DON'T JUST KNOW IT...LIVE IT

DON'T JUST KNOW IT...LIVE IT

TOPIC: Shoes of the gospel of peace

MAIN SCRIPTURE: "Use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere." (Ephesians 6:13-18, NLT)

OTHER SCRIPTURES: Matthew 7:24-27; Romans 5:1-5; Romans 10:14-17; Ephesians 2:14; 2 Timothy 2:22; James 1:22-25; 1 Peter 3:8-12

WHAT JESUS MIGHT SAY TO YOU:
I hear your thoughts when you sit in class at school and ask yourself, "What does this have to do with the real world?" Facts trapped in your head that don't affect your everyday life do you little good.

The same is true of my Word and me. Rather than allow your knowledge of me to stay in your head, let it penetrate your heart and flow throughout your body. Your faith in me does you no good unless it affects your everyday life.

My heart breaks when I see you facing battles against Satan that knock you off your feet. You need the firm footing that comes from putting your faith into practice.

In the same way you put on a pair of shoes, put on the peace that comes from the good news so that you will be prepared for any situation. My good news becomes peace to you when you know deep inside that it's true. And you know it's true when it has become real in your life.

What does this mean for you? It means allowing me to become real in you. Let me live in you. Let me live through you. I am your peace. I am the good news. I am the real world.

Talk about my love, but love the people I place in your life, too--even those you may view as unlovable. Believe in my power but also believe that I have the power to change your seemingly unchangeable situation. Be thankful for the patience I show you but also show patience to people who get on your nerves.

When you experience the peace that comes from knowing that the good news is true, you not only prepare yourself to withstand any attack, but you also put on...me.

Your Peace, Jesus

SUMMARY CHALLENGE: Put your faith into practice so that when you face an overwhelming spiritual battle, you're standing on the solid ground that comes from knowing deep inside that the good news is true.

"It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can stop him from lynching me, and I think that's pretty important."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

--
_______________________________
http://ted.mallory.googlepages.com/home.html
http://tmal.multiply.com

"The gospel is meant to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." ~Garrison Keillor