The Kingdom of God – Part 1

By Phil Wood

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." – Matthew 4:17

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. – Matthew 4:23

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"

"...I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent." – Luke 4:43

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. – Luke 9:1-2

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go..."When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is offered to you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.'" – Luke 10:1, 8-9

"This, then, is how you should pray: 'Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven...'"  – Matthew 6:9-13

Many of the great minds of Christianity throughout the ages, including modern sages like Dallas Willard, have observed that when Jesus walked the earth, perhaps more than anything else, he came as the kingdom bringer. After all, Jesus himself said, "that is why I was sent."

Whether that is a revelation to you, or something you've thought about many times before, I believe this has relevance for our world and things that are going on right now. Let me explain.

A simple definition I've heard for the word "kingdom" is: a place where the will of the king is done. By extension, then, the kingdom of God is a place where God's will is done.

Jesus modeled what it looks like to live in a kingdom where the will of God is always done. Always.

In the Sermon on the Mount he described the kind of people who dwell in the kingdom: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and those who are persecuted because of righteousness. (Matthew 5:3-10)

Also included: people who are the salt of the earth (the ones who keep their saltiness, anyway); and people who let their light shine before others, that they may see their good deeds and glorify their Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)

He also gave us some pretty good insights into the kind of people who will not enter the kingdom.

"...Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

...He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." – Mark 10:14-15

Jesus went to a lot of trouble to explain what the kingdom is like. It's like a mustard seed. It's like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour. It's like a treasure hidden in a field, like a pearl of great value. Each of these descriptions is worth a whole devotional in and of itself. And if this COVID thing goes on much longer, maybe I'll write one for each.

In fact, there is a whole lot about the kingdom of God that I feel compelled to share. But for today, my points are these, as illustrated by the Scriptures above.

            1.  Jesus is all about the kingdom, and the kingdom is all about Jesus.

            2.  We are called to demonstrate the kingdom of God in the world.

            3.  The kingdom of God is vastly different from the kingdoms of the world.

In Streams of Living Water, Richard Foster calls it "an alternative social vision – a vision of an all-inclusive people, gathered in the power of God, filled with the love of God, and empowered to do the works of God." 

It strikes me that he's saying the kingdom of heaven is social, not political. It's a way of living within whatever the political system may be. It will only be accomplished by Jesus Christ working through the hearts of people like you and me. 

In the kingdom, Jesus says we are to "bless those who curse you," "love your enemies," "lend, expecting nothing in return," "do not judge," "do not condemn," "forgive," "give." (Luke 6:27-38)

I don't see a lot of this in the news these days. But that's just the bad news. The Good News is the kingdom of God is near.

More to come.

Going Deeper for June 28, 2020

By Pat Russell

Considering the sermon by Pastor Bruce Spear, June 28, 2020

Scripture Reading: John 5:1-8

There are several ways that we can go deeper with the words that Pastor Bruce spoke this morning. As the people encountered Jesus in Biblical times, so we too can encounter Him in our lives today. I invite you to pick one of these suggestions and ask the Lord to bring His living Word to your life, to speak to you in this time you spend with Him.

1.  Re-listen to the sermon. You can forward the video to the beginning of the sermon. As you listen, write down words or phrases or ideas that “catch” your thoughts or feelings. Stop the video and write or think about what “caught” your deeper attention. Why did you stop in that spot? What might the Holy Spirit be saying to you?

2.  Re-read the story of Jesus at the Pool of Bethesda. Imagine that YOU are the invalid. Why are you there? What would Jesus say to you? How would you answer him?
John 5:1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. ² Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. ³ Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. ⁵ One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”⁷ “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”⁸ Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” ⁹ At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

3.  Spend time meditating on the 19^th century painting by Carl Bloch that we saw.

What do the shadows and the colors say to you about this story? What insight does the artist’s manner of painting Jesus give you? Where are you in this painting? Why?

4.  Listen to the story that Pastor Bruce told us about the Abbot Joseph and the novice. (It is towards the end of the sermon). Read Susan Spear’s poem aloud.

