Seminar: Sword of the Spirit
Dave Ramsey: Making and keeping goals
Clark: Best buys for January
John Maxwell: “Blame”
(UNEDITED TRANSCRIPT)
INTRODUCTION
Attention
Welcome to Financial Freedom God’s Way, where you are continuing to learn, apply, and pass on, Bible-based financial principles and applications so that you and your family will not only just survive, but thrive during these very uncertain times.
Overview
Hi and welcome everyone, this is Bob Louder from Christian Financial Ministries, and it is an absolute honor to have you with us again—it really is—particularly as we work our way into 2023. What is on the schedule for our 30-minute time together today?
- Today,
- First, during our radio seminar, we will take a good close look at the sixth piece of God’s spiritual financial armor which is the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God and we’ll discover how this Word of God differs from the Logos, the belt of truth, which is the written Word of God.
- Then, during you are going to get some great help from our friend Dave Ramsey on how to set and keep some meaningful goals this year and just not bother a bit with your traditional New Years’ resolutions.
- Clark Howard will share with us some great consumer buys for January.
- And finally, during our Minute with Maxwell, John Maxwell with share with us his thoughts, on the word, blame.
Motivation
So stay tuned, won’t you. It is going to be a great time together. As we start, let me pray for us. Father, thank You for meeting with us again today. Please give us ears to hear all that it is you have planned for us to hear, to Your glory, in Jesus’ mighty name, amen.
BODY
Radio Seminar
Now, recall that during our earlier radio seminar segment times together we’ve been digging deep into what the Apostle Paul has to teach us about God’s Spiritual armor which can be directly applied to our finances.
- As we started out we saw that according to the Bible every financial problem you have ever had was actually symptom of a spiritual problem. When we deal with the problem the symptoms tend fly away. What’s one of the best ways to deal with spiritual problems that lead to financial issues in our lives? We need to learn to pick and put on God’s spiritual armor.
- Starting with the belt of truth which is the Bible. You see, when you put on God’s belt of truth, when you prayerfully determine to make the Bible a priority in your life, you are starting to get dressed for spiritual, and for financial warfare.
- But Paul tells us there is more to God’s armor than just the Bible, it’s a great starting place but there is more. There is also God’s breastplate of righteousness. God helps prepare you for battle with the absolute assurance that you are “right” with Him because of who you are in Jesus Christ.
- Then you discovered you had better make sure you have on His shoes of peace. Recall that would be the peace OF God–the peace that surpasses all understanding that gives you great footing to both stand your ground AND to advance and take back ground previously lost.
- Next is His shield of faith which we discovered must be regularly soaked in the Word and anointed by the Holy Spirit.
- Then during our last time together we took a look at the fifth piece of His armor which is the helmet of salvation. Recall that when you wrap the knowledge of your salvation around your brain and let it protect your mind you will begin to be transformed.
- You will no longer think and talk as an individual who is constantly sick.
- You will no longer walk through life like an individual who is continually defeated.
- You will no longer think and talk as someone who is poor.
- This is the helmet of salvation.
- So, we have HIS belt of truth, HIS breastplate of righteousness, His shoes of peace, His shield of faith and HIS helmet of salvation..
- And recall, we need to remember two important facts about God’s spiritual armor:
- First, it is His armor, and secondly,
- each piece of His armor is a highly effective offensive and defensive weapon.
- So far we’ve covered the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of peace, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, and now Paul tells us to take up the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. The sword of the spirit.
- First, what do we know about the Roman sword?
- Actually, the Roman soldier had five swords.
- First was the Gladius: big, heavy, broad sword, sharpened on only one side.
- Shorter and narrower
- Shorter still—dagger
- Long and slender—cavalry
- Machaira (mac-he-ra)
- This is the sword we find in Eph 6:17, “…and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”
- 19 inches long, razor sharp on both sides with an upturned tip.
- A weapon of murder. Two inch penetration with a twist will kill.
- The Machaira had the potential to rip the enemy to shreds.
- Now, Paul calls this sword “…the word of God…” This Greek word Paul uses here for the “Word of God” is
- The first thing we need to know about the Rhema word of God is that it is not the Logos, it is not the physical, written Word of God. Recall Paul told us that the Logos Word of God is the Belt of truth—it’s the one piece of armor we can physically hold—it is the Bible. And just as the soldier’s loin belt served as an anchor to all that the Roman soldier carried into battle, so also God’s Word is the foundation for every other piece of God’s spiritual armor. So, the first things we need to know about the sword of truth, the Rhema Word of God, is that it is not the Logos Word of God, it is not the physical, written Word.
