Tag: Syria

The Battle We Fight

Carl says, “Many Christians go about their daily lives completely unaware of the spiritual battles raging around them. It seems we’ve underestimated the impact this war has on our lives.” What can we do about it?

Carl Pollard

Many Christians go about their daily lives completely unaware of the spiritual battles raging around them. It seems we’ve underestimated the impact this war has on our lives. Imagine if World War III were to break out; there wouldn’t be a single person in this country who wouldn’t know about it. It would dominate the news, fill the papers, and be the talk of every household and workplace. We’d see evidence of war in videos, photos, soldiers writing home, and leaders addressing the nation. There would be no doubt that we were at war.

Now, what if I told you that, as true Christians, we already see the signs of a spiritual war? It’s evident on social media, in our homes, in the films we watch, and in the curriculum being taught to our children. Evidence of spiritual warfare is all around us, yet we often choose to live as if it doesn’t exist.

April 18, 1775, Paul Revere was awakened and warned that the British troops were coming by sea. He mounted his horse and rode through the countryside shouting, “The British are coming!” Imagine the militia hearing this news, springing into action, getting dressed, and grabbing their weapons, ready to fight.

Ephesians 6:10-18 serves as our warning that the enemy is approaching. This passage of scripture is meant to prepare us for battle. The enemy is not just coming; he is already here. Are you ready?

One of the most powerful stories in the Old Testament is that of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:17-20. Surrounded by a Syrian army, Elisha’s servant panicked, questioning how they could possibly defeat such an overwhelming force. Elisha prayed, “Lord, open his eyes; there are more with us than there are with them.” When the servant looked up, he saw the spiritual realm filled with chariots of fire and an army of angels ready to fight.

Just as there is an invisible army of God, there’s also an invisible army of Satan. We must open our eyes to the spiritual forces of evil poised to destroy our faith. 

Do we live as if we’re at war? How often do we recognize that the enemy is attacking us? This happens in the videos you watch in solitude, in the thoughts that drift through your mind, in the anger you harbor towards others, and in the gossip you spread. Do you see the enemy at work? We must be more vigilant.

Satan and his demons have a grip on so many lives, so what do we do? Three quick points from Ephesians 6:10-13 regarding our spiritual warfare:

It Is Real

We need to understand that spiritual warfare is as real as anything else in life. Ephesians 6:10-12 tells us, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

Notice that Paul emphasizes that our struggle isn’t against flesh and blood. If you’re a Christian, you are in a war. We face an enemy unlike any other. When you think of wrestling, recall those childhood moments spent grappling with siblings, often ending in parental intervention. This is the intensity of the fight Paul describes. He tells Timothy to “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12). We are engaged in a daily battle—not a physical one, but a spiritual one.

It Is Relentless

Our spiritual enemy is unwavering in his pursuit. Verse 11 states, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” Our enemy is strategic and constantly plotting. Think of Wile E. Coyote—always concocting new traps for the Road Runner. Satan does the same with us, looking for our weaknesses to exploit.

1 Peter 5:8 warns us that “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” He studies us, waiting for moments of vulnerability to strike. The battle is unceasing, and he is cunning, using lies to manipulate our thoughts and emotions. We must recognize how he attacks our families, our children, and us personally.

Be Resolved

James 4:7 instructs us to “resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” It’s not you he fears; it’s the power of God within you. God equips us with spiritual armor to withstand the enemy. We need to be steadfast, recognizing that little by little, day by day, we are defeating Satan.

Ephesians 6:10-11 presents three critical commands for spiritual warfare:

1. “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” Remember, you cannot win this battle alone; victory comes through Christ.

2. “Put on the full armor of God.” Utilize what God has provided—truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Spirit.

3. “Take your stand.” We’re called to stand firm, and Paul emphasizes this 4 different times in this section of scripture. 

Do you see the battle that is all around us? Open your eyes to the reality we find ourselves in and pick up your weapons. God has won, but we must be prepared to face our enemy.

