Whole Armour

 Happy Sunday!

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."(Ephesians 6:11 KJV).

Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines, "wile" as "A trick or stratagem practiced for ensnaring or deception; a sly, insidious artifice".  Our enemy, the Devil doesn't play fair!  In John 8:44, Jesus said he's the Father of Lies and in Revelation 21:8 we see that ALL LIARS have their place in the Lake of Fire.  Why is TRUTH so important?  Great question!  I'm so glad you asked!   Jesus prayed for us in John 17:17, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy WORD is truth."(KJV).

Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Apostle John wrote about Jesus, "In the beginning [before all time] was the WORD (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was present originally with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him was not even one thing made that has come into being. In Him was Life, and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has NEVER overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it]."(John 1:1-5 AMPC).

Jesus is the Word of God, the TRUTH!  We must have all the weapons readily available to fight the Good Fight of Faith!  Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, "For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending ONLY with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere."(AMPC).

"STAND therefore, having your loins girt about with TRUTH, and having on the breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS; And your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of PEACE;  Above all, taking the Shield of FAITH, wherewith ye shall be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the wicked.  And take the Helmet of SALVATION, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the WORD of God:  Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"(Ephesians 6:14-18 KJV).

"For I will give you a mouth and WISDOM, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist."(Luke 21:15 KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Are you a FOOL?

 Happy Sunday!

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but FOOLS despise wisdom and instruction."(Proverbs 1:7 KJV).

God is straight and to the point!  He doesn't mince words.  He clearly communicates to us that wisdom, knowledge, and understanding are extremely important.  The Apostle Paul followed this example, and numerous times begged the Believers not to be ignorant!(Romans 1:13, Romans 11:25, 1 Corinthians 10:1, 1 Thessalonians 4:13).  Jesus discouraged us from calling other people fools, but the Bible describes with great detail what a fool is!(Matthew 5:22).

Are you a Fool?  I don't mean have you ever acted foolishly.  So many of us have.  Titus 3:3 says, "For we ourselves also were sometimes FOOLISH, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another."(KJV).  BUT are you a Fool now?

Psalm 14:1 says, "The [empty-headed] fool has said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable deeds; there is none that does good or right."(AMPC).

Proverbs 10:18 says, "Liars secretly hoard hatred;  fools openly spread slander."(Message).

Proverbs 12:15 says, "A fool thinks he needs no advice, but a wise man listens to others."(TLB).

Proverbs 13:20 says, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed."(KJV).

Proverbs 18:6 says, "Fools’ words get them into constant quarrels; they are asking for a beating."(NLT).

I sincerely hope you don't see yourself in any of these descriptions, and if you do, Thank God there is still time for you to change! Ephesians 5:15 says, "Live life, then, with a due sense of responsibility, not as men who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do. Make the best use of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days. Don’t be vague but firmly grasp what you know to be the will of God."(Phillips).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Who Is In Control?

 Happy Sunday!

"The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he GIVEN to the children of men."(Psalm 115:16 KJV).

People often say, "God is in control".  A great man of God used to say, "Well, He's sure got things in a mess!"  Murders, rapes, shootings, theft, illegal activities, drug overdoses, child abuse, sickness, and death are commonplace.  Do you really think this is what God wants?  NO, no, no, and no!  God gave MAN, humankind control on earth.  Remember Adam?  God gave him jurisdiction and dominion on earth. 

Genesis 1:28 says, "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and SUBDUE it: and have DOMINION over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over EVERY living thing that moveth upon the earth."(KJV).  Webster's 1828 Dictionary defines "subdue" as "To conquer by force or the exertion of SUPERIOR power, and bring into permanent subjection; to reduce under dominion".  "Dominion" is defined as " Sovereign or supreme authority; the power of governing and controlling.  Power to direct, control, use and dispose of at pleasure; right of possession and use without being accountable; as the private dominion of individuals."(Webster's 1828 Dictionary).

Don't miss this!  "Power to direct, control, use and dispose of at pleasure; right of possession and use".  Our enemy, the Devil tricked Adam and Eve into thinking they were missing something.  He told them that God was holding out on them.  He told Eve, “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be LIKE God, knowing both good and evil.”(Genesis 3:5 NLT).  BUT in reality they were already like God!  Genesis 1:27 says, "So God created man in his OWN IMAGE, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."(KJV).

Adam lost his place, BUT Jesus bought it back for us with His precious blood!  Romans 5:17 says, "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)"(KJV).  So what does that mean for us?  Great question!  So glad you asked!  We must take dominion in our sphere of influence!  Like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and the Apostles, we must stand up for righteousness and holiness daily!   We must be excellent in all we do!  People should come asking, "What must I do to be saved?"(Acts 16:30 KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia

CALL ME

 Happy Sunday!

“This is God’s Message, the God who made earth, made it livable and lasting, known everywhere as God: ‘CALL to me and I WILL answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own."(Jeremiah 33:2-3 Message).

The Ghostbuster's theme song from 1984 sung by Ray Parker Jr. asked us all, "Who you gonna call?"  When things get strange, and life get's hard and you have more questions than answers, call on the Lord!  Jesus didn't leave us alone or helpless.  He said, "But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will TEACH you ALL things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) EVERYTHING I have told you."(John 14:26 Amplified).

Jesus said, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that WILL I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask ANY THING in my name, I will do it."(John 14:13-14 KJV). 

The Apostle John echoed this in 1 John 5:13-15, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the NAME of the Son of God.  And this is the CONFIDENCE that we have in him, that, if we ASK any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we KNOW that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."(KJV).

Malachi 3:10 says, "“Try it! Let me prove it to you!"(Living Bible).

Love and prayers, Cynthia