PRAYER, PEACE, and the PRESENCE of GOD by David Butts

As believers, we are supposed to walk in the peace of Christ, yet we all have stressful issues and circumstances that rob us of this peace. Subtitled “A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus,” Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God powerfully encourages the reader on how to hold onto that peace in any circumstance.

The author, David Butts (1953-2022), started writing this book and 10 days into it he got word that he was in stage 4 with a rare form of lymphoma. God allowed him to live in a greater way for five additional years of full-strength ministry.  Dave has challenged readers in Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God to seek after His  best life, no matter what it holds.

His 30-day devotional will encourage, inspire and challenge you that you, too, can experience and walk in the peace of Jesus no matter what circumstances you are walking through.

 Learn more about purchasing this book here

PRAYER, PEACE, and the PRESENCE of GOD by David Butts

As believers, we are supposed to walk in the peace of Christ, yet we all have stressful issues and circumstances that rob us of this peace. Subtitled “A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus,” Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God powerfully encourages the reader on how to hold onto that peace in any circumstance.

The author, David Butts (1953-2022), started writing this book and 10 days into it he got word that he was in stage 4 with a rare form of lymphoma. God allowed him to live in a greater way for five additional years of full-strength ministry.  Dave has challenged readers in Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God to seek after His  best life, no matter what it holds.

His 30-day devotional will encourage, inspire and challenge you that you, too, can experience and walk in the peace of Jesus no matter what circumstances you are walking through.

 Learn more about purchasing this book here

By Kim Butts

Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton wrote a sobering book entitled, Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, in which they describe the current religion among the vast majority of youth in our nation. In the largest study ever conducted on the spirituality of U.S. teens, researchers pored over transcripts from written interviews with thousands of teens and follow-up face to face interviews with 250. Most identified themselves as Christians; however, there were also youth from other religious backgrounds, or who claimed to be non-religious. Researchers found that most teens were unable to adequately articulate their belief system, and the majority had never been asked questions about their own faith. The basic creed of the religious thought among teens in the United States appears to include the following:

• “A God exists who created and orders the world and watches over human life on earth.
• God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.
• The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself.
• God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when He is needed to resolve a problem.
• Good people go to heaven when they die.”

Most teens in America today are not even thinking about living as disciples of Jesus, obeying His Word and living out His commands for the sake of His kingdom. My heart is grieved by this stark revelation, as well it should be. Basically, what the study reveals is that most teens believe God created the world, set it in motion and backed off…except when He is “needed.” As God watches from a distance, He wants us to be good, moral people who are happy and who feel good about ourselves. Researchers interviewed teens who are completely disconnected from religion of any kind as well as many Christian teens who are very strongly grounded in their faith identity and are actively living as followers of Jesus. Unfortunately, the answers given by the Christian teens did not sway the final results of the study in any significant way. This revelation alone is enough to send every parent, teacher, pastor and youth leader to his or her knees in repentance.

Christian Smith has also written an article based on the book in which he states:  “This is not a religion of repentance from sin, of keeping the Sabbath, of living as a servant of a sovereign divine, of steadfastly saying one’s prayers, of faithfully observing high holy days, of building character through suffering, of basking in God’s love and grace, of spending oneself in gratitude and love for the cause of social justice, etc. Rather, what appears to be the actual dominant religion among U.S. teenagers is centrally about feeling good, happy, secure, at peace. It is about attaining subjective well-being, being able to resolve problems, and getting along amiably with other people.”

God was mentioned often in the study, but rarely was there any reference made by the young people to Jesus or to the Holy Spirit. The importance of the Trinitarian nature of God has diminished or even disappeared amongst teens in America. As one news editor notes, “What Soul Searching reveals is a generation of kids who claim to be Christian, but many of whose beliefs are not even remotely orthodox.”

It is no wonder that truth is perceived as relative and not absolute. Many teens and even adults believe that anything is okay as long as no one gets hurt and they are happy. Recently, my husband spent time with a young Christian couple who wanted to get married. He was puzzled because they were attending a Bible believing church, but were living together while unmarried. When he talked to them about what the Bible says, they were shocked to find out that their living situation was not pleasing to the Lord. The question is, “Why didn’t they know this?” Fortunately, they wanted to obey God and were more than willing to rearrange their living situation and cease their physical intimacy until after their wedding.

