Author: Travis Manhart

Please watch the video introduction to my message here:

Welcome to this months Vida. I trust the last one challenged, encouraged, and inspired you to walk more closely and be faithful to the Lord. I know it does me.

Ephesians 6:11-12 (our theme verse) 

Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes (the methodology) of the devil (he studies us to dismantle our faith, looking for the weak spots that would cause us to stumble and maybe even renounce our faith). For we do not wrestle (hand-to-hand combat, the most personal combat) against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against spiritual wickedness over this present darkness in heavenly places (porneria is the Latin for evil or wickedness, it is where we get our word for pornography).

Ephesians 6:14

Stand, therefore (hold fast), having (securely) fastened on the belt of truth. The correct “Truth” is critical. Let’s examine “Truth” in light of God’s Word. 

It is important to note that the forces against us, though manifested in human emotions, are resolved in the spiritual. Worry and stress, anxiety and fear, lust, and greed are fueled and in line with our carnal nature. These, combined with the spiritual realm, are a far superior enemy. A word picture I can give you is they are fighting us with laser-guided missiles; they know just where to hit us. We are fighting back with pistols and rifles. How do we think we can combat, defeat, and achieve victory? It is not possible in our strength. Could this be why so many Christians live defeated lives? So what happens when we realize that we are failing? Well, if we don’t give up, we then become religious. 

We go through the motions, and our lives become filled with contradictions, saying and acting one way in public, but within our world, we live another. If this is you, you do not need to live this way. Freedom and truth are at the door. We have all experienced trying to be “Christian.” We make the error by thinking it is acting a certain way, and it’s not; it’s about becoming a follower of the Lord Jesus. I dealt with this early on until I realized that the more Christ grew, my life became easier. My life became more meaningful; I was becoming a Christian.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed (metamorphosis) by the renewal of your mind (through reading and hearing God’s Word), that by testing you may discern wha God’s will is, what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

This is great news. I’m not alone in my struggles; my transformation is not mine to do; mine is to nourish and feed the Holy Spirit in me, and He is to transform me (Amen). The Holy Spirit changes and strengthens me, enabling me to live a spiritual life that is foreign to me. For example, a dry sponge cannot clean up anything, right? The sponge needs to be soaked in water or a soap solution, which can be used for cleaning. We are all dry sponges. Dry and ineffective in our strength, we need to “soak” in God. What does that mean? It means that our cleansing solution (for ourselves) is made up of personal Bible study, prayer, attending church, and small groups where we can connect and share and be prayed for. 

Galatians 5:1

Christ Has Set Us Free

For freedom, Christ has set us free; stand firm (resist), therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery (fears, worries, lust, anxiety, etc.). This is the goal. 

The how…

Galatians 5:16-17

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do (so then, who wins? The one we “soak” with the most)  

The task that Christ would have us do is “ Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matt 6:33).” The process is simple in understanding; the one we prioritize will eventually win, but this is difficult and takes time. If you genuinely have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, you now have the Holy Spirit. It is He who changes us, but He does not force change; we must agree. That’s where it gets a bit “sticky.” We do not always agree or want the change. Let me give you another analogy. When you plant a seed in the ground, what has to happen next for that seed to grow? You must water it and keep the waterings regular, so the seed can continue growing. 

If you stop watering, the plant will dry up and die. You do not worry about how the plant uses the water to make itself grow; you just know it needs to be watered. The seed of faith was planted in you when you accepted Christ. Now, the same way it got planted in you is the same way it will grow. Being in church, Bible study, prayer, and worship are the ways it will grow. It is no different. You must water it; otherwise, it will wilt and die, and you will think Christianity didn’t work for you. That would be the wrong conclusion. 

If this is you, come back to Him. Repent and ask for forgiveness. This allows Him to cleanse you and reunite you with Himself. Remember, the Holy Spirit is the power behind our transformation. It’s not something we can do on our own, and it’s something the Holy Spirit can’t do if we are not obedient. As water is to a seedling, so Bible Study, Church, and fellowship are to spiritual growth. Spend time with Him as you would your favorite friend, spouse, or place to stay. We take medicine to get well, and once taken, the medicine goes to work. The medicine does not hop into our mouths. We must develop the discipline to take it. Whether on an empty stomach or twice a day, following the directions is up to us. What if you only take a half dose? Will the medicine still work? Probably not, and it is the same with The Lord. There can be no shortcuts. As one would follow the prescribed doses, one needs to do the same in seeking the Lord. Being a “lazy Christian” or a “distracted Christian,” faith will struggle to grow. The seedling will not develop. From this point forward, it has been a team effort between The Holy Spirit and me. He does the work as I submit to His Word.

Joshua 1:8 (I quote this verse all the time)

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous and have good success (your seedling will grow and in time become a tree).

We will undoubtedly fail on this journey, and it is a journey of a lifetime. However, the Lord’s forgiveness is so beautiful. It’s like the morning rain that refreshes everything. It’s like starting over without losing the growth you have made. 

Proverbs 24:16-17

For the righteous falls seven times and but gets up again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. Do not rejoice (however) when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it, and He is displeased. 

A truth we need to realize is that we are now in a spiritual battle. We have an enemy (we’ve always had satan as an enemy), and he’s always hated us, but before conversion, we obeyed and followed him through our carnal nature; we had a fake truce. Now that we belong to Christ, we have severed our relationship with him and become his enemy. His stated goal is to steal (our joy), kill, and destroy. So, do you want to go back to him, or would you want to flirt with him (John 10:10) and play his games? Many of us do and then wonder why we struggle with our Christian walk. To allow jealousies and envy to rule or remain in us, lust or pride, or anger, coarse or hurtful speech, seeing or saying unholy things, worry or fear, etc., giving these carnal emotions a haven in our soul, is to grieve the Holy Spirit and to hurt ourselves. We naturally have those things in us because of our carnal nature, but we are to oppose them and not go along with them. Only through the Holy Spirit can they be conquered. 

Ephesians 4:30

And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (to seal something is to make it yours. A king would seal a letter with wax and his signature ring, and everyone knew the letter was from him. We are Christ’s letter sealed by His blood. When people read us, what do they read?). 

No matter how justified or entitled we may feel in having them, these carnal attitudes are spiritual weights. They weigh us down, weaken us, and come in conflict against the peace and joy the Lord wants us to have. We need to surrender these emotions; if we do not, they become strongholds, just like castles in our lives or jail cells that trap us. To become free, we must surrender ourselves to the Lord and ask for forgiveness. God has a much higher calling for us, and it is not a position or a thing; the Highest Calling is to Know Him Intimately, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

In specific usages, the word “know” expresses the sexual relationship between a man and his wife, “ And Adam knew Eve.” If it is not used sexually, then it is very intimate. We have no greater calling than to know The Lord and be known by Him. The more I grow in Him, the greater my joy. He’s becoming my Great Reward, my Pearl of Great Prize. It is not my job that I live for, nor for a nice house, or for how much I earn, etc. None of these worldly pursuits fill my heart like His presence and love. 

Galatians 5:1

Christ Has Set Us Free

It is for freedom Christ has set us free (to fully love Him with no hindrances is the greatest freedom one can have); stand firm (military term/ resist) therefore, and do not submit (to come under) again to a yoke of slavery (any carnal desire contrary to God’s Word). 

What was the yoke? The yoke was a harness of servitude placed on the shoulders and neck of a beast of burden that enabled the farmer to plow his field. So whose field are we plowing, the world’s, for a yield that will perish, or are we plowing in our Father’s field, to give yields unto Eternity?  

As The Innocent was enduring His 39 lashes (the sentence of death was 40), He did not protest or say this was unfair. He endured, carrying His Cross afterward, a bloody mess, a grotesque human figure with blood running down His forehead from His Crown of thorns. Weakened, He eventually collapsed under the weight of the Cross. Then, His lacerated arms and body were stretched (His muscles and nerves were in spasms, wanting to contract) over a splintery Cross. He was then nailed to it. Nails more like spikes driven into His wrists and ankles. It’s enough to make anyone pass out, but He stayed lucid. I’m glad He didn’t say this was unfair or demanded His rights, for the next things He did is where He bought my salvation and yours. “Father, hold not this sin against them, for they know not what they do.” blinded by sin, we killed the one person who loved us so much that He was willing to die for us, taking our sins upon Himself. 

Then, the pain that I believed killed Him was that of a broken heart. For the first time in His Eternal Existence, he was utterly alone, separated from His Father, something He had never experienced. Something after the Cross will never happen again, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me.” Utterly alone, as The Father turned His back on His Son, God the Father removed His presence from God the Son. But He continued, “Son, this is your mother, and Mother, this your son ( he even considered His mother), and then the final words that bought it all: “ It is finished.” He then released His soul from His body. No one caused Him to die; He chose His time to separate His soul from His body. How He endured the pain is beyond human understanding, but at that point, He accomplished our redemption: A Man of men. Redemption’s root word means to be purchased back from the marketplace of slavery. Such undeserved love. If you truly understand what you just read, then there is no other response than to get on your knees and thank Him for such love. 

Questions: what loving Father would forsake His son in His hour of desperate need? I would not, and I’m sure you would not, but the Perfect Father of Heaven did; why? As God the Father took the sins of all humanity, past, present, and future, and placed them upon God the Son, He became a most polluted sacrifice that the Holy Father had to separate Himself from, and there He hung alone in the utter filth of man, your sins and mine. I know how crabby I feel when I screw up; imagine that a trillion times over. In light of this, you may want to reconsider your “entitlements.”  He did not go through all this so that you and I would remain in bondage to our pride. He died to free us from the traps of unforgiveness, entitlements, lust, and all the base natures of our pride. 

