The Feet of a Warrior - Week 12

Ephesians 6:14-15

14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

For as long as men have been taking part in battles, they have had to come up with a solution for a very simple problem... their feet. And as technologically advanced as we believe ourselves to be, the modern soldier still has to make the care of his feet a very high priority. After all, if one cannot run or walk or stand, he is going to make a pretty easy target.

But as it comes to the "beautiful feet" of one who bears good news (Isa 52:7, Rom 10:15), there are not degrees of effectiveness, as in, your feet only hurt a little, or they are strong enough to survive to the end of the day, but tomorrow you will have to be carried into the fray. Your feet are either fitted with the gospel of peace, or they are not. You are either ready with your gospel shoes on, or you are not.

The enemy wants us to be immobile. If we cannot run away, then he has us right where he wants us. This is our condition in sin. Think of the slough of despond from Pilgrim's Progress that Christian had to muddle through. That obstacle cannot be easily escaped. However, having our feet shod with the gospel of peace means that we have understood our condition before a holy God.  We know that in order for us to avoid that deadly bog altogether, we have come to a full acknowledgement of our sins, and total recognition of our need of a Savior. These gospel shoes represent peace with God; that we have had our sins forgiven. And the guilt of Adam's sins and that of our own are no longer as a toilsome burden on our backs, but have been taken to the cross and nailed to it by our loving Lord (Col 2:13-15).

On this battlefield, there are many swamps of despair, as it were. Christians have always had to deal with these traps laid by the evil one. The glorious nature of this part of our armor is that it allows us to quickly escape these devices of the devil, or even better, avoid them altogether. These shoes run swiftly as we are told the Word of God runs swiftly (Psa 147:15).

However, what we must remember is that these shoes must be put on daily. Our feet are not clad with these shoes at one specific time and for the rest of time. We must constantly remind ourselves of the gospel. We must take the gospel with us everywhere we go, just as our feet go with us everywhere. The war rages, the fog of war envelopes, the confusion of war astounds. The gospel is the clarion call from the supreme commander. The gospel holds all His instructions, and His words of encouragement, and His power and authority over these forces of darkness. Our feet, that is our day to day walking in this world, must be informed by the gospel. Otherwise, we will not be able to avoid the pitfalls of satan. He will draw us into the pit and keep our soul mired in guilt and sin. The gospel has raised us up from that pit, and we must ever keep it before us so that we never sink into it again.

Take care of your feet and they will take care of you is an old maxim. The same is true with the gospel only it goes a bit differently. "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31, Rom 10:9)

Assignment:

1.  Continue memorizing this Ephesians passage but also add Colossians 2:13-15. This passage will remind you that your trespasses have been nailed to the cross, and that Jesus in this action has disarmed and triumphed over both His and your enemies.

2.  Journal about any times you believe you have been overcome by the guilt of your sin and how you may have been, like Christian from Pilgrim's Progress, in the slough of despond.

3.  Follow this link to a search on the word gospel. Jot down any that you believe will help you put on your gospel shoes every day.

The Christian Man's Coat of Arms - Week 11

Ephesians 6:14

14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Breastplates were often emblazoned with a royal seal, or coat of arms, or some other insignia. It is not clear when this practice of personalizing ones armor came into being, but the oldest known breastplates date back to the 15th century BC. So, imagine what the breastplate of righteousness would carry as its royal seal, or coat of arms. This breastplate is not emblazoned with our own name or family crest, but the Name which is above every name. The Lord Jesus Christ, our righteousness, is engraved on the breastplate. His royal seal shines forth as the King of Kings and LORD of Lords. By our baptism, we carry this seal and sign of the Lord Jesus, that we are engaged to be His (WSC, Q. 94.)

But aside from all this heraldry, what does this piece of armor perform in our war against the spiritual powers of darkness. 

Having spoken already of the belt of truth and how it covers our inward and intimate parts, so the breastplate of righteousness covers the seat of our souls - our hearts. Since we are putting on spiritual armor, it should be assumed that our hearts are not the natural hearts we were born with; those desperately wicked, unknowable ones. If we are spiritual, (as in, we have the Holy Spirit) then we have had our heart changed, as we have spoken of before. As the prophet Ezekiel has told us, the LORD replaced our hearts of stone with a heart of flesh; (Ezek 11:14-21) a heart that has been turned from sinning against God unto one that looks, by faith, to Christ for salvation. The heart is not itself righteous, as if it is infused by Christ's righteousness and made righteous. But the righteousness of Christ is imputed to the heart, to us, (that is, the sin of our hearts is exchanged for Christ's righteousness) and by this action, Christ's righteousness becomes a covering for us.

Paul considered his own righteousness as garbage, rubbish, refuse (Phil 3:8). Why would anyone want to cover themselves with such? The answer is, we would. We are constantly puffing out our chests and boasting of our own achievements before the Lord. Such is our attitude when pride and sin remain unchecked. We replace His breastplate with our own, emblazoned with our own seal. But when we cover ourselves with our own righteousness, the enemy has a straight shot to our hearts. There is nothing whatsoever to protect our hearts from a fatal blow. Therefore, if we wish to survive this battle, we must put on Christ's righteous breastplate. It will keep us from our own pride and puffing out of our chests, and protect our hearts from all danger.

The shining breastplate of Christ's righteousness is far more beautiful, strong, and protective; more effective than anything else we could put on, and it protects our hearts completely in the battle that wages around us.

Assignment:

1. Continue memorizing. Refresh your memory of Proverbs 4:20-27.

2. Take a look at the picture of the warrior you either found or drew. How do you imagine the breastplate differently in light of this discussion? Jot down the differences in your journal.