As we struggle with why our children are walking away from their Christian faith, living with their boyfriends or girlfriends, worshiping other idols as gods, etc., we must, with the help of the Holy Spirit, look deep within ourselves to ask what has gone terribly wrong. Don’t make the assumption that your child’s faith is his or her own. Many of them may have some measure of their parents’ faith…but this alone will not sustain them amidst the assault of the “religion” of the culture.

If our children are accepting a religion that feeds off of traditional religious roots but really looks nothing like what we have presumably taught them, how do we call them back to the Truth? If we have raised our children in the best way we know how before God, and they still choose to walk away, what steps do we take with God to draw their hearts back to His? The answers are far too complex for this short article; however, now that the alarm bell has rung, there are some basic steps that godly parents can and should take:

No Condemnation (Romans 8)

The first response of many parents tends to be an unproductive thought process which condemns: “I should have done a better job of teaching Scripture.” “Maybe we should have done a better job with family devotions.” “Why didn’t I see this coming and do something about it earlier?” The enemy of our souls is very pleased with such accusations. He would keep us feeling guilty and miserable, rather than accepting the grace of God. He wants to keep us from moving forward in a positive way toward steps that will bring victory into our children’s lives. No matter how far our children wander, they can be redeemed by the Holy Spirit and transformed into the image of Jesus Christ for the glory of God and for the sake of His kingdom! Of course it is better that they don’t walk away from their faith in the first place; however, the reality is that the pull of our seductive culture is very strong and enticing. The need to fit in and to be like everyone else is strong in teenagers. They are being bombarded with technology, movies and music we couldn’t even imagine when growing up. These things are not an excuse for failure to shepherd our children towards a genuine faith in Christ, but they do explain why a lot of unsuspecting Christian teens have been lured away from the Truth.

Prepare for Battle!

As I just mentioned, do not allow the enemy to condemn you for the unwise decisions your children make. He wants to take you down through your children, if he hasn’t already won the battle with your heart and mind. If he hasn’t been able to damage your life because of the quality of your character, he will start working on the hearts and minds of your precious children. Remember; do not allow their mistakes to be your fault. Confess anything you may have done to contribute to their struggles, and then allow the faithfulness and grace of God to remove that guilt from your heart!

Then, with that guilt covered, fight back by putting on the full armor of God “so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood…against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 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 saints” (Eph. 6:11-18). The devil won’t give up our children without a fight! If we are not prepared by God, and attempt to “fix” things on our own, we cannot win. But if we are clothed in His holy armor, the battle will be fought and won by the Lord.

Pray!

If ever there is a time for prayer to be our first response rather than our last resort, this is it! When our children have been drawn into worldly pursuits or thinking, it is not by our efforts that they will be snatched from the enemy – it is only by our fervent and heartfelt intercession. If we need to be drawn into repentance for our own actions, and the possibilities that we have also bought into the lie of our culture, then so be it! As we confess our weaknesses before God, He will remove condemnation and flood us with His grace and forgiveness: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Now we must earnestly seek Him for the hearts of our children. It is so important to pray the plans and purposes of God for our children rather than for what we think is best. Sometimes a child must walk a difficult road in order for true transformation to take place. Praying the Word of God into their lives is asking Him to move in power, in agreement with His own perfect will. Here are a few to get you started:

“The One who calls (child’s name) is faithful and He will do it” (1 Thes. 5:24).

“…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in __________ will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6).

“And this is my prayer: that __________’s love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that __________ may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ – to the glory and praise of God” (Phil. 1:9-11).

Love Your Children Unconditionally

As parents, we must be able to separate our children from the sinful choices they may choose to make. If we only show them love when they do what we want and follow our expectations, it will be hard to keep their trust. We can speak the truth in love by sharing that we don’t approve of their choices or behavior; however, they must always know that we love them no matter what, and that we will be praying for them to walk in godly ways.

