Participants:
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW018001A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:10 Hello and welcome to 3ABN's Family Worship, 01:13 and happy Sabbath. 01:14 Happy Sabbath to those of you around the table. 01:16 Happy Sabbath to those of you at home. 01:19 If you are watching this tonight, 01:20 we know that you are blessed. 01:21 You are blessed 01:23 'cause there's just been so much going on in our world. 01:25 And if you got life, 01:26 you got breath, you are blessed. 01:28 Let me tell you. 01:29 Tonight we're going to be talking 01:31 about Angels, Armor, and Promises part two. 01:34 Now we thought, at least I thought, 01:36 I don't know about you. 01:38 All right. 01:39 But I thought we were going to cover all three of these 01:40 in one lesson, in one family worship, 01:43 but the Holy Spirit had different plans. 01:46 That's good. And it was a blessing. 01:48 I mean, it was such a blessing when we talked about angels, 01:52 and today we are going to... 01:53 Or tonight, excuse me, 01:54 we are going to talk about armor. 01:56 And I know that this is going to be a blessing as well. 01:58 But before we begin, 02:00 Pastor Kenny, would you lead us in prayer? 02:02 And those of you at home, please pray with us, 02:05 gather the kids around. 02:06 Let's all pray together. 02:09 Merciful Father in heaven, 02:10 we thank You again for another Sabbath day. 02:11 We thank You 02:13 that You brought us through another week. 02:14 We just thank You for just Your love 02:16 that You have for us, 02:17 and our hearts just rejoice when we think about Calvary, 02:20 we think about the price that was paid, 02:23 think about that wonderful grace 02:24 that was bestowed upon each and every one of us. 02:27 Our hearts are warm, 02:28 we're excited about this subject, 02:30 and we just pray 02:31 that Your Holy Spirit will reside here with us 02:33 and will just lead, guide, and direct. 02:35 And for those who are at home, 02:37 we pray a special blessing upon them, 02:40 many of them are gathered around, 02:42 many are taking notes, 02:43 many are listening, many are singing right along. 02:45 So, Father, we pray in a very special way 02:47 that You'll bless each and every one. 02:49 And may this be a good time of study together, 02:52 may the angels of heaven love to dwell among us, 02:54 and in our homes, bless us now 02:56 we pray this and open our minds, our hearts, 02:58 that we may see and hear Jesus in a very special way. 03:02 In Jesus' name we pray in for His sake. 03:04 Amen. Amen. 03:05 Amen, amen. 03:07 Angels, Armor, and Promises part two. 03:10 And the Holy Spirit brought some real soldiers here today. 03:14 To our far right is Sister Mollie. 03:17 We are so thankful that you are here. 03:20 Sister Mollie, you want to tell us 03:21 what your job title is right now? 03:24 I'm an assistant to Jill Morikone. 03:26 That's vice president. 03:29 And I'm still a vice president, 03:31 but I want to just assist Jill and help Jill. 03:34 I've assisted and helped Danny all these years. 03:38 And now I want to see Jill just... 03:40 And she is doing such an incredible job, 03:42 that woman is called of God to be at this place. 03:45 And now what my purpose is, is to help her every way I can. 03:50 And I know she loves you so much. 03:53 She's been telling a little bit about you. 03:56 She loves you very, very much. 03:58 And to my left is Sister Shelley Quinn. 04:01 Sister Shelley, 04:02 what is your job title here at 3ABN? 04:04 Program development manager 04:06 and that takes up about that much of my time 04:08 and rest of the time 04:09 I do whatever they ask me to do. 04:11 Wow! 04:13 Well, as much as I've seen you do in the past, 04:14 I would have thought 04:15 it would have been a lot more... 04:17 It does take up a lot of time, 04:18 there's just a lot of things thrown in on top. 04:22 Are you pastor, JD? 04:23 I started to call you Pastor JD, 04:24 but I know you work in pastoral. 04:26 I'm a prayer warrior. You are a prayer warrior, yes. 04:29 If anybody ever had a pastor's heart, 04:31 it's this man. 04:32 I believe. I love JD. Amen. Thank you. 04:35 He's been my buddy for a long time. 04:37 Long time. Amen, amen. 04:39 So I kind of gravitate to him he's a sweetheart, 04:42 and I gravitate to you too. 04:44 Oh, honey, I'm thankful. Absolutely, I'm glad you do. 04:47 I need little help and little stability. 04:50 Yeah, I do. 04:51 Little stability, 04:53 and she helps bring that stability. 04:54 Okay, well, I didn't even say who I am. 04:56 I'm Chris Shelton and you're Pastor Kenny Shelton. 04:58 Oh, okay. 04:59 And I guess, technically 05:01 we're from Behold the Lamb Ministries 05:02 but we are a part of this 3ABN family. 05:04 We feel like we are. Yeah. 05:06 Absolutely. For a long time. 05:07 And we love being here and we love studying. 05:10 We like to be where there's action, 05:13 where people are really suiting up 05:15 in this armor and fighting for the Lord. 05:18 Now what I was thinking we would do, 05:20 we would read Ephesians 6:10-8, 05:24 and then we're going to come back 05:25 and we're going to dissect each piece of this armor. 05:28 And perhaps maybe glean a little bit more 05:30 about why God put it in the context that He did. 05:35 So if you want to join with us at home, 05:36 it's Ephesians 6 05:38 and I'm going to read verses 10-18, 05:42 it reads, 05:43 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, 05:45 and in the power of His might." 05:47 I mean, we could talk an hour just on that one sentence. 05:50 I love that. Strong in the Lord. 05:52 We have no strength within ourselves. 05:53 That's right. 05:55 Power in His might, 05:56 you know, we were talking about 05:57 being nervous 05:59 before the cameras were turned on. 06:00 And there's a lot of times that we are 06:02 because we have no might, 06:04 but when we allow Him to come 06:05 and He gives us power and strength 06:07 to move forward. 06:09 "Put on the whole amour of God, 06:12 that ye may be able to stand 06:14 against the wiles of the devil." 06:15 I got to stop right there 06:17 'cause if we don't put on this armor 06:19 that we're about to dissect and talk about, 06:23 we're not going to be able to stand. 06:24 That's right. Amen. 06:26 And we may talk a little bit 06:27 about what the wiles of the devil really is. 06:30 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, 06:33 but against principalities." 06:35 I look that up, you know, principalities, 06:38 we think of, of kind of a spirit world, 06:40 but what is principalities? 06:41 It can be princes, it can be those in power. 06:45 And the Bible goes on to say, 06:47 "Against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world." 06:51 So there's powers at one time held high positions 06:57 that are now ruling the darkness of this world. 07:00 "Against spiritual wickedness in high places. 07:03 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, 07:08 that ye may be able to withstand 07:10 even in the evil day and having done all, to stand. 07:16 Stand therefore, 07:17 having your loins girt about with truth, 07:20 and having on the breastplate of righteousness. 07:25 And your feet shod 07:26 with the preparation of the gospel of peace. 07:29 Above all, taking the shield of faith, 07:32 wherewith ye shall be able to quench 07:34 all the fiery darts of the wicked. 07:37 And take the helmet of salvation, 07:39 and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. 07:43 Praying always with all power and supplication in the Spirit, 07:47 and watching thereunto 07:49 with all perseverance and supplication 07:51 for all saints." 07:53 There is so much in these verses. 