Friends in Christ Message for August 25, 2012

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Friends in Christ Weekly Message
August 25, 2012

[NOTE: This message was originally published August 10, 2001.]

Be ready! Let the truth be like a belt around your waist, and let God's justice protect you like armor. Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet. Let your faith be like a shield, and you will be able to stop all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword use God's message that comes from the Spirit.
Ephesians 6:14-17 (CEV*)

We all face difficulties in our lives. The world has its ways for us to try to combat our problems - and often strike out at people we perceive to be our enemies. If we have faith in Christ, we are to be new creatures who no longer rely on the world's ways. In this scripture, we are reminded that God provides us with the means to deal with the trials of life - spiritual weapons quite unlike the world's weapons. Do we rely on these?

Do we ground ourselves in the ultimate truth of God, and do we resist the temptation to mislead or lie to others?
Do we rely on the ultimate justice of God rather than focus on our worldly rights?
Are we so caught up in the urge to share the good news we've found about God's peace with others that it gives us energy to move forward?
Do we trust utterly in God, having a firm faith which allows us to resist temptations and relies on God's power not our own?
In overcoming obstacles, do we rely on God's message which comes through us if we allow it rather than the expressions of our own human anger and desire to "win"?

Dear friends, may we wear God's spiritual armor each day we live.

Bill Samuel