3. Journal about some of the things you do that may tend to puff you up and make you consider yourself righteous. Write down ideas about how to overcome those attitudes.

To Thine Own Self Be True - Week 10

Ephesians 6:14a
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth

There are many anomalies to be observed when the world talks about truth. For instance, there is a popular notion that what may be true for you is not necessary true for someone else. By the very definition of truth, that notion does not hold water. If it is true for me, yet not true for someone else, then either it is not true for me, or the other man is not admitting the truth. The classic example these days is that all religions of the world are equally true. By the very nature of some of them, Christianity being one, this statement is harmfully false. 

Christianity makes specific claims that are exclusive. The reason we are called Christian is because we follow Christ. Christ said of Himself, He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6), and that no one comes to the Father (that is, God) except through Himself. Other religions, Islam for example, claim to worship the one true god. They would also claim some form of salvation through that god. However, according to Scripture, they can never be reconciled to their Creator because they deny Christ. All the religions of the world in some form or fashion have at their basis a denial of Christ.

Yet, if the common notion above is accepted, then this is simply true only for the Christian, which is equal to the truth of the Muslim. This is exactly what the spiritual enemy wants.

You remember what he did in the Garden of Eden? He seduced Eve by words of equivocation, just as he, through the world, is saying today. "Did God actually say, 'You shall not eat of any tree in the garden'?" (Gen 3:1). Satan knew that God commanded them to eat of every tree, except for the one, yet he phrased the question in such a way as to make God sound like He was too restrictive; that what He was providing was not adequate in some way. To make matters worse, the devil lied to Eve and told her she would become wise in the world, and that she could be like God. This same lie is being spun to this day.

The enemy of our souls continues to whisper, "Did God actually say..." And further than that, he gets the world to join in the chorus. After all, the truth of the devil is just as true as the truth of Christ. They just do not see eye to eye. They have adopted a live and let live attitude, right? WRONG. Satan was already defeated ages ago. Yet sin is still in the world and crouches at the door of our hearts. The ancient enemy is still roaming to and fro like a hungry lion seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet 5:8). The only defense against the lies of satan is the truth of God.

We said before that the lies of the devil are often aimed right for our innermost and intimate parts. His main goal is to set your heart and mind against God. That is why the Psalmist said, "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you," (Psalm 119:11). The devil intends to break in and steal any truth that exists in your heart. He tried the same thing with Jesus when tempting Him in the wilderness. Yet Jesus stored up the Word of God within His heart, and He was able to thwart the devil by the truth of God.

Another great comfort for us is that, not only is this belt of truth a spiritual weapon made powerful by the Spirit, but the same Holy Spirit has been promised to guide us into all truth (John 16:13).  That does not mean that we, personally, somehow have a corner on the truth, as if we never sin, or never believe a lie, or tell a lie, or always have the truth on our side.  Peter says that sometimes men (all men may fall into this category), who are ignorant and unstable, twist the scriptures to their own destruction (2 Pet 3:16). However, what it does mean is that the Holy Spirit will guide US into all truth. Jesus was speaking to His disciples saying, "you all," that is, the Holy Spirit will guide you all into all truth.  Who is 'you all'? His Church.  There is, therefore, a Spirit guided truth in the Church.  This does not mean that the Church cannot and does not err. But it does mean that there is truth and that the Holy Spirit guides the Church to that truth; so that anywhere the Spirit's truth is, there is a true Church. As we are a part of the true Church, we stand as an army with truth-belts on, ready to withstand the lies of the enemy.

However, as the devil's is a divide and conquer strategy, we must be as true as we can be in ourselves. Shakespeare's Polonius said to his son, Laertes, "To thine ownself be true." Many take this to mean that you should not deceive yourself. That is certainly true. But you should not also not let yourself be deceived by any other. Believe the truth always. If there is deception, we know it is not from God. Therefore, storing up the truth in our hearts is the only way we can be true to ourselves, to our brothers and sisters, and most importantly, to God.

Assignment:

1.  Continue to work on memorization. Memorize also Psalm 119:11.

2.  Read 2 Thessalonians 2. Journal about the battle for the truth in this passage and how it may relate to something you have experienced or that you may have heard of someone experiencing.

3.  Read Luke 4:1-13. Note how Jesus thwarted satan's attempts to tempt him to sin. See if you can find in your Bible the scriptures Jesus is quoting.

Stand Up, Stand Firm - Week 9

Ephesians 6:13-17
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

We said before that Paul is talking about the whole armor of God because any one piece of this armor by itself does not properly equip the man for the defense of his soul. In verse 13 he began with ‘therefore,’ which would mean he is adding a conclusion or consequence to what was previously said. The previous message we have already learned. There is a battle going on. It is not against flesh and blood, but against a diabolical, spiritual enemy who wants to destroy our souls. We have also said that these pieces of armor are designed to defend us on all sides; to protect us from every angle of attack.

But Paul repeats the word 'stand' here 4 times, signifying our battle stance. We are not lying down. We are not on our backs. We are not sitting, we are not reclining. We are to be in a constant state of readiness, on our feet, ready to do battle.

Perhaps the military strategist would disagree. We need to keep a low profile. We need to crouch or to lie in wait. We need to put on our spiritual Ghillie suits and wait for the enemy to show his silhouette. However, we have no spiritual sniper rifle. We cannot do battle from afar. Our weapons are close combat weapons. When we do battle, it is up close and personal. Whenever battle is this close, we cannot be on our backs. We have to be standing, dug in, ready.

