Standing: Peace Is Your Footing: Shoes for an Unstable World

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Welcome to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast. I'm your host,

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Connie Morris, and this is Faith on the Go, where you take the word with you

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on your drive to work, while you're getting ready in the morning,

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or even in those quiet moments before prayer.

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Real life, real word, and real growth, all while you are on the go.

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Before we get into today's word, let's take a moment to center ourselves with a familiar prayer.

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The prayer of Jabez.

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Oh, that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory.

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Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.

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Father God, we come before you this day asking that you would indeed bless us,

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not just with what we have, but in who we are becoming.

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Enlarge our territory, Lord. Expand our capacity, our mindset,

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and our ability to receive what you have for us.

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Let your hand be upon us, guiding us, covering us, and leading us in every decision we make.

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And Father, keep us from harm, physically, emotionally, and spiritually,

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that we may walk in peace and not in pain.

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And Lord, just as you heard Jabez when he cried out to you, Hear us now.

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Your word says that you granted his request, and we believe that you are the same God today.

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So we come boldly before you, knowing that you hear us, knowing that you see

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us, and knowing that you respond to the prayers of your people.

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Have your way in this moment as we sit, listen, and receive your word.

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In Jesus' name, amen.

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Hello, welcome back to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast. I'm your host,

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Connie Morris, and we're continuing the armor of God, learning how to stand.

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This is episode four, Peace is Your Footing, Shoes for an Unstable World.

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And so we're going to go back to our foundational scripture,

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which is found in Ephesians chapter 6, 10 through 18.

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I found a new translation I want to read. It's titled the CEV Translation.

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Finally, it says the fight against evil.

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Finally, let the mighty strength of the Lord make you strong.

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Put on all the armor that God gives so you can defend yourself against the devil tricks.

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We are not fighting against humans.

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We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness

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and powers in the spiritual world.

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So put on all the armor that God gives. Then when the evil day comes,

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you will be able to defend yourself.

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And when the battle is over, you will still be standing firm.

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Be ready. Let the truth be like a belt around your waist.

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Let God's justice protect you like armor.

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Your desire to tell the good news about peace should be like shoes on your feet.

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Let your faith be like a shield and you will be able to stop all the fiery darts

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of the evil ones. Let God's saving power be like a helmet, and for a sword,

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use God's message that comes from the Spirit.

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Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray in the power of the Spirit.

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Stay alert and keep praying for God's people.

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So as we are getting dressed in our armor in the morning or in the evening, whatever you prefer.

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There's two things we have to remember. We have to remember to put it on,

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but we close it out with prayer for others.

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We pray for ourself. We're protected.

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We need to pray that same protection for others and for those who may be battling what you're battling.

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And you know, a lot of times when we get into our sicknesses and some illness

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or pains and gains and traumas and dramas in our lives, we keep thinking that

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we're the only one going through this.

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We have to begin to, as we're suffering, as we're going through whatever issue

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that may be coming up for that particular day, that we should, as we put on our armor,

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after we get fully protected on our armor, like when we're taking a plane ride

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and they said, first you put on your oxygen mask and then you put on the other

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person's oxygen mask, that's the same way you do when you put on your armor.

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You put on your armor and then you pray for others who may have forgotten theirs.

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And maybe that triggers something and maybe that saves their lives.

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But then you won't know until you get to heaven that this is happening.

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You know, isn't that powerful?

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So let's not be selfish in this game. We're going to learn how to stand,

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but we're going to pray for those who may not be struggling or maybe going through

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the same thing that we're going through today.

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Like we're still on our water break. I know some people don't like the water

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breaks. Maybe it's too long.

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I'm going to do what God told me to do. Because as we continue to go in deeper

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into our Bible history on mass, some things might come, might affect your heart.

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Some things might come, might affect what you believe, your truth.

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Maybe your gospel, maybe it messes with your peace.

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Maybe it started messing with your mind, you know, or your faith.

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Maybe the sword of the Spirit might be not sharp enough to handle what's next. I don't know.

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I don't know. But we have to be prepared for what God has for us, right?

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And so just like we always do, I give you this water break moment.

