Faith

Be Prepared to Stand

Ephesians 6:10-13 HCSB

“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.

“For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.

“This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.”

Time to Choose

cakeordead

 

This tweet has it about 98% right. The only connection that is missing is the fact that the world is now at the precipice of a great war of cultures.

Two cultures: One that worships the god of the Quran, and follows the commands of its prophet; and another that worships the God of the Bible, and follows the commands of Jesus Christ (who was foretold and fulfilled ALL of the Biblical prophecies, including his crucifixion and resurrection.)

These two cultures have been at odds since the beginning of time. And let’s be clear. This is not an epic battle between conflicting “religions;” nor is this a physical war over ideologies. This war certainly isn’t over resources or territories.

No. These two warring cultures are spiritual. We are seeing the consequences, or results of an overall culture that follows the spirits of good or evil. One culture worships that which brings darkness, hate, murder, lies, damnation and death. The other culture worships that which brings light, love, truth, salvation and life. (You don’t have to practice a certain religion, or believe in a god at all to live in a culture that follows either light or darkness. You WILL experience the consequences however, if that culture clashes with your own personal beliefs. Example: being openly gay in the Middle East tends to result in your murder.)

Once you identify and name your enemy; once you understand what the battle is really about–your soul–then it becomes a simple matter of choosing sides, doesn’t it? (Remember: Silence is also a choice.)

So… Where will you stand? Choose a side. You can’t just sit there and point fingers at people-groups and religions and lifestyles. You can’t just hope to be neutral and escape harm while the spirits of good and evil duke it out, using humans as both weapon and shield. Nope.

YOUR SOUL IS AT STAKE! Where will you stand? Choose.

And may I offer a little advice? If you do decide to choose to side with the God of the Bible, He has some armor for you.

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Ephesians 6:11-13 (NKJV)

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Truth: 2 Chronicles 7:14

2 Chronicles 7:14

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

A nation can not be great again, unless it turns from the acts and rejects the ideas that led it to be not so great. Americans must expect from its leaders, no less than they expect from themselves.

Will you stand, or tie your shoes?

Here’s an interesting thought experiment for today: If Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had believed God when He said to not bow down to idols, but when the time came to stand for their beliefs, noticed that their sandals were untied and took that opportunity to remedy the situation, what do you think would have happened?
When the time comes for YOU to either take a stand or bow to the will of tyrants, or the peer pressure of the majority… will you discover that your shoes are untied?
It’s a tough question that requires fearful consideration. But be sure… a time will come when you WILL be asked.
Plan ahead.

But If Not…You, Then Who?

I say to you, this morning, that if you have never found something so dear and precious to you that you will die for it, then you aren’t fit to live.

I can’t think of anything more to add to this. Dr. King really just said it all. It’s worth listening to the entire sermon where the quote below was taken. Links follow.

You may be 38 years old, as I happen to be, and one day, some great opportunity stands before you and calls upon you to stand for some great principle, some great issue, some great cause. And you refuse to do it because you are afraid.

You refuse to do it because you want to live longer. You’re afraid that you will lose your job, or you are afraid that you will be criticized or that you will lose your popularity, or you’re afraid that somebody will stab or shoot or bomb your house. So you refuse to take a stand.

Well, you may go on and live until you are ninety, but you are just as dead at 38 as you would be at ninety.

And the cessation of breathing in your life is but the belated announcement of an earlier death of the spirit.

You died when you refused to stand up for right.

You died when you refused to stand up for truth.

You died when you refused to stand up for justice.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
From the sermon “But, If Not” delivered at Ebenezer Baptist Church on November 5, 1967.

You can listen to the audio on YouTube, here: http://youtu.be/pOjpaIO2seY
Or you can find the MP3 recording here.

When God Asks You to Take a Stand, Will You?

GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES OF THOSE INJURED AND KILLED IN THE STAGE COLLAPSE INDIANA STATE FAIR. AND GOD BLESS THOSE  CAME TO THEIR AID.


 

I go back to this scene from Evan Almighty all the time.

 

I went back to it again, with the tragic event at the Indiana State Fair this past weekend.

 

We are once again confronted with the question: “If God is so great, why does He let people get hurt, killed? Shouldn’t He make life wonderful for us and protect us?”

The answer to this question is deceptively simple. (Like many of God’s concepts, simplicity causes those who believe themselves wise to be confounded.)

To answer this question, one need only look at how you, as a loving father (or parent) show love to YOUR children. Do you hover over them and protect them from every possible inconvenience that might befall them? Or do you love them so much, that you will allow them to make their own mistakes, sometimes IN SPITE OF THE FACT YOU TOLD THEM “DON’T TOUCH THAT! IT’S HOT!” not two seconds earlier?

Does your heart ache every time your children lash out and say things like, “I hate you!” — even though down deep you believe (hope) they don’t mean it? Is it possible God feels the same things when you curse him for every bad thing YOU think shouldn’t be bad?

Instead of blaming God for tragic human events, or even for man-made tragic human events, pain, suffering, war, etc., maybe we should take a moment and wonder to ourselves: “Could this be the opportunity I have been praying for? Could this be the ‘opportunity to learn patience, be courageous, love my family, take a stand, that I have been praying for?”

And if that still, small voice in your heart answers yes (or even maybe) then NOW is the time to act. Don’t worry what others think. Don’t worry what others believe.

Photo: Reuters

I believe God gave HUNDREDS of people in Indianapolis an opportunity to think beyond themselves for a moment, and risk their safety, comfort, even their lives in order to save or serve another person.

Want proof? Are you amazed, proud, choked up, humbled, whenever you see those pictures of hundreds of arms reaching up to lift the tons of rigging off the stage? Do you want to cry, you’re so proud of our fellow Hoosiers? You KNOW INSTINCTIVELY that God uses opportunities like this to bless the caregivers and those in need, all at once. YOU KNOW IT! Even if you don’t believe in God… you know it.

God is answering our prayers every single day; patiently waiting for us to hear, understand His reasons and act — to see the wisdom in the way He chooses to show us how to glorify Him and serve others.

It will take three words to put His will for you into action: “I Will Stand.”

Yes… It’s just that simple.