July 22. A nice cool morning. Rain late afternoon. During the first meeting this morning, Pastor Ogle continued his series on the Faith-Filled Family, continuing with “we are at war” from Ephesians 6:10-18. If we are going to stand, we need to stand, not in our own strength, but in God’s. This is not a physical battle, but a spiritual. However, we often see physical results of spiritual warfare. Everything that is evil originates in Satan. Satan wants to utterly destroy you and your family. There is no mercy. Satan can only destroy. Do you recognize that Satan wants to destroy you and your family? Our strength to stand comes from the truth that possesses us, not the truth we possess. Everything in this armor revolves around truth. 1) Loins girt about with truth—equip oneself with knowledge of the truth. Truth is the best defense against a lie. 2) Breastplate of righteousness—applying truth to everyday life; allowing truth to dictate everything we do. 3) Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace—readiness to go and share the truth. 4) Shield of faith—be ready to use truth as a defense. A Christian’s resolute faith in the truth can stop and extinguish all of Satan’s flaming arrows. Always go back to the truth of God to protect against attacks. 5) The helmet of salvation, the hope of salvation—sin may take its toll, but ultimately we will get the victory, depending on truth for all eternity. 6) The sword of the Spirit—use truth as an offensive weapon. 7) Praying always—pray truth; a fixed time to pray, but also ready to pray at every moment (pray and watch). Without prayer, God’s armor is inadequate to achieve victory. Satan fears prayer because he fears the fact that you are completely dependent upon God for victory. The average Christian prays less than a minute and a half a day. The average pastor prays less than three minutes a day. How important is your family to you? What would you be willing to do to defeat the enemy? How much time did you spend this week praying for your family? What would it take to cause you to be awake, or be vigilant? The sermon in the second meeting was taken from I Peter 5:5,6, The Honor of Humility. A humble person’s goal is to elevate God and to encourage others. “We must humble ourselves under God if we want His grace in our lives.” A lack of submission is rooted in a lack of humility. We are to have an attitude of submission in everything that we do. We are commanded to be clothed with humility. This type of clothing had to do with an apron worn by a slave. Wear humility as a slave’s apron. This type of humility 1) has a lowliness of mind. The mind is what no one else sees. What do you really think of yourself. 2) Has a deep sense of one’s littleness. Since Christ humbled Himself to die for our sins, how should we not humble ourselves under others? 3) Has a humble opinion of oneself. Peter probably remembered Jesus girding a towel and humbling Himself to be a servant and wash the disciples’ feet. Don’t ever get too big to serve. Humility is the prerequisite for service, and service is the practice of humility. A humble person realizes “I have no rights.” Humble people are willing to wait and are not easily irritated. The reason one is to be clothed with humility is that God resists (sets battle against) the proud (pre-eminent, over-topping) and gives grace to the humble. God exalts humility and promises to bless those who pursue it. Where does this humility take place? Under the mighty hand of God. Exalt = raise to honor, dignity, happiness. C&C went off to see Kathy M who is now in residence at Cleveland House, an assisted living place, and seems to be much happier there. It’s not far from where we live. This evening, we listened to an online sermon together, the first in the series on Spiritual Warfare by Pastor Ogle. “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” I Samuel 30:6 A great example for us to follow: in a time of great distress, David encouraged himself in the Lord.
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