Women of Promise

Image source: biblecartoons.co.uk      What is the last thing you pick up as you get prepared to face the day?  After you have clothed your body, what is the last thing you grab as you head out the door?  Your purse, your wallet, your phone, your keys, your lunch....?   The Roman soldier grabbed his sword.  This is how Ephesians 6 closes out the section describing the armor we need to stand against the attacks of sin and darkness that are sent our way.   "Take... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:17     Paul wrote this letter to the Ephesians from prison.  No wonder he was very familiar with the pieces of armor used by a Roman soldier!  No doubt he had stared down the shank of a daunting weapon:  the double edged sword.  Romans typically used a sword sharpened on both sides and so incredibly sharp that it could pierce a metal shield!   This was both an offensive a...

  Image source:  biblecartoons.org           As a young girl in Pennsylvania where my family lived for a short time, I can remember building a snow fortress in the winter.  My siblings and I, along with the neighborhood children would pick teams and each build the best snow wall we could before engaging in an epic snowball fight.  As long as I was hunkered down close to that snow wall, the snowballs would sail past me or hit the front of the wall and I was safe from the missiles that could sting just a little before splattering to the ground.  I imagine the shield of faith to be something like that snow wall that sheltered me from the onslaught.        In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Ephesians 6:16     This shield of faith is the more mobile piece of the armor of God.  In other words, a soldi...

source: biblecartoons.co.uk      I rode my bike as a child all over our small town without a helmet.  Up hills, down hills, speeding around curves, across streets.... everywhere!  I was totally oblivious to the potential dangers I was opening myself up for.  Today, I wouldn't think of letting my kids ride their bikes in those same areas without a helmet.    We could list a multitude of sporting events that require head protection. Laws require helmets while riding on motorcycles or ATVs.  Construction zones often have areas that require a hard hat.        What's the big deal with helmets? Of course, we know the reason!  The head is important!  The head houses our brain....

image source: biblecartoons.com   Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place...Ephesians 6:14 NIV    God gives us armor to "wear" as we enter into battle against sin.  Sin, with all of its many, ugly faces wreaked havoc on God's beautiful, perfect Earth way back in the Garden of Eden.  To rectify this, God set in motion His perfect redemption plan to return things to this first state of perfection.  Sending His only Son to Earth to die the most humiliating death possible provided the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.  Accepting this precious gift of redemption returns our hearts to a place of purity (provided by Jesus), restoring that perfect fellowship that was experienced between God and man prior to the fall.        However, sin and the effects of sin are still wreaking havoc on our world.  God has provided us an armor that allows us to...

  Image source: biblecartoon.com      Shoes are often treated as an accessory to the outfit, aren't they?  I am as guilty as anyone of being being tempted to collect a wide variety of shoes! However, as I get older, the effects of standing for 12-14 hours a day wearing "cute" shoes that didn't really support my body well are catching up with me!  These days I am forced to find shoes that provide better support, and hope that I can find some that have a little bit of "cuteness" factor to them as well! 😂      "...and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace."  Ephesians 6:15 NIV      As we are placing on the pieces of our armor that will protect and identify us as warriors in the army of the One True God, we come to a very essential piece of armor:  the shoes!  Shoes provide a foundation for the whole body, as well as protection for the feet.  Can you picture a heavily...

Have you ever told your spouse, child, or, perhaps, a student -- really, anyone!😆, "I want you to remember this!" Maybe you said, "Don't you ever forget this." Maybe you wagged a finger in their face, or maybe you said it in a loving way, with a smile, a tear, or a hug. There are moments in life that are important to look back on. These are moments where lessons are learned, milestones are achieved, and most importantly,  times where God's love and power is recognized. We must remember.  Our God asked the same of us: to remember important moments. Moments where He showed us His grace, mercy, faithfulness, and more. God instructs the Israelites (and us!)to remember.  Our Women of Promise have been learning how vital it is to understand the culture in which the Bible was written. It adds such depth to our understanding of Jesus! The Hebrews take God literally, and their calendar revolves around the Feasts and holidays of the Old Testament.  One of these times...