WEBVTT 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:14.000 Ministering to the heart of Western Arkansas's River Valley for over 165 years, welcome to Chapter and First, the Bible Teaching Ministry of Fort Smith's First Baptist Church. 00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:19.359 You'll find sermons and teachings from Pastor Greg, our ministry staff, and guest speakers. 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:21.280 Thank you for listening. 00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:22.399 Wow. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:26.719 Jesus says, Praise the Lord. 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:28.480 Grateful for that. 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:45.840 This week, as I was uh preparing for my part of this uh armor of God, which is the shield of faith, I started just thinking back when I was growing up of a time or times when I felt safe, when I felt protected. 00:00:46.079 --> 00:00:57.039 It was funny, I you know, I'm from Lawton, Oklahoma, and um growing up, there was a lot of times, which happens here too, but the tornado sirens would go off. 00:00:57.119 --> 00:01:01.280 And now back when I was little, you didn't have all the stuff on the TVs. 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:06.480 So when the turret the tornado sirens were go off, it was like panic time. 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:09.359 And um my house did not have a cellar. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:25.120 So we would get in, now I know this doesn't sound like it's safe, but we would get in the car when the sirens are going off, and we would drive, and the church was only about a block and a half, but the church, the bottom floor was underground, it was a basement. 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:29.840 And I'll never forget those times we would get in the car and it would be rain, it would be raining so hard. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:43.840 There was one time I remember it was hailing, and we were driving down the street, I'm screaming, I'm crying in the car, headed to the church, we go running in the church, we go down in the basement, and then I started playing with my friends. 00:01:44.480 --> 00:01:45.599 I felt what? 00:01:46.079 --> 00:01:46.879 Safe. 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:57.200 Or those other times I'd be laying in bed, and uh I could see out my window the lightning, and I could hear the thunder, I could even feel the thunder. 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:05.599 And I remember laying in bed scared to death, and so I would get up and I would sneak down the hallway, and I would crawl in bed with my parents. 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:09.039 The room was next door. 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:13.039 It's not any safer in their room, but there was something about what? 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:17.759 Getting in bed with my parents that within a couple minutes, guess what? 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:20.319 I was safe and I was asleep. 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:27.840 The picture today is as we look, if you have your Bibles, take out your Bibles to Ephesians 6. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:31.599 We're going to continue our series in Ephesians. 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:39.199 But the shield of faith is a part of the armor of God described as we've been looking in Ephesians. 00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:50.719 After summarizing the gospel, Paul gives the Ephesians some more instructions. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:57.120 Paul concludes this message in the book of Ephesians with this. 00:02:57.199 --> 00:02:58.319 And we've been reading this. 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:00.560 This is just the first part of this. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:04.639 Finally, be strong in the Lord and his mighty power. 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:13.120 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take stand against the devil's schemes. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:27.360 When Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God in Ephesians, he concludes after saying that he goes through each piece of the armor. 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:29.919 And we've been talking about each piece today. 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:33.439 I want to talk, I want to dive into the shield of faith. 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:37.120 So if you will, we're going to read Ephesians 6, 16. 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:39.759 Read that with me as we look at it. 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:52.080 In every situation, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:54.719 In every situation. 00:03:54.960 --> 00:04:04.319 Other translations say, above all, in all circumstances, but in every situation, take up the shield of faith. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:12.800 Now, when I say the word shield, many of you are thinking, kind of like I did when I first thought of Captain America, right? 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:25.839 Little shield that he runs around, he uses it as a weapon, he also can throw it, it does it, but it's just the small round circle. 00:04:26.319 --> 00:04:30.079 Our mind goes to that, and that's a little bit of what we're talking about today. 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:35.920 Some people's mind even might even go to that pointed the Renaissance era shield. 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:46.079 But this shield, when Paul is speaking and he says the word shield, it takes the listeners straight to a Roman soldier. 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:51.920 It takes them to a shield a lot different than that shield, the little small shield. 00:04:52.079 --> 00:04:58.879 This shield that they're looking at is in some of the situations, it says it can be even as big as a door. 00:04:58.959 --> 00:05:00.560 But here's a picture of one right here. 00:05:00.800 --> 00:05:05.040 It is a shield that kind of has two purposes. 