How To Love

I am currently reading a book by Bishop TD Jakes (whom I designate as one of the wisest men alive) called Let It God: Forgive so that you can be forgiven.  This reading focuses on the many aspects of our day-to-day lives and how the unforgiving heart can stunt our growth in every conceivable way.  I absolutely had to read this book since my first sermon was on forgiveness.  So let me preface this blog by saying that the main idea came from Bishop Jakes.
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I am one emotional man.  I will be the first to admit it.  Sometimes during movies I can feel a tear coming during those impactful scenes (but for the record, I don't cry!).  It's easy for me to admit that my emotions made me who I am today.  Although most of the times I shade them and hide them until I can't control them anymore (which can be good and bad), I am no longer ashamed to admit that I am just an emotional man.

One of issues that really has an impact on my heart is self-love.  Maybe it's because I grew up with 3 older women or maybe it's another reason, but my heart goes out to people who don't love themselves and just beat themselves up on a daily.  I just want to wrap them in a love that tells them that they are worth more; tell them that they are loved...

I am privileged to have grown up in a stable home with both parents fully present.  I'm not just privileged to have that, I'm blessed.  The older I get the more I realize that my nuclear family is becoming the exception rather the rule especially in the urban context that I grew up in.  I've never had to question my parents support for me even when I do something that was to their disproval.  So that no matter what, I felt loved.  Even before I fully comprehended my Christian faith, I felt the love of Christ on my life.

Growing up with that blessing, I've come to realize that many people don't have that.  Some people grow up with their mom and/or dad talking down on them.  Making them believe that they will fail.  Or even worse patronizing them for their errors over and over again.  And if one of you are reading this, I am, from the pit of my heart, very sorry.

I'm not hear however for a pity party.  I'm hear to just say that regardless of the past, you can move forward.  For every time someone tells you that you can't, God tells you that you can thrice that!  Sometimes it's hard to believe to understand without feeling the love or support growing up that you can't do it.  As a result you take it out on your self with self-mutilation, depression, anxiety.

Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, but if we don't love ourselves, how can we learn to love our neighbors.  A lot of people I know that have the issue of self-disdain treat others around them like kings and queens and then as a result get trampled on by people like yours truly   When that happens the cycle continues. Over. And Over. Again.  I can't tell you how to love yourselves.  I can only pray for you.  I can only pray from our generation.  I can only pray that you feel the unconditional love that I receive from my father. No, not my earthly father, but my heavenly father.

I can support you.  I can love on you like a brother or a sister.  I can tell you that you were made in the image of God and that God didn't make a mistake when he made you.  I can affirm you and remind you that because of God's love for you that he sent Jesus to die on the cross for your sins.  I can and will do what I can to help the hurting.

One of, if not my, favorite gospel artists is Kirk Franklin.  Kirk Franklin has an interesting story of a kid who grew up without a father, and he overheard his mother say that he was a mistake.  As a result he became a constant people pleaser, always looking for affirmation in the wrong places.  What makes him amazing is that he allows his emotions, his past, to bleed through the lyrics of some of his songs.  One song that it's evident in is called Imagine Me.  The song reminds me that no matter what your past has done to you it's gone.  Your past is literally your past.  Imagine you breaking free from the chains of bondage yesterday put you in to live today like theres no tomorrow!

Like I said, I don't have the blueprint for teaching people how to love themselves.  All I can do is point, point to the Bible, point to the cross, and point to my Father in heaven.

My heart goes out to all those that are hurting.  I pray that you discover that unconditional love and accompanied by peace.  A peace that passes all understanding.

--MJA

Imagine Me

Sometimes You Just Don't Know

I was doing my nightly bible study and I cam across this verse, Isaiah 55:8-9

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts."

This is one of those verses that is quoted on a daily basis and I'm not really going to say anything radical but I'm going to emphasis the fact that: sometimes you just don't know.  I don't know why God does what he does.  But I do know that it is going to be for my good.

For me, that not knowing thing is a huuuge issue because I'm the type of person that likes to be kept in the loop; I'm a planner.  Realizing the validity of Isaiah is an extremely hard thing but at the same time it's refreshing.  Knowing that I don't have to do everything, knowing that I don't have to plan everything is a releasing thing.  I don't have to be perfect.

So when I don't understand, I just trust.  When trouble comes I keep going, I persevere.  It drives me absolutely nuts because I really don't know what my future holds but there is one thing I know for sure: as long as I am continually praying to God, and reading his Word, I can't fail!  The closer I get to my calling in my life, the harder it's going to become.  But when you persevere and endure, the fruit is your character. And after you're character is formed, you find hope.