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This is a moment to pause, to reset, to take a spiritual water break,

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and to receive a little encouragement to help you keep going and finishing strong.

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So far in our series, we have learned that Paul is not simply teaching us how to get dressed.

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He is teaching us how to stand. First comes truth and righteousness.

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And now Paul moves to the feet in Ephesians 6.15. And your feet shine with the

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preparation of the gospel of peace.

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This is a powerful choice because Paul is talking about spiritual warfare,

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conflict, opposition, and the evil day, the wiles of the devil,

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fiery darts in the middle of it all.

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He puts on the peace on your feet. Why?

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Because before you can stand in a battle, you need to know what you are standing on.

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So I want to take a pause on this because this morning in prayer,

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the Lord showed me something.

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And it was found, and I just want to just take a little side trip.

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Go to me with John 15. I want to use the SEV version. We'll see on Matthew,

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Mark, Luke, John, and go to 15. Just a side note. And it says here,

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And remember, we're getting dressed for armor. We're getting dressed for war

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because we're in a spiritual world, whether you seem like it or not.

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But what God said to me, he says, I don't want my fruit to rot on the vine.

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And so many of us wonder why we're going through the ups and downs and all around,

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because God is purging you for something bigger.

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And some of the things that he is cutting off from you, you won't need anymore.

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And what he said was, don't let your fruit rot on the vine.

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We see here in John 15, it says, Jesus is a true vine. Jesus said to his disciples,

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I am a true vine and my father is a gardener.

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He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit,

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but he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit so that it will produce even more fruit.

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You are already clean because of what I have said to you. Stay joined to me.

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And I will stay joined to you.

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Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine,

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you cannot produce fruit unless you stay joined to me.

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I am the vine, and you are the branches.

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You stay joined to me, I will stay joined to you.

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Then you will produce a loss of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me.

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If you don't stay joined to me, you will be thrown away.

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You'll be like dry branches that are gathered up,

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and burned in fire. Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you.

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Then you can pray for whatever you want and your prayers will be answered.

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When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored.

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I have loved you just as my Father has loved me.

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So remain faithful in my love for you. If you obey me, I will keep loving you

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just as my Father keeps loving me because I have obeyed him.

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One word that keeps coming up in this is the word stay joined,

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stay joined, stay joined.

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And I want you that once you stay joined with God, your matter.

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Your fruit grows, but also your armor has more shine, more sparkle in the spirit realm.

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You cannot do the armor of God without God. So don't let the fruit rot on the vine.

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Don't be perpetrating. Don't act like you're doing it.

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Because when the real fights come, you understand that it's a protection.

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I don't know about you, before we get into the feet, is that when things,

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like every week is something different, challenging, and I don't share on my business.

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But you come up with something, you think you've mastered something,

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and then something gets kicked back. You know how we work in a business.

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It gets kicked back. You got to redo it. And you wonder, like, why I redo it?

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But there's so many times that offense can come where you think that you are

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already in this, you already mastered something.

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But God said, you haven't mastered it yet because you've heard the armor of

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God a million times, but you ain't using it. That's why God brought it up.

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You're not using it. And so God wants you to be ready, prepared,

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and don't let your fruit,

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rot on the vine. Another thing he mentioned to me, let's go to 2 Timothy 2.15.

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I think it's 2.15.

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It says, approved worker, don't let anyone forget these things.

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And with God as your witness, you must be warned them not to argue about words.

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That's not the translation I want to use. It's about study to show yourself approved.

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You want to study to show yourself approved unto God.

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But he was showing me that as you stay to show yourself approved,

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you're not just showing yourself approved unto God, but also it does something inside of you.

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When you're not offended by everything, when you take everything as a training

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ground, we are on training ground. As long as we're still alive and breathing,

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there's still more to learn.

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I want to read this and we'll get back to the topic. An approved worker worker.

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It says, work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval.

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Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and one who correctly

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explains the word of truth.

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Avoid worthless, foolish talk that only leads to more godless behavior.

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So as we're talking about that, I want to take a side note, but I want you to

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know, don't let your fruit rot on the vine.

