1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.
Luke 18:1 Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart
I love God so!!!! He so loved the world that He created that He gave us His only begotten Son that through Him we could be saved and stand before Him. We are forgiven and loved and under the direct guidance of Holy Spirit who can transform us into a people of peace. Only God can do that. Without His love in us for all people as our guide we are just making noise!
Ephesians 6:14-18 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Help us holy Trinity to stand in the face of the evil that surrounds us. Help us by faith to stand and see the protection that only You can give. Thank you that Holy Spirit prays from us when words escapes us. We ask for Your mercy not only for us but for all people who are created in Your image. We thank you for the hope that is ever present in the salvation of Jesus. Our Faith pleases You. To You alone God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all glory and honor belongs. Carla
The belt around a soldier’s waist held the breastplate in place and provided an attachment for the sword. The shield was the soldier’s primary defense in battle. In the same way, the believer’s trust in God provides protection against the devil and his schemes. The assurance of God’s salvation protects the believer just as a helmet protects a soldier in battle. The sword of the Spirit is a weapon that helps believers proclaim the gospel message, act on God’s behalf, and combat attacks from the devil (Ephesians 6:11–12).
Paul’s use of the Greek word rhēma for word here primarily refers to the proclamation of the gospel and its ongoing work in the life of the believer (5:26; Romans 10:17). Prayer should not be an afterthought for believers, but rather their primary source of strength. Faithlife Study Bible
Verses 14–17 present the six pieces of spiritual armor. Four are mentioned specifically and the belt and shoes are implied. Soldiers girded themselves with a belt, from which hung strips of leather to protect the lower body. Truth is considered crucial by Paul (4:15, 25), because a dishonest Christian cannot hope to withstand the father of lies himself. The truth referred to here is integrity, a life of practical truthfulness and honesty. The breastplate of Roman times went completely around the body, so that the back of a warrior was also protected. The breastplate was made of hard leather or metal. The righteousness that the breastplate represents is not the righteousness of Christ, which all believers possess, but the practical, righteous character and deeds of believers.
A Roman soldier’s feet were shod with hard, studded shoes. Paul used this image to represent the preparation of the gospel of peace. This may mean either that the gospel is the firm foundation on which Christians are to stand or that the Christian soldier should be ready to go out to defend and spread the gospel. Above all may mean that the shield is to be used against everything. It may also mean that the shield is to cover the whole armor. A Roman soldier’s shield typically measured two and a half feet by four feet.
The Christian’s shield offers protection against all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Flaming arrows could not penetrate the fireproof shield of the ancient Roman soldier, nor can the assaults of Satan penetrate to the believer who places his or her faith in God.
The helmet of salvation represents the intricately designed Roman helmet which protected the soldier’s head and also made him look taller and more impressive.
The sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the believer’s armor. This weapon is not necessarily the Bible as a whole, but the specific word that needs to be spoken in a specific situation. To have the precise word ready, a person must know the Bible intimately.
Without prayer, all the armor in the world would be of no use. General prayers and specific petitions in the Spirit are to be made for all believers and at all occasions. Perseverance and patience in prayer are essential. The NKJV Study Bible
Isaiah 11:5
Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins,
And faithfulness the belt of His waist.
Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful upon the
mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,“Your God reigns!”
Henry Miller's quote, "The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely. We live at the edge of the miraculous."
In other words, to make space for what is dormant in our soul. Do we give ourselves that permission?
I take to heart the words of Catherine of Siena,
“I won't take no for an answer,
God began to say
to me
when He opened His arms each night
wanting us to
dance.”
If only we have eyes to see.
Or, perhaps, if only we are able to surrender expectations that, in the end, prevent us from seeing. Sabbath Moments
It's all a matter of keeping my eyes open. Beauty and grace are performed whether or not we will sense them. The least we can do is try to be there; so that creation need not play to an empty house. Annie Dillard
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