07:57 There is so much. 07:58 And I stopped on those opening sentences 08:02 because I didn't want to... 08:04 We may go back, 08:05 but I didn't want to really focus 08:06 a lot of time on those 08:08 'cause I think, 08:09 if we begin to dissect just the part of this armor, 08:11 you know, and... 08:12 First of all, why would we need armor? 08:16 Well, when you think about the devil and his forces, 08:20 his unholy alliance is out there 08:24 doing everything they can to trip us up with. 08:27 This is the controversy of good and evil. 08:30 And there is no sufficiency in our humanity to fight 08:35 this battle against him. 08:37 So we have to look to the Lord, 08:41 He is the one who will equip us for this fight, 08:43 and give us everything we know, 08:45 need to put on the armor, 08:47 and it is in by His power 08:50 that we can even overcome this evil. 08:52 We're in a war, it says, 08:54 "We wrestle not with flesh and blood." 08:55 Yes. 08:56 We wrestle, you know, it's warfare. 08:59 And in all warfare there's armor. 09:02 Thank goodness, there is armor. 09:04 And I believe 09:05 each one of these specific pieces of armor 09:09 that we're looking at here today, 09:10 you can find a parallel in the armor 09:14 that was provided for the Roman army. 09:17 And every one of these pieces... 09:19 And if you look at the armor, 09:21 if everything is properly in place, 09:23 there's no chink in your armor, and we'll look, 09:25 I'm sure, in a few minutes at what happens 09:28 when there is a chink in your armor. 09:30 But when there's no chink in your armor, 09:31 you are completely covered and God provides 09:34 every one of these pieces of armor 09:37 for our protection 09:39 because He knows we're in a war. 09:40 It's called the great controversy 09:43 by the way. 09:44 And it's raging out there. Yes. 09:46 But when you think of war, we're thinking about... 09:49 It's life and death issues. 09:52 Every time you think about war, when I was in the service, 09:54 and you're going to be sent to Vietnam, 09:55 or you're going to be sent to whatever place. 09:57 The thing that crosses your mind, 09:58 you're going to be in battle, 10:00 and you're either going to make it 10:01 or you're not going to make it. 10:03 That's right. 10:04 So this is that context I think that we need to, 10:06 you know, look at this in, but also I noticed that, 10:09 you know, we talked about the beginning of this thing. 10:11 Why was Paul talking about this? 10:14 There was a reason 10:15 because of this condition that the church was in. 10:18 I think, it's good to look back at that, 10:19 'cause he'd just previous, 10:21 he had discussed the theological things 10:24 that were going on in the church. 10:26 I was talking about the spiritual things 10:27 that were going on in the church. 10:29 He was talking about how to attain unity 10:32 for God's last day people. 10:33 So this is... 10:34 To me that's like there's a pillar, 10:36 there's this thing called unity. 10:38 So he is saying now, 10:39 "Okay, this is how unity can be attained in the church," 10:44 as you put on the armor that you were talking about. 10:46 How can a person do it? 10:48 Well, just two things real quick as we go on. 10:50 First of all, they talk about a secret to success, 10:53 you know, we talk about secrets to success is, 10:55 we know in John 15, we abide in Him, don't we? 10:59 I mean, that's not really a secret, 11:01 but it is to a lot of people. 11:02 First of all, if we want success, 11:04 he's talking about 11:05 this is how you are going to obtain it. 11:06 Here's what's going on in church, 11:08 now this is why 11:09 I'm bringing it up to the church, 11:10 this is what's going to have to take place 11:12 because the devil is going to come in 11:13 because there is a battle, and then secret is, 11:15 we have to be as divine and the branch, 11:18 we had to be part of Him, and then we need to look at, 11:22 I think it was in 2 Corinthians 12:9, 11:24 something about, His grace is what? 11:26 Sufficient. His grace would be sufficient. 11:28 And I keep this in mind, I think as we study this, 11:30 just hit my mind is, 11:32 I know who the author of this armor, 11:35 I know who He is, I know who developed it, 11:38 I know who patented it. 11:41 So already He patented, who made it, 11:43 and I know that it will be sufficient 11:46 against those darts 11:47 that the enemy throws against us. 11:49 So that you notice background and know why He put it, 11:52 and then how we attain that, how we get the victory, 11:55 but I may have truly listed out 11:56 this to make some good conversation here. 11:58 So many good things, 12:00 I think the Lord was giving us a visual right here, 12:03 as everybody has alluded to that we are in a warfare. 12:08 We are actually, and I think as, 12:10 at least as I was preparing for this, 12:12 it's not just a warfare 12:13 for other people and other souls. 12:17 It's for ourself as well. It's for ourself. 12:20 We are fighting for our own salvation. 12:23 And I think this armor also shows us 12:25 that we have a part to play. 12:27 Yes. We have to put this on. 12:29 God is not going to come to you, 12:31 brother JD, I know you have something on your tongue, 12:34 he's not going to come and force this on you, 12:36 he's not going to force this helmet on you, 12:39 this breastplate. 12:40 You have a part to play. Amen. 12:42 You know, the first thing that came on mind 12:44 was this is about protection. 12:46 Okay? 12:48 And each culture 12:50 has its own avenue of protection. 12:53 Today, in the modern days, 12:55 I mean, right now, like in football. 12:56 My goodness, 12:58 they're changing rules right left, 13:00 but then I went back in my mind, 13:02 went to David and Goliath. 13:03 You remember, during those days, 13:05 Goliath had all this armor, he had a breastplate, 13:08 he had a helmet. 13:09 But then here, 13:11 you know, even more strong as we read, 13:14 here you got little David over here 13:15 with nothing along but a slingshot. 13:19 And the Lord. And the Lord, of course. 13:23 But it was about 13:24 who you saw yourself as being in the Lord, 13:26 and as time goes by, 13:28 the Lord could see that we need protection. 13:32 And so now, as Paul is writing in his days, 13:37 he shows us what we could identify with. 13:42 But it changes all the time. 13:45 But dealing in this unity and this alliance, 13:49 you know, with the churches today 13:51 because that's what we're wanting to do. 13:53 We're wanting to be as one. 13:56 Yeah, I mean, do you see in this battle... 13:57 And everybody can talk about this, 13:59 that the battle as far as raging on is uneven. 14:03 The sides are uneven. Yes. 14:05 It doesn't have to stay that way, why? 14:07 Because you have the forces, 14:08 all the forces of demons of hell 14:10 against poor little dust of the earth. 14:12 It feels good. 14:13 So, you know, how does that equal out, 14:16 or does it equal out, must have equal out. 14:19 You know, I'm thinking of Elisha 14:22 where the king of Syria was making war. 14:26 And remember this is in 2 Kings 6, 14:30 and the king of Syria was making war. 14:33 And he finally went to his men and says, 14:36 "What is it that every time I start to do something, 14:41 they already know what I'm going to do?" 14:43 And what did this mean? 14:45 There's this prophet called Elisha, 14:47 and he knows even what you do in your bedroom 14:49 so the king said, heard that, he needed "Where is this man? 14:55 Where is Elisha?" 14:56 I believe, he was at Dothan, I'm not sure. 15:00 So they went to Dothan, the whole Syrian army, 15:05 and what were they going to do? 15:06 They were going to capture him, 15:07 they were going to put a stop to this. 15:10 And so Elisha took his servant out to the hill, 15:15 and they were surrounded. 