Dear beloved: The third piece of gospel armor we put on our feet. It is to shod our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace, or the brazen boots (gr. knemides). These were obviously to protect the feet from thorns and rocks, it was rough terrrain in many places in Israel. The preparation speaks of readiness of making peace with God, of being prepared to meet Him, as well as the aspect of taking peace with you wherever you go, as a soldier of the Lord.
The opposite of having your feet shod would be barefoot; lack of preparation, unprepared, lack of understanding. The feet represent our way, our walk, or when we are in unbelief or rebellion, we say we are immovable, or dug in. Which are you beloved, are your feet shod with the peace of the Lord, ready to meet Him at all times, and also ready to take the message of the gospel wherever your pathway leads? Isaiah 52:7 says to us, How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of them that bring good news, that publisheth peace; that bring good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that sayeth unto Zion, thy God reigns. As messengers of the gospel, we are to bring the good news to all who are lost, all who are sick, and all who need deliverance. Are your feet shod for that purpose, do your pathways take you to places where people need to know the good news of the gospel? In Matthew 5:9, in the sermon on the mount, Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God." Beloved, you are a peacemaker, wherever your feet take you peace and reconciliation should be the result, there should not be contention or strife or unrest left behind your steps.
In Matthew 10:13 Jesus was giving the disciples their instructions for going to take the message of the Kingdom of heaven to the children of Israel. He told them, v13 and if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. v14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when you depart out of the house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. v15 verily, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement than for that city. ....The Jews considered the dust of a city that was pagan or gentile to be defiled and unclean; therefore, any who did not receive the message of the gospel were to be rejected and their dust "left behind". God is telling us also to leave behind the dust of unclean living, of compromise with the enemy, of habits that bring no productive fruit, and to move on to territory that is righteous and holy, and to go to those who want to hear the message of peace and hope that He calls us to share.
Jesus is the only peace for this world. John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." Jesus is the hope for this world. He wants us, His messengers, to take that message to all the world.
As you go about your life and your walk today, look back on your footprints and see where they went and what they did, what they accomplished. Proverbs 4:26 Watch the path of your feet, and all your ways will be established. v27 Do not turn to the right or to the left; Turn your foot from evil. .... May the Lord God bless your feet this day, and establish your way. In Christ, Jim
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