Spiritual Exercise – day 15

Then comes the testing!

Helen spoke in her book about how hard it was to face the trials of being a ministry team in a church full of turmoil.  People not getting along with other people, family problems for parishioners, and just the stress of day-to-day maintenance of shepherding God’s flock.

I want to tell you a little about a struggle of my own that is definitely a test of faith.

The past few months have been a very trying time in the lives of the Davis household.  It has ended with a true test of our faith, and trust in God that He IS in control and He IS going to take care of us.

Last September we lost about twenty-eight hundred dollars out of our monthly income.  We went from being employed and a well-adjusted family living in a country house enjoying the simple but necessary pleasures of life, to a part-time local pastors salary and wondering how the bills were going to get paid.

At this point, savings are tapped out, we have exhausted all of our options for help, and we have come to the realization that we can no longer afford to stay in our house or afford even the basic necessities.

We have lived three months in limbo, waiting for God’s plan to be revealed to us.  Time has been spent  trying to figure out God’s plan instead of allowing His plan to be revealed.  Our trust in God has brought us to a place where we know we are not going to be able to stay in our house that we love so much.  In the very near future we will be moving in with my mother, continuing to look for jobs, and being patient, waiting for God’s will to be revealed.  Right now we are trusting in God to take care of us and provide our NEEDS.  He has already done so beyond measure.  When a bill has come due, He has provided the money to pay it.  When we have needed something, He has provided it for us.  Our family has lived this entire chapter in a nutshell.

Claiming our faith, putting our faith into action, facing opposition and doubt, and now finally entering the testing phase.

I can’t say I have doubted my faith, but I certainly have doubted how to use my faith.  I have gone from lifting my hands and eyes towards heaven saying, “Here I am Lord,” to asking “Why is life so hard God?”  I think of the passages in Job, chapters 38 and 39, (well worth the read when you are on a pity pot), when God basically asks Job “Who do you think you are questioning Me?”  He doesn’t exactly answer any of Job’s questions.  God was trying to show him that his questions were not the point.  When in fact God was using Job’s ignorance of the order of God to reveal his ignorance to the essence of God.  If Job did not understand the workings of God’s physical creation, how could he possibly understand God’s character?  God was not trying to get Job to answer any of the questions He was asking, but instead He was trying to get Job to recognize and submit to God’s power and sovereignty.  Only then could he hear what God was trying to say to him.

Thanks God for His insight from 1 Peter 1:3-9

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

Peters words offer joy and hope in times of trouble, and he bases his confidence on what God has done for us in Christ Jesus.  We are called into a living hope of eternal life.  Our hope is not only for the future; eternal life begins when we trust Christ and join God’s kingdom.  No matter what trial we face on this earth, we know that it is not our final experience.  Eventually  we will live with Christ forever.

Is your faith being put to the test?  REJOICE!  It is God’s way of perfecting the faith that is in you.  Your faith is more precious than gold.  It is genuineness is tested and proved by fiery trials, just as fire is used to purify gold so that the end product is only the best.  God allows our faith to be tested so that we can experience the contrast between our weaknesses and God’s infinite strength.

Don’t deny God the refining process in your life.  It truly will be a “faith-stretching” exercise, and the results will be thrilling!  So, thank God for the gift of faith that is being refined in you, and keep on s-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g!

Excerpts in this study have been taken from the book “Spiritual Exercise” by Helen Krudop.  They appear in italics.

Spiritual Exercise – Day 14

You’ve just heard some pretty amazing examples of faith to accomplish great things.  But what about doubts?  Have you experienced them?  Are they normal?

I think I mentioned this in previous Bible studies, I lost a daughter to cancer 17 years ago.  Her life spanned just 5 short years on this Earth.  When she died, I was very active in the church, teaching Sunday school, working the bus ministry, singing, even leading children’s church on Sunday morning.  I thought my faith was strong enough to get me through her death.  Instead, it crushed me at the very essence of my soul.  It seemed to everyone else on the surface that I “had it all together” and trusted in God to get me through it.  The reality of it was I wasn’t “exercising” my faith.  It was there; I just wasn’t tapping into the gift that God had given me.

In Mark 9:14-24 is the story of one man’s struggle with doubts.

