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We are excited to present to our friends a Christmas song recently produced in Higher Ground Studio in Columbus, Ohio. It is entitled, “Night to Day.” The words were written by Dana Berry, music and arrangement by Larry Hakala. Lead vocal is by Dana Berry, backup by Larry Berry, with Larry Hakala on vocals, guitars, and keyboards, Dan Beaty on bass and drums. Mixed and mastered by Dan Beaty.

Merry Christmas everyone!

First the Kingdom, Part 3: The Good News of the Kingdom of God

What do people think of when the word “Gospel” is used? Some like to emphasize the truthfulness of a story they are telling by claiming that their story is “the Gospel truth!” Often the word even describes a certain style of music. Most of us are familiar with the great American tradition of Southern Gospel music with its lively and emotional feeling.

The word Gospel is from a very old English word “godspel,” or good spell. While I believe there is a sense that God’s work has a supernatural effect upon people, the original meaning in this case was the “spelling out” of the good story, or good news of Jesus Christ. This in fact agrees with the original Greek word in the New Testament, which is “euangélion.” The first part “eu” means “good,” while the last part “angélion,” means “message” or “announcement.”

That is why in English we call those who preach the Gospel “evangelists.” They are in fact the bearers of the good news of Jesus Christ!

The earliest “evangelists” where the messengers who ran great distances to report when wonderful events took place. Before the postal service, newspapers, telegraph, radio, telephones, and the internet these messengers were responsible to keep people informed in ancient times.

This is the background of this passage in the book of the prophet Isaiah 52:7:

How beautiful upon the mountains

Are the feet of him who brings good news,

Who proclaims peace,

Who brings glad tidings of good things,

Who proclaims salvation,

Who says to Zion,

“Your God reigns!”

(NKJV)

This picture of an ancient foot messenger in actuality was fulfilled in Israel years later in John the Baptist, Jesus, and His apostles, who came with the greatest news of all!

Now every year around this time we are reminded of the heavenly news reporter who appeared to certain shepherds even before those days:

Luke 2:10-14:

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”  

(NKJV)

There are of course many kinds of announcements of happy occasions that bring joy to people. Most would consider a job promotion to be good news, or perhaps the birth of a child. Yet the appearance of Christ to the world is an event that stands alone in the minds of believers. This is The Good News, and the reason why the meaning of the phrase, “The Gospel” above all refers to the Good News concerning Him!

Isaiah prophesied centuries before that a message of peace, joy and salvation was coming. At His birth, Jesus was proclaimed by supernatural messengers that the day of salvation had come. Decades later John His forerunner and Jesus Himself began announcing the Good News that the reign of the Kingdom of Heaven had indeed come to the earth!

Some believed the Good News, repented and obeyed the God Who had come to save them. Others did not. They did not understand that this salvation goes deeper than the financial or political situation they were in. He was called Jesus, because He came to save His people from the condition of their hearts. He came to save them from their sin.

For many centuries now, people have been believing and receiving forgiveness and deliverance from their sin. This is indeed the Good News, The Gospel of Jesus Christ. However, for some reason or other, the words Jesus used in His announcement are seldom used today. The Good News according to Jesus [...]

First the Kingdom 2, The Original Blessing

The Bible is an epic story of love, tragedy, drama, virtue, passion and purpose in the context of world-changing events. The central character is God and the central theme is His relationship with humanity. The foundation to this relationship is laid out in the opening chapters of Genesis.

When human beings are first mentioned they are depicted as the pinnacle of God’s creativity. Up until that time everything He created was seen by God as “good.” After He created mankind, He observed that His work was “very good.”

Gen 1:26-28:

Then God said,”Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them,”Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

NKJV

God’s plan for us was that we would be reflections of His character and even His authority. Our existence was not to be one of frustration and futility, sorrow and powerlessness. We were placed over the earth He created and were to glorify Him in everything we do! This was God’s good and perfect plan for all of us! At this present point in time it is difficult to comprehend how wonderful life on this planet could actually be. But we must be patient. He is in the process of revealing this very truth unto us!

From chapter 3 and onward it looks like God’s plan was disrupted by a snake in the garden and the man and woman who followed the snakes plan. In reality the rest of the Bible is actually the story of how God would restore humanity and yet fullfill His original plan, His purpose of the ages! (Ephesians 3:19).

