Covered Feet

[T]ake ... the whole armour of God, ... your loins girt about with truth ... the breastplate of righteousness ... your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace" - Ephesians 6:13-15

A person doesn't need to recognize a battle to be in one. Society may call it an emotional problem, an addiction, a family issue, a legal battle, but unless we recognize the spiritual aspect of our struggles we can't endure.

The Bible says we have the armor - we just need to put it on and use it!

Third listed is the preparation of the gospel of peace; literally, preparing the good message of God's peace and prosperity. The focus is not survival but thriving and taking that peace and prosperity of victory to others.

"Praise be to the God ... who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." - 2nd Corinthians 1:3

- fritz

Jesus Comes In When Asked

Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you - 2nd Corinthians 13:5b

It is NOT figuratively speaking, it is no metaphor or euphemistic way of expressing some "truth"; Jesus, the living Christ, actually and tangibly lives within the one who has asked Him to do so.

The little chorus is more Biblical and profound then we realize:

Into my heart, into my heart,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus;
Come in today, come in to stay,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.¹

-fritz

1 - link (music and words): "Come into My Heart Lord Jesus"

Reality Check!

For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: - 2nd Corinthians 1:8 (KJV)

Inaccurate it would be to let an impression remain that all emotion in Jesus is exuberance.

That false impression can be given because most remarks are made when a pentacle is reached and feelings of excited expression run high. But there are valleys between those peaks, when there is no desire to write, but a hopeful expectation that the path will lead to a destination of better joy than any other path.

Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: - 1st Peter 1:6

Even in the valleys, though, there is a knowledge that more peaks are coming, with an anticipation of how wonderful they shall be.

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. - Psalms 30:5 (KJV)

Why not all peaks?! Why not all feelings of exuberance?! The next verse after our primary scripture answers that:

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: - 2nd Corinthians 1:9 (KJV)

God knows when we need a reality check!