You are on my mind today as I sit down to share my reflections on the second week of Shirer’s study The Armor of God. One of my favorite apps on my phone is the Webster’s dictionary. I have learned through the years not to gloss over words. Shirer writes truth is God’s opinion on any matter, the ultimate standard. My app’s first definition is as follows: the real facts about something; the things that are true. However, the third definition offered is that truth is a statement or idea that is true or accepted as true. Read over that last definition again slowly. Do you see it? Those last words, an idea that is “accepted as true.” That is not good enough for God. I pray that you humbly submit yourself and give the Holy Spirit reign in your heart, mind, and soul. Father, shine Your light of truth and expose any dark places where we have accepted a lie as truth. I pray that those reading these words be reconciled to you, and for their hearts to be softened and ready to receive your training in righteousness.

I was raised in a non-Christian fairly liberal home, by divorced parents. Born in 1970 maybe it was the culture of the times, but I see the same attitudes and ideologies everywhere today. Have you spent any time contemplating and identifying cultural perceptions (beliefs that do not line up with scripture)? These ideas are so pervasive and so accepted, it requires diligence and a keen awareness to decipher at times. For example, I had just seen a cute little wood plaque for sale that had these words beautifully painted, “Follow your heart wherever it may lead.” Sounds great, right? I could almost hear my mom or dad giving me this advice for life. However, something stirred within me that caused me to pause. That something is the Holy Spirit. Here is what girding my loins with truth does inside my 3 pound finite brain. Shirer used the example of the TSA’s authenticating light, God’s word is the light of truth. His words that were quickly brought to my mind were, “the heart is deceitful” (Jeremiah 17:9). TRUTH – “The heart is deceitful” did not align with the thoughts displayed on the plaque. This idea stays on my mind, and I continue to wrestle with the validity of its words. So later I follow up with more truth by taking the time to look up scripture and find in Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” I don’t need to expand upon all the ways following your heart can lead to sin, and destruction. Finally, I surrender and submit myself to God’s lesson and praise him for not allowing me to buy the pretty to be displayed in my home.

O Brother or Sister in Christ, do not be quick to follow your feelings. They are fleeting, they change. If you are thinking the above example is insignificant, I’m here to tell you that is exactly what Satan wants. He has been working endlessly to desensitize your thinking, to paint a pretty little lie as a trap set just for you. Be on alert, bring everything to the throne. I pray that God becomes your filter and lens and you rely solely on real truth which is God’s standard, the Holy Scriptures. I pray that you gird your loins with a modern day Spanx; let it squeeze out the imperfections, smooth your thoughts to align with God. With your loins secure, may you walk more upright, become aware of your enemy, and ready to tuck in your tunic for action to maneuver and avoid the enemies pitfalls. I pray that you take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5) I challenge you to make every effort to learn to inject God’s truth to your own daily prayer life. O Father, open their spiritual eyes and allow my brothers and sisters to see the importance of the belt of truth.