“When they came to the other disciples, they saw a large crowd around them and the teachers of the law arguing with them.  As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet Him.  ‘What are you arguing with them about?’ Jesus asked.  A man in the crowd answered, ‘Teacher, I brought You my son, who is possessed by a spirit that has robbed him of speech.  Whenever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground.  He foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth and becomes rigid.  I asked Your disciples to drive out the spirit, but they could not.’  ‘O unbelieving generation,’ Jesus replied, ‘how long shall I stay with you?  How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to Me.’  So they brought him.  When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion.  He fell to the ground and rolled around foaming at the mouth.  Jesus asked the boy’s father,  ‘How long has he been like this?’  ‘From childhood,’ he answered.  ‘It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him.  But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.’  ‘If you can?’ said Jesus.  ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’  Immediately the boys father exclaimed, ‘ I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”

The boy’s father WANTED to believe that Jesus could heal his son.  But when he asked Jesus to drive the demon out, his faith was one of pity not surety.  Jesus’ words do not mean that we can automatically obtain anything we want if we just think positively.  Jesus meant that anything is possible if we believe, because nothing is too difficult for God.  We cannot have everything we pray for as if by magic; but with faith, we can have everything we need to serve Him.

The attitude of trust and confidence that the Bible calls belief or faith is not something we can obtain without help.  Faith is a gift from God.  No matter how much faith we have, we never reach the point of being self-sufficient.  Faith is not stored away like money in the bank.  Growing in faith is a constant process of daily renewing our trust in Jesus.

I think it is normal to have doubts from time to time.  Don’t let them frighten you.  Like this father did, give your doubts to Jesus.  As Jesus to help you overcome them, remembering that god is the source of your faith.  The very one who places the faith within you will b e faithful to see it grow to perfection.

Surprisingly, who struggled with doubt in Luke 17:5?

What is the key to dissuading the doubts of a father whose son suffered from an evil spirit? (Mark 9:14-29, key verses are 24 and 29)

Excerpts in this study have been taken from the book “Spiritual Exercise” by Helen Krudop.  They appear in Italics.

Spiritual Exercise – Day 13

I thought I posted this yesterday.  Not sure what happened.  So for today you get a two posts.

Faith in Action

Jesus repeatedly commented on the ability of faith to bring results.  The New Testament is filled with fascinating stories of faith in action — people from all walks of life utilizing the gift of faith experiencing incredible outcomes.

In the fifth chapter of Mark’s gospel we find a wild man who was delivered from demonic strongholds; a well-known religious leader, whose deceased 12-year old daughter was brought back to life by the hand of Jesus; and a sickly, frail women in a crowd of people gathered around Jesus, whose believing heart prompted her to reach out and touch the hem of Jesus’ garment for healing as He passed by her — faith in action.

Luke tells us about the amazing faith of a Roman officer, whose valued slave was sick and near death (Luke 7:1-10).  He had utmost respect for Jesus, not feeling worthy to have Jesus make an appearance in his home.  Yet, he believed that Jesus had authority over illness his slave was experiencing.  “Just say the word from where You are, and my slave will be healed,” he invited.  Jesus was quick to comment to the surrounding crowd that he had not seen such astounding faith in all of Israel.  At that very moment the slave was completely healed — faith in action.

Look around you.  What stories of faith in action do you see?  What have you experienced in your own life?

In one sense, we all operate everyday on faith in many different ways.  If you’ve ever eaten at a new restaurant, accepted a prescription from a doctor, planned for the future, or even driven to work, you have certainly been operating on a degree of “faith in action.”

As C. S. Lewis said in his book Mere Christianity, most of the things you believe are believed on authority, secondary evidence, etc. For example, you may never have actually seen a living dinosaur, but you are confident based on evidence that dinosaurs once existed.  We are confident that things like gravity, the laws of logic, and true love exist even though we cannot see them.  Of course, experience and rational investigation should increase your confidence in what is true.

All faith requires evidence, Jesus claimed that the miracles He performed as evidence that He was who He said He was.

John 14:11-12  Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.  I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Luke 17:5-6 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”  He replied, “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it will obey you.”

The disciples’ request was genuine; they wanted the faith necessary to forgive their brother over and over again.  But Jesus didn’t directly answer their question because the amount of faith is not as important as it’s genuineness.  What is faith?  It is total dependence on God and a willingness to do His will.  Faith is not something we use to put on a show for others.  It is complete and humble obedience to God’s will, readiness to do whatever He calls us to do.

A mustard seed is small, but it is alive and growing.  Like a tiny seed, a small amount of genuine faith in God will take root and grow.  Almost invisible at first but will begin to spread, first under the ground and then visible.  Although each change will be gradual and imperceptible, soon this faith will have produced major results that will uproot and destroy competing loyalties.  We don’t need more faith; a tiny seed of faith is enough, if it is alive and growing.