Buildings Built To Last

Dale Pollard

BUILDINGS BUILT TO LAST 

The winged sphinxes of Ain Dara, in Syria, are strikingly similar to the description of the cherubim that decorated Solomon’s temple. Even the layout of both sites appears to be similar, sharing 33 of 65 architectural elements. Over the last past 3,000 years the ancient shrine has been caught in the middle of several battles; destroying the already fragile structures. 

The most curious aspect of the site however, are the giant engraved footprints on the  temple floor. The (assumed) Aramean-speaking creators chiseled the mysterious prints that are speculated to represent the “presence” of some god worshipped there long ago.

In 2015, the terrorist group known as “ISIS” demolished the Bel Temple (Baalath) after filling it with explosives. They likely did this, not to destroy remnants of ancient Baal worship, but because the temple site had been a church building since the mid-5th century. This slice of Syrian land had once been a town of the tribe of Dan (Josh.19.14) that was later fortified for Solomon’s own purposes (2 Chron. 8.6, 1 Kgs. 19.18). 

We know the church is made of God’s people built up on the foundation of Christ (Matt. 16.18). His family is eternal and if the building we worship in is burned down, blown up, or falls apart— the church still remains. 

Like Solomon, we can also “repurpose” our homes. We can transform a “pagan site” into one that serves the Lord. We chose what we do with our homes. In our homes we can glorify (or worship) ourselves, or we can dedicate our homes to God.

“…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” 

  • Josh. 24.15 

Gentle To The Gentile Dogs

Dale Pollard

Mark 7.25-29 

“…a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. ‘First let the children eat all they want,’ he told her, ‘for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the little dogs.’ ‘Lord,’ she replied, ‘even the little dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’  Then he told her, ‘For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.’”

In the 1st century, many Jews often referred to Gentiles as “dogs” in a very derogatory way. To the Greeks, the word dog meant a “shameless and audacious woman.” The term was used exactly the same way that the worldly use a word meaning “female dog” in the modern era. To the Jews it was equally a term of contempt. 

Jesus did not use the normal word for “dogs” that the Jews used. Instead He softened it into little dogs (v.27) essentially reminding the woman of her place as a Gentile, yet not wanting to push her away. 

“In Greek, diminutives are characteristically affectionate. A diminutive is a suffix which is added to a word to show affection or to indicate that something is small. For example, ‘-ie’ and ‘-ette’ are diminutives,” – (Clarke) 

Today it would be like changing the word “dog” to  “doggie.”

He softened a derogatory term so that she would understand what He was trying to say and not push her away. 

Jesus took the sting out of His words. 

Notice how she responds with acceptance. She refers to herself by using the same word “little dog.” 

If the woman had responded, “Who are you calling a dog?” she would not have received from Jesus what her daughter needed. 

  1. Her humble, 
  2. faith-filled submission to Jesus brought the victory. 

Nothing appealed to our Lord more than faith combined with humility. 

Heb. 12:14 

“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

If Jesus could avoid conflict— He did. 

Ex: I Peter 2.23 

“who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously”

“Sackcloth Beneath”

Neal Pollard

Jehoram, son of Ahab, was still king over Israel when Ben-hadad, king of Syria, was able to besiege Israel’s capital city (2 Kings 6:24). This prolonged siege led Samaria to suffer “a great famine” (25). It was so bad that donkey heads and dove dung were sold at exorbitant prices as food (26). There have been famous sieges in history, both ancient and modern, and the details of historians are soberingly terrifying. The German siege of the unprepared Russian town of Leningrad went on for 872 days. The city of three million inhabitants “ate everything from wallpaper paste to shoe leather to supplement their meager bread rations, and some even resorted to cannibalism” (Evan Andrews, 8/22/18, history.com). The writer of 2 Kings reveals that this siege was of the same sort. 

