A Bit on Spiritual Warfare

Today, I am under major attack–major spiritual attack. Whenever I am not immersed in prayer, whenever I am not battle-ready and battle-aware, I am in deep dismay, and deep discouragement. I am in physical pain, and I am discouraged for many reasons which shall not be named here.

One thing I am reminded of: a warrior on the battlefield.

Likewise, when does a warrior survive if he is not on the offensive, using his equipment to fight? Whenever I was immersed in prayer, (using the tools I’ve been given), I was strong; I was winning the battle. But as I returned from my mountain hike and fell out of my constant, bold prayer, I was being defeated–am being defeated.

So that’s my side. Frankly, it’s all about spiritual warfare. We Christians are warring against our own flesh–holding at bay the evil desires of our sin nature. Also, when we are witnessing to people, and working to build our disciples, brothers, and sisters up in Christ, we are struggling against the holds Satan has in their lives. All that jazz about freedom in Christ (Galatians 5:1) and being free from the bond of slavery–that’s spiritual warfare.

When Paul tells the Philippians to be anxious for nothing but in constant prayer with the supplication of thanksgiving, he’s talking about struggling against Satan’s attempts to make us fear about life.

When Jesus tells the disciples that He has all authority in heaven and earth and is giving that authority to us (Matthew 28:18-20), He’s talking about spiritual warfare.

Those are just a few glimpses. The important thing is that Ephesians 6:10 tells us to be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. We are warriors, Christians. We are warriors mired in the combat of life. Our respite comes when we go to heaven at the end of our battle.

Ever read the Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis? Lewis was on to something, I’ve no doubt his semi-fictional account the demons in the book is very close to reality. If nothing else, in the way they are constantly working on the subject’s life to direct him away from God.

I know this is long, but I just stumbled across a great set of notes about how to stay “free”:

1. Get into the Word of God (John 8:31-32)

2. Pray without ceasing (Luke 18:1)

3. Be armed with the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-19)

4. Stay filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 6:18, Galatians 5:25)

5. Avoid situations that will cause you to sin

6. Resist the Devil and he will flee (James 4:7)

7. Praise the Lord at all times (Romans 8:28)

8. Forgive quickly and completely (Matthew 18:21-35)

9. Guard your heart and mind

We are in a war, and our weapon is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and our weapon is prayer–our communion with Him. We are told to pray constantly. Do so, Christians. Stand strong and firm in the Lord! We have nothing to fear from Satan while we are standing firm in the Lord. So stand firm, and stand strong. Do not be dragged away by the distractions of this life. Do not be dragged away by failure, or pride, bitterness, lust, or greed. Do not be dragged away by this world.

Be strong and courageous, for the Lord your God is with you always.

Suffering, Persecution, and Animosity

Three things we are promised in a life fully devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ. Rather, it should be put this way: Jesus never promises a life free from these things. Instead, in John 15:18-21 Jesus tells us that if the world hates us, we know that it hated Him before it hated us.

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent me.”

That’s harsh stuff to hear. They slaughtered Jesus! Shamed Him, beat Him, spit on Him, and crucified Him on a cross–the worst execution the world has ever known. He did not die of blood loss or anything like that. The way cross-execution works is that it suffocates you! You hang on a cross, brutally beat and bleeding from many, many places, then they drive nails through your hands and feet, and watch as you slowly suffocate because your lungs are being crushed.

Ayyyy! They persecuted Jesus, so the world will persecute us. We in America do not suffer as brutal torment as Jesus did (far from it!) but there will come a day…Either way, for now–we Christians are looked down upon, slandered, this, that, and the other. Nothing compared to other places in the world even today–but we are persecuted in our own minor way.

Christianity does not promise a plush life of security and (Ah!) comfort. It promises eternal life–eternal life in heaven with God! It promises that though this life will be miserable, heaven is awaiting us. Nay! God is awaiting us! (How awesome is that?)

Jesus says in Matthew 11:25-30 (verse 28-30) “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

This seems contradictory, no? But Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 that “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.”

Why? Because God is mighty. We may suffer in this life, because we cling to God, but we are promised eternal life. Why is Jesus’ burden and yoke light, yet still we suffer? Because what Jesus asks of us is good in the sense that when our hearts are for God alone, and we are doing His work He gives us joy. Paul talks about us being afflicted, perplexed, and persecuted, yet through all–we are with God. He gives us strength. He is our reward.

