"So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time [IN DUE SEASON] we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit." Galatians 6:9. Use the talents and gifts God has given you and REJOICE in the harvest.
Sometimes I think we take for granted the importance of the birth of Jesus. Living in the timeline after the birth of Christ we forget that there were years of longing for the Messiah to be born, the Prince of Peace, our Redeemer.
The birth of Christ was ushered in with praise. The praise did not start on earth, but rather originated in heaven with an army troop of angels. Luke 2: 13 is the first time the word praise,‘aineo’, is used in the New Testament. It was not only verbal praise but was connected with a promise or vow.With the birth of Christ came the promise of salvation.
“For to you is born this day in the town of David a Savior, Who is Christ (the Messiah) the Lord!” (Luke 2:11, quoting Micah 5:2)
God has shown me the importance of putting the presents aside and take moments to praise Jesus. Praise Him for leaving heaven to be born on earth a baby! Praise Him for the blessings He has given us. Praise Him for choosing to die on the cross for our sins 2000 years ago. Praise Him for loving me today and bringing me joy and salvation. Praise Him for who He is, more than a baby in a manger…………….
It is getting close to Christmas. My emails are inundated with sales and promotions. The parties have begun in full force. And under all the hustle and bustle I hear on the radio, “A baby changes everything…” I stop and think. As a mom of 3 blessings from heaven, I know how my life has been forever changed by a baby. For Mary, the mother of Jesus, I can only imagine how she felt. It was because of God’s love for us, that Jesus was even born. Mankind had been looking for the coming Messiah, the Prince of Peace, the Redeemer. Mankind was waiting.
But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. Galatians 4:4
I think of the times I waited. I waited for the delivery of my children. Did you feel that you would be pregnant forever? Then the labor pains start and you know that the end is near. That is when us women reach for our super power, that part of us that makes us determined to deliver this baby no matter what. When the baby is delivered, you rejoice and laugh and cry. This is the culmination of the waiting. Or is it? For a baby changes everything.
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. Luke 2:40
The phrase ‘waxed strong’ refers to the growing of our spirit. It means to show yourself brave, to empower, to increase in vigor.The birth of Jesus was the beginning of God’s plan for our redemption, not the end. After the birth comes the maturing, the nurturing. This takes time, patience, and being purposeful. You may not be birthing a baby, but maybe birthing a dream or a goal. The waiting is agonizing. When will it arrive? When is the ‘due season’? When it does, then get ready to roll your sleeves up and press in to God. The dream cannot grow and mature without loving nurture and purposeful attention. That takes time, patience, steadfastness. It takes the Holy Spirit leading you and guiding you. Just like people, dreams were not meant to stay a baby.
“…..with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:18
Ever hear of the term ‘marching orders’. I grew up in a military town. As a child I would hear my friends talk about their dads or brothers, ‘receiving their orders’. In the military, you are trained and equipped for battle. When that battle occurs, you don’t know. But you are to be ready in season and out. Many times those orders occurred in the middle of the night or on the weekend, or a holiday. Battles are not convenient. Battles are messy. Battles are ugly. Battles are dirty. The battle that God equips us for is a battle for the life and heart of people. It means answering the phone call at 2 am from the woman that gets on your nerves, but who is struggling in her marriage. It means rearranging your schedule to hold the hand of a sick friend in the hospital as she receives the results of tests that could change her life. It means looking at sin in all its ugliness when every part of you wants to look away.
What are our marching orders? What are we called to do?
What? “pray and supplication…”
Prayer and supplications are requests made to God from deep inside our hearts and soul. From a childlike confidence, we know that regardless of what we see or people tell us, God can accomplish the impossible.
Are you praying for what looks like the impossible in your self? Your family? Your fellow Christians at church?
When? “In all seasons…”
I noticed right away that God didn’t say, “later this afternoon if you get a minute or if you think about it, can you pray for so and so.” No! this is a fixed and definite period of time, a season. There is a reason God has called you to be a such a place and time. He sees the whole battlefield. We are to act Now!
Are you praying now for yourself? Your family? Your fellow Christians at church? Or are you putting off until tomorrow?
