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The Warrior’s Sword

Fellowship, Living for Christ, Warfare No Responses »

Mar 102010

Zechariah 9:13 says that the Lord will make us like a warrior’s sword. That got me thinking about how a sword is made and how it’s used by a warrior. The picture that emerges is a beautiful analogy of how we are exactly like a warrior’s sword in the hand of God.

Begin with how a sword is made. All swords start out as nothing more than a lump of iron that’s been pulled out of the ground. Then the iron passes through fire to burn off the impurities. Next, the iron is mixed with a stronger material to make it more powerful. Then comes the process of heating, beating, and cooling the metal until it is formed into a blade. The sword is not complete until a handle is fashioned and attached to it. Without a handle, the warrior has no way to interact with the blade. The handle is the most intimate part of the sword because it is where the sword and the warrior come into contact with each other. Lastly, the sword is sharpened until it becomes lethal. This process involves bringing the sword into contact with other metal until the edges are nice and sharp.

Now, you have a finished sword. It might be impressive to look at, but it’s quite useless and pointless until the warrior picks it up and takes it into battle. Also, the sword cannot take itself into battle. It must wait until the trumpet sounds and the warrior takes it up and charges into the fight. Lastly, it’s important to recognize that the victory belongs to the warrior, not the sword. The sword is just a tool that the skilled warrior uses to fight the battle, but the victory belongs to the warrior.

Now, reconsider what it means to be a Warrior’s sword in the hand of the Lord. The Bible makes clear that we are all dead in our sins until we come to Christ. But, just like the lump of iron that’s been pulled up out of the ground, we have been raised up from death into life through Christ Jesus. Also like the unrefined iron, Jesus says that He baptizes with fire, so our impurities are burned away. The same way the iron is mixed with a stronger material, we, too, are mixed with something stronger than ourselves to make us more powerful - the Holy Spirit. We also go through a process of refinement where we experience trials that can feel like we’re in a fire or being beaten, but we are also comforted by the rivers of living water that flow from Jesus. The Lord uses our trials to form and shape us into who He wants us to be.

Even as we start to take shape as a sword, we still need a handle if the Warrior, Jesus, is going to be able to use us in battle. Remember, the handle is that point of intimate, personal contact where the sword and the Warrior come in contact with each other. We form that contact through worship, prayer, Bible study, serving the Lord, and serving others. When we have a strong relationship with the Lord, it becomes like a handle on a sword where the Warrior can hold onto us tightly. We can’t forget about the sharpening process, either. “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27:17). When we are united with other believers, we become more sharp and more useful as a Warrior’s sword.

But, even after we are refined, formed, and sharpened, we are rather pointless and useless as a weapon until the Warrior picks us up and takes us into battle. We can’t charge in to battle on our own. We must wait until the trumpet is sounded and the Warrior charges into battle. Otherwise, we cannot win. Lastly, the picture of the Warrior’s sword reminds us that the victory belongs to Jesus. We are useful and powerful tools in the hands of a skilled and powerful Warrior, but never forget that the battle belongs to the Lord.

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The God Taste Test

Blessings, Discipleship, Encouragement, Faith, Fellowship, Love, Overcoming Adversity, Prosper No Responses »

Mar 102010

I love to eat spaghetti and garlic bread. It tastes so good when I’m eating it, but when I’m finished I’m left with a taste in my mouth that’s not always that pleasant. Not to mention my breath. People can always tell when I’ve been eating garlic, if you know what I mean. I’m sure you can think of something that taste good going down, but leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth and makes your breath less than fresh. Maybe for you it’s onions or coffee or something else. No matter what it is, we can’t always run home to brush our teeth and garlge with mouthwash right away, so we reach for a piece of chewing gum to try and cover up what we’ve been eating.

We all have our favorite brand or flavor of gum, but it didn’t become our favorite until we tried it. My favorite is Stride spearamint chewing gum. It tastes great and the flavor lasts a really long time. It makes my mouth feel cleaner and it seems to do a pretty good job at fighting bad breath. I’ve just given you my testimony about Stride spearamint chewing gum. I can confidently tell you about it because I’ve actually tried it for myself and found all of these things to be true. If I told you how great Dentyne was, but had never actually tried it, all I would be doing is telling you what I’ve read or heard, not what I’ve actually experienced for myself. You’re going to believe me more if I tell you about something I’ve actually experienced instead of something that I’ve only read or heard about.

