March 12, 2002
John G. Paton, a former missionary in the New Hebrides, tells how hostile natives surrounded his headquarters. They intended to burn his house and kill him and his family. He and his wife prayed all night. They were amazed when their attackers left in the morning.
A year later, the chief of that hostile tribe became a Christian. Paton asked him about that night and the native man said, “Who were all those men you had with you there?”
Paton said there were no men, just himself and his wife, but the chief told him they had seen hundreds of men in shining garments and drawn swords standing guard around his house. Did that native man see a heavenly host of angels?
Artists assume angels fly from heaven to earth so paint wings on their backs. Hollywood and television shows depict angels like humans and even give them our sinful tendencies. The Christmas story puts golden halos around the heads of angels. Some writers depict them as warriors. Other people think they are more like the fairies of folk lore.
What does the Bible say about angels? First, the word angel means “messenger” implying that angels convey something from God to His people. They are depicted as actual beings that usually take human form but are distinct from both God and humans.
Angels were created before the world and are spiritual beings. They have the ability to make choices (some choose evil and fell from heaven) and have emotions and intelligence. The Bible says they cannot reproduce themselves.
Angels are holy, powerful and do not die. They are usually designated as masculine and ranked in order with various classifications, duties and definite ministries.
Angels appeared in the Old Testament, but not often. Some references describe “the angel (or messenger) of the Lord.” This was probably a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ Himself rather than an actual angel since the Bible also says Jesus is not, and never was, an angel.
The New Testament tells how an angel came to Mary and told her she would become pregnant with the long-expected Messiah. An angel also reassured Joseph that this child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and would be God’s Son. Later, an angel directed him to take his family to Egypt so Herod would not kill the baby.
Not only did they predict and announce the birth of Christ and protect Him, angels also strengthened Him after His temptation in the wilderness and at Gethsemane, rolled the stone from His tomb, and announced the resurrection.
While angels also announce impending judgments, inflict punishment, and act as reapers to take unrighteous people from the earth at the end of this age, Hebrews 1:14 says angels are “ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation.”
For instance, an angel released the Apostle Peter from prison chains. Another stood beside Paul and told him what would happen next and what to do. Jesus told a story about several angels carrying a beggar to heaven after he died.
Scripture is clear that even though angels can take human form, they are not like human beings. They do not sin. Nor do people become angels when they die. Jesus said that when Christians go to heaven, we will “be like the angels” and will “not marry nor be given in marriage” yet angels and humans are distinct beings.
The missionary, John Paton, probably was protected by angels. His story is like an Old Testament account of the heavenly host that protected God’s prophet Elisha when His enemies threatened him. However, Hollywood angels miss the mark.
How can we know if the “angels” people claim to see today are really angels? All angel sightings should be tested by God’s purpose for creating these beings. They are holy messengers who speak and act on His behalf. They are not willful (like people) nor do they exercise mysterious and magical powers. They simply carry out the intentions of God and by doing this, He is glorified.
Showing posts with label protected by God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label protected by God. Show all posts
Friday, May 25, 2018
Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Spiritual Protection ................. Parables 230
(date sometime in fall of 1990)
When he was actively farming, my dad added a “hard hat” to his working clothes. It was the full-brimmed kind, silver in color with numerous scratches and dents. It went well with his tattered overalls, well-worn plaid shirt, wool socks and scuffed work boots. He said the “louder clang” made him more aware of how frequently he whacked his head against a piece of machinery.
My problem is not with my head but my feet. Every time I go barefoot, I stub my toes or drop something on them. I probably do it with shoes too, but don’t notice so much. The bruises help me remember to keep my feet protected.
Back in New Testament days, a Roman foot soldier needed all his clothing too. If he left his sword and shield at home, he quickly discovered how painful the enemy’s arrows can be to an unprotected body.
Seems to me that only a foolish fighter would forget his weapons or his defense but it must have happened because Paul used the armor of a soldier to illustrate a warning to His warriors. Ephesians 6 says: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against... spiritual wickedness in high places.”
The Bible speaks metaphorically of this divine armor:
BELT OF TRUTH - In Bible times, the soldier’s belt bound up flapping garments that might hinder him in battle. Since we battle Satan, the father of lies, it is important to gird ourselves with truth, as well as an inner quality of truthfulness. Anything less and we can lose the battle.
BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - The Roman foot soldier was wrapped at his most vulnerable part with a tough breastplate. This is also the need of a Christian. We need to be wrapped with righteousness, not only the garment of righteousness which is given to us at salvation, but the current condition of our lives. Any believer caught up in unrighteous activity is already losing.
SHOD WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE - The battlefields were covered with stones that easily put a barefoot warrior out of commission. He needed proper footgear. The Christian does too. Our footwear is peace with God through faith in the gospel and assurance that all is well with our soul. This gives us confidence, even in a crisis and is so important because when anxiety takes over, the dominion of the enemy is not far behind.
