The Heidelberg Catechism - The Foundations Of Our Faith

Ephesians 6:14  Ready For Battle #3   The Belt of Truth False intelligence. A Roman soldier had a belt, and all the rest of his armor was somehow hooked to that belt. It was critical to the rest of the equipment. If it was wintertime, soldiers wore a long robe. The first thing a soldier would do to get ready for battle was "gird up his loins." That's a weird expression—most of us don't gird up our loins when we get dressed in the morning. To a soldier, however, girding up was essential. He would lift up that long robe and tuck it into his belt so that he could move freely. On a march, he could have it down to stay warm. If he was off duty, he could unbuckle his belt. But if he was on duty and it was time for battle, an unbuckled belt and a hanging robe would mean one of two things: being punished by his superiors or having a severe disadvantage to his enemy. Either way, the consequences were grave. So when the battle cry sounded, a soldier would lift his robe and tuck

Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul, not what my toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole. Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God, not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load. Thy work alone, O Christ, can ease this weight of sin, Thy blood alone, O Lamb of God, can give me peace within. Thy love to me, O God, not mine, O Lord, to thee, can rid me of this dark unrest and set my spirit free. I bless the Christ of God, I rest on love divine, and with unfalt'ring lip and heart I call this Savior mine. His cross dispels each doubt; I bury in His tomb each thought of unbelief and fear, each ling'ring shade of gloom. I praise the God of grace, I trust His truth and might. He calls me His, I call Him mine, my God, my joy, my light. My Lord has saved my life, and freely pardon gives; I love because He first loved me, I live because He lives. Horatius Bonar

Ephesians 6:10-13  Ready For Battle - Enlisted. The Christian life is not a playground—it's a battleground. And whether we like it or not, every Christian is called to be a soldier and to " fight the good fight" (I Tim. 6:12). No good soldier enters a battle without being fully prepared and protected. Likewise, God does not expect us to go to war unarmed. He has given us the armor and weapons we need for the fight, and He expects us to use them. Ephesians 6 tells us, " Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore, take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (vv. 10-13).   The

Luke 14   Disciples Have Tang 25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them,26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,30 saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.33 So therefore, any one of you who does not