:

    1. Make God Our Stronghold: We must know without any doubt that God is our protector. He will not let us drown!
    2. Abide with God Daily: Set up camp with God; get in God’s boat, live with Him.
    3. Be Astonished by God: Stay in awe of God of his love and mercy. Find joy in His creations; delight yourself in Him throughout your day.
    4. Seek His Fellowship: In God’s presence we will find direction for our life; His shining light with show us the pathway.
    5. Get the Big Picture: No matter how hard times may be, it helps to keep things in perspective. Look up; see things from God’s viewpoint. He really does have a plan!

    It’s important that we learn how to live and act during times of pressure. God wants to be the stabilizer in our lives. If we try to do it on our own we will fail. We must determine, one day at a time, to follow God and His plan for our lives. Patiently waiting; confident that He will protect and lead us all the way to our victory!


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    Perseverance

    Most of us at the beginning of our recovery are feeling wobbly, unstable and unworthy to be in God’s presence; not to mention undeserving of His love, mercy and forgiveness.

    How do we get past these feelings & press in to healing?

    Summer 2004 I began working on sobriety but had no real strength within myself. I had clear choices in front of me — I could go back down the familiar path of darkness that had caused untold destruction to my family, and would now lead to certain death. Instead I chose to go forward into the life offering, healing light of Jesus Christ.

    When I walked down the church isle on December 26, 2004 it was like an out of body experience. I don’t remember what the preacher said that day, I just knew this was the only answer to my problems. I had such a sense of unworthiness that I couldn’t stop crying. It wasn’t an easy step to take, but it brought such peace and security.

    When I talk with some in the beginning stages of their recovery, I get frustrated at the lack of commitment I see.

    If we are to make it for any length of time in our recovery journey we must have a firm commitment, not only to ourselves, but to God and to what He wants for our lives.

    We can’t be on the fence at this crucial time.

    We must get to a place of clear decision and dive in with all we have.

    This isn’t a foreign concept, after all isn’t that what we’ve been doing, diving in head first into God only knows what?

    I don’t know about you, but for me it’s either all the way or nothing, no matter what I’m doing, I don’t do anything halfway! That can be good and a bad thing, if you know what I mean…

    But seriously, how determined are we?

    What are we willing to give up to be successful in our sobriety?

    Early on, I had to make some tough choices about the influences that were sure to effect my walk with God and my sobriety. It was uncomfortable at first but over time I didn’t miss the friends, the television programs, the secular music and the magazines.

    Sobriety soon became easier and I began to see an added benefit, I could think clearer and retain the things I was studying. I was actually learning, growing and even changing into a new person…the person God wanted me to be.

    Dig in.

    Perseverance and determination always pay off.

    It may be a while before we see any results from our hard work, but eventually we will reap a reward if we just don’t give up!

    Change doesn’t happen over night, after all we didn’t get in this condition of addiction over night either!

    Sobriety is a life long process of little deaths — surrendering each day to new patterns for our life.

    The best news is we don’t have to do it on our own anymore! Praise God! Jesus is there to carry our burden for us if we will just give it to Him!

    Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. –Galatians 6:8-9

    (Originally posted Sept 20, 2008)

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    Are You a Spiritual Streaker?

    You may or may not recall the popular fad in the 1970’s called streaking. For various reasons, to fulfill an individual dare, en masse, or just as a hobby, men and women alike were running au natural across college campuses and professional football fields. Even the Academy Awards wasn’t without its own flashing blur. Not long after the awards show incident, Ray Stevens, Country & Gospel singer best known for his novelty songs recorded The Streak. It became a number one single and was certified a gold record in 1974. Needless to say, the sensation took the country by storm.

    In our busy lives today are we running through life as a Spiritual Streaker” living unprotected, setting ourselves up for attack from the enemy? The Bible tells us we must prepare ourselves for battle with the spiritual armor of God.