Excerpts in this study have been taken from the book “Spiritual Exercise” by Helen Krudop.  They appear in Italics.

Spiritual Exercise – Day 12

Claiming Faith

Now read the entire chapter of Hebrews 11.  It is full of examples of men and women who acted in obedience to their faith — Able, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses’ mother, Moses, the Israelites, Joshua, and Rahab.  This “Hall of Faithfulness” is a remarkable collection of social winners and losers, all of whom are now with God because of their faith.

Verses 13 and 39 of the eleventh chapter of Hebrews tell us these people were commended for their faith before they actually received the promises for which they were hoping.  That’s how it should be with us as well.

Abel: vs. 4 (Genesis 4:2-8)  Abel was Adam and Eve’s second son.  Both Abel and his older brother, Cain, brought offerings to the Lord.  Although this passage doesn’t speak precisely about Cain’s gift, it does say that Abel brought several choice lambs from the very best of his flock.  That pleased God, and he accepted Abel’s offering but not Cain’s.  This made Cain angry and he killed his brother.  The emphasis on this faith story is on Abel’s trust and confidence in God for provision, and his obedience to give God the best.

Enoch: vs. 5-6 (Genesis 4 and 5) Enoch was the son of Cain; Cain named a city after him.  He fathered Methuselah, the oldest living person mentioned in the Bible, who lived to be 969 years old.  Enoch lived in close fellowship with God throughout his life (5:22) and suddenly god took him from this earthly life (5:24)

Noah: vs. 7 (Genesis 6-9) Noah lived in a time when wickedness was growing rampant on the earth, so much so that God was sorry he made them, and he chose to destroy man and beast.  But Noah found grace in God’s eyes, and god directed Noah to build an ark to save himself, his family, and a pair of each animal from a flood that would wipe out the rest of creation.  That took faith and obedience on Noah’s part.

Abraham: vs. 8-10 (Genesis 12) Abraham was a descendant of Noah through Noah’s son, Shem.  He, too, was a God-fearing man.  Go directed Abraham to leave his homeland and go to a land that God would show him.  That took faith!  Abraham followed God’s direction, not knowing what was ahead for him.  In Genesis 15:6, God promised Abraham land for his descendants, and as many descendants as there were stars in the sky.  At that time, Abraham and his wife had no children, for Sarah was barren.  Verse 6 states that, “Abraham believed the Lord, and the Lord declared him righteous because of his faith.”

God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to take his son, Isaac, and offer him as a burnt offering (Genesis 22).  Abraham went in obedience.  Verse 16-17 states that God was so pleased with Abraham’s obedience and faith that he promised to increase his descendants into countless millions.

Sarah: vs. 11-12 (Genesis 18:12) Sarah got to be quite old before God finally allowed her to become pregnant.  She gave birth to Isaac (Genesis 21).

Isaac: vs. 17-19 (Genesis 32: 22-32) Isaac married Rebekah and they had two sons, Jacob and Esau.  Jacob received the family birthright by an act of deceitfulness arranged by his mother.  Later, God changed Jacob’s name to Israel.  Israel means one who struggles with God.  He had 12 sons.  Jesus was a descendant from Jacob’s son Judah.

Moses and the Israelites: vs. 24-28 Moses is introduced in Exodus 2.  He is a descendant from Jacob’s son, Levi.  During this time in history, the descendants of Israel (Israelites) were multiplying very rapidly and were becoming a threat to the Egyptians.  Therefore, the Egyptians made them their slaves.  They also killed their firstborn sons to slow down the spread of their race.  Moses’ mother hid him by the river when he was a baby to spare his life.  When he was 3 months old, the daughter of Egypt’s Pharaoh found him and adopted him as her son.  Moses was raised as an Egyptian, but he never totally lost touch with his kind, the Israelites.  Eventually, God used Moses to lead them out of slavery to their promised land.

Rahab: vs. 31 Rahab appears in the book of Joshua.  Moses was not allowed to lead the Israelites into the promised land of Canaan; Joshua secretly sent out two spies to check out the land on the other side of the Jordan River.  Rahab was actually a prostitute in the house where these two spied stayed.  But she knew in her heart that God had given the Israelites this land.  In obedience to God, she hid the spies to protect them.  As  a result her life and the lives of her family were spared.  Rahab is one of the few women mentioned in the bloodline of Jesus in Mathew 1.

The list goes on throughout the history of Christianity.  We will look at some New Testament faith stories later in this study.

Read Romans 12:3.  How is faith “acquired” according to this verse?

Excerpts in this study have been taken from the book “Spiritual Exercise” by Helen Krudop.  They appear in Italics.

