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Times Are Testy: Put on the Full Armor of God
Holly Deyo
January 8, 2016
For the last year and a half or so, never have Stan and I seen so many Christians dealing with huge loads. They're under siege from little soul-chipping nitpicking daily things to heartrending challenges. People are stressed, strained and tried every day. Nowhere is this more evident than within the Christian community.
Quite a few years ago, Hobby Lobby printed a huge message in newspapers with a beautiful strong knight and these words, "Put on the Armor of God." You'll find other Hobby Lobby messages here. It's one reason we're happy to support them.
Recently personal Christian friends came under numerous attacks. It seems like the stronger the faith, the more strident the attacks. Enormous problems plague our Country. Tensions are mounting globally. Stock markets are dipping and rollercoastering enough to make even the staunchest stomachs churn. The Middle East is on a boil. Our Divider-in-Chief gave Iran a pass on nukes and Norway verified that Iran just received a 60-ton shipment of yellowcake. What do you suppose they're going to do with that…
Obama continually circumvents Congress doing his own thing with his pen and phone. He acts like Dictator Dolittle or Golf King, not President. He's spent the last two years polishing his legacy of a failed presidency while the Country floundered and enemies gained ground. Two days ago when Obama tried to justify his latest attack on the Second Amendment he cried a la John Boehner when talking about shootings that occurred several months ago. Where were his tears for the 35 victims of a couple of Muslim ISIS-inspired nuts who massacred 14 and injured 21 others in San Bernardino last month? No tears for them. But it was a nice photo op. If you watched his Jan. 5th address, you'd have seen he paused dramatically to make sure all cameras got good snaps of the weeping. This was so obviously out of character one news commentator wondered if he had a peeled onion stashed in the podium.
By the time he slinks out of office, it's estimated he'll bring the national debt to a staggering $20 trillion, nearly doubling it. It's one thing to double the debt when it stands at one trillion and quite another to rocket it to $20T. He must have passed out a lot of Obamaphones. Only 10 months to go… Com'on November!
Americans, as a whole, are poorer than ever. Weather has gone sideways with massive Midwest floods in winter and killer tornadoes out of season. We're in the harshest El Niño in 18 years. By the time Spring rolls around it may be THE strongest. 2015 saw the worst-ever wildfire season since records started in 1960. Over 10 million acres burned last year.
People's health is going in the toilet, marriages are in trouble and folks are deceived by government saying things are rosy when we know otherwise. A lot of things are upside-down. People are self-absorbed posting selfies and revealing every facet of their life and bodies that others couldn't care less about. Nobody cares what somebody ate for breakfast. People are so addicted to social media their necks and backs are bent and their thumbs have "tennis elbow". Nearly every day another YouTube goes up of some idiot walking into a tree, light post, pothole, wall, another person or into a car or some other obstacle while texting. It's hard enough to check a Garmin flying down the freeway at 75, but how many times have you seen people texting and screaming down the Interstate, thumbs furiously punching those keys? Maybe it's prompting some of the endless road rage.
Remember being taught at home and in school to always put the other person first? Now people say "Me and Sally" or "Me and my son." What happened to the polite "Sally and I?" It's the era of "all about me".
How is it that 50 women can come forward and reveal an American icon drugged and raped them and then he gets off scot-free? Guess former President Bill Clinton set the precedent with 14 women claiming he sexually abused them from groping to rape. We're living 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
Terrorism in formerly safe nations is on the rise. Black-white relations are at an all-time low. There can be no doubt that the End of The Age is close. In acknowledging the challenges people are carrying, we're reminded of Ephesians 6:11-18. There can be no better way to start the year that to think on this encouraging message:
Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness 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.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
Onward Christian Soldiers
By Randy Conway
Satan’s army stands full force
and they hurl their fiery darts.
With legion upon legion
they’re aiming for your heart.
So few who know we’ve been supplied
with armor and a sword,
and that the victory is ours
when Jesus Christ is Lord.
If it seems at times
the enemy has the upper hand,
it’s because we shine our armor
and we fail to take a stand.
There’s no time to stand at ease,
we must be always ready for the fight.
So I don my armor now
to be a soldier of the light.
On the day when heaven’s army comes
with flaming swords of fire,
the final battle will be won
and chains will bind the liar.
The heavens will resound
as hooves beat against the sky
and the saints and angels will descend
from their camp on high.
On that day I hope I’m am found
with armor not shining bright,
but rather shows the signs and scars
of being in the fight.
So Christian heed the call today
be a soldier of the cross,
for every battle won today
is truly Satan’s loss.
As soldiers we must remain prepared,
for we don’t battle flesh and blood,
but principalities and powers
in a dark and raging flood.
http://www.standeyo.com/#Anchor-Times-49575