Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” - Jeremiah 1:4-6   REFERENCE Jeremiah 1:4-10   Does this encounter between God and Jeremiah in today’s passage sound familiar to you? Have you ever wondered why we often try to talk ourselves out of doing great things in life? Perhaps, the reason can be found in Jeremiah’s answer to...

Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. - Ezekiel 37:4-5   REFERENCE Ezekiel 37:1-10   Ezekiel in this passage was placed in a valley of dry bones; dryness connotes something that is drained, withered, patched, and in this instance, an impossible situation. When God asked Ezekiel if the bones could live again, he said, “Oh Lord God You know.” In other words, this situation...

But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts his hand to the plough and then looks behind him is useless for the kingdom of God.” - Luke 9:62 (PHILLIPS)   REFERENCE Luke 9:23-24 & 61-62 Commitment is the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, interest, pursuit, etc. It is having a sense of responsibility or being obligated to doing something. The law that undergirds commitment is the law of faithfulness. The bible says in Proverbs 28:20, “A faithful man shall abound in blessings…” Jesus pointed out in our text, that anyone who cannot go all the way or...

For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves. - Luke 22:27   REFERENCE Luke 22:24-27   Have you ever been to a posh restaurant and the waiter comes and says, “I am Julius; I’m at your service?” What he is saying in essence is, “I am here to wait on you; to make your stay enjoyable. Anything you need, let me know, I will SERVE you.” SERVICE is simply the action of helping or doing work for someone; it is an...

…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God - Ephesians 6:17 REFERENCE Ephesians 6:10-17 To wrap up this series on Spiritual Warfare, let’s look at the last piece of armor the Apostle Paul talked about, “The Sword of the Spirit,” which is the Word of God. A sword is a bladed weapon used for battles, especially in ancient times. Hebrews 4:12, makes us understand that the Word of God is sharper than any double-edged sword, potent in both the seen and the unseen realms. Therefore, using the sword of the Spirit means, using the Word of God to engage...

And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; And take the helmet of salvation… - Ephesians 6:15 & 17   REFERENCE Ephesians 6:10-17.   Today, we will look at two of the armors we were instructed to arm ourselves with in this bible passage. They are: to shod our feet with the gospel of peace; i.e. be ready to move and spread the gospel of peace wherever God leads, and to take the helmet of salvation. If the gospel of peace is preached all over the world, and people receive it, it will mean less havoc in the world;...

Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. - Ephesians 6:16   REFERENCE  Ephesians 6:10-17.   The Apostle Paul, in our passage, wants believers to stand in the strength and power of the Almighty and to put on the whole armor of God (not some), in order to repel the attacks of Satan.  Today, we will be considering “The shield of Faith." A shield is often used to intercept attacks or blows; it is held in the hand or mounted on the wrist or forearm. In...

Stand therefore…having put on the breastplate of righteousness - Ephesians 6:14   REFERENCE Ephesians 6:10-17   A breastplate is a piece of armor that covers the chest to protect it from injury; especially in a battle. Righteousness on the other hand, as defined by the dictionary is, “The quality of being morally right or justifiable.” Isaiah 64:6 shows us that our own righteousness is like filthy rags when compared to God’s righteousness; this means, we can’t measure up to God’s righteousness on our own. However, God in His mercy bestowed the gift of righteousness on every believer through the sacrifice...

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11   REFERENCE Ephesians 6:10-17   As believers, we must understand that we are engaged in warfare. Many things we blame God for are actually orchestrated by Satan. Many things we take the blame for are equally influenced by Satan. I know one of Satan’s greatest successes in today’s world is to make people believe he is not there… Life is not a funfair, it is warfare. Whether you believe it or not, there is a battle going on...