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I mean, don't let that vest just become so routine that you forget to put it

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on or you just assume it's on because you're saying it's spiritual, it stays on.

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The point of putting it on, it reminds you that you're standing not in your

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own will, but you're standing in God's will. You're protected by God.

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It's a stand with God, right? Not stand on your own. So don't let that get so

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routine. And also study to show yourself approved.

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I gave you one form of revelation of what the vest means to me and this,

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truth and armor means to me, but there's probably much more that can fit into.

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Your vocabulary, into what you need.

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As a police officer, all this stuff is just so fresh to me because you put on

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your belt, you got your duty belt, you got on your bulletproof vest,

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you have to wear different shoes to work in policing because you're always on

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different types of surfaces.

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So a good, solid, comfortable leather waterproof boot

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is good for you a nice one where you keep it is able to hold it shine but also

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it also you're not going to slip and fall on different surfaces when you walk

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into different houses and everything

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and so today the feet matter because the feet is what keeps you stable and you

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know ladies you got your heels on and it's icy out that's not a good time to

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put on those pumps am i right or any type of shoe that's going to have a slippery bottom

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you're going to fall and you're going to hurt yourself.

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And so when God tells us that we have to put on peace, because why?

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We want to be able to stand and therefore stand and then stand some more.

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So our feet is our stability. Why the feet matter?

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Because it's our stability. You can have strength in your arms and armor on your chest.

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You got protection on your head, but if your footing's unstable, you can still fall.

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That's why peace belongs on the feet. Peace gives you stability.

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Peace gives you balance. Peace helps keep you from reacting to every attack. Come on now, people.

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You don't have to respond when things don't look well. You don't have to say,

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I don't like doing this. You don't have to say anything.

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You just let peace do the work. Peace keeps you from reacting to every attack.

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Peace keeps you from being pushed around by every emotion.

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Peace helps you stand when everything around you feel uncertain.

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And this is not just peace as a feeling.

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Paul says the preparation of the gospel of peace. So this peace comes from where?

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It begins with God. Before we can talk about peace and difficult circumstances,

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we must understand something deeper.

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The gospel first gives us peace with God.

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Romans 5.1 says, therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God

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through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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That means the deepest form of peace is not the absence of problems.

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It's the reconciliation with God.

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Before Christ, sin separated humanity from God.

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But through Jesus, that relationship can and it was restored.

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So Paul puts the gospel of peace on your feet.

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He's reminding us, before you face what is against you, know where you stand with God.

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That is your footing. Not whether everybody likes you, not when everything's

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going your way, not whether you got the answer yet, not whether the situation makes sense.

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Your footing is this. I have peace with God through Jesus Christ.

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Peace is not the absence of trouble.

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Sometimes we think peace means nothing is wrong. Everything is calm.

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Everybody's getting along. The bills are paid. The family is fine. The job is secured.

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The report came back good. The door is open. You got the job.

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The prayer was answered. But biblical peace is deeper than favorable circumstances.

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Because Jesus said in John 14, 27, he says this, Peace I leave with you.

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My peace I give unto you. Not as the world giveth, giveth I unto you.

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He says, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

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We think it comes from our head, but it looks like it comes from the stability in what you believe.

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Is the gospel really what you believe?

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Jesus was not promising that his disciples would not have trouble.

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He was giving them peace that they could survive trouble.

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That is the difference. The world often gives us peace when everything is going well.

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Jesus gives us peace in the middle of what is not going well.

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Peace comes after righteousness. So we had our belt of truth.

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We have our righteousness above.

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Vest on, you know, our armor. And then we have peace. Once again, Paul orders matters.

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Truth came first, then righteousness, now peace. Why?

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Because peace built on a lie is not real peace.

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A peace while deliberately living against God's way is not spiritual stability.

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Truth establishes us. Righteousness aligns us. Then peace studies us. There is a progression.

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I know what God says. I believe my life. I bring my life into alignment with

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what God says. Now I can stand with peace because I know that I'm standing with him.

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Peace comes from, peace keeps you from fighting and panic. I love that.

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This may be one of the most practical parts of the spiritual warfare.

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Not every attack needs an immediate response.

