(If you’d rather read this Coffee Stain online: davidscoffeestains.com)
If you could see your skin under a microscope you might never sleep again. Just looking at a picture of this stuff makes me itch.
I saw a presentation on You Tube of things you never see in your body, magnified many times. It was beautiful and scary. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYKM_iGY9K8 )
There is a lot that goes on in the universe that we can’t see. And some scientists, or is it physicists? Or maybe it was George Lucas. Whatever, they tell us that there may be other dimensions of existence that we can’t see, super-imposed on our own reality.
Sound crazy? Well, to some extent, I believe that. Listen.
“For our fight is not against any physical enemy: it is against organisations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen power that controls this dark world, and spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil.” (Ephesians 6:12, J.B. Phillips)
It’s a world superimposed over our world, acting in both worlds. Paul takes about “heavenly” or “spiritual” places and gives us a head-slap to wake us up to our need to fight.
An unseen war rages
“God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way.” (Ephesians 6:10, the Message)
But if you go to war in your underwear, you’re going to get wasted by the enemy. Get your uniform on! Pick up your weapons. “What weapons?” you say.
“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. (Eph 6)
Now, two questions. Look over this list of offensive and defensive weapons. Are you taking advantage of all of them? Think about them. What does truth mean? Is righteousness just a theological word to put you to sleep on Sunday morning?
How in the world can salvation be my helmet? Or how is God’s Word a sword?
In this invisible fight—that’s very, very real—these are the weapons with which you drive away the enemies aligned against you and take the territory that God has sent you to take.
This might be a good time to ask yourself where you are weak and strengthen yourself in the Lord. What assignment has God given you? Do you take the weapons you need to do the job?
Or, are you tip-toeing around like Alice in Wonderland, blissfully unaware that a life and death battle is going on all around you. And you are a part of it!
New Year… an important time to reflect. How are you going to do it differently this year? What’s your plan?
I wish you the healthiest, most prosperous year you’ve ever had in the Lord for 2017.
Hmmm …
“…everything won’t be precisely as you imagined it, as it was described, as you deserve.
Sure, then what?
“Will you react or respond? You could react in anger and fear. You could find people to blame, you could easily amplify your anger, you could dig deep for vitriol and snark and use your words and actions to drive a wedge between you and whoever didn’t meet your imagined spec.
“Or, perhaps you will respond by focusing on the opportunities the divergence presents. What a chance to celebrate what you’ve got and even better, find a way to build something even better.”
Seth godin