08-15-2007, 11:08 AM
PRESENTED AT
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH
MIAMI, FLORIDA
August 13, 2000
Putting on the Armor of God
Ephesians Chapter 6
On February 18, 1998, I received a call at home to come into work early that day. This was not an unusual request.
Since it was a beautiful day, I decided to ride my motorcycle into work. This is about a 25 mile trip from where I live.
As I started to get ready, I had a recurring thought that I should drive my van instead of riding the motorcycle.
I ignored this thought even though it recurred several times. It was too nice a day to not ride the bike.
I put on my uniform, my riding boots, and then my jacket, backpack, helmet and leather gloves.
Since I left a little earlier than I needed to, I stopped for gas at a nearby station.
It was very warm and I started to take off my jacket and gloves and put them in the back pack, but then decided to put them back on because it seemed better to be safe than sorry.
There was very little traffic even though it was almost rush hour. This surprised me but it made for a very enjoyable ride.
About 10 miles into the ride, I was coming onto a major intersection and the light seemed to stay green for a very long period of time. I slowed thinking the light would change but it didn't.
The intersection looked open -- the road between me and the intersection was clear. Only one truck was coming from the opposite direction and he appeared to be going to go straight through. All the cross traffic was stopped.
No problems here I thought.
A clear path across this intersection was open.
As soon as I entered the intersection, the yellow light came on. The white Ford F-150 Pickup Truck coming from the opposite direction swerved to the left into my lane to make a turn.
I thought "O ----!!!"
Then I heard a Crack - Crack sound.
I met that pickup truck head on -- dead center on his grill.
My bike went one way and I was told I went airborne over the truck.
The next thing I knew was that I was on my back on the roadway with people telling me not to try to move or get up.
One witness said I seemed to just float over the truck like a butterfly and was set gently down on the roadway.
They wanted to know if I wanted anyone contacted. I told them to call my work number and tell them I would be late to work.
All I wanted to know was how my bike was, but no one would tell me.
Fire Rescue arrived. They asked where I hurt or felt unusual. Since everything hurt except my left foot, I pointed to my left leg and said it felt unusual. They removed my boots, gloves, back pack and helmet. They put my neck in a neck brace and I was strapped to a back board. Within 14 minutes, I was in the hospital emergency room.
I joked with the fire rescue people and the emergency room people because I use to work in that hospital and I had not seen these people since I was transferred to a new post.
The X-ray tech, who I also knew, ran a full scan over my body from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.
She said not to tell the doctor that she had told me, but she found one broken bone -- an impact fracture just above my left ankle in the small leg bone. It was in line, so it did not need to be set.
In the mean time, my whole family arrived at the hospital and was waiting as I returned from the X-ray department.
At this point I felt more embarrassed than hurt. I just wanted to go home.
The doctor came in and removed the neck brace. The nurses removed my uniform and put me in a hospital gown and then another technician put a temporary cast on my leg.
Within 2 hours, I was on my way home.
The next day, I found out my bike had been totaled.
I was bruised and sore and had a broken leg but otherwise I was OK.
My gloves had asphalt imbedded in them. My helmet had a gash about 3 inches long in the top of it. My left boot had its toe crushed, and my jacket had torn on the arm. But a glass jar full of instant coffee and other breakable items in my back pack were undamaged.
Within about a week, a metro police motor cycle officer had a similar accident. He was killed in that accident.
Was I just lucky or did I have on the armor of God?
What is the armor of God?
In Eph. Chapter 6, it tells us to put on the armor of God.
It says: Put on the Armor of God. Take unto you the whole armor of God. Gird your loins with Truth. have on the breast plate of Righteousness. Have your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. Above all -- take with you the shield of Faith. Take the helmet of Salvation and The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
Let's look at this very closely and see if it applied to me and my incident and if it applies to you or can apply to you in what you experience in your daily lives.
1. Gird your loins with Truth.
Live in accordance with reality or fact as you know it.
A few basic truths I try to live by:
I am never alone - God is always present.
There is a spiritual force, energy, or presence in the Universe
which does respond to our desires, wishes, and thoughts.
This force, I call God.
Nothing happens by accident -- there is always a reason.
Everything that happens can be used as a learning experience.
Intuitive thoughts and gut feelings should be listened too.
2. Have on the breast plate of Righteousness.
Do what is right and proper being sound in mind and body, in any given situation.
The Middle Path of Buddha - the way to rise above or escape from suffering, we may call living a life of righteousness.