Know That God Is Able

It is time to bring our children to the foot of the cross. Our loving Father has their best interests at heart. He loves them even more than we do, and wants them to live in ways that bring honor to Jesus Christ. We must place our trust and confidence in God’s ability to redeem and restore what may be broken or damaged in our homes and/or in the lives of our children. Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me” (John 14:1).

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Eph. 3:20-21).

PRAYER, PEACE, and the PRESENCE of GOD by David Butts

As believers, we are supposed to walk in the peace of Christ, yet we all have stressful issues and circumstances that rob us of this peace. Subtitled “A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus,” Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God powerfully encourages the reader on how to hold onto that peace in any circumstance.

The author, David Butts (1953-2022), started writing this book and 10 days into it he got word that he was in stage 4 with a rare form of lymphoma. God allowed him to live in a greater way for five additional years of full-strength ministry.  Dave has challenged readers in Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God to seek after His  best life, no matter what it holds.

His 30-day devotional will encourage, inspire and challenge you that you, too, can experience and walk in the peace of Jesus no matter what circumstances you are walking through.

 Learn more about purchasing this book here

By Kim Butts

When our Lord is up to extraordinary things in His world, is your family aware of it? Are you alert enough to be drawn into the deeper things of God as He creatively and sovereignly moves toward bringing the story of man to a close? Is your family preparing for the return of Jesus by paying attention to the signs of the times in which you live? Is your spirit in tune with the Holy Spirit so that you can hear His voice as He instructs you in the way you should live? These are some heavy-duty, but important questions, as we are, by virtue of the promises of Scripture, living in the last days: “The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray” (1 Peter 4:7). God calls us to have understanding of the times in which we live, and to be obedient in seeking wisdom from Him (Proverbs 2:1-6).

Our families cannot afford to be spiritually lacking when so many people still live in darkness. It is not a time to rest or to be comfortable. It is a time for strengthening, for joyful expectation, and for determination to impact as many lives for His kingdom as we possibly can. It is a time to die to ourselves and live fully for Jesus Christ. It is a time to shake off self-indulgence and laziness and purposefully turn our focus upon God’s plans and purposes. It is, as Scripture clearly states, a time to be clear minded and self-controlled so that we can pray. Prayer is God’s way of accomplishing His will on this earth. When we are fervently engaged in intercession for those things upon the Father’s heart, He will act!

The Holy Spirit must be actively engaged in our family life so that we can be characterized by wisdom, discernment and maturity. It is vital that we have visibly defined, resolute purpose in our lives. Everything we do and say should be in the character of Jesus Christ, lived out in the power of the Spirit. Our lifestyles should be focused upon things of eternal significance and consequence.

In Acts 2:17-18, Luke quotes the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28-29): “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on My servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’” God promised to bestow His Holy Spirit on everyone – irrespective of gender or age: “…I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants” (Isaiah 44:3). In this passage, the outpouring of God’s Spirit results in abundance of blessing.

If God has chosen to pour out His Spirit on us, and has told us what He intends to do in the last days, we must not be complacent. We must be active! He cannot pour the wine of His power into unprepared or old wineskins. In order to be alert to the working of the Lord, we must learn and teach the discernment of our times with all urgency…and we must pray! If you, as a parent, grandparent or single person have not yet grasped the importance of understanding the times in which we live, it is time to diligently study the matter. God is moving all things toward a close. Each day we draw closer to the end of days. We should never be so presumptuous as to believe that His return will not happen in our lifetime. For the sake of the kingdom, it is critical that we teach our children to fully understand the times in which we live so that 1) they are able to live to the fullest potential of God’s plans and purposes for their lives, and 2) they can intercede for the things on God’s heart.

There is no time to waste, yet the enemy would distract our families with entertainment and idleness that have no eternal purpose. I am not saying that there should never be any leisure time – of course there should; however, it is imperative that we are always in tune with the Holy Spirit so that we are ready to move with the heartbeat of the Father when He calls for our obedient action. What an exciting time in which to live! God is doing amazing things before our eyes and in our lives! We should be living in joyous expectancy of His return as we pray for the Bride of Christ to be restored to complete beauty in preparation – revive us, Lord! We should be earnestly praying for Jesus to receive His inheritance – the ends of the earth! Everything that is needed to complete the task of world evangelization is in place – we have all of the money, all of the people, all of the technology and all of the Spirit. All that is needed is for the Bride to wake up from her long nap and get the job done. We, the Beloved of the Lord, must understand the times in which we live and respond to the beat of our Bridegroom’s heart.