How? “….in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance…”
First we are to pray in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us the words to pray, and reminds of the Word of God that is sharper than a two edged sword. Remember, the Holy Spirit wields the sword to make our aim true.
Are you yielding to the Holy Spirit regarding your self? Your family? Your fellow Christians in your church?
Second, we are to be watching. Watching means to be on the alert. Ever hear soldiers talk of ‘taking the first watch’. The one on watch stays awake when others sleep. They are alert to the slightest movement, sound, smell, anything that is a change. While others sleep, they are vigilant.
Are you being vigilant regarding yourself? Your family? Your fellow Christians in your church?
Third, we are to be on alert with perseverance. The word for perseverance, ” proskarterēsis“, is a noun. This is the only time this word is used in scripture. The dictionary defines perseverance as “steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, or state; especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles or discouragement.” It implies an unyielding holding on in following a course of action.
It has been said that endurance and perseverance combine to win in the end.When a battle is raging on, the soldier who has perseverance is what you want. By his very nature, he remains steady despite what he sees or has to overcome. He is the one who sees the mountain not as an obstacle, but as an opportunity for God to overcome and be glorified. The one with perseverance is still putting one foot in front of the other while knee deep in mud while the storm is raging. Remember battle is messy.
Are you persevering with areas of your self? Your family? Your fellow Christians at your church?
By putting on the Armor of God, we have the equipment needed to win the battle. Now we need to embrace the heart or quality of perseverance to stay the course with our fellow believers. We are called to come alongside with prayer and support, holding fast not to what the world says, but what the Word of God says.
” …….and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the word of God.” Ephesians 6:17.
OK, having boys I have seen every superhero move there is. You know when boys put on the superhero costume they become the hero, complete with the moves. Boys enter the room with swords stealthily poised or moving in every direction at lightening speed.They don’t hit anything, but they look good doing it. Their intent is right. They are protecting the damsel, the mom, from the enemy at the door or around the corner.
Do you look good but hit nothing? Are you toiling all night and catching nothing or are you speaking the Word of God. …”nevertheless at thy word, I will let down the net.” Luke 5:5.
The word is the spoken word. It was first mentioned in Matthew 12:36, when Jesus tells Satan that man “does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” It is the same word that Peter mentions here.
Sometimes I am as Peter, toiling away without results. Sometimes I am like my little men, dressed and wielding my sword everywhere and hitting nothing.The battle rages on. Why? Could it be that I am not relying on Jesus and the Holy Spirit to do the wielding? The Holy Spirit not only knows where and who the enemy is, but also what weapon to use. It is when I allow the Holy Spirit to wield my sword that things happen. Suddenly we remember to pray for someone, Now! Suddenly we are reminded of a scripture that gives us the strength and joy that we need, Now! Is it us? No, it’s the Holy Spirit doing the wielding.
There are stories of soldiers gripping their swords so long and tight that they could not let go. There have been times I have felt like that soldier. When all I had left was the Word of God. Praise God! the Holy Spirit was there to tell me where to wield my sword.
“And take the helmet of salvation. ..” Ephesians 6:17
As women we wear many hats. For me, I have a wife hat, a mom hat, my pastor wife hat, my nurse hat. Somewhere under all those hats is who I am. We are reminded that we are to first put on the helmet of salvation. It is so easy to get up and immediately be drawn to another hat. The children are crying to be fed. Your husband is wanting to spend the last few minutes before facing the world in loving arms. Your to do list is scrolling through your head like a ticker tape.
As a Christian, under all our hats, we are first and foremost a child of God.
The word salvation used in Ephesians, “soterios“, describes salvation that can only come from Jesus Christ. We cannot save ourselves. We cannot live in righteousness with out “the grace of God which brings salvation” (Titus 2:11). All our hats must be filtered through our relationship with Jesus Christ. It is through this relationship that our mind is renewed. We are not to reject or steal salvation, but instead take ownership of the salvation that Jesus freely offers us. The battle begins in the mind with thoughts that lead to action.
It is time to stop and renew your mind.