- So, that’s that the Sword of God is not, So exactly what is it, What is the Rhema Word, what is the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God?
- It’s a specific word or message that the Holy Spirit quickens in your spirit and mind at a specific time and for a special purpose.
- Rhema words are both given and supernaturally empowered by the Holy Spirit to enable you to fight the adversary’s spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical attacks.
- It’s something spoken clearly; spoken vividly; spoken in undeniable language; or spoken in unmistakable, unquestionable, certain, and definite terms.
- “Quickened” word, a “word from the Lord,” a scripture or promise that drops supernaturally into your mind.
- It’s powerful—when it happens you know that you know you have heard from the Lord.
- John 14:26 says, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”
- And how can we choose to use the Word the Holy Spirit brings to our memory? 4:12 tells us: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;
- Jesus gains the victory with this sword, and so can we. How? Well, we need that sharp sword going out of our mouths today. The quickened Word of God, the Rhema Word of God is a powerful, weapon.
- So, what is a Rhema Word of God, what is the sword of the Spirit. It is a specific Word for a specific time and for a special purpose.
A couple of interesting thoughts about the sword of the Spirit
- First is the relationship between the sword and the loin belt.
- They are inseparable. For the Roman soldier, his shield was clipped on the right side of his loin belt and his sword on the left.
- And remember, the loin belt is the written Word of God (Bible) and the primary source for a Rhema from God. The Bible is the “gladius” sword. The Rhema is the machaira.
- Second, it’s not necessary to know or memorize the entire Bible in order to have the “sword of the Spirit” at your disposal. Most great men and women of God who have earned a place in the pages of history have done so by obeying a single, simple word from God.
- And third, notice that the sword described by Paul as a Rhema is a “two-edged” sword. Does that sound familiar?
- Well it should. Remember Revelation 1:16?
…and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword…
- A “two-edged sword came out of Jesus’ mouth. Greek word means “two-mouthed”
- One sharpened edge of this sword came into being when the Word of God initially proceeded from the mouth of God. The second edge of this sword is added when the Word of God proceeds out of Jesus’ mouth and out of your mouth. Don’t you begin to see? The vital work of studying, memorizing, meditating, and praying releases the Word to become a part of your own inner being.
By the way, according to the Bible, how do you get to a position to hear from God?
- Your Rhema comes because you have the written Word at your disposal—in your heart. Remember, the loin belt and the sword are inseparable.
- When the Word of God gets in your heart and mind that Word begins to impart light and direction to you. It does not matter how dark the situation is that you are facing, when this sword of the Spirit comes up from YOUR spirit, it will show you the way to go.
- Your ability to walk in this kind of supernatural direction and revelation is completely determined by how much Word you have inside of you. To receive frequent Rhema words from the Lord you must have the logos, the written Word, as a central part of your life.
You might as well get ready for your own testing.
- Why? Because when I begin to take new territory, or take back old territory, for the Kingdom the devil will try to stop you. You are to use the offensive weapons and defensive weapons God gives you.
- In order to guarantee that you have a “sword of the Spirit” in your hand to answer the devil’s mental assaults, begin today to attach the “loin belt of truth” firmly to your life. Study the written Word—pray over it, memorize it, and meditate on it continually—for it is the source from which your sword will be drawn.
This is the Rhema Word of God—this is God’s sword of the spirit.
Next time, well next time we’ll take a look at the seventh and final piece of God’s Spiritual Armor that He gives you to pick up and put on…but you say wait a minute Bob, I always thought there were only six pieces of spiritual armor. Well, you and I will challenge that thought next time.
Dave Ramsey
So, here we are at the start of yet another year. How about this time around you prayerfully work to set and accomplish some meaningful goals and blow off all those New Years’ Resolutions? Sound like a good idea. You bet it does. But where do you go, how do you start, and how do you keep going. Well, you are at the right place to start and you are just about to learn what to do, how to do it, and how to keep doing it all in ways that are pleasing to the Lord. Let’s listen in as Dave Ramsey talks with us about setting and keeping some goals for this year.
So, there you have it—a fool-proof way to both prayerfully set and keep some goals this year—to include some financial goals. But, chances are what you just heard is a good start and you need some help to follow through. The good news is that there is help out there and one of the best places to start is to get in contact with the Dave Ramsey organization at www.ramseysolutions.com. That’s ramseysolutions.com. I suggest you do it and do it soon.