Here are some specific ways that we, as families, can discern the times in which we live, being completely obedient to the will of God:

Pray.

Ask God to give your family wisdom and discernment. Philippians 1:9-10 says: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ.”

As a family, ask God to give Jesus His inheritance – the nations (Psalm 2:8).

As He reveals His heart to you, pray for His will to be accomplished upon this earth through your lives and ministries and in the lives and ministries of others. Here are some powerful ways to pray: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:3-6). “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground” (Psalm 143:10). Pray 1 Timothy 2:1-4 daily. “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4). Our prayers should be Kingdom-focused: “Lord, what do YOU want? Reveal these things to our hearts so that we might intercede with passion and fervency for the advancement of Your Kingdom on this earth!” Pray Psalm 67 back to the Lord: “Father, please be gracious to us and bless us and make Your face shine upon us – that Your ways may be known on earth and Your salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You. May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for You rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.  May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You. Then the land will yield its harvest, and You, our God, will bless us. You will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear You.”

Pay attention to the news, to nature, and to the nations.

“Jesus answered: ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of Me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

“So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand” (Matthew 24:4-15).

Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to understand what God is doing! It is imperative that your family stays current with what is happening all over the globe. Hook up with Christian news that will give you biblical perspective on all that you see and hear. Pray that the devil will not deceive you through false reporting or bias. Check out sources and get clear confirmation about what is happening. Be watching to see what is happening in nature. Lately, we’ve had many “natural” disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, etc. Never “assume” that something such as a hurricane or earthquake is or isn’t a judgment of God – ask the Father to reveal this to you if it is for you to know. Ask Him to show you how your family should respond to the needs created by such events.

Watch carefully to see what is going on in and around the world, especially in the nation of Israel.

Study the prophecies in the Bible that talk about the last days. For example, read the book of Daniel and spend time talking about how the prophecies apply to our day.

Act obediently in response to the understanding God has given you.

Know what God wants to do in and through your family in these last days through the power of the Holy Spirit, and respond. After you have prayed and paid attention to the news, nature and the nations, it is vital that our families learn to discern the voice of God through the power and teaching of the Holy Spirit so that we will know how to respond in these times: “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:25-26). “…but knowledge comes easily to the discerning” (Proverbs 14:6b). “Wisdom reposes in the heart of the discerning…” (Proverbs 14:33a). He wants us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling: “…continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose” (Philippians 2:12-13). The Father wants us to finish well, expressing our salvation in reverence and the ongoing process of spiritual growth and development. “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life…” (Philippians 2:14-16a). He wants us to love Him passionately, to love others, to care for the poor and needy, to promote unity in the body of Christ, and to share Jesus with the lost. Are we willing to act as we discern the times?

Be prepared for your sons and daughters to prophesy. God is uniquely preparing the next generation of youth and children for His purposes in these last days. Be diligent in their spiritual training!

What are we waiting for? Our Lord could return at any moment and our families should be ready to welcome Him with shouts of joy and gladness, standing alongside those whose lives have been impacted by the Lord Jesus in us!

PRAYER, PEACE, and the PRESENCE of GOD by David Butts

As believers, we are supposed to walk in the peace of Christ, yet we all have stressful issues and circumstances that rob us of this peace. Subtitled “A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus,” Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God powerfully encourages the reader on how to hold onto that peace in any circumstance.

The author, David Butts (1953-2022), started writing this book and 10 days into it he got word that he was in stage 4 with a rare form of lymphoma. God allowed him to live in a greater way for five additional years of full-strength ministry.  Dave has challenged readers in Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God to seek after His  best life, no matter what it holds.

His 30-day devotional will encourage, inspire and challenge you that you, too, can experience and walk in the peace of Jesus no matter what circumstances you are walking through.

