The Shield 1: Salvation - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) June 2, 2025

In warfare, a shield is part of a soldier's arsenal for protecting their body during battle. Once well-positioned, their opponent's sword could not get through to flesh. As the weapons of war advanced and warriors went from clashing in close quarters to fighting across long distances, traditional personal shields, constructed from wood, metal, or leather, fell out of favor.

While human warcraft changed with technological advancements, that never happened with spiritual warfare. Such battles have been fought the same way since the beginning - obedience, prayer, fasting, praise, thanksgiving, and intercession. Hence, the 'shield' remains integral to the Christian's arsenal. As Apostle Paul taught in 2 Corinthians 10:4 - The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds (NIV). And all believers must learn which shield is appropriate for which battle and how to wield it successfully so that the accuser of their soul, satan, is put to shame.

One such shield is the shield of salvation mentioned by King David in Psalm 18:35 - You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds and sustains me; Your gentleness [Your gracious response when I pray] makes me great (AMP). In David's case, he'd watched the Lord repeatedly rescue him from his enemies and detractors. He understood that such salvation - the preservation and protection of his physical body and interests - were solely because of the Lord. 

Christians received salvation for free, and it refers to the deliverance and redemption obtained through the uneven exchange that occurred on the cross. When an individual chooses Jesus Christ and lets the Holy Spirit help them, they experience continuous preservation and protection of their physical bodies and all that concerns them. Like David, they watch their enemy - satan - fall, while they grow in faith, godly wisdom, and more.

Deliverance from satan and sin through Jesus Christ is the primary shield every Christian needs. This goes for the newcomer to the faith and those born as Christians. For the latter group, many often don't realize that they only become a child of God through an active choice. The choice to put Jesus first, receive God's Spirit, and allow Him to lead them in righteousness in everything they do, think, and say. When this happens, the believer's steps are blessed, and the devil has fewer opportunities to interfere with what God is building in them. Salvation, therefore, stands as a defense against the enemy's schemes and transforms them from their Before Christ (BC) ways into an After Christ (AC) lifestyle.

That shield is a layer of protection that every believer needs. Obtaining it requires their active participation to declare Jesus as Lord and Savior and apply His teachings. His blood then washes them clean, making the believer a brand new creature covered by the God of Salvation. This shall be our portion, IJMN, Amen. See you at Noon EST for fellowship. God bless you.

To learn more, please read:

1. The Shield 1: Salvation

2. The Shield 2: Favor

3. The Shield 3: Faith

4. We Do Not War Alone

5. God's Salvation Is Free

6. Onward Christian Soldier

7. Grace & Salvation

8. Give Your Life To Christ

9. Dear Peppers: The Uneven Exchange

Does God Expect Perfection? - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) May 30, 2025

Permit me to say something that may be shocking to some. God doesn't expect His children to be perfect.

When the Lord helped me understand this (and I confess I'm still coming to grips with it), I was stunned into complete silence. My brain couldn't accept the notion at first. When we think about Christianity, we think about rules and the chase for perfection. That is the main reason why many people reject faith. From their perspective, they feel they can never measure up to the standards we Christians project into the world as what is required to be a part of our community.

But the real challenge, if we accept it, is to submit to the perfecting work God is doing in us through the Holy Spirit. The more we do this, the easier it is to live righteously. We'll find ourselves making choices that reflect God's word and purpose over the desires that lead us to sin. All because, as we submit, the Spirit of the Lord leads us, and the mind of Christ, which was given to us, can truly have an impact.​

Instead of letting go so God can lead us by way of His Spirit, we often choose to be 'religious,' thinking that following a set of strict rules will help us. However, God never intended things to be that way. He wants us to listen to His voice and do what He says, knowing there is grace. Our relationship with Him is supposed to be easy because Jesus died to make it that way. He also gave us His Spirit to teach and remind us of what we've forgotten. And as we read the scriptures and receive more godly input into our 'mainframe' (the gates of our eyes, mind, ears, heart), the easier it gets to obey God.

It seems many of us see the Spirit of God as an enemy who will take away everything we enjoy. However, we must remember that Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to those who believed in Him, and He never promised us anything bad. The Holy Spirit is tasked with getting us to heaven, so anything we give up for this will be well worth it, especially as we will receive the treasured fruits and gifts of the Spirit in return. The more we understand this, the less resistance there might be to letting God's Spirit lead in all truth. And more would seek to know Him, so He keeps them on God's path of righteousness.

When we allow the Spirit of the Lord to help us, we soon realize we don't need to be perfect. We need only to let Him perfect us throughout our lifetime, and the result will be that we enter a perfect place - heaven. We don't need to skip any steps in the development process by thinking we have to be perfect right now. We just need to let God have His way in us. He knows all of our struggles. Nothing about us surprises Him, and He's made accommodation to help through His Holy Spirit, whom we can only receive when we give our lives to Christ. The Lord will help us all, IJMN, Amen.

Fasting the Isaiah 58 Way - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) May 27, 2025

People talk about fasting, but what does that mean? Some think of fasting as a weight loss technique. Others consider it a means to better mental health, going on social media 'fasts' to reduce information overload and the anxiety it creates.

For Christians, fasting is a spiritual requirement instituted by God. Jesus said, "when you fast" in Matthew 6:16. This reveals that the issue isn't 'if' a believer should fast. It is only a matter of 'when'.

Jesus Himself fasted for 40 days and nights (Luke 4). Fasts were a regular part of the Jewish culture and faith to which He belonged. He even instructed His disciples (and all who would believe in Him) that certain problems would not be overcome without fasting (Matthew 17:21). The Bible also shows that long after He was gone, believers fasted (Acts 14:23).

Alas, we modern Christians seem to struggle to fast and have little understanding of what a spiritual fast entails. For instance, I only fasted for the first time seven years ago, despite being a Christian my entire life. Fortunately, the Lord used others to teach me and has continued to help me.

The Bible contains key guidance about what the practice requires in Isaiah 58. There, the Lord pointed out how the Israelites of old were fasting incorrectly. In so doing, He reveals His expectations for today's believers and highlights how we can fast in a way that pleases Him.

Many think fasting is a fasttrack to answered prayers. It surely can be. However, the essence of fasting is to quiet the flesh and submit to God completely. It enables individuals and groups to hear better from the Lord because the desires of the flesh are pushed down so God can be glorified.

God sees through people. Therefore, pretending to be humble while fasting will not move Him, as He noted in Isaiah 58:5. He wants believers to live a 'fasting lifestyle' that honors and obeys His word at all times, not just when they need something. It is not about being performative and 'packaging' like one is pious.

Hence, a person's heart posture is important. In Isaiah 58, God reminded us that we are not to complain and grumble. We are to reject pride, lies, deception, and slander. We are to treat others with complete respect and not exploit underlings or the vulnerable. He expects believers to avoid petty behavior, quarrels, physical fights, and all wickedness.

God's children are to be just and rely on scripture (not our understanding) to reject injustice. We cannot support unjust servitude and oppression. He expects believers to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and care for their family members. Even the importance of the Sabbath is not to be ignored. God wants His children to enjoy rest, just as He did on the seventh day of creation.

It might seem like a lot to do, but God helps His children live righteously, so that making godly choices becomes natural to them (Philippians 2:13). And as we study the word with the help of the Holy Spirit, we'll learn how to do things in a way that pleases and obeys God. Every day, we'll become more like our Savior Jesus while on the journey to heaven, and our fasts will have the impact we desire. See you at Noon EST.

To learn more, please read:

1. Fasting Lifestyle

2. Don’t Give A Blemished Offering