Clark Howard
It’s the start of both a new month and a new year. And if you still have breathing room in your budget after the holidays, January can be a great time to pick up some spectacular deals!
In addition to the normal “white sales” on bedding, towels, and anything that’s generally cotton-y and fluffy—along with clearance Christmas décor, wrapping paper and supplies–here are some of the best buys for January.
- First, January is a big month for semi-annual clothing and shoe sales
- Warehouse Club Memberships Clubs to include Costco Wholesale, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club. If you’re not a warehouse club member, January is a great month to join because you can easily track your savings all year long.
- Next is food. Other than National Spaghetti Day on January 4, January doesn’t have much in the way of dedicated food holidays that offer the opportunity to get discounted or free food. As ;you probably already know, Aldi’s has opened in Blairsville and while it’s not a traditional discount food store, my wife has been shopping at Aldi’s for over 30 years. The good news is that no only are many items less expensive that you may be used to, Ingles is running great sales to start to compete with Aldi’s.
- Then, as a general rule, the first couple months of the new year is a good time to score a deal on a new televisions and appliances. So if you’re looking to upgrade to a bigger screen size or a new technology ahead of the Big Game, the start of a new year is a great time to look! See the latest deals right here.
- Clark also suggests you take a look and mark your calendars because the National Park Service is offering free admission to sites that normally charge an entrance fee on January 16. That particular day marks the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. While many national parks are free every day, more than 100 of them regularly charge fees between $3 and $30.
- ALSO, January offers two reasons to start organizing your home: It’s the start of a new year and your household may have seen an influx of new presents last month. So it’s kind of a necessity to KonMari your life a bit! Thankfully, the retailers cooperate with this seasonal impulse by putting things like storage bins, shelf bins, stacking and nesting containers and more on sale. We’ve got a roundup of deals that can help you have a more organized and productive year right here.
- Next, why not start the new year with some fitness resolutions and new equipment? When it comes to equipment, the big sporting goods stores are great places to check.
- Clark says that booking travel in January and even into February is definitely a deal. The reason is simple: Most people are financially tapped to the limit after the holidays. But if you managed to stick to a modest budget during the holidays, you may want to consider using extra money in your life to book travel this month. As just one example of the great deals this time of year, we’ve recently seen Hawaiian Airlines offering flights to Hawaii from $109 one way!
Final Thoughts
Now that we’re through the holidays, January offers a great time to snatch up some deals if you still have funds to spend freely! Now, if you want to see what’s on sale at this exact moment? Check out today’s best deals from ClarkDeals.com..
Minute with Maxwell
- I really love the fact that I get to share a Minute with Maxwell with you each week. Remember that each time we are with this Christian author, speaker, and coach—during each Minute with Maxwell, you are going to gain insight into a single word—and that insight can really add a great deal of value to you in every area of your walk with the Lord.
- Today’s word is Blame. I blame my bank for my problem…I blame my job, I blame the economy…we all tend to sometime play the blame game, right? Sure we do, so let’s see what John Maxwell has to say about the word, blame.
- Great word for today from John Maxwell. And boy or boy does it apply to your prayerful journey down the road to Financial Freedom God’s Way. Taking responsibility is tough. No one wants to admit when they mess up or they are wrong—it goes against all our natural instincts. However, when you start to point fingers and play the blame game, remember that several fingers are pointing right back at you. I believe John is suggesting that we learn to take responsibility early on—the first time—so you can learn from your mistakes and grow, becoming that much more effective as a person, as a husband or wife, as a financial manager.
- Blame, another great word study from John Maxwell
Conclusion
Review
Okkkkk, that just about wraps up our time together for today. Recall, .
- First, during our radio seminar, we took a good close look at the sixth piece of God’s spiritual financial armor which is the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Rehma Word of God which is so often how the Word of God is spoken into your life and into the lives of others. Numbers seven is next time so don’t miss it.
- Then you had a great word from Dave Ramsey on how to set and keep some God-honoring goals this year.
- Clark Howard will share with us some great consumer buys for January.
- And finally, finally, John Maxwell reminded up how critically important it is not to fix blame but to take responsibility for our words and actions early and often when we make mistakes.
My friend, thank you for being with us today. Remember to check out our website at www.christianfinancialministries.org to either re-listen to or even get a transcript of today’s program.
Now, well now it is time to close out in prayer. Father God, I thank you for bringing us together today and for each of the days to come to Your glory in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Have a blesse d day, won’t you, and we’ll see you next time as we continue down your personal road to Financial Freedom God’s Way.