Without hope, we, as Christians are nothing.  We have hope that everything is alright.  We have hope that God's ways are greater than our ways!  Just gotta keep on believin and hopin when things are bleak!  We can do this! We can endure!  We can trust God!  It's true that sometimes you just don't know why God does what he does.  But I'm here to tell you that that's alright!  That's how it should be. Keep on Trusting God.

--MJA

Oh and by the way, Check out Romans 5:3-5

Part of My Thoughts on Relationships

I wanted to repost this blog I wrote a while back:

Relationships 101

I personally love talking to people about what I learned about romantic relationships. I mean who doesn’t love talking about love and what not? I know that during high school years and my time at Messiah College, whenever there was a discussion group or chapel about love and sex, those places were normally packed! God made us interested to be love and to love, and even to learn about anything that has the word “sex” in it. Point blank, they are just God-given desires!
I want to dedicate my first blog about what I’ve recently have been talking about with a friend of mine. Along with some input thoughts from my girlfriend, I wanted to write something short and brief.
For all my fellow guys (and ladies if you’re taking a sneak peak of this blog) here are my thoughts to make you think:

1) Dating for a long-comittment:

Two things: Why are you pursuing a relationship? Are you doing it because your friends are in a relationship and your obligated to be in one? Or do you cherish her and you can see yourself with her for possibly your entire life? I know it’s too early to think about that if you haven’t gotten to know that girl well enough. So why not start with pursuing a friendship before you’re thinking of her as future wifey?

2) “All guys are jerks!”

Does this quote sound anyway familiar? Yes, we do have our flaws, but what has happened to our role to make the female population have this thought? My point is as guys, what are we doing to make many girls say this? How are we treating them?

This might be a little weird, but pretend that there’s a random guy who has a bad reputation hitting on your little sister. I don’t know about you, but I would do anything in my power to protect my little sister from having some kind of disrespectful guy to even touch her. Not take that thought and think about that girl you’re pursuing or wanting to pursue. Are your motives to be with her pure? What are you trying to get out of this potential relationship? That girl is somebody’s daughter, sister, granddaughter. She deserves to be respected to the utmost and protected.

3) God works with you if you allow him to

I kid you not. God works with us if we include Him in our day-to-day decisions, even romantic relationships. I used to think that God doesn’t really care about that part of my life until I realized that most of my past relationships were no good because God was nowhere to be found. My girlfriend, before I asked her out, told me something that changed my perspective about God’s will. God’s will is made known if you’re intentionally putting God first over everything. Looking for God because you want a girlfriend is not going to make the cut. If you truly look for the Creator of Love, God will grant you the most amazing, unique love story that will be so particular for you!

A true man will man up to making sure God is the main priority.
These are just some of the things I had in mind as I continue to hear complaints from our fellow sistas. Overtime I would love to discuss more about this topic. Fellas, continue to seek God and His righteousness and God will respond to your needs. Lets change this generation by reflecting God’s character daily.

-Moises

When Ushers Become Bouncers

Recently my heart has been stricken with the realization that things just aren't the way they should be.  I'm not necessarily talking about the world we live in, but I'm talking about how we, Christians 1. Treat each other and 2. Treat others.  To increase the scope of this discussion even further, I'm talking more about the church.

A little less than a week ago one of my brothers in Christ posted a blog talking about Grace in the Church (which I encourage all of the readers to read; its very short).  The church is supposed to be one of the greatest proprietors of grace and ironically, at times it feels like it's the most against it.

When I think about what church, the first absolute first thing should come to mind is Grace followed by Mercy.  When you come to church you are acknowledging that you have fallen.  You are hurting.  You need to be surrounded by other people like you.  You need to go to the hospital and see Dr. Jesus in the ER.  Jesus reminds us in Mark 2:17 that healthy people aren't the ones that need the doctor; rather its the sick.  Not just the sick, but the professed sick.

When you become a Christian, when you decide to be in the fellowship of other believers, you are acknowledging that you need help.  That living this life in isolation is desolate.  That you absolutely need Jesus.  That you absolutely need to be Taken the The King!

I pray that this isn't taken by deaf ears and I will be as respectful as I can possibly be, but, with that premise, why are we turning people away from the building?  A free clinic will not turn away people regardless of their insurance policy but the church, the ultimate free clinic will turn away someone because they haven't been "churchified" yet.  It is one of the most disheartening things to me, when I hear stories of church ushers that should be defined more as bouncers.  We shouldn't be turning away people that sin differently than us, we should be embracing them.  We should have our church doors open to those that think differently than us, dress differently than us, think differently than us.  That's what the beauty of Christendom is.

