Laced With Grace

I have a neat little testimony to share with you all.  Here in New Zealand we’re going through a rather nasty recession…companies are going bust, people are losing their properties to mortgagee sales, everyone is finding it hard to cope financially including us.

Thankfully both dh and I are employed but last week after paying some big bills off we had no money for good. I bake goodies from home for my children to put in their lunches and I try to budget as best I can by buying sale items etc when we shop but anyway getting back to the point…I was freaking out as to what I could put on the table for dinner and in the lunchboxes when my boss approached me and gave me $25 NZ for coming into work in the weekends to meet clients etc and for all the helping out I do.

Wow! Not only was I able to buy a few things from the shop to feed my family but dh and I were blown away literally!

Isn’t God awesome? He does this again and again and He never ceases to amaze me.

God doesn’t just care about the big things in our lives – he also cares about the little things too  :-)

Did you know you are in a BATTLE?  Did you know that you have a real enemy who wants to kill, steal, and destroy the things in your life?

Your family. Your marriage.  Your relationships.  Your finances.  Your health.

He loves to steal your testimony by tempting you back into patterns of sin that get a hold of you.  He enjoys destroying your witness of the power of Christ by capturing you in a gripping fear that is anything but victorious.  And, he is always there to kill your joy, bringing instead worry, doubt and anger.

Are you afraid?

Praise God, we don’t need to be!  Satan is a defeated foe.  Jesus already faced him and crushed him.  Jesus, who is in you, is greater than him.  Satan trembles at the NAME of Jesus.  You have the power through Christ to stand against the enemy.  Do NOT be afraid of him!

Are you armed and dangerous?

The Bible tells us to put on the full armor of God and STAND firm and alert. (Ephesians 6:10-17) Notice that it doesn’t tell us to FIGHT, but to stand.  God will FIGHT the battle for us.  But, we need to equip ourselves with Jesus.

First, put on the Belt of Truth.  Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life…”  So, buckle Jesus firmly around you.  Picture Powerhouse Gym with  bodybuilders squatting twice their body weight.  What do they put on first before lifting any weight?  A thick leather belt that supports, stabilizes, and protects their bodies while they lift.  Jesus does exactly that for us- supports, stabilizes, and protects us as we lift the weights of the world.

My son just started playing football.  You better believe I want him to wear that helmet to protect his precious brain!  We are to put on the Helmet of Salvation, or the Jesus Helmet,  to protect our minds against impure thoughts, worry, and negative, self-defeating thoughts.  We take every thought that plops into our minds “captive.”  If it is a lie, we replace it with the Truth.

Next, put on the Breastplate of Righteousness.  Righteousness only comes through Christ, so we put Jesus on as our shield.  What does a breastplate cover?  Our hearts!  Jesus protects our hearts when we allow Him to cover us.

Walk with the Shoes of Peace on your feet.  Everywhere you go, allow Jesus, the Prince of Peace guide your steps.  When you surrender to Him with every step, He will fill you with the peace that passes all understanding!

Next, lift up your Shield of Faith.  Think “Gladiator” here!  These warriors carried shields that were huge and covered their whole bodies.  When the attack came, they would fall to the ground, allowing their whole body to be covered with the shield.  It is your faith, believing in who God is and what He can do, that EXTINGUISHES the arrows of the enemy!  It is your faith that PUTS OUT every scheme Satan uses against you.

Finally, lift up your Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  Again, Jesus is the “Word,” so lift up Jesus as your weapon!  Both the Living Word and the written Word  will cut through every lie of the enemy.  Read your Bible.  Wield your sword.  Call out to Jesus. 

Notice there isn’t armor covering your backside, so don’t run from the enemy.  Instead, stand firm, face him, covered in the protection of Jesus.  When you are feeling defeated, take your place as a victorious child of God and call on the Name of Jesus.  The battle has already been won and the victory is yours!

Father God, thank You that I am more than a conqueror  in Christ! Thank You that You are “for” me.  Thank You that You have equipped me with everything I need to stand against the enemy.  Help me to remember that the battle has already been won and that I am already victorious in Christ Jesus!  Help me to put on the armor daily.  In Christ’s mighty name we pray.  Amen.

Please visit me at my personal blog, Thirsty for Him!

One of the attorney’s I work for is a diver. Nothing thrills him more than a clear day and some deep water. Well, I take that back…one of Jeff’s cakes does cause him to stumble a bit…but I am talking about a really good day. The kind of day you anticipate the night before.

I remember when Aimee and I went to North Carolina for the She Speaks Conference. We both had trouble sleeping the night before. Mine was due to the fact I was busy crossing the “t’s” and dotting the “i’s” on the material we were to have ready….Aimee was busy “thinking”…packing, and most likely cooking for the family she was leaving at home. She left them with “reheating” instructions and a  solemn promise of her soon return.

The trip was filled with excitement and incredulity. We were first AMAZED that we made it through Atlanta unscathed. Or, to be more specific…that we didn’t scathe anyone else. Secondly, it was incredible to find ourselves in the same room with the “best” Writers, Speakers and Women’s Leaders in the world! Well, maybe not the world—but at least in the Southeastern United States. How’s that?

However, upon coming back home, life invaded our dream world. Our world of where we could buy that little bookstore and turn it into an inviting Tea Room, filled with books, soft music, Jeff’s cakes, cookies and the best hot coffee or cup of tea, and always a friend or a soon to be friend browsing the shelves in search of the next best read. Yes, life resumed. Actually, I think it picked up pace. As in every one’s life…there are days when we feel surrounded.

Just when you think you are swimming serenely alone, you find yourself suddenly surrounded by a cloud of Baitfish. Just as this picture of the Sea Turtle, he was minding his own business and became enveloped by the Baitfish. The Baitfish are EXACTLY what the name implies. Bait. For bigger fish.

Finding himself encompassed by Baitfish will cause the heart to quicken it’s beating, the diver explained. The “cloud of Baitfish” is so thick, you lose your vision.  You lose sight of where you are.  It becomes a vertiginous dive.   Dizziness overtakes you and you don’t know which end is up.  You know that you must get out of the overwhelming cloud—somehow—because you know what could be coming.  A hungry fish.  Very hungry.  Hungry enough to possibly chomp on a hand—arm—foot—even part of your face.  Isn’t that what sometimes happens in our lives?  We are surrounded with feelings of doubt, insecurity, and many times the overwhelming desire to “give-up”—a feeling of hopelessness.

In talking with a young mother recently, the feeling of a life filled with emotional vertigo  was overtaking her.  I could clearly see what she needed to do.  I could give her immediate instructions which way to paddle her swiftly sinking boat.  But she was so surrounded by the Baitfish in her life she couldn’t see or hear me.  It wasn’t until the predator fish was about to overtake her did she comprehend the whereabouts  of her help. 

I lift my eyes to the hills–where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip–he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Psalm 121:1-4

Father, I am so thankful that when I feel the cloud of Baitfish surrounding and overtaking my life–I have  YOU, the Almighty God as my protector—I know that my help lies within Your everlasting arms—You never cease Your protective watch over each one of our lives!  Your power, love and mercy overwhelmes this child.  Thank You LORD for all that You are in my life.  Direct our paths daily, help us to apply the Word into our hearts and lives.  In the name of Jesus I pray, believe and fully trust~Amen.

The Knightly News