    In his letter to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul writes:
    Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. – Ephesians 6:10-18 NKJV
    What strikes me about this passage of scripture is that in order to be strong in the Lord’s mighty power, WE have to put on the armor. God supplies it for us but we have to put it on! Let’s look at the individual pieces of armor, their spiritual meaning and apply them to our daily lives.
    1. The Belt of Truth – Naturally speaking, a belt is used to hold things in place; spiritually the belt of truth does the same thing. Truth keeps us secure in Christ and makes effective all the other pieces of armor. We must keep God’s Word of Truth securely wrapped around us every moment.
    2. The Breastplate of Righteousness – The breastplate is made of iron and covers the chest. In our case it covers our heart and is made of righteousness. To be righteous is to be made right with God, free of condemnation. If you’ve accepted Christ as your Savior YOU have been made right with God and are indeed robed in His Righteousness!
    3. The Shoes of Peace – Natural shoes protect the soldier’s feet as she travels to battle. Spiritual shoes aid our movement and defense. Equipped with truth and the confidence of being right with God, we journey with purpose, in The Shoes of Peace. With a focused and clear understanding of the Gospel, we’re ready to make Christ known to the world around us.
    4. The Shield of Faith – The shield defends not only the soldiers whole body but also the other weapons. A skilled soldier moves her shield with the attack holding back the enemy’s darts. Faith is produced first when we hear the Word of God, then drops into our hearts when we receive Christ as our Savior. It keeps us from doubting God’s Word, reminds us because of Christ we can stand freely before God the Father. Faith is the foundational message others will see walked out in our daily lives.
    5. The Helmet of Salvation – The helmet is of course a protective covering for the head; without it the soldier would be very vulnerable. Spiritually, we too are vulnerable without it because the mind is usually the first place the enemy attacks. While continually filling our mind with God’s Word, working toward transformation, we must diligently guard its inputs as if our very life depends on it, because it does!
    6. The Sword of The Spirit – Last, but certainly not least, the only offensive weapon in the group, the sword. A soldier wouldn’t dare attempt battle without her double edged sword. She might be able to protect herself for a minute, but without the sword a soldier will never win the battle! Did you notice the word SWORD = S + Word? I love that! Our Sword is literally a Spiritual Word! Spiritually our sword is God’s Word. We must use it consistently and effectively in our daily lives.

    Notice that God’s Word is linked to every piece of armor: without it we wouldn’t know The Truth; we wouldn’t be covered by Righteousness; we wouldn’t have a Message of Faith or a mind worth sharing it with!
    When we dress to meet the day, our natural armor – our clothes, don’t automatically jump on our body; we have to physically put them on. Are you prepared today or are you setting yourself up to lose by walking into your battle spiritually naked?
    God has graciously given us armor to protect ourselves with but it’s up to us to use it! Take out your Bible; find scriptures that relate to your battle today. Put your Sword to work by speaking aloud God’s Word over your life and the lives of those around you!

    CHALLENGE: Print out the picture of the woman soldier. Post it on your bathroom mirror. As you dress, consciously put on your armor each day. It will make a difference in your life!
    SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS: What are some creative ways you can remind yourself to put on your Spiritual Armor each day? To keep it on throughout the day?

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    From Uh-Oh to Awe!

    Slogan writers and even we as a culture haven’t come up with a name to call the 2000’s decade. The 1900’s were popularly called “The Oughts”, so some want to call the 2000’s “The Naughts” in reference to how badly the decade went. Other’s refer to it as “The Oh-Oh’s (00’s) a pun to “The Naughts.” I personally will call it “The Uh-Oh’s!” Since I started the 2000’s making many bad choices, some I’m still paying for.

    Fortunately, God allowed me to learn from my mistakes. I’ve been able to turn my mess into my message and create a ministry for women struggling with the same issues I had. I regret many of the things I did in the first half of the Uh-Oh decade, but if I hadn’t been through those experiences I wouldn’t be the person I am today. I don’t want to forget those years and what God delivered me from; the darkness, the loneliness, the emptiness; so I can fully relate to those who are still there today.

    After hearing a visiting evangelist speak about 2010 being the year of restoration, I did some research on the meaning of the number ten. The Biblical the number 10 deals with completeness that happens in a divine order or completed during a course of time. There’s nothing left wanting in the cycle the number ten has just completed.

    We were estranged from two of our adult children for most of the Uh-Oh years. Our youngest son recently returned not only to us, but to the Lord. We’re expecting to see full manifestation of a vision God gave me 3 years ago, both our sons and daughter standing together with us, one in Christ.

    Yes, it’s a new day, a new year and finally a new decade! But it took the second half of the Uh-Oh’s to get here! Praise God the hardest part of recovery is behind me and my family.

    We’re believing for complete, divine restoration of our family.

    Until that time comes, we labor to rest in the Lord… in awe…

    QUESTION:What are you believing God for during this upcoming decade?