If you see a young person with their pants hanging half way on their waist, hat on backwards, walking up to your church building you have every right to tell them respectfully that it's not proper etiquette to wear the hat in the building.  I have absolutely no problem with that.  But when you, as the "church goer" gets to the point where you talk down to them and say that same phrase snarlingly.  That, I have a problem with.  With the former situation, you are talking out of love.  You are not asking for a huge commitment and you are respectful.  With the latter, you are just talking out of plain disrespect and animosity to people different from you.

Jesus didn't make people change in order to be in his presence (and this man was the Son of God!).  No, he came to the level where the most hurting where at.  He took a lot of criticism for it. But he went after their heart, not their outward expression.  He let the people be changed through constant interaction not forceable interjection.

Now let me be clear.  I again have no problem if a church has specific policies for leaders.  For example if both men and women can't wear clothes that reveal too much while they are on stage because when it comes down to it, leadership is a privilege   But when church-folk try to super-impose a second form of salvation; that you have to be just like us or you can't be taken to the King, we have a HUGE HUGE HUGE problem!

No wonder Christians have this bad reputation of being judgmental   No one, I repeat NO ONE should have to feel like they have to "get right" in order to go to church.  I pray that this doesn't fall on deaf ears because it's something that we need to take into serious consideration or I'm afraid that insituation that we know as the church may crumble to pieces (especially in the Western Hemisphere).  We need to extend that Grace & Mercy that Christ has given us because if we are completely honest, we are just as consistently broken and torn down as some of these people that get turned away.

--MJA

Making Sure That My Worship is For Real! (Worship At It's Best Part 2)

I'm beyond ecstatic that my brotha Moises posted a blog about Worship earlier today (Worship At It's Best) because ever since the article (posted at the bottom of his blog) went viral there have been many thoughts swirling through my head.

If the readers out there don't really know who I am, I was a Gospel Director for 2 choirs for the past 3 years.  I've been known as being a bit eccentric  crazy, wild, and just about any likewise definition you could think of.  There's only one way I can really portray how I am when I direct and that's to show you.  So here's a video of my Alma Mater, Messiah College doing Kirk Franklin's Song Hosanna.  Now I'm not directing the song but I want you to guess which one I am...

Sometimes when I watch this video I cringe at how crazy I become when I'm praising my God.  But if I'm honest, I wasn't always like that.  Long story short, I didn't become like that until I freed myself.  I'm naturally an introvert, but when I worship the Lord, I don't care who's watching and what I do.  My God is great and is greatly to be praised!

However, I will be the first to admit that there have been times as a worship leader where I haven't felt like worshipping.  Where I didn't want to be up there directing because I was having personal issues with God.  When that happened 1 of 2 things occurred   

The first time it happened I forced myself to be the man that everyone expected to see.  It's like I had my head on wrong.  When I first came out of my introvert shell and just danced like David danced I surprised myself.  I didn't know that that much Jesus love was in me.  After a while though, you hit that point where you start to get a little burned-out as a worship leader/choir director.  When that point reached, I was putting on a show.  I was trying wayy too hard.  I was like the worship leader in the aforementioned article.  I staged and planned everything.  The worst (actually, probably the best) part about it was that people could tell.  I was trying wayyyy to hard to put on a show and when I was approached by a couple of friends in my church, I denied it.  I didn't see it, I thought my mask was secure.  But it wasn't.  After that point I talked with Pastor Woody about it and he reminded me to just be myself.  Stop trying to hard.  You see we as worship leaders get into trouble when we try to impress others with our style.  When we try to impress the crowd with what we do.  That's a dangerous problem  to have.

The second time I caught myself in a rut however went a little bit differently.  I was leading the school choir before chapel and I guess I woke up on the wrong side of the bed.  I wasn't gonna really hide how I felt too much; I wasn't really into the directing thing but I couldn't just stop because I was the Student Director.  So I just chugged through the service.  BUT GOD had other plans for me.  As we sang our last song (which to be honest wasn't one of my favorites), God worked on my heart ya'll.  The hook went "Lord Have Your Way in This Place."  And just kept getting repeated.  All of a sudden I felt something on my heart.  By the end of the song I was about to be into tears because of how great God is.  For the first time in my life, I was about to weep for Jesus.  Mannnnn that was one of the best moments of my life even though I still don't like the song very much!