Spiritual Exercise – Day 11

The focus this week will be defining  faith through the eyes of God’s people throughout the Old Testament.  Later in the week we will look at the faith-stretching story of some well-known biblical characters from the Old Testament.

Faith-Stretching Warm Up

Now that you are familiar with some of the basic truths in your exercise, it’s time to begin stretching those faith muscles.  Remember to keep your handbook open for ready reference.  Also, do not rush through this warm up exercise.  Take the time to ponder each question and scriptural reference for optimum benefits.

Defining Faith

Hebrews 11:1 says this “ Now Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

The writer of Hebrews in this text gives his classic definition of faith — “being sure” means something that is firm, solid.  The word for “certain” means tested for validity or reality.

Faith is much more than wishful thinking or hoping.  Faith is linked with an evidence and knowledge of that in which we have placed our hope.  Elton Trueblood stated, “Faith is not a blind leap into the dark but a thoughtful walk in the light we have.”

“By faith,” the author writes, we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command (11:3).  By faith, we believe the world is a creation of God.  Voltaire, the atheist, was constrained to say, “The world embarrasses me:  I cannot believe that so beautiful a clock is without a marker.”  The design and order of the universe witness to a Creator.

It’s not unusual for any of us to say we have faith in God when we see a glimmer of hope or some kind of evidence that things are going to turn out the way we would like them to.  But the real challenge of faith comes when the going gets rough and we can’t see the answer we’re looking for.  It doesn’t take faith to believe something that already exists or that we can already see.  Quite the contrary is true.  Faith leads us to trust in spite of circumstance.

Do you remember how you felt when you were very young and your birthday approached?  You were excited and anxious.  You knew you would certainly receive gifts and other special treats.  But some things would be a surprise!  Birthdays combine assurance and anticipation, and so does faith!

Nelson’s Bible Dictionary describes genuine saving faith as “a personal attachments to Christ and commitment to Him.”  Faith not only is depending on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the basis for forgiveness of sins and entrance into heaven, but it is also “a personal commitment of one’s life to following Christ in obedience to His commands.”  It describes faith as a part of the Christian life from beginning to end and goes on to say that “in modern times, faith has been weakened in meaning so that some people use it to mean self-confidence.  But in the Bible, true faith is confidence in God or Christ, not in oneself.”

The Quest Study Bible defines faith as “abandoning all trust in our own resources, abilities and reasoning — the things we see.  It means relying instead on things we cannot see — God’s promises, provisions and concern for us.”  It goes on to say that “an inner attitude alone does not define faith.  For faith to be present, action is required.  Faith proves itself by its obedience to God.”

No fewer than eighteen times in this chapter alone we can come upon the phrase “by faith.”  Faith was the secret of victory for all who had gone before, both the illustrious and the unknown.  Let us then go on, and “by faith” be triumphant.

Excerpts in this study have been taken from the book “Spiritual Exercise” by Helen Krudop.  They appear in Italics.

Spiritual Exercise – Day 10

Sorry this post got kinda long but I wanted to finish up the pieces of armor so we could begin to “stretch our faith muscles.”

The Helmet of Salvation:

“Take the helmet of salvation ….” Ephesians 6:15

The first century soldier’s helmet was no different in purpose than the helmets of today — to offer protection from a blow to the head. Without it, serious injuries or even death could result.

Likewise, your spiritual helmet can save your life in the heart of a spiritual battle. It is protection for the mind — your thinking and understanding. Paul calls it the helmet of salvation with good reason. If we doubt our own personal salvation we will find ourselves helpless in fighting the enemy. The same holds true if we allow our minds to be exposed to rubbish of sin.

The helmet was placed on the soldiers head before the breastplate was put on because the handle could not pass over it. It was made of bronze with leather attachments. In Ephesians 6:15 the word “take” is really receive or accept. The previous pieces of armor were laid out for the soldier to pick up. The helmet (and sword) would be handed to him by an attendant or by his armorbearer.

It is the same with our salvation. God “gives” us the gift of salvation through His son, Jesus. It is up to us to “take” the gift or reject it. When a gift is given to us and we “take” it, the gift is free. We have done nothing to deserve it, or no one is required to give it to us. The choice is ours.

We have been provided with the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, a means of protection against the very thought that are the beginning of our sinful actions. We have also been provided with a helmet to protect that gift. We should be very careful about what information we allow to creep into our mind. The kind of music we are listening to, the movies we watch or allow our children to watch. Seems like everything we come in contact with are “not good for us” and it is hard to find wholesome activities for the family to be a part of.