King Jehoram was “passing by on the wall” when a woman cried out to him to intervene and arbitrate between herself and another woman. According to her, they had struck a gruesome bargain to eat one’s son the day before and then the other’s son that day. She had kept her end of the bargain, but the other woman had a change of heart and had hidden her son. Such was the unimaginable depths of the people’s hunger. When the king heard this grisly story, he tore his clothes and, as the people witnessed, there was sackcloth beneath (30). Unfortunately, Jehoram was neither penitent nor reliant upon God. His grief turned to wrath against God’s prophet, Elisha, whom he resolved to kill (31-33). 

But I want you to focus on something in the heart of this story. As Jehoram walked above the people, they must have known these events disturbed him. But they understood the depths of his sorrow when in his grief and dismay he tore his clothes to reveal the sackcloth underneath. Sackcloth is a very coarse, rough fabric woven from flax or hemp, much like a burlap bag. It would itch and chafe and be very uncomfortable. It was often worn as a way of demonstrating how irritated and agitated of heart one was. 

Will you remember as you interact with people each day that they may be wearing “sackcloth beneath.” A brother or sister in Christ may be wearing some hidden cares. That person who waits on you at the bank, the store, or the restaurant, that customer service agent you interact with, that fellow driver on the road, they may be distracted, obsessed, or focused on their great grief or fear. This may help us to season our words (Col. 4:6) and soften our judgment. The way we treat them may greatly impact what happens next in their lives. When we stop and practice compassion, we may be the way God heals the hurts of those who are wearing their figurative sackcloth beneath. 

MR. OBAMA’S EXAMPLE OF LEADERSHIP

Neal Pollard

As one who grows less political each day, I have hesitated to write anything that would look partisan or otherwise politically divisive.  The answer to man’s biggest problems starts with neither “R” nor “D” but rather “J” and “C.”  However, as one who loves our country, I am concerned at our president’s seeming and increasing aloofness, inattention, disengagement, and unconcern with international and domestic crises. The latest Rasmussen poll reveals that 45% of likely voters consider the president a poor leader (www.rasmussenreports.com). Earlier this year, a Gallup poll found that more Americans (53%) than not (41%) believe our president is not respected “on the world stage” (www.gallup.com). This may stem from the fact that he lacks, as Doug Mataconis suggests, “executive experience…” (Christian Science Monitor, 7/29/14). Even prominent people within the president’s party, like former AOL Time Warner CEO, describe themselves as “beyond disillusioned” at the chief executive’s “hugging and hobnobbing” rather than appearing more engaged in the various, volatile current situations.  Taken together, the growing disapproval of Barak Obama’s leadership stems from such things as apparent disinterest, failure to listen, inexperience, and blind adherence to an ideology without examining the specifics of a situation.

In every context, leadership is seen as an essential cog in the proper function of any organization.  If a church, a home, a company, a school, or a nation seem to be failing and floundering, look at leadership.  In a church, that includes especially elders but also preachers and deacons.  In a home, it is the father and husband. In a company, it’s the president or CEO.  In a school, it’s the principal, president, or director. Whatever the organization, it is fair to look at the example of the leadership.  Typically, everyone else in the organization has to live with the decisions and is effected by the direction of the leadership.

The church’s leaders will give an account (Heb. 13:17). The man of the home is likewise accountable (Eph. 5:22-6:4).  This holds true for leaders all the way up to the leaders of nations (Psa. 82:1; 110:5).  We all find ourselves in positions of responsibility and most of us serve in some leadership capacity.  Let us take seriously the accountability that we have to lead, be it children, the lost, neighbors, friends, or entire groups of people.

 

 

Giving Up Ground To the Enemy

Neal Pollard

On at least three fronts, there are major battles occurring—ISIS and the existing governments in a handful of Middle Eastern countries, Israel and the Palestinians, and Ukraine and Russian-led rebels. In each of these conflicts, both sides are trying to gain ground or at least hold onto what they already have. They are trying not only to win the actual battles they are fighting, but they also seek to win the battle of public opinion.  With the money and lives invested, neither side in any of the conflicts can bear the thought of losing.