15:16 And I'm getting to that point that we were talking about. 15:19 They were surrounded by the Syrian army 15:22 and, you know, what Elisha said to his servant, 15:25 "There's more with us than there is with them." 15:28 Now here we've got Elisha's servant, 15:31 and Elisha's servant is looking at Elisha like one, two. 15:38 What did Elisha pray? God open His eyes. 15:41 And what did he see around? 15:43 The host of the army of the Lord, 15:46 and so that's what we have. 15:49 God hasn't left us defenseless. 15:51 We are mighty through 15:53 these weapons that He's made available. 15:55 And when we do all we know to do, 15:58 we've got that host of the army 16:00 of the Lord surrounding us as well. 16:03 Psalms 34:7, 16:04 "The angel of the Lord shall encamp round them 16:07 that fear him, and delivereth them." 16:09 That's one of my favorite promises. 16:11 And I've seen it time and time again. 16:13 And God has not left us defenseless. 16:15 Let's go. Go ahead. 16:16 Before you go forth, 16:18 I just wanted to say something to your point about, 16:21 it's not that we're just praying 16:22 for others in this battle but for ourself. 16:25 I don't know about you, but there are times in my life, 16:30 even in my recent history, 16:32 that things are going on and you kind of like, 16:36 "What's wrong with me, Lord?" 16:38 And all of a sudden, 16:40 you know, I can recognize a spiritual battle 16:43 that's going on in everybody else's life, 16:45 but sometimes I'm slow to recognize, 16:49 "Hey, this is a spiritual battle." 16:52 And so suddenly it's, like, 16:54 I wake up and I become militant 16:58 'cause I realize, 16:59 "Hey, I'm in a battle 17:01 and I need to cooperate with the Lord to fight 17:06 against these forces." 17:08 Has anybody else ever experienced that? 17:09 Oh, yes. Yes. 17:11 Oh, Lord, have mercy. Okay. 17:12 And, I think... It's real. 17:13 Yes. Yeah. 17:15 It's absolutely real. 17:16 And I think, as we go through this, 17:17 we're going to see 17:19 how just by going through this step 17:21 and putting these armors on in the proper perspective, 17:24 then we begin to see those darts of the enemy, 17:27 to see and understand those snares 17:29 that you're talking about. 17:30 You know, just the very first one, 17:32 it says, 17:34 "Stand therefore, 17:35 having your loins girt about with truth." 17:38 Well, before we even talking about, 17:40 you know, what that means 17:41 and why would you girt your loins, 17:43 but really if you go back... 17:45 I was going back to 2 Corinthians 11, 17:49 and it's talking in 2 Corinthians 11, 17:51 it says, "But I fear, lest by any means, 17:54 as the serpent beguiled Eve 17:57 through his subtlety, 18:02 so your minds should be corrupted 18:05 from the simplicity that is in Christ. 18:08 For He that cometh preaches another Jesus," 18:12 You see, we are in a world where we have to understand 18:16 not only the difference between truth and error, 18:21 but between truth and almost truth, 18:24 which is what you were referring to. 18:27 "Whom we have not preached, 18:28 or if any receive another spirit, 18:31 which ye have not received, or another gospel, 18:33 which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 18:37 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, 18:41 transforming themselves," listen to this, 18:44 "into apostles of Christ. 18:46 And no marvel, 18:48 for Satan himself is transformed 18:50 into an angel of light." 18:51 You know, I listen once in a while 18:54 to other Christians, 18:56 and I think how sad 'cause they... 18:59 And let me explain this. 19:01 Okay. 19:02 Those who, you feel probably know what the truth is 19:07 and they've turned away from it. 19:09 And yet they're still talking the talk, 19:11 walking the walk, it seems on the outside, 19:14 but remember Jesus Himself, they come to Him and said, 19:17 "Lord, Lord, didn't we cast out demons 19:18 in your name?" 19:20 He says, "Depart from me, you workers of iniquity." 19:22 So this battle is intense, 19:26 and we're only going to know 19:29 who are the true sheep from the false sheep 19:33 if we go to the armory. 19:35 And what's the armory? 19:38 The Bible. The Bible. 19:40 I mean, the first thing 19:42 we're talking humanity and divinity. 19:44 And now we are working together here? 19:46 First thing is what? Put on. 19:49 Excuse me, 19:50 put on so there's cooperation there 19:53 has to be between the Holy Spirit and mankind. 19:56 Do I have to put it on? 20:00 Do I have to? We're command to. 20:03 Yeah, you know, you look at however 20:04 you want to look at it. 20:05 If you want to survive the battle, 20:07 you want to be victorious, 20:08 you want heaven to be your home, 20:09 you got to put on the armor. 20:11 That's right. 20:12 If you choose not to put on the armor, guaranteed, 20:14 you're not going to make it through the battle. 20:15 Guaranteed, you're going to die. 20:16 So this is... 20:18 First of all, 20:19 He just simply throws it out there... 20:20 Sister Mollie, put on the armor. 20:22 Just put it on. 20:23 So why girt our loins about with truth? 20:27 What does that mean? 20:29 I think that like girt, that's like a belt, 20:34 that's what a Roman soldier would use 20:38 to hold everything in place was his belt. 20:42 Now isn't that what a belt does? 20:44 A belt keeps everything in place... 20:50 And a believer's integrity is the belt 20:56 that we have that holds everything in place. 20:59 If a believer doesn't... 21:00 If you're not a man or a woman of integrity, 21:04 then nothing is in place for you. 21:06 And so as you have God's truth as you use that, 21:10 as that which holds everything together, 21:13 then you're going to be a man or a woman of integrity. 21:16 And things are going to be in place for you. 21:19 And if you weren't a soldier, 21:22 and you were living in the time that this was written, 21:25 many of the men wore tunics 21:27 which we think of is like a long dress, 21:29 but if they had to really get somewhere quickly, 21:32 or if they had to work or go to battle, 21:34 they had to girt that up under their belt, 21:37 tie it up around their legs so that they can move. 21:41 And to me when I read and I researched that 21:43 and understood it a little better, 21:45 I thought this is what God is telling us, 21:47 "You need to get ready to move. 21:49 You need to get ready for battle, 21:52 and you need to be equipped with the truth in this battle." 21:57 Go ahead, sister. Go ahead. I just missed it. 21:58 I think of the belt of truth as a reliability of God's Word. 22:02 And for me, when I started really feeling equipped 22:06 was when I discovered Isaiah 55:11 22:09 that as I returned God's Word to Him, 22:11 it doesn't return void, 22:12 but it accomplishes everything for which He sent it. 22:16 In Jeremiah 1:12, 22:17 that God's watching over His Word to perform it, 22:20 and then in 1 Kings 8:56, 22:24 it says that not one word 22:27 of what He has promised has failed. 22:29 So to me if I'm going into battle, 22:32 if I can't go into a spiritual battle, 22:38 if I don't know the Word of God, 22:41 but when I've got this Word 22:44 and know the reliability of God's Word 22:46 that girds up my loins, 22:48 I mean, that makes me ready to move. 22:52 And I mentioned earlier, 22:53 we have to know the difference between truth and almost truth. 22:56 You see there's a lot of spirits 22:58 that are doing miraculous things 23:01 even in churches today 23:02 which is what's confusing to people, 23:04 but the Bible says 23:05 we must worship God in spirit and in truth. 