The Belt of Truth, chapters 2 & 3

I’m continuing to comb through Ephesians, searching for evidence of the various pieces of armor listed specifically by the end of the book.  The belt of truth may seem like an odd item at the top of the list, but actually, the remaining pieces depend on it for their power. Without truth, there is no salvation, nothing to put faith in, no gospel to proclaim, nothing to quench lies, no word that pierces like a sword. With an enemy such as ours, truth is our necessary beginning.

[The devil] was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, 

for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, 

for he is a liar and the father of lies.

-Jesus

John 8:44

Our enemy is void of truth and actively opposes it, seeks its death, and speaks against it. Lies flow from him and through him as his heart language, the most natural words dripping off his forked tongue. We are not left defenseless. May the belt of truth in Ephesians 2 & 3 wrap you in its life-giving support and enable you to distinguish and follow God’s voice without hindrance:

Lie: My salvation isn’t really that miraculous.

Truth: God’s mercy raised me from death to life. 2:1-7

Lie: God isn’t good.

Truth: The gospel reveals God as rich in mercy, love, grace, and kindness. 2:4-7

Lie: I’m a good enough person to merit salvation.

Truth: Only God’s grace can save. 2:8,9

Lie: I don’t have a purpose like someone else has.

Truth: God had good works planned out for me when He saved me. 2:10

Lie: God is far away from me and likes it that way.

Truth: Christ’s blood brings me near to God. 2:11-13

Lie: There are too many long-standing differences for peace to ever be reality.

Truth: Only through Christ can peace be accomplished. 2:14-18

Lie: I don’t belong.

Truth: I’m a member of God’s family and part of its very structure. 2:19-22

Lie: God makes Himself at home in those perfect people, but not in me.

Truth: God lives in me. 2:22

Lie: God plays favorites.

Truth: The Gospel is all-inclusive. 3:1-6

Lie: One person can’t make much of a difference.

Truth: God gives each individual specific grace to steward in His kingdom. Eph 3:2,7

Lie: The church is an outdated idea.

Truth: The church, when functioning properly, reveals God’s wisdom. 3:7-13

Lie: Faith is a dead-end.

Truth: Faith in Christ is the path toward experiencing the fullness of God. 3:14-19

Lie: Because of my background, I should keep my spiritual expectations low.

Truth: I cannot even imagine the possibilities that exist through God’s power in me. 3:20,21

…the reason I was born and came into the world

was to testify to the truth. 

Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.

-Jesus

What is truth?

- Pilate

John 18:37,38

The Belt of Truth, chapter 1

The brazen alarm signals yet another morning, and I’d rather it not interrupt like it does. Ugh. But an appealing aroma wafts over the airwaves, so I might as well find its caffeinated source. Mmm. The furnace shudders like it too is throwing off covers, gearing up to push back against the resistance around it. Brr. 

Barely noticeable to my senses still shrouded in sleep, comes another subtle sound I’ve tried to imagine away. As it grows louder, it’s clearly that familiar battlecry, and I want to pull up the blankets or turn up distraction against it. That’s just what the enemy hopes for, aimed to destroy the disarmed before daybreak.

I rise to the occasion in a bathrobe, lucky to find both slippers. But that won’t be enough.

The invisible attack is merciless. It goes for the gut with its lies, cuts through the heart in accusations, sends a blow to the head with confusion, and renders me useless at the knees. If only I had armor ready at sunrise, I’d wake up to the truth, and I wouldn’t be hit with reality.

Unfortunately, truth and reality have been divided in two, leaving me vulnerable. Reality is, I just need sleep, coffee, warmth. Truth is, I’m at war. 

Like folding back the closet doors to a suit of armor, Ephesians 6 reveals our hefty wardrobe. For the next few Monday mornings, we’re pulling each piece from the previous chapters of Ephesians and trying them on.  We’ll ask questions about the armor such as, What truth from chapters 1-5 holds us together like a belt and frees us to live without hindrance? What do previous chapters say about salvation that informs our minds, protecting us like a helmet? And so on. Piece by piece, we’ll sort through Ephesians to better understand how to arm ourselves.

Below, is a look at how Ephesians 1 contains the first piece of armor, the belt of truth. May one of these truths bind your heart to reality and free you from the lies meant to unravel you.

Lie: God is holding out on me. 

Truth: God hasn’t held back a single blessing in Christ. 1:3 

Lie: God is impatient for me to get myself together. 

Truth: I was picked by the Father before I did anything for Him. 1:4

Lie: God shouldn't have embraced such a flawed person like me. 