Right view
Right thought
Right speech
Right action
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right concentration.
3. Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace.
Do the best you can to try to live in a harmonious and tranquil state both physically and mentally.
4. Above all take with you the Shield of your faith.
Faith is a belief and trust in God.
Faith is also putting your beliefs into action.
Sufi writers tell us that most people accept the faith of their parents, society, or nation as what they think they believe, but this is not true faith. Our true faith is one where we have a given belief and speak about it, and do our best to live in accordance with those beliefs by putting them into action in our daily life.
Without action we do not have a living faith and are not considered people of faith.
5. Take the helmet of Salvation.
To be saved is to be protected from danger, loss or harm or suffering. To be saved is to be delivered from your mistakes or your ignorance.
6. Take with you the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
a. Listen to your intuition or the still small voice within.
b. Follow the teachings of God as you understand them.
c. Do not place a limit on what God can do or say.
d. Scriptures tell us that God responds to us in accordance with our faith. In whatever way we relate to Him, He will in turn respond to us.
In Summary:
The story was one personal application of being prepared for adversity by putting on the Armor of God.
The story is real. It is only one of many stories which illustrate being prepared for adversity by putting on the armor of God.
The protection offered by God is real. I am a living testament to that fact.
You too can put on the armor of God. If you have not already done so -- I ask you to do it NOW!!!!
Know the truth that you are not alone ............
God as a Spiritual force or presence
is always with you.
God is willing to help you if you call on Him..........
All that I or any minister can ask is that you do what is right and proper according to your faith. ........
Put your beliefs into action. Maybe you too will find the calm and harmony in your life which comes by knowing that you are a Child of God. ...........
Know that your vital essence is divine in origin, and your whole life reflects the Spirit of God working through you as you know it and accept it......
Turn your life over to God and He will be with you as a parent to His child.
Accept God as your Father or Mother, or Father/Mother, or great Grandparent, or just accept that there is a spiritual reality or presence in the Universe, and then any or all of the great teachers, past or present, can be your guides, elder brothers or sisters.
Above all,
live your faith, and take the steps necessary to put your beliefs into action........
With love,
Rev Dorris
Ps. This was the last sermon that I gave in a UUA church.
FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH
MIAMI, FLORIDA
August 13, 2000
Putting on the Armor of God
Ephesians Chapter 6
On February 18, 1998, I received a call at home to come into work early that day. This was not an unusual request.
Since it was a beautiful day, I decided to ride my motorcycle into work. This is about a 25 mile trip from where I live.
As I started to get ready, I had a recurring thought that I should drive my van instead of riding the motorcycle.
I ignored this thought even though it recurred several times. It was too nice a day to not ride the bike.
I put on my uniform, my riding boots, and then my jacket, backpack, helmet and leather gloves.
Since I left a little earlier than I needed to, I stopped for gas at a nearby station.
It was very warm and I started to take off my jacket and gloves and put them in the back pack, but then decided to put them back on because it seemed better to be safe than sorry.
There was very little traffic even though it was almost rush hour. This surprised me but it made for a very enjoyable ride.
About 10 miles into the ride, I was coming onto a major intersection and the light seemed to stay green for a very long period of time. I slowed thinking the light would change but it didn't.
The intersection looked open -- the road between me and the intersection was clear. Only one truck was coming from the opposite direction and he appeared to be going to go straight through. All the cross traffic was stopped.
No problems here I thought.
A clear path across this intersection was open.
As soon as I entered the intersection, the yellow light came on. The white Ford F-150 Pickup Truck coming from the opposite direction swerved to the left into my lane to make a turn.
I thought "O ----!!!"
Then I heard a Crack - Crack sound.
I met that pickup truck head on -- dead center on his grill.
My bike went one way and I was told I went airborne over the truck.
The next thing I knew was that I was on my back on the roadway with people telling me not to try to move or get up.
One witness said I seemed to just float over the truck like a butterfly and was set gently down on the roadway.
They wanted to know if I wanted anyone contacted. I told them to call my work number and tell them I would be late to work.
All I wanted to know was how my bike was, but no one would tell me.
Fire Rescue arrived. They asked where I hurt or felt unusual. Since everything hurt except my left foot, I pointed to my left leg and said it felt unusual. They removed my boots, gloves, back pack and helmet. They put my neck in a neck brace and I was strapped to a back board. Within 14 minutes, I was in the hospital emergency room.
