Tick...Tock...Tick...Tock...BZZZZZZZZ!!!!!

Time has a way of getting the best of all of us. How many times have we said something like, “Where has this week gone?” In all that we have to deal with these days, it’s easy to look back and say, “I just don’t have the time to do this.”

The modern way of looking at life is a philosophy of ‘more is better,’ and ‘more’ is seen in everything: hobbies, work, food, whatever. We cram our lives full of things that don’t really make that much of a difference. But there is one interesting thing that is often overlooked, probably because we’re too busy to realize it: as our lives get busier, the Lord is pushed further and further out of our lives.

I’ll admit, there are a lot of things that pull me in different directions. There are responsibilities that must be met as a pastor, as a husband and father, as a friend. There are responsibilities to myself and to my own personal well-being. With so many things requiring attention, some of the things I’d like to do just don’t get done when and how I’d like them to be. This blog, for instance, or our church website (http://westwoodchurchofgod.org , if you’re interested!) often take a back seat to everything else.

Some would say that’s perfectly understandable. Sure, there are lots of things to occupy my mind and my time. There are strategies to me made, sermons to prepare, visits to make, prayer and study time, meetings and counseling, and on and on. That’s just in one part of my life. What about the rest? The house and yard work, playing with my son, spending time with my wife and family and friends? Is there really just not enough hours in the day?

There are plenty of hours in the day. Everyone has 24, and each person has to decide how he or she will use them. We must prioritize and stick to our plan in order to fit everything in. But we must never allow ourselves to push God further and further away. It is our duty, our responsibility, and our privilege to give the Lord the first and best of all we have and are. We are guilty of giving Him what’s left, not what’s first. This takes determination and faith, both of which are increased the more we give to the Lord.

I might not be able to update this blog as regularly or as often as I would like but rest assured it is an important part of my life. I enjoy doing it, even if no one else enjoys reading it. I feel it is an outlet to express my thoughts and my views of life’s challenges, of Scripture, of practical applications of Godly principles.

No matter what your situation might be, I urge you never to allow life and its duties (even your Christian responsibilities) to come in between you and the Lord. Find time, make time to spend with Him, just the two of you. Let Him speak to your heart, let Him guide you, let Him strengthen you to do His will. Then, allow Him to organize your life, showing you what is truly important.

Someone once said, “Well, in a hundred years, what will it matter?” What we do on a daily basis might not mean much in a hundred years. But what we do spiritually can have an eternal impact on souls for years and years to come. Be faithful to the Lord, trust in and serve Him, and He will take care of you.

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

"V B Yes!"

Well, this year’s Vacation Bible School has come and gone; much too soon for the kids, and a bittersweet blessing to some of the workers. It has been about five years since we held a larger-scale VBS, and for a smaller congregation, it was highly successful.

The number of our kids at the church has never been very large, but this year we came together, overcoming some very large obstacles, and determined to do everything within our power to pull it off. My wife prayed, and the Lord led her to “prepare for 50 kids.” At the end of the week, when everything was tallied, we had 45 kids enrolled. Not only that, but we had around 25 people helping in some capacity (teaching, assisting, working, or praying).

Commencement was held yesterday morning, and it was a delight to all who attended. My prayer was that we would be able to touch the lives of the children, and perhaps gain some more families to start worshiping with us. The Lord answered that prayer as well, and eleven people (families with children) have said they have a new church home, with several more saying they were thinking about it. God truly blessed.

I was able to see a lot of growth in many of the people who helped us out, this being their first VBS, or first in a long time. During the week, I was able to talk with many of the workers about my feelings on VBS and similar events.

My belief is that VBS isn’t so much about teaching lessons to children that they will remember for the rest of their lives. Instead, it is about making an impression that will last the rest of their lives. On Sunday, I delivered a Father’s Day message, and something I said about the role of a father (also applicable to a mother) fits with this idea:

Children seldom learn as much through words as they do through observation. Therefore it is essential we give our children the right footsteps to follow. Be firm, be consistent, but most importantly, be an example. Why? Because children will respond to, remember, and imitate your actions long after they have forgotten your words.