SHIELD OF FAITH - This was not the small shield used in hand-to-hand combat but the large one that protected the soldier’s entire body. Christians need a faith that is sufficient for all that the enemy hurls, a shield that is adequate to extinguish his lies with their power to tempt, deceive and discourage. Without it, we are extremely vulnerable.
HELMET OF SALVATION - The soldier’s head needed armor. So does ours, to protect us against false ideas such as: “Look at all those negatives in your life... how can God love you...?” The warrior who knows He belongs to God and knows he is loved, no matter what, is an invincible fighter.
SWORD OF THE SPIRIT - which is the Word of God. How else can one fight a lie but with the truth? However, it is one thing to know it, to be convinced of it, to have it in our hearts, to even live it out... but when the lie comes, none of that will drive it back to hell from where it came; we need the Words of the Living God. Jesus used Scripture when tempted by the devil (see Matthew 4); so must each soldier in His army.
One other thing needs mentioning: strategy. This war is fought by “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching with all perseverance and supplication for all saints...”
Prayer and God’s armor are both our weapon and our protection against our enemy; hard hats or steel toed boots won’t begin to defend us against his lies. We need to be fully dressed in the armor that God provides.
When he was actively farming, my dad added a “hard hat” to his working clothes. It was the full-brimmed kind, silver in color with numerous scratches and dents. It went well with his tattered overalls, well-worn plaid shirt, wool socks and scuffed work boots. He said the “louder clang” made him more aware of how frequently he whacked his head against a piece of machinery.
My problem is not with my head but my feet. Every time I go barefoot, I stub my toes or drop something on them. I probably do it with shoes too, but don’t notice so much. The bruises help me remember to keep my feet protected.
Back in New Testament days, a Roman foot soldier needed all his clothing too. If he left his sword and shield at home, he quickly discovered how painful the enemy’s arrows can be to an unprotected body.
Seems to me that only a foolish fighter would forget his weapons or his defense but it must have happened because Paul used the armor of a soldier to illustrate a warning to His warriors. Ephesians 6 says: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against... spiritual wickedness in high places.”
The Bible speaks metaphorically of this divine armor:
BELT OF TRUTH - In Bible times, the soldier’s belt bound up flapping garments that might hinder him in battle. Since we battle Satan, the father of lies, it is important to gird ourselves with truth, as well as an inner quality of truthfulness. Anything less and we can lose the battle.
BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS - The Roman foot soldier was wrapped at his most vulnerable part with a tough breastplate. This is also the need of a Christian. We need to be wrapped with righteousness, not only the garment of righteousness which is given to us at salvation, but the current condition of our lives. Any believer caught up in unrighteous activity is already losing.
SHOD WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE - The battlefields were covered with stones that easily put a barefoot warrior out of commission. He needed proper footgear. The Christian does too. Our footwear is peace with God through faith in the gospel and assurance that all is well with our soul. This gives us confidence, even in a crisis and is so important because when anxiety takes over, the dominion of the enemy is not far behind.
SHIELD OF FAITH - This was not the small shield used in hand-to-hand combat but the large one that protected the soldier’s entire body. Christians need a faith that is sufficient for all that the enemy hurls, a shield that is adequate to extinguish his lies with their power to tempt, deceive and discourage. Without it, we are extremely vulnerable.
HELMET OF SALVATION - The soldier’s head needed armor. So does ours, to protect us against false ideas such as: “Look at all those negatives in your life... how can God love you...?” The warrior who knows He belongs to God and knows he is loved, no matter what, is an invincible fighter.
SWORD OF THE SPIRIT - which is the Word of God. How else can one fight a lie but with the truth? However, it is one thing to know it, to be convinced of it, to have it in our hearts, to even live it out... but when the lie comes, none of that will drive it back to hell from where it came; we need the Words of the Living God. Jesus used Scripture when tempted by the devil (see Matthew 4); so must each soldier in His army.
One other thing needs mentioning: strategy. This war is fought by “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching with all perseverance and supplication for all saints...”
Prayer and God’s armor are both our weapon and our protection against our enemy; hard hats or steel toed boots won’t begin to defend us against his lies. We need to be fully dressed in the armor that God provides.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Protection in Storms ............................. Parables 152
Being snowed in for a day or two wasn’t all that bad! While I didn’t go about my chores humming “let it snow, let it snow,” nor do I make light of the struggles for those who had to be out in it, this latest storm is filed as a pleasant paragraph in my book of memories. The weather outside was frightful but being inside did become delightful.
It didn’t start out that way. What housebound mother could jump for joy when one of her children drives off to Edmonton in the kind of conditions we has last week? How would anyone feel when their street becomes a giant trap that catches firm in its grasp anything with wheels?
And any imagination at all about what “could happen” to a loved one caught in the storm is enough to give a person ulcers. To top it off, that wind made us aware of the thin places in our insulation.