This is a hard message. Oh, by the way! The world is going to hate you for being sold out for Christ. But hey, take hope in this, Christians: the God we serve is mightier, bigger, wiser, and transcendent of all we will ever face. He is God!

I do not promise you will always understand what is going on; I do not promise that you will always be happy about what is going on in your life; but I promise this: God is with you! God is always with you!

“Abide in Me and I will abide in you.” Remember that as we are with God, in His presence, obeying His commands, and loving Him, we are with Him and He with us. Our reward for this life of suffering and loss and pain and torment is not heaven, (though that is a great benefit!) it is the eternal presence of God, with Him, in his home: heaven. Our reward is God. Remember that.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” ~ Joshua 1:9

Snap! Be encouraged, brothers and sisters. We will suffer, but we have an awesome God!

The Cost of Discipleship

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I will not deny that the sacrifice of Jesus is a free gift–nothing we do can get us to God. Nothing can make us worthy. But neither is Jesus’ sacrifice something to be accepted and tossed aside. It is a life commitment.

Matthew 16:24-28 talks about the cost of discipleship. In verse 24, Jesus’ words are: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” That means total life commitment! Jesus isn’t just a part of your life. He will never share His glory with another. That means He comes first always! This is something we Christians often over look. We want to accept Jesus and place Him on the mantle.

It was put to me like this: the Hindu’s have many gods, so it is easy for them to accept Jesus and simply place Him in the line with many other gods. This is what most Christians do. Maybe we have a really big Jesus on our mantle piece–but as Isaiah 42:8 says:

“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.”

God will not share that mantle piece. It is our purpose as Christians to glorify God alone. The first four commandments are geared toward this very purpose.

You shall have no other gods before Me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in haven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

You shall not worship them or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Did you catch all that? God comes first; He alone will be worshipped; and you shall not even say His name in vain. He comes first–He will not share His glory with another.

Does it still seem like we should accept Jesus’ sacrifice, believe God, and place Him on the mantle with all of our other Gods: food, music, education, video games, career, books, hobbies, and ourselves? Those things are not inherently evil–but God will not share the metaphorical mantle. He is all of your life–He must remain your first priority forever. That doesn’t mean that you have to give up all those things–but if they are keeping you from God, you might want to consider it.

My initial point was that Christ isn’t a part of your life–we Christians are to be holy priests–set apart for God. He won’t share His glory with another–don’t worship anything apart from God. Christianity isn’t a willy-nilly acceptance and casting by the wayside. It is a daily dedication of the rest of your life. Count the cost, like is says in Luke 14:25-35. Count the cost, people. Count the cost, Christians. Are you really willing to be wholly devoted to something greater than yourselves? Are you willing to give God control?

Keep in mind the God you will serve. He is good, just, merciful, graceful, forgiving, and loving. Giving Him your entire life may not necessarily mean abandoning all you have–but you must be willing to surrender all to Him if He asks it of you.

Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” God cannot lie–He has bound himself that way. This is the truth.

“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple…So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” ~ Jesus Christ, Luke 14:27,33

Christian Views on Abortion

She is looking at you, waiting. Her eyes are full of tears. Her face is the picture of total discouragement. Fear. Uncertainty. Her last statement, that penetrating question, is hanging in the air awkwardly. It’s begging an answer, but you don’t know what to say. You don’t know what to do. You feel her pain, and the agonizing uncertainty. Yet you have no idea how to respond to her question.

“Should I get an abortion?”

The question makes sense. With no financial resources to care for a child, a runaway boyfriend, and no parental support, abortion can be an appealing option. What about pregnancy from rape? What should a teenage girl do? Or consider the heart-rending discovery that the child you are carrying will be seriously disabled for life? Abortion is available, safe, and legal. Often, it seems to be the only way to bring a negative situation to a permanent end.

As negative and unpleasant as the subject is, it needs to be faced head-on. You cannot avoid it for the rest of your life. The subject will come up either in your life or in the life of a friend or a family member. Abortion is a volatile subject even among Christians; Christian views on abortion are not necessarily uniform. Rather than get swept into the rash decision-making of an emotional moment, you must think the issue through ahead of time.

The purpose of this article is not to push you to one side of the issue. The purpose of this article is not to go through scientific data nor rehash old arguments. The purpose of this article is to answer the question personally or to help a friend who wants abortion. Here are some thought-provoking questions to help you navigate the situation.

When Does Life Begin?

