Weapons at hand

I was created to reside in heavenly places
yet dwell here for now
footfalls on this earth

I must remember
it is dangerous, almost impossible
to walk unprotected

We are warned to wear protective armor:

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Ephesians 6:13 The Message

truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace
faith, salvation and His Word

the tools of war
yet I am so often weak

I strengthen myself with praise
as David did
and reach for my secret weapon
my private arsenal
opening the pages of journals
to feast on words He has spoken directly to me

this, then, is how I fight
eyes fixed on Him
this, then, is how I stand.

Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. Ephesians 6:13 Amplified

Joining Peter and the rest where we're talking about arsenal

 

Eden Derailed by Matt Williams

One of the blessings of maintaining this blog is the opportunity to read and review books.  For a long while my heart and spirit have been troubled by the state of marriage these days, so when I was asked if cared to review Eden Derailed a theology of sex, the first book by Matt Williams, I gladly agreed.  The back cover states:

We live in a culture littered with the carnage of sexual train wrecks.

To understand the cause of this personal and cultural derailing - and to restore our vision of what could be, what should be - we have to go back to the beginning and see how the train ride began...

Matt takes us back to the garden where our life as men and women came flying off track, where God's perfect design for intimacy between His creation and Himself and between man and woman was shattered.  He also takes us into the present day reality of life and love and the search for the kind of partnering we think we want compared to what God intends for us.

Matt shares his belief that commitment must precede intimacy.  Yes, you read that correctly but we live it incorrectly.  We tend to get over involved emotionally (even if we are able to leave sex out of the picture) waiting to see if a relationship feels right before we commit.  The wounds and pain we bear and inflict pile up in heaps of rubbish.

I am not proud that I myself have a past "littered with the carnage of sexual train wrecks" as Matt would say.  I bought the lie that the world and the enemy were selling, but I have been cleansed and redeemed by the One Who always loved me, long before I chose to acknowledge Him.  Allowing the Lord to lead me resulted in a Godly marriage that I rejoice in and thank Him for daily.

With wisdom and fresh revelation Williams walks readers through shaky ground.  With study questions to go along with each chapter I believe this book can and will help others avoid the mistakes I made and the mistakes made by so many others.

This book is both important and well written.  Grab a copy for yourself and for anyone else you know who may be lost in the maze created back in the garden.

You can read the first chapter on the Eden Derailed website Here.

Matt Williams is the Founding Pastor and Directional Leader of Grace Church, in Greenville, SC.  Eden Derailed is his first book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  The opinions shared are my own.

Stuck by Jennie Allen

When Graf-Martin Communications approached me with the opportunity to review the new DVD-based Bible study Stuck the places we get stuck & the God who sets us free by Jennie Allen, I couldn't say "yes" fast enough. I was intrigued by what the publisher shared:

We are often so stuck in invisible struggles in our hearts and minds, we barely have space for God. These deep struggles, these stuck places, are familiar to every one of us: brokenness, anger, discontentment, fear, and sadness. Stuck takes on these struggles within us so that we can encounter God. Because until we recognize that we are stuck and in need of God, we will miss what He has for us.

Jennie Allen's Bible studies are designed to draw women close to God and to each other. These shorter studies dig deep quickly, creating experiential conversations and allowing women to wrestle with Scripture in a deep and authentic way throughout the week.

I received a sampler version of the book and a dvd containing small samples from each of the eight sessions.

As I clicked the play button I was quickly set at ease by the soft music and the tone of Jennie's voice as she humbly presented herself as a woman just like the rest of us, broken, unsure and tired of hiding her "stuff" from those around her.  In the introduction Jennie writes:

So my prayer is this study will be a safe place to explore God and your own heart.  The state of our hearts and what we believe about God are the two most important things about us.

This study is intended to be shared in small groups that create a safe place for women to openly share the things they may have been hiding for years and allow God to begin to bring healing and wholeness to those places inside that are broken.

The workbook provides opportunities to dig deeper into scripture, pray, spend time pondering with the Lord, even draw pictures.

I feel as if I have been given an appetizer and it has indeed made me hungry for the rest of the meal.  I need this study and suspect that most of the women I know need it as well.  My mind is busy churning the idea of hosting a small group at my home, seeing a vision of freedom as we break through and become un-stuck!

I received a complimentary sample study from Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Word Filled Wednesday - Open doors

Enter into His gates

 with thanksgiving and a thank offering

and into His courts with praise!