We will never be able to stop satan from trying to put thoughts into our head that are not pure and wholesome, it is what he does best. However we can stop him from getting in. I liked the way Helen put it in her book…”…when someone you don’t want to talk to comes to the door, what do you do? Have someone else answer the door! Likewise, the next time one of those “fiery darts” comes knocking at the door or your mind, you can ask someone else to answer the door. Say, “Jesus would you mind getting that?”

The Sword Of The Spirit:

“….and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

The Christian’s only weapon of offense is “the sword of the Spirit.” The Word of God is the divine utterance or speech. As Jesus used the words of Scripture to refute the tempter, so must the Christian use the words the Spirit has inspired to drive away satan. It is significant that in Matthew’s temptation narrative Jesus himself refers to “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” and uses relevant Scriptures to defeat the devils temptations.

All of the previously mentioned pieces of armor are for defensive purposes. This final piece of equipment can be used for offense as well as defense. You can attack the enemy with this one and send him running!

Many believers have all of their armor in place, but they never use their sword, the Word of God (the Bible). They leave it in the sheath. You can display your Bible in a prominent place in your home or even carry it around with you very impressively. But unless you read it, study it, contemplate its meaning for you and even take steps to commit portions of it to memory, it will not do you much good. When we fill our minds with God’s Word, God brings it to our recall when the enemy strikes, enabling us to combat the lies of the enemy with God’s truth. We can even be aggressive in speaking out biblical truths before the enemy tries to strike. It will render his efforts powerless. It’s so important to be more than just defenders where satan is concerned; we need to be aggressors wielding our swords!

In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus demonstrates how to use the sword of the Spirit.

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.“ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test.” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”

Jesus wasn’t tempted inside the temple or at his baptism but in the desert where he was tired, alone, and hungry, and thus most vulnerable — when we are under physical or emotional stress (for example, lonely, tired, weighing big decisions, or faced with uncertainty). But he also likes to tempt us through our strengths, where we are most susceptible to pride. We must guard at all times against his attacks.

satan’s temptations focused on three things; (1) physical needs; (2) possessions and power; and (3) pride. But Jesus did not give in. Instead he used the word of God to combat satan’s attempts. Jesus was hungry and weak after fasting for 40 days, but he chose not to use his divine power to satisfy his natural desire for food. We may also be tempted to satisfy a perfectly normal desire in a wrong way or at the wrong time. If we indulge in sex before marriage or if we steal to get food, we are trying to statisfy God-given desires in wrong ways. Remember, many of your desires are normal and good, but God wants you to satisfy them in the right way and at the right time.

Jesus was able to resist all of the devil’s temptations because he not only knew Scripture, but he also obeyed it. Ephesians 6:17 says that God’s Word is a sword to use in spiritual combat. Knowing Bible verses is an important step in helping us resis the devil’s attacks, but we must also obey the Bible. satan had memorized Scripture, but he failed to obey it. Knowing and obeying are two different things.

satan does not like us to use this mighty weapon, and he tries to “snatch it away” and keep us from understanding or remembering it. It’s not unusual to struggle with reading, understanding and retaining the Word of God. The reason we do is because the enemy is always trying to stop us. He knows if we read it and apply it, it will render him powerless in our lives.

A few ways to begin reading the Bible.

1. Start with the book of Ephesians! It’s only 6 chapters, written by the apostle Paul. It talks about the change tha takes place in us when we accept Jesus as Savior. It illistrates the Armor of God, which we’ve been studying about this week and it tells us how to pray.

2. Read the Gospels. They contain everything necessary for the salvation of man. They depict accounts of Jesus life, death, and resurrection. There are also references to prophecies told in the old testament.

3. Another helpful suggestion is to write particular scriptures on index or recipe cards and carry them with you. For starter, use Ephesians 2:8-9, John 3:16-17, and 1 john 1:8-9. Then add a new one each week. Read them over and over again when you are standing in line, riding in the car, waiting for an appointment, etc. Saturate yourself with God’s Word. By doing so you are keeping your sword sharp and ready!

Excerpts in this study have been taken from the book “Spiritual Exercise.” Permission has been given by the author Helen Krudop. They appear in italics.

Spiritual Exercise – Day 9

Shield of Faith:

Ephesians 6:16 “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

The soldier’s shield probably was a large, heavy object made of metal.  The metal served as fire-proofing and protected the soldier from the flaming arrows fo the enemy.  roman soldiers often linked their shields together to create a wall of protection against the dangerous attacks.