23:09 So if you see the spirit and the spirit seems 23:12 like it's working 23:13 like the God's Spirit would work, 23:16 but they're not worshiping in truth, there's a problem. 23:20 So truth will set us free from sin. 23:24 So we have to be... 23:25 But we're warned 23:27 what you are talking about Paul's warning us 23:28 and he's even telling us who we were fighting against. 23:31 He goes back and see enemy. 23:33 And what does the enemy going to throw out to the church? 23:35 Error mingled with truth. 23:38 He's going to throw his craft out and his deceits. 23:41 So the issue is there, we can look out and say, 23:43 "Well, how's the enemy going to do it?" 23:45 Because he is what? 23:46 He's the accuser of the brother. 23:48 So what does he do? 23:49 He comes into church, 23:50 he begins to get people to gossip 23:52 and backbite about each other, 23:53 he cause division and separation, 23:55 and the church can never be powerful as it should be, 23:57 as long as that's going on. 23:59 Those are things 24:00 that he brings out to encourage us 24:03 to put on the whole armor 24:05 that we've been talking about here. 24:07 So the warning is good for us to look at. 24:09 Yes, and he comes in very subtle 24:12 is what we read in Corinthians, very subtle. 24:14 If he came in, 24:15 you know, with a pitchfork, and red suit on, 24:18 and look like a devil we would understand that. 24:22 But when he comes in as we read in Corinthians 24:24 as an angel of light. 24:27 That's why, you know, Jesus warned us 24:29 be not deceived over, and over, and over. 24:33 It's not being deceived 24:34 'cause we know not to go to certain places, 24:37 but when it appears like someone is uplifting 24:40 this Lord and Savior 24:42 which we love, and we've devoted our lives to, 24:45 you know, we're more drawn to that, 24:46 and Jesus is saying be not deceived, 24:49 be not deceived. 24:51 Let me go back to this, 24:52 I mean, I can't get rid of this. 24:54 It's all right. 24:55 Talking about girding up with this truth. 24:59 And if we're talking about a gird being a belt, 25:02 you know, to me a belt is an equalizer, okay? 25:08 Sometimes you let it loose, your pants fall down, 25:12 another times, you know, you tighten it up and it... 25:17 So here we have that option. 25:21 We can be girded up with truth 25:24 or we can just let it slide precise, 25:26 you know, so I just... 25:29 Be caught with your pants. Caught. 25:31 Yeah, you are not prepared, but that is our choice, 25:35 you know, and so it does bring kind of an equal... 25:38 Yes, wow. 25:39 And we fight those battles daily. 25:41 But isn't it true that the Roman soldiers, 25:45 their belt, they hung other weapons off their belt. 25:49 So the belt was a critical... 25:53 And all of our weapons hang on the truth 25:55 and I think this is what you keep saying 25:57 is that if we've got a belt 26:02 that's part truth, part error, 26:04 nothing else is going to hang on that properly. 26:06 It is going to crumble 26:07 because it has to be 26:10 the undiluted truth of God's Word 26:12 if you're going to really stand on. 26:13 And those belts, you know, just came of mind 26:15 because, you know, 26:17 you're in construction or whatever you, 26:18 how many things hang on the belt? 26:20 You've got screwdriver, 26:21 you've got pliers, you've got hammers, 26:23 you've got all kind of things, 26:24 but even in stores 26:26 when a person is weak in an area, 26:28 it might be the back, you have belts that support. 26:32 Now what does that support do? 26:33 It not only supports the top half, 26:36 but it also supports the lower part. 26:39 So it's very important that's an exercise 26:42 that's what you think of term, that's a core. 26:45 You have to have a healthy kind of a midsection here and strong 26:48 so that the legs work properly, 26:49 that the upper body works properly. 26:51 So God says, we need to gird that, 26:52 maybe tighten it up just a little bit, 26:55 and hang these gifts on there. 26:58 And when I had looked at that, 27:00 the belt that was holding it in place, 27:02 but you're actually girding up the whole tunic as it were 27:07 so that you can move, 27:08 so that you have freedom to battle in this battle 27:12 that we're talking about it. 27:14 Well, unless there's any other thoughts, 27:16 let's move on 27:17 to the breastplate of righteousness, 27:20 the breastplate of righteousness. 27:22 What do you suppose that means? 27:24 Why did God describe it 27:25 as the breastplate of righteousness? 27:28 Well, let me use the example of the soldier again. 27:32 The breastplates were woven chains. 27:35 And the breastplates covered all of the vital organs, 27:39 the heart, the lungs, the kidneys. 27:42 And what the enemy looks for, 27:47 would look for was a chink in that armor, 27:50 a chink in that breastplate, 27:51 because if there was a chink they could put the spear 27:54 through there and kill the warrior. 27:57 Are you all warriors? 27:58 That's what I'm liking in us to today. 28:01 We are warriors on the battlefront 28:04 for the kingdom of God. 28:06 Well, the breastplate of righteousness 28:08 that would be the believer's purity. 28:12 And so what the enemy is looking for is to trick you, 28:16 to deceive you to any area of impurity in your life. 28:20 That is an open door, 28:22 that is a chink in your armor for the enemy to get through. 28:26 He looks for a crack. 28:28 And so what we must do is we must stand 28:32 before the Lord who's going to ascend 28:34 into the very presence of Almighty God, 28:36 those that have clean hands and a pure heart. 28:40 So purity, I believe 28:42 that breastplate of righteousness 28:44 is the purity of the believer. 28:46 And, you know, I agree a 100% to what you are saying, 28:49 I want take it just one step further. 28:51 I look at the breastplate of righteousness 28:54 as being the righteousness 28:55 that Jesus Christ has credited to me 28:58 to my account. 29:00 And the righteousness by faith 29:01 'cause we know Isaiah 64:6 says that, 29:05 "Our righteousness is as filthy rags 29:07 before the Lord." 29:09 So that breastplate of righteousness 29:11 is just having that comfort of knowing, 29:14 I have righteousness by faith, 29:16 but then to Mollie's point, that is what does exactly, 29:21 what you say to keep the chinks out of our armor. 29:25 What you said made me think of the Romans 6:16, it says, 29:29 "Do you not know 29:31 that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, 29:33 you are that one's slaves whom you obey, 29:36 whether of sin leading to death, 29:40 or of obedience leading to righteousness." 29:43 So, you know, 29:44 there's people out there who think, 29:46 "All right, I have the righteousness..." 29:47 I mean, there's three groups... 29:51 There's over here on the left 29:53 you've got people who are saying, 29:55 "Oh, righteousness by faith, I'm saved." 29:58 And they don't pay any attention 30:01 to the Word of God. 30:03 And they've been deceived, they've been misled. 30:10 Now on the opposite extreme, 30:12 you've got those people who are, 30:15 "Oh, my righteous, 30:16 I'm just not good enough for God to save me. 30:19 Can I ever be saved?" 30:20 They have no assurance of salvation if you will. 30:23 And in the middle somewhere, 30:24 you've got people who are saying, 30:26 "Yes, this, you know, 30:28 it's Christ who gave me this righteousness." 30:31 But the chink comes when I am impure, 30:34 when I am not walking in obedience to Him. 30:37 That's the way I look at it. 30:38 And thank God for 1 John 1:9 30:40 because we all are going to err. 30:44 Now, there may be some that aren't, 30:46 but I'm not there yet. 30:47 And so if I confess my sins, 30:50 He's faithful and just to forgive me, 30:52 and to cleanse me from what? 30:54 From all unrighteousness. 