Wind and Flame

The wind is wild; the fire is not tame.

You mouth the prayers, recite the ancient creed.

If you will, you can become all flame.

You scour the Scriptures, making truth your aim.

You advertise your goodness, deed by deed.

The wind is wild; the fire is not tame.

You pay your tithe to stake a heavenly claim.

You aid the poor to justify your greed.

If you will, you can become all flame.

You pass the peace and play your high church game.

Yawning at tradition, you accede.

The wind is wild; the fire is not tame.

With your voice you sing and praise God’s name

Then utter words that cut and make men bleed.

If you will, you can become all flame.

Refining fire and wind want to reclaim

You. They’ll sear and burn and not recede.

The wind is wild; the fire is not tame.

But if you will, you can become all flame.

            By Susan Delaney Spear courtesy of The Christian Century

What does this poem say to you? How might you pray the phrase, “If you will, you can become all flame”?

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ,” (2 Cor. 4:6).

Let Generosity Rain

By Pat Russell

It rained last night. The rain covered the Garden of God’s Goodness with a moisture I work hours to replicate with hoses and sprinklers and faucets and soakers. It even rained on places that I don’t water like my yard and the garden on the hillside. It was such a generous rain.

I slept through the storm, did not hear a roll of thunder or the rain coming down. This morning I was so surprised to see the amount that had fallen. Everything is so fresh and smiling. The Garden of God’s Goodness does not need me to do anything today!

Another surprise was that it also rained on my neighbor’s garden. She has a large and beautiful garden. And, besides that it rained at my other neighbor’s home and they don’t even have a garden! Then, oh my goodness, it rained on three other neighbors who were all target practicing for hours on Sunday, which was very disturbing to my quietness. Like I said, it was a very generous rain.

Within the past three days we spent time with three different groups of people, all of whom we love dearly. The three groups have played major roles in our lives in different eras. One was part of our experience in another church, part of a deep tragedy that happened in that time. The second group was part of our coming home from Germany with all the major adjustments there. The third group was a part of receiving us with love into a new church. All three groups are precious to us.

We talked politics. “Oh no,” you say, “you crossed that line??” Yes, we talked at different levels with each group. Not surprisingly, no one had the same thoughts about our political, economic, and health situations in the US as we do. Some were similar to ours and some very different.

These groups are rather like our EPC fellowship. Let’s face it, we run the gamut in our church from liberal to conservative with everything in between. We have strong and differing opinions and emotions that go with those opinions. We sense it, we hear it once in awhile (not so much these days that we are not together), but mostly we keep it to ourselves while looking rather skeptically towards those we know are different from us.

How do we, as brothers and sisters in Christ, followers of Jesus, choose to relate to one another in these days? We do have choices: 1. Just stay quiet and don’t talk about these controversial topics. Keep it to “general matters.” 2. Talk with those who believe like you, or at least you think they think like you. Share your opinions and criticisms, and like-minded ideas, and even your emotions about the whole thing. 3. Voice your opinions whenever you like with whomever you like and if they don’t believe like you, that’s too bad. They need to hear what you say so that they can change the way they believe.

Three obvious choices, but I believe that Jesus offers us a 4^th way. It has to do with his generous rain. He said, in what we call the Sermon on the Mount, that we are to love our enemies. (Phil Wood’s devo on the 23^rd) "You have heard it said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

Applying this to these days, Jesus did not mean that he wants us to run out and hug anyone who thinks differently than us (especially with COVID). He follows it up with these two thoughts: the first is that everyone loves those who are like them, that’s the natural thing to do. (Conservatives will always like talking with other conservatives and liberals will always like talking with other liberals.) The second, however, was his reminder of what God is like – he pours out rain on the just and the unjust. He is GENEROUS! So generous. Generous to all.

