Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net
-----Original Message-----
From: "Apostle Tom" <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tue, 08 May 2007 17:17:50 -0500
To: pressingon@hotmail.com
Subject: Morning Manna (May 9); BP: I Thess. 5:1-11; RBTTY: John 1:1-28; II Kings 7-9
May 9 “Our Helmet of Hope”
“But let us, who are of the Day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of
faith and love—and, for a helmet, the hope of salvation.”
I Thessalonians 5:8
When this fills our mind, peace fills our heart.
Hope.
Nowadays, for most folks, that seems to be a dwindling commodity.
Terrorism, hurricanes, global warming, precarious economies, rising taxes
and interest rates, etc., have a way of eroding hope within us IF our hope’s
rooted in anything but the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul had just finished offering words of encouragement in I
Thess. 4:13-18 to his fellow believers at Thessalonica when he penned
today’s Manna. Evidently, some of them were concerned about life after
death, what happens to those who die, etc.; that’s why he took the time to
explain a bit about this and encouraged them to “sorrow not, even as others
who have no hope” (v.13).
Although it’s fashionable today to wear a shirt with the words “No
Fear” in big letters, in reality the words should be “No Hope;” why else
would so many people be hooked on pills (legal and illegal) to calm their
nerves?
Yes, we live in what some have called “The Age of Anxiety.” That’s why
we, who are called “Members of the Way” (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 24:14, 22). .
.the “Redeemed”... Pilgrims. . .born-again believers, etc., should also be
called “Children of the Day” (I Thess. 5:5). Why is that? Simply because
we’re not like those who live in spiritual darkness, always stumbling around
and afraid of those things that go bump in the night.
No, we are “Day-Disciples” on a pilgrimage. We’re not like a vagabond,
who has no home. . .a criminal, who’s running from home. . .or a stranger
who’s away from home; instead, we are “Pilgrims, who are headed toward Home”
(Heb. 11:13-16). Hallelujah!!
That’s why we should always remember to wear the “full Christian armor”
(Eph. 6:10-18) at all times. Although the Apostle Paul called the
breastplate “righteousness” (v.14b) and the helmet “salvation” (v.17a) in
his letter to the Ephesians, he still means the same in our Manna. Are not
“faith” and “love” essential ingredients in righteousness? And, is “hope”
not an integral part of salvation? Glory!!
Therefore, when we leave the house each day, we should make sure the
“breastplate of faith and love” is covering our heart and the “helmet of
hope” is covering our mind. This won’t happen automatically; we have to
consciously don each piece. Then, we must remember to use them when the
“fiery darts of the wicked” begin flying later on during the day (Eph.
6:16).
Paul’s additional reminder for us to “be sober (Grk. ‘nepho’—‘be
discreet, watchful, vigilant, etc.’)” is more than a call for abstinence
from strong drink; it’s a serious summons for us to be spiritually
intoxicated with God’s faith, hope and love.
_________________________________________________________________
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