| OCR Text |
Show STANDING FIRM IN THE LORD Ephesians 6: 1 0-18 apostle Paul penned this book to the church at Ephesus, the home of the goddess Diana who was racking havoc among the people of God. The people were so confused and baffled by her Oriental mystery and munificence that they loved their luxury and licentiousness more than God and His church. Sorcery and magic was the common way to get things done in this busheling Asiatic city of commerce. Their festivals were short-sighted and their worship was misguided. The people grew more The and more restless and selfish. So Paul wrote a thanksgiving and an earnest prayer for spiritual growth. He wrote of the goodness of God and laid down some practical principles about the relationship of one believer to another. fervent He lifted up the character of the true born child of God who walks in worthiness of their vocation. He told them what kind of relationships they ought to cultivate at home and in the urged Then to wrap it all up, Paul the believer to put on the whole armor of community. God and to against the fight vigorously and forces of evil. In fearlessly short, he bid them to stand firm in the Lord. ushers, it is easy to just let those who enter the house of God do anything they want. As voluntarily and of their own free will, we rationalize. Let them use holy things in unholy ways. Let them chew gum and stick it under the chair. Let them eat candy and drop the wrappers on the floor. Let them talk while prayer is going up. Let them walk up and down the aisles anytime. We seem to lack what They have come it takes to stand firm in the Lord. Here we are today facing temptation then the first one other. Even the Church Anything goes and we seem to have no unchanging standards. We are blown about by whatever wind of doctrine happens to be blowing at the time. We are like the sands of the shifting shores and rolling seems to have lost her way. 2 something that will anchor us, something that will keep us steady in the storm, something that will hold us when the waves of the We need sea. winds blow. We need to stand firm in the Lord. First, "Be strong in the Lord, and in the might." Our strength is not in our own power or might. We cannot do anything in and of ourselves. We must join the Psalmist is singing, "My help comes from the Lord which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber." (121: 2-3) All of life is a battle and if we would win, we must "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." Then we can 1 am as strong this day as 1 say with Caleb, was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, power of his " ... for war, both to go out, and to come in. Now therefore; give me this mountain." (Joshua 14: 11-12) Second, "Put on the whole 3 armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." God is able to protect you when you dress up in His armor. He will keep you safe from all harm and danger when you lean depend on Him. He will protect you in time and place of danger when you are wrapped up in His arms. He will keep you from the hurt of and those wiles the devil would fire at you. The devil could not get to Job because God had sing be a and a fence built around him. That why we every now and then in prayer moan, "Jesus fence all around me, every day. Protect me guide all along this dangerous way." Finally, "u.take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand the evilday, and having done all, to stand." The protective armor of God become like a part of us. We keep the evil day and all of its temptations from overcoming us. We do everything that is within our power to hold on to God's unchanging hand. Even when we get weak, we have what we need for the trouble. 4 We can stand us anyhow. We are fighting a spiritual war and the Lord is on our side. Our purpose is to keep the fallen spirits from conquering our souls. We are fighting for our lives and our Captain is stronger than our enemy. Just as He won the last battle of evil and satan on that on rugged cross, we will ride triumphantly into the Kingdom of Heaven. Savior say, "Servant well done. Well-done! Well-done!" We will hear our 5 |
