October 8, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“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.“

(Ephesians 6.12)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Well, I said that Sunday’s reflection would be my last on this verse from Ephesians, but reading it one more time before closing, the Spirit moved me to see and now say something else. What caught my eye has to do greatly with the very words “flesh and blood.” Having recently heard a teaching series on “capturing your thoughts” (re. 2 Corinthians 10), the phrase “flesh and blood” seriously comes to mind. In 1 Corinthians 9 and Galatians 5, Paul speaks of the fruit of the spirit including as a unalterable truth “controlling one’s thoughts.” Those thoughts influence in great extent the actions of the body of the thinker, his or her “flesh and blood.” We often read Ephesians 6 and apply it to others when defining who the enemy is. How many times, as I have asked us before, are we our own worst enemies? Would that not intimate that there are times when we are battling ourselves on things? And in today’s world, it would seem that the human population that we spend far more time battling “flesh and blood” issues, whether those of others or our own, more than attacking the roots of the problems themselves. The other descriptors of “power, principalities, kings, rulers, dark forces in the heavenly realms” really are the Apostle’s way of addressing the “roots of the problems” more than the progenitors of the problems. The question might be “What are the roots of our own problems” which become “flesh and blood” exhibited?

If I were to apply that question to Paul’s “we are not fighting against flesh and blood issues,” then wouldn’t that cause us to focus on the roots of the real problems which confront and attack the human communities in their various manifestations? We could look at the Old Testament declaration, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” I have often struggled with that assertion given the very fact that “economics” was not the issue in Heaven which caused Lucifer to lead his insurrection against God. It also was not, unless we find a way to interpret the “eating of the apple” as an agrarian issue, an economic issue. (I suppose we could speak of the original sin as a matter of “spiritual economics… I suppose.) Nor was it an economic issue whenever Peter would speak against Jesus’s revelations concerning His impending death which followed denial and persecution. Jesus responded to Peter on one occasion following his great confession, “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, Peter, but My Father who is in Heaven.” I might offer, as food for thought, that Jesus could have been speaking of God His Heavenly Father as well as Joseph His earthly father. Both would be revealing the nature, character, mission and purpose of Jesus as the Christ of God who had come to serve God and His people on earth.

We also know of the danger of “the tongue” which was and is like a double-edged sword that both kills and lifts up depending on the heart and soul intent of the person speaking. The false use of the tongue is a very grievous sin. It would seem that in today’s world, little thought is given to vocabulary except to make words mean what we want or invent words to mean what we want to say. The usual intention of misusing words is to hide, confuse and undo traditional vocabulary that is in common use through generations so that there is a secret language. We are not of all one mind on these things and that seems to be the purpose and function of the misuse of vocabulary. Vocabulary is intended to speak clearly and identify precisely the meaning of the message conveyed. Double-meanings do not do this and put the speaker of those words in control and the audience at a disadvantage leading to the possibility of conflict. This would also be the case when we consider the commandment given to Moses to give to the freed Hebrews on their way to the land of righteousness where it says, “Do not use the Lord’s name in vain.” Too many people want to make it say “Do not cuss” (ie use the GD). It also speaks to the misrepresentation of one’s identity as a person of God or one of God’s people. The commandment to not bear false witness could be interpreted in two ways if this were the case. We must be true to who God is as well as to who we are because of God. Yes, speaking is not limited to a verbal expression. There is also the non-verbal expressions to be considered here: posture, posturing, the use of our six senses and context. We “speak” in many languages without having to even think of other languages in other nations and cultures. Paul must have had this in mind when he spoke to the community of faith in Corinth saying, “If I had the ability to speak in the language of angels (glossolalia) and of the human communities, but had did not speak the language of love, then what could would I be and do?” (1 Corinthians 13) The tongue reflects the spirit of the one speaking as well as the influence of those who are speaking before them and through them. If it is not of God then perhaps we should remain silent!

Thus, many of the problems of our “flesh and blood” selves is rooted in sin which is best identified as selfishness. This is the reason, I believe, Paul included “self-control” in the description of the fruit of the Spirit. It is all about controlling in its wants and needs with agenda of righteousness that is of God’s nature, calling and ultimate expression of “self.” Focusing on God and God’s agenda/design for our lives puts aside the battle against “flesh and blood” and allows us to focus on the roots of the real problems which are cascading this world into the chaos out of which God had created. Why would we choose the past when choosing the future is so much better?

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.