Do these boots match?

“Do these boots match?” My middle school daughter asked just before it was time to walk out the door.

Good question, because a girl has to have the right boots on to complete her ensemble.

She asked this question after trying on more than one outfit. A girl not only has to look just right, but feel just right. Everyone around her, can give a compliment about the way a girl looks, but if she doesn’t feel right in what she is wearing…forget it…compliment’s are worthless.

Also a favorite pair of jeans one day, may feel like you’re wearing someone else’s jeans another day.

I've learned not to get rid of her clothes very quick like, because she will ask me where I put the shirt or pair of pants she hated a few days prior, but now they are suddenly her favorites again.

I go through the same thing. One day, I needed to get dressed to have some pictures taken...

Finally…after trying on one thing after another...something not only felt right, but covered up what I wanted covered, and I liked what I saw in the mirror.

Now my husband…he usually does pretty well, but sometimes he needs my assistance, he has a pair of shoes that he thinks goes with anything, and can be worn at anytime…NOT!

But…when he hops on his motorcycle…he has to have the right boots on...

 ...jacket, AND pants, too. Not, just to complete his ensemble, but to keep dry when it rains and to have some sort of protection.

Me...I love clothes, I have lots of favorites, and I like to have a good pair of boots, well more than one pair of boots. It is so fun to put on a shirt that feels just right, and has some personality.

The clothes a person wears hangs in their closets or are folded in their dresser drawers. Sometimes a person dresses fancy, sometimes athletic, or casual, and sometimes just plain comfortable – like I am right now while sitting here writing this blog – a person usually wears whatever fits the call for the day. Each day we pick out an outfit to wear.

In the Bible Paul wrote a letter to the believers in Ephesus and told them a way to dress that doesn’t change every day. The clothing he instructed the believer to wear was not outer garments, but rather spiritual garments.

Being guarded by Roman soldiers he used their attire to explain how a believer should dress spiritually. Though, these things are not technically visible to the human eye, they are visible in the way we respond to things during our day.

Ephesians 6:10-18 New International Version (NIV)

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 of evil in the heavenly realms.¹³ 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. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸ 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.

During this last summer we visited a small, very charismatic church. The preacher came up to the podium and her voice rang out with strength and power from deep within her. It took her awhile to move her message along, because she kept reiterating what she had previously spoken, but before we left, she made it clear, we need to put the full armor of God on…not just part of it.

We wouldn’t walk out of the house half-dressed, would we? We wouldn’t go without our shoes, shirt, or pants when we go to work, or to the store right?

Ephesians 6:10-18The Message (MSG)

A Fight to the Finish

^10-12 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.

^13-18 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.

Believe in your salvation through Jesus Christ, walk in righteousness, truth, and peace. Pick up the Bible and listen to what the Lord has to say to you.

And pray…pray for yourself and one another.

Phillipians 1: 9-11

⁹ And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, ¹⁰ so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, ¹¹ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.