Ephesians 6:12-17
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

So here’s our armor, below. I think the bolded-font armor is protective, and the normal-font armor is defensive.

1. Belt of Truth
2. Breastplate of Righteousness
3. Shoes/grieves of the Gospel of Peace
4. Shield of Faith
5. Helmet of Salvation
6. Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God

Protective Armor
The traditionally all-caps parts of this passage are quotes of the Old Testament, probably all references to the book of Isaiah. The “Belt of Truth” here is probably referring to Isaiah 11:5, describing the Root of Jesse: “Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.” The “Breastplate of Righteousness” and “Helmet of Salvation” are referencing Isaiah 59:17, “He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head;” This is when God is getting ready to exact justice in his wrath, because no one else will rectify injustice.

Of these, the belt, breastplate and helmet all belong to God in their reference. It’s God who puts on the sash of faithfulness/truth. It’s God who puts on the helmet of salvation and the breastplate of righteousness. So when we are putting on these items, considering their quotation reference, we are really girding ourselves with hope in God’s truth, righteousness and salvation. That’s quite a relief, because I’ve wondered, “What righteousness and salvation is he talking about that I’m supposed to dig up? I don’t have any!” No, we say, “The Lord is righteous. The Lord has bought me and he is mighty to save.” And that is how we wear them. We “assume” them, in the sense of assuming a role, and we absorb them, appropriating them by faith. Notice how these pieces of armor are form fitting and protect the vital parts of the body. The are the Protective Armor.

Defensive Armor
The non-bold armor are things that God has never had, because it wouldn’t make sense. He cannot have faith, for he is the object of our faith. He cannot be ready to tell the good news, because he IS the good news. We are his forerunners. And he cannot have the sword of the spirit, the word of God, because he IS the spirit, and IS the word of God. He would have to “wield himself”…like when Bugs Bunny picks himself up in the air by his own ears.

The shoes, shield and sword, then, are to be implemented or invoked. That is, we put his faithfulness to use in trusting, and we put his message of peace to use in communicating the gospel, and we put his spirit to use in  administering the word to a situation. This armor is to be wielded by faith in active defense, just as the Protective Armor was to be worn by faith. These make the Defensive Armor.

Lord, protect us by your righteousness, salvation and truth. We trust you to be our shield, sword and swiftness in the battle.

Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the sky. But God did not raise his hand against these leaders of the Israelites; they saw God, and they ate and drank. The LORD said to Moses, “Come up to me on the mountain and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and commandments I have written for their instruction. – Exodus 24

In Exodus 25-31, God dictates the covenant law, concerning the tabernacle, sacrifices, priesthood, etc. Meanwhile, in Exodus 32…

“When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.”

[Mind you, these are mostly the gold that Israel was given by Egyptians, when the Lord commanded them to ask for it, as he was delivering them.]

“He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD.” So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them.'”

Quick indeed! It strikes me that not only have they just received the Ten Commandments, including the command not to make any graven images, but Aaron and the 70 elders had also beheld the Lord himself immediately prior to asking for the idol!
Apparently it only takes about 37 days to forget all the glory that they’ve been seeing in the form of pillars and clouds and water from rocks and divided seas and plagues and fiery mountaintops and sky-blue pavements and appearances of divine glory.

The Israelites are stupid. Downright fools. Unfortunately I’m a lot like them. The speed at which they forget God after beholding his glory so directly makes me discard that thought I have had in the past, “God, only show me your glory, and I will follow you! I will obey you with renewed fervor!” Apparently, seeing God’s glory doesn’t bring obedience.

“Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe.” – John 20:29

For me to follow God takes something more than even seeing His face…it takes grace.

“No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” – Luke 10:22

God give us that grace.

