by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
I learned 4
lessons from a clay pot during a pottery demonstration.
I watched a potter spin the wheel with his foot. The talented hands worked the clay until it softened enough to form a pliable lump. Even though his hands moved and formed, the clay had to submit to the fingers pressing on it. If the clay was too hard, the bowl he wanted to create would not turn out like he planned.
As Christians, sometimes we hear the word “meditation” and we back off as if we are being pursued by a cult. We associate this practice with New Age religions. But is meditation a bad thing?
The negative
image comes from eastern religions that teach people to empty their minds, hum,
and sit on the floor with their eyes closed.
But meditation
simply means thinking about something. The difference in the benefit (or
damage) is in what we think about.
Give ear to my
words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Listen to the voice of my cry, my King
and my God: for to you I will pray. (Psalm
5:1 AKJV)
We can see from
this Scripture that biblical meditation is thinking about God’s Word and
praying.
Even though Jesus warned the disciples more than once about the future suffering He would endure, they still didn't get it (Matthew 16:21).
Despite
Christ’s warnings, His followers, like the rest of Israel, waited for a Messiah
with military might. The Israelites conquered other nations and entered the
Promised Land through war. Their history involved conquering and being
conquered. Centuries later, when the Romans ruled over their country they assumed
their long-awaited Messiah would rescue them through armed conflict.
The Master
Teacher tried to prepare His companions for what lay ahead. But they couldn’t
even stay awake to pray with Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Mary Magdalene
was the first one Christ appeared to after the resurrection, and He gave her
the task of proclaiming the good news that He was alive.
She went to the
hidden followers and told them she had seen the Lord’s immortal body. They
still didn’t pay attention to this eyewitness.
When they
heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. (Mark 16:11)
Here are 2 possible
reasons they doubted Mary's report.
1. They Were Too
Focused on the Natural
Their minds did
not always perceive the spiritual reason the Almighty sent His Son to earth.
Christ’s
supporters saw miracles unlike any the world had ever experienced before. But
as soon as the miraculous was over they reverted to their constrained way of
thinking.
A few hours
after the loaves and fish multiplication they struggled through a storm and
thought a ghost walked on the water until their Redeemer called out to them (Matthew
14:25). At least Peter reverted to faith momentarily and got out of the boat to
walk toward His Master on the water.
The second time
they were in the same predicament where a crowd needed food, they didn’t refer
to the previous miraculous expansion of bread and fish for they still wondered
what to do.
His disciples
answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a
crowd?” (Matthew
15:33)
Except for the
event on the mountain where Peter, James, and John watched as the Son of Man
transfigured into the glory of the Son of God, His body was as natural as
theirs. They knew He was divine, but they still had to deal with the flesh and
blood limitations of His humanity.
2, They Didn’t Understand His Mission
Jesus's band of
followers either didn’t remember what He said, or they just didn’t get the
meaning.
They knew He
came to save the lost, but they still waited for the glorious defeat of the
Roman empire.
Flogging
massacred His flesh. John is the only one who was at the cross and watched Him
die, but the others knew what crucifixion did. The darkness of a grave enclosed
His corpse.
Wasn’t the
Messiah supposed to be their great leader who would free them from bondage?
Heaven’s
miracle worker raised others from the dead, so why didn’t He stop what
happened? Now all they saw was a stone in front of the tomb’s entrance.
They didn’t
understand His mission was twofold. First, He had to destroy sin by becoming
the sacrificial lamb. In the future, He would judge the world and rule in
justice on the earth.
These apostles
were Jewish men who also knew the Scriptures and prophecies. But they didn’t
rely on them to discern the Savior’s purpose.
The risen
Christ told the couple from Emmaus, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that
the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and
then enter his glory?” (Luke 24:25-26)
Death took away
their Lord and Master. Their mental focus on the natural world and lack of
understanding the prophecies kept His companions from accepting the
resurrection at first. The King of kings Himself was the witness they needed to
dispel their doubt.