One of the best ways to defeat a knight was to use his heavy armor and weapons against him. The victor was usually the one who could bear his armor and the other man’s blows and still remain standing, while making the other man tired, worn out, and off balance. With that much physical battle it was difficult to remain on your feet after striking blows and taking them as well. The good news for us is that our armor is perfectly balanced so that the enemy cannot knock us down, though we are perfectly able of falling down on our own - remember pride?

But the other piece of this is our source of strength, which we contemplated at length previously, as the power of Christ in His Holy Spirit. And, we should say further, our source is the Holy Spirit, but it is not like a battery that runs dry or a power source that dissipates into nothing. The Holy Spirit in us is a renewable energy source. In physical battle, if a man is not well nourished and well hydrated, and if he is in poor physical condition, he will not last very long. His strength may only be renewed by rest and nourishment. Hollywood usually portrays battles to continue for what seems to be hours, and we do not see our heroes rest and get food and drink. But our strength is renewed. The prophet Isaiah wrote so poetically,

     28 Have you not known? Have you not heard?
     The LORD is the everlasting God,

     the Creator of the ends of the earth.

     He does not faint or grow weary;

     His understanding is unsearchable.

     29 He gives power to the faint,

     and to him who has no might He increases strength.

     30 Even youths shall faint and be weary,

     and young men shall fall exhausted;

     31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;

     they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

     they shall run and not be weary;

     they shall walk and not faint.

     Isaiah 40:28-31

How is it that our strength will be renewed? We said for physical battle we need rest and sustenance. Isaiah says here that those who wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength. What does it mean to wait? The LORD knows our frailty and He knows that we are weak to continue to stand firm. He knows we get faint of faith and weary of doing good. But He, in His infinite wisdom, has given us both rest and sustenance in this life. He gives us one day in seven to rest, and provides us heavenly food in both Word and Sacrament on that day. To wait upon Him means to worship Him in spirit and truth, and to believe that He gives good gifts to us in the gospel, and in the outward and sensible signs; these are the very means of grace and great strength. He washes our battle wounds with the water of the Word, He cleanses us from head to foot of all of our sin and unrighteousness, and He strengthens us in the inner man by the table He sets before us.

With this kind of rest and sustenance, even as we are worn down from standing firm and being ready at all times, we will not be caught completely unawares, our souls will not be dealt mortal blows, and we will certainly not be abandoned by the Captain of our Salvation, but we will be equipped with great strength when the attack comes most fiercely. And we shall overcome. We are promised that we shall be more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Rom 8:37).

Therefore… we shall stand, and stand firmly.

Assignment:

1.  Continue to read and memorize Ephesians 6:13-17, but also review 10-12.

2.  Read the full chapter of Isaiah 40. It may be familiar to you because of Handel’s Messiah, as several of the arias and choruses are taken from this chapter. If you have this music, listen to it and contemplate the great message of the gospel. Journal about the different attributes of God in chapter 40. Hint: There are several themes here: strength, tender care, almighty power, infinite wisdom.

3.  Memorize also Isaiah 40:28-31.

4.  Journal about how you may be looking at worship and the Lord’s Day differently now that we have discussed our renewal of strength in the Holy Spirit.

The Whole Armor of God - Week 8

Ephesians 6:13-17
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.
14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;
17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

The whole armor of God is very beautifully described here by Paul. He takes the various pieces of physical armor and matches them up to the most powerful themes of the Christian life, so listed: truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and the Word of God. We will discuss the individual pieces in the next several contemplations, but we need to focus at first on the whole armor itself.

Because Paul uses the words "whole armor," he is not, then, referring to the individual pieces by themselves, as if any one of these by itself could properly defend the soul. The medieval knights wore a suit of armor, describing their head to foot battle attire. A suit of armor covers the whole man, especially covering those places most vulnerable to mortal blows. The sections of the "soul" here covered by Paul are described as the midsection, the chest, the feet, the back (or any other part of the body that would be exposed to arrows), and the head.

It is difficult to place these parts of the soul into perspective, if that is Paul's meaning. If there are parts to the soul, Paul probably would have defined them here. Rather, he is matching up these great themes of the Christian life to the places the enemy might choose to attack. Does the enemy attack truth? Does the devil try to tear down righteousness? Does he attempt to thwart the gospel? Does he not constantly barrage our faith? Will he not try to destroy our salvation? And does he not, above all, hate and fear the Word of God? This whole armor, then, as Calvin puts it, prepares us on all sides and gives us arms to repel every kind of attack.

But let us look at this a bit closer. How is the truth like our midsection? The most intimate parts of our selves are housed in what the King James Version translated as our loins. Paul also talks about the bowels of mercy in Colossians 3:12, or to that which we might refer crudely as guts, the innermost and intimate parts of the soul; the place were we are known only to ourselves. The enemy would obviously like to shake us here. He would like us to think that no one knows or sees our most inward thoughts and motives. Here is where the truth is most important. If we believe a lie here, it will be the most destructive. Jeremiah says the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (Jer 17:9). Therefore the truth about ourselves, the truth about God, the truth about everything in the world, must ever be before us - a light shining brighter every day - so that by this, we may protect ourselves from the lies of the enemy.

How does righteousness refer to our chest? It may in this way. When a man is proud, he often puffs out his chest. Perhaps he may even beat it and let everyone know how great he is. Paul here is saying that righteousness must cover our "chest", but to whose righteousness is he referring? Isaiah says that our righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). So why would we want to put on filthy rags with otherwise glorious and beautiful armor? He would not. He is referring to the righteousness of Christ. The righteousness of Christ is the only garment that can keep us from puffing out our chests and being proud of our own actions in the faith. It will also keep us from putting on the filthy rags which will not stop a single mortal blow from the enemy.