Be assured, if you walk with Him and look to Him and expect help from Him, He will never fail you. An older brother who has known the Lord for forty-four years, who writes this, says to you for your encouragement that He has never failed him. In the greatest difficulties, in the heaviest trials, in the deepest poverty and necessities, He has never failed me; but because I was enabled by His grace to trust Him He has always appeared for my help. I delight in speaking well of His name.
– George Mueller (exerpt from Streams in the Desert, ed. L.B. Cowman)

O Lord, I know this testimony is true, and there are thousands more like it. May I learn to lean on you while I am yet young – speed the cultivation of my faith, that I might abide peacefully in your presence all my days. Let me walk with you, look to you, and expect help from you, as a dependent child. I look fondly on the carefree days of my childhood, when all was adventure and wonder, and when I did not understand, nor wish to understand, nor doubt in the least the provision of my father.

If I were to plant a church, my vision would be simple and threefold. The church exists to:

1. Love God
2. Love each other
3. Love the world

These are the three basic categories of our relationships in life – and life is about relationships. This model could be considered a relationalist model of church ministry.

It could also be considered a numerological approach – because of the Trinity, I really like threes. Therefore each of those three purposes would have its own three elements. (It’s funny how these naturally happened in my thinking process.) The sub-elements of “Love God” would be:

1. worship
2. prayer
3. preaching the Word

The sub-elements of “Love each other” would be:

1. care (meeting needs within the body)
2. fellowship (doing life together)
3. discipleship (an intimate mentorship approach, ideally)

“Love the world” would include:

1. community service and involvement
2. advocating social justice
3. the proclamation of the Gospel to unreached peoples

That would seem to me a balanced, simple, comprehensive structure to define the life and purpose of the Body of Christ in keeping with Scripture and church tradition.

To be considered, should I ever actually plant a church, or be in a position to recommend a structure to an existing one…

God, before I log on to I look again at my bank account, I just declare that You will provide for me. You will not let me starve, unless of course starvation is your provision for me—and that would be quite an interesting kind of provision, but it would be a good kind, likely very exciting and praiseworthy on the flipside of mortality.

Jesus, if I didn’t have your promises, I don’t see how I could keep from being a slave to work. I would have to keep laboring under that master just to get a little security – and especially if I had a wife and kids, I would need to purchase more security, and would serve him more strenuously. I see how many men don’t do justice to their families in their attempt to provide for them—they are oppressed by the combination of insecurity and the manly motivation to provide.

Jesus, the cattle on a 1,000 hills, the funds in 1,000 investments are owned by you. You have ways that surpass understanding. You are freakin’ GOD for crying out loud. Surely you can provide without stress, and you are all powerful and all-wealthy.

I ask not for comfort, per se, or any particular thing. You can, and will, and ought to, and must, decide the particulars. You alone know what “provision” means for me. Perhaps that means my wife and I have to eat soup and saltines for a few months, or years. Perhaps it means that I have to work two jobs to make ends meet. Perhaps it means that we will live in a shoddy apartment. Perhaps it means even less. Certainly there are many of your beloved who are without homes or food many nights. Are there children of yours who starve to death? Some are locked in jails, some undergo famines in distant lands, some are beset by poor health – failing eyesight, rotting teeth, back pains, fevers, MS, arthritis, cancer, and worse. Some are financially stripped by medical bills.

And there are those servants of yours whose parents die before their eyes, and whose newlywed spouses die or are beset by debilitating disease months after marriage. Some see their families burned in a house fire, some experience miscarriages, and some watch their newborns or five-year-olds breathe slower and slower in a hospital bed. Some birth a child with Down’s Syndrome and their time and energy must be given to taking care of that child. (Oh God, you know that a disabled child would devastate me, at least for a split moment. All glory to you!) Halleluiah, praise the one, risen Son of God.

God, my money may be all spent just getting by. I may never have the chance to save up and get a reserve for “rainy days.” My whole life it may rain.

I may be oppressed by corrupt insurance agencies, greedy doctors, unjust laws, unjust judges, all kinds of men who are desperate and ruthless in defending their piece of the carcass which entitles them to the survival of the fittest, a little of that necessity, “security.”

But in all this, I say, “Listen, O my soul, God With Us will provide for us, for me and for my loved ones; he will take care of us, he will see us through. Rest, soul, and abide in trust in your master, who is powerful and who loves you.”

‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.’– Exodus 6:6

Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham.
– Galatians 3:7Jehovah Jireh