Here are two lessons we can learn from a Grasshopper.
1. Hearing
A grasshopper "hears" through membranes that are on its abdomen. This allows them to hear the sounds from other grasshoppers from the vibration the noise creates. Just like we have different cultures with different languages, each species of grasshoppers have a distinct song so they can find one another. Just as grasshoppers find their fellow grasshoppers by listening to the vibration their songs create, Christians are to listen and hear our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It is easy to find someone who claims to be a Christian but to determine their sincerity is a harder and longer process. God tells us ways to examine others and how we can, to the best of our ability, determine if a person is truly a follower of Christ. Note, only God knows a person's heart.
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified. - 2 Corinthians 12:5-6
Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. - 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one should take advantage of and defraud his brother in this matter, because the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also forewarned you and testified. For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. - 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8*
*we all sin, but what marks a true Christian is if he/she is greatly grieved over the sin which causes separation from God and if he/she truly repents of the sin. Living in sin with no remorse, conviction, or repentance is not possible as a Christian. The Holy Spirit will convict us and God will not allow His child to continue in sin. One of the hardest duties as a Christian is to gain control over the flesh and to live in the spirit, however, it is a duty that we have to pursue every day, being careful not to let our guard down.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. - 1 John 4
2. Fleeing
A grasshopper spring into the air, jumping up to 30 inches! They can also fly. Both allow them to flee from danger. Just as grasshoppers flee from danger using the ability God has given them, we are to flee from the devil and temptation using the tools God has provided for us. The armor of God is not just some mighty words to encourage us, but are real weapons and protective pieces God has given us to allow us to bravely fight against evil and defeat the devil's poisoned arrows.
The Whole Armor of God
Notice we cannot use just bits and pieces of the armor, for the armor to be effective we must use the whole armor of God!
Stand, therefore, having girded your waist with truth (vs. 14)
Having put on the breastplate of righteousness (vs. 14)
Having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace (vs. 15)
Taking the shield of faith (vs. 16)
Take the helmet of salvation (vs. 17)
The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (vs. 17)
Praying always (vs. 18)
Be watchful (vs. 18)
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemings of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. - Ephesians 6:10-20
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