The Armor of Myself

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." Ephesians 6:11

I am fully aware that I should be putting on the "Armor of God" every morning but I constantly assume that the armor of "myself" is sufficient. I read my Bible and pray in the mornings but then I dress in the Armor of Carrie which is about as effective as a cute apron, a cookie sheet and a spatula in the middle of the trenches. Sure the apron might keep my clothes from getting dirty, the cookie sheet might deflect a bullet (if we're talking BBs here) and I may be able to swat a hand or two with my trusty spatula, but really, the flimsy armor of myself for protection?

Ephesians 6 makes it clear that the battles we face are not battles we can handle on our own. Verse 12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." So what does this mean? It means from the moment we wake up to the second we fall asleep Satan is trying to defeat us. The "flaming arrows" he constantly shoots at us are to weaken us, to make us struggle and to make us fall. He wants us to believe we can handle life on our own. That we don't need protection, wisdom or a Savior. Satan wants us to walk out the door every morning wearing our own fallible and penetrable armor called self-sufficiency so that when he takes aim and finally hits us in our weakest area we collapse. Whether our weakness is the inability to forgive, the tendency to wander or the constant desire to be in control of our lives, Satan knows where to aim.

Fortunately there is a better armor available. One that is strong and has been forged through the test of time. The Armor of God: The Belt of Truth (knowing the will of God), The Breastplate of Righteousness (making the right choices), The Sandals of Peace (knowing God is in control), The Shield of Faith (believing God's plan is best), The Helmet of Salvation (remembering Jesus is always with you) and The Sword of the Spirit (knowing God's word is true). Wearing this armor doesn't guarantee an easy battle, but it does guarantee victory in the end.

I will be breaking out that cute apron to make dinner tonight but thank the Lord it's just to keep the Chili from splattering on my clothes.

Easy Chili with Corncakes
1 lb ground sirloin (or turkey)
1 med. onion, chopped
2 (15oz) cans pinto beans, undrained
1 (28oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chilies, undrained
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In large soup pot brown beef and onion over med-high heat. Add the remaining ingredients, reduce the heat to low and cook for an hour or until the chili has thickened, stirring occasionally.
Serve with sour cream, green onions, cheddar cheese and topped with a corncake.

Corncakes
1 (8.5 oz) box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup milk

Preheat skillet or electric griddle to med heat. Grease lightly with butter or cooking spray. Blend ingredients, batter will be slightly lumpy, then cook on hot skillet. Flip when bubbles appear. Enjoy!