This is part I of the Belt of Truth. The Belt of Truth is having a solid foundation and a right and proper understanding of how God the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit see us. If you truly grasp this, you will want to run to Him and run from sin. And when you sin, and you and I will, you will not want to be like Adam and hide from God; you can’t wait to confess your sin and get back into His arms. This devotional is strong medicine; I fear only a viewer can truly understand it. 

As we approach Easter, I encourage you to re-read this several times and allow it to soak into you. Become a well-soaked sponge Jesus is such a Man; you will never find one more complete, loving, understanding, or wise in giving our life guidance. Read The Bible, and stay close to it… 

Father, 

Thank you for such a sacrifice. We are not worthy of You, but in your heart, we are. We were, are, and will always be the object of your affection. You are seeking a pure/Holy Bride for yourself. Help us to seek to be a pure Bride for a very, very, more than Worthy Savior. May we be able to apply Your truths to our soul, drink it up as the plants drink the rain. Let us be willing to let you deal with the weaknesses in our life, even too fast with prayer, so that we can become stronger and be more loyal and useful sons or daughters. 

I pray this for me and my brothers and sisters in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

Amen and Amen, your son by Grace

Arthur

If you’ve come this far, please consider my book on Amazon:

Arthur NavarretteVida4U.com is the website where all past Vida’s are archived. In addition to the weekly devotionals, the yearly inspirational writings featured in December’s House2Home Magazine are archived under “Faith Talk.”  Please use this site for your benefit and refer your friends to it as well. If they would like the weekly series emailed to them, they can send their requests to Arthur@Vida4U.com.

Please watch the video introduction to my message here:

I hope everyone had a very nice Christmas and New Year. We will be continuing our study on the armor. We just concluded our study on the Helmet. The helmet study has been a personal benefit to me. Mentally, I imagine a helmet of salvation over my mind, and instantly, I am refocused on our salvation in Christ, and whatever was stressing me is met with hope and a proper sense of priority. The Helmet “protects/changes” many things: our beliefs, thoughts, actions, how we relate to others, and our environment, including our hardships and blessings. 

All of this starts in our mind, and the Helmet encompasses everything. In tough times, our helmet focuses our thoughts and gives us our willingness to fight. Also, it has everything to do with how well or skilled we fight. Our ONLY offensive weapons are our sword and dagger (in some passages where the word is translated as sword, it means a dagger), and each has a specific use. Our helmet equips us with courageous thinking and the knowledge to use the proper sword. 

We know that our kingdom does not exist here, and because of that, we will fight courageously for our Father’s Kingdom, upholding His values. Valuing that which our Father values, we will rule over our flesh. This takes maturity and knowledge of God’s Word. Also, what use is our sword if it is not wielded with accuracy, strength, and the determination to win? It’s of no value. If we don’t fight knowing that the victory is ours because of our Savior’s victory, then we will lose the fight. All this comes from our mind, which is protected and directed by the Helmet of Salvation. 

Here’s a worldly example of how the Helmet works. Say you are going on vacation where you will be swimming, snorkeling, etc., but you love donuts. The last thing you want to do is gain a few pounds before the trip. You may even go to the gym and eat more salads. Why did the behavior change? Because the thought of going on a tropical vacation affects your eating habits. You want to look good in your bathing suit. The Helmet of Salvation works the same. 

How we engage with the world is affected by the Truth of God’s Word. Here is not our home; one needs to know the Bible and God’s Words to live like that. That’s why we are admonished to know God’s Word (Joshua 1). If we know the Word of God and continue in it, we will know how to conduct ourselves, what to think about, and what to reject. As we study God’s Word, we are becoming more equipped to defeat any thought contrary to God’s Word, and a Godly life will become infused into our souls. We don’t have to act, we just need to be (AMEN TO THAT) 

Psalms 119:10-11

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Our role is to hide God’s Word in our hearts and minds. Unfortunately, too many have not done this, and we eat the donuts. 

This is a recap from two Vida’s ago.

Now, picking up from the last Vida… God’s dialogue with Solomon. 

2 Chronicles 1:12

Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

Would we not want God to say this to us? What did Solomon say to God for God to say this to him? It’s such a huge blessing. Most of us can handle adversity much better than blessings. The expression that the younger generation uses when something is super active, for example, your cell phone, instead of saying what I usually say, “It’s ringing off the hook,” they say, “Your cell phone is blowing up.” Well, that happens to us when we seek and receive the blessing without the character to support it. 

Like people who win the lottery, they didn’t work for the money, so they mismanaged it. Like the prodigal son, he spent all his inheritance that took his father his lifetime to develop, and within a short period, he was broke. He had not worked for it and hence had no character to support or appreciate it. He was reduced from a son of wealth to a slave feeding pigs for a gentile man (which shows that he was living outside of Israel and how far he had decreased. Pigs were forbidden in Jewish culture.) 

Just like the prodigal, we “blow up” like a balloon with the air of pride when a blessing comes our way. We take the credit for ourselves, becoming prideful and fail to be grateful. God often allows this to test us and show us what is in our hearts. Failing to acknowledge that this blessing God has bestowed on me was for me to bestow on others and not just on myself. Having this mindset keeps us from “blowing up.” We are [stewards] of His blessings, not owners. 

Without proper character development, which God seeks through trials, we will instinctively take ownership of God’s blessings. We will lose intimacy with Him as we allow pride to invade our hearts, making us “secular Christians,” which many of us are, wanting Christ (so we think) and the world. If you are in this position or want to be sure you’re not, read Revelation 3:13-20. It will open your heart and eyes to the trap that awaits each of us. It changed me in my early Christian life. 

Revelation 3:15&16 

I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich (it doesn’t take much for some people to feel they do not need the Lord). I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked (God’s view of us; our pride blinds us to the sin that controls us [pride, sin and I have what letter in common?])

Back to Solomon. So, what was the prayer he prayed? It was a prayer that came from his deepest being.

2 Chronicles 1:9-12

Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude (God’s promise to Abraham fulfilled). 

Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people (this is an expression for proper leadership )for who can judge this — thy people, that is so great?

And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart,(the purpose of trials is to bring out what is in our heart) and thou hast not asked for riches, wealth, or honor, nor — the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge — my people, over whom I have made thee king (or a husband, dad, wife, mother, manager etc).

Therefore, wisdom and knowledge are granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. 

King David’s life (his father) profoundly affected Solomon and put him on the right track. Unfortunately, in Solomon’s later years, he departed from it and lost his fear/respect of God. This is a severe caution; many start well but finish poorly (how will you or I finish?) Just studying the Kings in the Old Testament, many fell into paganism. We must never allow ourselves to escape the Word of God, for it teaches us always to fear God. 

Most of the time, what is in our hearts is self-serving. It becomes most apparent in times of testing. Bad attitudes, impatience, selfishness, etc., all rise to the surface in the heat of a trial, as gold being purified and all the inferior minerals being lighter rise to the surface. Likewise, our sinful nature rises to the surface, being inferior to God’s righteous nature, and we become angry, foul-mouthed, loud, self-serving, bitter, etc., as things do not go our way. Upon seeing that, we have a decision to make. We can own our bad attitudes, stop blaming others, and confess it to the Lord, at which point God will forgive us and begin the process of cleansing our hearts, or we can ignore it and justify it and continue down this road for as long as we like. We will make ourselves and those around us miserable. It’s our choice.

When we confess our sins and humble ourselves before God, God’s method is straightforward. A repentant heart combined with God’s Word defeats mountains of sin in our lives. For example, say anger is one of our problems; in James 1:19-21, it would be only one of many scriptures to memorize, asking the Holy Spirit to apply this truth to our hearts until we see victory in this area (google Bible verses on anger). 

James 1:19-21

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore, put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted (be grafted) word that can save your souls.

Now, back to our question: what did Solomon say to The Lord for the Lord to respond as such? Solomon’s request is a great prayer, for it is entirely selfless, genuinely seeking God’s honor (a key to a good prayer). As mothers or fathers, we could pray this prayer for raising our children or grandchildren correctly, even including our work: “Help me to work in such a way that I honor You, Lord.” As a boss, manager, or lead person, to pray a prayer similar to that in my managing and dealing with people, I would honor The Lord. It would be such a remarkable prayer. We don’t have to be a King to seek to rule, manage, and raise kids so that God is honored.

Solomon felt overwhelmed by his duty (the fear of God causes you to want to do the task at hand in an excellent way), and it causes you to see your limitations. Therefore, the intelligent thing to do is humbly request The Lord’s help. Solomon requested help from the God of his father (the importance of a godly example cannot be underestimated). It is an excellent place to be with God when we feel overwhelmed, though it is very uncomfortable. Our prayers will not be casual; they will be intentional and earnest, coming from the depths of our hearts. 

The real me and the real you. Solomon’s prayer was just that. On a practical level, here’s an example of a prayer; “God, would You be honored as I deal with my boss or as I deal with my ex., or my child’s teacher, or a fellow employee, or help me to steward my finances in a way that honors You (2 Cor. 9:11-13) and give as You have asked me to do (remember disobedience in our finances affects the rest of our life with Him. How can He trust us with measures of anointing if we cannot trust Him with our finances). Would people not just see a man or a woman that speaks religion but carries the [presence of the Holy Spirit in them]?

