Ephesians 6:13 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.

Having done all? I am not even sure what all is any more. I’ve spent the bulk of my life coming up short. It is part of my DNA to finish putting a thing back together only to discover an extra screw laying on the table. Now where does that go? Maybe that is a guy thing.

All is a troubling word for me. Love God will all your heart, yet scriptures tell us “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9) Perhaps that is in reference to a heart that hasn’t surrendered to Christ. Later Jeremiah says “And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.”(Jer. 24:7)

There always seems to be that struggle within me to find that right mix between knowing and doing. If I spend all my time seeking truth, then I have sacrificed service. If I immerse myself in service then the work becomes my source of satisfaction and not the God who called me in the first place. Mary and Martha demonstrated that as sisters which feels to me like the two halves of my brain.

Romans 7 O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Perhaps I am like that UPS package being scanned, tracked and being delivered, in transit.

Psalm 139:3-6 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

Have you read part 1 and part 2 over the last couple of days?

If so answer these questions:

What did you expect?

What did you find?

What did you learn?

What was unique?

Was this familiar territory?

I hope you will answer these questions for yourself. This is not an exam. I am not your teacher.

I often ponder how believers read their bibles. It concerns me very little how unbelievers read the bible as they do not have the help of the Holy Spirit to lead them in truth. Believers on the other hand, I have discovered, have different approaches to reading.

If I were to venture a guess as to your style of reading, you might not question yourselves as I have today. I can imagine some might want to say “Leave me alone. This is my quiet time.” My answer to that is this; “Why is it quiet?”

I do not expect everyone to follow my example for studying the scriptures. I know that God gave us His Word to speak to us, so quiet isn’t something to be desired.

Hebrews: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,

That does not sound like God wants to be silent.