But, the real testimony isn’t in what I say, it’s in what I do. I can tell you all day long about how great Stride is, but if you see me pull out a piece of Orbit and chew it, you’re probably going to doubt all the great things I said about Stride. After all, if Stride was that good, wouldn’t I want to chew it all the time? The point is, I have a choice every time I buy chewing gum. If you see me buying something other than Stride, then maybe Stride isn’t that good, after all, so you see no need to try it for yourself.

So, where is the God Taste Test in all of this? Let’s start over, again, and make a few changes. Instead of garlic, onions, and coffee, let’s talk about sin. There’s no denying that sin gives us momentary pleasure. If it didn’t, we would never sin because it wouldn’t taste so good going down. But, sin leaves a bad taste in your mouth and people can usually tell. You may think you’re covering it up, but anytime there’s unresolved sin in someone’s life, the evidence is all around them. People try to cover up their sin in many ways, but there’s only one way to really deal with it. Jesus.

Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Now, I can sit here and tell you all about Jesus and how great He, how much He loves you, how He wants to help you, and how He died for your sins, but you’re not going to know until you taste and see for yourself that the Lord is good.

As far as my testimony about Jesus is concerned, if I told you all about Him, but haven’t experienced His love for myself, then all I’m doing is telling you what I’ve read and heard about Him. You’re not going to be that convinced if I try to talk about things I haven’t experienced. Either way, it won’t really matter to you unless what I do supports what I say about Jesus. I can talk all day long about the love of Christ, but if you never see me practice what I preach, then nothing I say will mean anything to you. That means I have to make a conscious decision every day to choose Christ over this world.

There’s something else this God Taste Test does for us. It helps us get through anything. Matthew 24:14 says that “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony and then the end will come.” There are two things I notice about this verse. First of all, the gospel is to be preached as a testimony. Remember, a testimony is only a testimony when you have experienced it for yourself. Otherwise, you’re not testifying, you’re only repeating what you’ve read or heard. Think of it like a court of law. An eye-witness gives testimony to what they’ve seen for themselves to be true. A lawyer never calls someone to the stand who has only heard about something. Their “testimony” is not even admissible as evidence. It’s only when we have seen it for ourselves do we become powerful witnesses for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Also, notice that once you preach the gospel as a testimony, as something you know to be true for yourself, then the end will come, that is, the end of what ever you’re going through. When you taste and see that the Lord is good and share your testimony about what God has done for you, your focus will be on God and not your problems. Your problems become much smaller because God is much bigger.

Taste and see for yourself that the Lord is good and you will understand that He can get you through anything. When you experience the love and provision of God for yourself, then you will learn to trust in and rely on Him for everything. Then the end of what ever you’re going through will come. Take the God Taste Test if you haven’t already. See for yourself.

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The Gospel According To Spiderman

Discipleship, Fellowship, Holy Spirit, Living for Christ, Love, Sacrifice No Responses »

Mar 102010

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a super-hero? My guess is that at some point in your life you imagined yourself as Superman, Wonder Woman, or some other hero with super-powers. If you’ve ever thought about that kind of stuff, then you’ve probably thought about which super-powers you would want and what you would do with them. If you’re like me, then you probably still think about it every now and then. Well, sit tight, because I want to show you how you can be a real life super-hero for God.

When you think about all the “Supers,” there’s one that stands out above the rest as an example of how regular people like us can become heroes. Spiderman. I’m sure you’re familiar with the movie starring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, but if it’s been awhile since you’ve seen it, let me refresh your memory.

Peter Parker was just a regular guy. Actually, he was more like a guy that nobody ever noticed until something happened to him that changed everything. It all started when he came in contact with a spider. That’s not quite accurate to say he came in contact with the spider. Peter didn’t just see it, hear about it, or read about it. He had a personal encounter with the spider. Basically, he got bit. Afterwards, he became more like the thing he came in contact with.

The spider gave Peter everything necessary to become a super-hero the moment he got bit, but the change wasn’timmediate. He had to go through a process before he became more like the spider. After the change, Peter knew he was different. The new man was not the same as the old man, so he created a new identity.

Though he had changed personally, his life wasn’t much different. He felt better, he looked better, and he was more confident, but nothing had really changed in his life or in the lives of those around him. It wasn’t until he started using his super-powers to help other people that he became a super-hero. Once he started using what he had been given to help others, he became Spiderman.

Right about now, you’re probably asking yourself what this has to do with being a super-hero for God. Follow me through this story, again.