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Not every accusation needs your answer.

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Not every misunderstanding needs you to be corrected today. Not every door needs to be forced open.

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Not every problem needs to be solved in the next five minutes. Hello, ladies.

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Sometimes the enemy cannot make you abandon God, but he tries to make you panic

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because panic can cause you to make decisions that you will not make in peace.

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Panic says, do something now. Say something now. Fix it now.

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Force it now. Run now. Quit now. Retaliate now. But peace says,

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I can wait long enough to hear God.

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Now that's powerful. Israel and the Red Sea. So when we think about the panic,

00:17:44.778 --> 00:17:48.806
the Israelites were always in some type of form of panic, but especially when

00:17:48.806 --> 00:17:52.481
God was rescuing them. And let's look at this in Exodus 14.

00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:58.896
Israel had Pharaoh behind them and the Red Sea in front of them. They panicked. But God,

00:17:59.348 --> 00:18:06.384
Moses told them in Exodus 14, 13, fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.

00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:11.777
Then verse 14 says, your Lord should fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

00:18:12.061 --> 00:18:16.984
This is a connection between standing and peace. They do not need to panic.

00:18:17.257 --> 00:18:21.715
You don't need to panic on their way into deliverance. They need to walk in calmness.

00:18:21.982 --> 00:18:25.831
They need to trust God who had already brought them that far.

00:18:26.672 --> 00:18:30.765
And somebody listening today needs that reminder. I need that reminder.

00:18:30.899 --> 00:18:33.853
You do not have to panic your way into your next season.

00:18:34.236 --> 00:18:38.502
Do not have to force what God has promised. Do not have to manipulate an outcome

00:18:38.502 --> 00:18:41.051
because you're afraid God will forget you.

00:18:41.335 --> 00:18:44.655
Sometimes peace says, God knows where I am.

00:18:45.015 --> 00:18:51.824
God knows what I need. God knows what he promised. And I do not have to destroy my peace to get,

00:18:52.435 --> 00:18:55.918
to do God's job. Gospel of peace makes you ready.

00:18:56.057 --> 00:19:01.125
The word preparation in Ephesians 6, 15 also carries the idea of readiness.

00:19:01.409 --> 00:19:05.902
Peace does not make you passive. It makes you ready. There's a difference.

00:19:06.454 --> 00:19:11.839
You know, when you are grounded in the gospel, you are not constantly trying

00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:13.617
to figure out whether God loves you.

00:19:13.995 --> 00:19:18.369
You're not constantly wondering whether you belong to him. You're not constantly

00:19:18.369 --> 00:19:21.994
trying to learn what Christ has already provided.

00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:27.539
You are ready to move when God says move. The ready and ready to remain still

00:19:27.539 --> 00:19:31.050
if he tells you to stay still. That's a spiritual stability.

00:19:31.398 --> 00:19:35.316
Peace guards you too. In Philippians 4, 17, it's a guard.

00:19:35.589 --> 00:19:40.476
Be careful for nothing, but in everything, but prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.

00:19:40.778 --> 00:19:45.497
Let your requests be known unto God. And then the peace of God,

00:19:45.729 --> 00:19:50.658
which passes all understanding, to keep your heart and mind through Christ Jesus.

00:19:50.913 --> 00:19:57.374
Notice that word keep. God's peace guards, it protects. It watches over your heart and mind.

00:19:57.635 --> 00:20:01.391
That means peace is not weakness. Peace can be protection.

00:20:01.751 --> 00:20:06.528
When anxiety says everything is gonna fall apart, peace says God is still present.

00:20:06.848 --> 00:20:11.689
When fear says you need to control everything, peace says God is still sovereign.

00:20:12.020 --> 00:20:14.185
When people pressure you to react.

00:20:14.579 --> 00:20:18.104
Peace says, I do not have to move until God gives me direction.

00:20:18.104 --> 00:20:20.686
Peace does not mean avoiding conflict.

00:20:21.046 --> 00:20:23.144
We also need to make that clear.

00:20:23.524 --> 00:20:27.797
Because a person of peace does not mean you never confront anything.

