– Today’s Community Scripture – 9/15/2025
And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting, you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. And don’t forget to pray for me. Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that I, jailbird preacher that I am, am responsible for getting out. Tychicus, my good friend here, will tell you what I’m doing and how things are going with me. He is certainly a dependable servant of the Master! I’ve sent him not only to tell you about us but to cheer you on in your faith. Good-bye, friends. Love mixed with faith be yours from God the Father and from the Master, Jesus Christ. Pure grace and nothing but grace be with all who love our Master, Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 6:10–24 (MSG)
– Reflection:
In the wake of what last week was, I am sure that Paul would be sad for what we are right now. Here locally, a lady was riding the light rail and was killed, and there was another school shooting in Colorado, and then to add to it, Charlie Kirk, a well-known speaker for Turning Point USA, was taken from this earth as well. I think all four of them would say we are not prepared. The Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, along with Paul, are definitely praying for us all to get it together. Remember, our tongues are powerful and necessary for communicating what is within us. It is up to us to honor the Word, Our Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit with the proper words and actions to honor the gifts we were given. As we step into those gifts, it is also our job to remember the lowest of us, and if we cannot help them, we definitely shouldn’t hurt them any more than they already are suffering.
– Where do we go from here?
Prayer is what we use as our weapons; if we disagree and want to make a mark on the world, we pray. WE pray for them and ourselves for the words that we may have used in our quiet time against them, and the words that may have helped to affirm the attitude that is created. Remember, the Inter is not a real place. It is make-believe, it is what we do in the world that matters, not on the Internet. Think of the Internet as “The Matrix”. Close the laptop, put the phones down, speak in our communities to real people, leave the Internet to itself, and let’s make this world what Jesus died for. Too many Internet conversations are causing too many problems in reality, just like in the movie “The Matrix”. If you are hurt there, when you leave “The Matrix” and return to reality, you are injured here as well. Violence over a disagreement of stance is a hard pill to swallow; we never get to see the change that could happen or the empathy of the other side for not truly understanding what was meant by the words spoken.
– Our Prayer for Today
Father, please help us to heal from the turmoil of not understanding and acting violently toward words. Allow us first to listen to understand, not to respond. Please give us the ability to discern what is said and how it has affected us. If negative thoughts arise, grant us the ability to look within our hearts and listen to what the Holy Spirit wants from us. Not everything is supposed to make you feel good; some words are said to help us make a change within ourselves, allowing the Holy Spirit to do its work. Action is not always needed. Jesus, help us this week to heal as we honor You and the Holy Spirit with our gifts. Amen.
And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting, you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. And don’t forget to pray for me. Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that I, jailbird preacher that I am, am responsible for getting out. Tychicus, my good friend here, will tell you what I’m doing and how things are going with me. He is certainly a dependable servant of the Master! I’ve sent him not only to tell you about us but to cheer you on in your faith. Good-bye, friends. Love mixed with faith be yours from God the Father and from the Master, Jesus Christ. Pure grace and nothing but grace be with all who love our Master, Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 6:10–24 (MSG)
– Reflection:
In the wake of what last week was, I am sure that Paul would be sad for what we are right now. Here locally, a lady was riding the light rail and was killed, and there was another school shooting in Colorado, and then to add to it, Charlie Kirk, a well-known speaker for Turning Point USA, was taken from this earth as well. I think all four of them would say we are not prepared. The Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, along with Paul, are definitely praying for us all to get it together. Remember, our tongues are powerful and necessary for communicating what is within us. It is up to us to honor the Word, Our Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit with the proper words and actions to honor the gifts we were given. As we step into those gifts, it is also our job to remember the lowest of us, and if we cannot help them, we definitely shouldn’t hurt them any more than they already are suffering.
– Where do we go from here?
Prayer is what we use as our weapons; if we disagree and want to make a mark on the world, we pray. WE pray for them and ourselves for the words that we may have used in our quiet time against them, and the words that may have helped to affirm the attitude that is created. Remember, the Inter is not a real place. It is make-believe, it is what we do in the world that matters, not on the Internet. Think of the Internet as “The Matrix”. Close the laptop, put the phones down, speak in our communities to real people, leave the Internet to itself, and let’s make this world what Jesus died for. Too many Internet conversations are causing too many problems in reality, just like in the movie “The Matrix”. If you are hurt there, when you leave “The Matrix” and return to reality, you are injured here as well. Violence over a disagreement of stance is a hard pill to swallow; we never get to see the change that could happen or the empathy of the other side for not truly understanding what was meant by the words spoken.
– Our Prayer for Today
Father, please help us to heal from the turmoil of not understanding and acting violently toward words. Allow us first to listen to understand, not to respond. Please give us the ability to discern what is said and how it has affected us. If negative thoughts arise, grant us the ability to look within our hearts and listen to what the Holy Spirit wants from us. Not everything is supposed to make you feel good; some words are said to help us make a change within ourselves, allowing the Holy Spirit to do its work. Action is not always needed. Jesus, help us this week to heal as we honor You and the Holy Spirit with our gifts. Amen.