How does the gospel refer to our feet? Here Paul is most likely thinking, as he quoted in his letter to the Romans (10:15), about the prophecy of Isaiah. "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion 'Your God reigns.'" (Isaiah 52:7) In Romans 10, Paul is talking about how faith in Christ comes. He ends by saying that faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. But how does that word come? It comes by the preaching of the gospel. We will talk about the Word-Sword later on, but what he is undoubtedly saying about this piece of armor is that the gospel must go with us constantly when we engage in battle with the evil one. Your feet go everywhere with you, so must the gospel of peace as shoes you put on.

When talking about the shield of faith, we are speaking of a defensive weapon that can be used actively and passively to protect us from various attacks. The shield could be worn in such a way as to protect the back from arrows, thus it would be passive. The shield could also be placed in front, normally attached to the hand or forearm to protect the body from frontal assaults. It could be at our side or over our head. It should be thought of, then, as a 360 degree protection from all sorts of attacks. Paul is here referring to the way faith is attacked from all sides by the flaming arrows of the devil. He comes at us from behind, beside, before, and above. There is no place from whence he will not try. Attacking our faith means that he is trying to get us to disbelieve God. We know he has been doing that from the beginning. So faith protects us from arrows of doubt and disbelief.

The helmet and the head go together next, and it is associated with salvation. Perhaps here Paul is referring to our knowing what is going on in the battle. The head, or the brain, is the seat of knowledge. It carries the eyes, ears, and speech of the body. With it we can see, hear, and communicate on the field of battle. The head is then quite important when it comes to knowing where to go, hearing the commands from the battle generals, and acknowledging those commands and passing them along. So what does this have to do with salvation. First, we see salvation. We see our own sinfulness and need of a savior. We see a savior who has died for us and risen again. We see these things by faith, but we also have sensible signs given to us in the sacraments of the Church. Second, we hear with our ears the gospel. And third, we speak with our mouths the confession of our hearts of belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. The helmet of salvation, then, is knowing on whose side we are fighting, and to whom we owe allegiance and fealty. With this helmet, we will never be swayed to join forces with the enemy, or desert our Lord on the field of battle.

All of these parts of our soul must be protected and kept ready at all times. We will look further to each separate piece of armor in the coming weeks.

Assignment:

1.  Memorize the Scripture passage.

2.  Look at each of these aspects of armor and what is being protected. Journal about how you believe the enemy has attacked you, or the Christian world in general, at every point.

3.  Find a picture of a warrior or even draw one with these elements of armor. Let that picture come to mind when you memorize the passage.

Be Strong in the LORD - Week 7

Ephesians 6:10-12
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
12For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Strength is most important to a man. Men since the beginning have desired to show their strength over their fellow men. Often it was a combination of their own physical strength and their ability to sway others to their cause, so that with a great following of other men, they could enforce their will upon weaker people. This is how men rose to power over tribes, villages, cities, nations, and kingdoms.

The Bible speaks of strong men. Joshua and Caleb were strong men. They fought mightily in the armies of the LORD. Samson was a strong man. He was a judge of Israel between the time of Joshua and the appointment of the kings. David, though perhaps small before he slew Goliath, became very strong in vanquishing the enemies of Israel. All of these men; anywhere strength is spoken of in the Old Testament, it is often written that, "The Spirit of the LORD came upon them." Their strength was from the LORD. Without this strength from the LORD, many a strong man perished. But when God fought for them and gave them strength, they never lost. When the LORD fought for them and made them strong, their enemies came at them one way and retreated 7 ways. "One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as He promised you." (Joshua 23:10)

And there was no stronger man than Jesus. Jesus once asked the question, "How can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man?" (Mt 12:29). He was speaking here of taking over Satan's dominion, which is the exact thing Paul is talking about in Ephesians chapter 6. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Jesus came to bind that strong man in his own house. And knowing He, Himself did that by His atoning work on the cross, and by His resurrection from the dead, He can, through Paul, tell us to be strong in the LORD and in the strength of His might. The only way to true strength is if the LORD is on our side. Or, perhaps to put it the most correct way, if we are on His side. If we are on God's side, we are strong and we will never be shaken, because we are in His kingdom that cannot be shaken (Heb 12:28).

But we are only strong when the LORD is with us; when the Spirit of the LORD comes upon us. The difference between we men now, and Joshua, Caleb, Samson, and David of old, is that we have the promised Holy Spirit at all times. We do not have to wait for the Spirit to come upon us, if we are Christ's, then we have His Spirit now (Rom 8:9). He dwells within us once He replaces our hearts of stone with a heart of flesh (1 Cor 3:16). This is the only way we can be strong.

However, it is also clear from this passage in Ephesians 6, that though strong, we are still vulnerable. We must put on the whole armor of God if we are to withstand the schemes of the devil. When we were in the camp of the enemy, we did not have to fight with him and he took no notice of us. This is the difference between those who are in Christ and those who are not. When we became part of God's kingdom, and stopped our rebellion against Him, this is when the enemy took notice of us, and this is why Paul says we wrestle not against flesh and blood. When we were in the enemy camp, we were dead in our trespasses and sins (Eph 2:4-6). The enemy wanted to keep us in our graves, but the Spirit made us alive and translated us from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of His beloved Son (Col 1:13). Now we are spiritually alive instead of dead. Now the enemy must fight with us because we are alive. And though alive, we are only effective against the enemy if we take up the whole armor of God. We will take the next several weeks to delve into these pieces of armor.

May God keep us strong as we learn about these things.

Assignment:

1.  Memorize Ephesians 6:10-12.

2.  Read Judges 13-16, this is the story of Samson. Journal about how you believe Samson used his strength either foolishly, or courageously. Journal also about what you believe Samson's greatest weaknesses were.