“Thank you Lord for your saving grace. Thank you Lord that the very love I have for my children and husband is love that You have placed in my heart. Draw me to that strong helmet of salvation that protects my mind and thoughts. Align my thoughts with the word of God. Filter my to do list through your saving grace.” Amen
“In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”Ephesians 6:16
Did your mom ever tell you, “Where do you think you live? In a barn? Close the door.” Maybe it is a southern thing. With boys, we are always telling them to close the door as they go dashing from entrance and out the next. Ok, I admit I have been known to open the backdoor to let the wonderful breeze in and the air conditioning may be on! Doors are made to keep things out like bugs, cold air, bad guys. They also keep things in, like children and air conditioning. Some of you may want to keep your children out! What mother hasn’t cherished the few minutes you had of peace and quiet before they were banging on the bathroom door!
Our shield of faith is like a door, it keeps bad things out and protects the good things, like our entire self.
This scripture is the only time this word for shield is used, ‘thyreos’. Paul wanted us to know that the shield of faith was a specific type of shield. It is no wimpy shield. It is square and oblong, door shaped covering our entire self. It is the conviction that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God. It involves trust. Soldiers trusted that the shield would keep out the fiery missiles thrown at them. As we put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and His word, we can trust that the evil, malicious, and wicked fiery darts will be extinguished. No weapon formed against us will prosper.(Isaiah 54:17)
Gazebo Gallery
Gazebo Gallery:
Are you opening your door to maliciousness and evil that causes pain and trouble?
“And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Ephesians 6:15
Every girl loves a good pair of shoes. It is more than the shoe, it is how we feel when we put them on. The glass slipper and you become the princess, the sandal and you feel carefree, the running shoe and you become determined to win. These are concepts men will never understand. This is why we will go to several stores trying on every shoe until we find the right one. How do we know we have found it? Because it feels right. Not just putting it on feels right, but walking and standing feels right, from every angle. When you find the right shoe, you know that this shoe will carry you through whatever the day or night has planned. It will not let you down. It will sustain you whether sitting, standing, dancing, walking or running. Whatever happens, you are ready!
What shoes are you wearing today?
When we put on our own shoes, they may look good for a while, but at the end of a long day of running around with the cares of this world, they are pinching our toes and we can barely walk! We cannot make peace in our heart, situations, or relationships using our own theology. True peace comes from the assurance of your salvation through Jesus Christ. It is the tranquility, contentment, security, of knowing Jesus Christ, the son of God, and the salvation that comes from His shed blood on the cross, that enables us to handle any terrain. When we put His shoes of peace that comes from salvation, Jesus becomes able to guide our feet. We don’t have to worry about tomorrow; where to go, what to do. Whatever happens you are ready. The gospel of peace will protect and carry you through whatever the day or night has planned.
Gazebo Gallery
Gazebo Gallery:
Are you putting on the shoes of the gospel of peace or are you still shopping around?
“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;” Ephesians 6:14
Ever watch a tennis match? My son plays tennis. We enrolled both our boys in tennis lessons when they were little tikes and could barely hold a racket. Every coach they ever had talks about the importance of the stance. What is the stance? It is how you hold the racket and how you stand when you are waiting for the ball. The player stands with feet apart, both hands on the racquet (so can hit forehand or backhand as needed), and eyes on the opponent. In other words, your head is in the game. Why is this important? Because the milliseconds it takes for you to get into position to hit the ball square with the racquet could mean you slicing the ball, missing the ball completely, or even being hit by the ball. Ouch!!
Just like a tennis match, we are to ‘stand’. The word stand, ‘histemi‘, is a verb meaning to stand ready or prepared, stand with a steadfast mind, stand as one who does not hesitate, stand as one who does not waiver.
What does your stance look like?
Are you girded about with the truth of God’s word? Do you have on the breastplate of righteousness? To a soldier, a breastplate protects your vital organs, the heart and lungs and major arteries. Without the breastplate a blow can be fatal.
Righteousness means to be in right standing with God. It is the state in which we ought to be. It involves integrity, purity of life, virtue, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting. Notice how much of this definition involves the heart.
