[E.R.I.C.] ن

Content with life. Lover of grace, guitars, and laughter. ~ John 3:30 ~ Certified tattoo enabler. 🤘🔥🤘

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

Found a great, new word! #Flawsome - It says, "I don't care about your past, your failures, flaws, or imperfections. I love you, anyways!" 😊

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

If you cannot visit with a Samaritan woman at a well then you should not refer to yourself as a Christian.

There's nothing Christ-like about you!

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

Seasons end. And new seasons begin.

I'm coming out of one of the hardest seasons of my life. And I'm entering into a new season whole, healed, hopeful, and strong!

Thank God for His goodness, grace, love, and faithfulness! ❤

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

@MissWaterLily So would @WarrenBreathitt...

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

Never mind! I just noticed that all of my Twitter friends are already here!

Today is so magical...

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

I need to go on Twitter and tell people about this "X" app!

They're always looking for Twitter alternatives...

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

I need to go on Twitter and tell people about this "X" app!

They're always looking for Twitter alternatives...

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

This is my first post on this app.

It just magically appeared on my phone overnight!

It's very similar to Facebook's Threads.

What a strange world we live in...

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

@regardingemily Well, now....

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

@simonnebraden 🤘🔥🤘

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

Spending some time in Matthew 24 this morning.

I think that I would rather be left behind...

❤❤❤👇👇👇

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

@WalterRothbard I have a face made for radio.

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

Some people are photogenic.

I'm just the regular kind of genic.

[Chad Bird @birdchadlouis]

The Methodical Devil and the Whole Armor of God

At the beginning of Paul's description of the whole armor of God, he says to put that armor on so "that you may be able to stand against the schemes [μεθοδείας] of the devil" (Eph. 6:11). What does he mean by "schemes"?

The Greek word is the plural of μεθοδεία (methodeia). As you might guess, our words “method” and “methodical” are related to it. Outside the NT, in other Greek writings, the verbal form was used positively or neutrally, with the meaning “to treat methodically” or “to handle according to plan,” such as one might collect debts or taxes “methodically.”

But over time, the word methodeia took on darker hues: to handle craftily, to deceive, to overreach, to scheme.

Now here is something interesting: in the NT, the word methodeia occurs only twice, just a couple of chapters apart in Ephesians: to describe the “schemes” of the devil (6:11) and the “schemes” of false teaching (4:14). In Ephesians 4, Paul admonishes Christians to “no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes [μεθοδείαν].”

If nothing else, this means that one of the many “schemes” of the devil is to use the blowing winds of doctrine, taught by cunning people, to methodically lead astray the people of God.

Why is this important? At the beginning of his description of the “whole armor of God,” Paul says that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood” (6:12). This is often misconstrued to say that other people are not the problem. This is wrong.

Paul is peeling the mask away from the face of every evil in this world to show the true face that lies beneath. Behind every evil are “the rulers…the authorities…the cosmic powers over this present darkness…the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (6:12). True. But that does not mean that their mouthpieces are simply neutral.

The halitosis of every liar reeks of brimstone.

We struggle against the dark forces of evil, and at the same time, we strive to be mature Christians who pay no heed to the human mouthpieces that these dark forces use to spew their lies into the ears and hearts of God’s people.

The devil is the father of lies, but this world is rife with his preachers, teachers, pundits, advocates, lawyers, politicians, podcasters, authors, and bullies. Our fellow men and women are not the true enemy, to be sure, but they can, and are, used by The Enemy for “deceitful schemes.”

Fr. Thomas Hopko wisely said, “Have no expectations except to be fiercely tempted to your last breath.” For that reason, we need the whole armor of God, including the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, by which we can battle lies and fight for the truth.

The methodical, cunning attacks of the dark spiritual forces will never cease. Let us therefore strive to be faithful soldiers of the kingdom, clothed with Christ’s armor, armed with Scripture, praying, awake and alert, that we might be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

@oscarintx Is that why I'm paying to be your friend? 🤔😖

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

@oscarintx You cannot get paid to be my friend, Oscar!

[Chad Bird @birdchadlouis]

Divorce

Years ago, when I went through divorce, I did not come out on the other side a better Christian (whatever that means), a better person, or a stronger person. But I did grasp more fully that, in and of myself, I am nothing. I have zilch to offer God. I have nothing of my own to claim, except my faults. I have no strength, no righteousness, no moral pedigree to wow heaven.

In divorce God married me to the cross. I didn’t want it; indeed, I hated it. But upon my shoulders God laid it. The ring of nails. The veil of darkness. The kiss of death. When we are stripped of all the good we think we are and have, we come face to face with the evil within. We fight and wrestle and gasp and die and become nothing.

Then our Lord, who created everything out of nothing, says, “Now I have you exactly where I want you.” The only material that God really works with is nothing. He brings to nothing the things that are (1 Corinthians 1:28) that through this nothing he might show us that our everything is that one who is the source of our life, Christ Jesus, whom God makes our “wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption,” (1:30).

He opens our eyes to see that we are not dead on a cross alone. We are part of a thorn-crowned Savior who became our everything. We die in him and life returns. We have no hope in ourselves but in him we receive hope of cosmic proportions. Our face, which only a God can love, the Father of love bends down and kisses. He bathes away our filth. He lifts up our downcast eyes. He gives us his own name. We are married to the cross, and there meet the bridegroom of our souls.

Like so many of the hardships in life, it is only in hindsight that we realize the hidden hand of God at work in our deepest woes. He is not making us stronger but is making us dead, that we might truly live in the strength that he provides. He is not making us better people but unveiling how bad we are that we may find in Christ the riches of our Father’s goodness.

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

@MsWired I like that you use the word "compromise". I think that's a better word to use, especially in a relationship between equals.

Compromise implies giving something up in favor of something greater. That's never a sacrifice!

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

@goofydogmom 🤣🤣🤣

[[E.R.I.C.] ن @JustBeingEric]

@Crh614 @oscarintx I love cilantro! 😍😍😍