While Adam and Eve were made in God’s image and called His children (Luke 3:38), they were not satisfied. The tempatation was to be independently wise apart from God. This independence was their downfall. They lost the ability to rule the earth in righteousness, peace and love. Paradise was lost. Instead they would experience failure, defeat and death. War would soon appear on the earth in the conflict beteen their two sons Cain and Abel. Following the murder of Abel things began to go slowly downhill.

If we did not take into account the working of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of people down through the ages, we would agree with the many prophets of doom today. They predict that a final holocost is all that awaits us. Thankfully, we do have the record of God’s working in His people and can understand His original plan has never been lost or forsaken! Oh how thankful I am for the Bible, God’s Word to encourage my heart in these days! At times my gratitude brings me to tears to think that He would even share His secrets with someone like me!

The Holy Spirit began to teach people like Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, David and the prophets, about His higher destiny for their lives and for all of us! Finally, when the time was right, He sent John the Baptist to prepare the way for the long awaited Messiah, who would lead us back to our original state of holiness and freedom under God.

Sin, in the Bible is more than individual actions. It is to fall short of the glory of God as He planned for us in the beginning. The only way back is through the flaming sword at the gate, the Word of God. (Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12) By the Holy Spirit, the Word of God convicts our hearts and renews our minds to understand our need to return to that original trust and dependence upon God. We are helpless without Him, but by faith IN HIM, all things are possible unto us! (Matthew 19:26, Mark 9:23, Mark 10:27).

When [...]

Today we are introducing a new series of podcasts on Livingtruth.com entitled “First the Kingdom.” We hope that you will find it both helpful and challenging and that the time spent here will be worthwhile. The topic of the Kingdom of God has long been important to me in many ways and for many reasons. I hope it will become more important to you than previously if I can convince you that it still is very important to our Lord Jesus Christ!

In some areas the Kingdom of God is a controversial subject, in others it is given almost no consideration. However, we cannot escape the fact that the message of Jesus was centered around the Kingdom of God, or the Kingdom of Heaven as it is also called.

Jesus began His public ministry with the Good News of the Kingdom of God:

Mark 1:14-15:

And after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 

NASB

Matthew, whose Gospel was directed more to Jews of his day, used the phrase they considered more respectful of the Name of God, the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 4:17:

From that time Jesus began to preach and say, ” Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

NASU

Even before Jesus, John the Baptist came with the same announcement, generating quite a commotion. People from Jerusalem, Judea and all around the Jordan came to hear him as the Voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!” (Matthew 3:1-3)

What was it about John’s preaching that drew the great crowds? There is no record of him performing miracles and yet there seemed to be a passion within him that sparked something in the hearts of the people. We know from Luke’s Gospel that he was filled with the Holy Spirit even before he was born. (Luke 1:15,41) He had a destiny to fulfill, and was sent by the God of the universe to fulfill it! (John 1:6)

The situation at the time was that the people of Israel were in the land promised to them by God, but they were not free. The government over them was set up by the Roman Emperors and was under occupation by Rome. As in many other times in history there were both resistance fighters and collaborators trying to make the best of the situation.

The coming of the Kingdom of God must have meant to many that Roman rule was coming to an end. The words of the ancient prophets kept alive for many years the hope of a golden age for Israel that was even greater than the time of King David. They were looking for the son of David to rise to the throne and reclaim the order that was set in place by God Himself. All nations would begin to desire the light of the God of Israel shining forth from this blessed nation! (Isaiah 2:1-4).

The humble of heart realized that the first step necessary for this new order was the call for personal and national repentance. Others rejected this and held fast to the confidence of their own righteousness based upon their version of adherence to the law of Moses. In fact they rejected John’s message and desired for the people to follow them instead!

Great numbers of people believed John and were baptized by him in the Jordan River as a sign of repentance in preparation of the Messiah-Savior who would soon come. Jesus Himself was baptized by John, who witnessed the Holy Spirit descending upon Him and that Jesus was truly the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29-44) In time, many of John’s followers believed in Jesus, but others were still waiting for their Messiah to come.