The Passover
Lamb materialized to them in a room with a closed door. Thomas wasn’t at this
meeting, and he still didn’t perceive the truth when his friends told them the
risen Christ visited them (John 20:19-20).
Thomas wanted substantial
proof and Divinity gave it to him on the next visit. But the Lord also told
this disciple that it was better to see by faith than see with their eyes (John
20:29).
But we
shouldn’t be too hard on these eleven men. We may have been among the doubters
too. Now we have the advantage of hindsight and over 2,000 years of biblical
history.
After the Holy
Spirit filled them, their boldness and witness traveled the then known world
and changed history. According to tradition, all but John were martyred for
their faith and message, and John was exiled because of His testimony.
They understood
the message of the gospel and His redemptive purpose on earth.
Jesus
performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not
recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is
the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his
name. (John 20:31)
Because of what
they did the good news came to us. Despite the emperors, dictators, atheists,
and agnostics who have attempted to disprove the Bible and wipe out
Christianity, the Word of God still thrives.
So is my word
that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will
accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)
We can take the
words Christ said to Thomas for ourselves. We can’t see Him now with our eyes,
but we can trust because we see with our hearts. The Scriptures themselves are
our testimony that He is risen just as He said.
May this
Resurrection Day be a blessed celebration for you!
Join the
conversation and share your thoughts.
Image by Ken Thief 🕊 from Pixabay
by Barbara Latta
What does the Bible mean when it talks about perfect love?
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out
fear, because fear involves torment. (1 John 4:18a
NKJV)
I used to think the perfect love this verse talked about
meant I had to display perfect love toward God and others for anxiety to leave
me.
But after I heard someone explain this Scripture, the light
came on in my mind. (Sometimes I'm slow!)
This verse speaks of God's love, not ours, because His love
is the only perfection. We can't express perfect love no matter how close to
Him we grow because we still have our flesh (mind and emotions) to deal with.
The second part of that verse says, But he
who fears has not been made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18b)
How does perfect love cast out fear?
Do you ever suffer with being wishy-washy, inconsistent in accomplishing goals, or procrastinate like Scarlett O'Hara?
I often struggle with these ailments and frustration follows
because of uncompleted tasks.
When I prayed about my dilemma, I heard the Holy Spirit say,
"Consistency is the key."
Consistency is the key. What does that mean, Lord?
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| 4 Scriptures to overcome thoughts of condemnation and guilt |
by Barbara Latta @barbaralatta
Does your mind play games with your conscience over past sins? Do you suffer with guilt even though you know you are forgiven?
Sometimes the words of others can ignite those thoughts and
bring the hammer down on any positive progression we have made in our souls.
I have heard these words from people before. "(Name of
person) told me I have cancer because there must be sin in my life."
Or thoughts and accusations come after a disaster or tragedy
such as, "This happened because of what I did." (Meaning they think
they are being punished because of a past sin, not a consequence of a bad
decisions such as having a wreck because of speeding.)
This way of thinking stems from traditions, someone's
opinion (that may even be hundreds of years old), or Old Testament stories.
We look to the Old Testament accounts where God punished Israel
for their sins and we bring these forward to today. The Lord had to give a
penalty to them to keep the decay of transgressions from multiplying to the
point of no return. Animal sacrifices offered a temporary reprieve but could
not cleanse a person.
The Old Testament is given to us for a reason, but we
need to keep reading and discover that Jesus set up a new covenant for
believers. He is the One who paid for all sin for all time (Hebrews 10:12-14),
and it is a done deal.
But this is not the way He wants us as His body on the earth
to function.
Because Jesus forgave us, He doesn't want us acting
like defeated members of His Church who have no power to overcome. We are more
than conquerors (Romans 8:37)
God hasn't changed. Sin does still need to be dealt
with, but Jesus is the One who dealt with it for us. The Father inflicted the
punishment for all sin upon His precious Son so that we wouldn't be punished
for it.