30:56 If I'm cleansed from all unrighteousness, 30:59 then you know what the word declares? 31:01 I'm the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. 31:04 Has nothing to do 31:05 about my purity, or my holiness, or my goodness, 31:07 it has only to do with the... 31:10 Well, Christ rode out for us at Calvary. 31:12 The power that's in His blood to cleanse us 31:15 from that unrighteousness. 31:16 Our part is to walk in the light of His Word, 31:22 and when we fail, not if we fail, 31:24 but when we fail to go before Him. 31:26 Oh, Lord, give us all a heart, 31:28 give us all a heart of repentance, 31:30 give us a sensitivity to the convicting power of God. 31:35 That's where I was going with this too 31:37 because we think 31:38 of the breastplate of righteousness, 31:41 what is it covering? 31:42 It's covering heart. It covers our heart. 31:45 It is Christ's righteousness which we are grateful, 31:49 we are thankful, we are privileged to receive. 31:53 And the Bible teaches, 31:54 create in us a clean heart, a pure heart. 31:58 He's protecting that righteousness 32:00 and what would the righteousness be? 32:02 The fruit of the spirit, self-denial, love, joy, peace. 32:07 It's all those things and God's protecting 32:09 that character building righteousness 32:12 that comes from that. 32:14 We need to define righteousness just going there, 32:17 because I actually had somebody been 32:19 in the church for 10 years 32:21 and we were sitting and talking at the table 32:23 and she looked at me and said, "What is righteousness?" 32:26 Righteousness simply means to... 32:29 It's two things, right standing with God and right doing. 32:34 Right standing, or right being, and right doing. 32:38 So, you know, only Jesus completely did 32:45 the will of the Father. 32:46 But He credits it that to our account. 32:48 Hallelujah! 32:50 He puts me in my standing 32:52 but, and then He works in me to will 32:54 and to do His good pleasure 32:56 by the power of the Holy Spirit. 32:58 So that's, He is actually working out 33:01 if you will the sanctification removing me from sin, so. 33:06 In Romans 1:17, 33:09 He said, you know, that we know well, 33:10 I'll just read it. 33:11 "For therein is the righteousness 33:13 of God revealed from faith to faith, 33:16 as it is written, the just shall live by faith." 33:19 So that's where we're at. 33:21 That's the message we have to give to the world, 33:24 and it's a message that's needed. 33:26 And you can see why that particular word is used, 33:28 breastplate to protect that. 33:30 It covers all the vital organs. 33:34 You know, it's where we have the most problems, 33:36 even in life and things it causes... 33:39 Just go to the hospital and have a surgery 33:41 is kind of in this area 33:43 this little small area right here. 33:45 So these are the vital, 33:47 spiritual things that we need to really protect 33:49 and to cover 33:51 because the enemy is going to attack 33:53 on the weakest part of our character every time. 33:55 So what are we going to pray today? 33:57 Search me, oh, God and know my heart. 34:00 Try me and know my thoughts. 34:02 See if there be any evil way in me, 34:04 and leave me in the path of this everlasting. 34:06 Isn't that wonderful? 34:08 So we can pray that and, you know what, 34:10 God is more interested in showing us our imperfections 34:14 so we can repent 34:15 and get back in right relationship with Him, 34:19 I mean, as badly as we want. 34:20 Do you all really want to be in right relationship 34:23 that's holy and pure with clean hands? 34:25 And sure we do. 34:26 We say that, we mean it, but sometimes we fall short, 34:30 but when we ask God to do work on us. 34:34 Oh, He's so anxious to do that. Amen. 34:37 Let me just read this real quick. 34:38 Shelley talked in little bit 34:40 and this fits right in there, Mollie. 34:42 There's two fundamental truths. 34:45 Fundamental truth number one is in our humanity, 34:48 we are insufficient. 34:49 Absolutely. Oh, yeah. 34:51 Fundamental truth number two is our sufficiency is in God. 34:54 Absolutely. 34:55 So we go right back, "Oh, search me, O Lord." 34:58 I mean, that's what we're saying, 34:59 "Search me, O Lord. 35:01 Let me see what I've done wrong." 35:02 Amen. Amen. 35:04 Good. 35:05 Okay, well, let me just read this last sentence here. 35:09 It says, "Everyone who enters the Pearly Gates..." 35:11 This is Spirit of Prophecy and it says, 35:14 "Everyone who enters the Pearly Gates of this city 35:16 will enter there as a conqueror and his greatest conquest 35:22 will have been the conquest of self." 35:24 Which is what we're talking about. 35:26 And as were taking, 35:27 you know, the righteousness of Christ, 35:30 we're actually conquering self 35:32 because it's not just taking it and not changing. 35:36 It's taking it, dissecting it, ingesting it, 35:40 living it out in this warfare that we are in. 35:43 Self is always our greatest enemy, 35:46 it always will be. 35:47 And lot of times we have the audacity, 35:49 I want to think some time worry about somebody else's life. 35:52 We're to be interested in 35:54 and we want them saved in the kingdom. 35:55 But lots of time we sit back and people talk about others 35:58 who are maybe on the frontlines. 36:00 They might've seen something 36:01 or thought they've seen something 36:03 and they sit around talking about, 36:04 that dissecting and then... 36:05 It wouldn't be more fruitful for us to, 36:07 you know, take some time alone with God. 36:10 And you talk about try me, O Lord. 36:12 You know, just put our self before God 36:14 and open up and say, "Lord, whatever it takes. 36:16 I prayed this many years ago it changed my whole life." 36:19 I finally said to God, and I said it many times before 36:22 because I knew, at least, 36:24 I thought it was a right answer, 36:25 what we do. 36:27 You know, we have steps that we believe 36:29 these are the right things to do, 36:30 and sometime we do it, 36:31 but it's really made the wrong motives 36:33 or we really don't submit, 36:34 but I finally came to God and said, 36:36 "Whatever it takes 36:38 that I can be saved in the kingdom, 36:40 let it happen in my life." 36:42 I can tell you 36:43 this the bottom fell out of some things. 36:45 I can tell you a lot of things, 36:47 but I said that prayer 36:48 in that prayer many times before. 36:50 But I know and I didn't want it, 36:53 but I had reservations. 36:54 My reservation was because I did not trust Him. 36:58 See, I didn't trust Him 37:00 because I knew I can bust loose, 37:02 I knew I could fall apart, 37:04 and I really didn't want to go through that. 37:07 But I would pray, 37:08 "Lord, whatever it takes that I can make it to heaven, 37:10 please let it happen in my life." 37:12 And then there was that. 37:13 I didn't come out and say it, 37:15 you know, that's how the enemy's got your mind, 37:17 but it was kept coming out that way, 37:19 and then finally one time I said, more studying, 37:21 and more praying... 37:23 I finally thought, 37:24 "After all these years, Lord, I trust You. 37:27 I trust You with my family, I trust You with our children," 37:32 you see, "I trust You in this work 37:34 and really You have my best interest at heart. 37:37 So I'm gonna leave it with you, whatever it takes, 37:39 I trust you 37:41 that I could make it to heaven, let it happen." 37:44 The whippings did come, the chastisement did come, 37:47 and life changed 37:49 and there were situations there, 37:51 but God saw me through. 