Click HERE for this week’s reading assignment
**********
Part 3 – ARMED
It’s time to break camp, Warriors! We have been called. We have been trained. We have been forged into a weapon to be used against the forces of darkness. We are “ministers of hope whose words are seasoned with salt and light and sound foreign in a world peppered with darkness” (Bevere, p. 121). How is it that we have these sword imageries and our weapon is one of ‘words’? Have you ever stopped to think that the words coming from your mouth directly reflect the heart inside your body? That is pretty powerful stuff.
Lisa tells us that “words are invisible, but if misused, they can prove deadly.” Have you killed someone with your words? Have you left walking wounded? It’s time we thought about this for a little while, take stock in our words and let the Holy Spirit reveal areas of our speech we need to work on. Take time to do that now.
(pause)
My Bible tells me that we were all created with one language in the beginning. We spoke the same language as God, the Father. We knew His voice. We could recognize Him as He walked with us in the garden. I like to think God whistled as He walked in the cool of the day, asking Adam and Eve how their day had been. I say “we” because we are descended from Adam and Eve…and God the Father. We are here, now, because of them…back there. “God has given us His language… He has framed the words in strength and carefully structured each sentence so that every syllable is woven with power and punctuated by promise.” (p. 122).
I think that makes our words pretty powerful! They are the words of our Father, they are powerful, and we should be sharing them with the world. How will we know what to say? Where will we find the answers to our questions??? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us:
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.”
You have been forged as a SWORD. Are you ARMED???
I was asked these questions last week, “If the Bible is my guide book to life does that mean I should follow all the ideals set forth? Do I pick and choose which ones I like and which ones I don’t? If I do have to follow all of them, how do you translate those stories to apply to modern day living?” So many good questions from one seeking person. After our basic training, and now our warrior training, how would YOU answer these questions?
Lisa poses an interesting point: If we knew we were going to live out the rest of our days in a foreign country we would take the time to learn the language and the culture and learn to communicate. As born-again believers, we KNOW we are going to live out our days in heaven with our spiritual family. We need to be learning how to communicate. Our Father speaks a heavenly and holy language. We need to learn heaven’s language NOW. “We lift swords when we lift His Word: ‘Death and life are in the power of the tongue’ (Proverbs 18:21)” (p. 123).
So let’s go back and apply what we have learned in our training. Let’s use the language we are learning to shine a light for a lost soul. Give me some Sword Words to support your answers to this person’s questions.
- If the Bible is my guide book to life does that mean I should follow all the ideals set forth?
- Do I pick and choose which ones I like and which ones I don’t?
- If I do have to follow all of them, how do you translate those stories to apply to modern day living?
This language may seem foreign to you right now. Or it may come naturally and you have suppressed the sound of the Father’s voice. Either way, let’s put our hearts together and help this brother out with his questions. I would like to see how you WARRIORs put your SWORD to use. Are you ARMED? We need to light the path, ladies!!!
Our Call to Arms for this week comes from Hawk Nelson and Bart Millard (Mercy Me):
Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, I want to remember Your voice. I want to hear the language of Your heart coming from my mouth. I want to be a light to draw others out of the darkness and onto Your path. Give us the desire to love our neighbors, to share Your words with those around us. Let our words point the world back to You. You have given us every weapon we will ever need to survive this world. Give us a willing heart to take up those weapons and use them for Your glory. In Jesus’ Holy Name we pray, AMEN.
**************************************
If you would like to join us for the “Girls with Swords” Online Bible/Book study, click HERE to be taken to our sign-up page. Once you complete the enrollment process, we will email you further details. We hope you will join us!
About Teresa Bolme
I apologize Teresa for all the website problems we had today. I’m glad the Facebook Discussion Groups were still able to read your blog earlier today!! 🙂 ((HUGS))
Love the blog today T!!!! Here are my answers to your questions. Which really they are God’s answers because when I was turning back to God growing in my relationship with Him, these are some questions I asked God and this is what He taught me…
1. If the Bible is my guide book to life does that mean I should follow all the ideals set forth?
YES! Plain and simple. EVERY SINGLE THING IN THE BIBLE IS FROM GOD ALONE. We must be obedient to His word, all of it because that is how He sees and feels our love for Him. (and how we receive His love and blessings in return:)) AND because God knows best!