In our Encounters with Jesus, we see nothing but generosity from Jesus towards anyone who comes before him, even Pharisees, who want to trap him. He thinks with them; he shares his thoughts about life again and again even as they seek to trap him. He is honest even when they are not. Generosity – giving even when it is most uncomfortable:

“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”(Luke 23:34)

“For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” (Mark 12:44)

“Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”(Luke 8:11)

“If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too.” (Matthew 5:40)

We are called to be generous. Generous beyond anything we naturally have in our hearts. I think of us being generous listeners and talkers, allowing others to express their opinions and expressing ours with lack of judgement, being curious about another way of thinking, of being. Asking non-attack questions. Keeping a space in our heart and head for this person’s thoughts and feelings, even if they are not keeping a space for us.

But this is not something we can produce on our own. Generosity is something God puts in our hearts by way of the Holy Spirit. Our part is to commit to following him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. With that as our baseline, God has a space to move in and change us, to make us more generous of spirit. We must want it, however.

After all, he pours out his rain on everyone. He did on my garden and my neighbor’s garden and on my neighbors that don’t have a garden, and even on my neighbors who felt and acted differently about Sunday than I did.

Lord, give me Your generous heart, I ask. And along with generosity, give me a brave heart to shower others with that same generosity. Amen.

An Exercise in Remembering

By Brooke Momblow

“I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will consider all your works and meditate on all your mighty deeds. Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.” Psalm 77:11-14 NIV

Retrace the steps of your faith journey and remember. Remember what God has done in your life. What he has done in the lives of others you’ve prayed for. Remember the details. The little things. The big things. The forgotten things. Remember.

Does it cause Awe to rise up in you? Do these memories humble you? Does remembering inspire greater or renewed faith in you? Had you forgotten?

Sitting on an airplane on my way to visit a very dear friend, I paged through my faith journal. I needed to remember. This is where I write down insights or thoughts during my prayers and scripture reading, also prayer requests and the various ways God answers them, dreams and what they might mean, and personal struggles and laments and how God is working through them to transform me. It’s how I remember the Awesomeness and Faithfulness of God in my life. You’d think I couldn’t forget, but I do.

On this day my heart was heavy. My friend had been betrayed in her marriage. Her spouse had not wanted to stop his actions, resulting in their divorce. She was heartbroken. I too, felt betrayed… and heartbroken because my heart had welcomed and loved her husband, accepted him as family. Many were outraged against him on her behalf.

So I turned in my faith journal to read about another time I had felt betrayed. A time God had used to teach me about forgiveness and the ultimate love of desiring another’s right-standing with God instead of demanding a happy fix for the situation. I had written about how upset I was, how it kept me awake until 3 am most nights fighting bitterness, how I could feel God prompting me to pray for them, to forgive them. “Love. Forgive. Pray. Mean it. Believe it.” But I had struggled to do it.

In prayer I had asked for the person to know God’s deep love and passion for them, I had said I forgive even though I couldn’t feel the forgiveness inside me. I hadn’t wanted to pray these things and I had written about that, too. I had been angry and hurt. But God had said to forgive, he had said to love as he loves… Even if nothing ever changes with the person or situation, I am to follow Jesus now, not later. So I had kept praying at 3 am. And my heart had begun to change and with it had come peace and rest.

Years later, the very person I had so reluctantly prayed for, stood before God on my behalf (I can’t help crying now just thinking about it). They prayed blessing over me, prophetic, Spirit led. How can I not be humbled by that turn of events? How can I not be amazed at what God is able to do beyond my greatest hope and imagination?

Reading these things, I remembered the lessons and was reminded to once again put into practice these truths:

• Recognize God’s great love for each of us and practice the many ways he directs us to love like he does.
• God’s words and directions can be trusted. Not for fairytale endings, but for his will to be done in our lives and the lives of others.
• I rejoice in my God and can give thanks in all circumstances.

Because of all this, on the front of my faith journal I wrote a quote: “How could I have forgotten how badly I wanted this? To bow down and rightly worship.” (Ann Voskamp) I want to remember how to live worship.

Next to me on the plane a woman I thought had been sleeping was actually reading my faith journal right along with me. Shocking moments like this are why I want to be so rooted in love that I respond with grace. Jesus knows I need all the grace I can get. She asked if I could recommend a church.