37:52 And I was thankful for that. 37:54 But it's just simply was me, it was not Him. 37:56 When I finally believe 37:58 what I was praying and put it into action 38:00 it just changed my whole thinking 38:03 and my whole life. 38:04 And I thank Him for the test, and those trials, and... 38:08 I'll give you a quick example, 38:09 we have time and I don't want to... 38:12 This may sound a little brutal 38:13 but, you know, I was in construction for years 38:15 and so I've made little bit of money 38:17 and so on and so forth. 38:18 And so I said selfishly to myself in the late '70s. 38:22 I said, "I've had several new vehicles, 38:25 but I have not ordered the one I want. 38:28 I want to order one." 38:31 And it didn't seem so bad at the time 38:33 so I went to the garage 38:34 and I ordered with everything I wanted on it. 38:36 So I ordered that car, 38:38 and then finally I got the car in about four months 38:40 and I parked in the garage. 38:42 And I had the car for two or three years, 38:44 it never saw a rainy street, 38:45 I never got it out when it rained 38:46 'cause I didn't need it 38:48 'cause I had other one, see, very selfish. 38:51 So anyway I just never got it out, 38:53 I just had a couple thousand miles on it 38:55 after three years parked in there, 38:56 so it never seen a rain outside, 38:58 it never seen a rainy street, it always... 39:00 And when this conversion part came I said, 39:03 "Lord, whatever it takes," 39:04 and the Lord said to me, "Kenny, get rid of that car." 39:08 And I first said, "Well, no. Why would I do that? 39:11 Why would I do that?" 39:12 Lord says, "You've been praying to Me 39:14 about what it's going to take, why do you need that car? 39:16 You have other ones..." 39:18 So here's what you say, 39:19 "God, I'll do anything You tell me to do 39:21 but I won't do that." 39:22 Except. 39:23 I hadn't except on there, but I thought, 39:25 "No, I'm not going to get rid of that" 39:26 I said, finally, 39:28 He came to me again and strong, "Get rid of the car." 39:31 You know, like the rich man... 39:32 What you have, you know, give the poor. 39:34 I said okay. 39:35 And this is how tolerant the Lord is, 39:36 and how merciful, and His grace is so wonderful. 39:39 He just said and talked to me about it. 39:41 I finally said to Him, 39:42 I said, "I'll tell You what, Lord. 39:44 Nobody really knows I've got the car basically 39:45 'cause I never have it out. 39:47 But send somebody up to my door, 39:49 knock on my door, and say, 39:50 'I'd like to buy that car you have in there.'" 39:52 I knew it was impossible. I get to keep it. 39:54 Somebody not with me here. 39:57 The very next day, knocked on the door, 40:01 it was my next door neighbor. 40:03 She came to the door and she said, 40:05 "My husband," his name is Jack, 40:07 said, "My husband, Jack, 40:08 we're getting ready to buy a new car, 40:10 we know you've got a car, 40:12 we know it's never been outside, 40:14 we know that it's like brand new. 40:16 And he said go ask Kenny if we could buy that car." 40:19 And I almost shut the door on her face. 40:23 I knew what it was, answered prayer just like that. 40:26 And so I thought... 40:27 'Cause it never was for sale, I never talked about it, 40:29 let me think, anyway, I said, "Yes, it is for sale." 40:34 She said, "We'll take it." 40:35 Listen to that, "We'll take it." 40:37 I said, "You never asked how much I wanted for." 40:39 She said, "I don't have to, my husband whatever 40:41 he ask will be fair and just give it to him." 40:45 I thought how interesting that is. 40:47 She wrote a check for that car and drove it off, 40:50 just like that. 40:51 And I said right then, "We had to be willing." 40:54 Maybe a long story, 40:55 we had to be willing whatever it takes. 40:58 So He was bringing to the point of, 41:00 why did you do this all self? 41:02 And then, are you willing to get rid of it? 41:05 Finally, I said yes. 41:06 And what a blessing it was and that was a beginning 41:08 of lot of other things going so. 41:10 But also, probably an attaboy on your side, 41:15 you were trustworthy. 41:17 And they arise whatever He ask. Step one, built the truth. 41:22 I mean, all of that's amazing. Right. 41:23 That's amazing. Yeah. 41:25 You had shown integrity. 41:26 Yeah, I said even, "Do you want to see it?" 41:29 She said, "Well, we've seen it go down the road 41:31 when there is no rain..." 41:33 Probably bright and shiny day. 41:34 I said, "Do you want to go on the garage and see it?" 41:36 She said, "My husband said no, you won't have to 41:38 'cause he keeps it like brand spanking new." 41:41 It's like there was enough, you didn't have to worry about, 41:44 you know... 41:45 It was going to be done, they were going to buy it, 41:47 and mine was to say, "Yes, Lord, I'll do it." 41:49 And see, really there's nothing wrong 41:51 in having that car. 41:53 But it was how you held that car in a steam, 41:56 and it was a test of faith. 41:58 And it goes right back to the... 41:59 I didn't think I did. 42:00 I didn't think I did for a while. 42:02 See, that's the deception of the enemy. 42:03 And it really was, a little ideal. 42:05 That's because that is deep into our hearts 42:07 and says that what is our heart? 42:10 It's all sorts of things, Ken, are hidden in our hearts. 42:13 Yes, I'm so glad you did that. 42:15 Yeah, search us, O God, search out these hearts. 42:18 So if you look at verse 15 it may answer that... 42:24 Absolutely. 42:25 "And your feet shod 42:26 with the preparation of the gospel of peace." 42:29 At that particular time that's what who you are. 42:33 It says lukewarm Christian is very dangerous. 42:35 And I'll say that to each of you there at home. 42:37 A lukewarm Christian is very dangerous 42:40 because a lot of times 42:42 you really don't know that you are... 42:45 Since none of you ever been in that situation that I have 42:49 and I really didn't know that I was. 42:52 Maybe there are totally indifferent, 42:54 maybe not paying any attention. 42:55 But I've been in a church for a long time, 42:57 and never really realize one day Lord said, 43:00 "Kenny, you're dangerous." 43:01 Why? "Because you're lukewarm." 43:04 And you had to be hot so, you know, I hear that. 43:06 Got to preach. Yes. 43:09 Well, it's because a lot us think 43:10 that we're saved, 43:12 but we've really not going back to that armory 43:14 that we talked about in the very beginning. 43:16 We wouldn't have any of this armor on 43:19 if we don't go back to the armory, 43:21 and that's what you were doing in prayer 43:23 because you're submitting... 43:25 You had been feeding, 43:26 you've been gathering all the ammunition 43:28 that you needed from the armory, 43:30 from the Bible, 43:32 and so the Lord began to speak to your heart. 43:34 Yes, He did. 43:35 And that was something you were holding up until... 43:36 And He will do it. 43:38 I don't mean to take more time, 43:39 but I'm talking about conviction and conversion. 43:41 He will do it as I realized as lukewarm. 43:44 And I said, "Whatever it takes, Lord, 43:46 that I can be saved in the kingdom, let it happen." 43:48 He gave me a dream the next night 43:51 and in that dream 43:52 He mentioned three things in my life that had to go. 43:54 And He says, 43:55 "If those three things don't go, 43:56 heaven will never be your home." 43:58 And I looked at those three things, 43:59 I didn't see a whole lot of wrong with Him. 44:02 But He did. He did. 44:04 He's basically putting something for Him, 44:06 and He named all three of those things. 