In the mean time, Jesus spent much of His time telling people and demonstrating to them what the Kingdom of God was truly about. He went about doing good to people of all backgrounds and lifestyles and proving the love and mercy of God toward them. Finally He proved the prophecy of John by giving His life for th[...]

(Original radio broadcast from May 22, 1998)

As history continues to unfold before our very eyes, it is becoming increasingly necessary for those who name the name of Christ to truly know their King. These are days to sit at His feet, and hear His Word! This is a time to look into His glorious Face and behold His glory! These are the days to begin to discern the Lord’s Body, and experience His Lordship TOGETHER!

The Spirit of the Lord is calling out, not just individuals, but a PEOPLE for His Name! These are those who will one day stand up in this earth to fully and openly represent His power and authority to all. In fact, they already represent His authority now — to the degree that they presently know Him as their Lord!

Hear this warning! If we are not acknowledging His Lordship now, we have no reason to expect to reign with Him tomorrow! And if we are not already coming into an intimate union with Him and His Love, we have absolutely NO HOPE of truly knowing the beauty, the majesty, the wonder, the glory, the awesomeness of our Lord Jesus Christ as He already is NOW!

Beloved, my heart is grieved at the years that I have and so many others have wasted, in the preaching of religious doctrines that divide the Body of Christ, when in fact we should have been preaching Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Instead of proclaiming His Lordship, many of us have labored to bring others under our own influence instead! We thought that somehow WE could discourage sin and disobedience, worldliness and selfishness by our own efforts! Instead the pressure of human authority has eventually distanced many poor souls from the marvelous and liberating authority of the only true Christ!

Even though warnings, exhortations, corrections and instructions have their place in the family of God, we must never forget the proper context in which they are exercised! The context is always under the umbrella of our King and His Word!

Ephesians 6:4:  “And, you fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”

In all things and at all times, we who dwell in the kingdom of God are under the rule, the care, the security and protection of our King! Therefore, we must come to the place that we are ever conscious of Him

Are you weary of being subject to the power of circumstances and your own human weaknesses! Is there a hunger in you towards the dominion and rule in life that was originally given to Adam? Are you frustrated by the constant evidence that Satan appears to be gaining more ground in your life than Christ Himself?

Listen to me. This is not your inheritance! You are destined to rule and reign with Christ! The privilege of reigning in Life is available to you NOW! (Romans 5:17)

The people that KNOW THEIR GOD shall be strong, and do exploits (Daniel 11:32), but the real key here is in KNOWING OUR GOD!

Yes, we seem to keep coming back to this place again and again, and this we will do as the Lord directs. The great need of the hour is for the people of God to return to Him! It is time to forsake our plans, programs and schemes, and return to our first love! It is time for us all to fall in love with Him over and over and over and over again!

Preachers must preach Jesus Christ — His glory, His Wisdom, His Love, His Lordship, His ultimate triumph over sin and the devil, and His endless reign over this vast universe! He is the key, the alpha and omega, the beginning and ending, the first and the last, He Who was, and is, and is to come — THE ALMIGHTY!

He is the Head of His Body — the Church! In all things He is absolutely preeminent! All things were made by Him and without Him NOTHING was made! He is before all things, and by Him all things consist!

Such a simple truth, but oh how complicated things have become for us! This complicated state of affairs is the work of the serpent, who continually strives to allure us from the simplicity that is found in our i[...]

(Original radio broadcast from May.22, 1998)

Today we are entering into the 8th week of teachings concerning the Kingdom of God, and no doubt this could go on almost indefinitely. The universal reign of God in Christ is a vast subject, and here we will do well to just scratch the surface.

But the encouraging thing is that your spiritual life is not solely dependent this one podcast, or any single human teacher for that matter! All things are working together for good to them that love God, to them that are the called according to His purpose!

Every moment of every day of our lives are filled with challenges and possibilities for participation in the Kingdom of our God! He is at work in you right now, to plant His desires in you to will and do His good pleasure! Yield to Him! Surrender to Him! Say “amen” to Him — but first of all confirm that you are giving yourself to the power of the Living Word of God, and not the lies of Satan!

Yes, there is a struggle to enter into the Kingdom of God! The Gospel is preached, and every man presses into it!

In Acts 14:22:  “Paul confirmed the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much pressure enter into the kingdom of God.”