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:13.279 The first purpose you can see is maybe to use to back off somebody from your area or away from you. 00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:15.439 But more importantly, it what? 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:19.120 It protects your body from attack. 00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:24.800 They even say, I was reading, it even says a lot of them are covered in different things. 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:27.199 You can see here, many times they would be painted. 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:30.000 They could show your rank, they could do all kinds of stuff. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:36.399 This shield to a Roman soldier was extremely important to them. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:41.519 And it's something I thought was pretty neat because we're talking about the flaming arrows. 00:05:41.839 --> 00:05:53.600 Another thing about this shield is a lot of them would cover it with cloth or even like a uh a skin of some sort so that they could dip it in water so it would be wet. 00:05:53.839 --> 00:06:04.959 So if back then a lot of times a lot of wars happened with fire, fire was a a huge uh war piece to just catch if they can catch something on fire, they win. 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:13.040 And so it was a huge piece of seeing that the flaming arrows were not affected by the shield because the shield had water and it would it would it would put it out. 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:17.920 And so the picture of the shield is very important. 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:24.319 It's clearly the shield was vital to all soldiers, it provided a blanket of protection. 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:32.319 It is meant, like scripture says, to be taken up in all circumstances. 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:39.920 But we look at it here in the scripture and it says, take up the shield, and there's another word that went with it. 00:06:40.160 --> 00:06:44.959 Take up not just the shield, but it says the shield of faith. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:49.040 So many times we we we hear the word faith. 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:54.240 Do we really know what it means? 00:06:55.439 --> 00:06:58.319 I mean, if we're not careful, it's a church word. 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:02.720 And sometimes it can easily just roll off our tongue. 00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:12.399 In fact, listen to this depending on the translation that you use, the word faith is found over 240 times in Scripture. 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:18.800 The word faith, and I want to start with a question: what is faith? 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:21.199 What is faith? 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:24.959 The word faith really contains two aspects. 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:30.879 I think the first aspect is uh an intellectual assent. 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:35.279 It is believing something is true. 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:39.120 And then the second part is trust. 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:45.680 Trust is actually relying on the fact that something is true. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:52.000 So I we we see this quite a bit, we hear about it, but I want to take this as an example. 00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:53.519 We got a chair here. 00:07:54.639 --> 00:08:05.439 And the intellectual ascent would be looking at that chair and wondering well, that chair has four legs, it looks pretty sturdy. 00:08:05.680 --> 00:08:10.639 Um I think if I sat in that chair, it possibly could hold me up. 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:17.920 That was the purpose of the built of this chair, and I can look around this chair the whole time and I can be saying, Wow, this is a good chair. 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:27.600 But intellectually, I'm looking at this chair like, okay, but it is not until I do what that I trust the chair. 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:29.680 Set in it, right? 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:32.799 Now, both both pieces taken care of now. 00:08:33.039 --> 00:08:38.879 I had the intellect to look at it to see is it something that will hold me, and then I had the what? 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:41.039 The trust is set in it. 00:08:43.440 --> 00:08:45.120 That's what faith is. 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:51.120 It's not just the intellect of looking at it, but it's the trust that takes us to listen to this. 00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:53.600 Hebrews 11:1 says this. 00:08:54.559 --> 00:09:04.159 Now, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:10.720 The assurance, being confident, the conviction, the passion, and the belief. 00:09:12.080 --> 00:09:16.639 The beginning point of faith is believing in God's character. 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:19.200 He is who he says he is. 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:24.960 The ending point of belief is God's promises. 00:09:26.080 --> 00:09:48.799 He will do what he says when we believe that God will fulfill his promises, even though we don't see the promises materializing, coming about, we demonstrate true faith. 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:51.360 Remember Thomas? 00:09:53.440 --> 00:09:55.279 Word got out to Thomas. 00:09:55.919 --> 00:10:01.519 This is after Jesus had died on the cross and he was resurrected. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:06.799 Remember what word got out to Thomas and said, Hey, Thomas, Jesus is alive. 00:10:06.960 --> 00:10:08.240 You remember what Thomas said? 00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:09.679 What did Thomas say? 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:16.720 Until I see and put my hands in his wounds. 00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:20.240 I can't believe. 