What am I trying to say?  We, as worship leaders, choir directors, music ministerials need to make sure we have our hearts in the right place at all times!  There are going to be those days where you just ain't gonna feel like goin up there.  But we have a job to do, we have a responsibility to be respective leaders in our churches.  So when you go up there just be yourself.  Don't put on a show.  I'd rather a leader go up in front of a church and admit that he or she is struggling than for someone to put on their Sunday's Best and act like they are lollygagging through the flowers.  Church is about real people with real issues so let's start being real with each other.  Life sucks sometimes and that's ok.  Let you brothers and sisters in Christ come around you and support you.  That's what they are here for! :)

One of my favorite moments as a choir director was a couple of years ago when UVP (Messiah's Gospel Choir) did Byron Cage's rendition of the Praise & Worship song Breathe.  I'll be the first to admit that the first part of the song was rehearsed but that was just the primer.  But when you move out of the introduction and allow the Holy Spirit to enter into the sanctuary, things happened.  I can't explain it ya'll. But to this day, I relive that moment in my head over and over again.  Be a vessel for God. Since you are up there leading other people you HAVE to make sure your head is right.  Don't put up a front.  Just...Let Em UZE Ya! Cuz when the Praises go up!  The Blessing come down! (Psalm 67)

--MJA

Worship at its Best

Hey all,

It feels like many years since I've blogged about anything. If you haven't already checked out Mike's recent post, you probably should because it really does hit home.

Here's my thought for today:
I am 1 of 4 guys in my household that happened to be PKs (Pastor's Kid). We grew up with a fascination for playing musical instruments that whenever we reunite, my brothers and I would always be ready to play our own instruments/ sing.
Growing up, I thought leading worship was the easiest song as long as you have an instrument and your right singing voice. God eventually taught me that a beautiful voice, fancy tricks on the drums, and admirers does not impress God if there isn't a true reverence and adoration for Him. In fact, a horribly singing person (you're probably thinking of someone at your church right now...) could sound like something beautiful to God if that person's passion and reverence for God is found in that worship.
Webster defines worship as "extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem" 
What I'm suggesting is that even if the newest mainstream worship song can move people to emotions, what is your main objective in that worship? Is it really to help others shed some tears and once the music stops, have those people leave the same way they came in? Or worship with a pure heart while inviting the Holy Spirit to do what it came to do and become just someone in the background?
It's time to worship in spirit and in truth, not in an emotional movement and intentions that hinder God from fully moving in church.
-Moises


For more on this topic, read this amazing article! I recommend this to worship leaders:
Confessions of a Former Worship Leader

Righteous Anger

I don't know about you, but I grew up thinking that I shouldn't get angry.  Implanted in my brain was the idea that getting angry actually is a sign of weakness.  Not being able to control your beast mode of sorts was irresponsible; that the bible tells us not to get angry.

Boy was I wrong!  The bible doesn't tel us not to get angry.  It just reminds us to be slow to anger. (Proverbs 14:29)  Quite Frankly, there are some things that ought to get us angry.  The injustices in the world, children being killed, women being gang raped in India (if you don't know what I'm talking about Google it).  These things should get our blooding bubbling.  Make us feel queasy at society because if you haven't noticed, society is on a highway to Hell with no turning back!

No my friends, getting angry is a natural feeling.  But let me offer some advice here: we need to watch HOW quickly we get angry and WHAT makes us angry.  If every little offense gets you whipped up ready to fight someone then you might have what we call an anger problem.

I'm going to make a premise here, that the Holy Spirit actually can convict us to get angry.  It can convict us to feel some type of way about an injustice and spring into action.  Martin Luther King Jr was angry at the injustices that was happening to black people.  All of those passionate speeches wouldn't have come if there wasn't some righteous anger.  The Holy Spirit also gives us the ability to discern the difference between righteous anger.  I'm under the full belief that if you angry because of an offense to yourself, then it's probably not righteous anger.  However, if you are angry on behalf of other people, your chances improve.  Jesus tells us in John 15:13 that, "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends." (NLT)

But it goes beyond that!  The difference between righteous anger and worldly anger can be summed up to one word: reason.  When we allow the worldly hate penetrate our hearts we tend to lose reason.  See with righteous anger, you won't lose reasoning.  With righteous anger, you see the offense, and you want to do everything possible to remedy said offense.  But here's the kicker: within reason.  MLK knew that he would probably have to die in order for true freedom to be accomplished.  So it was reasonable for him to not be afraid to go into Birmingham (which was affectionately known as Bomingham), Alabama to fight for those he loved.

