Bible Studies

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Many years ago, I spent a great deal of my waking hours striving to achieve and perfect the physical attributes with which God had blessed me. I chose to pursue an athletic endeavor that would bring accolades, not only to me, but to my family and friends. I have to admit that I became very successful, but at the pinnacle of the experience there was a strange disappointment, a void that could not be filled with physical achievement. Today, our society flaunts the sculptured body as the avenue to self worth. Advertisements flood the media with offers on how to achieve physical perfection. If you are fat, you can lose it; if you are skinny, you can gain muscle; if you are out of shape, you can shape up; and if you have sticks for arms, you can bulk up. Athletic clubs and work out facilities are billion dollar businesses. What is amazing is the effort people take to achieve the temporary things, while neglecting the things that are eternal. The Apostle Paul told Timothy that bodily exercise will profit only so much, whereas “godliness is profitable unto all things” because it brings the promises of real life now, and the joy of life to come. (I Tim. 4:8) It all comes down to what is more important, the body or the spirit man. We all need to take care of our body, for it is the “temple of the Holy Spirit,” (I Cor. 6:19) but to misappropriate our time by perfecting our bodies, while at the same time ignoring our spirits, is to miss the mark.

Recently, there has been a reign of terror that has penetrated the confines of human comfort. Weather extremes have changed the lay of the land. Snow, fire, rain, wind, and vacillating temperatures have played havoc with the unsuspecting populist. Charges have been leveled that warnings were not issued to the unsuspecting public. Not only has nature unleashed its forces of destruction, but Satan has paralleled nature’s terror with terror of his own. When one sees what is happening to our Country, there can be little doubt as to who is leading the assault. While the sins of the flesh are pushing God and His Word to a place of obscurity, the Church is “fiddling while Rome burns.” My heart breaks when I see darkness continue to snuff out any light that magnifies God. Where is the Church during this warfare? I hate to say it, but the Church is ill trained and equipped to launch a counterattack against the forces of darkness! Many Christians are not in spiritual shape. The spiritual exercises of building up their “Biblecepts” and “prayercepts” have been ignored. The Armor of God has been laid aside because so many have filed for “conscientious objector” status. I have seen the Church turn inward instead of fighting the good fight of faith. WARNING! If the Church does not wake up, not only will this great land of ours be lost to the forces of wickedness, but the Church will lose what little effectiveness it now has. Jesus said that when He returns would He find faith on the earth? (Luke 18:8)

The Church is losing its vision. We have lost sight of who is the real enemy. We are preaching messages of prosperity instead of spiritual warfare. While we teach “seed faith,” Satan is planting IED’s. Where are the recruits who are lining up to “fight the good fight of faith”? (I Tim. 6:12) Where is the call to arms? Where is the Pastoral recruiter who proclaims that if we are going to stand against the forces of evil, we must put on the whole armor of God? (Eph. 6:11) We must do more than punch our religious time cards on Sunday and then disappear into the swarms of humanity during the week. A good soldier of Christ will start from his knees, and then stand on the promises of God’s Word. He will then put on the armor of God and start defending his house as well as reclaiming his community, city, state and country. The true Believer will defend God’s Word, while at the same time mounting a spiritual offense against spiritual wickedness. Every soldier needs to learn to identify his weaknesses so he will be better able to anticipate how Satan will attack him. We are not to be ignorant of the devices of the Devil. Let us learn that forewarned is to be forearmed.

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