For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. (Ephesians 6:12-13 NLT) Principalities and powers - there is an unseen realm behind every one of our battles, my friends. We don't even know they exist, but we can feel and see their influence, can't we? Their principal purpose is to make war against God's people. Their mission is to oppose everything and everyone in God's family. Our values, the boundaries we set for our lives, the mission we engage in - all are under their attack. The closer you get to Jesus, the more you can count on these 'unseen realms' acting against our forward progress. It should not come as a surprise that a 'lukewarm,...
Ralph Waldo Emerson reminds us, "All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen." Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." We sometimes trust in things and individuals that really aren't all that trustworthy. Where do you place your trust today? Is it in your financial well-being or career pathway? Is it in your ability to figure almost anything out without much effort? Or is your trust in something some may refer to as a little more 'divine' like a guardian angel? There is but one reliable place to put your trust - the cross. At the cross, all we needed was provided. All we never knew we needed was provided! Are we guilty of depending on our own understanding to figure out what is going on in our lives? If so, we likely have a very limited perspective and could actually be trusting in something...