{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Reflections","title":"Tuesday of the Twenty-First Week After Trinity","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":420,"description":"October 27, 2026\n\nToday's Reading: Ephesians 6:10-17\nDaily Lectionary: Deuteronomy 29:1-29; Matthew 18:21-35\n\n“Put on the whole armor of god, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:11)\n\nIn the Name + of Jesus. Amen.\n\nThere is someone who hates you. St Paul doesn’t want you to be naive about this. “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.” The devil is real, and he wants to destroy you. He wants to separate you from Christ, to convince you that God’s promises aren’t true, that you’re not really forgiven, that you’re on your own.\n\nThis isn’t a fair fight. You can’t defeat the devil on your own. You’re not strong enough, smart enough, or good enough. If it were up to your willpower or determination, you’d lose every time. That’s why Paul doesn’t tell you to muster up your own courage or try harder. Instead, he tells you to put on armor - but not your armor. God’s armor.\n\nNotice what this armor is made of. The belt of truth. The breastplate of righteousness. The shoes of the gospel of peace. The shield of faith. The helmet of salvation. The sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. None of this is yours by nature. You don’t generate truth, righteousness, faith, or salvation from within yourself. These are all Gifts. God gives them to you, and then He tells you to put them on.\n\nThe truth is God’s truth, revealed in His Word. The righteousness is Christ’s righteousness, given to you in your Baptism. The gospel of peace is the good news that your sins are forgiven for Jesus’ sake. The faith that shields you from the devil’s attacks is created and sustained by the Holy Spirit. The salvation that protects your head is Christ’s finished work on the cross. And the sword you wield is not your opinions or feelings, but the Word of God itself.\n\nSee what Paul is doing?...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/P3eUvssXYVZBQK4BZg1UEKstUh8zuVz_CoZCK6YjRSs/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9zaG93/LzI1MTcyLzE3MDI0/Mjg1MzAtYXJ0d29y/ay5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}