44:08 He said to me in the dream, "He says you're proud to Me." 44:13 I was standing before like at the judgment seat, 44:15 you know, the books were open. 44:17 And it was so beautiful about, 44:19 He said, "Kenny," He didn't say, hey, you! 44:22 He said what you've been up to? 44:24 He called me by name... 44:26 Here's my point about the lukewarm quick, 44:28 I'm sorry, I'm taking time. 44:30 It's just changed my whole life. 44:32 It changed my whole thinking. 44:34 He said, "Kenny." 44:36 I recognized the master's voice. 44:39 I was lukewarm, you see the difference. 44:42 Soon as He said, "Kenny," I said, "Yes, Lord." 44:44 Just like that. I said, "Yes, Lord." 44:47 And He said, "Kenny, why do you persist in this?" 44:49 And He named it. 44:50 And I said, "Lord, I didn't know it hurt you, 44:52 I didn't know..." 44:53 He dearly says, "Yes, it is." 44:55 And I said, "Then, Lord, I give it to you." 44:57 Then He came and He named the second thing. 44:59 He didn't minced around, 45:00 He didn't talk about the weather, 45:02 He didn't were," he said, 45:03 "Kenny, this is where it's going to take 45:05 'cause I was praying whatever it takes." 45:06 And he said again, 45:07 "Kenny," and I said, "Yes, Lord." 45:10 He said, "What about this? What is it going to take?" 45:15 And I said, "Lord," same thing, " 45:17 I didn't know it would hurt you like that, 45:18 I didn't realize that it was so bad. 45:20 I don't know, so please forgive me." 45:23 And he came to me again and He said, three times, 45:26 "Kenny." 45:27 I mean, it was with such conviction 45:29 and such love and convert that it just, 45:32 it melted my heart. 45:33 It melted the so heart. 45:35 He just says, 45:36 "Kenny," you just see His arms reaching out, 45:38 you know, just, "Kenny," "Yes, Lord." 45:40 So he repeated. 45:41 I said, "Lord, I gave it all to you, 45:42 I don't want it, I can't handle it." 45:44 And he said, "I'll take it." 45:46 So He took it upon Himself, 45:48 you know, and gave that victory. 45:50 And then all of a sudden it was like, 45:52 I can hear like the angels of heaven singing, 45:55 like there's victory going on, 45:56 there was celebration going on in heaven. 45:59 And I was hearing He's saying, I get those goose bumps. 46:02 You know, and I said, "Oh, this is so wonderful." 46:04 And then I heard the voice again, "Kenny." 46:07 You know what he said? 46:09 He says, "You've got another chance 46:13 and you best make it good this time." 46:16 I mean, that's like you say, he comes real plain to you, 46:18 He said you've got another chance, 46:20 you need to make it good this time. 46:22 But your foundation, what this sprang from... 46:26 Was your going before the Lord saying, 46:28 "Whatever it takes." 46:29 Whatever it takes. Yeah. 46:31 What a change that was that it changed the whole life, 46:35 it changed the way I approach the word, people. 46:40 And I give this to no praise whatsoever 46:41 because I mentioned before here, 46:43 I taught Sabbath school class, 46:45 the Young Mary class and the deacon in the church, 46:47 you know what I'm saying all of these things here. 46:50 In the very first week we came back on Sabbath, 46:52 got up and taught one of the lessons. 46:54 So people come up and they looked at me. 46:56 They said, "What happened?" What's different? 46:58 I didn't know, what's different. 47:00 Now I'm talking change, yeah, what, what happened? 47:02 I'm going, 47:03 "What do you mean, what happened?" 47:05 I didn't... 47:06 They said, "You're not... 47:07 You don't even look the same, 47:09 you got different look in your eye." 47:10 Amen. Glory to God. 47:11 The things that you said were the same 47:13 but they're accompanied by... 47:14 There's something's happened. 47:16 And I said, "Yeah, I met the Savior." 47:17 After all these years, you know, so I mean, 47:19 it's a wonderful experience. 47:21 God worked through different people 47:22 in different ways. 47:24 But main part, this is what we're talking about here. 47:25 Oh, it is, absolutely. 47:27 You know, shouting ourself up with a gospel 47:29 but I've never been the same, 47:32 since that experience I have never been the same 47:34 and I don't want to be the same. 47:36 I learned valuable lessons, I went places and things, 47:38 I didn't say anything, 47:40 I should know but I never want to go back. 47:42 So this was arranged in the next morning. 47:45 You showed up with your marching glories. 47:48 As soon as I woke up, 47:50 I dropped on my knees beside the bed... 47:52 Wow! And I said, "Thank you, Lord. 47:54 Thank you for what You've revealed to me 47:56 and by Your grace and Your strength, 47:58 this is my walk with You from day to day. 48:00 Wow! Amen. 48:01 And it just changed... 48:03 Yes, you had a converted heart. 48:05 Wow! Yeah. 48:07 Goes to that heart. 48:08 But so you can be in the church, 48:09 and you can be in the offices and you can feel possessions, 48:11 so it doesn't mean you're saved in God's kingdom. 48:13 Means you might have a head knowledge of it 48:15 which our Bible always talks about, 48:16 but I'm talking about 48:18 we have to have a saving knowledge, 48:19 we have to have experimental knowledge with Him 48:21 and He knew that's what it would take, 48:23 that's what a loving Savior would have. 48:24 I'm gonna be quiet. No, it was all good. 48:26 That's part of this. That's what we're doing. 48:28 I still get goose bumps. 48:30 I got goose bumps now and that's been many years ago, 48:32 I still got big goose bumps. 48:33 Yes, like good fight of faith. 48:34 Wasn't it Peter that Jesus said, 48:36 "Peter, when you're converted, be My sheep." 48:40 "Peter, when you're converted, feed my lambs." 48:43 Here, I mean this is right before Christ crucifixion, 48:45 you would have thought he was converted. 48:47 Yeah. 48:48 You know, but... 48:50 But the change of that, 48:51 the change of it was feed my sheep. 48:54 When he was converted, what did He say? 48:55 Feed my lambs. Feed my lambs. 48:57 There's a difference in feeding 48:58 the lambs and feeding the sheep. 49:00 Different way in which to approach it. 49:02 I'm still trying to learn that, 49:03 a different way in which to approach it 49:05 to let Jesus shine through 49:06 and not self and not self wanting to, 49:09 but sometimes we're just what we are 49:10 but keep Jesus in mind always. 49:12 And that's part... 49:13 And that's your mind is probably more gentle 49:14 than the other. 49:16 I think that's part 49:17 of the breastplate of righteousness 49:18 because once we wear 49:20 that breastplate of righteousness, 49:22 it's protecting us, 49:23 but it's also enabling us to feed the sheep, 49:26 to feed the lambs in a way that we're supposed to. 49:30 Okay, let's look at the next piece of the arm. 49:32 It's all good 49:33 'cause this is what we're talking about. 49:35 "And your feet shod 49:37 with the preparation of the gospel at peace." 49:40 We live in a world that is epidemic. 49:45 It's epidemic as far as crimes, hardness of hearts. 49:49 You know, we were taught years ago 49:51 that at the end of the world that we would, 49:54 that the Holy Spirit would be repressed 49:55 from the world, you know. 49:57 And I remember thinking maybe 10 years ago, 49:59 I thought, "Well, I read that years and years ago, 50:02 but I never thought we'd be pushing Him away." 50:05 We're pushing Him away by our choices, 50:08 by our decisions and this great lamb like beast 50:12 that came up out of the sea 50:14 is beginning to speak as a dragon. 50:16 So what do you suppose having our feet shod 50:20 with a preparation of the gospel of peace 50:24 has to do in that type of a setting? 50:27 Well, it's talking about shoes. 50:30 So what are you, 50:31 he said that what we shod our fate with the shoes. 