“Listen to me, all you who are serious about right living and committed to seeking God. Ponder the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were dug. Yes, ponder Abraham, your father, and Sarah, who bore you. Think of it! One solitary man when I called him, but once I blessed him, he multiplied. Likewise I, God, will comfort Zion, comfort all her mounds of ruins. I’ll transform her dead ground into Eden, her moonscape into the garden of God, A place filled with exuberance and laughter, thankful voices and melodic songs.” Isaiah 51:1 The Message

Unanswered Prayer

By Marilyn Travis

Throughout my life I have experienced seasons where it seems my prayers aren’t even heard, yet alone answered. It is discouraging to say the least. Usually during times of discouragement, I turn to the Bible for answers; however, if you Google “Bible verses for unanswered prayer” you get:

Matthew 21:22 “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”

            - Does that mean I don’t have faith?

James 1:6 “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.”

- When my prayers seem to go unanswered, it sometimes causes me to doubt. Is that the problem?

1 John 5:14 “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us.”

            - Am I asking out of His will?

Mark 11: 22-24 And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

            - Maybe I just don’t have enough confidence. I don’t believe with all my      strength.

If I’d stopped with these verses and didn’t dig deeper, I would’ve felt defeated, downtrodden and useless. I’d have to ask myself, “Is that how God would want me to feel?” No! So, what to do?

I believe it can be dangerous to pick single verses out of a story, chapter or book of the Bible without reading the entire text. Getting the whole story or statement in context clarifies the verse.

It is also important to recall what I know about God. I know that God is a God of love. He loves and cares for me. I know He wants the best for me, and I know He is always good. If I’m listening to voices in my head that are telling me I’m useless and defeated, I know that is not God’s voice.

I also must realize that I am a human bound by time. I am especially aware of time. I love clocks. If they tick, chime, cuckoo or play music, all the better! My house is full of noisy clocks – a sign that my husband loves me very much! They are also a reminder of the passing of time. I hear it by the second, quarter, half, three quarter and hour. When I am waiting for a prayer to be answered, time seems to come to a standstill. God is not bound by time. He is eternal. I need to remember, “you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (James 4:14)

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) (I have just taken two single verses out of their context to make my point, and I have no excuse.)

My point is, there will be times in each of our lives that we experience what feels like God has forgotten us – that He is not listening, and that we are not enough. Take heart. Fall back on what you know of God. Dig deeper. Don’t give up! God loves you. God cares so very deeply about each of us. God knows best. We may not get the answer to a prayer in this lifetime. God is not bound by time. His thoughts are higher than our thoughts, our ways are not His ways. He just wants us to trust Him.

I discovered a wonderful blog called Wholeheartedly Messy. This entry is entitled When It Feels Like God Doesn’t Hear Your Prayers. I found it to be very powerful. I encourage you to read it. It takes about ten minutes to read, then a little longer to think about. 

https://www.wholeheartedlymessy.com/blog/when-your-prayers-are-going-unanswered

God bless you!

Close Encounters of the Best Kind

By Phil Wood

"You have heard it said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

                                    – Words spoken by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5

This is my thesis on why Pastor Bruce's current sermon series, "Encounters with Jesus," is one of the most important series he has ever brought to us, and why there has never been a more important time to hear this teaching.

If we are truly disciples of Jesus, we understand that Jesus is our rabbi and our most important task in life is to follow him, to be with him, to learn from him how to be like him. That's what it has always meant to be a disciple.

In Jesus' day, it was understood that committing to discipleship meant following the rabbi everywhere, learning not just from his spoken teaching, but from his behavior, his every action, his way of being. It meant following him so closely that "you may always be covered by the dust of your rabbi" (that is, the dust kicked up from the master's feet, according to a common, first-century Jewish blessing).

In our day, we look at that old model of discipleship and throw up our hands. It seems like an impossible standard. First of all, Jesus is not physically here. We can't literally walk in his dust. We can't sit at his feet, as Mary did while her sister, Martha, fretted in the kitchen. Second of all, we have too much Martha in us: our attention is on our jobs, our children and all their activities, upkeep of our homes, managing our vast financial empires, etc.