3.  Journal about what you believe the enemy is using against you in your individual battles of life. List your weaknesses and pray about them, asking the Lord for strength to overcome them.

Keep Your Heart - Week 6

Proverbs 4:20-27
20 My son, be attentive to my words;
incline your ear to my sayings.
21 Let them not escape from your sight;
keep them within your heart.
22 For they are life to those who find them,
and healing to all their flesh.
23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
24 Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.
25 Let your eyes look directly forward,
and your gaze be straight before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet;
then all your ways will be sure.
27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left;
turn your foot away from evil.

"Keep your heart with all vigilance." Men are built and designed to guard things. When God placed Adam in the garden to tend it, he was meant to be it's keeper. He was meant to guard it and watch over it. The woman, Eve, God placed with Adam was meant to be guarded and kept. He did not live up to his duty, as we all know, but the men who came from him had the same innate purpose or calling. Boys learn it from infancy. If they are playing with a toy and someone tries to take it away, they guard it with all the strength and passion their little bodies can muster.

But Solomon, here, is not talking about a toy, or a possession, or another person. He is talking about one's own heart. The heart is the center of one's being. Solomon says that from the heart, the issues of life flow. Everything a man is and does comes from his heart. If he does evil things, it flows from the evil desires of his own heart. If he does anything of worth or value, something good, that also comes from his heart. But our problem is that evil flows from the spring of our hearts as a result of Adam's fall. Therefore, the only good that can come from an evil heart is only good in so far as God is pleased to bless it. Not the heart. The heart is still evil. The thing that is done is blessed. In order for good to come from the heart, God must change that heart.

When God is pleased to change a man's heart, He replaces the evil desires with good ones (Ezk 36:25-27). The desire of our hearts is still focused on what we can do to please ourselves, but God changes our desires so that we want to please God, more and more. Sanctification is the picture of this. We are enabled more and more to do that which is pleasing to God (Eph 2:10, Phil 2:13). When God changes our hearts, He purifies the 'water' streaming from it. It is like a well that springs good clean water (Jn 7:37-39).

After man was expelled from the Garden of Eden, God placed an angel to guard the garden. The angel was armed with a flaming sword that was vigilant to turn every way to block the entrance to the garden (Gen 3:24). After God changes the heart, to a certain extent, he enables us to guard our hearts in the same manner. Instead of a flaming sword, we are given the Word of God, which is described in Scripture as a 'two-edged sword' (Heb 4:12). And here, Solomon tells us to guard it with all vigilance, to protect it from evil, to keep evil from entering the place God has purified and made holy. How do we do that?

Solomon says through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to put away crooked speech. We should not say things that are not true and we should never try to deceive anyone so that we can gain from their deception. He also tells us to look straight ahead, that is, we should not allow our hearts to be turned from God towards things that are not worthy of His blessing. Our eyes see things that we should not look upon. And once we gaze upon them, and take them into our hearts, those things stir up the evil desires within us so that we want what our sin nature craves and desires (Jas 1:14-15). If we are walking a path and see something off that path, and our eyes are no longer looking ahead, then we will not see the trap or the pitfall that it is our way, and we will fall straight into it.

Not only should we keep our eyes forward, but we should plan our steps in the way, so that even in the straight path, we will not stumble at any point. We are assured that even on the straight path, the enemy will try to get us to trip and fall. But if we turn neither to the right or to the left, but keep steady on and turn our feet only when there is an evil obstacle waiting for us, then our path will be sure, for we are told that if we keep this sort of diligence, we will never fall (2 Pet 1:10).

Assignment:

1.  Memorize Proverbs 4:20-27.
2.  Read the whole chapter of Proverbs 4. Journal about anything that you deem of importance, especially as it pertains to guarding your heart.
3.  In verse 6, who is she that guards you? Hint: Solomon personifies 'her' in Proverbs 3:13-18.

4.  In verse 13, who is she that we are to guard?
5.  Journal about the correlation between these two things.

The Greatest Test of a Man - Week 5

Isaiah 2:11-12
11 The haughty looks of man shall be brought low,
and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled,
and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
12 For the LORD of hosts has a day
against all that is proud and lofty,
against all that is lifted up—and it shall be brought low;

If there is a single thing, a solitary sin that will strike a man and destroy him before the LORD it is pride. The references in Scripture are numerous. Pride goes before a fall (Pro 16:18); God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (Jas 4:6); The proud one shall stumble and fall, with none to raise him up (Jer 50:32). As all sins are a result of the fall, perhaps no other sin takes the place of pride. It is for pride's sake that the fool says in his heart, "there is no God," (Ps 14:1, 53:1). It is for pride's sake that men rebel against God and against His covenant. It is for pride's sake that a man spends all his energy to tear down both himself and his fellow man.

The Day of Judgment is the focal point of God's wrath against all that is proud. The verse above says that the LORD of hosts has a day. On that day, He will completely destroy all things that stand in pride against Him. On that day, He will vindicate Himself, His Son, His Holy Spirit, all His holy angels, and all the saints of God in one terrible and swift act of vengeance and destruction. Pride will not only become humility in that hour, but humiliation, but not to the benefit of those who stand against the LORD. Their final act of pride and obstinacy will be met with a blow that will never allow them to rise again. They will be utterly undone and cast into a place of outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt 8:12), where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched (Isa 66:24). There they will be tormented for all eternity and their disbelief in their Creator and His Redeemer will be like a constant nail driven into their own hands and feet, knowing the humiliation and pain of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ in unending misery and despair.

