Tuesday, June 13, 2006

Ephesians 6

1-3 Children, do what your parents tell you. This is only right. "Honor your father and mother" is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely, "so you will live well and have a long life." (The Message)

I have shared a lot of things on this blog regarding my past. You have read things about my Dad and unthinkable things that I have faced with him. Mental abuse, physical abuse and his alcoholism. One of the things I have really struggled with is sharing my testimony while honoring him at the same time. It's difficult for those of us that grew up in hell to honor our parents. But my Dad is not the same man that he used to be. He lives less than two miles down the road and comes over and eats with us about every other day. We don't watch a Maverick's game without him and he takes us out to dinner a lot. He knows things have been tough with Jeremy's back injury so he has given us money just about every week. He gives me money for the kids all the time, so I buy them lots of clothes. I recently got a speeding ticket and he paid for it. He works nearby and he knows I am feeling pretty puny these days so he calls a lot to ask me if he can bring me lunch. Today he called while I was sick and asked what sounded good to eat. I told him limes in club soda, celery and oranges. Within the hour, he was at my front door with all of those things in hand. This is not the man I grew up with. While he still struggles with negativity and anger, he adores me, adores Jeremy and worships my children. I need him in my life, so today I honor him.

10-12 And that about wraps it up. 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. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.(The Message)

I absolutely love this translation in The Message. It makes it so personal. It helps me to realize how much God cares about me and how He has provided a way for me to beat the enemy! What a way to put it! It's not an athletic contest that we walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours! So true! We will always fight this fight but the amazing and satisfying thing is knowing that we can ALWAYS win. Today remind the devil of his future!

13-18 Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. (The Message)

Battles are lost because of our lack of preparation. Right here in God's Holy Word, we are told to be prepared because we cannot handle any of it on our own. Why is that so hard for us to understand? Ladies, this scripture passage tells us that we are doing the best thing to fight our battles! We are in the Word! This is why I knew the Lord was telling me to get women together by reading God's Word. His word is essential and daily we are reading it! I am proud of us. I love what it says about prayer and keeping each other's spirits up. Women are so good at this. We love to help each other out and be there for each other. The devil hates this about women but the more we serve each other, the more we can show one another the love of Jesus.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

In my Social Work class I am taking now – the professor says - “It takes allot of shit to make roses.” Yes she says the “s” word – LOL – she is a very blunt person ;o)

Anyway – reading today’s post I thought about that – you have been through so much in your life – but it has all shaped you into the wonderful, giving, sweet, and compassionate person you are now.

I admire the fact that even though you had a rough time with your dad growing up you are at a place where you do have a good relationship with him – that REALLY says ALLOT about the woman God is shaping you to be.

Everything you have ever experienced and all you are facing now is for a bigger purpose ;o)) I know you already know that though…..

Nancy ;o))

Unknown said...

Thank you Nancy. I needed that today. Thanks for keeping it real too. I want people to be able to come to this blog and be real. You are a wonferful woman and I proud at what you are doing. You will be a wonderful counselor!

Anonymous said...

Hi Amanda, I have been thinking about you lately and so I looked your blog up. It is hard to honor our parents when we have grown up in hell. But it is possible and you are a great example of that. We had our baby he is great.

Jessica Ewy

Unknown said...

Jessica, okay I need to call you. This is weird. I JUST thought about you yesterday. I'm gonna have to call and hear all about the baby!

Seeker4Christ said...

v. 13-18 are great nuggets of truth. They help us if we disect it and use each of them.

Dionna said...

I missed hearing about your past difficulties with your dad. But how blessed you are to have the changed man he is today - in your life. My dad lives 9 hours away - you are indeed lucky and blessed.

Kellie said...

Please check out the morning prayer that I do it is on this website. http://www.tdharmon.com/

It has the Armor of GOD in it. I have also used this prayer as a Bible study. It is good.

I was just thinking as I read how exciting there lives must have been. They were changing the world. They had a message that flipped the lives around them upside down. It must have been thrilling for them and hard to understand how much change they were involved in.

Paul has such simple wisdom. He is an inspiration to me. I love him. He was a real man's man.

Thank you Amanda for sharing your life with us. It is really hard to know that anyone can see you and know all of your junk as well. Thank you for prompting us to do the same. Thank you for keeping us real and grounded. You are helping me with my humility problem. I love you and I will say that again, I LOVE YOU. You are a sweet spirit. Have you ever looked at the beattitudes? I think you are more meek than you know. You will inharit the earth.

mommyofangels said...

4Fathers, don't exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.

Lord, help me be the parent that you want me to be. I don't want to be too strict, or too lenient. Help me discipline and love my children, they way you discipline and love me. Help me to not get fustrated when Isabel and Emma are at each other's throats. Help me to keep calm and diffuse the situation. Help me to be fair. Help me daily to be a good mom. Help me be a light for you.

Sarah said...

you are such a great testimony. i'm the youngest one in here and there are so much I need to learn and so much I know will happen and that i have to wait for.

i really like how transparent you are here. showing the ugly and the beauty in you.

i grew up and still live in quite a tough home. it's a daily struggle for me.

and it's pretty to see how people come around. how you came around.

Unknown said...

Kellie, I laugh when i read your comment. Me, meek? HA! If that is true, then it is totally the Holy Spirit. I pray that my husband will someday say this about me. Thank you again Kellie for loving on me.

Unknown said...

Sarah, just because you are young doesn't mean a thing. Your blog is amazing always! What a preacher you are! So are you at Moody yet in Chicago? You need to be!

momteacherfriend said...

Yet again...God is dealing with me on the armour of God. How to pray it on . And teaching my kids these things. I have to admit I have not done this in a couple weeks but I learned a song that we like to sing.

Standing on the Word, doing what I heard
Praying in the Spirit
I got my Helmet of Salvation,
And my Righteous Breastplate,
My girdle of Truth and my Shield of Faith.
I got the Sword of the Spirit
And my Gospel Feet shod,
Standing on the Word of God.

I may do an audio blog of it....MAYBE.