The second way you know whether you are righteously angry can be boiled down to a second word: hate.  1 John 4:20 is very clear when it says : "If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." (NIV)  When you get to the point where you hate someone for what they did, you need to take a stepback.  You can dislike the sin that they are committing, but my friends, you cannot hate the person. Righteous Anger tells someone or a group of people, "I love you but what you are doing is wrong, it's hurting other people, and I can't let you do that anymore."

What better example of righteous anger than Jesus' anger.  All throughout the Synoptic Gospels the same story (in slightly different ways) is told of Jesus' Anger.  Let's take it from Mark 11: 15-17 (no particular reasoning in just choosing Mark)

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’" (NIV)

I'm going to end the blog with this.  Lets look at it this way.  Jesus went into the temple saw how various people were defacing it.  So he stopped all the activity and turned over the tables.  Why?  Because they turned the temple into something that it wasn't supposed to be.  You can't go into a house of prayer when there are marketers and livestock selling their goods.  He was righteously angry at what was going on.  But did you notice, he didn't tell the people that he hated them nor did he do anything beyond reason.  He didn't see red to steal an idea from Kevin Hart.  He did what he had to do and then moved on.  

That right there is righteous anger.  It's not the most popular thing in the world because even with righteous anger you will be scrutinized in the world.  However, you won't have any hate in your soul therefore you didn't sin.  Remember be slow to anger.  The world will always judge you.  So just remember to Do You Boo-Boo (sorry, another Kevin Hart reference. haha).  Be yourself and keep your head on your shoulders.

--MJA

All You Have to Do is Ask

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.

Where does this line come from?  If you guessed the Declaration of Independence you were absolutely correct! Ding Ding Ding!  You win a big helping of nothing but pride.

Why did I open up this blog with one of the greatest lines in American History?  Well partly because any time I get to relay my history nerdiness I will jump at it, but more importantly it's the premise for life.  It's the supposed premise for America although at the time, a large group of people would hold into contempt said proposition   Nonetheless, the fact that all men (and women) are created equal is a self-evident truth.  In other words, it speaks for itself.

What this line brings into question is the legitimacy of this theory.  I mean, does everyone have the same opportunities   Does everyone have the same gifts?  Are all gift equal?  The short answer to those questions is no.  History and just human interaction consistently reminds us the fact that we are inherently different.

However, God is not bound by our finite perceptions.  It is my complete conviction to have everyone on the earth go to heaven.  I want everyone on the earth to proclaim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior before he comes back.  I want everyone to hold the self-evident truth that those that call on the Lord will be saved.  And once you are saved, there's no turning back.  Or as Calvinist would say: "Perseverance of the Saints."

Lets be clear, the Bible reminds us that not everyone will be saved.  Actually only those who were elected by God will be saved.  But heres the kicker, I don't know who the elect are.  All I can honestly deduce is that at least one person won't go to heaven!  As long as a person confesses with their mouth that they are a sinner and believes in their heart that Jesus rose from the dead (amongst other things), that person will be saved.  The fact that it's such a "simple" thing always perplexes me?  I mean why wouldn't someone want to be saved?  I guess people have their reasons.

All you have to do is ask.  That's it!  And this just doesn't apply to unbelievers.  No matter what you are going through, God will wrap his arms around you and protect you.  You might get a little burned but you will be saved.

This truth is consistently re-iterated throughout the Old Testament.  I mean anytime Israel did something stupid like worship an Idol and then repented and called out to God, he saved them.  I believe that God has a huge heart.  He doesn't want us to falter.  I mean the reason he created the 10 Commandments was to protect us from hurting ourselves.

The reason that only the "elect" will be saved is because only the "elect" proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord.  At least one time in everyones lives they will have the opportunity.  What they do with that opportunity is up to them.

But I don't know about you, but even though I am saved I have to consistently ask God to save me from myself.  I don't mean that I'm physically hurting myself, but sometimes I kill myself emotionally or I let other people crucify me with their words or actions.  Sometimes I just have to call out to the Lord and although I might not see any evidence of it all the time, I know...I just know that he saved me.

There is plenty of evidence about the Lord hearing the cry of his people, but an example of one is found in Psalm 106: 44-45 which says, "Nevertheless he regarded their distress when he heard their cry.  For their sake he remembered his convenant, and showed compassion according to the abundance of his love." (NRSV).