But what of salvation? What of the free gift of God’s grace? Here is where the confusion begins, and here is where we must find clear answers.

From the time Jesus began His public ministry, people began to be set free. The Spirit of the Lord was upon Him, anointing Him to preach good tidings to the poor. He was sent  to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:18,19)

Jesus Himself IS the year of Jubilee! He is God’s gift of grace to mankind! Untold millions have known his salvation, and thousands more are discovering it unto this day!

But the reign of God is another matter. The slave to sin must first be set free, but what will he do with that freedom? God is looking for those who will voluntarily come under His authority, and how many even understand this fact?

The Gospel of the Kingdom is greater than the popular Gospel of salvation! This is the Good News of God’s wonderful reign of righteousness, peace and joy in the earth! This is the power of God to save us from our own ways, and bring us into a full understanding of the way, the life, the love and the service of God to mankind!

What a gracious, giving God we serve! What an awesome offer He has given us — to rule and reign with Him! What joy we have in knowing that He lives within us to accomplish His purpose through us! What a thrill it is to begin living Kingdom life — today!

Truly, the world at large has yet to see the Kingdom of God, but many of us are like His disciples, who did not taste of death until they saw the son of Man, coming in His Kingdom! (Matthew 16:18)

Those who are born from above have special, heavenly vision! By the Spirit of God, they are enabled to see the kingdom of God! (John 3:3) But entering the Kingdom of God is a process in which salvation and regeneration are just the beginning!

Jesus said we must be born of the water and the Spirit to enter into the Kingdom or reign of God. Some believe this to be a reference to water and Holy Spirit baptism, but please bear with me in this for a few minutes. Water has often been used to symbolize the Word of God.

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)

Water baptism is important in many ways. It is used to represent our identification with the death of our Lord, and our perso[...]

The Armor of God part 8, Prayer in the Spirit

Ephesians 6:18-20:

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” KJV

Prayer is a subject that we often take for granted. Many of us were taught to pray during childhood, using various model prayers. We request prayers when in need, or when someone we know is need, and often we see encouraging results. In my opinion, almost any prayer is better than no prayer. James in his letter does warn that we can ask for the wrong things, and he also warns that we can ask for the right things in a wrong way. He called for effective prayers. If there are effective prayers, than it is possible that there might also be ineffective prayers.

Jesus taught that we should pray for our personal needs to be met, and that God cares about them. At the same time, He put forth priorities in prayer. Before asking for daily material needs, He instructs us to pray that the Name of our Father God would be honored through holiness, that His Kingdom would come, and that His will would be done in earth as in heaven. These are the overarching principles for all prayer.

After asking for our daily bread, we ask for forgiveness, and offer forgiveness to others. Also important is that we ask for deliverance from evil. Of course we know from the example of Jesus, and elsewhere in the New Testament that prayer for others should not be neglected either.

In some ways prayer comes very natural. We hope for things that we cannot make happen ourselves, and cry out to God for them. Other times prayer seems like a chore. It is like talking into the air. It can even feel like a waste of time.

One thing I am grateful for today is the way I have at various times found myself in the presence of people who had intimate relationships with God. They could talk to Him as someone they knew very well. At the same time, they held a marvelous reverence for Him. When they prayed, the presence of God would fill the room they were in.

For this reason I am convinced that Biblical, New Testament Christianity still exists today. When I read of the disciples gathering for prayer until they were filled with power from heaven, I can identify with them!

In the early days of the Twentieth Century a number of believers in Christ sought for this kind of prayer and relationship with God. Across the Atlantic in Wales, and here in America, small groups determined to know Christ in this way. They did not know what and how God would respond, but respond He did! Over the course of several years, many were saved, healed, and strengthened in their Christian walk. Throughout the history of the church we have seen this kind of hunger bring about great times of revival, but this time there was something different. In the past, when the periods of revival ended, things began to settle back down to “normal.”

Things did calm down after a few years, but the memory and the lasting impression caused the beginning of a major change in the Christian world. No longer would a powerless church be seen as “normal.” We knew what the Early Church experienced is still available for us today! In spite of the fact that there was much confusion and misunderstanding, the fire has not subsided for over one hundred years! The doctrinal disagreements and errors have not annulled the fact that God has initiated something among His people that we all must face. If we are to be faithful to the Christian faith that has been delivered to us from Christ and His apostles, we must be faithful to His call for Prayer IN THE SPIRIT!

