Whatever you do, live ready... WearArmor!

Years before my son Greg was born, in my early 20's, I found salvation. Not really understanding what that meant, I continued to go on with life, attending church from time to time. Eventually, after lots of Christian television, the meaning of salvation* was clear. (If you are not sure, please say the prayer below.) Now that I have the assurance of forgiveness of my sins and eternal life after death, I want to celebrate this precious gift. I want to create something with my own hands to honor the Lord.

I found the answer in Ephesians 6:10-20; The Armor of God. I have designed jewelry in forms of the shield, the sword, the breastplate, the belt, the helmet and the boot. These pieces, shaped in clay, cast in metal and refined by an artist in Rhode Island, are manufactured in silver-oxidized pewter and gold-oxidized pewter. They are assembled pieces of jewelry to be worn as charm bracelets, necklaces, earrings, key chains, and more.

The armor that Paul claimed in Ephesians 6:10-20 in the service of the Lord, is a warrior's battle dress, the uniform of the Roman Legionnaire. Paul saw its power and its symbolism and urged us to make it our own.

It is my hope that people wearing the armor will be aware of God's goodness, to remind them that they can have His protection, both spiritually and physically. They will wear the Shield of Faith, the Sword of the Spirit, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Belt of Truth, the Helmet of Salvation, and the Boot of Peace.



A Prayer of Salvation

To receive Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, pray this prayer:
Lord Jesus, I'm like everyone else - I can't make it through life on my own. I'm imperfect. I'm prone to sin. I have come to realize that there's nothing in the world I can do to make myself acceptable to You. But I know that You have loved me so much that You were willing to submit to the cross and die on my behalf. I accept Your free gift, and I know that from this moment on, I am saved. I am a child of God. And I give the rest of my life to serving You and experiencing the joy that only You can offer. Fill me now, dear Lord, and raise me to walk in the newness of life. I thank You and praise You! Amen.

God's armor brings victory because it is far more than a protective covering. It is the very life of Jesus Christ Himself. "[P]ut on the armor of light," wrote Paul in his letter to the Romans, "...clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 13:12-14) When you do, He becomes your hiding place, and shelter in the storm--just as He was to David. Hidden in Him, you can count on His victory, for He not only covers you as a shield, He also fills you with His life.

Since living in the safety of the armor means oneness with Jesus, we can expect to share His struggles as well as His peace. Remember, God has promised us victory in the midst of trials, not immunity from pain. So "do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you, but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ..." (1 Peter 4:12-13) Christian heroes who have been tortured for their faith continue to testify to the supernatural strength--even joy--that enables them to endure unthinkable pain.

They affirm with Paul

"that in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.... For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers.... will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:37-39)

This wonderful truth has become reality to all who believe and follow Jesus. When you put on His armor, His life surrounds you, keeping you safe, close to Himself, and free to be His precious friend and trusted companion. So "put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27) He is your victory!

Growth requires preparation, attention, and care, whether it is a child or a garden we wish to nurture. Infants need a lot of care, but so do teenagers. And all gardens require ongoing care. This message is a reminder that our Christian walk needs care at all stages to remain healthy.

Check out this link for the broadcast:

http://www.davidjeremiah.org/site/television.aspx

Dr. Jeremiah answers your questions about how to live confidently in the face of discouragement.

When you get discouraged, Dr. Jeremiah, what do you do?
The first place to begin when discouragement sets in is prayer. Ask God to intervene in the issues at hand (Nehemiah 4:4, 9). Often, when I am on the verge of discouragement, I will sit down at my computer or with my journal and write out my thoughts to the Lord as a prayer. Writing out my concerns helps me identify and crystallize the issues, helps me to focus and prioritize what has become a swirl of conflicting thoughts and feelings. But in the process of writing, I am also crying out to the Lord. That is always the place to begin.
Next, I turn to the Psalms of the Old Testament and encourage you to do so as well. We can think of the Psalms as the journal entries of David and the other psalmists. We get to peek into their journals and read their most intimate thoughts when they were going through times of discouragement. They become our mentors, our teachers, in learning how to cry out to God when we are discouraged.