Yet when Martha came storming from the kitchen, blaming Jesus for keeping Mary from her duties, Jesus talked about the choice Mary had made. "...few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better," Jesus said.

In his book, God Is Closer Than You Think, John Ortberg says that the "one thing" Jesus was talking about is the decision to live so continually in the presence of Jesus as to always be covered with the dust of the rabbi."

The decision is key. Once you've decided to live in his presence, you are on the dusty road of true discipleship. You want to hear everything he has to say. You want to watch everything he does. You want to get caked with the dust kicked up by his feet, so you can learn and grow and become, yes, more perfect.

So you listen to sermons about "Encounters with Jesus," with closer attention than ever before. You seek out devotional books like Intimate Moments with the Savior, by Ken Gire. You begin to see things about Jesus that you never saw before. You see how lives were totally changed just by coming into contact with him, and you start to understand why – what there was about him that had such an amazing impact.

And you start to think maybe I should seek out other encounters with Jesus written about in the Gospels, meditate on them like Ken Gire does, and learn from them, and be changed by them.

These are things that, with just small daily investments of our time, can bring us to a place in our lives where the way of Jesus is so ingrained in our hearts that we can "live in his presence" all the time – even when we're at work, running from one kid's activity to another, re-staining the deck, or paying the bills – even when the events of the world around us seem so overwhelming.

Perhaps especially when the events of the world around us seem so overwhelming, when issues are so complex, when our way of thinking and living is being challenged, when hatred stalks our hearts, and racism is exposed, raw and ugly, especially now we need to sit at his feet and learn from him.

Jesus is leading us to become the perfect beings we were created to be. He can use these challenging times to change us at the deepest level, make us well, make us whole.

Jesus is the one thing. Let's encounter him together.

"Nobody ever went away from an encounter with Jesus saying, 'That was a good talk.'

"Jesus gently but relentlessly asked people to make a decision about their relationship with him. The fundamental decision involved this invitation: Follow me. Come be with me, and learn from me how to be like me."

                                                                                    – John Ortberg

Going Deeper for June 21

By P@ Russell

Considering the sermon by Pastor Bruce Spear on Father's Day, June 21, 2020

Scripture Readings: Mark 9:35-37 and Mark 10:13-16

Yesterday we celebrated Father’s Day in music, interviews, stories and through Jesus’ encounter with the children of Palestine.  Our service was a beautiful kaleidoscope of earthly and heavenly fatherhood. 

Which part of the service spoke to your heart in some way?  Recall what may have stood out as something important – a memory, a word from God especially to you, an emotion that came over you, a new thought.  All or any of these is your heavenly Father saying to you, “Let (your name) come to me.”  Spend some time in meditation and prayer with this.

Pastor Bruce spoke of the value of children as expressed in Jesus taking action towards the rejected children, the blessing upon children as Jesus spoke over them words of affirmation, and the reception of children as he took them up in his arms.  Which of these three aspects of your heavenly Father’s attitude towards you is particularly meaningful to you in these days?  How does it speak to you?  Does it call you to action in some way?  Does it help you understand your place in the Kingdom?  Does it bring insight to your soul?

Re-read Mark 9:35-37.

Jesus sat down and called for the twelve disciples to come to him. Then he said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last. They must be the servant of everyone.”

Jesus took a little child and had the child stand among them. Then he took the child in his arms. He said to them, “Anyone who welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me. And anyone who welcomes me also welcomes the one who sent me.”

Re-read Mark 10:13-16

People were bringing little children to Jesus. They wanted him to place his hands on them to bless them. But the disciples told them to stop. When Jesus saw this, he was angry. He said to his disciples, “Let the little children come to me. Don’t keep them away. God’s kingdom belongs to children like these. What I’m about to tell you is true. Anyone who will not receive God’s kingdom like a little child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms. He placed his hands on them to bless them.

Now, gaze upon this picture of Jesus blessing the child. Ask him if he would like to speak to you in some way.

 

Pause today. Encounter Jesus today.