In spiritual terms, satan is going to fire his flaming arrows  at you.  Think of the things that attack you.  They could be arrows of immorality, lust, hatred, envy, pride, jealousy, anger, doubt, worry, or any other kind of sin.  They come in all sizes and shapes but often they are in the realm of our thoughts.

How do you repel those darting arrows?  I think to understand HOW to use the shield of faith, we first must understand what faith is.

Webster defines faith as this: A strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; Complete confidence in a person or plan; Institution to express belief in a divine power; Loyalty or allegiance to a cause or a person.  Simply put, faith is belief and trust. It is believing God and trusting God. Both elements must be present to have faith.

There is no true faith that does not begin at recognition of God as Creator. We must believe that before we can believe anything else.

Hebrews 11:1 tells us this: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” The key words in this verse are “sure” and “certain.”  These two qualities need a secure beginning and ending point.  The beginning point of faith is believing in God’s character – He is who He says.  The end point is believing in God’s promises – He will do what He says.  When we believe that God will fulfill His promises even though we don’t see those promises materializing yet, we demonstrate true faith.

This piece of armor does not shield from physical suffering or loss of earthly possessions.  It does not guarantee ease of a good life with no problems, nor does it shield from grief.  What faith DOES do is this:  It saves, justifies, strengthens, sings, and makes us a witnesses for Jesus Christ.

Faith is something you can not see.  What you can see however is the darts that satan constantly bombards you with.  The Shield of Faith protects us from satan’s flaming arrows.  With God’s perspective, we can see beyond our circumstances and know that ultimate victory is ours.

Excerpt in this study have been taken from the book “Spiritual Exercise.”  Permission has been given by the author Helen Krudop.  They appear in italics.

Spiritual Exercise – Day 8

Breastplate of Righteousness

“…with the breastplate of righteousness in place” Ephesians 6:14

The breastplate protected the vital organs (heart and lungs) of the soldier.  If the soldier did not wear his breastplate securely, he could lose his life with just the right attempt from the enemy.  That is serious business.

LIkewise, the devil stalks like a lion trying to damage the hearts of christians.  The only way it is possible is if you loosen your belt (compromise the truth) which loosens your breastplate of righteousness.

What does it mean to be righteous?

In Philippians 3:8-9 it says this; “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” That describes righteousness at it’s finest.

After Paul considered everything he had accomplished in his life, he said that it was all “a loss” when compared with the greatness of knowing Christ.  This is a profound statement about values:  A person’s relationship with Christ is more important that anything else.  To know Christ should be our ultimate goal.  Consider your values.  Do you place anything above your relationship with Christ?

No amount of law keeping, self-improvement, discipline, or religious effort can make us right with God.  righteousness comes only from God.  We are made righteous (receive right standing with Him) by trusting in Christ.  He exchanges our sin and shortcomings for his complete righteousness.

satan would like us to believe that it’s our behavior that makes us right in God’s sight.  Then he reminds us of all our failures.  Part of what he’s saying is true, and that’s what makes satan’s lies so effective.  One of his favorite tricks is half-truths – just enough truth in it to make us think that perhaps he’s right.  When we start hearing satan’s lies about our worth we need to remember this fact:  we can’t ever measure up to what is “right” on our own efforts.

The only way we can be right standing with God is by accepting the fact that Jesus stepped in to take our place for the deserved punishment – death.  We don’t deserve God’s mercy and forgiveness, but it’s by God’s grace, through faith, that we receive it.  Keep your breastplate on by trusting in Jesus.  It will protect your heart from the enemy.

Shoes of Peace:

“And your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace”  Ephesians 6:15

We’re marching in God’s army now so how we cover our feet is very important, just as a soldier’s footwear is a very essential part of his attire for firm footing.  The shoes of a soldier in biblical times are often depicted as a type of sandal with straps up the leg to hold them very securely in place.  They may have had studs on teh bottom, like golf shoes, to aid in traction when the soldier had to walk through rough terrain or climb a steep incline.

Likewise, the Christian life often can be an uphill battle. It is not unusual to encounter some opposition from family and friends who may not yet be walking with the Lord.  They may view your beliefs and comments as fanatical.  You may experience ridicule or rejection.  Therefore, it is essential to strap on your “shoes of peace” securely.

Just as a Roman soldier’s shoes protected his feet and helped him to firmly stand, peace from the Lord provides us with emotional and spiritual stability.  Part of going into battle for the Lord in this day and age is telling others about His saving grace.  satan wants us to think that telling others the Good News is a worthless and hopeless task — the size of the task is too big and the negative responses are too much to handle.  But the footgear God gives us is the motivation to continue to proclaim the true peace that is available in God — news everyone needs to hear.