If this becomes our prayers and the motive for our study, the armor of the spirit and the gifts that come with being God’s child will be impactful and valuable. Knowing that we are stewards of His gifts and not owners makes us more careful to honor God. God’s Word in us keeps developing our character to handle current and future blessings and challenges. The Word causes us to value the Giver of the gifts, and not the gifts themselves. And the Word also allows us to develop in humility, causing me to think Big of God and small of myself. The most crucial characteristic period; also the least prayed for. However, there is not a man or woman extensively used by God who does not possess this. Look at all the men and women from history who were ambassadors for God; they all possessed humility and valued it above all else, and those who lost sight of it fell. 

For without humility, intimacy with God will be alluded to. Further progression into the Heart of God is unattainable, but with it, there is no limit to how close we can become. As we mature, it is no longer an option to seek Him or not, but as one who has become desperate for His presence and love, we seek Him. For example, being blamed for the death of my brother would have destroyed me if there was not a foundation of God in my life. Where would I have gone to escape such a pain that you cannot outgrow or outrun? To a bar, drinking to escape the pain, or drugs, or how many divorces would I have had by now? I have been married to Lisa for 43 years, and I’ve never drunk 

or had an interest in doing drugs. There is no need or interest in blurring the lines, preventing me from hearing God’s voice, not even for a night. The pain that could have ruined me has only made me seek Christ more intently. 

If you struggle with trauma of any kind, would you please heed my words and stop blaming God for your tragic event? This world is not His, so we experience the pain that a fallen world has. He cries with us, but He has done so much more other than cry with us. He has redeemed us from what the effect of the pain could have had on us, using the pain to make us stronger. Then, we use pain to allow us to reach others. Know that none of us has experienced the pain He went through for us, not only the weight of all sin but the absolute separation from His Father, “My God (not Father) My God, why have You forsaken me (Matt.27:43). Such a pain, that it killed Him. Continued bitterness or blame only keeps you from being free and filled with His love and hope. You may not understand the incidents in your life yet, but I have come to know Him as my most intimate friend because of my pain. We can let the pain drive us to Him or from Him; it’s up to us. Getting this right frees you and me and means I can offer Him to others as I do with Vida. You, too, can bless others if you get victory over your pain. 

Trials prove the genuineness of our faith (1 Peter 4:12-14) 

Before we blame Him for our pain, look to His Cross and see the pain He underwent to redeem us from this temporal life, to make us right with our Heavenly Father for [Eternity & 1Peter 3:18) . If we do this, there is no way pity can govern us or put a wedge between us and God. As He meets us in our desperate times, we become marked by His love and experience His faithfulness. He becomes part of our story, and we become part of His. 

Okay, let’s discuss our shield of faith before closing. 

Hebrews 11:1 “By Faith”

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (that’s exactly what Abraham did. He believed he would have a son, though Sarah was not pregnant and very old.

Romans 4:19-21

And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

He was being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he could also perform.

Why is Faith likened to our shield and breastplate( though the breastplate in Ephesians is our righteousness, righteousness comes from faith)? Both armors, the shield, and the breastplate, protected the soldier from fiery arrows, spears, swords, etc. And what protects us from our “arrows.” The trials and difficulties are the circumstances the enemy uses to discourage and whisper to us that God does not care. He wants to lure us into doubt and distrust. If we believe, the doubt pulls us away from God, which is his intent to defeat us. The wolf always seeks to separate a lamb away from the flock; therefore, the more we know of God’s promises and His character, the better equipped we will be to quench satan’s lies and navigate the difficult times of our lives. 

So all this works, our armor, walking by faith, trusting, etc., or falls apart if we are not in God’s Word. It is the foundation for all the armor. Not great sermons, though they are accommodating, no doubt, and not Christian friends, though without them life would be very hard, but time spent between you and the Lord, alone; allowing Him to speak to your heart through His Word (the great messages or godly friends support or clarify God’s teaching). That is what Jesus meant by a Wise Builder (Matthew 7). He who hears the Words of Righteousness and applies them to his life will stand against the winds and the waves of life. 

1 Thessalonians 5:8

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

In ending, the shield of faith and the breastplate of righteousness grow and develop in us as we spend time knowing the Lord. It is not hard to have faith in someone if you know them; the more intimately you know them, the easier it is to trust them. Life then isn’t so hard because you know and trust the person from whom you seek help. Amen

Father, 

Thank you for this study. Help us to understand that it was only when Mary broke the alabaster jar that the costly aroma came out and filled the room. You want your aroma in us to INFUSE US and come out to the people around us, in our family, at work, wherever our life takes us; so, let us be willing to go through the harrowing trials, for in doing so, we grow closer to You and become a more helpful vessel in your hands. Thank you, and Amen. 

“Broken bread feeds the multitude, bread that stays whole feeds only one, ourselves.”

Your son by Grace,

Arthur 

If you’ve come this far, consider taking a look at my book on Amazon:

https://a.co/d/34jHw1t

Arthur NavarretteVida4U.com is the website where all past Vida’s are archived. In addition to the weekly devotionals, the yearly inspirational writings featured in December’s House2Home Magazine are archived under “Faith Talk.”  Please use this site for your benefit and refer your friends to it as well. If they would like the weekly series emailed to them, they can send their requests to Arthur@Vida4U.com.

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Preview YouTube video Focus on the right priorities for more hope!

Continuing our study on the armor. We just concluded our study on the Helmet. Our beliefs, thoughts, actions, and how we relate to people and our environment, including hardships and blessings, all start in our mind – the Helmet. And in tough times, our thoughts determine our willingness to fight and how determined we are to fight. Also, it has everything to do with how well we handle our ONLY offensive weapons, sword and dagger (in some passages where the word is translated as a sword, it means a dagger). 

Because of our Helmet, we are equipped with courageous thinking, rightly discerning the situation and the truth of scripture that applies. We know that our life does not just exist here, and because of that, we will fight courageously for Heaven’s values. Valuing that which our Father values, we will rule over our flesh. What good is our sword if it is not wielded with speed, strength, and determination to win? It’s of no value, and we will lose the fight. All that comes from our mind is protected and directed by the Helmet of Salvation. 

Here’s an easy example of how the Helmet works. Say you are going on vacation to a tropical island where you will swim, snorkel, etc., but you love donuts. The last thing you want to do is gain a few pounds. You may go to the gym more and eat more salads. Why does the behavior change? Because the thought of going on a tropical vacation affects your eating habits. You want to look good in your bathing suit. The Helmet of Salvation works the same. The Truth of God’s Word in us affects how we engage with the world. That’s why we are admonished to know God’s Word (Joshua 1). Suppose we know the Word, how to conduct ourselves, what to think, and what to reject. As we study God’s Word, we are equipped to defeat any thought contrary to God’s Word. 

Psalms 119:10-11

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

This is ideal, hiding God’s Word in our hearts and minds. Unfortunately, too many have not done this, and we eat the donuts. 

Picking up from the last Vida…God’s dialogue with Solomon. 

2 Chronicles 1:12

Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

Would we not want God to say this to us? What did Solomon say to God for God to say this to him? Such a huge blessing. Most of us can handle adversity much better than blessings. The expression that the younger generation uses when something is super active, for example, your cell phone, instead of saying what I normally say, “It’s ringing off the hook,” they say, “Your cell phone is blowing up.” Well, that happens to us when we seek the blessing without the character to support it.  

We “blow up” like a balloon filled with pride. We take the credit for ourselves and become prideful; we fail to be grateful. Acknowledging that this blessing God has bestowed on me for me to bestow on others. This mindset keeps us from “blowing up .”We are stewards of His blessings, not owners. Without proper character development, which God seeks to do through the trials, we will instinctively take ownership of God’s blessings. He will lose intimacy with us as we allow pride to invade our hearts, making us “secular Christians,” which many of us are now, wanting Christ (so we think) and the world. If you are in this position or want to keep a check on your heart so you do not become a secular believer, read Revelation 3:13-20. It will open your heart and eyes to the trap that awaits each of us.

So, what was the prayer that Solomon prayed? It was a prayer that came from his deepest being.

2 Chronicles 1:9-12

Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude( God’s promise to Abraham fulfilled). 

Give me now wisdom and knowledge that I may go out and come in before this person (this is an expression for proper leadership), for who can judge this — thy people, that is so great?

And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, (the purpose of trials is to bring out what is in our heart) and thou hast not asked for riches, wealth, or honor, nor — the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge — my people, over whom I have made thee king. Therefore, wisdom and knowledge are granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like. 

King David’s life (his father) profoundly affected Solomon. Unfortunately, Solomon departed from his fear of God in his later years. A serious caution, many start well but finish poorly. We must never allow ourselves to escape the Word of God, for it teaches us to always fear God. 

Most of the time, what is in our hearts is self-serving. It becomes most apparent in times of testing. Bad attitudes, impatience, selfishness, etc., all rise to the surface in the heat of a trial. We become angry, foul-mouthed, loud, etc., as things do not go our way upon seeing that in us we have a decision to make. We can own our bad attitudes, stop blaming others, and confess it to the Lord, at which point God will forgive us and begin the process of cleansing our heart, or we can ignore it and/or justify it and continue down this road for as long as we like. We will make ourselves and those around us miserable. It’s our choice.

God’s method is straightforward when we decide to change and humble ourselves before God. A repentant heart combined with God’s Word defeats mountains of sin in our lives. For example, say anger is one of our problems; James 1:19-21 would be the only one of the scriptures to memorize, asking the Holy Spirit to apply this truth to our hearts until we see victory in this area. 

