WHAT FAITH CAN DO... IN CHRIST ALONE...

TRANSFORMING THURSDAY

.

It's been almost a week since thousands of women gathered in Philadelphia, at the Wells Fargo Center, to honor Christ and Christ alone! I love the speakers, the singing, the fellowship. Each year, when I attend, I leave deeply moved, recommitted, and troubled. This time, it was the same!

.

This time, when I left Women of Faith, I left with a little clearer picture. I am convinced it is because I spent the summer immersed with our elementary Bible classes in THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD. I have so much in my mind on this subject that I believe I could write a book. Yet, what I'd like to do here is share with you some pics of my wonderful transforming time with my Pitman sisters in Christ and the thousands of women who desire to stand in Christ alone.

.

SEPTEMBER 11, 2010 - THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE HOSTS SISTERS IN FAITH...

My Pitman sisters fellowshipped together during the sessions and outside on the ground during meals. Love you, Melody, Brenda, and Kelly!

:
Love you, Janet, Dottie, Linda, Lynne, Melva, LeAnn, Harriet, Noreen, and all the dozens of you who are not in this picture...

I loved praising God behind my sisters, Karelle, Jackie, Harriet, and Kat:


I loved the deeply inspiring focus of giving God the glory through Christ:



And I loved hearing Andy Andrews, Patsy Clairmont, Steven and MaryBeth Chapman, and Sandi Patti speak... loved the one woman skits, too. And, of course, Steven, Sandi, Mandesa, and the quartet sing!

I loved it all... except for one thing: The sinners prayer coupled with the teaching that if a person just prays this prayer that salvation belongs to them. NO!!!!!!!!!!


As we traveled back across the Walt Whitman bridge into South Jersey, I knew that I was with a group of women who understood that IN CHRIST ALONE... MEANS MORE THAN JUST IN FAITH ALONE... We believe that for this spiritual journey of life, God wants each of us to put on THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD...


Each piece of our Heavenly Daddy's armor is Christ. I want the FULL PROTECTION! I want Christ in me, around me, and on me as I STAND on HIM as my FIRM FOUNDATION.

.

I've seen two professionally done posters, that are sold in stores, to describe this armor. One is shallow and almost bogus. The other is right on as it identifies each piece of armor as Christ! Ephesians 6 lists this armor and says I must put on GOD'S FULL ARMOR. Scripture does say that we are saved by faith but not by faith alone. How did early christians become christians? What did Peter tell them to do at Pentecost, the day the church began? How did they put their faith into action? This is transformational!

.

Go ahead, step out in faith and put on the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD (Ephesians 6)... the real deal... the complete package. Because of what I witnessed again at WOMEN OF FAITH, I have extra scriptures below in certain sections:

1. BELT OF TRUTH - JESUS CHRIST!

• John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me..."
• John 8:31-32 Jesus said, "If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

2. BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS-JESUS CHRIST!

• 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 "It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our Righteousness, Holiness and Redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
• Matthew 6:33-34 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. "

3. FOOT PROTECTORS OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE-JESUS CHRIST!

• John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."
• Acts 10:36 "You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the Good News of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all."

4. SHEILD OF FAITH-JESUS CHRIST!

• Hebrews 12:2-3 "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
• Galatians 3:26-29 "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."
• Revelation 19:10-11 "Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True."

5. HELMET OF SALVATION-JESUS CHRIST!!!

• Acts 2:21 "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'" (Patti's note: is this "call" praying Jesus into my heart? Look at the following scriptures that are just a few of the many that talk about salvation!)
• Acts 2:38-41 "Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call." With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."
• Acts 4:10-12 "It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is "'the stone you builders rejected, which has become The Capstone.' Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other Name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
• Acts 16:29-34 "The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved-you and your household." 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God-he and his whole family." (Why do some people stop at verse 31?)
• Acts 22:7-16 "I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?' "'Who are you, Lord?' I asked. "'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting,' He replied.... "'What shall I do, Lord?' I asked.
  "'Get up,' the Lord said, 'and go into Damascus. There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do.' "A man named Ananias came to see me. He was a devout observer of the law and highly respected by all the Jews living there. He stood beside me and said, 'Brother Saul... 16 And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on His name.' " (How did Saul "call" on the LORD?)
• Romans 13:11-14 "The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed... 12 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. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature."
• 1 Peter 3:20-22 "God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also-not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand-with angels, authorities and powers in submission to Him."
  

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS THE WORD OF GOD-JESUS CHRIST!

• John 1:1-14 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.... 14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
• Hebrews 4:12-16 "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin. 16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Therefore, STAND FIRM AND PRAY!!!!

.

IN THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD:

JESUS CHRIST

.