After 30 years (or even 30 minutes), those kids might not remember the lessons their teachers taught them at SonTreasure Island. They will probably forget the words to “If We Turn” and “Around and ‘Round,” but that’s okay. But after that time, they will remember that there was a time when they learned about togetherness and about the Bible. They will remember that God’s true servants cared about them and about one another. They will recall that there is a place where they can feel at home and hear about the good news of God’s precious Son.

I pray that will be our legacy. So, if your church is doing anything for the children, anything for community outreach, don’t be afraid to get involved. You don’t know what kind of impression you’ll make, and that impression might just be the key to changing a life … or changing the world.

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

A Brief Respite

Just wanted you, the readers, to know that I haven’t dropped off the planet … at least not yet!  I just returned from a nice vacation last week, and this week our church is involved with Vacation Bible School.  As soon as it is finished, I shall return with some new entries.  

So, until then, God bless you all!  Check back early next week, and we should be able to resume our discussions.

Part 10: The Armor of God

THE CONCLUSION

So, I am curious. I ask you, the reader, several questions: Did you enjoy the series on The Armor of God? What did you learn? Did you gain any insight that you had never thought of before? Feel free to let me know your thoughts on this series, and perhaps I can share those thoughts with the other readers in an entry of its own.

I wanted to spend just a moment in tying together everything in our series. Some people have said that the armor of God is something they consciously put on every day. They pray each morning, naming each piece of armor, asking God to help them use it. Others say they contemplate a particular piece of armor depending upon what they happen to be facing on a given day. So is it possible to sum things up, to find a commonality to make it easier to use the armor of God? Yes there is, and everything we have studied can be summed up in one word: JESUS.

You may be saying, “Great cop-out, Preacher. You’ll say everything can be summed up like that.” Well, perhaps (he says with a chuckle and a wink). Well, let’s go over the armor one last time (including the prior verses):

• Strong in the Lord and in the power of His might


• We do not wrestle against flesh and blood …


• That you may be able to withstand


• Gird your waist with truth


• Breastplate of righteousness


• Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace


• Shield of faith


• Helmet of salvation


• Sword of the Spirit (which is the Word of God)


• That …I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

All of these pieces of armor, like any pieces, must be attached to the body using some sort of strap (in today’s army, Velcro would probably suffice). Jesus not only embodies these things, but without Him, the individual pieces of armor cannot be properly used by or stay attached to us.

Allow me to explain. I’ll go over the first three items on the above list, as well as the last on the list, then I will go over each piece and show you how Jesus ties them all together.

• Strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. All of us will acknowledge that we need more strength than we have within ourselves. If you don’t believe that, there will come a time when you will find your own strength lacking. Since we are so weak, each and every one of us, we must acknowledge that our strength must come from another source, a higher source. To be strong means to admit your own inherent weakness and seek the very strength and power of Jesus.


• We do not wrestle against flesh and blood … There are situations, circumstances, and people who challenge us and stretch our abilities and patience to the limits. Yet at the base of all this, we should see that there is another power behind it. Satan will do everything he can do to destroy us, to ruin our happiness, tarnish our testimony and weaken our faith. But God is still in control, and He allows these things to come into our life in order to build our faith and trust in Him. We can barely overcome the challenges of flesh and blood, but it is certain that we can’t overcome principalities, powers, etc. Again, Jesus is the only answer, and the only hope of success.


• That you may be able to withstand. We have already mentioned this, but repetition is sometimes used in Scripture to stress the importance of an idea. It was not said explicitly, but the theme was there in what was discussed. Therefore the restatement of the truth of our weakness and the need for Jesus to help us withstand merely underscores the thought.


• That … I might speak boldly, as I ought to speak. This phrase gives us a glimpse in the faultiness of humanity, in that there are things we know we ought to do, things we should say, that we simply don’t do or say. We allow apprehension, fear, doubt, and a thousand other excuses hinder us. So again, the only way to do and say what we ought, is to seek the power of Jesus.


• Gird your waist with truth. The waist is the middle of the body, it kind of holds everything else together. The truth, also, holds everything together.