2. Do I pick and choose which ones I like and which ones I don’t? NO, plain and simple! Our pastor did a sermon on this once, he actually ripped pages out of the Bible, I gasped at first, but when I choose to follow one thing and not another I am doing the same thing as he did. All of what is in the Bible is there for a reason and for our good and we must follow all of it, not just the parts we like or think are easy. God wants fully committed followers. He will give us strength to follow Him in every way:)
3. If I do have to follow all of them, how do you translate those stories to apply to modern day living? I look for the lesson in the story being told. EXAMPLE: In the old testament followers of God were told not to eat pig. Today, I, a follower of God eat pig, and a lot of Christians I know eat pig. Back then the reasoning for not eating pig was so they could stand out as a holy nation, God’s holy nation. Today, I not only eat the pig that goes oink oink but I also eat pig when I choose to sin and fit into the world. I need to stand out as a follower of God, not so people will notice me, but so people with notice God inside of me. When I don’t understand a story or a part of the Bible I always pray and ask God to teach me, show me His truth and He always does. (Psalm 25:4-5)
There you have it, thank you Jesus:)
Thank you Diane for leaving your answers. I will forward them on to my friend so he can minster to his friend. Our testimony is powerful and is all we have to lead others to Christ. I love you, my friend.
Should I follow all the ideals set forth?– Yes, Psalm 119:105, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” This verse doesn’t say “some” of Your Word, it implies “all” of Your Word. If we don’t apply all of His Word (ideals) all of the time then we will walk in darkness some of the time.
Can I pick and choose?–No, Jesus quoted Deut 8:3 when Satan was tempting Him. “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on EVERY word that comes from the mouth of God.” Jesus chose to know and live by every Word of God. We are to live our lives as His ambassadors so we need to know Him and His Word and live by ALL of it.
How do I apply the “stories” to modern day living?–God promises that His Word is eternal, Psalm 119:89-90, “Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations:” Psalm 119:73 says, “Your hands made me and formed me, give me understanding to learn your commands…for I have put my hope in Your Word.” Since God’s Word is eternal and He created us to be in this modern day, then He will give us the understanding of His Word for today. Matt 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” Ask, seek, and knock and God will show you how His Word applies to your “modern living.”
Great study today, Teresa!
Way to use your sword Clella! You are right on. Thank you for taking your time to do this exercise for me. 🙂
The questions really did make me stop and pause. I even had to write them down in my journal. Since the website was down, I left the page open and every time I passed my desk I could see them. The first two were no brainers for me. I choose 25 years ago that the Bible was my life’s road map and what it said, I would do and no we are not allowed to pick and choose which ones we will follow, even though that is exactly what I do. Mostly out of ignorance or God has not revealed it to me yet. The third one, really had me thinking. The New Testament I find sort of easy to translate into my modern day life because it is mostly about how a Christian is to be. There are parts I struggle with converting, but over all, not too difficult. The Old Testament I use as a teaching tool and I do not understand very much of it as I am not a history buff. However, It proves to me every day that we do not learn from our mistakes. God shows us the mistakes made by our ancestors and He shows us His love and redemption for our ancestors and do we learn from that? No, we are living the exact same lifestyle in modern clothing, modern technology, and modern daily decisions. I pray that our nation will turn around before He judges it the way He did in the Old Testament. Every time there is a decision from our representatives in Washington DC that does not support us the people, I think of Kings.
You asked for a King, I gave you a King. . .” I then go and read Romans 13 and attempt to put my trust in God that He will take care of those that follow Him.
Very thought provoking post. I believe Satan did not want us reading or commenting on it and attacked the servers. 😉
We have a big momentum change happening with this week. I count it an honor to be considered a spiritual threat to the enemy. These women are going to change the world in Jesus’ name. Love you all.
This is something I have struggled with personally. I was raised believing speaking in tongues was not necessary, or a dead gift. I no longer believe that. HOWEVER, I do not have that gift. God has done quite a work on my heart to get me to this place. I shared my testimony with someone yesterday about this topic.
I prayed for God to give me what I needed to be able to serve Him. I was willing to accept the gift of tongues if it was offered. The gift I received was healing of my physical pain allowing me to stand straight and tall, walk without a limp and smile without a grimace. The message I have continued to receive about spiritual gifts is that we probably will not be given every gift, but we are to use wisely the gifts we are given.
Every believer has 2 gifts they are expected to use: Helps and Service. Any gift above that is a special gifting to enable us to further build up the Church. I do believe that as we are faithful with the beginning gifts, He will give us additional gifts to learn to use in the body.
I received a new revelation about the “Tower of Babel” and tongues yesterday as I was reading this chapter. God is so good to continue to pour new insight into my heart when I need it. I love to be able to talk to the Father!!!
Jackie, you just blessed my heart. For a true believer, these questions are a no-brainer, but to a seeker these questions are a massive-brainer. Thank you for taking time to really think about these questions and help me out with answers for my young friend. We all have the opportunity to share life or death with our words. Thanks for your wisdom!
Great questions, Teresa, and I am pausing to add in specific scriptural references. When I ask someone a question, I don’t want to know what they think, I want a scripture reference. About speaking in tongues, a great little study book that you might find in any Christian book store iw Why Tongues by kenneth E. Hagin.