@FirstChurchofJerusalem
Today's Early Church Wisdom
“If anyone be a soldier or in authority, let him be taught not to oppress or to kill or to rob, or to be angry or to rage and afflict anyone. But let those rations suffice him which are given to him. But if they wish to be baptised in the Lord, let them cease from military service or from the [post of] authority, and if not let them not be received. Let a catechumen or a believer of the people, if he desire to be a soldier, either cease from his intention, or if not let him be rejected. For he hath despised God by his thought, and leaving the things of the Spirit, he hath perfected himself in the flesh and hath treated the faith with contempt.”
~ The Testament of Our Lord (4th or 5th Century AD)
This week's Psalm is Psalm 31 'My Rock, My Shield, My Song'

Guard Your Heart

Like any ancient warrior, without your shield you will be vulnerable and a much easier target for your enemy.  Unless you take up that shield you will be unable to effectively defeat the doubts and fears that come to us all. Satan will do everything he can to worry you, to cause you to doubt God’s blessing and His love for you. The demons will tempt you to doubt God, which is usually their first line of attack against the mind. It’s generally followed by an attack on the will, which has the deliberate aim of getting you to sin against God. They tried to tempt Jesus, so we can hardly expect to be exempt! If God has spoken (and we know that He has, and we even have it in writing – the Bible), our responsibility is to take up that shield He has given. It’s there in front of you, and it belongs to you – it’s your shield and it’s got your name on it. It’s time to pick it up and let it do its work in protecting your heart. That shield is of no use to you at all while it lies at your feet. You need to pick it up and keep it before your heart always. Don’t just listen to God. Keep His word ever before you, for it will guard your heart.