00:20:28.047 --> 00:20:33.039
It does not mean you never set boundaries. It never means that you can tolerate wrongdoing.

00:20:33.329 --> 00:20:36.742
It does not mean you avoid every hard conversation.

00:20:37.079 --> 00:20:41.484
Jesus was the Prince of Peace, and he still confronts hypocrisy.

00:20:41.588 --> 00:20:45.513
He corrects people. He challenges injustice. He speaks truth.

00:20:45.768 --> 00:20:49.297
He tells the truth. Biblical peace is not pretending everything's okay.

00:20:49.501 --> 00:20:54.774
It's being so secure in God. Even when you must confront something,

00:20:54.774 --> 00:20:58.469
you do not need to have to lose yourself in the process.

00:20:58.620 --> 00:21:02.393
You can speak truth without hatred, set boundaries without revenge,

00:21:02.527 --> 00:21:09.743
walk away without bitterness, say no without guilt, confront wrong without becoming consumed by anger.

00:21:10.056 --> 00:21:12.564
This is peace. God talks to us

00:21:12.564 --> 00:21:16.738
about having beautiful feet. And this is another language of this image.

00:21:17.016 --> 00:21:22.244
Isaiah 52, 7 says, how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who

00:21:22.244 --> 00:21:25.979
brings good tiding that publishes peace.

00:21:26.165 --> 00:21:29.938
Paul echoes a similar language in Romans 10, 15.

00:21:30.217 --> 00:21:37.273
So these And so these shoes are about standing. And what does Romans 10, 15 tells us?

00:21:37.518 --> 00:21:44.037
Let's find out that God says it's about standing, standing, and therefore stand.

00:21:44.310 --> 00:21:49.134
Romans 10, 15. And how would everyone know and to tell them without being sent?

00:21:49.494 --> 00:21:53.348
And this is why the scripture says, how beautiful are the feet of the messengers

00:21:53.703 --> 00:21:58.184
who bring good news. They are also about carrying the gospel.

00:21:58.521 --> 00:22:01.795
You are standing at peace, but you're also preparing to bring peace.

00:22:02.189 --> 00:22:05.423
That means you should not walk into every room carrying chaos.

00:22:05.782 --> 00:22:09.022
You should not spread gossip. You should not spread division.

00:22:09.207 --> 00:22:13.558
If your feet are prepared with the gospel of peace, there should be something

00:22:13.558 --> 00:22:16.852
about your presence that reflects the one who sent you.

00:22:16.992 --> 00:22:20.388
So what are your feet standing on? This is where it gets personal.

00:22:20.748 --> 00:22:23.418
Some of us are trying to stand on things that cannot hold us.

00:22:23.418 --> 00:22:27.478
Approval, a title, a relationship, money, people's opinions,

00:22:27.478 --> 00:22:29.421
a job, a plan, a certain outcome.

00:22:29.688 --> 00:22:32.219
And then those things move and we move too.

00:22:32.526 --> 00:22:35.096
But God is trying to give us another foundation.

00:22:35.444 --> 00:22:41.661
The gospel says you are loved in Christ. You are reconciled to God.

00:22:42.488 --> 00:22:46.079
You have access to the Father. You are not abandoned.

00:22:46.948 --> 00:22:50.009
Your identity does not rise and fall with the people's opinion.

00:22:50.282 --> 00:22:54.938
Your future is not held together by one person or one, excuse me,

00:22:54.938 --> 00:22:57.317
opportunity that is stable ground.

00:22:57.613 --> 00:23:01.549
Think about that. when you know whose you are, you're not moved.

00:23:01.671 --> 00:23:03.610
You are not moved by what you see.

00:23:03.999 --> 00:23:07.749
You're not moved by what you hear. You're not in panic when things go awry.

00:23:08.033 --> 00:23:11.539
You know, I always teach this in my re-entry courses is, hey,

00:23:11.719 --> 00:23:14.169
always have a plan A. That's great.

00:23:14.512 --> 00:23:17.368
A plan B, that's even better. But people stop there.

00:23:17.652 --> 00:23:21.888
Have a plan C, D, E, F, G, all the way to the end of the alphabet,

00:23:21.888 --> 00:23:29.500
it because God is not in panic mode and he will give you a plan if you would just listen, right?

