The Armor God has given His Church

 

The Armor God has given His Church

 

Lord, How, do I put on the Armor?

 

By Jan Rice

 

It is of utmost importance to understand the Armor Has only been given to His Church and it is a Gift to use in all areas of Life.

 

Breastplate of Righteousness

 

2 Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

 

Romans 8:1-4, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.  For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

 

Nothing can separate us from the Love of God if we stand with the Breastplate of Righteousness protecting.  We walk as children of the Light. 

 

·      Be angry and do not sin.

·      Don’t give the devil an opportunity to steal your peace.

·      Steal no more but labor.

·      No unwholesome words.

·      Confess sin, an agree with God.

 

Sons can’t be kicked out of God’s house.

 

 

Shoes of Peace

 

Put on the shoes of peace and take the gospel to others.  You are putting on Christ-being at peace with God thru Christ.

 

·      Peace with God

·      Peace with others

Do Not’s

·      Don’t let anger rob you of Peace

·      Do not allow unwholesome words 

·      Bitterness will defile you, so put away bitterness.

·      Confess sin, agree with God.

·      Satan wants disobedience; sin given him power; it will hold you captive.

·      Peace comes after obedience.

 

Review of the Breastplate of Righteousness

 

We are declared righteous, so we need to walk righteously.

 

The shoes of Peace

 

Shoe your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.

·      Peace with God

·      Living in peace with man.

These are the areas that will Rob your Peace

 

·      Anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness.

·      Those will keep us from walking in Righteousness.

·      Steal your peace.

·      These three above will open the door for the enemy to gain a foothold.

 

What two pieces of Armor must the follower of Christ take up to stand firm against the enemy?

 

Shield of Faith

 

Ephesians 6:16, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;”

 

Want does the Shield of Faith Do?

·      It extinguishes all not some of the flaming darts.

 

What was the purpose of a flaming dart, then and now?

 

Answer from Got Question

An arrow is a deadly weapon used in warfare since ancient times. Arrows were forcibly thrown or projected at a target but were not self-propelled. The original Greek word (belē) used in Ephesians 6:16 could be translated as “arrow,” “dart,” “javelin,” “spear,” or “missile.” Flaming arrows were sharp, piercing projectiles that, in Paul’s day, were dipped in a flammable substance and set on fire before being launched at an enemy (see Psalm 120:4). Their purpose was to cause widespread destruction and death.

The flaming arrows of the evil one in Ephesians 6:16 represent all the wicked schemes the devil devises and then hurls at us to weaken and undermine our faith. Determined to take us down, Satan loads his bow and quiver, always ready to attack (1 Peter 5:8–9). He shoots his flaming arrows or “fiery darts” (NKJV) at our minds and hearts (Romans 7:22–23; 12:2; Ephesians 4:23; Matthew 15:18–19).

 

Without the second piece of Armon no one can Stand

 

The Helmet of Salvation

 

Purpose of the Helmet?

 

Our helmet is the assurance of Salvation.

Question: What does it mean to take up the helmet?

Answer: To put on the helmet of salvation is to know with an absolute certainty you belong to the Lord Jesus Christ and are a member of His forever family.  It is to know and embrace your identity in Christ.

Question: What three aspects of salvation does the helmet cover?

·      I have received Justification

·      I am being sanctified

·      I shall be glorified 

 

 

 

Why do you need the Shield of Faith and the Helmet of Salvation?

 

Question: What is Satan primary objective?

Answer: Getting us to sin

Question: What does he target?

Answer:  Both the heart and mind.

 

What principles can we learn about warfare from 

2 Corinthians10:3-6?

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”

 

The first item we must put on is the belt of Truth

Without Truth, all is for nothing.

Pilate asked Jesus What is Truth?

John 10:36-38, “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this, he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 

Pilate is like so many who go by the title of Christian; they ask a question, but are not willing to wait for the answer.  If he had, he would have heard the following: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Jesus is the Truth; the devil is the father of lies, and if you are seeking truth, run to Jesus.

 

From our Back Porch,

Jan Rice

Oil for the Lamp

  

 

Exodus 27:20-21

 

October 10, 2024

 

Oil for the Lamp

“You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn.  In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel.”

 

“The Bible statutes set boundaries for life. God, our Creator, knows our needs and what is best for us.”  In that, everyone who has asked Jesus to forgive their many sins repented of them, and has asked Jesus into their lives as Master and Lord, or the Church.  And Scripture is clear that when two are more come together in His name, He is with them.  So, as a follower of Christ, what are your boundaries?  And why do you need those boundaries?

 

One of the main statutes is found in Matthew 28:18-20, ^“And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”  How does that apply to you and me, as we go, share what God has done for you, tell them they are loved greatly by Jesus, and He desires a personal relationship with them.

 

One of the statutes that is so needed and the reason boundaries are so important is found in Ephesians 6:1-4, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.  “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”  Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”  Men, it is your responsibility, not your wife’s, to lead your family, to love your wife, and to discipline your children in love. 