As I have already said, almost any prayer is better than no prayer. However, there is a special kind of prayer that w[...]

Eph 6:17:

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” KJV

So far Paul the apostle has been mostly telling us about using the armor of God to protect ourselves from attacks by our enemy, the devil. Now we begin to move from the defensive aspects of warfare to the offensive. As Christians we live in a world that is dominated by forces that are hostile to our faith. It can be easy to forget that Jesus sent His apostles out into that very same world with an agressive message to proclaim and teach to all nations.

Resistance to the Good News of Jesus has its source in a powerful adversary who hates all of humanity as much as God loves it. But we have even more power than him through Christ! (1 John 4:4)

2 Corinthians 10:4:

“For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds…” AMP

These strongholds are thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, that hold their captives in chains of fear, deception, hatred, jealousy, witchcraft, and unholy desires that destroy themselves and others.

2 Corinthians 10:5:

“[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed one),” AMP

The apostles of Christ placed a high value and even took great pride in their belonging to Christ. Captivity to Him is indeed true freedom! They saw the first order of business as winning the battle over their own thoughts before reaching out to others. As Jesus taught, we must remove the plank from our own eye before trying to remove the speck from our brother’s eye.

A most powerful example of using the Sword of the Spirit is found in the life of Jesus. After His baptism by John in the Jordan River, the Spirit of God descended on Him as a dove, and a Voice from heaven came saying, “You are my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.” Before that time, we have no record in the Gospels of Him doing any great works. Now He is anointed to go forth with the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

But before He faced the evils in the world around Him, He had a personal battle to win. It was common for people back then to enter into a fast, that is deny themselves food, when looking for spiritual guidance and strength. Jesus committed Himself to 40 days of isolation, during which His position as The Son of God was to be challenged.

By tempting His physical body and humanity, the devil tried to prove that Jesus was not in fact the Son of God. In each case Jesus forcefully wielded the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. While the devil knew the Scriptures, and attenpted to trick Jesus by twisting their meaning, Jesus held forth the Word of God in its purity when He told him, “It is written.” It is not enough to know the Scriptures. One must know the Scriptures AND the One Who is speaking through them!

Paul writes in another place:

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)KJV

Peter put it this way:

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,   21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:20-21) NKJV

Satan had his private interpretation of the Scripture, but Jesus had the power of the Holy Spirit within and upon Him! The Spirit and the Word always agree! The scriptures as they had them back then, and as we have them today were given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. If I am wrong about this, then Jesus, and the apostles, and ev[...]

The Armor of God Part 5: The Shield of Faith

Ephesians 6:16:

“.. in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” NASU

The subject of faith is certainly important when it comes to God, Jesus and all things related to Christianity.  Jesus had much to say about faith, and of course Paul, Peter, John, James and the writer to the Hebrews all emphasized its importance. Add to that all of the literature and teachings on the subject over the past two millennia, and we can see how there is no scarcity of thoughts and words concerning faith in the world.

Still the subject seems a bit vague and unclear. Sometimes people confuse faith with positive thinking or speaking. There is little doubt that thinking and speaking positively can be helpful and even necessary. Even people who do not believe in Christ or God think of having faith as being optimistic in outlook. It is my view that believers in Christ have all the more reason to look forward to the future.  However, we do not believe “in faith.” We have faith in One Who is faithful!

In both the Old and New Testaments, faith is about a relationship. People trusted in God, believed in Him because they knew enough about Him, and were persuaded by Him to trust in Him. Because they trusted in Him they listened to Him and obeyed His Voice. Their obedience would eventually produce the “evidence of things not seen”  spoken of in Hebrews 11:1. In many cases the actions inspired by their convictions brought fantastic results! There was a time in my life when I desired faith in order that I could get results like those found in the Bible. In time I learned that my relationship with Him was my greatest desire. My faith is IN HIM — not in the working of miracles!