We all start out like Peter Parker until we come in contact with Jesus. I’m not talking about reading or hearing about Him, but actually having a personal encounter with Him. Once we come in contact with Jesus at that level, we start to become more like Him. And just like Peter, we get everything we need to be a super-hero for God the moment we enounter Jesus personally and ask Him to be our Lord and Savior. For the most part, though, the change in our lives is not immediate. We go through a process, just like Peter did. Not only that, but we also get a new identity in Christ. The old has gone, the new has come.

As we continue to change, we may feel better, look better, and be more confident in Christ, but it doesn’t mean much if nothing else in our life or the lives of those around us changes. We can’t become a super-hero for God until we start using what we’ve been given to help others. I’m not saying we’ve been given super-powers, like shooting webs out our wrists, but we have been given super-natural powers. Jesus said that through the Holy Spirit we will be able to do everything He did and more. Think about that for a moment. Jesus walked on water, raised the dead, commanded the wind and the waves, multiplied food, and a whole lot of other stuff. He said we would be able to do all of that and more. I can’t think of any super-hero with that kind of power.

But, there’s more to being a hero than encountering Jesus, becoming more like Him, and using what you’ve been given to help others. Basically, it comes down to love. Jesus said that the two greatest things we can ever do is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love others as ourselves. In order to be a hero, you have to love like a HERO.

Let me show you what I mean. HERO is an acronym for what it takes to be a super-hero for God.

H – Heart. Like Jesus said, you must love God with all your heart. When you do anything with all your heart, it means that you give everything you have. That’s how we must love God. With everything.

E – Emotion. You also love God with all your emotion. When something touches your soul, it moves you at an emotional level. At the very core of what drives you and moves your spirit. That’s where we must love God so that everything we do is driven by a love for Him.

R – Reasoning. You love God with all your mind. We must choose each day to serve the Lord. Scripture also tells us to capture every thought. The thing about captives is you either put them to death or you put them to work. Every thought that comes from the flesh should be put to death, while every thought that comes from the Holy Spirit should be put to work. To be a hero, you must love God with all your reasoning.

O – Others. As Jesus said, you have to love others as you love yourself. Don’t overlook the last part of that command. You have to love yourself. And what’s not to love? God loved us even when we were unlovable. He thought enough of us to send His Son to save us, even when we didn’t deserve it. If He loves you that much, then you must be pretty lovable.

So, there you have it. Now, you know how to be a real life super-hero. Come in contact with Jesus. Go through a process. Become more like Christ. Use what you’ve been given to help others. Love like a HERO.

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Paul Was A Marine

Encouragement, Overcoming Adversity, Warfare No Responses »

Mar 102010

I’m pretty sure the Marines weren’t around when the Apostle Paul was doing his missionary thing, but if they had been, I bet they could have learned a thing or two from the man. I can’t say this with any certainty and I don’t wish to offend any Marines, but it’s possible that the Marines studied Paul’s life to figure out how to do things.

For example, consider the whole “improvise, adapt, and overcome” mentality that Marines are known for. Paul showed the same tenacity in Acts 20. In the middle of this chapter, Paul says he is being compelled by the Holy Spirit to go to Jerusalem. He says that he doesn’t know why he’s going or what’s going to happen to him, all he knows is that he’s been told to go, so he’s going. Nothing is going to stop him. He has been given the objective and he is going to get there, no matter what. Starting to sound like a Marine, yet? Just wait, there’s more.

Paul had been given the order by his “Commanding Officer” to go to Jerusalem. His purpose was clear, so Paul made a plan to get on a ship heading to Syria so he could make his way back to Jerusalem. But, the Jews formed a plot against him. When Paul found out about the plot, he changed his plan. This is important, so pay attention. The enemy plotted to keep Paul from doing what God had called him to do. Paul was following a plan, but the plan was just the means to an end. His ultimate purpose was to get to Jerusalem. Paul didn’t spend a whole lot of time worrying that the plan he made didn’t work out like he thought it would. Instead, he improvised and adapted to come up with a new plan so he could overcome the schemes of the enemy and fulfill his ultimate purpose of going to Jerusalem. Are you starting to see how the Marines may have been able to learn a few things from Paul?

Okay, forget about the Marines for a minute and think about yourself. As a Christian, can you see how Paul’s example is a great way for you to approach God’s call on your life? Paul was following the plans God had for his life, but he encountered a road-block. He could have given up or he could have stayed to fight. If he had done either one of those things he would have failed in his purpose or, at best, been delayed in getting there. Instead, he found another plan that accomplished the same goal.

