Shield of Faith

Faith, it is something that we are taught at a young age to have. We have to have faith in our parents that they will provide food, shelter and love. We have to have faith in our teachers that they are teaching us correct information. But somehow as we get older and more independent our faith is changed. We have faith that when we go to work that we will receive a paycheck, we have faith that if we pay our bill the lights will work, we have to start working for our faith. We have to DO something in order to have that kind of faith. God is no different.

"In addition to all this take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Ephesians 6:16 NIV

In this study I was reading about Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They singlehandedly stood up to the almighty King Nebuchadnezzer and sad that they would not serve or bow down to the Gold image that the king had made his people worship. (Daniel 3:16-18) They were sent into an inferno, a furnace made for the purpose of annihilating their mere existence. They went in not knowing if God would spare them, but they went in there saying 'we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.'

Wow! What conviction and what FAITH! 

Everyday we walk this earth, we are walking a hidden battlefield. We have a CHOICE to pick up the shield of faith and trust that God will take us where we need to go, not necessarily where we want to, but where we need to.

Personally, I have really been struggling with this whole thing. With God, with the bad things people do, with having faith. I try, I try to keep my head up towards the Lord and I try to be the person I am expected to be, but I keep falling. I focus on the negative and I look at the things and people I have lost. I have so much to be thankful for and the devil keeps pulling me back into the pit of worry, and stress, and hardship. It's a rough road to follow. I have been told following God is easy, it's simply a decision to be good and follow his lead, listen to him and you will fulfill the will of God. Well, I don't know about you, but I respond much better to verbal instructions, written usually works too. But really, a little book and a few phoe calls from God would be great! "Okay Molly, today is going to be hard, your going to have this and this happen, but don't worry in 2 months it will be resolved and this whole stress thing will go away." And this my friends is where that mighty shield of FAITH comes in. I don't have God on speed dial, I don't have a map of my life. I have a Bible, I have friends and family that support my choice to follow God and I have my Faith. In this battle field of life I have to choose to pick up the shield and tell the devil and all his nonsense that "I'm covered." God has my back. 

I've been told many a times when you pick up a bible satan gets a headache, when you open it he collapses. Imagine what happens when you live it? He definitely pays attention and he turns his wrath loose. Being a Christian is not easy, bad things WILL happen, and the devil WILL try and turn you the other way. Where in the crowd will you be when the devil says "bow to me?" I'm standing in line behind Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, you?

Free Will and Judgement

Free will is a double edged sword, everyday people make the decision to choose God or to choose the world. I have really been battling this lately. I have been choosing God, but the guilt of how many times I have not is difficult to stomach. And dealing with the consequences of others decisions.

I have been doing a study on Romans chapter one about God's wrath.

"The wrath of God is being revealed from Heaven against all godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 Since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are withuout excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him but their thanking because futile and their foolish hearts were darkened."

Romans 1:18-21

I have of late been struggling with thanking God for certain things in my life. I thank him daily for my life, my family, my housing, that I am not hungry etc... But I am really struggling with free will. 

As mentioned before free will is a double edged sword, in one way I am thankful that I have free will to decide what is right from wrong and choose God and the things he has planned for me, have faith and be thankful for the things that I have. But this also comes with OTHER people having free will. Being a Christian does not make you immune to the decisions and consequences of others' decisions. This is hard for me right now. We all have the choice, God is always around the corner with hand outstretched and we still stumble and some stumble more than others. I have heard a saying "Don't condemn people because they sin differently than you." God sees all sin the same. As a human it is hard to understand how he can be so forgiving and loving to people that don't appear to deserve it.

But, WE HAVE ALL SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD! Itis not my place to judge the people around me, or point out to them that their actions are not "approved of by God." Because I, myself have fallen short, and will continue to fall short for the rest of my time on this earth.

I used to say "I can judge those around me when I can walk on water." This of course is not true, but simply an expression, it's not my place to judge. We will have our judgment one day before God himself.

On these bad days when I don't understand God's plan, and I don't understand why bad things happen. I simply have to have the faith that God knows better than I do. I must have faith when it' the hardest to do so. God has made it plain to us what he expects of us, he doesn't expect ANYONE to follow the rules 100% of the time, but he does want us to come back to him when we stray. And he always wants us to have faith in his will and timing.

Stop and smell the roses

"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy." 1 Peter 1:8 NIV

I think today's study is going to kind of focus on stopping and smelling the roses. I know that I, myself get so caught up in the day to day life, my chores, my errands, my daughter, my husband, my duties as a wife and mother and I miss the little things that are going on around me. I saw a meme on social media that said "The things you take for granted.... Someone else is praying for" I just kind of sat back and thought to myself how true that statement is. How many times in my own life have I hoped and prayed for exactly what I have now! I've been homeless and now I have a roof over my head, I have been hungry and I now have a fridge full of food, I have been through so many things and I now no longer have to go through them, and I often take that for granted. I will be rushing to get to the store or get through the store while my daughter tugs and pulls in a million directions and I am looking at my watch and urging her along. (How would it be to have the eyes of a child again!)  I just get so busy that I don't think about the fact that I am in a grocery store with money in the bank to purchase the items we need, or the fact that I have an adorable little girl who thinks I am the coolest person ever. I take for granted that when I get to the checkout I am not holding my breath and praying the card isn't declined, and I neglect to cherish the fact that I go into the parking lot and get into a car that is new and runs and I can place my daughter safely in the back and I simply turn the key and I am not praying it starts, or praying I have enough gas to get home. I have gotten complacent. Now, God does NOT like it when we get complacent

"You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." Revelations 3:17 NIV

Whoa! Intense! We come into this world cold and naked and if we don't listen to God we will leave in much the same way. I have gotten too comfortable with my life I have forgotten that I wouldn't have this life if it wasn't for God and his grace. As a human there is only so much that I can do, I cannot pull myself up by my bootstraps and achieve greatness alone. All I would have is broken bootstraps and nothing to show for it. Granted I should not ever focus on material things, but as a human I do. But, I need to shift my focus from "look at me" to "look at him." Because without God and his grace, love and faithfulness in ME I would be nothing. I cannot even begin to count how many times I have simply asked God for peace, and strength. Because I knew what I had to get accomplished I could not do on my own. But part of not being a lukewarm Christian is knowing that God is not an Emergency exit, he is a way of life. 

Everything I am today is because of everything I have been through in the past, and that is not only things in my day to day life or my personality or well being, but also my relationship with God. I am here on my knees and thanking him for everything that I have, not nearly as often as I should, but I'm still here. God has placed me in many situations to teach me one thing or another, and sometimes I get it on the first try and sometimes I don't. But he is still here, he is still holding my hand and loving me for who I am, with all my flaws and shortcomings. He has been there through it all, by my side. Now it is my turn to be there with him through it all and give the credit where it is truly deserved and earned. God is good, God is great and I would not be here if it were not for him, and THAT is a day by day, moment by moment train of thought.