50:35 So shoes, peace 50:37 where is the correlation between that? 50:39 And you go back to the Roman soldier 50:43 and they were shod. 50:45 And have you ever heard of something called a hobnail? 50:49 Okay, it's along the lines of the cleat 50:51 on player shoes. 50:53 Why did they have cleats on football player shoes? 50:55 Get that traction, dig in. 50:57 So they will have solid footing... 51:02 Yes. Amen. 51:03 And so when your feet are shod with the preparation of peace, 51:07 you've got solid footing where there's no peace. 51:12 The Word says, 51:14 "Great peace have they that love thy law, 51:15 and nothing shall offend them." 51:17 That's good. 51:18 Where there is bickering and striving and there is... 51:23 What is in the midst of all of that? 51:25 The enemy is in the midst of destroying our peace. 51:29 But when have our feet shod, 51:32 when that football player is out, 51:34 when the Alabama foot player... 51:37 Oh, my! I got that one in, uh-huh. 51:38 Is that they run for that touchdown. 51:40 He wants to have, 51:42 he's got to have cleats to keep him solidly, 51:45 and solid and secure, 51:47 so the preparation of the gospel feet shod 51:51 with the preparation of peace. 51:52 That peace is what gives us that solid secure footing. 51:57 I love that. 51:58 Games have been lost 52:00 because, Brother JD, because of their footing. 52:03 One play, then have the footing. 52:05 Their foot slipped. 52:06 Their foot slipped, they lost the game. 52:08 What I think, then all of a sudden 52:09 you're slipping aside. 52:11 Then, you know, so steadiness of foot versus 52:14 just sitting there... 52:16 I love that and I love the analogy 52:18 because are we not to go into all the world. 52:21 And see, the enemy likes 52:22 to make the gospel look like something it's not. 52:26 You know, but to go into a world 52:28 that is tormented by destruction 52:31 and lack of peace and to give them that gospel, 52:34 that good news of salvation, 52:36 that peace that passes all understanding. 52:39 We can be in the middle of the storm, 52:41 God never promised 52:42 He would take us out of the storm. 52:44 That's right. 52:45 But boy, you gonna have peace in the midst of it. 52:46 You can have peace in the midst so we're shod. 52:49 I love the firm foundation. 52:51 We're also told that we're to be a steel, 52:54 so that every word of doctrine when it comes our way, 52:56 we will not be swayed one way or the other, 52:58 that's what I saw in those feet, 53:00 in those cleats 53:01 you were describing them that foot. 53:03 Every wind of the gospel, the peace that comes our way, 53:07 we're not gonna move because our feet are shod. 53:10 Let me read those. Go ahead. 53:12 I was just gonna read a note that how I wrote it out was, 53:15 my feet are fitted 53:16 with the readiness of the gospel, 53:18 my footing is secure on the foundation of Christ. 53:23 And I have inner peace based on God's message of redemption. 53:28 So I think that that's part of it 53:30 as well is that we to shod our feet 53:35 with the preparation of the gospel of peace, 53:38 the gospel of peace to me is Jesus Christ. 53:41 It's redemption in Him. 53:44 And if we have a secure footing there, 53:47 we've got the traction to go out and share 53:51 with the rest of the world what it's all about. 53:54 It's hope to the hopeless. It's love to the loveless. 53:59 It's a Father to the Fatherless. 54:02 It's all those beautiful, 54:03 beautiful things that you just described. 54:05 I love it. 54:06 That's what we as God's children 54:08 as we're suited up in this armor, 54:10 as we're drawing from the armor, 54:12 we ought to give to our fellow neighbors. 54:14 And first of all, 54:16 He encrypts us and then we give it away. 54:19 I love that. 54:20 Brother JD, our movements must be sure. 54:22 Yeah, and that is the thing this morning, 54:24 we're reading in Maranatha 54:25 for our devotional and pastoral. 54:27 And so this morning it was saying, 54:30 "That the time will come 54:31 when you need to have those cleats in there 54:34 and know who you are in Jesus because in these last days, 54:37 you're going to be called on your position. 54:39 Yes. 54:40 And so, you know, there is a time 54:41 when you need to search me 54:44 O, Lord, equip me so that you are prepared. 54:48 We're in those times. Yes. 54:50 And there is that lukewarmness that we're talking about. 54:54 And so steadiness of foot is very, very important. 54:56 Absolutely. 54:58 And Jesus tells us, "Come unto me, 54:59 all ye that labor 55:00 and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 55:04 Which is fantastic 55:05 because many people are afraid of not knowing all the answers. 55:10 That's a fact. It is. 55:13 I want to just comment 55:14 'cause I know we don't have time 55:15 to cover another verse, 55:17 so let me put this comment that I've been reserving. 55:18 You mentioned earlier 55:20 that the devil is the accuser of the brethren 55:21 and obviously that is what the Bible says. 55:24 But what occurred to me as you said that 55:27 is it's just not that the devil is up there 55:29 accusing me or accusing you, 55:32 but guess what he does, He accuses us in our own mind. 55:35 Oh, He does. 55:36 You're not worthy, you're not this. 55:38 He passes, he tries to put condemnation on us 55:43 so that it's kind of like you feel, 55:46 "Oh, how could God forgive me again?" 55:47 Amen. That's right. 55:49 You know, so the accuser of the brethren, 55:51 I just want you to think about this. 55:53 The accuser of the brethren tries 55:56 to keep you from praying. 55:58 He tries to keep you from putting on this full armor 56:01 because it's like you messed up again. 56:04 You're no good. Yes. 56:06 And that's when you don't feel like praying 56:08 when you need to. 56:10 That's when he's got that wedge that he's trying wedge in... 56:11 The subtlety. That subtlety... 56:14 Yes, through your arm I've been there. 56:16 I've shed many a tears, 56:17 I've been there thinking there was no hope. 56:19 I think we need to take that shield, 56:21 talk about our faith, the darts are coming. 56:24 But you know what shield by itself is useless 56:26 unless you use it properly 56:28 as you see that fiery dart coming 56:31 that the Holy Spirit reveals it. 56:32 You've got to move that shield for where it's coming. 56:35 In a battle, what happened in the big battle? 56:37 The men got around and they shielded, 56:38 they put their shields up, 56:40 they were like two and a half by four feet 56:42 and they shield it all the way around themselves, 56:44 and then those in the middle took their shield 56:45 and put it up over their heads, 56:47 but they had something that nothing could get in 56:49 and that's what we need today by grace of God. 56:51 That's like unity and that's alliance. 56:52 Oh, we didn't even get to the snippet, right? 56:54 We may have to have a part three and four and five 56:58 'cause there is so many. 56:59 You guys have been absolutely wonderful. 57:01 Thank you. I have been blessed. 57:03 My heart has been touching. 57:04 I pray that your heart is touched 57:06 and I pray that we have encouraged you to go 57:08 to the armory of God 57:10 and feed upon His Word each and every day. 57:13 Feed upon His Word before you feed 57:15 that physical food take part in that spiritual food. 57:19 Just a short prayer, shall we, Brother JD? 57:20 Would you close out? 57:22 Father, as we come to the end of this, 57:23 we thank You for the Sabbath day. 57:25 We thank You, Lord, that we can sit here 57:27 and that we can share the food that You've given us, Lord. 57:30 We just pray that all be blessed. 57:31 Take care of each and everyone of us, 57:33 we ask this in the name of Jesus. 57:35 Amen. Amen. 57:36 Amen. Amen. |
Revised 2018-03-07