“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’-Matthew 10:34-36

            As Christians we often look at this passage, Ephesians 6:10-18, and think of it as a lesson on defending the Word of God.  As I look around at the condition of the world, I wonder if we should consider this passage as more a call to arms and engage the enemy.

            As Edmund Burke said, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

            Let’s look at this passage in that light.

            10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the Devil’s schemes.

            As we prepare for battle, we are given a pep talk and the tools to do battle. Being strong  in the Lord and his power, should give us heart to engage in the fight. The war has been won, and we are engaged in daily battles in which we try to win souls and keep ourselves on the right path. Taking a stand means more than passively guarding the gate.  We need to step forward and prevent the enemy from gaining ground.

            12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

            If only we could see the enemy, he would be so much easier to fight. Unfortunately, he hides in plain sight. He attacks us, and we don’t realize it until we have lost the battle, a skirmish that came at us from nowhere. The enemy knows are weak points, our desires, and our needs. He sets them before us, temptingly; we struggle, and sometimes succumb to the temptation. We are weak without the Armor of God to protect us.

            13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

            Once you have put the armor on stand your ground against the enemy. As you become stronger in the faith, and hone your skills, step out and meet the enemy before the attack. Witness to others, be an example in your workplace or community. Study the Bible, pray for strength, and always be on guard. Use the tools that the Lord gives you to fight the good fight.

            14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

            In closing, verse 18, gives us our command to pray. Pray, for yourself, and others. Pray for strength and protection of all engaged in the battle for the lost souls, as well as, those that have been saved. As we step into the world to battle the powers and principalities of darkness we must pray for our fellow soldiers for the Lord, and for the Lord’s blessing in our endeavors.
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            18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
 

​Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6 
 
To educate a man in the mind and not in morals is to create a menace to society.
Theodore Roosevelt
 
            There was a young girl tragically killed in an automobile accident a few years ago.  She was riding with her father, when a drunk driver struck their car injuring him and killing her.
 
            The drunk driver was 17.  I knew him.  While he was in school the teachers and parents never really disciplined him when he was bad.  Perhaps it was because he was always getting in trouble and they grew tired of trying to get him to change.  I kept on him and told him if he didn’t start changing his ways, one day he would be wearing an orange jumpsuit, riding in the back of a car.  The boy probably hated me as I never let him slide and constantly told him about his behavior.
 
            When I heard of the accident I felt terrible.
 
            How many people gave up on him?  How many people started hoping that one day he would get his?  What would they have done differently if they knew that him “getting his” would mean the death of a 12-year-old girl?
 
Proverbs 29:17 tells us,
Correct your son, and he will give you rest;
Yes, he will give delight to your soul.
 
            Our responsibility, as adults and Christians, is to prepare our children and their friends for real life.  To make them understand that there are consequences for their actions.  We gain nothing when we turn a blind eye to bad or destructive behavior.
 
            It seems that what was once unacceptable is now the norm, and we as a society are spiraling toward a time when everything will be acceptable, except the message of Jesus Christ.
 
            When it comes to our young people was must not be afraid to tell them what they are doing is wrong.  When they roll their eyes and ask, “Why?”  We cannot be afraid to say because the Bible says so.  Many will know what the Bible is, but not what is inside and that could be your opportunity to share the Gospel and deliver some “Good News” into someone’s life.
 
            We cannot give up and hope that someone will eventually, “Learn their lesson.” Possibly with disastrous results for some innocent bystander.

            We must remain committed to our young people even when they frustrate us.  Do not just shake your head and wait for someone else to put him, or her, on the proper path.
 
Chasten your son while there is hope,
And do not set your heart on his destruction.
Proverbs 19:18

          We are not living in a dying country, we are living in a suicidal country. The problems and issues that inflict us as a nation, are of our own creation. You can see the moral and social decay accelerating each day. We turn on each other, we divide ourselves, we communicate with tweets, instant messages and smart phone emails, yet we are more disconnected as a society than ever.

            We are killing ourselves as a nation, and as a people, by removing God from the public square. No prayer in school, has led to school shootings, drug dependence, and a lack of respect for those in authority at school, and fellow students. We now have teachers and students having relationships, and children. Removing God from government buildings has led to corruption, a sense of entitlement, the abuse of intern and pages, and no fear of justice for the crimes being committed.

            The removal of God, and Christian themes in Hollywood and the media ahs created a product that has destroyed the family, normalized the vilest behaviors, led to a desensitizing to the violence, sexual promiscuity, and drugs. Bad behavior has become cool and encouraged. Women long for the “bad boy, bully,” to protect them, but suffer in an abusive relationship that they seem unable to escape; and when they do it is often with tragic consequences. Men chase the “bad girl,” but become upset with her, when her past comes up before him. We live in a time when men think they are women, women think they are men, and anyone who disagrees is labeled a “Hater.”

            Our society is fearless. It does not fear the consequences of their actions, it does not fear how their actions will impact others, and it does not fear God. Yes, God is love; also remember that God is just.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”-Proverbs 9:10
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            Please understand this, there is a just God, and there is a Hell. Both are real. You need to make a decision to turn to Jesus Christ and be saved from this suicidal world and have an eternity in Heaven. All the choices we make, are ours, we own them. As Larry Norman sang many years ago, “Why don’t you look into Jesus?”