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The Helmet of Salvation

9/30/2018

(This is the third part in now 4 parts about the armor of God.)

17 "Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Ephesians 6:17

Helmets are meant to protect your head.

To the left you see a Roman helmet, the kind most likely that Paul had in mind while writing the letter to the Ephesians. it has neck protection, face protection, head protection; you can tell what rank the solider is by the horsehair broom thing (don't know the name of it) on the top; it has a ledge above the eyes that stops arrows from above. It is the most important piece of armor the soldier wore. A soldier could sustain a wound in many parts of the body, but a head wound would take him out immediately and very likely prove fatal.

The head is vulnerable like our mind is vulnerable to spiritual attacks. A soldier never went anywhere without his helmet so he was always ready for attacks. If he wasn't wearing it he had it tied on his belt with the chin strap. We always needs to have our "helmet of salvation" with us.
The Roman helmet was the most identifying piece of the soldier's armor. Our salvation is to be worn in the same way. It's beautiful, important and should be worn out in the open for all to see.

We must work on our minds. Our minds have to be involved in our faith. If we can't control our minds, we won't be able to live the faith life well at all. Satan will attack our minds. We know this. We need to live purposefully and prepared at all times guarding our minds. Where our minds are, we are.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2

It's very easy to fall into a worldly mindset. If you allow something to enter your mind it will affect it. This can be good or bad. We are to be renewing it -- a continual, daily thing.

Thoughts lead to actions. Actions lead to habits. Habits are hard to break and easy to fall back into even after we break them.

The helmet of salvation will protect us from:

1. Doublemindedness.

"Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do." James 1:8

We can't have it both ways. We have to be committed. We can't live for God and for the world. One or the other. Don't be led astray. Don't be lukewarm.

Pay attention to what's in front of you.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Matthew 6:33

Keep your eyes on the prize!

Satan will try and trip us up.

If we aren't facing forward we don't see the traps waiting for us. He disguises them. He is sneaky.

2. A Deceived Mind.

"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3

3 Steps Satan uses:
a. He casts doubt.
"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1
b. Denial.
“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman." Genesis 3:4
c. Substitute a lie for God's truth.
“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:5

How do we get the doubt out?

Focus on God. Focus on what is right. Daily, hold up the word of God. Daily fill your mind with the word of God.

"But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." 1 Thessalonians 5:8

We must be protected to stand.

The world is a fallen place. We are surrounded by "fallenness."

Yet, this is not the end of the story. God will prevail in the end. God told us the ending for a purpose. The big picture is heaven.

Spiritually, we are what we think. Where our mind is, so are we.

That is where we have the most power to fight Satan. Focus on hope, on salvation.

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5

Someday we will exchange the helmet for a crown. The head covering won't be necessary anymore (in heaven).

We have to stay focused.

We are at war.

The Word of God is the blacksmith that forges our spiritual armor.

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The Boots and the Shield

9/23/2018

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I didn't get the sermon up last week (Sept 16) because our house was without internet for four days. Last week's sermon was the first of three sermons on the Armor of God. If you want to hear the first sermon click here. I won't include the notes to that sermon on this site, but if you really want them email me here and ask for them.

Today's sermon was entitled "The Boots and the Shield." The notes follow:

Take care of your feet.

15 "and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Ephesians 6:15-16

Have your boots in good condition.

"fitted with the readiness"

Preparation/readiness = "Hetomasia" which means foundation, to stand firm. Without the peace of God, who are we?

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Romans 5:1

Peace knowing God loves us. Most important element of our faith -- connection with God through Jesus.

"How beautiful on the mountains
    are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
    who bring good tidings,
    who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
    “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7

How beautiful are the feet of the messenger. Can't carry the message if we don't have peace with God.

"Shield of Faith"

"In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." Ephesians 6:16

The shield is not attached to you. You have to pick it up daily.

The Roman shield was called a scutum. It was layers of hide and canvas over wood. It could cover everything but the soldier's helmet. It was big!

The square in the middle had a handle in the back where the soldier held onto the shield. The soldier could push it and punch with it like a weapon. We can do the same thing with our faith!

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for." Hebrews 11:1-2

Cover yourself with the shield of faith. You have no idea where from or what is coming to attack you. Trust in your shield of faith to keep you covered.

The shield could be soaked with water (canvas and leather remember) so it could distinguish flaming arrows that came at it. We can soak our faith with the water of the Spirit. Take up your faith in the battle. And take care of your shield, your equipment.

Our faith must be taken care of before the battle. Faith will be beaten on. We an built it up now. We can strengthen it. Nothing can take the place of the shield. Guard, protects, deflects. First defense against Satan. Without a strong faith we are just walking wounded people, totally ineffective for Christ. We never know when or where an attack will come. Satan will use anything, all the common everyday things to beat us down.

The shield covers the holes in the armor.

Jesus used His faith and the Sword of the Spirit.