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:22.320 What was Thomas lacking? 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:23.919 Faith. 00:10:24.879 --> 00:10:26.320 He knew everything about Jesus. 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:27.440 He spent with Jesus. 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:29.360 Jesus even said he was going to do what? 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:31.840 He would come back. 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:35.440 But he wanted to what? 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:37.039 See. 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:45.360 And that's what makes this verse here in John 20 when Jesus said this, because you have seen me, you have believed. 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:51.679 Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. 00:10:55.919 --> 00:11:00.960 Faith is believing God's character. 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:05.440 Believing He is who He says he is. 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:10.720 But also believing His promises. 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:16.240 He says He will do what He says. 00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:19.600 Why is the definition of faith so important? 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:22.000 Why are we taking time to even talk about faith? 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:26.960 Because the Bible says this without faith, it is impossible to what? 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:29.519 To please God. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:32.799 Without faith, we cannot be saved. 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:39.600 Without faith, the Christian life cannot be to the intent that Christ has called us to be. 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:45.360 So many times we sit in here, we think we are so smart. 00:11:47.120 --> 00:11:48.960 Myself included. 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:52.799 And God just saying, listen. 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:56.159 I've got it. 00:11:56.480 --> 00:11:58.320 I know what I'm doing. 00:12:01.039 --> 00:12:02.879 So that leads us to the next question. 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:05.840 How does a Christian live by faith? 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:10.960 First off, faith begins with God. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:16.879 It is his gift, not the results of any human effort or achievement. 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:19.600 Did you hear that? 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:26.559 This faith that we have is because God loves us so much. 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:35.279 Failure to trust God started way back in the garden. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:37.600 You remember the picture of the garden? 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:40.480 Can you imagine living in the garden? 00:12:40.799 --> 00:12:48.799 It says that Adam and Eve walked with God in the coolness of the evening. 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:50.799 Whoo, where's that at? 00:12:51.759 --> 00:13:02.240 You know the idea, and just all the stuff, all the things that they got to see God show them. 00:13:03.440 --> 00:13:05.360 I mean, they could eat from whatever. 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:06.960 But then it takes us back. 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:08.720 They knew who God was. 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:15.360 They walked with God daily, but when the temptation first came, the fruits there, and what did the serpent say? 00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:19.519 If you take this fruit, you will become like God. 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:25.039 What would it do you see the picture of faith? 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:31.039 Can I really trust what God told me? 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:33.840 Do you think God's keeping something from me? 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:36.960 Do you think if I eat this I can become like God? 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:40.320 Do you see that? 00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:45.039 The part of faith is she knew who God was. 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:50.159 However, she was having a hard time, what? 00:13:51.200 --> 00:13:52.879 Believing in what God said. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:07.039 The Apostle Paul also says, and I think it's extremely important looking as we do this, we walk by faith and not by sight. 00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:08.960 Now, this is a hard concept. 00:14:12.159 --> 00:14:13.519 That was in 2 Corinthians. 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:24.159 That's a hard concept because so many times we live in the moment and as we walk by faith, we want to see all the things happening, and we want to make sure what? 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:29.200 That we are in control and that we are seeing results. 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:38.399 Faith does not put our trust in a bank account. 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:40.639 We just saw a debate. 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:46.960 It doesn't put our faith in the headlines of the news. 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:52.320 Or, like we're hearing a lot just recently in our church, doctors' reports. 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:57.039 We don't look at the troubles we can see now. 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:03.840 Rather, we fix our gaze on things that we cannot see. 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:18.000 When the world seems to be falling apart all around us, our faith stands secure on the solid foundation of God's promises. 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:20.879 The other day, and I got permission to share this. 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:28.320 The other day, one of our ours, Karen Bull, she was in the hospital, she's got cancer. 