James 1:19-21

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:

For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and abundance 

of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which can save your souls.

Back to our question of what Solomon said to The Lord. Solomon’s request is a great prayer, for it is completely selfless, truly seeking God’s honor (a key to a good prayer). As mothers or fathers, we could pray this prayer for raising our children or grandchildren correctly, even including our work. As a boss, manager, or lead person, I pray this so that I would be a Godly example to them. It would be such an awesome prayer. We don’t have to be a King to seek to rule, manage, and raise kids so that God is honored.

Solomon felt overwhelmed by his duty (the fear of God causes you to want to do the task at hand in an excellent way), and it causes you to see your limitations. Therefore, the smart thing to do is to humbly request help from The Lord. Solomon requested help from the God of his father (the importance of a godly example cannot be underestimated). When we feel overwhelmed, though it is a very uncomfortable feeling, it is a good place to be with God. Our prayers will not be casual; they will be intentional and earnest, coming from the depths of our hearts. The real me and the real you. Solomon’s prayer was just that, and it pleased God. Would it be to God that when we pray, and regardless of what we pray, when we finish, it would be that our motive would be that God would be honored? For if He is honored, we, too, would be honored. That’s exactly what God did with Solomon, and it is what God does with us. I feel so honored by His love and that He is involved in the simplest details of my life that I want to bring Him honor. 

On a practical level, here’s an example of a prayer; “God, would You be honored as I deal with my boss or as I deal with my ex., or my child’s teacher, or a fellow employee, or help me to steward my finances in a way that honors You (2 Cor. 9:11-13) and give as You have asked me to do (remember disobedience in our finances affects the rest of our life with Him. How can He trust us with measures of anointing if we cannot trust Him with our finances). Would it be that people would not just see a man or a woman who speaks religion but has the presence of the Holy Spirit in them? 

***If then this becomes our prayers, the armor of the spirit and the gifts that come with being God’s child will be impactful and useful. Knowing that we are stewards of His gifts and not owners makes us more careful to honor God. It’s God’s Word in us that keeps developing our character so as to be able to handle current and future blessings and challenges. The Word causes us to value the Giver of the gifts and not the gifts. And the Word also allows us to develop in humility, causing me to think Big of God, and in meekness, causing me to think small of myself. The two most important characteristics are period and also the two least prayed for. However, there is not a man or woman greatly used by God who does not possess these characteristics. Look at all the men and women from history who were ambassadors for God; they all possessed humility and meekness and valued them above all else. 

For without them, continued intimacy with God is alluded. In fact, further progression into the Heart of God is unattainable, but with them, there is no limit to how close we can become. As we mature, it is no longer an option to seek Him or not, but as one who has become desperate for His presence, so we seek Him. For example, being blamed for the death of my brother would have destroyed me. Where would I have gone to escape such pain? In a bar drinking to escape the pain, or how many divorces would I have had by now? I have been married to Lisa for 43 years. The pain that could have ruined me has only made me seek Christ more intently. If you struggle with trauma of any kind, would you please, please, heed my words and stop blaming God for your tragic event? He cried and cried with you. 

John 11:33-36

When Jesus, therefore, saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

He was not the cause of Lazarus’ death nor the cause of our pain and trauma. The awful truth is that we live in a fallen world that has rejected God, and all people, not just you or I, suffer/experience pain because of it. Our world is not the world He made. Continued bitterness or blame only keeps you from being free and filled with His love and hope. You may not understand the incidents in your life as yet, but because of my pain, I have come to know Him as my most intimate friend. We can either let the pain drive us to Him or from Him; it’s up to us. Getting this right not only frees me but also means I can offer Him to others, as I do with Vida. 

Trials prove the genuineness of our Faith. 

Before we blame Him for our pain, look to His Cross and see the pain He underwent to redeem us from this temporal life, to make us right with our Heavenly Father for [Eternity]. If we do this, there is no way pity can govern us or put a wedge between us and God. As He meets us in our desperate times, we become marked by His love and experience His faithfulness. He becomes part of our story. 

Our Shield of Faith

Hebrews 11:1“By Faith”

Now, Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (that’s exactly what Abraham did. He believed he was going to have a son, though Sarah was not pregnant and very old.

Romans 4:19-21

And being not weak in Faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb:

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith, giving glory to God;

Being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was also able to perform.

KlWhy is Faith likened to our shield and breastplate (though the breastplate in Ephesians is our righteousness, righteousness comes from Faith)? Both armors, the shield, and the breastplate, protected the soldier from fiery arrows, spears, swords, etc. And what protects us from our “arrows.” The trials and difficulties are the circumstances that the enemy uses to discourage us and whisper to us that God does not care. He wants to lure us into doubt and distrust. If we believe, the doubt pulls us away from God, which is his intent, so as to defeat us. The wolf always seeks to separate a lamb away from the flock; therefore, the more we know of God’s promises and His character, the better equipped we will be to quench satan’s lies and navigate the difficult times of our lives. 

So all this works, our armor, walking by Faith, trusting, etc., or literally falls apart if we are not in God’s Word. It is the foundation for all the armor. Not great sermons, though they are very helpful, no doubt, and not Christian friends, though without them life would be hard, but time spent between you and the Lord, alone, allowing Him to speak to your heart through His Word. That is what Jesus meant by a Wise Builder( Matthew 7). He or she who hears the Words of Righteousness and applies them to his or her life will stand against the winds and the waves of life. 

1 Thessalonians 5:8

But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of Faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

In the end, the shield of Faith and the breastplate of righteousness grow and develop in us as we spend time knowing the Lord. It is not hard to have Faith if you know the person from whom you are seeking help. If you don’t know the person, be it the Lord or someone else, then life will be much harder than it needs to be for you. 

Father, 

Thank you for this study. Help us to understand that it was only when Mary broke the alabaster jar that the costly aroma came out and filled the room. You want your aroma in us to come out to the people around us, in our family, at work, wherever our life takes us, so let us be willing to be broken for You as You were for us. Do all this in us… thank you, and Amen. 

“Broken bread feeds the multitude, bread that stays whole feeds only one, ourselves.”

Your son by Grace,

Arthur 

In our last Vida, we discussed the supercritical Helmet of Salvation and the Shield of Faith. These are cool terms, “I’m putting on my helmet,” but how do they work out in my life? Good question, because we don’t go around wearing a helmet or carrying a shield. They are symbolic, but they, like all weaponry, refer to solid decisions that we make. It’s like updating your iPhone. It’s the same phone, but the programming has been upgraded. It does something more that it didn’t do previously. The spiritual armor works the same; it updates our spirit man, enabling them to be more proficient in the art of war and hence allowing us to live more righteous lives. 

I will tell you how they work for me. Remember, I’ve been a believer all my adult life, so having a history with Christ has its benefits. For example, you can say, “I’ve seen this Goliath before, or have had financial concerns before, or have had to look for a job before, and in all these trials, He has been faithful. And remember, in a trial, S.T.O.P : Stop the panic, worry, and fretting, and Take the Opportunity to Pray and recall His promises. Christ was faithful before, and He will be faithful again. Remember, He willingly went to the Cross in obedience to His Father for us; how much more will He care for us now? We took our Goliath down once before, twice, etc., and by Christ’s strength, we can take him down again. How do we do it? We use the armor provided by the Holy Spirit. 

Ephesians 6:10-18

The Christian’s Armor

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might (note the emphasis, in the power of His might, not yours or mine).

Therefore, put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (wiles – the method of taking down prey. Satan knows our weaknesses and lust and knows how to bait us)

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (our battles are spiritual, so we fight spiritually using God’s Word. In our strength we are no match):

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having the Belt of Truth (foundational truth Acts 4:12 no other name…) and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And put on 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, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

So when I’m troubled, stressed, or not having a good day, I purposely remember the helmet of salvation (this is where training pays off). It reminds me that here is not my home, and the problem I’m dealing with, however grave, is defeatable, or I’ll outlive it. I saw a movie with Ben Affleck, and the setting was World War II. Every time things became challenging, you would see him pull out a picture of his girlfriend, and seeing her gave him strength for the next thing he had to do. That hope of going home gave him the strength and the desire to fight courageously to make it home. That’s precisely what the Helmet of Salvation does for us. It keeps us grounded and focused. Way too many believers get caught up in the concerns and affairs of this life, living as though this is all there is, that here is all that matters. That’s how you lose the war of spiritual purity and intimacy with Christ. My three favorite “Helmet” verses are….

Philippians 3:20

For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look to (and for) the Lord Jesus Christ: (this is a strong mindset that the helmet of salvation gives us).

1 Peter 1:13 

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming ( this is how the helmet of salvation affects our minds; it gives us a true and accurate hope for our future, a true north). 

2 Peter 3:11

Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness (our hope should regulate our conduct)? 

In studying these verses, we see that the Helmet of Salvation is a mindset. You and I are ambassadors of a righteous nation, a completely different country with opposite values, and we are here to represent those values. Via God’s Word, we are anchoring our minds to the Truth, which is the structure and framework of that Nation. If we obey them, they help us to represent our King fully. That Truth helps us through the ups and downs in this life. To live life with minimal regrets because of God’s Word in us is incredible. 

The parable of wise and foolish builders is a good example. One who built his house on the sand had no desire to represent anyone but himself, and the one who built his house on the rock was the one who did not lose sight of his purpose or calling. This parable, as simple as it is, exemplifies a vital truth and a grave warning. 