 

What about the statute found in Matthew 22:37-40, “And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

 

I believe a person with a foot in the culture of this world will find it impossible to do the statutes found in Matthew 22:37-40, in that this culture is all about self.  And God reminds us it is not about you; it is about Him. So how does one learn to love God above all others?  I believe it requires another statute found in 2 Timothy 2:15,  ^“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”  If you are a new follower of Jesus, you may need a mentor, men you need a man who is mature in both his walk and the application of the Scriptures.  Ladies, you also may need an older lady who has the same qualities.

 

One thing we have to make sure we grasp: our neighbor is anyone we encounter, but just for practice, start with those who live around you.

There are many more, but if you get these, the Holy Spirit will guide you to the ones that you need in your life.  The Holy Spirit is the oil for our lamp, and it is the Holy Spirit that will shine the light of Jesus in your life.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Court of the Tabernacle

  

Exodus 27:9-19

 

October 9, 2024

 

The Court of the Tabernacle

“You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side, the court shall have hangings of fine twined linen a hundred cubits long for one side. Its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.  And likewise, for its length on the north side, there shall be hangings a hundred cubits long, its pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.  And for the breadth of the court on the west side, there shall be hangings for fifty cubits, with ten pillars and ten bases.  The breadth of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits.  The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases.  On the other side, the hangings shall be fifteen cubits, with their three pillars and three bases.  For the gate of the court, there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, embroidered with needlework. It shall have four pillars and with them four bases.  All the pillars around the court shall be filleted with silver. Their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze.  The length of the court shall be a hundred cubits, the breadth fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twined linen and bases of bronze.   All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

 

How good is your ability to recall something you were told that was important last week, or what about three days ago?  Remember, Moses and Joshua were on the Mountain with God for 40 days, and God had not only given Moses the 10 Commandments, but also all the details of how to build the Tabernacle and the furniture.  Plus, the details on the Holy of Holies.

 

Now, if you are like me, you understand God is doing a mighty work at this moment in Moses and the life of Moses and the young man who will later be leading the people of Israel.  I also hope you see the need to mentor younger men, and ladies, younger ladies.  Moses pours his life into Joshua, and we see the result in Joshua and his friend Caleb, the only spies that came back with a God is with us, and He will fight for us.

 

When you read about all the designs and instructions that God gave Moses, God also gave him the ability to recall every detail.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Bronze Altar

 

Exodus 27:1-8

 

October 8, 2024

 

The Bronze Altar

“You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits broad. The altar shall be square, and its height shall be three cubits.  And you shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze.  You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and fire pans. You shall make all its utensils of bronze.  You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze, and on the net, you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners.  And you shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net extends halfway down the altar.  And you shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze.  And the poles shall be put through the rings so that the poles are on the two sides of the altar when it is carried.  You shall make it hollow, with boards. As it has been shown you on the mountain, so shall it be made.

 

It may not be hard for a person who is an architect to grasp what God has shown Moses on the Mountain, but for him to have all of this fixed in his mind, one more shows me the greatness of our God.

 

In our day to effectively show a customer what a house will look like, an architect typically uses computer-aided design (CAD) software to create detailed 2D and 3D drawings, including floor plans, elevations, and sections, which can then be rendered into realistic visualizations using specialized rendering software; additionally, tools like virtual reality (VR) can provide an immersive experience for clients to "walk through" the design virtually.

 

We have no understanding of what God did to show Moses these designs, but whatever it was, He did something for Moses that all the tools above could not do for the architect customer.  He gave Moses the ability to recall every detail.

 

Do you understand God has given you and me a new covenant, we also have an altar, the Cross, where Jesus pays for sin, all sins.  Hebrews 13:10-14,  ^“We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.  For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.  So, Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.   Therefore, let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.  For  here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.“

 

We are told in Hebrews Galatians 2:20,  ^“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”  Crucified, they die, so what death took place in you, was it not the old man, the one who wanted to do it his way?  By dying unto self and living for Jesus.  Our flesh has been trained by the world to get its needs met outside of Christ, and that is why one must study God’s word to seek Him and to listen to the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 6:14 tells us to put no faith in self, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”  God has given us Sacrifices Pleasing to God.  In Hebrews 13:1-8, let brotherly love continue.  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.  Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.  Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.  Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  So, we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

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Bob Rice

Canyon Lake, Texas

Please click here to view my blog

The Tabernacle Part 3

                                                           Exodus 26:15-25

 

October 5, 2024

 

The Tabernacle Part 3

 

“You shall make upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood.  Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the breadth of each frame.  There shall be two tenons in each frame, for fitting together. So shall you do for all the frames of the tabernacle.  You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side;  and forty bases of silver you shall make under the twenty frames, two bases under one frame for its two tenons, and two bases under the next frame for its two tenons;  and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames,  and their forty bases of silver, two bases under one frame, and two bases under the next frame.  And for the rear of the tabernacle westward, you shall make six frames.  And you shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear;  they shall be separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring. Thus shall it be with both of them; they shall form the two corners.  And there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under one frame, and two bases under another frame.