Therefore, pride in the life of the man of God has no place, in this life or in the next. The man of God finds his place in humility and thanksgiving. Knowing his guilt before the LORD and realizing the grace of God in Christ, and being grateful for such a redemption, he keeps his heart in a constant state of service to God, and to His Church, and his covenant family. But pride will always be there at the door waiting for him to step out into the world and show himself a man of the world, a respected one, a successful one.  Yet stepping out in pride is not just in the world, but also in Church. Therefore, that pride will always need to be checked at the door, rebuked, and cast off. The humble man knows that God alone is to receive the glory and exaltation. And he constantly bows his heart before the LORD in repentance and thanksgiving.

This is the greatest test of a man, that when he has every right to be proud, he gives the glory to God and considers himself an unprofitable servant.

Assignment:

1.  Memorize Isaiah 2:11-12.
2.  Read the entire 2nd chapter of Isaiah. Journal about the contrast between the mountain of the LORD and the Day of the LORD. Hint: Verses 1-5 talk about the eternal state of God's Elect. Verses 6-22 talk about the eternal state of God's enemies.
3.  Go to the link provided and look at all the references to "pride" and "proud". Jot down any that are meaningful to you.
4.  Journal on what areas in your life you believe to be prideful. Write a prayer and memorize it, so that when you are being prideful, you may remember the prayer and keep your heart humble. Hint: This can be a bible verse to memorize like Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

Think on These Things - Week 4

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

They say a man's home is his castle. However, a man's home is merely the exterior of himself. It is his show of power, his outward means of proving to the world that he's a man and that he succeeds at what he does. To outward eyes, he may seem to have it all together. Others may even envy him for all he apparently has.

What would happen if that man's home were turned inside out? What if all the outside walls of his home were open and everyone could see every facet of his life?

Our thoughts are just like that. Our thoughts can seldom be turned inside out so that others know what we are thinking. In the private domain of a man's thoughts, he can be completely different. He can mask his anger and calumny. He can hide his treachery and rebellion. He can secretly lust for all things that do not belong to him. He can think evil thoughts without anyone knowing his true darkness.

But though he fool the world, he can never fool God. God knows a man's mind before the man does. God graciously at times protects our feet from walking where they should not and hides our eyes from things we should not see. But at other times, He may permit us, in His perfect providence, to strike our foot on a stone and fall headlong into temptation and sin. He does this for our own good. Therefore, we should never presume upon His grace, but remain constant in the guarding of our hearts and minds.

Part of this guarding is what Paul is getting at in Philippians chapter 4. He says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." The peace of God in Christ will guard your hearts and minds. This means that if one is to guard his heart and mind, he must first and foremost be at peace with God and be in Christ. There are many places in Scripture that talk about being in Christ (see here). Perhaps simply put, being in Christ is to be in a saving way with Christ; that is, the man has heard the gospel, recognizes his sin and need of a savior, and then looked in faith and repentance to Christ for salvation. Being in Christ is to be effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified and kept by His power. And surely, if one is being saved, he is, even at this very hour, at peace with God.

Therefore, being at peace with God in Christ, Paul gives even more practical application to us on how we shall guard our hearts and minds. He says that we should find certain things to think on.

We should think on things that are true. This immediately excludes things that are false. Whatever is a lie we should not think on. Whatever is a farce or a fiction we should not dwell on. The things that are true, however, would completely encompass the scriptures, first and foremost, would include the natural creation of God, would include relationships with our fellow men.

We should think on things that are honorable and just. This means we should not dwell on unlawful things that persons do, or that we have done ourselves. We should think on things that bring honor and glory to God, and to His Church.

We should think on things that are pure and lovely. This surely must encompass our most intimate thoughts and passions. We should care for our hearts and minds in such a way as to exclude all impure thoughts and lusts. Not that we can fully and finally rid them from our minds because this world constantly parades lewd and distasteful images before us. We should close our eyes to these images and not desire to see them. But especially, we should not dwell on any lustful or impure thought. We should think on things in purity, appreciating the beauty God has made in the world, but not allowing those beauties to overcome their Creator. If something catches the eye and makes the man glory in the creature, rather than the Creator, then that man has set the beauty above God in His heart, and from there, his own desires seek to destroy him by his lust and sinful passion.

And finally, Paul tells us to think on things that are commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy. One must take care in these categories because the world's opinion of what these things are is in direct opposition to God's absolute truth on the matter. Man will always glory in himself. Therefore, whatever the natural man praises is not what God would call praiseworthy. In the end, any action, opinion, or motive, which is contrary to the example of the Lord Jesus is not truly commendable, excellent, or praiseworthy. And remember, the cross of Christ is foolishness to the world (1 Cor 1:18). The world does not view Jesus Christ as one who personifies commendation and excellence. But we know, even from this same letter of Paul, that He has been given a name above every name (Phil 2:9-11). And we know that the world will look upon Whom they have despised and will be ashamed that they despised Him (Zech 2:12). If we, however, look unto Jesus, we shall never be despised by God nor be ashamed (1 Pet 4:16), and we shall never have wasted our time thinking on Him, Who is the very definition of praiseworthy.

Our thought lives are the only thing that can never be taken from us. If we were cast into the most solitary of places, our thoughts would go with us. A man endeavors to make his thoughts as they ought to be, so that when he is left alone with them, they will be a companion that will allow him to know that he is not alone in this vast universe, and that, though everyone has forsaken him, he will never be forsaken by God and is loved by Him.

Assignment:

1.  Memorize Philippians 4:8.
2.  Journal each of these thought categories and give examples of each that you might think on. Hint: Think of examples from the Bible.
3.  During the week, if you find yourself thinking a thought you should not think, remember this verse and repeat it to yourself.
4.  During the week, try to get alone with your thoughts (no TV, no Music, or books) and imagine what it would be like if you were truly alone for a long period of time. Journal about that experience.