Matthew 7:24-27

Build on a Firm Foundation (Luke 6:47-49)

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock (in scripture the rock represents Christ).

And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it (great is mega in the Greek, massive, overwhelming, large) and very sad because it didn’t need to be. 

What was the difference between the two builders? They both knew how to build, but their expectations and the foundation they built on were different. The foolish builder felt that life was all going to be okay. As far as he was concerned, he had just purchased beachfront property, the best the world had to offer. There’s no need to go through all that extra work digging in rock for his footings; that’s for the super paranoid. The wise builder knew building on the rock was more work, but he also knew the ocean (representing humanity and its values) was not to be trusted. 

As beautiful and inviting as the ocean was, it was unpredictable, and trusting it would be foolish (Christ never trusted man because He knew the heart of man. From loving him one moment to calling for his Crucifixion the next). So, the wise builder was willing to put in the extra work, and as we know, it paid off. He listened to wisdom, which is what Christ’s words are. Living for this world and for all its pleasures, disregarding anything Christ has said or done, is to be a foolish builder. A funny saying comes to mind; “get all you can, can what you get, then sit on the can.” In essence, living for anything or anyone except for Christ is the attitude of those who ignore His Words. 

We are foolish to believe that there is no God when His handiwork is all around. We have the testimony of the scriptures, and to not do an honest investigation of what is written is to do ourselves a Great Disservice. The Bible can defend itself if one comes with an honest heart, an open heart to want to learn and not to accuse or find fault. To believe we see it all and understand it all is foolishness. And to disregard the life of Christ, His claims, teachings, and miracles, and then on top of that, the Crucifixion, as though it meant nothing, that there was no purpose to it, is to be a very, very foolish builder. 

Nothing is more potent than Truth, for the Author of the Truth is The Eternal God, The Great I AM, Creator Of Heaven and Earth. Every armor we are to wear and use is tied to verses in His Word and has the power of God Himself via the Holy Spirit. Just like Michael, the Arc angel did not rebuke satan in his own strength but said the Lord rebuke you, pronouncing the Holy name of God; Kurios (meaning Lord and Master) is also how we are to fight our fights.

Jude 1:9

Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, did not bring against him an abusive accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee ( which was power enough to defeat satan and gain the body of Moses).

So likewise, when we know God’s Word and stand on God’s Word, we get the victory. It might take a bit, but if we stay with it, not wavering, knowing that we are in a battle that requires us to be fully engaged and convinced in our mind( helmet of salvation ) that He can do what He has promised, our victory will come. 

James 4:6-8ll

But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble ( verse 7 is valid only if verse 6 is followed). 

Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. Resist the devil (stand on specific scriptures that pertain to your struggle), and he will flee from you.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded (come true with God; He knows us and loves us, and will not leave us like we are) 

Winning our battles requires a knowledge of God’s Word and a daily visit with Him. God required Joshua two visits a day in the scriptures, and what The Father requires of one child, He requires of all His children. An easy way to fulfill this is to read Proverbs in the morning( or you can put Proverbs on audio and listen while you are getting ready for work or eating breakfast) and then have your study during your lunch hour. That’s how I have done it for years. And yes, it means you pack a lunch and eat at the office or park, which means you only go out for lunch with some. It might hurt a bit, but five years from now, when two or three of your co-workers are having problems in their marriage or with their kids, but your marriage and kids are doing well, it will have paid off, not to mention a stronger walk with Christ. 

Now, why is Abraham called the “Father of our faith?”

Romans 4:20-22

He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

He was fully persuaded that what he had promised, he could also perform.

And therefore, it was imputed to him for righteousness.

For good reason, Abraham is called the father of our faith, believing that Sarah, who is 100 years of age, could still conceive and bear a child. That’s a miracle, and then when God asked for Isaac to be a blood offering, Abraham obeyed, believing that what God caused to come to life from a dead womb, He could also raise from the dead. God had no intention of Abraham killing his son, but He tested Abraham so as to bless him so that his descendants would be like the stars of the sky. Abraham believed, and therefore, we are blessed. Know that behind all tests and trials is a God who is preparing us for the next step and the following blessing, and let’s take a side step from our study and ask what you consider a blessing. God asked Solomon that same question. 

2 Chronicles 1:7-11

On that night, God appeared unto Solomon and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.

And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast showed great mercy unto David, my father, and hast made me reign in his stead. 

Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this — thy people, that is so great?

And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honor, nor — the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge — my people, over whom I have made thee king:

Do you agree that knowing God intimately is a blessing more than riches or fame or getting what we want? Do we have a limit on believing in God? Jesus asked the disciples after He preached a hard and offensive message, “Will you too also desert me,” or will we be more like David? 

Psalms 119:10-12

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

How do we follow in Abraham’s footsteps? It is first by putting on the helmet of salvation. That’s exactly what Abraham did when he believed and obeyed God over every visible circumstance that spoke to the contrary. 

1 Thessalonians 5:8

But let us, who are of the day, be sober (as opposed to being distracted, drunk, partying, or foolishly minded), putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

These verses represent the best definition I know of what the Helmet of Salvation produces in us; without it, our walk would be fraught with defeat and sadness. People who know us will not want to be Christian because of our poor example. 

Father, 

Do all this in us… thank you, and Amen. 

Watch the video introduction to my message here:

In our last Vida, we covered what I consider to be the most important aspect of our life: the acknowledgment and reality of God’s love for us individually. Knowing that He loves us and IS IN LOVE WITH US is the greatest experience, change, and knowledge one can have. Nothing exceeds this. For some, it’s a long road to come to this awareness. Like many of us, we mentally believe that God loves us, but it takes trials and desperate moments to bring that truth to our hearts. I’ve shared my experience of how I came to know His love for me before, so I’ll do an abbreviated version. I was raised in the church, so I knew God loved, but it was only in my mind. Then Lisa and I got married, and in the early years of our marriage (we were 23 yrs. Old), we struggled. Therefore, we thought it wise to seek pastoral counseling. In the counseling session, the assistant pastor was stuck on how to counsel us because I gave him all the right answers. The problem was I had the Bible in my head as knowledge but not in my heart. Finally, the pastor asked that we pray, and he asked the Lord to show him what was wrong. Instantly, he knew. He said directly to me, and not to Lisa that I was trying to earn God’s love. I was trying to prove my worth to Him through my expanse of Bible knowledge (I was a good legalist; I kept all the rules). Of course, I completely disagreed with the pastor, but I thanked him for his time, and we drove back home. 

The church was in Napa, and we lived in Vacaville. It was a 45-minute drive, and during that drive, I was mad at God for not telling the pastor that it was Lisa’s fault because she was not reading her Bible. God was quiet. I foolishly thought I had won the argument, but then, about 5 minutes later, He spoke and said, “You know he’s right.” At that, all of me began to crumble as a house of cards, and I was miraculously able to see the reason behind all my actions and reading the Bible; it was all to prove myself worthy of His love. I accepted Christ as a teenager, and reading my Bible then was so that I could know the Lord better, the correct motive, but through the years, I drifted into legalism and lost the simplicity of my earlier years. I confessed my sin and pride of ever thinking that I could earn His love when He had already freely given it to me (and you) at the Cross. It was at an enormous expense and pain to Himself (a Cost that we will never fully understand). That afternoon, as all this settled in me, His presence felt like a warm blanket wrapped around me; it felt good to be home again.

God was dealing with my “performance.” I did not need to perform to be loved, nor do you; we only need to obey a topic we dealt with in the last Vida. A ton of anxiety was lifted, and I now started a new journey of learning to live as His adopted son by Grace. Hence, I write so much about His love and identifying ourselves not by I’m a mom, or a CEO of a company, or a computer programmer, or a policeman, or a full-time student, etc., all good professions, especially being a mom, but nothing is greater and or more rewarding than being His son or daughter by Grace, nothing. And I am not saying that we should not seek to excel in our work and work hard at it; in fact, the Bible emphasizes hard work, 

2 Thessalonians 3:10

For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

However, this is not our identity; it is our occupation. Our identity, and there can be no identity higher, is to be His son by grace. Male or female, it does not matter, for the term “son” is nonsexual in this case; it is identifying a position, your place in God’s family. A son is a son is a son, etc., that never changes. However, you can be a disobedient son and receive discipline at the hand of the Father, or you can be an obedient son and enjoy His blessings. It is up to us.  

As His son, we will naturally have friends and foes, both human and spiritual in nature. It is imperative that we know the difference and accept constructive criticism from our friends and correction from God’s Word. As we mature, we learn to tune out, ignore, and or fight against statements, advice, and or spirits that are not from Him; basically, anything that does not agree with His Word. In this relationship with the Lord, it is imperative that we know His Word and how to fight. Our battles are spiritual in nature, not carnal, so we must use spiritual weapons, weapons that are not made by human hands but weapons that are powerful because they speak and represent God’s truth. 

Ephesians 6:10-18

The Christian’s Armor

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth ( we must know what God’s Word says) and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

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, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

There is so much in this. Paul is under custody, a prisoner of Cesar, and awaiting his time to appear before him. He was allowed to receive visitors, members from the churches he started that informed him of the state of the church, and then he would write and send letters to the churches addressing their concerns (hence the term the prison epistles). Since he is under Roman guard, he is able to observe the weaponry of the Roman soldier, and as he is writing to the Ephesians, a church in trouble, the Lord gives him wisdom to see how the weaponry of the Roman soldier can apply to the weapons we need to fight in our spiritual battles. There is too much here to speak on all of it, but I want to address a few weapons.