This is not the place for a medical discussion of the beginning of life. However, if your friend wants an abortion, she should understand when life begins. Is it at the moment of conception, or is it when the child comes out of the womb? You must decide this critical question, as it will influence what to say if your friend wants an abortion.

Is Abortion Murder?

Another simple question must be addressed. Is abortion really the taking of life? Is it actually killing? Some see a fetus as a mass of tissue. Is this true, or is that a fetus is actually a living human being? Is there a point at which abortion becomes murder? Is it in the third trimester? The second? The first? Is it true that sometimes life circumstances require murder, or is murder always a sin? You can see how Christian views on abortion are influenced by many factors.

Who Authored Life?

Let’s make sure that we understand the true authority in life. Is God ultimately responsible for, and thus the authority over, life? Or was conception simply a reproductive act of human beings? Are human beings charged with deciding whether a baby should live or die?

When Do Scars Heal?

A final question to consider as you grapple with the issue is a long-term issue Yes, an abortion may take place in just a few moments, but how long will the memory of that action be with you? Failing to think through the moral consequences of an abortion may lead to serious regret in the long term. No doubt there are incredible difficulties with giving birth to, raising, and living with the child. But consider the alternative, too.

The issue of abortion is not an easy one. It’s an issue of life or death. If your friend wants an abortion, give serious thought to these four simple questions, and pray for God’s guidance in the issue. He is more interested in it than you are.

The Meaning of Life

An Ageless Search
What is the meaning of life? This is one of the most frequently asked questions by all of humanity since the beginning of time. It is a question naturally asked by people because they have the ability to make choices about life. The question would appear to be difficult to answer and different for every individual depending on their circumstances. It is the ultimate search for truth and purpose in life; the reason we were born, wake up everyday and exist.

The Truth
Although people have struggled for the purpose of their existence throughout history, the answer for the meaning of life is relatively simple and the same for everyone; it is to love God by choosing to have a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.

How to Move Forward
Once you understand the meaning of life, the next step is choosing to follow God’s plan for your life.  God made you for a specific purpose; however, before you can fulfill that purpose, you need to establish a relationship with God.

How to Fulfill Your Mission
The challenge to the meaning of life is being faithful to the calling of God and being dedicated to fulfilling the purpose that He created you for by accomplishing your life mission. The Holy Bible addresses these issues clearly to give people answers about how to lead their life in every circumstance, from poor to rich, from health to illness, from strong to weak, and from spiritual to sinful. Everybody has limiting circumstances, but God gives people this ultimate life instruction book called the Bible to help them understand how to make the right choices throughout their changing life. Learn about what God wants for you and submit to His plan for a life of fulfilling significance.

My Purpose in Life

My Purpose in Life
These turbulent times may be the ideal time to clarify your life purpose because many of the things you may have misidentified as your purpose may have been stripped away — that job or career, or those life roles — being a good parent, or a loyal employee, or an outstanding member of the community.

While these are important, they’re not your life purpose, and thinking that they are can be a major roadblock to identifying your true life purpose.

You see, your life purpose is much more than any of these. It’s about knowing who you are as a spiritual being and what you came to this life to be and to experience. Your purpose gives you a new context of meaning that begins to shape every moment of your life, especially when the currents of circumstances try to throw you off course.

Your thoughts, decisions, choices, and daily actions are shaped by a greater meaning for your life; your life purpose.

Life Challenges and Decision Making

Life Challenges
Do you find yourself in a life challenge or trial – not sure which way to turn? Has an event or illness suddenly changed the whole pattern of your life and your plan for the future? Life Challenges can shake you at your very core. It is our desire that through the articles below, you will find comfort for your past, practical help for today, and lasting hope for your future.

Decision Making
Most Christians have been taught how to find God’s will, yet many are still unsure whether they’ve found it. God does guide His people, but the question is, “How does He guide? God has an individual will for each life. Biblical decision making begins with a willingness to submit your intentions to God’s perfect will and humbly follow his direction. The problem is that most of us don’t know how to figure out exactly what God’s will is in every decision we face—especially the big, life-altering decisions. If only our decisions were risk-free, guaranteeing us the best desired outcome!

Decision Making Forces Us To:

• Accept responsibility for the success or failure of our choice.
• Experience first-hand how that decision helps or harms others.
• Identify the most reliable source of wisdom that equips us for making those decisions.

Does God Care?

Does God Care?
Usually that is a question people ask when they are faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles and calamities.

Why does this happen? In Ecclesiastes 9:11 it says, “The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance will happen to them all.”

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)