“For our sake He made Christ [virtually] to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in and through Him we might become [endued with, viewed as being in, and examples of] the righteousness of God [what we ought to be, approved and acceptable and in right relationship with Him, by His goodness]”. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Gazebo Gallery
Gazebo Gallery:
What does your breastplate look like? Is it the breastplate of righteousness?
“Stand firm, therefore, having girded your loins with truth.”Ephesians 6:14
” Mom, Ellen keeps saying my name is Nathaniel and I keep telling her that it isn’t! I AM NATHAN!” Oh the woes of us parents who shorten our children’s names and forget to tell them. Nathan only saw the partial truth. He is Nathan, but he is also Nathaniel. Are we like Nathan, knowing only a portion of who we are? Do we really know what our full name is? Or are we walking around with only half of ourselves, fighting a battle without knowing the full truth of ourselves?
Truth is part of the Full Armor of God. It is to protect our ‘loins’. Loins is the area around our hips. It is where the reproductive organs of our bodies are. Are you reproducing the truth of Jesus in your life?
“And you will know the Truth and the Truth will make you free.” John 8:32
Freedom
The word ‘make’ comes from the verb “eleutheroo’. It means to set free from the chains of sin. That word is only used 12 times in 7 verses of the New Testament and every time it is in relation to setting free from the chains of sin and death.
God’s truth of the gospel brings freedom from sin that entangles our everyday lives; freedom from bitterness that grips our hearts and souls; freedom from hate that blinds us to love others; freedom from depression that says that we are worthless; freedom from sorrow that invades our very core; freedom from shame that binds our thinking; freedom from false view of ourselves as we start to see ourselves as God sees us— full of joy, full of peace, full of hope, whole, forgiven, strong in Jesus Christ.( I John 3:2)
Are you standing firm on the truth of who you are as a child of God, bought with the blood of Jesus Christ? Are you ‘Nathan’ or ‘Nathaniel’ (God’s gift)? Or are you trying to stand on half truths of who you really are?
“It is for freedom that Christ set (made) us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1
Gazebo Gallery
Gazebo Gallery:
Challenge– Take God’s word and let that be your prayer, your truth. Then stand back and see what is reproduced in the situation.
A time to kill and a time to heal…..A time to break down and a time to build up. Ecclesiastes 3:3
If you have kids or a dog you can relate to this picture!
This dog is dealing with ‘fall out‘!
Fall out occurs when something explodes and debris scatters everywhere. It is the lingering effect of something radioactive or result of consequences. Something that looks strong and all put together is suddenly broken apart. Pieces fly in all directions.
Past hurts, rejection, disappoints leave ‘fall out’ in our life. When these occur we usually pick one of the following options. 1) We can run in all directions trying to put the pieces back together without success. Like this dog we want the soft, cozy, safe bed back in one piece, but how?? 2) We wish we could have a “do over”. We wish we could tear things down and rebuild from scratch pretending it never happened. 3) Or, maybe, we try to rebuild it ourselves with our own plan and tools, only to have a storm suddenly wash it away like castles in the sand.
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Psalm 127:1
God always has a plan.When He created the earth, He had a plan. When He told Noah to build the ark, He had a plan. When He told the Moses to build the tabernacle, He had a plan. Jesus had a plan. He wants us healed physically, emotionally, mentally. He wants us strong and whole. 3 John says “I wish above all things that you prosper and be in good health even as your soul prospers.” God is the ultimate creator, builder, architect. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth….” Gen 1:1. God always has a plan.
“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17.
Learn to enjoy the process. With building and restoration comes healing and renewal. Sometimes the healing and restoration process makes a mess. When you redo a room, there is sawdust everywhere from sanding out the rough areas and patching holes. It doesn’t look like much, but a good builder always keeps the blue prints with a vision for the finished product. Jesus, the master builder, has a plan for your life. Jesus did not cause the bad things in our life to happen, but Jesus will take our ‘fall out’ and turn it into a work of art.
“ Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” Philippians 1:6
Enjoy this song by Jason Gray as you allow God to make your life new:
Sometimes I think we take for granted the importance of the birth of Jesus. Living in the timeline after the birth of Christ we forget that there were years of longing for the Messiah to be born, the Prince of Peace, our Redeemer.
In Due Season 