The helmet of salvation deals with our thoughts. How and what we think determines our course and future. It all starts with a thought, so if we get our thoughts right, in line with God’s Word, then God can bless our lives. The helmet of salvation also reminds me that Heaven is my Glorious Destiny; it’s my permanent home, not here. So, since there is no greater truth or destiny, how should I live my life here? I believe you can carry regret into Heaven, and I don’t want any. Eternity is a long time to be wishing you should have sought God more earnestly. I would have, could have, or should have; I do not want it to even be in my vocabulary. The helmet teaches me to tread lightly here, to not seek my fulfillment in this life. The things we want and think are so important here are not important, but you or I will not realize that without the helmet of salvation. If you have ever run track or cross country, there is no greater focus than when that finish line is in sight. Whatever is left in you is pushed out so as to cross that line. What keeps that focus sharp for a believer is the helmet of salvation. It engages our minds as we study God’s Word.

Another analogy, using computer language, what programs should we download onto our hard drive? The helmet of salvation helps me with those decisions and protects my mind from poor or fruitless decisions. It assigns me priorities to what should enter my mind. Without that, there are way too many distractions that are rivaling for that space. The Helmet of Salvation keeps our thought life in order and in priority. When you sense anger, jealousy, lust, inferiority, or pride, all emotions of our carnal nature, the helmet keeps you focused on what is true and what should be listened to and or discarded. It reminds me that I am living for Christ and not my pride or my rights. As He died for me and gave His all, now I live for Him. I have no time to become involved with worldly emotions, pursuits, and or worldly values that do not propel me closer to Christ. It was such a waste of time defending or fighting for my rights, making sure I got “my piece of the pie.” If I would just focus on knowing Him, He will give me my pie and my ice cream with it! What is it worth to live in peace, to have inner security and joy, to sense the smile of God in your life? For me, it is the ultimate, and isn’t that what we all are seeking: fulfillment and peace? 

So the helmet acts as an organizer of thoughts, keeping some and rejecting most, thus protecting my mind from the onslaught of garbage that the flesh and satan would want me to think on. Remember, a thought forms an action, and an action forms a habit, and several bad habits determine one’s choices, and choices determine one’s destiny. So we are not discussing light things, things that are insignificant; they are very significant and weighty in their effect. 

Now for the Shield of Faith. The shield of faith for me works best when, because of my relationship with my Heavenly Father, I can completely say, without a doubt, that that’s true or that’s a lie. I know my Dad and He has allowed this in my life not to hurt me, but to make me stronger. So many times when “bad things” happen, satan whispers, “If God was a God of love, why would He let this happen?” This is such a blasphemous lie, when as Father God crucified His only Son because of His love for us, 

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world (us), that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” And “Gave His only,” it was virtually a slaughter of His body and soul. When He gave, He gave it all and then some because of Their love for us. So I can take harshness, struggles, and difficulties in life, just like lifting weights or running hard. The fight is worth the results, especially this one, for it is for Eternity. 

We may not always understand why things happen, especially when we are trying to live right. Things are not just hard but painful, and nothing is working out. We must stop and consider what He suffered for us; then, we can undergo almost anything with the Lord. His character assures me that I can trust Him, and because I trust Him, I do not need to understand. That equals maturity, which simply means less of a focus on me and me wanting my rights and more willingness to let the trials and difficulties play out and produce the godly character that they were sent to produce in me. 

As long as God owes you or me an answer, He’s not God; you are. The shield of faith says I do not need an answer. I know that my Father is good and loves me, and I can trust Him, and that’s all I need to understand. 

In Biblical times, arrows were often fiery arrows, arrows dipped in pitch and lite. So, to combat that, the attacking side would have wood soaked in water tied to their shields. Hence the statement “quench the fiery darts of the enemy (Eph. 6:16).” And what are fiery darts? Are they not lies that seek to ignite our emotions and or carnal passions, to trigger us to anger or lust, or to make us feel less than, or inferior to, or lies that are sent to frustrate us, or temptations that seem to promise enjoyment and or pleasure but in the end are traps to destroy or pull us away from the Lord. In essence, they feed our pride and make us feel we deserve that new car, or that big house, or that promotion, or a relationship with that person, but God’s Word is The Water (The Truth), and as soon as that thought enters our mind it is quenched when we APPLY GOD’S TRUTH; and the sooner, the better. The longer the thought stays in our mind, the more our emotions become entwined and the harder it is to get rid of it. So immediate attention is best. A revolving door is what we need. A thought comes in, and we see it’s not of God, so it continues going around the revolving door in our mind “with a hard boot in the end” as it exits.

We all have a need for this training, and the more we mature in Christ, the more we see and understand that we truly have everything we need in Him. This, specifically, is where humility pays off. It quenches pride, which is the root of this kind of temptation. There is no better life that can be lived than a life that is wholly dedicated to knowing, growing, and loving God. Jesus makes this invitation with a promise at the end…

John 15:4-5

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

I am the vine; ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can — do nothing (of righteousness). 

Father,

Thank you for this, Vida; your wisdom is freeing. Help us to keep You ever before us: a tight grip on You and an ever-lighting grip on the values and wants of the world. When we put diesel in the gas tank of our car, we will ruin the engine. It’s not meant to run on diesel, but gas is the wrong fuel. The same is true with us; our souls are meant to operate on righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, and fewer problems occur. Help us to understand, Father, that You designed our souls for You.

Thank you, 

Your son by Grace – Arthur

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1 John 2:3-6

The Believer’s Assurance

And hereby, we do know that we know him if we keep his commandments.

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God (being) perfected: hereby know we are in him.

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (God’s peace, unlike the world’s peace, which is circumstantial, is different because God’s peace is relational. In other words, even in your worst days, you can have peace because He has promised never to leave us, and He’s promised even to make the hard things, the wrong things, to work them out to our good. A promise that only an Omnipotent God can make and to the degree we believe Him will be our peace).

1 John 2:15-17

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him (a desire to attain and hold to the world’s values as opposed to God’s keeps us separate from Him and calls one’s faith into question).

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

What is lust, and why is it so strong? And I’m not just talking about the opposite sex, but as the verse states, the lust of the flesh, which is the body’s carnal appetites, the lust of the eyes, that which comes into our eye gates and the pride of life, that which strokes our ego. The scriptures break lust down into these three separate categories, and within each category are many examples. If I sought to list them all, this would become the longest Vida yet (I will not, so don’t worry). 

Simply put, and regardless of which category the lust is in, lust is a form of worship. Lust wants to compete and replace our relationship with God. If it succeeds, for that period of time, we have dethroned the Lord Almighty and enthroned our new ruler, and from being a son or daughter of the Most High God, I have now become a slave to a thought or a passion. I don’t know how many of us realize this is what happens. It first affects our relationship with the Lord, and then the repercussions happen in our work, the family, and life in general; it all becomes affected. It is super important to understand this is not maybe what happens; no, this is absolutely what happens. 

As a side note, it’s interesting that if you passionately seek after the Lord, you become more and more free; however, if you seek after anything else, you become more and more a slave. This is proof that we were made by God, for God. Our ideal life is to abide and dwell with God continually. Simply put, He is Our Life, nothing else. Though our flesh continually draws us away, the Fear (Reverence) of God keeps us close to Him . Another way to understand the fear or reverence of God is that my greatest fear is to be without Him.

I am just scratching the surface of all the things we lust after, except I am being more honest. We don’t call it lust because that gives our wants a negative connotation. Instead, we say, “ I desire this, or I want this,” but make no mistake, it’s lust. The only exception is if we say I would like to have that, it would be nice, but …. don’t want to spend that much money, or it would be nice, but what I have will do, or I need to save more money first. This level of desire is not lust; we are still in control. It’s just a want, but I don’t have to have it to feel good about myself or impress others. That’s the difference. We don’t go into debt to buy something we can’t afford because we want it. Bad financial decisions are usually caused by lust. 

What empowers lust? I bet we would get all kinds of answers, but truthfully, we are worshippers. We want what we worship. Our emptiness causes us to be beholden to the object of our affection, and it can be an endless pursuit as each “god” fails us. Why do we do what we do, or why do we want what we want? Do we think it will make us happy or feel wanted or important? I wrestle with this as much as anybody. Running a landscape business, having people call me saying I’ve seen your work and read your articles, could you see me? What a great compliment. I want to find a phone booth and change into my Superman outfit (which is tricky now because there are no phone booths :). 

However, before the vanity train goes any farther down the tracks, I remember that I am the adopted son of the Most High God. What more importance could I want? What greater title could I have? Every other compliment, title, or invitation pales in comparison. If being the adopted son/daughter of the Most High God doesn’t suffice every single need to be significant, meaningful, and loved, then nothing else will. To be filled, no want of any kind, to have peace, and to feel that you have finally arrived, what more could a human soul want? And to have all this answered in the person of Jesus Christ, you have arrived; now keep growing. 

2 Peter 1:4-8

Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

And beside this, — giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (this is the reason for our trials, for without them how would patience, temperance, kindness grow. We lift weights to develop muscle and strength; the same is true with trials and hardship; it forces us to go deeper into God’s Word. 

We were created in His Image (Gen. 1:27), meaning He in-dwelt us before sin entered, but once sin entered, He left, and in an instant, everything changed. I’ve shared this before, but imagine the void that Adan and Eve must have felt. We feel this when we do not seek Him or spend enough time in His Word. From Adan and Eve till now, man has always searched for his significance. Yet, in not acknowledging the God of the Bible as His Maker, significance has alluded him. 