• Breastplate of righteousness. The heart that is right with Jesus and at peace with God is the heart that is filled with righteousness. Remember that our righteousness is compared to filthy rags, but the righteousness of the Lord protects our heart, as well as everything else.


• Shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace. The gospel message of Jesus will carry you wherever you want to go, and it is not a message of condemnation, but of repentance. It is not a message of hatred, but of forgiveness. It is not a message of despair, but of hope, and our duty is to live in that message, letting it transform us, then carry that message everywhere our feet take us.


• Shield of faith. Faith protects us, just as a shield does. The shield is typically carried in front of the body, but as the bearer sees the fiery darts flying toward him or her, the shield can be moved to intercept the incoming missile. No matter what form the attack of the devil might take, whether it is a person or a situation or anything else, allow your faith to confront and deflect the attack. Don’t be afraid to use it, because failure to use your shield of faith will lead to injury.


• Helmet of salvation. Live confident in your salvation. Satan will try to plant the seeds of doubt in your mind, and from there, it takes root and penetrates every part of you. Know in your mind (and heart) that Jesus died for you sins, ALL of them, and when you ask for forgiveness with a truly repentant soul, that gift of salvation becomes yours. There is no greater weapon with which to stand against the devil than the knowledge that Jesus lives within you.


• The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Get in God’s Word, find out what it has to say. Approach the Bible with a seeking and inquisitive mind, but don’t stop there. Ask the Holy Spirit to open the mysteries and magnificence of God’s Word to your mind and heart, that you can learn and grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. Only the Holy Spirit can do this for you, and the more of God’s Word you know, the better able you are to use this sword in your own and in other’s defense. Let the Word of God defend you, but remember it’s only as effective as the effort you put into it.

Okay, with this review behind us, I want to say again that all these things are tied together by Jesus. And truth be told, THEY ARE ALL JESUS. Yes, that’s right. Jesus IS the armor of God. How can I say this? Well, how is Jesus described in the Bible? What are the names or characteristics by which Jesus is known? Here’s a small list:

• Truth


• Righteousness


• Peace


• Faith


• Salvation


• Sword


• And The Word of God

So you see, when you put on the armor of God, you are actually putting on Jesus Himself. This is why the admonition to put on the whole armor of God is so important. We cannot afford to leave even the smallest part of Jesus out of our lives. We cannot afford to have the smallest vulnerability that can be exploited by Satan. Jesus is all these things, but we need to make sure all His characteristics are being put to use in our lives, making us stronger, making us better that what we are, enabling us to fight our individual battles, as well as pressing forward the kingdom of God.

This has been a very enjoyable series for me to put together, and I hope you have enjoyed it. Please don’t hesitate to let me know what you thought of the series, any insights you gained through it or your own studies. I hope you will continue to join me in the future as we explore other topics. Perhaps there will be an additional series or two waiting out there for us. No matter what, please know that I appreciate your readership of this blog, and look forward to exploring life’s challenges together with you. God bless!

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Part 9: The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:18-20
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-- 19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

(Note: Part 9 of this series will finish up our exploration of the Scripture verses, and just as a preview of things to come, Part 10 will be a review and what we will call a “tie-together.” Over the last several weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to assist several people in various spiritual areas, and had the chance to document my responses to their questions. So, in the weeks ahead, I look forward to sharing some of these things with you. It should be an exciting look at some confusing Scriptures and practical applications of our faith, and I hope you will join me. And don’t forget to send your comments about this series and any entry to soulscape@alltel.net, and check out westwoodchurchofgod.org/. Now, on with the show …)

About nine years ago, I had the opportunity to travel with the University of Kentucky Basketball Pep Band as we played for the Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA Tournament. (Kentucky was National Runner-Up that year; you can’t win ‘em all!) During the first two weeks of the tournament, we traveled to Salt Lake City and San Jose, spending time in the surrounding cities of each, such as Park City, Utah, and San Francisco, California.