00:23:29.767 --> 00:23:34.706
So take a spiritual water break and ask yourself, what has been disturbing my peace?

00:23:34.903 --> 00:23:39.019
And then ask something deeper. Why does it have that much power over me?

00:23:39.292 --> 00:23:42.268
Is my peace tied to an outcome? Wow.

00:23:42.628 --> 00:23:47.332
A person, a job, an answer, a deadline, a relationship, something I cannot control.

00:23:47.639 --> 00:23:49.567
Then bring yourself back to the gospel.

00:23:50.325 --> 00:23:53.599
Before anything else is settled, this is already settled.

00:23:53.958 --> 00:23:57.801
You are in Christ. You have peace with God. Start there.

00:23:58.051 --> 00:24:03.334
Plant your feet there. Because the enemy will love for you to become so unsettled

00:24:03.444 --> 00:24:08.714
by what is happening around you that you forget that there has already been

00:24:08.714 --> 00:24:10.549
settled between you and God.

00:24:10.787 --> 00:24:15.494
Don't let temporary chaos remove from your eternal peace. And that is why I

00:24:15.494 --> 00:24:17.376
titled this, Peace is Your Footing.

00:24:17.631 --> 00:24:21.283
Choose for an unstable world.

00:24:21.637 --> 00:24:24.539
I want to just take a pause here and give you more encouragement.

00:24:24.800 --> 00:24:29.084
Many of us are stepping out on faith like we've never done before.

00:24:29.340 --> 00:24:34.794
But as we step out on faith, we still have this kind of old habit of always

00:24:34.794 --> 00:24:37.424
checking and following up and see what God is up to.

00:24:37.424 --> 00:24:41.574
What I mean by that is God might have told you to apply for this position.

00:24:41.574 --> 00:24:46.974
He might have told you to do something and you're still waiting for that outcome to happen.

00:24:47.259 --> 00:24:51.864
And so God, I was at a dream and I woke up and the Lord was saying,

00:24:51.864 --> 00:24:55.624
Connie, I'm going to take you there, but in my timing.

00:24:55.891 --> 00:24:59.374
So I don't need you to keep, you know, checking on the application,

00:24:59.374 --> 00:25:05.179
checking on the status. You know, I just need you to just live your life and I take care of the rest.

00:25:05.393 --> 00:25:10.258
If I told you to do something, then allow me to take care of it. Amen?

00:25:10.606 --> 00:25:15.500
So if he says, Connie, I want you to give $100, and then he promised you $100

00:25:15.750 --> 00:25:19.154
for a return, and you keep checking the bank account every day,

00:25:19.154 --> 00:25:21.456
when God wins, where is the faith?

00:25:21.676 --> 00:25:26.774
God said, I was going to do that for you, and you're still, you're saying you're

00:25:26.774 --> 00:25:30.830
in faith, but your action shows you're in doubt. That's a good one.

00:25:31.370 --> 00:25:35.484
And so God wants us not to walk in doubt. He wants us not to trust by our own

00:25:35.484 --> 00:25:38.823
understanding. He wants us to put on our gospel.

00:25:39.385 --> 00:25:43.414
Peace and he wants us to stand firm in what he has already told you.

00:25:43.727 --> 00:25:48.036
You got to read your prayer notes again. Read them again. You got to take it

00:25:48.036 --> 00:25:51.303
and expand it and find scripture to support it. Do it again.

00:25:51.593 --> 00:25:59.134
But remember, whatever God says, his word says, it will not return void or without or empty handed.

00:25:59.447 --> 00:26:02.832
It will not return empty handed. So we have to trust that.

00:26:03.679 --> 00:26:07.545
I want you to understand that we are not standing because our environment is stable.

00:26:08.073 --> 00:26:11.330
You are standing because your relationship with God is secure in Christ.

00:26:11.498 --> 00:26:16.317
And sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do in the middle of a battle is refuse to panic.

00:26:16.962 --> 00:26:21.432
I was preaching to myself, stand, pray, listen, and trust, and keep your feet

00:26:21.432 --> 00:26:23.121
planted in the gospel of peace.