Understanding and Trust - Week 3

Proverbs 3:5-6
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

If there is one thing in the world men want, perhaps even besides riches, it is understanding. Think of this, if men did not want understanding, there would be no discovery, no exploration, and none of the striving for knowledge that is the hallmark of human achievement. Yet here we have Solomon's words commanding his son NOT to lean on his own understanding. This statement could probably have many different interpretations. One could emphasize YOUR understanding, as if to say, "Do not simply think your own thoughts, but consider the thoughts of others." One might also say that because the heart is mentioned, Solomon may be pitting intellectual knowledge against feelings and emotions that often sway the understanding. These may be possible interpretations, but the key lies in the phrase, "Trust in the LORD."

When we think of trust, we think of that which sways our thoughts and opinions towards a certain side, sort of like a line in the sand. What we trust becomes the side we take. It is a firm choice that informs our decisions both great and small. The issue of trust really goes to the matter of what we may call a world view. Whatever you put your trust in, that is the lens by which you look at everything around you. If you put your trust in science, you may see everything empirically, that is, you must seek facts, hypotheses, experiments, conclusions, and proofs for everything you see. You could put your trust in riches. Men who do this, usually horde all they can for themselves so that they will always be financially secure. You could put your trust in some governmental or religious body. Men who do this are looking for these groups of people to think for them and help them make their decisions.

In the end, a world view that puts trust in anything but God, particularly the God of the Holy Scriptures, will always end up at themselves. They either see themselves as the ultimate knowledge being able to judge the truth of everything they see, or they give that place to someone or something else they deem to be worthy to be the final judge. We know from other passages of Scripture that all men know their creator and that He is God, but they suppress that truth in their unrighteousness (Rom 1:18-25). In other words, they know who they should trust in, but they reject God and replace Him with themselves.

But the wisest man who ever lived tells us to, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart." The LORD God Who made all things, Who is the fountain of all being, Who is all wise, Who is all knowing, and Who has condescended to reveal Himself to us; surely He is the basis of all understanding. And this is the One Solomon commands us to put our trust in. The LORD and His wisdom and understanding should be our world view and the lens by which we see everything around us. But it is not merely the intellect by which we embrace God for ultimate understanding. We must trust with our whole heart. With the heart we see by faith, not simply with our eyes.

Faith informs our understanding. Faith puts in motion what we believe. Imagine what your life would be like if you knew how to walk, but did not have the ability? You would know in your mind how to stand to your feet and address them to motion. But if the strength were not in your legs, or your muscles; your nerves, and bones were not formed, then you would have the knowledge, but not the ability. Trusting the LORD with your whole heart means that you understand with your mind and you are enabled by the Holy Spirit to do as your understanding dictates. Faith gives you the ability to walk in the way of the LORD.

That brings us to verse 6. These 'ways' are surely only speaking of THE way. Some may interpret this as simply putting God first in everything. But that interpretation leaves many things open that are probably not intended. The business man may think that if he puts God first, his business will prosper. That is not necessary wrong thinking. But if the man only gives lip service to God, or does things in his business that do not really reflect the clear teaching of the Bible, then this verse is misapplied and the man is deceived. However, if we look at these ways as being the one true way, that is, living according to the clear teaching of Scripture - that teaching by which Christ commands us to make disciples - then it really makes a vast improvement on life this side of heaven. The way is not a formula for success in business. The way is not a means to achieve all we want in life. The way is a life of service to God, to learn of Him, to live in godly fear of Him, and to worship and glorify Him; in a word, to live your life for Him.

And surely by living for Him, He will make your paths straight. This does not mean that your path will always be smooth, or that it will be easy, but that He will show you the clear path your life is to take. One of the most frustrating things about being lost in the forest, or in the desert, or in any other place in which you could be lost, is that you cannot see the path to take to the place you need to be. This brings fear, doubt, and desperation. When God makes our paths straight, we may not always know where we are going, or how long it will take to get there. But we always know that we are where God wants us. Instead of fear, we have safety. Instead of doubt, we have certainty. Instead of desperation, we have hope.

In our most dire of circumstances we face as men, if we put our trust in God, and lean upon Him for understanding, and live in His way, He will make our path one of hope and perfect peace.

Assignment:

1.  Memorize Proverbs 3:5-6.
2.  Journal about what it means to acknowledge God. Start with the dictionary definition of acknowledge and then expand that to sermons or teachings you have heard.
3.  Journal about trust. You may jot down people, places, or things in which you put some measure of trust.
4.  Follow this link: Look for some verses that talk about "the way," referencing the way of the LORD, or the way of Christianity. Jot down the ones that you find meaningful.

Do Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly - Week 2

Micah 6:8
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

The first question of the Westminster Shorter Catechism states, "What is the chief end of man?" This small verse from the prophet Micah answers that question quite simply. Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. Simple right? The only problem with this is that it is impossible to do as Adam's sons. We know that we cannot do justly, our hearts are bent on sinning. We also know that our hearts love everything but mercy, especially towards the ones we should love above all. And humility is never near the heart of a man. The field of the heart grows nothing but egocentricity like thicket overgrowing an old forest.

This behavior before God has been put to men in different ways, but always with the same view in mind - blameless. When Abram was first given his promise, the Lord prefaced the covenantal relationship with the command to walk before Him and be blameless (Gen 17:1-2). Doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly is all part of that concept of blamelessness.

Of course we know that only Jesus could fulfill this type of obedience and behavior. The man Jesus was perfectly just, doing all the will of His Father. He was the soul of compassion and mercy towards those He was sent to seek and to save. And His meekness and humility was unmatched because His heart was perfect towards God.