 

a. For the tabernacle, you shall make the boards of acacia wood: Each board was made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold. Each board was 15 feet (5 meters) high and 2 feet 3 inches (about .75 meters) wide.

b. Twenty boards for the south side: The north and south sides of the tabernacle had 20 boards each. The back (westward) side was six boards wide with two corner boards, for a total of eight boards across the back.

i. Scholars debate whether the surrounding boards made a solid wall around the tabernacle or were more of a frame with the fabric coverings providing the wall. The idea of a solid wall seems more likely.

c. Coupled together at the top by one ring: Each board was joined together by a system of tenons (tabs) with rings, through which ran bars. Each board had four rings through which the bars ran, and the corner boards had eight rings, four on two sides to accommodate the corners.

d. So there shall be eight boards with their sockets of silver; sixteen sockets: Each board rested on two sockets of silver, each socket made with one talent of silver. Therefore, each board rested on a base of 264 pounds (120 kilos) of silver.

i. Silver is the metal associated with redemption and payment for sin (Exodus 21:32, Leviticus 5:15, 27:3, 27:6, Numbers 18:16, and Deuteronomy 22:19). Jesus was betrayed for silver (Matthew 26:15). The tabernacle’s foundation was silver – pointing to the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.

ii. Perhaps the dual nature of the foundation had to do with the two sources of revelation – the Old and New Testaments.

iii. The silver of redemption also separated the tabernacle from the dirt of the desert floor. This is an illustration of the truth that Jesus’ redeeming work separates us from the world.

 

From the Back Porch, 

Bob Rice

 

 

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The Tabernacle Covering

 

 

Exodus 26:14

 

October 4, 2024

 

The Tabernacle Covering

 

And you shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams' skins and a covering of goatskins on top.

 

a. You shall also make a covering of ram skins: The covering of ram skins was like fine leather dyed red. No specific size or arrangement is mentioned for the assembling of this covering.

i. Kaiser described the ram skins as “Skins that had all the wool removed and then were dyed red; it was like our Morocco leather.”

b. A covering of badger skins above that: The outer covering of badger skins (or, perhaps porpoise or sea-cow skins) was a durable and water 

 

 outer covering. It wasn’t particularly beautiful to look at, but it was extremely comfortable.

i. When these four layers of curtains were laid on one another, the result was a very dry and very dark tent. The only light came from the lampstand described in the previous chapter.

Jesus refers to His church as the light of the world.  Our world is a dark place, full of self-seeking people, who god is themselves.  Many are looking for anything but Jesus, and yet some will come to Jesus when they see His light in you.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Tabernacle Part 2

 

Exodus 26:7-13

 

October 3, 2024

 

The Tabernacle Part 2

“You shall also make curtains of goats' hair for a tent over the tabernacle; eleven curtains shall you make.  The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. The eleven curtains shall be the same size.  You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent.  You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.

“You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together that it may be a single whole.  And the part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle.  And the extra that remains in the length of the curtains, the cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it.  

a. Make curtains of goats’ hair: The second covering was made of goats’ hair, producing a fabric dark, thick, and coarse – somewhat like felt. This covering was made by joining together five or six strips of fabric, with each strip being 45 feet (15 meters) long and 6 feet (2 meters) wide.

and. According to Kaiser, this goat hair “Came from long-haired goats and most likely was black in color. It was a coarse material that was often used to weave tents. Felt would be a modern equivalent.”

b. Couple the tent together, that it may be one: The set of five strips and the set of six strips were joined together with a series of loops and bronze clasps. The inner covering or curtain used gold clasps, but the second covering used bronze.

c. The remnant that remains… shall hang over the back of the tabernacle: Since the goats’ hair layer was six feet (2 meters) longer than the fine linen layer, the extra length covered over the back portion of the tent.

d. A cubit on one side, and a cubit on the other side: Since the goats’ hair covering was wider by 3 feet (2 meters), this layer completely covered over the fine linen layer.

i. Therefore, the fine linen layer – the “heavenly” set of coverings – was completely obscured and overlapped by the dark covering of goats’ hair. It was not open to observation, even in part. Heaven remained hidden to all except those who entered in through the door of the Tabernacle.  From Enduring Word

The door was the only way to enter the Tabernacle, and in the book of John's gospel chapter 14 the sixth verse, Jesus tells us about another door.  “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Many a person will stand before Jesus after physical death wanting to enter that door.  The key will not be your acts of righteousness to be seen by man, but your dependence on what Jesus did on the cross.  I do not believe anyone who understands what hell is going to be like would wish it for anyone but the devil and his demons.  These are the words of Jesus: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

 

Today is the day of Salvation, so by grace and faith, God will give you, the Lord, to forgive your sins and come into your life as Lord and Master.  That is the key to the door.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice