In our current blog series, we are studying the Armor of God in Ephesians 6, verses 10-20. So far this week, I’ve introduced the next piece of the armor, the Shield of Faith, by describing the noun version of faith. Is that noun version of faith what Paul had in mind when he taught usContinue reading “Why true faith cannot simply be passive, but must be active – Shield of Faith, Part 3”
Tag Archives: Ephesians 6
How deeply God desires us to experience peace – Boots of Peace, Part 5
As we conclude this week’s blog series about the Boots of Peace in the Armor of God, consider what Paul writes about peace in Ephesians 2, verses 11-22: “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his fleshContinue reading “How deeply God desires us to experience peace – Boots of Peace, Part 5”
Where peace is found – Boots of Peace, Part 4
How do we find peace? In the story of the birth of Jesus, the shepherds just outside the town of Bethlehem had the shock of their lives when angels showed up in the sky above them, telling them that the Messiah had been born that evening right there in the town of Bethlehem. What didContinue reading “Where peace is found – Boots of Peace, Part 4”
How armor, footwear, good news and peace go together – Boots of Peace, Part 3
What is peace? It can be defined as “a set of favorable circumstances involving tranquility.”[1] In our study of the Armor of God in Ephesians 6:10-20, Paul writes that we should have our feet with the readiness of the Gospel of Peace. How is Paul connecting all these concepts together? Armor, footwear, Gospel, and Peace.Continue reading “How armor, footwear, good news and peace go together – Boots of Peace, Part 3”
When it comes to the Gospel are you ready or stuck? – Boots of Peace, Part 2
A few years ago I was playing disc golf with my oldest son, his wife, and my third son. On one hole, my third son threw his disc, and it landed in a muddy spot. We didn’t realize just how muddy it was. My son stepped in the mud to retrieve his disc, and hisContinue reading “When it comes to the Gospel are you ready or stuck? – Boots of Peace, Part 2”
The important lesson I learned from running – Boots of Peace, Part 1
I run for exercise, and so when I see other runners on the roads around my community, I look to see what kind of gear they wear, and in particular what kind of shoes they wear. What shoes we wear is a big topic among runners. Shoes make a huge difference. When I was trainingContinue reading “The important lesson I learned from running – Boots of Peace, Part 1”
Struggling with war and peace – Boots of Peace, Preview
With war raging in Ukraine, Israel, and Myanmar, I wondered how many wars are happening across the globe right now as I write in fall 2023. One tracker I found lists 32 countries currently involved in war, and my country, the USA, is not one of them. Of those wars, 18 are terrorist wars, 9Continue reading “Struggling with war and peace – Boots of Peace, Preview”
The kind of faith that leads to true righteousness – Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 4
If God came to you and said, “I want you to uproot your family, leave your job, sell your house, move to a place where you know no one, have no support/friend network, and start over,” how would you feel? I think many of us, me included, would think, “Uh…that voice I heard is notContinue reading “The kind of faith that leads to true righteousness – Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 4”
Why Jesus said the so-called “righteous” people are wrong – Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 2
In the previous post, we observed Jesus preaching the beginning of his Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7). At the outset, it seems like Jesus is taking his culture’s precious Mosaic Law and ripping it up. How so? First, in his Beatitudes teaching he says that the Kingdom of God is available to all! Continue reading “Why Jesus said the so-called “righteous” people are wrong – Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 2″
Jesus’ culture-bending teaching – Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 1
From an ancient military standpoint, the breastplate is piece of armor covering the chest, primarily to protect the heart and lungs from the possibility of being pierced by arrows or blows from blades and stones. It is very similar to Kevlar bullet proof vests that contemporary soldiers wear. In Ephesians 6:14b, the apostle Paul continues,Continue reading “Jesus’ culture-bending teaching – Breastplate of Righteousness, Part 1”
Engaging Scripture 