I joked with the fire rescue people and the emergency room people because I use to work in that hospital and I had not seen these people since I was transferred to a new post.
The X-ray tech, who I also knew, ran a full scan over my body from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet.
She said not to tell the doctor that she had told me, but she found one broken bone -- an impact fracture just above my left ankle in the small leg bone. It was in line, so it did not need to be set.
In the mean time, my whole family arrived at the hospital and was waiting as I returned from the X-ray department.
At this point I felt more embarrassed than hurt. I just wanted to go home.
The doctor came in and removed the neck brace. The nurses removed my uniform and put me in a hospital gown and then another technician put a temporary cast on my leg.
Within 2 hours, I was on my way home.
The next day, I found out my bike had been totaled.
I was bruised and sore and had a broken leg but otherwise I was OK.
My gloves had asphalt imbedded in them. My helmet had a gash about 3 inches long in the top of it. My left boot had its toe crushed, and my jacket had torn on the arm. But a glass jar full of instant coffee and other breakable items in my back pack were undamaged.
Within about a week, a metro police motor cycle officer had a similar accident. He was killed in that accident.
Was I just lucky or did I have on the armor of God?
What is the armor of God?
In Eph. Chapter 6, it tells us to put on the armor of God.
It says: Put on the Armor of God. Take unto you the whole armor of God. Gird your loins with Truth. have on the breast plate of Righteousness. Have your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace. Above all -- take with you the shield of Faith. Take the helmet of Salvation and The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.
Let's look at this very closely and see if it applied to me and my incident and if it applies to you or can apply to you in what you experience in your daily lives.
1. Gird your loins with Truth.
Live in accordance with reality or fact as you know it.
A few basic truths I try to live by:
I am never alone - God is always present.
There is a spiritual force, energy, or presence in the Universe
which does respond to our desires, wishes, and thoughts.
This force, I call God.
Nothing happens by accident -- there is always a reason.
Everything that happens can be used as a learning experience.
Intuitive thoughts and gut feelings should be listened too.
2. Have on the breast plate of Righteousness.
Do what is right and proper being sound in mind and body, in any given situation.
The Middle Path of Buddha - the way to rise above or escape from suffering, we may call living a life of righteousness.
Right view
Right thought
Right speech
Right action
Right livelihood
Right effort
Right mindfulness
Right concentration.
3. Feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace.
Do the best you can to try to live in a harmonious and tranquil state both physically and mentally.
4. Above all take with you the Shield of your faith.
Faith is a belief and trust in God.
Faith is also putting your beliefs into action.
Sufi writers tell us that most people accept the faith of their parents, society, or nation as what they think they believe, but this is not true faith. Our true faith is one where we have a given belief and speak about it, and do our best to live in accordance with those beliefs by putting them into action in our daily life.
Without action we do not have a living faith and are not considered people of faith.
5. Take the helmet of Salvation.
To be saved is to be protected from danger, loss or harm or suffering. To be saved is to be delivered from your mistakes or your ignorance.
6. Take with you the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
a. Listen to your intuition or the still small voice within.
b. Follow the teachings of God as you understand them.
c. Do not place a limit on what God can do or say.
d. Scriptures tell us that God responds to us in accordance with our faith. In whatever way we relate to Him, He will in turn respond to us.
In Summary:
The story was one personal application of being prepared for adversity by putting on the Armor of God.
The story is real. It is only one of many stories which illustrate being prepared for adversity by putting on the armor of God.
The protection offered by God is real. I am a living testament to that fact.
You too can put on the armor of God. If you have not already done so -- I ask you to do it NOW!!!!
Know the truth that you are not alone ............
God as a Spiritual force or presence
is always with you.
God is willing to help you if you call on Him..........
All that I or any minister can ask is that you do what is right and proper according to your faith. ........
Put your beliefs into action. Maybe you too will find the calm and harmony in your life which comes by knowing that you are a Child of God. ...........
Know that your vital essence is divine in origin, and your whole life reflects the Spirit of God working through you as you know it and accept it......
Turn your life over to God and He will be with you as a parent to His child.
Accept God as your Father or Mother, or Father/Mother, or great Grandparent, or just accept that there is a spiritual reality or presence in the Universe, and then any or all of the great teachers, past or present, can be your guides, elder brothers or sisters.
Above all,
live your faith, and take the steps necessary to put your beliefs into action........
With love,
Rev Dorris
Ps. This was the last sermon that I gave in a UUA church.