Armor up!

Ezekiel is pretty heavy. Essentially God is angry over Israel seeking idols and committing abominations (sounds intense and awful because it is) against God. And if you believe that is just the past, think again.***************************** EZ 6:9: in part says ‘...How I have been broken over their whoring heart that has departed from me and over their eyes that go whoring after their idols….’ **************************** Idols can be anything that leads you from God and into a world of your own making. It is sad really, even after all that mankind has endured, due to our own arrogance and ignorance, suffering the wrath of God and the wrath of natural consequences for our own stupidity and greed, we continue to rebel. We fail to understand. We never, some of us, make the connection. ******************************* Since sin entered the world, God doesn’t need to send plagues and horrible consequences to earth, though I believe that He still does. We do that to ourselves in the form of natural consequences for our actions or inactions. ****************************** Separating yourself from God or what is right, isn’t a great bolt of black lightening out of the sky that hits you and leads you astray. Most times it is tiny steps to do things your own way and in secret that cause you to become lost in darkness. ************************ Imagine that someone is trying to own you through blackmail and they have all manner of technology at their disposal. Let’s call him ‘Shark’ and those in cahoots with him ‘sharks’. They will watch your every move in person, on the internet on the phone, in private… your accounts, your private communications. They watch, record and wait. Then, when it becomes evident what your weaknesses are, they set the bait. Is it vanity? Laziness? Is it power over others? Is it lust of the flesh? Is it alcohol? Drugs? Greed? *********************** On the sidelines, they watch to see if by bringing you down they can indirectly cause the fall of others. Therefore, if you have people who respect you, love you, ‘follow’ you in faith, you are worth more ‘points’ to them. It would be like a domino affect, really. They take you down and many others either follow or turn away from their faith in God or in life because of who you are. So it isn’t just a straight shot game for all of what YOU value. It is a pyramid scheme to involve everyone that you know. ************************ For Christians, someone else is always watching either to emulate or learn about faith. One Christian, over their lifetime, can have a positive or negative ripple affect on the world. Active Christians save souls and provide counsel and help others learn about Christ, who in turn help others and so forth. If the sharks take one out, they remove the flow of love and guidance from hundreds of others. As well, if parents are removed, their children and their children for generations are affected. ************************* James 3:1: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” ****************************** The shark doesn’t always come at you directly. He gets to you through others who are connected to you or others who could tempt you or even still others who speak out of both sides of their mouths but are not of God. They wear the robes of righteousness but it is just an outfit to gain favor with those that they will bring down. *************************** The sneakiest way is to convince the world there are no threats out there, no sharks, no plot, no evil one. The other way is to slowly… very slowly, put obstacles in your way that keep you from staying armored up. It is my number one concern with vulnerable individuals who live in the world. “How do you intend on staying armored up?” ************************** Andy Stanley has a daily mantra I find helpful: ********************* 1) Surrender our will ****************** 2) Monitor your heart **************** 3) Open your hands to His will *************** But I need to add the most important one: 4) Stay armored up **************** 4) Stay armored up means:********************** • Stay in the Word for clarification and direction ***************** • Get connected to a church for further understanding ******************** • Get connected with other Christians-Strength in numbers ****************** Eph 6:10-18: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 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. 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. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ... “ ****************************** Heb 4:12: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” ***************************** If you have already fallen, get up! Fix it! Ask forgiveness and stay right. If you are starting to become complacent and step away from your armor, stop it! Get right! Get to it! It isn’t just your life that you are affecting! It is others in the wings that you cannot see!