While “our struggle is not against flesh and blood” (Eph. 6:12) and “we do not war according to the flesh” (2 Cor. 10:3), we face a deadly adversary (1 Pet. 5:8).  He is the enemy, though he has a great many who have “been held captive by him to do his will” (2 Ti. 2:26). They are fighting his battles for him of their own free will (Js. 1:13-15), and they are more than willing to engage those of us who would steadfastly resist him (1 Pet. 5:9).

In this media age, the devil’s soldiers have used means previous generations did not have at their disposal to spread his ideas across the nation and all over the globe.  But because there have been people willing to battle him, he has not gained ground all at once. The moral erosion has happened slowly over time, attitudes about foul language, alcohol, modesty, sex outside of marriage and living together, adultery, homosexuality, and much more.  Doctrinal erosion also occurs subtly and gradually, but denominationalism has given way to modernism, post-modernism, and emergent theologies.  The Lord’s church is impacted by assaults on its distinctiveness, and elderships, pulpits, classrooms, and memberships can gradually lose their militancy, courage, and resolve to stand up for God’s revealed will.  It is easy to be cowered by charges of extremism, hatred, or sanctimoniousness, especially when there are examples of such to be found.

Yet, we cannot forget that we are in a battle.  God needs us to stand in the gap and continue fighting for His truth, even in the face of opposition and resistance.  Paul reminds us that “the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh” (2 Cor. 10:4). The weapons in our left and right hands is righteousness (2 Cor. 6:7).  We press on in spiritual armor (Rom. 13:12; Eph. 6:11ff).  When each of us as soldiers in the Lord’s Army arrive at the time when we must lay down our armor, may it be said that we gained ground and served the Lord’s cause successfully. May it never be that we gave up ground to the enemy!

This World Is Not My Home: Some Reminders


Neal Pollard

  • “My team” got crushed last night in embarrassing fashion. Today, life continues.
  • A talented actor succumbed to his cruel coping mechanism and craving and is found dead in his apartment. Heroin is not the answer.
  • Unrest and fighting in Bangkok, Kiev, Aleppo, Moscow, and Bangui remind us that men of various earthly motives continue to use carnal warfare to gain power and subjugate their enemies.
  • Conservationists and whalers literally colliding their ships in Antarctica show how passionate we can be about things that ultimately cease. The same is true of those arguing over a pipeline from out of the north.
  • Even morally conservative people cheer the “good news” that abortion rates are their lowest since 1973—but over a million babies per year were still slaughtered in that 13% decline.
  • Handwringing over government healthcare and economic volatility dominates some people’s focus, while so little attention is given to the church’s mission to get heaven’s inheritance into the hands of as many as possible.
  • One “alternative lifestyle” is trumpeted, promoted, and force-fed the public through every media means possible, while the most important “alternative lifestyle”—Christianity—is sneered at and belittled.

Hey, but the reminders are not nearly all so negative.

  • I derive deep joy and peace from my daily communion with my Creator.
  • The church, though imperfect, is filled with people who are trying to please God and help each other get to heaven.
  • Jesus is greater than every challenge, discouragement, and strife.
  • Every spiritual blessing in Christ keeps every faithful child of God buoyed up in the most turbulent circumstances.
  • So many are going against the popular tide out of devotion to Him.
  • In the darkest times, the promises of God shine their brightest.
  • Nothing can separate us from the love of God. Nothing!

So, what kind of day are you having.  Maybe adjusting your perspective will help!

  • Our happiness is not tied to our net worth, worldly acceptance, or access to pleasure and ease. It is often most found where these are most lacking.
  • Evangelism still works and will always work.
  • Through consistent compassion and Christlikeness, we can reach the hearts of people struggling with so many of the ills previously mentioned and explode their stereotypes and prejudices against Christianity.
  • In the end, we will be victorious through Christ!