As a Christian, I sometimes quote Jeremiah 29:11 to remind myself that God has plans for my life. Did you notice that God doesn’t have a plan for my life? He has plans for my life. Don’t underestimate the importance of that distinction. God doesn’t waste letters or words, so why would He be careful to say ‘plans’? It may be because we have a tendency to mistake a plan for a purpose. In other words, you need to know what it is you’ve really been called to do and don’t get hung up on how you’re going to do it. Some people walk away from their calling because things didn’t turn out the way they had planned. We’ve got to understand that God establishes the purpose before He establishes the plans for how to achieve that purpose. We will make mistakes along the way, but the Lord has an infinite number of ways to do whatever it is He wants us to do. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking there’s only one way you can fulfill your purpose. If God has called you to do something, be sure you know what He has called you to do. That’s the purpose. As far as how you’re going to do it, that’s the plan.

But, what will you do if the enemy resists the plan? Will you give up? Will you stand and fight? Or, will you find another way of doing what God has really called you to do? It might sound righteous to say you would stand your ground and fight, but before you go there, remember that the plan is not the purpose. Maybe you are supposed to stand and fight. However, you can get so bogged down in spiritual warfare defending what you’ve already been given that you’re too busy to take any new ground. If you can’t take any new ground then you can’t accomplish the purpose God has called you to. Instead of getting bogged down in spiritual warfare, you may need to look for a way to improvise and adapt to overcome the schemes of the enemy so you can still accomplish the ultimate purpose.

So, if you’re ready to be all that you can be, stand firm in the knowledge of Christ. Loving Him with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength is your ultimate purpose. Let nothing keep you from being more like Him every day. If it seems like your plans are under attack, let Jesus be your strong tower. He is more than capable of defending what He’s already given you and He knows the plans He has for you. Plans that will accomplish the purpose set before you, namely, eternal life with the Father. HOOAH!

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Hey good lookin’, whatcha got cookin’?

Blessings, Offering, Prosper, Sacrifice No Responses »

Mar 092010

The final verse of Zechariah says that all the cooking pots will be holy to the Lord and that all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. When I think of cooking pots (which is not that often), I think about all the good food that comes out of them. I also think about the people who don’t have a pot to cook in. They may have some food to eat, but how much better would it taste if they could put it in a pot and make some gumbo! Not only does a cooking pot make things taste better, but it also helps you feed a lot more people.

Here’s the deal about the cooking pots in Zecharia 14:21. They are made available to anyone who brings their sacrifice to the Lord. So, if you want a pot to cook in, then you need to bring your sacrifice to the Lord. That’s not all, though. This verse says that those who bring their sacrifice to the Lord must take the cooking pot. What good is it if something is made available to you, but you don’t take it? It may as well not be available if you don’t take it. After we bring our sacrifice to the Lord, we must reach out and take what He makes available to us. We’re still not finished with this verse, though. After you’ve brought your sacrifice to the Lord and taken what He has made available, you then need to use what He gave you for the purpose it was meant for. The last part of this verse says that the people took the pots and cooked in them. It doesn’t say they took the pots and bathed in them. They used what they were given for the purpose it was given. When the Lord blesses you, use what He gives you for the reason He gave it. All things are given for His glory and pleasure. Whatever blessing comes to you must pass through you to honor the Lord. It’s a matter of recognizing that everything belongs to the Lord and without Him we would have nothing.

So, bring your sacrifice to the Lord, take what He makes available to you, and use what He gives you for the reason He gave it. If you don’t know why He gave it, just fall back on 1 Corinthians 10:31. No matter what you do with what He gives you, do it all for the glory of God. Take a look around at the blessings in your life. What’s cooking in your pot?

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War Horse

Overcoming Adversity, Warfare No Responses »

Mar 072010

Zechariah 10:3 says that the Lord will make me like a battle horse. War horses were highly valued because they were fierce, fearless, and greatly feared in battle. They were well trained, but without a rider to master them they were dangerous to both sides during the battle. A well-trained war horse with a masterful rider was a mighty force that could turn the battle and bring the victory.

If I am being made like a battle horse, then I need to be well trained in the ways of the Lord and I need to submit to Him as my Master. Without the Lord to lead and guide me, I become dangerous to everyone. If I try to win the battle on my own, I may end up doing more damage than good. But, under His leadership and guidance I become fierce, fearless, and greatly feared by the enemy. Being well-trained in the Lord and serving under His authority makes me highly valuable and capable of turning the battle for the Lord. Giddy-up!