While in Park City, I entered one of the many shops lining the streets of the quiet ski town. There, just inside the door, was a full suit of armor. If I am not mistaken, that was the first time I had ever seen a suit of armor in person. I was amazed, and took a few pictures of it to show my friends back home.

These days, every time I visit my mother, I pass a particular house painted a peculiar shade of pink. In front of this house, beside the front door, are two suits of armor. This is a bit out of the ordinary, nay, even strange, for northeastern Kentucky. Still, everyone has their own tastes.

But one thing I noticed about these suits of armor: with no one in them, they are merely for decoration and show, with no practical purpose. And, if I were to somehow squeeze my 6’2” frame into one of these suits, I would be worthless, because I would not know how best to utilize the armor to my advantage.

We have looked at many individual pieces of armor and their uses, but what ties them all together? What makes it all work? The answer is found in verses 18 through 20. To help us understand, I would like to break down verse 18 for examination, followed by a quick look at verses 19 and 20.

PRAYING ALWAYS WITH ALL PRAYER AND SUPPLICATION IN THE SPIRIT
In this context, the word ‘prayer’ is indicative of the worshipful communication with the Lord, be it private or public. When trying to fight against the fiery darts of Satan, we need the constant, unceasing attitude of prayer, which should be worshipful of the Lord. No matter what we are enduring, we must never fail to worship our Savior. This is stressed in the words ‘always’ and ‘all.’

The word ‘supplication’ lends itself to specific petitions to God. Our hearts should always remain in worship, respecting whatever circumstances might bring as within the knowledge and divine will of God, but we should also not fail to bring our request for guidance, strength and victory to the Master’s feet. We should pray … and pray … and pray … then pray some more! Do not be afraid to ask for Godly assistance.

Still, all these prayers must not be uttered to God in a selfish manner. We should not pray, “Lord, deliver me because I don’t like it.” Our prayers must be inspired by the Spirit of God. We should instead pray in this manner: “Lord, I don’t know why I am being attacked in this way, but I know there is a purpose. Satan is trying to destroy me, but You are here to give me victory, to teach me, and to strengthen me. Help me to take the right steps, make the right moves, and handle things in the way You would have me to do. Help me to effectively use Your armor for my defense and for Your glory.”

BEING WATCHFUL TO THIS END
Don’t walk in defeat; walk in victory. Live your faith despite the situation, letting that faith dictate your path, not circumstances. Press forward with the hope and assurance that God’s armor is effective and sufficient. Wait and watch for the victory God has promised you. But don’t always expect earthly victory. Perhaps the victory God is giving you is spiritual instead. Ask the Lord to show you what victory He has for you, so that you can properly acknowledge, appreciate, and testify to it. Be careful to pray, to worship and bring your petitions to Him, not forgetting His power and grace.

WITH ALL PERSEVERENCE AND SUPPLICATION FOR ALL THE SAINTS
Remember that you are not alone. We must all persevere no matter what, and must never forget that we are not the only ones in a struggle. Every child of God is a target under the fierce onslaught of the devil. It is by pulling together, holding up one another, edifying one another, that we can be made stronger. There are few greater sources of strength than the strength of numbers, especially if those numbers are Godly men and women, uniting in prayer. Keep in mind the words of Matthew 18:19 – Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

VERSES 19 AND 20
Paul is not afraid to ask for the prayers of his brothers and sisters in the faith. But notice the substance of his prayer. His is not praying for deliverance, nor is he praying to merely endure the attacks of the devil. He asks for the strength to go on the attack himself. Remember that armor assists in defense, but that defense is what enables the wearer to go on the offense. It is not enough to just “take it,” but fight back. Our prayer should be for endurance, but also for the mental, physical, spiritual and emotional ability to speak the truth of God’s Word, and to speak it boldly, without fear, knowing that when we live for God and His will, we come out on top every time.

And this is what we ought to do. In Acts 5:29 Peter and the disciples said this to the order by the high priest and council not to preach in the name of Jesus: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Christians are not called to be cowards, to be weak, or to be silent. We are called to be bold, to be strong, and be vocal about the message of Christ. But it cannot be done in the strength of self alone. Even the Apostle Paul, with such great faith, knew that in himself, he may be afraid or refrain from doing what he ought to do for God. So he rightly asked for prayer. Help must come from above. This should be our petition and desire as well.

