permit to carry

"but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear" 1 pet 3:15

the world builds up it's armory for defenses and christians need to build up their armory also.  we need to always carry the word of God in us.  i have many but there is one i always go back to: "for this reason i also suffer these things; nevertheless i am not ashamed, for i know whom i have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what i have committed to Him until that day."

that may not sound very defensive from the world view, but to me, it is comforting assurance that nothing can happen to me outside of God's allowance.  scoffers and mockers may come, ridicule may be made of my views, but they are truths the lead to life. 

i can't help but think of england and how it has fallen from it's gospel roots - so much so that "the church of england" has become "the community of england."  these are those who gave us the king james bible, the one most trusted and used; not to mention the beauty of it's prose.  they can't even allow any remembrance of Jesus to remain.  but it is His church and it will prevail.

yes, we must build up the word of God in our hearts because our bibles might soon be taken.  only the word we have hidden in our hearts cannot be taken.  none of us know how much we will have to go through before our Lord comes for us, but i know it won't be pleasant.  many may fall but it will only refine us further.  they don't realize how the church of God prospers and grows under pressure - a diamond comes forth.  there are souls to rescued and lives to be changed.  "you therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." 2 tim 2:3

you are fully permitted to carry His word in your heart.  feed on it in the spirit and stand strong in defense of it.  the truth will not be denied and repeating something often won't make it change.  "for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." eph 6:12  no, our weapons are not carnal but they are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.  this world is not our home but we must fight to bring as many as we can into the truth with us; into the light!

"to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment this honor have all His saints." psa 149:8-9  we have all been chosen for this hour and this time.  let us make proud those who came before us.  you are fully permitted to carry as much of the word of God as your heart can carry.  it is our defense and also our armory of war.


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