Fall Family Fun

Finn's first hiking trip was a blast!

Playing outside while dad rakes leaves.

Playing in leaves necessitates a bath.  Finn loves baths.

And thanks to our friend, Sarah Hawk, for these wonderful family photos!

The Battle in My Mind

Where does the battle of Ephesians 6 (that is not against flesh and blood) take place?  I think it takes place in my mind. 

Today I was reading Show Them Jesus by Jack Klumpenhower, and I was encouraged by his reminder on page 80 of the importance and significance of the armor of God, which we are commanded to put on -

·      Truth:  I must cling to facts that I absolutely know are true.  I allow myself to believe so many things that are not true (she doesn't like me, he doesn't understand me, I'm not making any difference, this choice will make life very difficult, etc.), but if I "put on" truth, and cling to that which is absolutely true, it will enable me to stand against the Devil's schemes.

·      Righteousness:  "Only Jesus gives the perfect righteousness I can't earn."  I am valuable only because of the righteousness Christ has earned for me.  Others may or may not value me for that reason, but their opinion does not affect my righteousness and my place in Christ.

·      Peace:  "Jesus has made peace with God by dying for my sins".  Ephesians 6:14 refers to "the gospel of peace."  Peace that I can put on is that peace which is between me and God, and it is not something I can accomplish.  It is offered as a gift resulting from Christ's work on the cross.  When I accept this peace, I will be ready for what God allows to come my way ("readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.")

·      Faith:  "Faith in Jesus will never fail me.  There's nothing better that I can put my faith in" (perfect planning and foresight, a large amount of savings in the bank, wonderful family members who always come through for me, etc.).  The evil one will send things my way that I can only get through successfully if I take up faith in God.

·      Salvation:  I must believe that Jesus has rescued me from sin.  I can no longer be controlled by any sin and I have no need to shoulder any guilt due to sin.  Jesus has already dealt with those things and I am saved from them.

·      Word of God: This goes back to the belt of truth.  The word of God is true, and I can stake my life on it.  "I can be sure that everything the Bible says is true and good for me."  "No power on earth is a match for the powerful word of God."  I must preach it to myself and use it actively against all evil that I encounter (including evil in my own mind like fear, doubt, worry, pride, selfishness, etc.)  The word of God is the fighting weapon that the Spirit of God Himself uses, and it is available for my use as well.

Mama

Finn's first word is officially, "Mama!"  I'm so proud.  :)  It melts my heart.

As it happens, he's also figured out that Mom can't resist coming to him when he calls her name at night.

Living Sacrifices

In Sunday School today, Matt was teaching from Romans 12:1, which says:

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."

While thinking about how we are living sacrifices, I was reminded of the things I've been learning in Leviticus, and of the things that I blogged about here regarding the commissioning of the priests, and it struck me that the symbolism of the tongues of fire which rested over the believers on the day of Pentecost went further than just to show that God dwelt in them now as He had dwelt in the tabernacle and the temple.  It also showed that they themselves were the sacrifices!

When God was commissioning the priests in the first tabernacle (Leviticus 9), they were instructed to offer several different offerings, and then God's glory appeared to all of the people, bringing fire fire out of the Holy place to where the alter was in front of the whole assembly, and burnt up the offering they had presented.  Then, when Solomon's temple was being dedicated (2 Chronicles 7:1-3), the same thing happened, God sent fire from heaven to burn up the offering they had presented to Him.  Then, at pentecost, when God sent the Holy Spirit to indwell His people, He sent fire to rest over each believer, because now, THEY were the offerings presented to God.  In the past, the people worshiped God through offering sacrifices at the altar, but now we worship, as Romans 12:1 says, through offering our very bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, and He confirmed His acceptance of our offering when He chose to dwell in us, just like He confirmed His acceptance of the tabernacle and the temple by choosing to dwell in them.

I LOVE how beautifully the imagery that God laid out in the Old Testament ties in with the reality of the gospel today!  I also love how the Spirit is using both my personal study of Leviticus and the things I learn in Sunday School to give me a bigger, clearer picture of Him.