SHIELD OF FAITH

SHIELD OF FAITH,     “WORTH CONSIDERING “   7/38/20   From Ken<><

Today’s Scripture        (Across my desk today from Texas.)
“…LORD, how they have increased who trouble me!… But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head…”   (Psalm 3:1, 3, NKJV)

Use the Power of “But”
In today’s Scripture, David was saying, “God, my enemies are multiplying.” He not only had other armies trying to stop him, but his own son Absalom was trying to take the kingdom from him. David could have thought, I can handle people from the outside trying to take me down, but now it’s my own son. I’m done. This could have been David’s end. But after David stated the hard facts, he took it one step further and said, “But You, O Lord, are my shield.” Notice that David added the “but.” “I’m having a lot of trouble, but the Lord is my shield.”

What’s the message? Don’t let the enemy have the last word. Always add the “but.” “The medical report doesn’t look good, but the Lord is my healer. “A coworker did me wrong, but God is fighting my battles.” “I went through a loss, but God has beauty for ashes.” Every time something negative happens, answer back with a “but.”

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for being a shield about me, my glory and the lifter of my head. Thank You that the enemy doesn’t have the last word when something negative happens to me. I will use the power of “but” and see Your promises come to pass. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Ken’s Comments,
Always in looking for Biblical foundation,  it is great to have the context.   And the Book of Ephesians is worth some really deep study  : Eph.6:10-17:  The Armor of God
“In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. 11 Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 13 Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious]. 14 So stand firm and hold your ground, having [a] tightened the wide band of truth (personal integrity, moral courage) around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness (an upright heart), 15 and having [b] strapped on your feet the gospel of peace in preparation [to face the enemy with firm-footed stability and the readiness produced by the good news]. 16 Above all, lift up the [protective] [c] shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
 
So really, if interested in total protection, The whole armor is needed
Footnotes:  Girded your loins, a phrase often found in the Bible, is an urgent call to get ready for immediate action or a coming event. The phrase is related to the type of clothing worn in ancient times. Before any vigorous activity the loose ends of clothing (tunics, cloaks, mantles, etc.) had to be gathered up and tucked into the wide band worn around the midsection of the body. The band (usually about six inches wide) also served as a kind of pocket or pouch to carry personal items such as a dagger, money or other necessary things. Gird up your mind or gird up your heart are examples of variants of this phrase and call for mental or spiritual preparation for a coming challenge.    A reference to the Roman soldiers’ shoes which were studded with hobnails to give them stability on the battlefield.  Here the Greek word refers to the large Roman soldiers’ shield designed to protect the entire body. It had an iron frame and was covered in several layers of leather. When soaked in water before a battle the shield could put out the fiery missiles thrown at them by the enemy.

The big issue of the day is whether we are trying to get ourselves protected, our way?  Or whether we really are in the Lord’s Army and learning to be protected HIS way. God is much more concerned about our eternal soul than our physical body.  He plans to replace our temporary body anyway,  for those who truly submit to HIM as LORD.  So your freewill soul has the choice to live with God in HIS Eternal Kingdom or to live in eternal darkness with no body replacement at all.  You have been created a living soul to exist for eternity.  Our deep concern should be, placement.

Yours, in HIS great love and wonderful grace and mercy, Ken<>< www.Trinity-Aloha.org

There is but  one universal & apostolic church of Christ Jesus as LORD.
All who truly trust in, rely upon and cling to HIM are eternal members.

Worthy Brief <worthybrief@worthynetwork.com&gt;    For most U.S. congregations, in-person worship has returned to mid-March levels despite a nationwide rise in coronavirus cases, a new report says.  More than a thousand people gathered on a beach in California to hold a worship service while churches are closed over coronavirus concerns.  The leading British bank Barclays has closed the account of a Christian charity which tries to help people overcome unwanted same-sex attraction, Premier Christian News reports. Chinese officials entered and took control of the U.S. Consulate in the city of Chengdu early on Monday, 72 hours after ordering its closure in retaliation for the U.S. decision to shut China’s consulate in Houston.