 Learn more about purchasing this book here

What is your family dressed like today? There are two very distinct Biblical commands that tell us how Christians should be clothed: in armor, and with Christ. This clothing serves three main purposes: it protects us against the enemy, it gives us the ability to fight the enemy, and it allows us to live the kind of lifestyle that reflects Jesus Christ before others. If there is any kind of clothing more important that this, it would be difficult to convince me.

In an age of spiritual slumbering, it is vital that families wake up and come alive in Jesus. Without such an awakening, revival will continue to simmer on a back burner rather than bursting forth in a brilliant display of the power and love of Christ in our midst! “…The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light” (Rom. 13:11b-12). We are living in a time when even Christians are apathetically living out lives of complacency. Most of our efforts for the Lord are too late, too feeble, or too ineffective to bring about any meaningful change in our culture. We look too much like what we are “wishing” would be different.

“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy” (Rom. 13:13). There are many Christians engaging in these ungodly, worldly behaviors – some by choice, some by habit, and some by addiction. How can we effectively put aside the “deeds of darkness” mentioned above, and instead “put on the armor of light”? As individuals and families, we simply must learn how to dress more appropriately for the circumstances of our day. The proper clothing will allow us to recognize our sinfulness, initiate our confession, and lead us to repentance. The proper clothing will remind us of the power of our salvation, guard our righteousness, keep us in the truth, and make us ready as we share the good news of Jesus Christ with a dying world.

The appropriate accessories will protect us from further assaults by the enemy, and will even allow us to fight against the kingdom of darkness. Most importantly, the proper clothing will draw us into the presence of our loving Father, who longs for our obedience so that He may do things in us and through us that are “…immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” (Eph. 3:20).

The Importance of Choosing the Right Clothes

Each morning, I look out the window to see what the weather looks like. Generally I listen to the weather report so that I will have a good idea of the day’s expected temperatures before I choose what clothing to wear on a particular day. Although we would never consider sending our children outside in summer clothes and sandals when it is snowing, or dressed in a coat when it is going to be hot – we are not nearly so careful when it comes to their spiritual clothing. Our families go their separate ways each day…sometimes with no more than a hurried hug – and step outside the door into a war zone. It’s no wonder that marriages are in trouble, or that there is conflict between parents and teenagers and bitter rivalry between siblings – and that is just within our own households. What happens outside of the home is totally out of our control once they leave our protective reach. Fortunately, we can be sure they are properly dressed and then confidently release them into the protective custody of God.

The enemy is prowling around looking for moms, dads, children and whole families to devour (1 Pet. 5:8). Unless we are spiritually dressed for victory, we literally leave ourselves exposed to the whims and schemes of the enemy, who would choose to destroy us all as he catches us without the proper attire!

How should Christian families be dressing each day? Let’s examine the Word of God to see what our instructions are. As we do so, remember that simply reading the Word, studying the Word and knowing the Word is not enough. We must obey the Word. If we tell our children to wear a raincoat and they choose to disobey us – they may get wet. In the same way, if the Word of God tells us what to put on…and we choose to disobey, we will suffer the consequences of our disobedience. Revival will come only when God’s people choose to clothe themselves as He has instructed us in His Word. So many things would be different in our homes, in our churches, in our nation and in the world, if Christians would simply obey the Word of God. Therefore, when you read what the Father wants you to do to be properly clothed, I pray you will be compelled to obey!

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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 of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Eph. 6:11-13). Note that the Scripture is very clear that we are to put on the full armor of God. It is even commanded twice in this short passage. Why does the Lord want us clothed in this spiritual armor? So that we can take our stand against the schemes of the devil, and so that when the day of evil comes, we are able to stand our ground. Protective clothing is very important to Christians. If we do not recognize that we are in a battle for our very lives, the lives of our children, and the lives of the lost, we will be badly damaged and even defeated. Temptation will come – are we prepared to stand our ground? Persecution will come – are we dressed to stand firm against it? Christian families are under attack! Without a time of daily putting on the armor, we will be shot at from every angle. How do you put on spiritual armor? I recommend that it be done prayerfully and as a family each morning before everyone goes his or her separate ways. Be diligent to pray for one another before you all walk out the door into the battle that is known as life.