8 "Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’[a]” Matthew 4:8-10

It is written!

Know the Word.

If we choose not to strengthen our faith, that's our choice and our weakness is on us.

"You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[a]?" James 2:20

"for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." 1 John 5:4

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God's Call On Your Life

9/9/2018

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"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;" 2 Timothy 4:7

This (the above verse) is where we want to be in the end.

How do we get there?

Isaiah said Yes.

"In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said,
“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,
The [a]whole earth is full of His glory.”
4 And the [b]foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the [c]temple was filling with smoke." Isaiah 6:1-4

God's faithful servant has encounter with God. Seeing Jesus for who He is.

Have you experienced Jesus as God?

How rare do we see Jesus on the throne?

We try to fit God into our image. And then we hold God accountable to what we want rather than holding ourselves accountable to God.

Uzziah was a faithful king for 52 years.

He dies. The people are probably panicking. They lost a great king. What's going to happen?

Our Savior is active in the world today.

Seraphim....seraph means fire.

"Who say to the seers, “You must not see visions”;
And to the prophets, “You must not prophesy to us what is right,
Speak to us [a]pleasant words,
Prophesy illusions." Isaiah 30:10

"Then I said,
'Woe is me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.'"Isaiah 6:5

"Woe is me" is a conviction we all need to have.

"Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said, 'Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is [a]forgiven.'" Isaiah 6:6-7

Isaiah experiences God's grace.

Jesus -- where forgiveness is found for us.

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" Isaiah 6:8

When we are forgiven God will ask. He asks us to volunteer.

Experience God, Recognize Him and you; Confess, Forgiveness.

Jesus wants willing servants not forced slaves.

"Here I am. I'm yours."

Mary said this:

And Mary said, “Behold, the [a]bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38

Paul said this:

"And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the [a]voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he [b]could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank." Acts 9:5-9

They didn't ask for specifics of the mission. They just accepted it.

They aren't mindlessly following.

The servant doesn't choose his/her work.

"He said, 'Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive;
Keep on looking, but do not understand.’
10 “Render the hearts of this people [a]insensitive,
Their ears [b]dull,
And their eyes [c]dim,
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.'" Isaiah 6:9-10

It's not about us. It's about Him.

Not fairy tale endings on this earth. That's not why we're serving. We don't serve Him to get stuff from Him. We serve Him because He is God and we love Him.

The more we serve God the worse we will look to the world.

You're a servant of God's for life. There is no retirement until we get to heaven.

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?" 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

“Yet there will be a tenth portion in it,
And it will again be subject to burning,
Like a terebinth or an oak
Whose stump remains when it is felled.
The holy seed is its stump.” Isaiah 6:13

Keep going.

What about you?

God is still on the throne.
Are you reading to see Him for Who He is?
Are you ready to serve Him whatever He asks?
Can you say, "Here I am. Send me"?

He gave all so all could be His (if they choose).
Will I give Him my all?
Are you ready to serve Him?

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The Grace of God

9/2/2018

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"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or [a]shifting shadow." James 1:17

#1 The Grace of God brings salvation.

"For the grace of God has appeared, [a]bringing salvation to all men," Titus 2:11

None of us could give grace to all people. He gives grace to all.

The sin in us will separate us from God.

"In [a]Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace" Ephesians 1:7

"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin."
Hebrews 11:24-25

Sin is a corruption of God's gifts. Example -- dopamine, the chemical in the brain that gives pleasure, is a gift of God. Addiction -- a person is trying to force the dopamine to go into action. Anything to excess is corrupting God's gift. Nothing with a hobby that brings you great joy. But if it takes you away from God, it's a problem.

“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and [a]wealth." Matthew 6:24

Sin twists us. God has yeses and nos. Sin is sin.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

#2 The Grace of God teaches us how to live.

"instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age," Titus 2:12

God will guide us using His word.

We learn "no" is said by God sometimes -- always a blessing. It is necessary to train us.

"My son, do not reject the [a]discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His reproof,
12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves,
Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights." Proverbs 3:11-12

"Therefore [a]consider the members of your earthly body as dead to [b]immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which [c]amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come [d]upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living [e]in them. 8 But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. 9 [f]Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old [g]self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being [h]renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—" Colossians 3:5-10

Our human nature can still overwhelm us. God's word can help with this.

Be content in God's grace. He gives us what we need.

#3. The Grace of God gives hope.

"looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of [a]our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds." Titus 2:13-14

We need to portray this hope.

Don't take blessings and make them into curses.

Hope has to be based on the word of God.

Jesus must be number one.

"But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all [a]sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Timothy 6:9-10

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich." 2 Corinthians 8:9

Is there something separating you from the grace of God?

How grateful are we for it?

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The Helmet of Salvation

The Boots and the Shield

God's Call On Your Life

The Grace of God

Shannon Hinrichs

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