How can I keep on working in spite of frustration and discouragement?
It is so easy to throw in the towel when we get discouraged. We want to rid ourselves of what we think is causing the frustration and discouragement. Ironically, by giving up we separate ourselves from the one thing that can help us overcome discouragement: achieving what we set out to do. When discouraging and accusing words came against Nehemiah, he continued doing exactly what he was doing before the attacks started! He didn't let the opposition keep him from accomplishing what he set out to do-the work God had given him to do (Nehemiah 4:6).

The longer I live, the more I realize that when I feel least like doing something, that is the time I most need to do it. Whether it's praying, exercising, resting, reading the Bible-whatever it is, there will always be times when we won't feel encouraged about the prospects of that activity being beneficial. But it will be. And we need to do it most at the time we feel least like doing it.

Sometimes it seems like I'm not getting anywhere. What can I do to feel vital again, a part of something important?
In Nehemiah 4, workers were stacking blocks, one upon another, seemingly getting nowhere fast. Nehemiah rallied them by sharing the big picture. They weren't just stacking blocks, nor were they just building a little section of a wall. Rather, they were building a huge wall that would enclose the city of Jerusalem and protect themselves and their families from those seeking to do them harm.

Sometimes, working in our little corner of the kingdom, it's easy to get discouraged. We wonder if what we're doing is making any difference or whether it's worth the trouble to continue on. Nehemiah's workers were in danger of isolation, not being able to see around the pile of rubble between them and the next group of workers further down the line. So Nehemiah positioned the workers so they could see better, could keep in touch with one another, and remain encouraged in their work. Discouragement often comes when we lose sight of the big picture. We need to stay connected to a larger community of faith so we don't lose heart.

Stay connected to the church, and concentrate on the big picture.

It's hard to stay calm when I'm fearful, frustrated, and feeling discouraged. How can a person stay calm in this chaotic world?
Nehemiah challenged the people to "%u2026 not be afraid of [their enemies]. Remember the Lord, great and awesome.%u2026 " (4:14). The promises of God are the bedrock of our faith. When we are toying with discouragement and entertaining things in our mind that are not true, we need the truth from God. And His Word is where we find it. Take your Bible out and start reading-out loud if necessary. Sometimes I purpose before God to keep reading His Word until He speaks to my heart in a way that helps me see through my discouragement. And He always does.

The Word of God tells us not to get discouraged in the midst of the good we are doing "for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart" (Galatians 6:9). Claim the encouragement of God's promises. Taking admonition like that to heart consistently is a powerful antidote to discouragement in life and ministry.

[For more information on this subject, see Dr. Jeremiah's study guide, Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World.]

As Christians, we have a responsibility to conduct our lives in a way that will please the Lord. His mercy should motivate us to pursue holiness (Heb. 10:14). But what does godly living look like? Although there are many passages of Scripture that we could choose, let's examine the characterization of a righteous man given in Psalm 1.

He orders his life around godly counsel: "How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners" (Ps. 1:1). A person who follows the Lord wholeheartedly seeks advice primarily from those who have spiritual insight and integrity (Prov. 12:5).

We should still develop friendships with unsaved people out of a desire to reach them for Christ. But a believer's closest friends should be those who have godly character.

What steps could you take this week to develop closer relationships with thriving Christians?

Read John 13:34-35. Why do you think the New Testament places so much importance on loving fellow believers? Why would this, more than anything else, show the world that we are followers of Jesus?

The godly person receives enjoyment, encouragement, and refreshment from the Word of God: "His delight is in the law of the Lord" (Ps. 1:2). We should love the Bible more than television, sports, or other pastimes.