Our part is to accept Christ's payment for us. If you
are still bound by guilt over past sins, let go of the condemnation. Don't hold
on to baggage that weighs so heavy on you that you can't move forward in your
spiritual life.
Our enemy, the devil, can't take away our salvation. But he
wants to paralyze us by keeping us focused on our wrongdoing. He uses these
reminders to put condemnation in our minds. But we are told to focus on
Christ's victory rather than the wrong we have done.
There is no iniquity more powerful than the blood of
Jesus. Nothing is so bad that hasn't already been forgiven.
When your thoughts, or even other people, remind you of what
may have transpired in your life, throw those words at the cross. The pure
blood of Jesus has made your clean.
Talk to yourself with 4 simple confessions based on these
Scriptures when you feel the downward spiral of judgment swirl around your
soul.
I am loved. But God
demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ
died for us. (Romans 5:8 NIV)
I am accepted. To
the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the
Beloved. (Ephesians 1:6 NKJV))
I am forgiven. If we
confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9
NKJV)
I am free. Stand fast
therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be
entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians
5:1 NKJV)
Win the war in your mind by saying no to guilt and shame. We
have the yes of victory in Christ.
Join the conversation and share your thoughts.
Image by Mariya
Muschard from Pixabay
4 poppies
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In ancient Rome, the army of Caesar was an institution to be feared. Everywhere they marched, these soldiers conquered. To resist them meant certain death.
They were heavily armed, trained, and disciplined. They had at their disposal an arsenal of weapons. Among these were various types of swords.
A heavy double-edged sword, too large and heavy to use in battle, was a training tool. This strengthened the soldier’s muscles so that when they wielded their fighting swords in battle they did not grow fatigued and weak.
The spatha was a long sword used in the Roman cavalry and gladiator games. A soldier could swing this instrument of death with a long reach while still on horseback.
But the gladius was the weapon of the foot soldiers. With a double edge and triangular tip, its reputation was the sword that conquered the world. Just the sight of this sword and the decimation left behind would strike fear in the hearts of an enemy. It was used in close contact because it could penetrate the body between chinks in armor, remove limbs, and slice throats.
Gladius is the Latin term for this type of sword which in Greek is machaira. And this Greek word is the term Paul used in Ephesians 6:17 when he refers to the sword of the Spirit. The deadly sword Paul tells us to use against our enemy. The machaira of the Spirit.
The devil cannot stand against the Word of God. This weapon strikes fear in this fallen angel because he knows he has no power against those razor-sharp edges. The sword that conquered the spirit world is the sword of redemption.
Our use of machaira against the enemy of mankind reminds the devil of this. That’s why he fights so hard against our knowledge of the Word of God. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).
When we receive the revelation of what Christ did for us, we hold the power against our spiritual enemy. It is God’s power in our hands, His sword, and we can eliminate any threat because this weapon strikes behind the devil’s armor—his lies.
Here are 3 ways to win spiritual battles with the Sword of the Spirit:
1. Strengthen our soul by training (constant immersion in the Word). Then we can stand against our enemy without fatigue or weakness. Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7).
2. Stand in our rightful place of redemption. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11). Three times in Ephesians 6:10-18, we are told to stand or withstand. The devil is under our feet. We are not under his.
3. Stay in a sound mind and do not let fear rule. We have been given the spirit of power. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
Roman soldiers won battles because they were heavily armed, trained, and disciplined. When we arm ourselves with the Sword of God, train ourselves in His Word, and discipline our souls to only listen to the truth, we are a force that strikes fear in the spiritual wickedness in high places.
We are victorious because our Leader has already won the war for redemption. Our fighting takes place in the battlefield of the mind. Truth conquers lies and the Sword of the Spirit cuts away the false images the defeated enemy shows us.
If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:31b-32).
The truth makes us free.
What are other ways you can think of that help us win spiritual battles with the Sword of the Spirit? Share your thoughts.