Psalms 32:3-5

Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

When I kept silent, my bones waxed old through my roaring all day long.

For day and night, thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer (if you are experiencing this, God is after you to bring you home to Him). Selah.

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah (we were born in sin and our sinners by nature, but by humbling ourselves before Him, seeking forgiveness for our actions and our pride, we are now working with the Spirit instead of against Him).

If you have never thought about what makes you tick, what I’m saying may sound foreign or too complicated to you, but it is true. If you have to have something or become someone other than who God has made you to be, that’s worship. That thought or object has become your answer to the emptiness inside. However, it will fade. True and right worship is the Adoration of the Lord (submission is a form of worship). To worship Him, who alone is worthy, is to bring healing and wholeness to our very being: our spirit, soul, and body. It completes us. It is that powerful, and it’s that important that we ensure that God and God alone receive our adoration. 

Corrupted worship is, as I just mentioned when we assign our need or want to a thing, person, or thought over and above the Lord, even if it’s ourselves. Are you doing this? We all do it unless we are sensitive to the Holy Spirit, for He is the only one who can make us sensitive. We probably never considered worship in these terms—the Tenth Commandment of the Ten deals with this. 

Exodus 20:17

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.” 

To covet is the carnal equivalent of Worship. It is to desire or to passionately want something selfishly. If allowed, it can and will take the place of worshipping God. However, only God is worthy of such a desire, for only He can fulfill our desire correctly and make us better for it. We become blessed, and I can prove it. This is how we were intended to function and live life.

Genesis 2:7

And the LORD God formed — man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (A living soul first. The Bible does not emphasize the body or the mind but our soul or being, for it is with our soul that we have fellowship with the Lord—a heart-to-heart connection. Via God’s breath, life came. They were spirit beings first. They were fully formed, but it was His breath that brought Life to them as us. He is the Breath of Life, the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. When the BREATHE of LIFE leaves, what do you have? Your soul becomes empty without life, and a desperate search to find meaning begins. Without Christ, we have existence but not life. However, fulfillment is possible with God, who is the essence and creator of life. Zoe is the Greek word for life, which involves the Spirit. 

John 6:33-35

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven and giveth life (Zoe) unto the world.

Then said they (the disciples) unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

Have you ever eaten and come away from the table not satisfied? The apostles understood hunger and sought Christ for bread that would allow them never to hunger again. Yet the hunger Jesus was talking about was another hunger. The food they ate was for the body’s hunger, but it did nothing for their soul, the hunger Jesus came to satisfy. He was teaching them to discern between the two hungers. To see spiritually is to understand one’s need for Christ but also why we do what we do. Our need stems from this inner hunger; without wisdom, we believe temporary things, cars, money, jobs, and each other can satisfy us. It does for a time, but Christ is for Eternity. Amen

So how do we become full? 

James 4:8

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you….” 

Eleven words, that’s all. This is the answer to the whole human experience. However, it is essential, in fact, critical, that we understand what this impactful verse says. Let’s start with this question: Who draws nigh first, us or God? We do, so then it IS UP TO ME. I determine how close to God I want to be or how close I want Him to be to me. If we ask where’s God, why doesn’t He answer my prayers? Who left? Now, because we are called to walk in faith, there may be times that we don’t feel Him. We are doing all our disciplines, not “backsliding,” but He’s still quiet. We are now purified in the Refiner’s fire; continue seeking Him. This is what the rest of the verse says. 

James 4:8

“…. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

So our Father is not just a Father, but a King with requirements for coming into His presence. If human Kings have these requirements, how much more the King of all Kings? America’s idea of God is this kind, older, grandfather type sitting back on a lounge chair and sipping his favorite heavenly drink, enjoying the waves he’s created. How about adding to that that He is a Consuming Fire? He hates all sin, why, for sin/lust deceives, steals, and destroys lives that He loves, and it distracts His creation (us) from falling in love with just Him. How would seeing God as a Consuming Fire change your approach to Him? Would it engender a Holy Fear and a Holy obedience? Would He change from a God sitting in a lounge chair to a God whose Glory and Throne fill the Heavens, and His approach to us and us to Him is only tempered by The Cross? 

Hebrews 12:28-29

Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved (it cannot be overthrown), let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

For — our God is a consuming fire.

So many Christians say I am waiting for God to call me as if the first steps are up to God. As we read, they are not. He provided the way at a great price to Himself, so now walk in that way, go through the narrow gate (narrow as in constricted, can’t bring the world with you). As you start your journey, know that He seeks to purify you as gold is purified in the furnace… It’s going to hurt. The furnace will make all the selfishness, bad temper, pride, anger, and jealousy come to the surface. When we see that in us, we can say, “God, I hate this in me; I don’t want it. Take it away, and I repent of my carnality. Or, we can continue to blame others or circumstances and gain nothing from the trials. 

He always knew that carnality was in us, and he still loved us and died for us despite it. So, will we repent and ask Him to change us, seek humility, and stop justifying our sins? No sleeping with our girlfriend or boyfriend, drugs, parties, or alcohol. No lying or cheating to get ahead, though everybody else does it; will we be different? We come clean from our ways of promoting self and seek Him with all our heart, reading His Bible and talking to Him to have the strength for the day. 

Jeremiah 29:13

And ye shall seek — me, and find me when ye shall search for me with all your heart (as the King, He has every right to expect a whole-hearted commitment).

Psalms 119:9-11

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse — his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

This is what the proper fear of God produces in our life. We become diligent and disciplined in seeking the Lord. The fear of God causes us to prioritize our time. We see and live differently. That which does not bring me closer to Him is limited or eliminated. The fear of God is a requirement for our growth. It causes us to seek, pray, and read. “He’s God, and I am not” is a good saying to remember. We leave the corrections and changes to Him. Know that His conviction is not pleasant initially but done in absolute love. There is no self-effort on our part that we can do to become right before God, none. 

We are not capable of making our hearts Holy. It’s a fool’s effort if we try. Nothing short of Holiness,

despite His love, is acceptable. God will change our hearts and minds via His Holy Spirit, and He will present an acceptable son or daughter to Himself. He’s the only one that can, and hence the importance of our faith in Christ, for he alone has paid for our sins, and He alone can sanctify

us and present unto Himself a Bride without spot or wrinkle. 

Ephesians 5:25-26

Husbands love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it;

That he (Christ) might sanctify (to make Holy 

and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

Father, 

Thank you for this study; let it go deep inside us and from it cause a fear/reverence that causes us to say no to those things that would hinder your work of Grace in our life. 

Thank you, and Amen.

Your Son by Grace,

Arthur

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Arthur Navarrette

The Battle (there is always a battle before a Victory, but the Victory for us starts and is won via our mindset).

Colossians 3:1-4 (our hope and His promise to us) If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth (why?).

For ye are dead  (no longer controlled by the carnal man), and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

“For ye are dead” spiritually, it is true; the Holy Spirit has come to indwell us. However, His strength in us must grow because the carnal man sometimes feels very much alive. Living this out is dependent upon who we spend the most time with. We will see change by spending time with the Lord and in His Word consistently. As we do, the Holy Spirit strengthens us, and the carnal man weakens. Another way to say it is the Bible talks in Truth; it has happened because the Cross makes it so. 

We are in the beloved, but for the application of it to become a reality, it takes time. This is where we can receive mixed messages. Indeed, it is a mindset: do I believe my emotions or God’s Word? Faith in God’s Word or what I feel, to whom will I give my attention? This is where the battle is. When we look at our reality and what we read in scripture, there is sometimes a massive chasm between the two. The enemy uses this to defame the Lord and the scriptures and discourage us.

Look at the Bible stories, Gideon 300 men to defeat an enemy army, or Moses having to cross the Red Sea. So many, if not all, stories are ridiculous from man’s perspective. The odds are so against them. And this is done on PURPOSE. God wants us to have no confidence in ourselves. Our faith must grow; as it does, we begin to live out the truth of what the scriptures say. Two examples, let’s say I’ve been given the most expensive race car. It has won the India 500 multiple times. It has all the power I need to win again and again. Only one problem, I do not know how to drive it. So I must learn, and as I do, I begin to win races until I am racing in the India 500 (remember, we will also lose races as we seek to win them; therefore, humility and repentance are essential). The power is there, but our faith must grow to appropriate His power.

The second example is the Redwood Tree. It grows quickly to a hundred feet but barely a foot. The potential is there, given by God, but it needs to dig deep into the earth in search of water and stretch for the sun, especially if other trees block some of the sun. Via the Holy Spirit, we, too, have the potential to grow to great heights in Christ, but we, too, must root out into His Word and apply His Word to everyday trials and problems and gain victory. Peter walked on water as long as he focused on Christ, the supernatural, but sank when he focused on the waves and wind, which is true with us.

As we meditate on and obey the scriptures, we become cleansed and empowered by the Spirit. The old man/woman in us weakens, and as it does, God’s power grows in us. That victory comes through this process of getting the Word in me and the world and my carnal desires out of me (crowding out my flesh with God’s Truths). Whoever we feed the most wins; it’s as simple as that. This is all done with the help of the Holy Spirit. That’s why scripture says not to grieve the Holy Spirit, which we do when we disobey.

Col. 3:4

Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

Be alert and aware, walk circumspectly (like a lighthouse, always searching or exposing danger), and do not be swept away by the enemy’s lies. They may sound like truth, but within them is the lie that takes you a little farther from depending upon and trusting in the Lord. Be discerning; know the scriptures.