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:38.240 It's not good, but I was in the hospital with her, and we're just sharing back and forth, and I'm asking different questions, and then Karen says this. 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:51.120 This cancer that I've been diagnosed with has not changed my ending date. 00:15:52.399 --> 00:15:54.080 What is she saying by that? 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:57.440 This cancer did not change my ending date. 00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:01.440 For when she was created, her ending date was already formed. 00:16:01.600 --> 00:16:03.919 This did not take God by surprise. 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:08.240 When she says, This does not change my ending date, what is she saying? 00:16:10.480 --> 00:16:14.720 This is tough, this is hard, these are things I don't understand, but I'll tell you this, God. 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:19.840 I'm trusting that you are faithful. 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:28.240 So many times we think faithful just means, oh, life's gonna be real easy. 00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:38.799 And I think sometimes we're not gonna see the true faithfulness, the promise, until we go to heaven. 00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:46.159 And I think that's why scripture speaks that life is so short, but eternity is so long. 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:53.200 Because our promises and our rewards will not be here on earth all the time. 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:57.279 And you know what Karen also said as I was talking to her? 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:05.680 She says, I've taught my grandkids about my faith all these years. 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:11.279 I want them to see me live out my faith at the end. 00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:13.599 Now we're praying for a miracle. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:22.000 We're praying that the Lord heals Karen, but wow, what faith. 00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:24.160 What an example of faith. 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:35.359 Rather than looking at life with our earthly eyes, faith sees through the lenses of God's promises. 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:40.160 God, I don't understand, I don't know why, but I'm gonna trust you. 00:17:41.680 --> 00:17:43.599 What a place to be in. 00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:47.039 I mean, it takes all the pressure off. 00:17:49.519 --> 00:17:54.000 It takes it where if a doctor comes in, the pressure's off, the doctor's not in control. 00:17:56.240 --> 00:18:01.440 When the guy comes in and says, your job is we got to do away with your job, that guy's not in control. 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:11.519 And I'll say this, guys, there is a lot of people in our church that are hurting. 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:16.559 I would be willing to bet majority here could raise their hand. 00:18:20.960 --> 00:18:26.720 So that leads me to the next question is why do we struggle with a lack of faith? 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:30.880 That takes us back to Ephesians 6.16. 00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:42.480 In every situation, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:44.960 That last little phrase. 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:54.559 You can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 00:18:56.559 --> 00:19:01.039 Paul describes right here the devil's attacks to flaming arrows. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:14.960 Arrows that ignite everything they touch, arrows that spread fear, doubt, guilt, disobedience, anger, lust, rebellion, anxiety, revenge, hate, and I could continue. 00:19:16.240 --> 00:19:17.759 They're endless. 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:28.799 It is not common for a Christian to experience these feelings and thoughts regularly. 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:37.519 Satan will keep firing these arrows, looking for weaknesses in the armor. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:42.480 The other day we were riding in the car, and I'm just having a rough day. 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:47.839 I'm driving down old Greenwood and I hit every light. 00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:50.160 I'm like, really? 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:55.920 I'm in a hurry, I'm hitting every light, my wife's over there, and every light, I'm reminding her. 00:19:56.240 --> 00:19:57.519 Man, I am hitting every light. 00:19:57.599 --> 00:19:58.480 And then we go a little bit. 00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:03.279 I'm hitting every light, and it's one of those, I want to see how fast I can get up to 40, and I'm only supposed to do 35. 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:03.839 I know. 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:05.759 Get up how fast, and then what do I do? 00:20:05.920 --> 00:20:07.920 Then I have to slam on my brakes because the lights come on, you know? 00:20:08.000 --> 00:20:11.279 And then I turn to go to and it's everywhere I go, I'm hitting the lights. 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:16.079 And then we go into the store, and just it just seemed like my patience was being tested. 00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:19.759 And it not only was it being tested, it was affecting everybody in the car. 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:21.920 Deacon says something, I chew him out. 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:25.839 I'm just in rare form because of my patience. 00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:33.680 And I'll never forget, Lisa looks over at me and she goes, Would you please learn what the Lord's trying to teach you? 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:38.480 Because why? 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:42.880 Because the devil finds our weaknesses, and then what's he do? 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:44.799 That's where the arrow's going. 