Part 10 will be coming up in the next few days. In it, we will try to tie everything together, so feel free to read all the prior parts again, and ask for the Lord to enlighten you. My words cannot do that at all; only God can open our spiritual eyes and ears to receive His Word. Until then, God bless you!

NEXT TIME: The Conclusion


© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.

Part 8: The Armor of God

Ephesians 6:17b
(And take) … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Until now, all of our armor pieces have had one thing in common, but now we come to a piece which has a slight difference. The armor we have explored thus far, the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation, are all what we could describe as defensive tools. The sword of the Spirit, also known as the Word of God, is both defensive and offensive.

All too often, we as Christians equate meekness with weakness, and allow the world to walk all over us. Defeat is rampant, sin continues to grow, and the Christian is silent. Our best and most effective weapon is, regrettably, the least used. That weapon is the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

God’s Word is unlike anything else, truly beyond description. In order for us to understand this most vital piece of God’s armor, we must think of a fencing match, or one of those old swashbuckling movies. The sword is capable of blocking an incoming attack, as well as inflicting its own injuries. Being able to use the sword in both these ways is essential to success.

For instance, you may be able to use a sword as an exclusively defensive weapon. You can block any attack that comes your way, but if you don’t know how to use it offensively, to use it to attack your enemy, the enemy will merely continue to harass you. Likewise, you can swing the sword in an efficient, deadly and powerful way, but if you don’t know how to use it to block, you will soon find yourself in bad shape.

Other comparable analogies might include a golfer who has a long drive but terrible putting skills; a baseball player who can catch almost anything, but has a very bad throwing arm; or a mechanic who can take an engine apart, but has no idea how to put it back together again. Each of these people have very developed and useful skills, but without the other side of the equation, their effectiveness is greatly limited.

When our adversary attacks us, hurling temptations, doubts and fears our way, we can use the Word of God to stand against them. This is exactly what we should do; however, we often find ourselves standing around, waiting for an assault, when we should be taking the attack to the enemy.

In today’s culture, Christians are sometimes described as exclusive, intolerant hypocrites or bigots. Perhaps this is one reason we are too often silent when we should be speaking up and standing our ground. This is not to imply that we should use God’s Word as a “big stick,” with which we strike others over the head. But it does mean that we should not be afraid to offensively use the Word.

Many people, friends and strangers alike, do not necessarily see things the way I do, but I believe if the Bible says it, we can stand upon it. The Bible is not just some collection of ancient stories or moral codes, but is a source of life and strength. Its lessons can provide a defense against the problems and trials of life, a sure foundation of what is right and wrong, and a guidebook for what the believer should stand for in this life.

As Christians, we should not look for a fight, but we must not be afraid to use the Word of God to take the fight to the enemy. Do not be content merely to take whatever is dished out to you. Instead, stand boldly and proclaim the truth of God’s Word. Truth is truth, whether it is accepted or not. When you stand up for the things of God, you will undoubtedly come under fire from all sides. But use the sword of the Spirit to defend yourself. Know what the Bible has to say, and allow the Spirit to reveal its meaning to you.

The Word of God is described as being sharper than a two-edged sword. A double-edged sword cuts coming and going, but like all the other pieces of armor, it is only effective if it is used. Your only hope of surviving the relentless attacks of Satan against your life is to stay in the Word and stand on that Word. That means to find out what it says, then do what it says.

The Lord did not create us to be defeated, but to be victorious.

NEXT TIME: Ephesians 6:18

© 2006, Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press. All rights reserved. All material printed on this site is protected by the copyright law of the United States. It may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written permission of Chris Keeton and Soulscape Press, obtainable by writing to soulscape@alltel.net. Altering or removing any trademark, copyright or other notice from copies of the content is not permitted. Any and all portions of material copied from the Soulscape Blog must be properly attributed to Chris Keeton and Soulscape, and cited with original blog web address.