Ephesians 4:20-24

But ye have not so learned Christ;

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:30

And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Our response….

Matthew 7:13-14 The Narrow Way (Luke 13:24),

Enter ye in at the strait (narrow as in tight, confining, unpopular, difficult) gate: for wide (easy, popular, it makes sense ) is the gate, and broad (easy, people agree with you, they applaud your

choices) is the way that leadeth to destruction (eternal ruin) and many there be which go in thereat:

Because strait (confining) is the gate, and narrow is the way (only one way, only one belief, only one Savior) which leadeth unto life, and few (small amount, not many) there be that find it.

As unpopular and unwelcoming are these words, they are not my words but Christ’s words. So depending upon who you think Jesus is will determine whether you will listen to His words; however, know that you are being given an invitation to know Him this day. Either for the first time or to know Him more intimately.

Could it be that “many there be which go in thereat:” are those with a seared conscience? It’s a terrible travesty that most of the human race will not be in God’s Book of Life (Rev. 20:15-20) though Jesus gave His Life so we could all spend Eternity with Him irrespective of person. The thief on the Cross repented, and “Jesus said this day you will be with me in paradise,” talking about last minute.

Revelation 20:12

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their deeds (our “deed” is to believe in Christ’s Atonement).

Revelation 20:15

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (this verse is so fearful and hard to quote). It involves people whom Christ loves and died for yet remained hardened against Him until it was too late).

The verses in Revelation that we just shared are challenging, yet my goal in sharing them is to cause us to stop saying, “oh it’s just a little compromise, or just a little lie, or I’m going to marry her so it’s okay that we sleep together or I’m good with God, I’m not a bad person, etc..” We say a million of these “little lies” to appease our conscious, and if we say them habitually, they are soon said without a sense of guilt. We are in the process of searing our consciousness. It is like a person with stage 3 cancer saying at least I’m not stage 4. That would be such the wrong answer. The correct answer would be to get medical help NOW so it doesn’t progress into stage 4 and treat it until it is in complete remission. Don’t you agree? 

All these deceptions and lies, all they do is build a fortress in us, walls of excuses and alibis, and they keep us from surrendering to the conviction of the Holy Spirit that only seeks our good. We must repent, stop justifying our actions today, and obey The Lord. Our ignorance and, at times, our arrogance is shameful. Pride and sin have one vowel in common: “I.” As long as “I” am in charge of my life, The Cross cannot save me.

**The Church, or The Body of Christ, comprises all walks of life. 

Different churches, economic structures, and cultures, but all with one single truth that binds us together: our confession of Faith and adherence to Christ as our Savior. The second person of the Trinity is equal to God and, as the Bible says, “very God.” In so believing, we become the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, His Temple, and we are family. Christ has taken our judgment, so the Church is not in these verses, but via these verses, we get a glimpse of the Throne Room of God. This needs to motivate us to seek Christ more so that, in turn, we can be the best witness possible for Him.

On a more personal note, as you read this, are you sure of your Salvation? Eternity is not something to gamble with. To hope that you are right with God when you can be sure of your salvation is not wise at all.

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.

(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Jesus said to the wealthy farmer who thought he did not need God, “ you fool, for this day I will require your soul from you (Luke 12:13-21).” Wealth, as then as it is now, is anesthesia to our need for Christ. We are unaware of our spiritual needs because we can buy whoever we want. This has a numbing effect, and like the proverbial donkey chasing the carrot, we think if we only get this next “thing,” be it a promotion, a job, a lovely house, or an object, etc., that we will have the peace and love that we are seeking. 

Yet Peace and Love, which can only be found in union with God via faith in Christ, can’t be bought because it is not for sale. I can’t give you my peace or the love with which He loves me, though He loves you just as much. We each individually need to be in relation with Him. It is the same with security; there is no better way to feel secure than to know your right with God. PLEASE, PLEASE consider this if you are not sure.

God wrestled with me for months before I surrendered to Him. I had gone to church my whole life and believed I was saved. I didn’t disagree with any of the teachings. Even my mother believed I was saved. I sang in the choir, attended evening Bible studies, and even went to church camp, and I enjoyed them, but God knew the actual condition of my heart. Subconsciously I felt I was right with God because of my actions. I am so grateful that He continued to pursue me until finally, I acknowledged that if He was convicting me, then I must not be saved despite all the things I was doing.

In those days, the pastor would invite you to step out of the pews and walk up to the front of the church, as the pastor would then lead you in the sinner’s prayer. I carefully listened and said the pastor’s words and accepted Jesus into my heart. By far the best decision “I” ever made, marrying Lisa was the next best decision. I wish we still had altar calls, where we come forward to accept Christ in front of the whole church. 

When a pastor says, ” I don’t want to embarrass you by asking you to raise your hand or come forward to the altar, ” that gives the wrong impression. I’m coming forward because I’m tired of embarrassing myself, and I need Jesus, who was not embarrassed to hang naked on The Cross for me. A few weeks after I accepted Christ, I messed up, and the first thing the enemy s; looks, “ your not a Christian, look what you did.” I replied that I may not be a good Christian, but I am a Christian because I accepted Christ. That morning in church, I had put a stake in “ the ground” that would forever be my victory against the enemy’s condemnation. By doing away with altar calls, new believers do not have that, and now it’s way too easy to fall into condemnation, that I didn’t truly accept Christ. It all boils down to whom you spend the most time feeding (via activities done), the carnal or spirit man?

Enjoying Life, the title of this series is meant to make us take time and thought, a prayerful examination that we are right with God and not just going with the flow. Going to church and attending home Bible studies is excellent, but it’s not a sign that we are right with God. Having the indwelling Holy Spirit is proof of genuinely accepting Christ. Those of us who have spent many years with Christ can fall into a routine, losing our edge and passion for Christ, similar to the church of Thyatira, and entertaining other teachings.

Revelation 2:18-20

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;

I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.

Jesus always praises what we do right, but He wants it all. So we are to bring all of our struggles, the things that frustrate and defeat us, to be transparent before Him, and when we do, that pleases Him. Living transparently before Him is a sign of maturity. None of us have it all together, and we all have our journeys, and it is essential for us to be comfortable with the Lord seeing “our dirty laundry.” This is a sign of maturity and humility (there can be no maturity without humility). It means He and I know that I struggle or have struggles in these areas of my life, but His Holy Spirit is there to help me, and His love for me does not lessen because I struggle. 

If we try to hide our sins from Him, it means I’m not sure of His love, and this is a commonplace that many Christians find themselves in, but it’s not a good place. It’s like having one foot on the ice and the other on the ground. We are unstable and unsure of ourselves, and in this state, the enemy can lie to us, making us feel isolated, that God doesn’t love us and can’t forgive us. It is not our perfection that He wants, but our imperfections so that we can receive His perfection and forgiveness, learn of His love, and, in so doing, gain victory over our sins.

Mark 2:16-17

And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?

When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole do not need the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

He knows our struggles and strengths, and He is always patient with us. God likens us to clay, and it takes time to knead the clay and get the air pockets out of it, for without that, and regardless of how beautiful the greenware work (un-fired clay) is, if the air pockets are not kneaded out of the clay before shaping it, then when it is fired in the oven the air pockets will explode blowing up the pot. He can’t work with us if our pride dominates. We will self-destruct and injure others in the process. He works with our imperfections and brings them to Him.

Many believers get stuck in a “nomad’s land of guilt and shame, or the land of justification, giving excuses for their sin, feeling that God does not love them. It can last for the whole of our Christian experience. We who have made it through this phase must help others through it. I have observed that those that grew up with a father that loved them pass through this phase easier, but those whose growing-up experience felt unloved struggle much. 

It is a difficult journey to get to the belief that the Lord does love me, especially when my father, whose supposed to have loved me, didn’t. In other words, my dad did not find my life of enough worth or value to spend time with me, teaching me, or just being my dad. So if he didn’t find value in me, how can I know that a God who I cannot see, who died for me 2,000 years ago, does? It’s a big jump that we ask of those who find themselves in this situation. Though my dad was not Christian, he loved me, so when it came time for me to accept Christ, I could believe that God loved me because my dad loved me. This is the purpose of family, to love them so when it comes time and they feel God’s call, they can believe that God loves them and answer His call.

Deuteronomy 6:6 &7

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Therefore, helping our brothers and sisters get to the spiritual maturity that they know that God loves them (irrespective of age) is the honor and duty of those of us who know His love. We are the Lord’s ambassadors to them, showing them patience, loving-kindness, and forgiveness, and through our actions, they will begin to have the confidence to approach the Lord. As they do, they will find His Grace, that they are loved and have worth before Him. This is such a critical step, and a good upbringing is critical. It makes it so that as adults, we know He loves us, and we can give HIS love to our kids, spouse, and others. Those of us that are parents and grandparents are to love and teach our children. Doing it right feels good.

Father God,

Thank you for this study. This one is more practical and down to earth. Help us to learn and grow, but most importantly, be fully convinced that You Love Us.

If you’ve come this far, please consider taking a look at my book on Amazon.

https://a.co/d/hB5StWk

Thanks!

Arthur Navarrette

Vida4U.com is the website where all past Vida’s are archived. In addition to the weekly devotionals, the yearly inspirational writings featured in December’s House2Home Magazine are archived under “Faith Talk.”  Please use this site for your benefit and refer your friends to it as well. If they would like the weekly series emailed to them, they can send their requests to Arthur@Vida4U.com.