Be thankful and say so to Him,

bless and affectionately praise His name! 

Psalm 100:4 Amplified

The thing I miss most while I'm away from home is the time early in the morning when I sit down, (in what is now called my "Jesus chair") open my journal, and wait on the Lord to speak His truth into my heart.

This is what He shared as the sky grew light this morning:

I will teach you peace and contentment, like the great apostle Paul, in both need and abundance.

You will know in a deeper way that all you see, all you dream of, from the smallest provision like manna on the ground belongs to Me.  Humility will open your eyes to see the truth - you deserve nothing - yet I sustain you.

A heart of gratitude will take you places most never go, down a road walked by My side.

Thankfulness will open doors where beauty and glory shall multiply.

Praise prepares the way as it prepares your heart.

Come visit Internet Cafe Devotions for more wonderful combos of pictures and the Word.

Earthen Vessels by Matthew Lee Anderson

Does your body really matter?  Does it matter too much?

This is how the back cover describes Earthen Vessels Why Our Bodies Matter to Our Faith

In this provocative book, Matthew Lee Anderson explores how our bodies interact with our faith. How have recent generations of Christians been shaped by the culture around us in this regard? What can we do to push back? Through a deeper understanding of our physical lives, God can bring the dry bones of our faith back to life.

As a Christian woman living in the 21st century I have struggled with much of what Anderson addresses here, and though he gives no pat answers or formulas he does provide much to ponder and pray about.  Are we shaping the world or allowing the world to shape us?

In a world striving to attain an impossible standard of beauty, I was moved by these words:

The power and the pattern for our bodies are those which we see in Jesus Christ.

We need bodies that ae shaped by the gospel within gospel-centered communities and trained by gospel-centered practices.

As I continue to learn what it means to abide in Christ I recognize in deeper and deeper ways that life is not about what I look like, or sound like, or feel like, but rather I am called to allow the life of Christ to manifest in me.  I believe there is much here that will help us with that quest.

I believe parts of this book require a second or even third reading.  If you are interested in maintaining your current mind frame, leave this book on the shelf.  If you are willing to allow the Lord to lead you into fresh revelation, I encourage you to dive in.

I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House a division of Baker Publishing Group.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The battle rages

I sent an email out to friends yesterday, asking for prayer support to withstand the harshness of the spiritual environment we find ourselves in.  I am overwhelmed by the richness of their responses:

I'll be interceding (more like doing battle) on your behalf. Remember: you are richly blessed and highly favored; He will never leave or forsake you. Keep crying out to Him to do the battle on your behalf. Even though it feels like nothing is happening, there's major fighting taking place for territory. Do not forget to put on your armor several times during the day. Remain protected ... remain offensive!

Praying for you, sweet friend. Knowing that He is holding you when you are numb to it.

The Lord is looking after you both, he knows the struggles that you are going thru and he is right there, that's why we are praying for you. 

This morning, I crawled out of bed early to have a few minutes with my Lord Who had words to share:

I know.  I know.

I Am well aware of the wall before you, but rest in the truth of the wall around you.

When you sent out your call for help - it was indeed a battle cry, rousing others to stand strong in your weakness. 

This allowed you to see again.

Trust that even as you fall, you move the unmoveable, bit by bit.

There is a war that is more real than what flesh can experience - and you, little one, stand as My warrior.

What is depleted in battle will be restored in My arms.

Sharing with others, imperfect yet lovingly redeemed at Emily's








Jamming with Bonnie on time with the Lord

The creative Creator

I find myself surprised and delighted again and again by the vastness of His creativity.

I have a strong sense that He delights in watching us enjoy what He has made!

God spoke: "Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind: cattle and reptiles and wild animals—all kinds." And there it was: wild animals of every kind, Cattle of all kinds, every sort of reptile and bug. God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:24-25 The Message

Stand strong

I have been moved by the comments to my post Better Part. 
Read them here.

So many of us have been shaken and troubled
the enemy is busy whispering, shouting, screaming the same lies to all of us.

It's time to stand strong in Christ, resist the enemy and he will flee.

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  James 4:7 NKJV

We are not worthless, useless, shameful or unable
we are beloved children of the most high God!

It is time to listen only to the One Who is Faithful
The One Who is Truth



Picture from http://dailybibleplan.com/2011/06/10/putting-on-the-full-armor-of-god/

 If this is war, I will not run
It is time to put our armor on!

Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. Ephesians 6:13-18 The Message