In our fast-paced, busy culture, it is difficult to find time to spend as a family. Perhaps if we recognize what is at stake, we will make time to prayerfully clothe ourselves each day. Yes, God has a plan for our children’s lives…but Satan does too! Therefore, it is critical that we not only obey the command to clothe ourselves with armor, but that we obey the call of Paul in Romans 13:14: “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Paul is exhorting Christians to show the outward results of what has happened inside of us when Jesus became Lord and Savior. Our lives should reflect Jesus in every way to our families, our friends, and to the world around us. The sinful nature is always lurking beneath the surface; however, if Jesus is our very clothing, we will more and more be like Him.

I enjoy doing more than one thing at a time. It makes me feel like I’m accomplishing more. So, when I realized that putting on the armor of God also allowed me to put on Christ at the same time, I was thrilled! Imagine! Fulfilling two commandments at the same time! For example, when I put on the belt of truth (Eph. 6:14), I am also putting on Jesus, who is the very personification of truth. When I put on the breastplate of righteousness (Eph. 6:14), I am also being obedient to put on Jesus, who is my righteousness. He is the gospel of peace (shoes), and He is our salvation (helmet).

There are two important accessories as we are clothing ourselves in armor and with Christ. The first is the shield of faith: “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one” (Eph. 6:16). When we put on Jesus Christ, we certainly do so in faith! His power living in and through us can help us to be an outward representation of our inward decision to follow Jesus.

Notice that all of the pieces of armor mentioned above are defensive. Protective clothing is very important; however, Jesus very clearly went on the offensive when dealing with the enemy. So, the second “accessory” to our wardrobe is probably the most important: “Take…the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17). In John 1:1 we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Since Jesus is God in the fullest sense, He is also the Word. When Scripture tells us to take up the sword that is the Word of God, we are putting on Jesus. How did Jesus deal with the enemy when He was being tempted by the devil in the desert? He used the Word of God to fight back – and so must we!

Families – are you protected by the armor of God? If not – put it on! How? In prayer. It can be a prayer as simple as this: “Lord, today we want to wear the same clothes that You are wearing so that we can stand firm against Satan and any temptation to sin that he might throw at us. We put on the helmet of salvation and the breastplate of righteousness because You are our salvation and righteousness. We fasten the belt of truth around our waists because You are the truth. Because You are the good news, we put on the shoes that will help us to be ready to share this truth with others. In faith, we take up our shields so that we are completely protected from the arrows of the enemy. We will carry the sword of Your Word so that we can give an answer to anyone (1 Pet. 3:15). Most of all, Lord, help others to see that we are wearing the same clothes as Jesus today.”

Let’s summarize: If we have, in obedience, put on Jesus, what should we now look like? Him! It means that we should reflect His virtues. Because we have put on the armor of God, we are protected, and ready to do battle against the enemy. Jesus dealt with the enemy by quoting the Word of God to him in Matthew 4:1-11. Because every piece of the armor allows us to be clothed with Christ, we should also deal with the temptations of the enemy in this way.

If we will prayerfully put on the armor, and in so doing, put on Christ, we will look more and more like Him. We will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the enemy. When God sees that we are obediently following His Word, and desiring to be like His Son, Jesus, He will be pleased, we will be protected, the enemy can be beaten back and others will see Jesus in us. A spiritual awakening will take place in the midst of our family as our actions please God and win others to His Son. Won’t you consider putting on Jesus’ clothes today?

PRAYER, PEACE, and the PRESENCE of GOD by David Butts

As believers, we are supposed to walk in the peace of Christ, yet we all have stressful issues and circumstances that rob us of this peace. Subtitled “A 30-Day Journey to Experience the Shalom of Jesus,” Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God powerfully encourages the reader on how to hold onto that peace in any circumstance.

The author, David Butts (1953-2022), started writing this book and 10 days into it he got word that he was in stage 4 with a rare form of lymphoma. God allowed him to live in a greater way for five additional years of full-strength ministry.  Dave has challenged readers in Prayer, Peace and the Presence of God to seek after His  best life, no matter what it holds.

His 30-day devotional will encourage, inspire and challenge you that you, too, can experience and walk in the peace of Jesus no matter what circumstances you are walking through.

 Learn more about purchasing this book here