#ProperAttire

He didn't even say "I beseech you."  He just said, "be strong.....and put on..." Paul was writing a letter to the people that belonged to the church in the city of Ephesus.  He was concerned about their welfare and he knew what a wicked city they lived in.  He knew that they were struggling and that it wasn't an easy, just enjoy your days kind of life they faced.  They had to develop a different mind set.

He went on the tell them what exactly they needed to 'put on' and why.  He described it in a picture they were used to seeing - a soldier's armor.  Rome occupied most all the regions in Europe and the mid-east and soldiers were everywhere. The Ephesians saw fully armed Roman soldiers on every street corner.  It was a perfect idea to help these Christ followers see how they were to be properly dressed.

The first piece he mentioned to put on was the belt of truth. The belt a soldier wore around his waist held everything together. Jesus called Himself as 'The Truth'. Jesus will hold a soldier together. Next, was the breastplate of righteousness. This breastplate covered the main parts of a soldier's body and protected it. Jesus is righteousness personified. The next item was shoes. A Roman soldier's shoes had cleats on the soles to provide them with secure standing and walking. Paul called these shoes 'the preparation of the Gospel of Peace'.  Jesus gives the believer 'peace that passes understanding'.  Then, Paul tells them to take up the shield of faith.  Believers have faith in Jesus.  Then, Paul says to put on their heads the helmet of Salvation.  The helmet covered their mind and their spirit and protected the soul from harm.  Jesus is the savior.  He is salvation.  Lastly, they were to take up the sword of the Word of God.  Jesus is the Word become flesh.

Jesus is every piece of the armor we are urged to put on each and every day.  We are to be wearing this armor in order to pray at all times in the Spirit and to be on the alert because we are in a struggle with spiritual powers.  We can be strong and confident wearing this armor provided for us by God Almighty.  We can pray and prevent God's arch enemy from gaining ground.  We are in a battle with eternal consequences and today we can't just enjoy our days.  It is a fight to the finish.

#Lovingkindness

One of the gifts that was given to humanity is free will. Perhaps you don't think of having a free will as something to be cherished, but without it you would be just a robot.  There are times when I had the thought that it would be easier to be a robot when it came to making the choice of which hand bag I should choose when standing before rows and rows of absolutely lovely hand bags. Or, when I was at the grocery store and trying to decide menus for the week ahead and the shelves held soooo many delicious and nutritious vegetables.

There are times when I have felt very much like a robot when I was doing chores over and over again and I didn't even have to think about what I was doing because I had done it soooo many times.  It may take more time to think things through by not being a robot and we will be held accountable for the choices we follow through on, but I definitely do not want to be a robot.

We were given a free will by God who does not want a robotic response from people in regards to loving Him and trusting Him and obeying Him. The free will given to us is precious evidence of His loving kindness. Our will is ours alone. We do not have to ask for it or pay for it. It is a gift.

If we were robots we would not be held accountable to our doings. We could say that we were programmed and could not help acting the way we did. So, this wonderful gift carries with it a burden. We will reap the consequences of our deeds and words. We may try to explain away our doings by saying that the way we were raised influenced us or our environment caused us to act the way we did. That doesn't hold water with the Judge because we were given a brain as well as free will and we can think before we act or speak. We were not programmed.  Our life is in our hands to do with as we choose.

"I have set before you today life and death,the blessing and the curse. So, choose life in order that you may live and your descendants by loving the Lord your God, and by obeying His voice..." Deuteronomy 30:20

As long as you have a breath left, you are free to choose to come to God. You are free to believe His Word and choose life. Jesus, the Christ said that He was the Way, the Truth and the Life and that by believing in Him we would have Life. There will be eternal consequences as to your choice - Life or Death.

#Combat

Some may consider it pure arrogance or pure foolishness, the idea of wrestling with God.  There could be, possibly, another explanation.  The story of Jacob wrestling with the Angel of God is told in Genesis 32.  The background of this incident is a long story of deception and robbery and running for his life. Jacob had deceived his father, Isaac, to steal his twin brother's birthright. Then he ran to a far country where his uncle lived and worked for him as a sheep herder and married two of the daughters of his uncle and became very prosperous.  The time came when he felt he should return to his home, but he was afraid of his brother, Esau.  He made all the preparations he could to secure his family and all the stock he was taking.  He prayed to his God for protection and safety and started out.

Along the way the Angel of God confronted Jacob and so began the combat. Jacob hung on all night because he so needed the blessing he knew God had promised him. He ended up with his right hip out of joint and he walked with a limp the rest of his days, but he did receive the blessing.

Could it be that this man really knew his God?  Could it be that Jacob so trusted his God that he dared to call Him on the promise that had been made?  Could it be that the relationship Jacob had with his God was strong enough to demand that he more that just say a prayer, but that he get seriously involved?

Each born again child of God has a distinct relationship with their Father God and depending on how well you know Him determines the extent you will get serious.  For me, I see Creator God as my, I say, my Father.  I remind Him that I am His daughter bought with the precious blood of His Son, Jesus. I question Him.  I bring Him reasons why I am asking for the things I present to Him. Even though He is God Almighty, I know He is my Father and some may think I go too far and bring Him down from His throne by being so familiar with Him, but He is my Heavenly Father God and I am His daughter and I do act like a daughter with Him.

I haven't wrestled with Him, yet, but it has come mighty close at times.

"Call upon Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me."  Ps.50:15