Words and music by DT (davesali [at] gmail [dot] com)
Colossians 1:27 KJV — To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
God lives in you.
The Creator of everything in existence lives in you.
And He loves you.
And He wants to help you.
Wow!
1 Samuel 17:23 KJV — And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them.
Via Barry Bennett
First you hear something…then you see something…then you say something…then you do something.
Four steps on your way to having what God says is yours.
Ephesians 6:17 KJV — And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Via ChatGPT:
Ephesians 6:17 is part of the famous passage where Paul discusses the “armor of God.” The verse reads:
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Here, Paul uses the imagery of a Roman soldier’s armor to describe the spiritual defenses and weapons available to a Christian. The “sword of the Spirit” is particularly significant.
The Greek word used for “sword” in this passage is machaira (μάχαιρα). The machaira was not the large, broad sword that we might associate with medieval knights; rather, it was a shorter, more versatile weapon, often around 20-24 inches long. It was a type of sword used by Roman soldiers during Paul’s time.
Paul’s choice of the word machaira is deliberate and carries both practical and symbolic significance:
In Roman military equipment, there were indeed different types of swords used, primarily:
The machaira mentioned in Ephesians is often considered synonymous with the gladius, although there are distinctions in terminology. The gladius was the quintessential weapon of the Roman soldier and was used for its effectiveness in close combat. The machaira was a similar type of short sword but could be used for different purposes, including both combat and sacrifice.
Paul’s use of machaira connects to the practical reality of Roman warfare while also pointing to the spiritual reality of Christian life. Just as a Roman soldier would rely on the precision and reliability of their sword in battle, Christians are to rely on the Word of God as their spiritual weapon, cutting through lies and defending against spiritual attacks.
This imagery is also enhanced by the context of Roman soldiers carrying both the larger gladius and the smaller pugio. While the gladius was the primary weapon, the pugio served as an auxiliary, often used in closer quarters or as a last resort. In a similar vein, the Word of God is portrayed not just as an offensive weapon but also as a defensive one, providing both the primary means of spiritual engagement and a safeguard in the midst of battle.
Paul’s metaphor of the machaira in Ephesians 6:17 is rich in meaning. It aligns with the practical aspects of Roman military gear, emphasizing the versatility, precision, and power of the Word of God. By understanding the nature of the machaira, we gain deeper insight into how Paul envisioned the believer’s spiritual readiness and the central role of Scripture in that life.
Genesis 1:1 KJV — In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Before the beginning, the start of everything, there was God. Elohim.
And then at the point we call “the beginning”, God created the heaven and the earth.
God was there before your beginning.
Psalm 23:1 KJV — A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
I shall not want. I shall not be in a state of want. I refuse to want. You can’t make me want.
Why?
The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.
2 Corinthians 10:12 KJV — For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
…the chances are high that you are NOT in Australia or Hawaii. You’re probably somewhere in or around Paris, France.
Similarly, if you find yourself comparing yourself with others, then you are most likely NOT anywhere in or around wisdom.
Wisdom isn’t found in the vicinity of comparing yourself with others. Wisdom isn’t found by measuring yourself against the measures of others. Wisdom is found by seeing who you really are in the Spirit.
Matthew 15:19 KJV — For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
This truth that the human heart is fundamentally wicked and evil flies directly in the face of a popular lie that “people are fundamentally good”.
People may do ‘good things’, but our actions do not define or change our nature.
Despite all the good things we each do, when judged in the light of God’s objective standard of truth – we all come up short. We do good things with tainted motives and hidden agendas. We also don’t do good things that we are able to do because of laziness, self-centredness and self-preservation.
By the way, this is an amazing truth to embrace because it opens you up to receive this great news:
God sees each of us as we actually are – evil, wicked and tainted – and God loves us fully and unconditionally.
God’s love for you is not based on your performance. No matter what you do, or don’t do, God’s boundless love for you is 100% constant and has nothing to do with your performance. You don’t need to pretend, put on a facade or hold onto your status as a Doctor so that you have value, worth and love from God. God doesn’t care about any of that and He isn’t impressed or discouraged by anything you do. God cares about who you are.
God saw you drowning in the depths of all the trauma, wickedness, deceitfulness, guilt, shame, condemnation and turmoil in your heart…and God loved you enough to send Jesus to save you from yourself, to die on the Cross for you, pay the price for you to be forgiven of all sins – past, present and future – and to give you a brand new nature so that you can enjoy an intimate relationship with God who loves you unconditionally.
God’s love for us, and God’s love in us is not performance-based. It’s not based on anything you or I do, but it’s based on everything that Jesus has already done for us.
Even though the people around you ‘love’ you as long as you continue to measure up to their expectations for you…knowing that the Creator of the Universe loves you unconditionally helps to free you from being in bondage to yourself and to seeking the approval of others.
Proverbs 13:6 KJV — Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.
Righteousness: your right standing with God through faith in Jesus.
Your right standing with God will keep you safe, secure, protected, guarded on every side.
Be mindful of God’s declaration that, through Jesus, you are righteous.
Righteousness keeps you safe.
2 Timothy 2:1 KJV — Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Don’t be timid, shy or apologetic.
Be strong and unapologetic in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Immerse yourself in it. Identify yourself in it. Imagine yourself manifesting everything it provides.
And then keep turning up the volume on your revelation of the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 6:11 KJV — Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
You need the whole armour of God in order to stand, to keep your place, against the wiles of the devil.
Your place is one of victory, seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. This is fixed and firmly established, sealed forever in your Spirit as a child of God.
But in order to enforce the authority of this position on your day to day life, you need to put on the whole armour of God.
God can’t do it for you. You have to put it on, and abide in it, because the armour is God Himself.