Arm Yourself for Battle: Breastplate - Righteousness -- A Guest Post by Barbara Ann Derksen

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Thedevil often attacks our heart, the seat of our emotions, self-worth, and trust.God's righteousness is the breastplate that protects our heart and ensures Hisapproval. He approves of us because He loves us and sent His Son to die for us.
Righteousness (acting in a morallycorrect manner, correct by divine declaration - set right with God)
 Genesis 15:6 - And he [Abram] believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Abrambelieved what God promised him and because his faith was in God, not thepromise, he was set right with God or declared by God to be righteous. Ourfaith, even as little as a mustard seed, needs to have its foundation in JesusChrist, in His person and His work.
Gladewalked into the clubhouse. He smiled his usual greeting to the man heading inhis direction. Buzz pushed by him as he stocked toward the door. “What’er youso happy about? Life stinks,” he grumbled. The clubhouse door slammed as Buzzdisappeared through it, leaving Glade standing, staring after the unhappy man.
“Hey,Deeter. What’s with him?” He hollered to the one other person in the room.
Deeterlooked up from the newspaper he’d been reading. “Don’t know. Don’t care.”Deeter’s gaze returned to the article in front of him.
Gladeshrugged but the image of unhappiness that permeated the place reached out andgrabbed like a tangible hand. He shivered. What was it about the club that madehim feel so unloved and unwanted these days? Then he remembered the sermon hispastor had preached in church the day before. He’d talked about a Christian’sneed to guard their heart, to protect their inner most being from the attacksof the enemy.
Wasit possible? He scoffed. Of course it was.This place was ripe with Satan’s markings. Everywhere he looked he saw, witheyes that seemed to be clear for the first time, evidence of how the enemycontrolled the lives of all who entered the doors of the club. The heavinessweighed them down. He could feel it. Ineed to leave. Glade marched toward the door he’d just come through.
Thepastor was right. He needed to protect his heart by immersing himself in theword, and traveling with people who also loved God. Especially now when he’dgiven his life to Christ. There was nothing he could do for his fellow bikersuntil he became stronger in his faith. Maybe one day God would lead him backhere but for now he needed to put the club and its members behind him.
Gladewas right to take what his pastor preached seriously. If we don’t wear ourrighteousness, the set-right-with-God shield, openly, we are more likely tostep back into old habits. We need to wear it like a badge of honor whenever westep into the world and all that entails, understanding that while we love thepeople we work with, the people God places in front of us, we also need to beaware of Christ, His person and His work at all times.
Fillyour heart and mind with God’s love for the people you come in contact with butnever forget it’s God’s love and not your own. Don’t ever take Christ forgranted. Be aware of His power to reach out to the lost, the sick, and theweak, as you move through your day.
Father,regard me as righteous. Fill me with Your presence today, so I may reflect Youto the people You bring into my path. Keep me sharply aware that it is allabout You, not me at all. I can do nothing without You in my life, walkingbefore me, guiding my steps. Thank You Father. Amen.
Lookaround. Do You see God at work in and through You? Have you taken the necessaryprecautions to protect your heart, your inner most being from the enemy or doyou let unholy thoughts fester and grow like a cancer? 

About the Author 

Watching the expressions on the facesof her readers, as well as answering questions about her characters,is what drives author and speaker, Barbara Ann Derksen to write yetanother book and another. Her favorite genre is murder mystery buteach book brings forth characters who rely on God as they solve thepuzzle in their life.
Barbara’s devotionals are soughtafter each year when she publishes a new one that reflects what Godhas placed on her heart. From Straight Pipes, her first, toMore Than Bells, Preparation for Prayer, the latest, Barbara’sdevotions take people to the place where God can touch their heartand leave a lasting impression. When people stop by her table for thelatest, they talk to her about using the devotions in their chaptermeetings, or their personal devotions. Some men return at theirpastor’s request because the books are used as launch pads formen’s bible study. Many copies have been passed on to new believersas discipling tools.
Born in Canada, Barbara lived in the USfor 12 years. There her writing surfaced as she worked under contractas a journalist for six years with over 2500 articles published innewspapers and magazines during that time. Meeting and interviewingpeople, digging for the hidden gems in their lives, made those yearsinformative as well as instructive. She began attending ColoradoChristian Writer’s Conferences and each year, under the tutelage ofgreat Christian writer’s like James Scott Bell, Angela Hunt, andothers, she honed her skills.
Barbara has developed a speakingplatform and has spoken across the US and in Manitoba, Canada forwomen’s groups and in church services on topics such as The WritingExperience, working in the ministry of Christian MotorcyclistsAssociation, Love, Parenting, Time Management, and a host of others.
With 17 books to her credit, onecurrently inactive and awaiting revision, each one surpasses thelast, according to her readers. They look forward to discoveringthe new characters in a new series Finders Keepers. BookOne – Shadow Stalker – will be released mid-May, 2013
Writing, however is simply a tool to beused in the ministry she shares with her husband. With his gift ofmusic (he sings country gospel), Barbara and her husband operateCatchFire Ministries, a ministry to bikers through ChristianMotorcyclists Association. They travel for four to five months everysummer in the US and the rest of the time in Canada where they seekto inspire, encourage and invite people into a deeper ministry withJesus Christ. They also minister at Veterans Homes and churches alongthe way and are about to begin a ministry to Juvenile offendersincarcerated at Manitoba Youth Center. The mysteries include a gospelmessage that opens her readers to the possibility of reading bookswritten from a Christian World view and supply funds for CatchFire.
About Her Latest Book
Evil pursues Christine, in this thesecond book of the Finders Keepers Mystery Series. Retreat is not anoption but her move forward makes her vulnerable to the very evilthat took her parents' lives. Faced with yet another missing child,she embarks on a search that takes her out of her comfort zone toquestion her chosen career, her abilities, and her belief system asshe helps stricken parents find closure. Christine finds herselfconfused about her growing interest in Jeremy but she is distractedby the essence of evil that surrounds her.

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