Truth: God chose me to be evidence of His astonishing grace and to praise Him for it. 1:6

Lie: I’ve gotta pay God back for all I’ve done against Him.

Truth: My forgiveness through Jesus’ blood is a lavish gift from God. 1:7

Lie: There’s no future for me.

Truth: I’ve been promised an inheritance. 1:11-14

Lie: I can’t really be sure about what God promises.

Truth: I possess the Holy Spirit who guarantees I’ll receive what’s promised to me. 1:11-14

Lie: I’m too far behind.

Truth: The Spirit gives understanding. 1:15-19

Lie: I’m powerless.

Truth: Inside of me is the resurrection power that raised Christ. 1:19-21

Lie: Authority is falling apart.

Truth: Christ rules over all. 1:21-23

“...if you abide in my word, 

you are truly my disciples, 

and you will know the truth, 

and the truth will set you free.” 

-Jesus 

John 8:31,32

On Rosa Parks

A letter to my black friends: 

On this day of remembering the advocacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., your faces come to mind. I admit to you that I haven’t lived your family history or experienced your personal aches about your family’s future, but I’m committed to learning how my individual choices can make a difference in my sphere of influence right now.

One individual who challenges me to courageous, yet simple actions is Rosa Parks. This past year, I discovered and read her book Reflections by Rosa Parks: the quiet strength and faith of a woman who changed a nation. The chapters are divided into topics that she spoke on, wrote about, and personally applied over the course of her life. 

She lived out of straightforward conviction regarding right and wrong, an uncomplicated approach to complex racial discrimination against her. Straightforward doesn’t mean socially acceptable, and uncomplicated doesn’t mean easy. What she endured grieves me - for your sake and our nation’s - and I’m sad to say, I doubt I’d have her faith or stamina. 

But I aim for it.

“I have learned that, 

in order to bring about change, 

one must take the first step, 

or else it will not be done.” 

-Rosa Parks

Foot-long Leadership

I’m crossing the threshold of 2024 in reverence for the holy ground of one foot. Let me explain. 

I usually want the Lord to lead me in mile-long strides, reaching goals far off on the horizon in a single jump. When I look for Him to work on that scale, though, it can start to feel like God isn’t active in my life or answering prayer at all. That’s because I’ve overlooked His direction that most often comes in foot-long increments. Although He is completely capable of guiding us in leaps and bounds, the believer’s life is described as walking with God -  miles, divided into feet. 

With a shoe size of 9.5, my walking shoes measure around one foot long.  Yes, that’s the larger end of women’s shoes, but, in terms of walking, a 12-inch step is really not a lot of ground covered.  Yet following one after the next, they will eventually add up to one mile.  One after the next, there is progress.

And God’s leadership is like that. He can do exceedingly more than we ask or think, but He so often does it by dividing a mile into 5,280 feet. He takes us by the hand, and He sets a pace we can match, if we just put one foot in front of the other along with Him.  Twelve inches of faith. One foot of prayer. Twelve inches of goals. One foot of guidance.

Whatever your resolutions, may you anticipate and experience the holy ground of God’s foot-long leadership as you step into the New Year.

Days of feasting & gladness

They weren’t expecting an average day where the highs barely peak and the lows barely break below the surface; they expected to be slaughtered. 

But the most unlikely opposite occurred, and the Jewish people were exuberant! To celebrate, Mordecai and Esther established a yearly holiday for their nation called Purim (find details about it in Esther chapter 9). It was to be a time filled with tasty food, gift-giving, and joy, because their worst nightmare was surprisingly averted, completely contrary to the outcome they had imagined.  

Looking ahead to our own holiday season - a time of tasty food, gift-giving, and joy - I’m setting my heart to celebrate Christmas as a shocking reversal of expectations. Humanity’s worst nightmare was averted through the most unlikely beginning: 

The eternal Son of God became a human embryo. 

A barn became a royal birthplace. 

A virgin became a mother. 

Dirty shepherds became the first witnesses of the King. 

Jesus would live a life of expectations turned on their heads, and this pattern of reversal would continue into His death and culminate in His resurrection. It’s because of Him that we, who were doomed to everlasting death, can instead experience eternal life. Could we ever imagine anything like this outcome?

During Advent, let’s remember Purim: There is no reversal we’ve been longing for that’s too drastic for our God; in fact, it seems He’s attracted to doing the opposite of what we’d naturally expect. 

May your celebration of Christ prompt days of feasting and gladness this season! I’ll be signing off until after the New Year, but I’ll be back in 2024:)