Another Dog Story

By P@ Russell

I took a walk with the dogs this glorious morning. Glorious indeed! The temperature had dropped to a coolness in the air. The sun was warming my body, but it was a just-right temperature for the pups. Today I tried something new with their leash hookups. Normally I have all three tethered to me in some way. Obie and Sophie are connected cross wise with a red rope and then I connect to the rope with an expandable leash. Buddy is separate with his own leash. That is the way I walk with two hands our three dogs who are very different.

Obie is the big dog who is most often compliant. Sophie is the middle-sized dog who is very independent and driven by her nose. Then there is Buddy, the old man who is fragile. When Obie and Sophie are connected, Obie gets a bad deal because Sophie is smaller and runs around him, entangling him in the rope. He will stop and patiently wait for me to come and untangle him. Sophie, being driven by her nose, is chasing round trying to find the animal that must have just crossed the path, but in her exuberance, she causes all of us to have to stop and figure things out. Buddy has often been tripped up and thrown off balance by her antics as he is simply trying to get through the walk without falling.

Today was different. Today I told Obie that he had earned his freedom! I did not put a leash on him but let him do his own walk. Sophie and Buddy were leashed separately, one for each of my hands. No longer could Sophie entangle Obie or trip up Buddy, because they had their separate worlds. It worked perfectly in that there was less tangle. Best of all, Obie was very obedient when I called him back to me or told him to “waaait.” Of course, I did have treats in my pocket, but he did not always have to be told that I had a treat for him in order to obey.

I thought perhaps my dogs are like our spiritual formation. When we are young in the faith and driven by our “craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions” (1 John 2:15-17), we need to be closely tethered to Someone in order to learn how life is works. That would be Sophie.

Then we become more mature in the faith so there comes a point when Jesus sets us free to simply be who we are. “Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.” (Romans 6:18.) That would be Obie. Jesus trusts us. He knows that we will come to Him and will “waaaait” on him, even if we don’t get “treats” all the time.

Then there comes a time in life when we wear out and we lose our strength, but we still press on in life, knowing our Master has an eye on us and will not let us have more than we can stand. That would be Buddy. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:16.)

I believe that I am a mixture of my dogs these days. I do so want to be Obie. But my Master is patient with me even as I am patient with Sophie. He loves me as I love each of my dogs and even more so. I know that just like Buddy, He’s got me as I walk with Him the rest of my life.

Like I said, it was a glorious walk. I was reminded of something Dallas Willard points out and Brother Lawrence (The Practice of the Presence of God) lived out, “God wants to be in a continual conversation with you.” That was certainly true with me this morning.

The Armor of God

By Lynne Watts-Fidrich

In the Beth Moore Bible Study that follows the footsteps of Paul, one lesson that stuck out to me was a lesson about putting on the Armor of Christ. In today’s worldwide crisis, I felt it was very appropriate. We need to be like soldiers going to battle against the Evil One. We need to be prepared.

When we put on the Breast Plate/Body Armor of Righteousness we can stand firm against the powers of darkness. We choose the right thing to do even when we feel like choosing the wrong thing. These choices involve changes in our hearts and minds.

The Belt of Truth helps us not to live a lie in any part of our life. We are free from secrets and hypocrisy. We find this truth in God who is always honest and trustworthy.

When we put on Gospel Shoes we are balanced and have a good foothold. When we share the Good News of the Gospel it has a great effect on the Evil One and we find Peace.

The Shield of Faith is our protection when the evil one tempts us to disbelieve. We have no doubts. We are not called to have faith in our own faith but to have faith in our God and to never doubt him.

The Helmet of Salvation protects our minds; it fills us with the “Word” and things pertaining to Godliness, not the things of this world like the media in all its forms.

We are saved through his Mercy. By using the offensive weapon of the Sword of the Spirit, the word of God can keep us on the right track, physically, mentally and spiritually. We can defeat the enemy and rescue lives though the Good News.

Take a few minutes to go back over Paul’s timeless instruction about the Armor of God and be prepared for whatever comes your way.

¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² 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. ¹³ 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. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 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. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.  Ephesians 6:10-18