Scripture instructs us to meditate on the Word of God. Meditation is pondering what was read and relating it to one's life. Ask questions such as, "What does this tell me about God or myself? What do I need to change?"

What do you think it means to meditate on the Word day and night (v. 2)?

What did God promise Joshua if he would meditate on the Book of the Law-that is, Scripture (Josh. 1:8)?

How can you apply these principles to your life this week?

The godly person stands successfully through the storms in life. "He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water" (Ps. 1:3). During a drought, trees growing by a stream fare better than other trees. In a similar way, people who maintain an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ continue to thrive in difficulty. Their hope and strength is found in the Lord, not their circumstances.

Why could the psalmist be courageous despite the devastation around him (Ps. 46:1-3)?

In what does the believer place his confidence, even in
difficulty (Rom. 8:34-39)?

A godly person is fruitful: The tree planted by water "yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither" (Ps. 1:3). Righteous believers seek to invest their lives rather than spend them. Their lives bear spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-23).

Notice that the fruit of the Spirit is a result of abiding in Christ, not of striving in our own power to be holy (John 15).

What did Paul say gave him the strength to live a righteous
life (Gal. 2:20)?

This passage means we must surrender control of our lives to God and allow Christ to live through us. It includes the responsibility to reject sin, but we must be careful not to dwell on our battle against temptation. The more we focus on wrongdoing, the more powerful and attractive it will seem. And if we manage to stay free from a particular vice in our own strength, we tend to be judgmental of others who wrestle with it.

What should fill our minds (Phil. 4:6-8)?

What battle against sin have you been waging on your own? Surrender that struggle to the Lord, and ask Him to bring you through to victory.

A godly man is successful in all he does: "Whatever he does shall
prosper" (Ps. 1:3).

We should flourish in every aspect of our lives. We will see God's hand of blessing on our friendships, marriages, families, and careers, although we may not become wealthy or successful by the world's standards (3 John 1:2). A godly person should be content-a quality vital to enjoying God's blessings.

Why do we need to learn contentment, even in prosperity (Phil. 4:12)?

What was Paul's secret to being content (Phil. 4:13)?

Does it surprise you that Scripture connects greed to a lack of awareness of the Lord's presence (Heb. 13:5-6)? Why or why not?

The Lord's grace is sufficient. Whatever the task or challenge, we are able to face it with the Father's help (2 Cor. 12:9-10).
Closing: The Lord calls each of us to a godly life. And He equips us with everything we need to become successful in holy living. Surrender to the Lord, and then ask for the strength to obey His Word. You can be sure He will answer that prayer.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the Holy Spirit's power, which equips me to live righteously. I choose to submit my will to You and to rely on Your strength. When the Enemy tells me I can't be godly, remind me that You will work through me to bring victory. Amen.

Adapted from "Charles Stanley's Handbook for Christian Living" (1996).

So my dear Christian friends, companions in following this call to the heights, take a good hard look at Jesus. He's the centerpiece of everything we believe.
Hebrews 3:1

"Take a good hard look." In other words, focus. In optics, focus is the point toward which light rays converge. In geometry, it's a special point used in describing conic sections. When we concentrate our attention, we are focusing. When we do it with others in an organized way, we're in a focus group. The Navy has a missile named Focus, and Ford has a car by the same name. In sports, lack of focus is often the reason given for defeat; and players in a slump try to regain their focus. When we take a blurred picture, it's because we didn't focus the camera on the right object.

In life, we find that Christ becomes blurred in our vision when we focus on our problems. But when we put Him in the center of the picture, our trials are less of a focal point and more of a background blur. The apostle Paul said, "We do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:15, HCSB).

Therefore, holy brothers, keep your focus on Jesus.

Focus on His perfections, not your own imperfections. 1

Recommended Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Read through the Bible in a Year: John 8:31 - 10:21

1 Warren Wiersbe, Be Determined (Wheaton: Victor, 1996), electronic version, comment on Nehemiah 9:1.