Good Morning Everyone,

 Our theme for this month: “Peace”

 Our Bible verse for today: “Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil.” Ephesians 6:10-11

 Our thought for today: “We achieve and maintain peace by being strong.”

 Those of you who know me know that I’m a retired Naval Officer. I served in the Navy for twenty-one years and even though I’ve been retired from the military for twenty years, I still have a military mind set and I apply military type thinking to most areas of my life. It’s something that will stay with me for the rest of my life I’m sure.

 A basic premise which undergirds military thinking is that strength deters aggression. When a nation, military unit, or individual is obviously strong and well prepared to defend themselves, a potential adversary will think twice before starting something. Conversely, weakness invites aggression. When a nation, military unit, or individual is perceived as being weak, bad guys are emboldened. And so, we maintain the peace by being strong.

 That same truth applies in the spiritual realm. In Ephesians 6:10-19 the Apostle Paul used a military metaphor to help us understand that we are engaged in spiritual warfare. It’s a battle and we have to be strong if we’re going to be victorious. The Lord Himself provides us with the strength and the resources to not only fight the battle, but to win it. However, we need to do our part of if we’re going to “be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.” In that passage Paul then goes on to provide detailed instructions about the steps we need to take to be strong in the Lord. For an expanded teaching on this subject see chapter fourteen of my book “Walking with Paul”. You can get a copy at http://www.JimMersereauBooks.com or visit us at OakHillBaptistChurch and I will be happy to give you one.

 Strength deters aggression. That’s true for nations on the world stage; it’s true for military units keeping the enemy at bay; it’s true for individuals who are determined to deter the bad guys who live in every community; and it’s true in the spiritual realm. If Satan detects weakness in you, he will pounce. If he sees that you are spiritually strong, fully clothed in the armor of God, he will probably look for an easier victim.

 We achieve and maintain the peace by being strong.

 God Bless,

Pastor Jim