Like many others, I observed the results my biblical heroes were getting, and looked for methods they might have used to get those results.  The closer I read, the more I realized many were like Daniel’s three friends who did not know or even care if they came out of the furnace of fire! All that mattered was their relationship with the One in Whom they believed!

This is the faith that withstands those flaming arrows, the frightening circumstances, the betrayals, the disappointments, the false accusations, the rejections, the suggestions that God has let you down! Our faith is in a Person! He has made Himself known unto us in many ways both great and small! Therefore we can take even the smallest proofs of His presence and let them grow like the tiny mustard seed!

I like to use the analogy of my marriage. Many years ago I was married to an unfaithful person. There was no peace in my heart because I could not trust her to stay with me and care for our son. Years later the Lord brought another into my life who had no desire to follow after other men. We do not always agree, but I trust she would not go with another and she knows my heart belongs to only her. If someone would spread a rumor that they saw her out with another man, I would not believe it for a second. I KNOW her. I know that she is not that kind of person. I trust her because she is faithful to me.

As our relationship with God grows, we come to trust Him more. Our faith in Him grows. He does not improve, but our knowledge in Him does. It is as simple as that. As we spend time with Him in prayer, meditation, worship, His Word, and in fellowship with others who know Him, we get to know Him more.  There are worthwhile practices and patterns of life in the Christian world, but it is sometimes easy to forget that these practices are only a means to an end. The purpose is always to know Christ and learn of Him. To develop our relationship first with Him and then with one another so we can all be united in Him for His glory.

The beauty of all this is that God Himself is more than eager for us to know Him. He has provided everything we need for our fai[...]

Armor of God, part 4, The Gospel of Peace

After instructing the believers at Ephesis to stand supported with the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness, Paul addresses another part of armor in this spiritual war. In warfare, it is critical that the soldier can move freely and quickly when ever necessary. His feet must be protected from extreme heat or cold, and diseases which can develop when trudging through mud and brush.

In the Scriptures we are called to “walk in the light,” to “walk in the truth,” to “walk in the Spirit,” and to not walk in darkness, lies, or the flesh. Life is portrayed as a journey with a wonderful destination — if we choose the right path.

I have always loved and appreciated this line in Proverbs 4:18:

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” NASB

More Good News!

Isn’t it interesting that an important requirement for winning in this spiritual battle is the possession of peace? Paul reveals how our feet, by which we are transported on our way are to be prepared.

Ephesians 6:14-15: “Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;” NASB

When I was much younger, I heard that Jewish people used the same word for both hello and goodbye. At the time, that seemed strange. I later learned that the Hebrew word, “shalom” actually means “peace.” It is a way of blessing or well-wishing when greeting, or saying fairwell. The full phrase is “Shalom aleichem,” meaning “peace be upon you.” The Hebrew concept of peace often encompasses more than simply tranquility. Along with peace between individuals and countries, it can also mean wholeness, completeness, prosperity, and an overall state of safety and well-being.

Over 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ heralded a new form of government on the earth known as the Kingdom of God. Many who followed Him expected this government to come with violence against the existing Roman authorities. Instead, the Kingdom of God as revealed in Christ suffered the violence of mighty Rome! His disciples were shocked at His death and even more surprised at His resurrection, which proved what Jesus had taught all along. The Kingdom of God, or the rulership of God must first begin with His Gracious work within us!

The power of His resurrection then extended to everyone who repented of their sins and unbelief and trusted in Him to deliver them. They too were filled with the same Spirit that raised Him from the grave! This was the Kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy! This peace is first between the individual and God, but it does not stop there. The result of Christ’s death and resurrection was the outpouring of His mercy, love and grace upon an entire community who had gathered from many nations to worship God. That became the Church Jesus said would withstand the very gates of hell! (Acts 2:5, 38-47).

The true peace that came through the Good News of the Kingdom of God was real. It brought reconciliation, wholeness, completeness, prosperity and an overall state of well-being to those who received Him. Without this peace we have no hope of winning the war against the schemes of the devil. We not only stand in the peace of God, but we move forward in the battle against hatred, deception, depression, oppression and every form of evil! Please think about this! Resist the temptation of the enemy to hate other people! Hate only the evil that controls them, and the thing that robs you of your personal peace.

Yes, there is a battle raging, but we are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ and His work on our behalf!