Too many Christians today are just going through the motions.  They don’t know or understand the Word of God and because of it they are easy prey for all kinds of religions that do not preach the Word .  They blow about from one church to another, wasting their time, energy and money looking for something they are not going to find.

The Word of God is the instruction book for Christian life.  Just as the feet support the entire weight of the body, God’s Word is our support for battle.  Think about the shoes as they were described by Helen in her book as the Biblical soldier thought of them.  No soldier would think of entering the battle field without his shoes on because his feet needed protection if they were going to provide stability and mobility.  Likewise, we should continually wear the shoes of peace so that wherever we go, we are standing firm in the Word of God.  Then when others try to refute our faith, we will have the stability we need to back up our faith with the Word of God and to stand firm in our faith.

It is only by trusting in Jesus for every aspect of our lives that we can even begin to experience the peace that is beyond all human comprehension.  Remind yourself often tha true peace of mind is actually a gift from God.  It is a result of the Spirit of God within us.  There’s nothing like this kind of peace.  You can choose to walk in the peace every day!

Excerpt in this study have been taken from the book “Spiritual Exercise.”  Permission has been given by the author Helen Krudop.  They appear in italics.

Spiritual Exercise – Day 7

Putting on the Full Armor of God

In the Christian life we battle against rulers and authorities (the powerful evil forces of fallen angels headed by satan).  We are engaged in a spiritual battle all believers find themselves subject to satans attacks because they are no longer on satan’s side.  Thus Paul tells us to sue every piece of God’s Armor to resist satans attacks and stand true to God in the midst of these attacks.

Now let’s take a look at clothing ourselves with the armor of God mentioned in Ephesians 6:10-18.

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. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

It consists of six pieces – a belt, a breastplate, special shoes, a shield, a helmet, and a sword.  That does not sound like something we normally would have in our closet!  Yet, the type of armor described here is readily available to us for the asking.

Why do you suppose we need to put on armor?  Verse 11 in Ephesians 6 tells us why.  Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

It is so we will be protected against the elements of the “unseen world”; the crafty plans of our number one enemy.  satan and his evil forces are always busy working behind the scenes trying to get us to think the truths of the Bible are just a big farce.  He would love nothing better than to lead us astray from Christianity.  He wants us to think that our battles are with people, but they are not.  In actuality they are with satan himself.  He is behind every one of our skirmishes.

The good news is that satan and his army have been defeated and disarmed by Jesus.  The devil may like to entice and torment, but in the end he is powerless (Colossians 2:15)

So if satan has been defeated, why do we need armor?  Because satan does still rule the unbelieving world and his presence is all around us.  Although he has no direct authority over the true believer, he does have the freedom to tempt and harass Christians.  Our minds are his favorite battleground.  If he can trip us up in our thinking, we’re just one step away from being led astray in our actions as well.

So we are going to take the next two days and examine the “Armor of God” in detail.

The Belt of Truth

Long robes were typical apparel for men in Paul’s day.  That being the case, a soldier would have to gather up all that cloth and secure it with a belt (truth) so he could move more quickly in battle.  For the soldier the belt had another important purpose.  It held in place two other vital pieces of armor.  The breastplate (righteousness) was attached to it as well as the sheath for his sword (the word of God).  In his book “The invisible world”, Greg Laurie surmises that if the enemy stripped a soldier of his belt, not only would his robe fall down and trip him, but he would probably lose his sword since the breastplate was loosened and the sheath could very easily slip off.  The belt may not be a particularly impressive piece of armor but it certainly was essential.

In John 8:31-32 Jesus tells us; , “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  Jesus Himself is the truth that sets us free.  He is the source of truth the perfect standard of what is right.  He frees us from the consequences of sin, from self-deception, and from deception by satan.  He shows us clearly the way to eternal life with God.  Thus Jesus does not give us freedom to do what we want, but freedom to follow God.  As we seek to serve God, Jesus’ perfect truth frees us to be all that God meant us to be.

1 John 3:18-20 tells us how to use the truth to live our lives.

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

Putting on the belt each day:  There are some key actions we must take to put on our belt of truth securely each day.

SPEAK IT: Putting the belt on each day is not enough.  We must always believe in it and know that God’s truth is always there to help us.  We need to believe that God’s word is truth and fill our minds with it.  We have the Holy Spirit living in us and guides us in that truth.  The truth enables us to discern stains lies and avoid being taken captive to do his will.