00:26:23.649 --> 00:26:28.332
In our next episode, the attack becomes even more visible. Paul says,

00:26:28.332 --> 00:26:30.504
above all, take the shield of faith.

00:26:30.932 --> 00:26:35.292
Because once your feet are planted, you need to be ready for what's coming towards you.

00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:39.634
And that's the fairy darts. And that's where faith becomes your shield.

00:26:39.890 --> 00:26:45.021
Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus, thank you for the peace that comes through Jesus Christ.

00:26:45.306 --> 00:26:50.600
Thank you for our peace does not have to depend on perfect circumstances. Trust us.

00:26:50.867 --> 00:26:54.448
Trust us. Teach us to trust us where you plant our feet.

00:26:54.791 --> 00:26:56.944
When fear tells us to panic, help us to stand.

00:26:57.345 --> 00:27:02.273
When anxiety tells us to control everything, remind us that you are still God.

00:27:02.588 --> 00:27:10.975
When pressure tells us to react too quickly, give us enough peace to hear your voice before we move.

00:27:11.184 --> 00:27:15.652
Show us where we have tied our peace to people, outcomes, title,

00:27:15.652 --> 00:27:17.244
relationships, or circumstances.

00:27:17.564 --> 00:27:21.912
Bring us back to the gospel. Remind us that through Jesus Christ,

00:27:21.912 --> 00:27:24.907
we have peace with you. Let your peace guide our hearts.

00:27:25.184 --> 00:27:30.339
Let your peace guide our minds. Help us to carry peace into the places where you send us.

00:27:30.635 --> 00:27:35.802
And when everything around us feels unstable, keep our feet firmly planted in

00:27:36.142 --> 00:27:38.437
you. In Jesus' name, amen.

00:27:38.577 --> 00:27:41.317
This has been the Diary of a Black Woman podcast.

00:27:41.671 --> 00:27:47.040
I'm your host, Connie Morris, and I'll see you on the next episode of the Diary

00:27:47.313 --> 00:27:49.176
of a Black Woman podcast. Goodbye.

00:27:50.282 --> 00:27:54.015
Before we close today, I don't want to take for granted that everyone listening

00:27:54.287 --> 00:27:55.710
knows Jesus personally.

00:27:56.093 --> 00:28:00.518
If you have listened to this episode or any other episodes and felt something

00:28:00.518 --> 00:28:05.625
stirring in your heart, maybe you know about God, but you're not sure you truly know him.

00:28:05.805 --> 00:28:09.996
Maybe you grew up in church, walked away, got hurt, became tired,

00:28:10.385 --> 00:28:12.728
and never fully surrendered your life to Jesus.

00:28:13.108 --> 00:28:17.538
I want you to know this. God loves you. He has not forgotten you.

00:28:17.538 --> 00:28:19.491
He is not waiting to shame you.

00:28:19.659 --> 00:28:26.238
He is calling you home. The Bible says in Romans 10, 9, if you declare with

00:28:26.238 --> 00:28:31.888
your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from

00:28:31.888 --> 00:28:34.283
the dead, you will be saved.

00:28:34.492 --> 00:28:36.911
Salvation is not about being perfect.

00:28:37.143 --> 00:28:40.034
It's about surrendering to the one who is perfect.

00:28:40.348 --> 00:28:47.648
Jesus died for your sins, rose again, and made a way for you to be forgiven, restored, and made new.

00:28:48.048 --> 00:28:51.400
So right where you are, you can pray this prayer with me.

00:28:51.551 --> 00:28:56.712
Lord Jesus, I come to you today with an open heart. I believe you are the son of God.

00:28:57.113 --> 00:29:04.409
I believe you died on the cross for my sins. And I believe that God raised you from the dead today.

00:29:04.806 --> 00:29:07.878
I confess that I need you. I repent of my sins.

00:29:08.198 --> 00:29:14.657
I ask you to forgive me, cleanse me, and make me brand new. Jesus, come into my heart.

00:29:14.982 --> 00:29:18.778
Be my Lord, my Savior, my Redeemer, and my King.