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The Sword, The Sacrifice, and The Crown

Blessings, Offering, Overcoming Adversity, Prosper, Sacrifice, Warfare, Work No Responses »

Mar 042010

In the ninth chapter of Zechariah, we are compared to a warrior’s sword, a bowl filled for offering a sacrifice on the altar, and a jewel in the crown of a king.

It’s interesting that crown comes after the battle and the sacrifice. It seems that we must first go through the battle and offer a sacrifice to the Lord before we see the crown. We battle, we sacrifice, we prosper.

I also see Jesus in each element of this progresssion. Jesus is the Warrior who carries us through the battle (see A Warrior’s Sword page). Jesus is the altar on which we offer our sacrifice. And Jesus is the King in whose crown we are a jewel. Like everything else in life, it all begins and ends with Jesus. He is the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end.

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Get to work and be a blessing!

Blessings, Work No Responses »

Mar 032010

Zechariah 8:12-13 says that the heavens will pour down rain so the seed will grow well, the vine will produce its fruit, and the ground will yield its crops. Clearly, there’s nothing we can do to bring the rain. It’s given by the Lord to increase the fruits of our labor. Make no mistake, we must labor before we can expect to see the increase. A seed will not grow if it’s not first planted. If a vine is not tended and cared for then it cannot produce fruit. If the ground is not cleared and plowed then it cannot yield a crop. If I have not planted the seed, tended the vine, or prepared the field, then I can’t expect a harvest when the Lord sends the rain. All I can expect is to get wet. Loosely translated, this means that I can’t just sit in the rain getting soaked, I need to do something before the rain comes so the Lord can give the blessing of increase.

This passage of scripture about the Lord’s blessing also says that He gives it as an inheritance to His people. It’s not because we’ve earned it or deserve it, it’s because we’re His kids. We’re children of the Most High God and heirs to everything He owns. He gives us these blessings because we’re His family. It’s a love thing. He loves us so much that He blesses us “just because.” But, it’s not just about His love for us as His children, it’s also about His love for those who are not yet in the family. Another reason He gives us these blessings is so that we will be a blessing to others. You see, it’s not so much about the blessing to us as it is about the blessing through us. When we are faithful to use the blessings the Lord gives us to bless others, a couple of things happen. One, they will see that the Lord is with us and will want to be a part of that. Two, the Lord will see your faithfulness and continue to pour blessings on you. If you read the last part of verse 13 carefully, you will see that you are the blessing to others. You are the one the Lord sends as a blessing to those who are not in His family. Those lost, hurt, and broken people are the seeds we plant, the vines we tend, and the fields we prepare so that when the Lord sends the dew, our labor will produce a harvest for the Lord.

If you want the blessings of the Lord to increase in your life then let your hands be strong and get to work. And never forget that you are to be a blessing to others.

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Fast, But Not So Fast

Fasting No Responses »

Mar 022010

In Zechariah 7, some folks wanted to know if they should fast at a certain time like they always did. God’s response was to ask them why they were fasting in the first place. Was it for Him or for them? That got me thinking about why I fast.

Fasting and prayer are usually linked together in the Bible and I have made the mistake of thinking that I’m supposed to fast while I’m praying soI can get what I’m praying for. What a huge mistake that is! In those cases, I’m not really fasting for the Lord, but for myself. It’s like I want God to answer my prayer, so I fast to get what I want. Instead, I should fast because I want God more than what I want from God.

If I am truly fasting because I just want more of Him and not because I want more from Him, then my heart begins to want the things He wants. My prayers will not just be about what I want, but will be more about what He wants. When my prayers are aligned with His desires, then I can be sure He will hear and answer. That’s why I fast. I want more of God. When I am closer to Him, then I want what He wants and my prayers will reflect that deeper level of intimacy.

So, why do you fast? Is it for the Lord or for yourself? No condemnation here, just a question to make you think about it a little more. Let me encourage you to fast so you can have more of God, not get more from God.

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Eternal Position

Encouragement, Faith, Living for Christ No Responses »

Mar 012010

Take courage in knowing that your temporary condition will never change your eternal position. Whatever you’re going through will pass, but your position in Jesus Christ is eternal and can never be taken away from you, tarnished, or diminished.

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” – Colossians 3:1-3

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Older Entries Newer Entries

The Warrior’s Sword

The God Taste Test

The Gospel According To Spiderman

Paul Was A Marine

Hey good lookin’, whatcha got cookin’?

War Horse

The Sword, The Sacrifice, and The Crown

Get to work and be a blessing!

Fast, But Not So Fast

Eternal Position

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