lee@westshorecommunitychurch.org Gravestones sometimes have R.I.P. engraved upon them. Sometimes, we are confident that the departed are resting in peace and at other times, we are not too sure. Let me offer another thought. Why not “rest in peace” while we are still among the living and not have to wait until we die? It seems to … Read more
Tomorrow’s message is about God ‘resting’ (actually ceasing from His creation since He had put the finishing touches on it with the creation of man) on the seventh day which He declared as the Sabbath. Certainly, He was not ‘tired’ after the six days of creation. Over the years, I have treated Sunday as a … Read more
What is it like living in Big Arm, Montana? Well, for one thing, there are no stop lights or traffic jams. There is a post office, a restaurant (The Big Arm Marina and Grill), a church (West Shore Community Church – that’s us), a population of a couple of hundred friendly people set on the … Read more
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18 After describing the pieces of the armor of God, Paul adds another important part of spiritual battle: prayer. This is not a piece of spiritual armor, … Read more
“…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.” Ephesians 6:17 The Roman soldier carried a small dagger and a large double-edged sword used for thrusting. The sword was usually about 24 inches long and 2 inches wide with parallel sides. This particular weapon was developed after the Romans observed the effectiveness … Read more
“Take up the helmet of salvation…” Ephesians 6:17 The Roman army helmet was usually made of bronze, although iron and leather were used on occasion. To protect the sides of the face, “cheek pieces”, hinged to each side and were secured with leather straps under the chin. A shelf on the back of the helmet … Read more
“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” Ephesians 6:16 The Roman army used small round shields and large rectangular ones. The large curved shield which Paul refers to in the Ephesian letter was about four feet tall by two … Read more
15 “and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” Ephesians 6:15 New International Version (NIV) The shoes worn by the Roman soldier generally came in the “sandal” variety. They had thick leather soles that were studded with small nails to provide stability in hand-to-hand combat. The sandals came up above … Read more
When Paul compares the armor of God with military gear, each piece represents a part of God’s strength that He extends to us when we become His children. “…with the breastplate of righteousness in place…” Ephesians 6:14 Yesterday we saw the first piece of spiritual armor to put on daily – “the belt of truth.” … Read more
The Armor of God 10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces … Read more
“Have a great day!” This is a phrase that we hear often and say to others regularly. But have you thought about what makes your day great or not? If you haven’t determined the criteria for what a great day is, how will you know if you’ve had one? To answer that question for myself, … Read more
When we look at what is going on in our society, some of us may just scratch our head and say, “How did we get here?” Some may just throw up their hands and say, “There isn’t anything that I can do about it.” Others may say, “It isn’t a big deal because it doesn’t … Read more
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The President will be giving his ‘State of the Union’ address this evening to Congress. How is your ‘state of the union’ with God? If you are like me, it is pretty good most of the time, but at times it could be stronger. How, you ask can it be stronger? Here are a few … Read more
The hot topic/issue of the day deals with abortion – especially third term abortion. I wish to address this issue with a personal story. Late in my mother’s life, she told me that when she was pregnant with me that she suffered from morning sickness. While that is not uncommon, it continued on until my … Read more