00:29:19.158 --> 00:29:24.117
I surrender my life to you. I give you my past, my present, and my future.

00:29:24.390 --> 00:29:28.326
Teach me how to walk with you. Fill me with your Holy Spirit.

00:29:28.593 --> 00:29:32.538
Lead me in truth, healing, obedience, and love.

00:29:32.858 --> 00:29:35.418
From this day forward, I belong to you.

00:29:35.798 --> 00:29:39.802
In Jesus' name, amen. If you pray that prayer from your heart,

00:29:39.947 --> 00:29:44.284
I want you to know that heaven has heard you. This is not the end.

00:29:44.620 --> 00:29:47.438
This is only the beginning of your walk with Jesus.

00:29:47.778 --> 00:29:51.517
Find a Bible-believing church. Begin reading the Word of God.

00:29:51.790 --> 00:29:54.860
Pray daily and ask the Holy Spirit to help you grow.

00:29:55.133 --> 00:29:59.888
God is not looking for perfection from you. He is inviting you into relationship,

00:30:00.195 --> 00:30:03.806
transformation, and eternal life through Jesus Christ.

00:30:03.939 --> 00:30:10.023
And remember, you are loved, you are not forgotten, and God still has a purpose for your life.

00:30:10.354 --> 00:30:13.245
Thank you for listening to the Diary of a Black Woman podcast.

00:30:13.454 --> 00:30:17.911
Until next time, keep walking in truth, faith, and freedom.

00:30:29.587 --> 00:30:32.762
Family, thank you for spending time with me today.

00:30:33.041 --> 00:30:36.701
To every woman listening who has ever felt hidden, overlooked,

00:30:36.701 --> 00:30:39.159
or pushed aside, hear me clearly.

00:30:39.426 --> 00:30:43.966
God has not forgotten you, and neither have I.

00:30:44.355 --> 00:30:49.121
Now let's go before the Lord and close this out with a word from God,

00:30:49.539 --> 00:30:53.968
because someone out there needs this reminder today.

00:30:54.229 --> 00:30:58.223
Jeremiah 29, 11, verses 11 through 14.

00:30:58.658 --> 00:31:03.511
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you

00:31:03.511 --> 00:31:07.412
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

00:31:07.708 --> 00:31:12.451
Then when you call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you,

00:31:12.718 --> 00:31:18.031
you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

00:31:18.031 --> 00:31:24.090
I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and bring you back from captivity.

00:31:24.525 --> 00:31:30.428
Father God, we thank you for your word, that it is true, that it is living, that it is for us.

00:31:30.579 --> 00:31:35.621
You said you know the plans you have for us, plans to prosper us and not to

00:31:35.621 --> 00:31:38.531
harm us, plans to give us hope and a future.

00:31:38.816 --> 00:31:43.123
So today we receive that, not just in our minds, but in our hearts.

00:31:43.350 --> 00:31:47.053
When we feel overlooked, remind us you still see us.

00:31:47.349 --> 00:31:52.580
When we feel forgotten, remind us you still have a plan. And when we feel hidden,

00:31:52.905 --> 00:31:55.111
remind us you are still working.

00:31:55.412 --> 00:31:58.559
Your word says that when we call on you, you will listen.

00:31:58.895 --> 00:32:02.895
So we call on you now. Hear us. Strengthen us. Guide us.

00:32:03.145 --> 00:32:08.828
Help us to seek you with our whole heart, not halfway, not sometimes, but fully.

00:32:09.066 --> 00:32:13.495
And as we seek you, let us find you in every season, in every place.

00:32:14.013 --> 00:32:19.237
Even the hidden mind. Restore what was lost, renew what feels broken,

00:32:19.551 --> 00:32:23.968
and remind us that nothing in our lives is wasted in your hand.

00:32:24.369 --> 00:32:30.561
Lord, we trust you, we believe you, and we stand on your word. In Jesus' name, amen.

00:32:30.875 --> 00:32:34.950
This is Diary of a Black Woman podcast, and I'm your host, Connie Morris,

00:32:35.217 --> 00:32:37.963
and I'll see you on the next episode.