Scripture – Ephesians 6:10-20 NIV
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
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. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Bob’s thoughts:
We were blessed being led here for worship today to witness two baptisms…always a joy. We got to greet a former coworker of Jan’s before the service and another good friend after worship.
I think we arrived too close to start time for anyone but the usher to greet us.
I had forgotten how much I liked the cross high on the chancel wall.
In the sermon, he mentioned that in difficult or troubled times, put your trust in God. I would offer, when you are there, nothing else will get you through but trust in God. When you have been knocked down so unbelievably and then manage somehow to stand, that’s God. No matter what, Christ will see you through.
We were thankful to have a few minutes of the pastor’s time after the service and I was glad to get a copy of the prayer list.
Jan’s thoughts:
Only after God called us to visit Elfinwild today did we realize it has been a little more than seven years since were here last.
There seemed to be a great deal of excitement in the air, and after looking at the bulletin, we realized it was because this was a special day: two little ones were being baptized!
Several people greeted us before and during the service, and I had the joy of seeing several friends from the past including a former coworker and his wife.
The contemporary music was a surprise, along with the praise team. They were delightful though, the volume was perfect, and I enjoyed it very much.
As it is now back-to-school season for college students, the pastor asked those who will leave for college to come forward for prayer. It was a warm send-off during which he reminded parents that their “children” were actually leaving home, and when they returned, it would be for the purpose of a visit. In my experience, that’s absolutely true and almost impossible to comprehend until it happens. It’s also very hard.
The pastor explained the basis of this summer’s message series is the meaning and interpretation of the supporting Scripture of the intricate stained-glass designs adorning the windows in the sanctuary. Today the design was the Shield of Faith based on the Scripture above.
He reminded everyone that we are involved in a spiritual battle, whether or not we like it, and the Shield of Faith is given by God as a guard for our lives and hearts against the fiery arrows Satan means to destroy God’s people. Arrows such as the death of a loved one are large fiery arrows, but there are other arrows too, such as the loss of a friendship, a job, or a dream.
He made the point that it matters greatly in what we put our faith…better yet, in Whom: our faith must be in Jesus Christ and not in our own strength. Jesus preserves our spiritual life with God and His strength is a sure thing.
We appreciated our conversations with the pastor and with our other friends following worship.
Our prayer for this church:
Lord, we thank You for breathing life into Your church and ask that You guide and use them as You will. Amen.
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