You're never to far away.  All you have to do is...ask.

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." - Matthew 7:7 (NIV)

--MJA

The Whole Armor of God

One of my favorite favorite FAVORITE bible verses is found in Ephesians 6:11 where Pauls says the famous line: "Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." (NRSV)  If you were to randomly select on of my blogs.. you probably wouldn't find that verse. BUT, if you were to randomly select another one of my blogs...you probably wouldn't find that verse. However, if you were to select another blog you might just find that verse because I absolutely love that verse.  It's one of those memory verses that I often use because it's so applicable to this battle we have against Evil.

Here's the thing though, I've never fully described what that verse really meant.  I mean what exactly is the "whole armor of God."  What does that exactly entail.  Well fortunately for us, Paul gives us a clear description on what the armor of God is in verses 14-17!  How convient!  So now that I'm finished digressing, lets describe what said armor is.

Firstly, we have the belt.  Why Paul starts with the belt is beyond me because most people look at the belt as an accessory.  (And some of my brothas don't even use a belt because they'd rather have their Pants on the Ground;Pants on the Ground; Lookin like a FOOL with your pants on the ground.) Despite my quarreling, Paul starts with the belt.  And what does the belt consist of?  The Belt of Truth. Knowing the Word of God, knowing the truth keeps our pants off the ground.  It's the one thing that can prevent us from lookin like a true fool (see what I did there?).  If you aren't wearing the bible around your waist, you will look weird (well not really but you get my point.)

Next we need to wear the Breastplate of Righteousness.  For those you who aren't experts in armory (like I am..) the breastplate is the thingy that covers your chest.  (Just think of a Roman soldier.)  What you need to wear on your chest is morality.  Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:21 that where our treasure is, our heart is there also.  So we need to protect our heart with morality.  Having strong values and moral convictions are one of the keys to fending of Satan. (Check out When Enough..Is Enough)

Thirdly Paul tells us to walk in the Shoes of Peace.  Now I'm not here to convince anyone to become a pacifist or to downgrade anyone in the Armed Forces, but we should not be going around looking for a fight.  We are called to be the peacemakers.  We are called to find other viable situations.  Our hate of another human should not cause us to annihilate it.  The devil works on and feeds off our anger.  And if we don't have on our Shoes of Peace, we can be in a big pile of doo-doo in a penitentiary.

Moving along, we need to have the Shield of Faith.  How many people know that our faith is what literally shields us.  It keeps us secure and grounded.  Without faith, we are nothing.  If we don't have faith that Jesus is going to come back with all power in his hands, then we as Christians are nothing.  We can have on all of the other cosmetics and accessories, but without faith, we are vulnerable to anything and everything. (Unless you're Russell Crowe in the Gladiator)

To finish off the armor, we need to have the Helmet of Salvation.  Salvation is just the word Christians  us when we are saying that we are saved.  The most critical part of your body during a fight is your heart.  One punch in the right spot can knock you out cold (ask Manny Pacquio).  With the promise of Salvation imprinted into our heads, the devil won't be able to give us the knock out punch.  You might get concussed, but won't get TKO'd with a helmet on.

So that's it, put on the Whole Armor of God!  It's a beautiful piece of craftsmanship isn't it.  BUT wait Michael!  You are forgetting something.  All of the previous parts are all for the defensive.  I mean sure you can find a creative way to use your shield to slay the Devil, but we need something sharp and pointy...maybe a sword?

I'm glad you asked!  (even if you didn't)  Yes!  Paul does give us an offensive weapon and what a coincidence it is a sword. Equip yourself with the Sword of the Spirit.  When Paul says "spirit" he's not just talking about any ol' spirit, like the Spirit of Christmas-Past. Noooo, he's talking about THE Spirit; the Holy Spirit.  The most valuable asset that we have in combating Lucifer.  God himself dwelling in each of us!  The only way...I promise you...the only way we can cripple or harm Satan is to use the power of Christ within all of us believers.

OK.  So I have my Belt of Truth, check! Breastplate of Righteousness? Check! Shoes of Peace? Check! Shield of Faith? Check! Helmet of Salvation? Check! To top it off Sword of the Spirit? Check!

Well you are ready for battle!  It's up to you to beat Satan's spiritual demons.  Just remember as Paul says in a couple of verse prior to our armory description, "For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Lets....Go!

--MJA

Happy New Year! (Surrendering Time)

My First VLog!  Enjoy it!  Happy a GREAT 2013.

--MJA