Strap on Your Belt of TRUTH

1 Timothy 1:7   For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self – discipline.

I am not sure what to do.  I have been barraged lately with the state of our world.  I usually try to stay away from all the bad that is going on – avoid politics, live my life for God, and touch as many lives as I can.  Meanwhile, evil abounds.  I turned on PBS yesterday; it was some kind of world report show.  I turned it on for noise – I was actually ALONE for a few hours- but it caught my attention when a report about theses ‘churches’ that started in England but are spreading.  They get together every Sunday, they sing, they have a speaker, they have a silent meditation time – yet they are proud to be a “God-less church”.  The interviewees said they get together for community, support, socialization, etc. but they don’t have to hear about God.  The last line of the report was “Christians are welcome, but they need to leave God at the door.”… “Leave God at the door”…  I cried.  These people, who have acknowledged the hole in their lives just by showing up, people who are obviously seeking God but don’t even realize it.  They are being led farther away from the truth; they don’t even WANT the truth.

Then today I peeked at Facebook for a moment and found a sign posted by my aunt.  I must make you realize that she posted it for a totally different reason than it was created.  The sign read “Let’s give every person who picket’s an abortion clinic a border child to save.”  The comments left on my aunt’s page were in the vein of ‘sure, I’ll take one’.  I clicked on the picture itself and was shocked – although my shock just shows how naive I am – to see some of the nation’s comments.  People thought that would be great, but they worried about what kind of rubbish ‘those kinds of people’ would teach the children.  I scanned down, while most comments were uninformed insults to pro-lifers, there were a few that softened the blow a bit.  One man said he ‘would gladly rush across the street to stop the murder of a child but had already raised five kids and was too poor to raise another’.  There was another comment that said the sign was wrong, the children should be sent to homes of those in favor of illegal immigration – but again the person was worried about the children’s safety in those homes.  Both sides exchanging blows; no reasonable conclusions.

I don’t like politics.  I don’t like heated discussions that are just arguments instead of problem solving and cooperation.

On the other side of this barrage, I watched a video the other day.  It was called Monumental.  Watch it!  It shows the outline of how our country began, with God and faith at its center.  The early government knew our country could not make it without God and printed and funded bibles to be distributed in homes and provided for schools.  In it, Mr. Cameron also included encouragement not to sit on the sidelines and watch our country become Sodom or Gomorrah.

Matthew 28:19 “Therefore, go and make disciples of all peoples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

God doesn’t want us idle, I know that.  The question that plagues me, and probably most of you, is ‘what can I do?’, or ‘It’s just little me.’  Well, turn aside those arrows of Satan for starters; bring your shield of faith into play.  Strap on that belt of truth!  Ephesians 6:10-18 “A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.  For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.  Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil.  Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.  Stand your ground, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, and with the breastplate of righteousness in place.  For shoes, put on the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all of these (King James says ‘above all’), hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.  Put on salvation as your helmet and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.  Stay alert and be persistent in your prayer for all believers everywhere.” !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I usually use the New Living Translation because it is easier to read and comprehend, but I used some wording from the New International and King James as I felt it stated things more directly in this particular collection of verses.)

God has given us direction of what to do.  We need to seek Him to see how we should follow His direction.

Please read Romans 12.  God has given each of us gifts.  Gifts to use in service to Him!  But don’t limit your gifts to your own church or your own family.  Remember the verses in Matthew: “Go and make disciples of all people”!  And “be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jeremiah 32:27  I am the LORD, the God of all mankind.  Is anything too hard for me?

Isaiah 40:31  But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.  They will soar high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 41:10 Don't be afraid, for I am with you.  Don't be discouraged, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will hold you up in my victorious right hand.

He will ‘hold us up in his victorious right hand’.  Nowhere in the bible does God promise an easy life.  He DOES promise his help, love, and support.  Anything is possible with God!

PRAY, he will lead you.