Ensign: Keep Up!

All ye inhabitants of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye, when he lifteth up an ensign on the mountains; and when he bloweth a trumpet, hear ye. Isaiah 18:3

AN ENSIGN ON THE MOUNTAINS 3 May 2013

Keep up the good work! I really do enjoy it. I know the Lord is using you. Your dad would be so proud. I know I am.

Why does this stick with me, besides the fact that I'm staring at it as I write this week's devotional along with my stepmother's email I excerpted above? Because I need the encouragement. I need the reminder that there is a Power greater than all I see around me, and that when I'm feeling overwhelmed – oh, in case you've ever wondered what a whelm is that you can be over it, it's a cover, so to be overwhelmed means to be covered over or submerged – I do have ammunition,

not necessarily physical to use against what's giving me problems (or do I?) but spiritual ammo to use. Or in this context, spiritual ARMOR. The sixth chapter of Ephesians verses ten through twenty deal with the components of said armor, first with its purpose. The armor does no good to you or me if we don't put it on! The belt (what is about “your loins girt” in verse thirteen), the breastplate, the sandals, the shield, the helmet, and the sword are all there for a reason, please read it!

Now why do you need the whole armor (and please note that in verse thirteen, the WHOLE armor) of God and can't just pick and choose what parts you wear, in a spiritual and physical sense? Continue verse thirteen: “that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” You've still got things to do, trust me. I've still got things to do – even if Adam and Eve turned down the serpent back in Eden, they would have still had something God had created them to do.

Genesis 2:15 – “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” God does not create us and once we're saved BAM! – Emeril won't come after me for using that, will he? – we're left with nothing to do, no one to fight. But we don't need to fight each other in the process – the principalities, powers, rulers of this world's darkness, and spiritual wickedness in high places (see Ephesians 6:12) will provide more than enough to handle in this life.

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit …,” From verses eighteen through twenty we see that the battle is one we're equipped to fight, but not one we have to fight on our own. When we place our (spiritually) armored selves in the hands of God and are willing to admit that we don't have all the answers or the resources to get all the answers – hence the praying – becoming bold and making known the gospel is simplicity itself! But we have to begin. We have to hear the Word, and do it.

I also like hearing that my DAD would be so proud,

David

P.S. I write this weekly devotional to keep in touch with all of you in my address book, and I hope to be an encourager too! If you find that I’m not or you want me to get lost, just let me know, thank you!

We praise You, Lord, for this beautiful day You have given us! Please pray with me for the peace of Jerusalem on both sides of the fence and for physical and spiritual communities around our world.

Lord, we need Your strength to fight the natural disasters and human ills to ultimately treat the cause and not just the symptoms; until we who have power change, this world You have made us stewards of won’t either.

Thank You, Lord, for all those in leadership and service here and abroad. Thank You for the opportunities we have been given as well as the promise of new life through Your Son. And may we all seek and have a blessed week! Amen.