So if Jesus is the only man who can fulfill this command, what are we to do as men? We are to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly, knowing that it is not we who do it, but Christ in us. Because He saves us fully, not only do we know the righteousness of Christ, by which we are justified, but His power to save also sanctifies us, and enables us, as the catechism puts it, to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness. The perfect salvation through Christ in God enables the man of God to do what the Lord requires.

Is any one of these more important than the other? Men can fall into the trap of making it more important to do justly than to love mercy. This was the problem of the Pharisees and Jesus chastised them for it. They would go out of their way to appear just, but neglected the mercy they should have shown to their fellow man and particularly, to the widows and the orphans, and the strangers within their gates. But men should also not reverse these precepts so that they believe themselves to be merciful, but at the same time forgetting the law of God. These two traps are called legalism and antinomianism. One puts the law above grace and mercy, and the other elevates grace and mercy and neglects the law. A man must fall into neither of these traps, but must remain on the straight path to enter into the straight and narrow gate.

There is also a great mystery in the phrase, "to love kindness," or one could also use mercy, or lovingkindness, or God's covenant love. Because this is the same Hebrew word for God's covenant love, we might say that it is not enough to desire to be kind to those who show us kindness. Jesus told us that if we love only those who love us we are really no better than sinners and tax collectors. But this goes deeper. To love or desire God's covenant love means that we love others in the same way He has loved us. And how has He loved us? He loved us even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, and sent His Son to redeem us from the pit and to make us alive so that we can live forever. How much lovingkindness have we been shown? Paul says that we were once alienated from the commonwealth of Israel (Eph 2:12), meaning, that we were outside God's covenant. But He has brought us in and given us sonship through adoption (Eph 1:5), so that we may be part of His family, and have Jesus as our brother (Heb 2:11). Therefore, we should be all the more willing to share that love with everyone. Although we cannot bring anyone into covenant with God, or make them part of God's family, we can allow them into our lives and share with them the bread of life so that they may taste and see that the Lord is good. Not all will come, but it is not in our power to save. We can only point the way to Christ.

This is the great design of the Christian life. Men are to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly. By doing this we not only show our love and gratitude to Christ who saves us, but we also shine His light before men so that they may turn to Him for their salvation.

Assignment:

1.  Memorize this short verse over the week.

2.  Journal all the ways you can think of how God has been merciful to you.

3.  Read Romans 3:21-31. Jot down some ideas about how that passage relates Micah 6:8. Hint: look for words like just, justified, justifier, redemption, and boasting.

Blessed is the Man - Week 1

Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

Blessed is the man. There are two points of emphasis in this sentence. The word blessed is the first and the word man is the second. Looking at the second one first, the Hebrew word for man has different meanings. For instance, it can simply refer to a man, or it can also be used for husband, which would denote a married man. But the word is never used to describe a boy or a young child, so it would seem to refer only to a male of a certain age. Although it would be correct to say that the teaching of this Psalm is for all men, women, boys, and girls, there is nothing wrong with saying that a man would need to pay particular attention to these words.

In the emphasis on the word blessed, we see at least two things of importance. First, that blessing in this Psalm is juxtaposed to cursing. The blessed man does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. This implies that the cursed man does do the things a blessed man does not. Later on we see that the blessed man is like a firmly planted tree, whereas the cursed man is like the chaff the wind drives away. Most importantly, we see that the cursed man will not stand in judgment and will be condemned with all the unrighteous, but the blessed man will be acquitted in judgment and have his dwelling among the righteous. These two comparisons will be the end of all men. Either they will be counted among the righteous and live, or be counted among the sinners and be sentenced to death.

The second thing we see about the word blessed is that there are particular things a man does when he is blessed. Some would say that the man who is blessed does these things to obtain the blessings described. But the pattern of Scripture shows that the man is blessed of God because of grace, not because he has done something to earn God’s favor. So, the man who is blessed of God by grace will not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, will not stand in the way of sinners, or be seated with the scoffers, but his delight will be in the law of God. These things he does, not to obtain the blessing of God, but rather because he is blessed of God already. God firmly establishes him like a tree planted by streams of water, bearing fruit in season. And never seeing his leaves wither, he prospers in everything he does. The man is well known by the Lord because he has been justified by His grace. His sinful self has been redeemed by the sinless Savior. His unrighteousness has been graciously exchanged through imputation, for the righteousness of Christ. And because of that, because of being known by Christ and being the recipient of all His benefits, the man may walk uprightly in the way of the righteous and receive the ultimate blessing of eternal life with God in Christ.

Therefore a man should walk uprightly, and seek the wisdom of the righteous. He should walk humbly, as one blessed already. He should walk as one whose path has already been firmly planted by streams of living water in the city of the righteous.

Examine your ways and think about how you walk. Do you walk as one who is already blessed? Or, do you seek the blessings of the world? Do you listen to ungodly people? Do they help you frame your opinions? Do you find yourself scoffing or doubting or being cynical of the way of the Lord? Do you think about the law of God and try to obey it? Is your conscience pricked when you sin? Are you bearing fruit? Do you seek the forgiveness of the Lord for your sins? Is your knowledge of the Lord increasing?

All of these things will be searched and explored in the contemplations before us. We will endeavor to learn how this Psalm will form the basis of our lives as men before God.

Assignment:

1.  Take the week to memorize Psalm 1. Hint: Memorize one verse at a time, each day adding one more.
2.  Journal about things you hear during the week and categorize them into godly and ungodly counsel. Also note how they may form your opinions about your life, relationships, hobbies, career choices, etc.
3.  Journal about how you believe God has blessed you.