STUDY IT: the very fact that you have decided to take this Bible study is a great start!  It will help keep the truth in the forefront of your mind.  The more you study the Bible, memorize scripture, and speak the word out load, the more the truth seeps into us.  There is no substitute for Bible study during our quiet time with God.  It’s essential if we hope to grow closer to God and maintain victory over old sinful habits.

ASK GOD TO REMIND YOU OF THE TRUTH: The Holy Spirit will remind us of the truth and guide us in truth throughout our Christian walk.  In order for the spirit to remind us, we must have first read it.  If we’ve done our part in abiding in His Word, we will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit trying to work in our lives.

So after we have the belt on, how do we maintain it?  to keep our belt of truth polished, we must keep our hearts and minds focused towards God by clinging to HIs Word.  Our belt can become corrupted by sin we commit and tolerate in our lives.  When we give sin a protected place in our lives, we embrace the lies that the sin is based on.  These lies are what corrupt our belt of truth.  If we sin we must turn to God in repentance and the blood of Jesus will wash away the stains from our lives. (1 John 1:7)

Think back on your own personal battles.  What lie is the enemy trying to tell you?  What really is the truth?  Don’t forget that the Bible si full of truths about every imaginable subject.  Read it!  Surround your mind with it, before during and after each and every attack of the enemy so you won’t trip and fall.

I offer this prayer:

Heavenly Father, I come to you right now asking that you remind us of your Truth today and everyday.  Guide us in truth by the HOly Spirit.  Help us to hear and obey your voice in every situation.  Strengthen our ability to retain and recall Your Word as it applies to different situations we face.  Thank you Father, In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Excerpts in this study have been taken from the book “Spiritual Exercise.”  Permission has been given by the author Helen Krudop.  They appear in italics.

Spiritual Exercise – Day 6

In todays lesson, we are going to begin to look into God’s word for the appropriate way to dress for exercising our spirit.

When we exercise, we wear suitable clothing that is comfortable to exercise our physical body.  It is equally, if not more important, to “dress properly” for your spiritual walk.  The Bible gives clear instruction on what to “take off” and “put on.”

Ephesians 4:21-24 gives us some insight about proper attire fro our spiritual walk.

Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Paul told the Ephesians to leave behind the old life of sin, since they were followers of Christ.  Living the Christian life is a process.  Although we are a new creature in Christ, we don’t automatically think all good thoughts and express all right attitudes when that happens.  But if we listen to God, we will be a work in progress all the time.  Although the change may be slow, it comes as you trust in God to change you.  Our old way of life before we believed in Christ is completely in the past.  We should put it behind us like old clothes to be thrown away.  This is a once-for-all decision when we decide to accept Christ’s gift of salvation.  It also is a daily conscious commitment.  We are not to be driven by desire and impulse.  We must put on the new role; head in a new direction and have the new way of thinking that the Holy Spirit gives us.

Colossians 3:5-15, Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.  Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

These scriptures tell us we should consider ourselves dead and unresponsive to sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil, desires, and greed.  Just like diseased limbs of a tree, these practices must be cut off before they destroy us.  We must make a conscious daily decision to remove anything that supports or feeds these desires and to rely on the Holy Spirit’s power.  We must rid ourselves of all evil practices and immorality.  Then we can commit ourselves to what Jesus teaches.  Paul was appealing to the commitment the believers had made and urging them to remain true to their confession of faith.  They were to “take off” the old life and “put” on the new way of life given by JEsus and guarded by the Holy Spirit.

What does it mean to “put on” a new self?  It means that your conduct should match your faith.  If you are a Christian you should act like it.  Being a Christian means more than having good intentions.  It means taking right actions.  It is as simple as putting on clothes.

Every Christian is enrolled in a lifelong continuing education program.  The more we learn about JEsus and his work, the more we are to continue to strive to be like him.  Because it is a lifelong process we must never stop learning and obeying.  There is no justification or excuse for a Christian not attending class.  It takes practice, ongoing reviews, patience, and concentration to keep in line with His will.

Before we get into the “Pieces of Armor” to “put on” tomorrow, I want you all to get a piece of paper and make two columns.  One that says “things to take off” and one that says “things to put on.”

Read Ephesians 4:21-31 and Colossians 3:5-15 again.  List the things we are to “take off” and “put on” as we exercise our faith.  then take a time of reflection and circle the things you would like to focus on changing in your life.

I also want to point out that the articles of “spiritual clothing” are actually gifts from God as well – i.e. fruits of the Holy Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control ( Galatians 5:22).

Excerpts on this blog have been taken from the book Spiritual Exercise.  Permission has been given by the author Helen Krudop.  They appear in italics.