But we decided not to grumble, worry, or imagine. Instead, we accepted this weather as our lot in life and tried looking for something to appreciate. Finding it didn’t take long.
First off, the wind plastered our house white with snow. It stuck because of the ledges on the horizontal siding. Behold, new insulation! Without touching the thermostat, the house became warmer, drafts and cold spots were gone. Even the windy side defied the -30 conditions.
Our commuting daughter was invited to stay in Edmonton for as long as necessary by a co-worker who lived nearby. She said some of the streets she traveled were “like a huge run, so we leaned back and went faster!”
Our street trapped a few, but everyone got out and pushed. Over introductions, my husband told one neighbor that he would rather have met him on the front lawn over a glass of lemonade; however, the answering chuckle made a memory! Even snowdrifts seem a little smaller when you can laugh about them.
Instead of imagining disasters, we turned our “worry energy” into playtime with our home-bound five-year-old. As we concocted a bear mask out of a paper plate, I thought how nice it would be to hibernate, and how this storm afforded the opportunity, at least on a small scale. We were secure from the elements, glad to be alive.
The hymn writer says, “Jesus is a rock in a weary land, a shelter in the time of storm.” It comes from Isaiah 24:4, “Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat.”
These figures of speech could mean actual weather storms and sometimes parching heat, but more often we feel the blasts from trials of many kinds. Yet our Lord is a perfect refuge, no matter the danger. The Bible says He will protect us in time of trouble, be our stronghold from any enemies, a hiding place from the conspiracies of man, and a comfort against spiteful accusations. He promises safety from confusion and a place to go when the pressures threaten.
As my house snuggled into the drifts, I thought how glad I am that my Lord holds me just as safe. The storms can rage and be just as real a threat as -40 degrees with double the wind chill, but He protects His people; underneath are His everlasting arms.
The storm also was a reminder that the key to contentment during the blast of trials is acceptance; recognize that the thing is under the control of a loving and sovereign God. He promises He will never test us beyond what we are able — but will, with the testing, provide a way of escape so we can bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Very often His way of escape is not running from the trial but snuggling closer to Him; allowing His power to protect and comfort. His people can find safety in Him because there is no wind strong enough to shake us free from His love, no temperatures cold enough to put out the warmth of His care. With that kind of “insulation”, we can face into the wind — with confidence!
It didn’t start out that way. What housebound mother could jump for joy when one of her children drives off to Edmonton in the kind of conditions we has last week? How would anyone feel when their street becomes a giant trap that catches firm in its grasp anything with wheels?
And any imagination at all about what “could happen” to a loved one caught in the storm is enough to give a person ulcers. To top it off, that wind made us aware of the thin places in our insulation.
But we decided not to grumble, worry, or imagine. Instead, we accepted this weather as our lot in life and tried looking for something to appreciate. Finding it didn’t take long.
First off, the wind plastered our house white with snow. It stuck because of the ledges on the horizontal siding. Behold, new insulation! Without touching the thermostat, the house became warmer, drafts and cold spots were gone. Even the windy side defied the -30 conditions.
Our commuting daughter was invited to stay in Edmonton for as long as necessary by a co-worker who lived nearby. She said some of the streets she traveled were “like a huge run, so we leaned back and went faster!”
Our street trapped a few, but everyone got out and pushed. Over introductions, my husband told one neighbor that he would rather have met him on the front lawn over a glass of lemonade; however, the answering chuckle made a memory! Even snowdrifts seem a little smaller when you can laugh about them.
Instead of imagining disasters, we turned our “worry energy” into playtime with our home-bound five-year-old. As we concocted a bear mask out of a paper plate, I thought how nice it would be to hibernate, and how this storm afforded the opportunity, at least on a small scale. We were secure from the elements, glad to be alive.
The hymn writer says, “Jesus is a rock in a weary land, a shelter in the time of storm.” It comes from Isaiah 24:4, “Thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat.”
These figures of speech could mean actual weather storms and sometimes parching heat, but more often we feel the blasts from trials of many kinds. Yet our Lord is a perfect refuge, no matter the danger. The Bible says He will protect us in time of trouble, be our stronghold from any enemies, a hiding place from the conspiracies of man, and a comfort against spiteful accusations. He promises safety from confusion and a place to go when the pressures threaten.
As my house snuggled into the drifts, I thought how glad I am that my Lord holds me just as safe. The storms can rage and be just as real a threat as -40 degrees with double the wind chill, but He protects His people; underneath are His everlasting arms.
The storm also was a reminder that the key to contentment during the blast of trials is acceptance; recognize that the thing is under the control of a loving and sovereign God. He promises He will never test us beyond what we are able — but will, with the testing, provide a way of escape so we can bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Very often His way of escape is not running from the trial but snuggling closer to Him; allowing His power to protect and comfort. His people can find safety in Him because there is no wind strong enough to shake us free from His love, no temperatures cold enough to put out the warmth of His care. With that kind of “insulation”, we can face into the wind — with confidence!
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