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:51.200 And here's the crazy thing is, my weaknesses are not your weaknesses. 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:54.240 Your weaknesses aren't my weaknesses. 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:58.559 But I'll tell you this: the devil knows all of our weaknesses. 00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:01.279 And that's what makes this shield so important. 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:03.920 The devil wants to take us down. 00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:05.279 Doesn't it? 00:21:05.359 --> 00:21:07.519 It just sounds horrible to begin with. 00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:10.960 Fiery arrows. 00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:18.160 It takes us back to the idea of the shield being covered with something wet, so it doesn't what? 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:20.319 Burn. 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:32.640 Unlike the shield, faith is not a thing that we visually hold on to. 00:21:32.960 --> 00:21:41.119 Our faith in Christ can guard us during our trials, during our temptations. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:46.480 But a shield is only effective when it's raised. 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:55.680 That's why as we are praying through this series, we get, I get, that we're under attack. 00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:59.359 And boy, we try to go after things. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:02.240 Without any kind of protection. 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:04.880 God, I got this today. 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:11.680 And boy, sometimes if we're not careful, we think we've got it. 00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:15.200 And we don't need help. 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:22.319 And we do not pick up the shield of faith. 00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:33.200 Likewise, faith can only protect us if we are in a restored relationship with the Lord. 00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:36.400 Because listen to this. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:48.640 That sin in our life, that sin we're hiding from others, that sin that's like, oh, it's better than so-and-so's, that sin in my own life, guess where the devil is shooting? 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:51.279 Right after that sin. 00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:53.839 That's why it's always so tough. 00:22:53.920 --> 00:23:03.680 And it is a weak area in our life because we're dealing with that sin that the Lord is saying, if you give me that sin, this fight will be a lot easier. 00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:17.279 It reminds me of Jesus. 00:23:17.920 --> 00:23:22.559 Remember, Jesus was what a picture. 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:24.559 40 days just meeting with the Lord. 00:23:24.799 --> 00:23:27.279 Fasting, just meeting with the Lord. 00:23:27.920 --> 00:23:32.559 Then after those 40 days, the devil comes to him, Satan, and tempts him. 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:42.559 And honestly, a lot of us it's easy to say, well, he is God, but he tempted him with maybe some areas that one, we know he was hungry and he was a man. 00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:46.640 And what a picture of how Jesus responded. 00:23:50.799 --> 00:23:51.680 What did he do? 00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:53.519 He just responded with what? 00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:55.279 Scripture. 00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:57.680 And what did the scripture do? 00:23:57.759 --> 00:23:59.759 The scripture put Satan in his place. 00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:02.559 There was no debate. 00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:13.119 Faith fails to protect us when we lower our shield. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:15.599 When we give into temptation. 00:24:16.559 --> 00:24:26.480 Believe that what the world has to offer is better than God's promises. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:35.119 Let's face it, being a Christian is not a walk in the park. 00:24:35.440 --> 00:24:39.119 We saw what the 12 disciples went through. 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:45.039 So today, I just, as we close, I want to give you seven suggestions. 00:24:45.119 --> 00:24:52.000 And the reason I said seven suggestions, it's like my dad always told me, if I tell you to do it, you won't do it. 00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:55.039 But if I suggest it, you might do it. 00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:56.960 Okay, and here's the deal with the suggestion. 00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:59.200 You have to choose whether you want to do it or not. 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:09.839 But seven suggestions that will help us or help you keep the shield of faith held up. 00:25:10.079 --> 00:25:13.839 And I'm going to say some of these and you're going to kind of chuckle like, oh, I knew that. 00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:29.200 But like my coach always told me, at the beginning of every basketball practice, the first ten minutes were drills of the basics of dribbling, passing, and shooting. 00:25:29.759 --> 00:25:33.440 So number one, read the Bible daily. 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:43.680 Read the Bible daily. 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:50.240 Number two, obey scripture in our daily life. 00:25:52.240 --> 00:26:01.200 James 1.22 says this do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourself, but do what it says. 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:06.319 Our walk with Christ is not reading our Bible in the morning, shutting it and forgetting what we read. 00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:07.279 It's what? 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:09.039 Taking what we read and doing what? 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:10.480 Obeying it. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:15.680 Now I know that's hard said than done, but that's the picture of it. 00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:20.160 Number three, pray that God will prepare you in all circumstances. 00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:24.960 Matthew 21, 22 says, you can pray for anything. 00:26:25.279 --> 00:26:27.920 I don't think we realize that sometimes. 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:28.640 I'm not. 00:26:29.359 --> 00:26:32.640 When it says you can pray for anything, it's not praying for a new car. 00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:37.039 Have you thought about praying? 00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:42.799 That God will prepare you for the circumstances that will happen this day. 00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:47.519 We can also see, we see it through scripture, pray for wisdom. 00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:54.319 Number four, resist temptation. 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:56.960 James 4 7. 00:26:57.039 --> 00:26:57.519 Listen to this. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:27:00.079 Listen to the power of resisting temptation. 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:02.720 James 4 7 says this. 00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:09.359 So humble yourself before God, resist the devil, and he will flee. 00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:11.440 Because why? 00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:15.599 Because that spot he's shooting for is covered now. 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:19.119 He's got to go find another area to shoot. 00:27:21.200 --> 00:27:25.039 And then number five, quote scripture. 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:28.960 Just like Jesus. 00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:34.640 The times when I was growing up, I got an area that I was just afraid to go to sleep. 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:38.640 I mean, it went on for weeks. 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:44.559 So finally, my dad one day, I mean, all night long I'd be going, I was just scared to go to sleep. 00:27:45.200 --> 00:27:48.720 And so my dad came to me one day, I didn't even really understand it. 00:27:49.039 --> 00:27:52.319 But we worked on it, we memorized the 23rd Psalms. 00:27:53.200 --> 00:27:54.799 And I'll never forget. 00:27:55.119 --> 00:28:00.640 He would say, When the fear, when you get scared at night, just say the 23rd Psalms. 00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:02.160 Guess what? 00:28:02.640 --> 00:28:05.039 It didn't take long, and I started to go to sleep. 00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:06.400 You see the picture? 00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:08.559 How powerful God's word is. 00:28:08.640 --> 00:28:10.319 And to quote scripture, guess what? 00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:12.079 We got to memorize it. 00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:15.279 And then number six. 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:20.400 Unity with other Christians. 00:28:20.880 --> 00:28:23.119 We see that in ecclesiastics. 00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:30.240 It reminds us of the importance of surrounding ourselves with other Christians. 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:32.079 Here's a picture of that too. 00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:40.319 This was a huge piece of the shield with the Romans. 00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:42.400 They would get together. 00:28:42.960 --> 00:28:45.279 They'd put their shields together on top and all that. 00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:47.039 And look at the protection they had. 00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:49.839 So when one person's struggling, they can what? 00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:51.599 Help cover for the other. 00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:54.240 That's why we pour into Sunday school. 00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:59.200 It's not to come in and feel guilty. 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:02.880 It's to find someone that will pray with you. 00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:04.400 That you can pray with. 00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:06.000 Because guess what? 00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:09.599 Majority of the people are going through the same problems you're going through. 00:29:14.799 --> 00:29:20.400 I mean, there's times people come in my office and I'm thinking, okay, this is going to sound bad, but let me finish. 00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:26.079 They come in my office and they tell me about their problem, about something that's happening and a problem in their life. 00:29:26.319 --> 00:29:32.319 And there are times I'm like, thank you, Lord, because I feel like I'm the only one that has a problem. 00:29:33.359 --> 00:29:34.480 You know what I mean? 00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:43.759 The idea of not that I'm glad they're having a problem, but sometimes it's nice to know that I'm not the only one that's having a problem and I'm walking through the problem with you. 00:29:44.000 --> 00:29:49.279 And however, so many times when I'm having a problem, it sure makes me a lot more sensitive to their problem. 00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:55.920 Do you see the uh the importance of the unity with other Christians? 00:29:56.799 --> 00:30:03.680 And then number seven, remember times when the Lord has been faithful. 00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:08.960 The picture of Joshua crossing the Jordan. 00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:10.880 He told them to pick up rocks and do what? 00:30:11.039 --> 00:30:13.279 Put them there because we are going to remember. 00:30:13.440 --> 00:30:15.279 We see it all through the Old Testament. 00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:20.559 When the Israelites kept going away from the Lord and they'd get back together, what would God tell them to do? 00:30:20.799 --> 00:30:22.240 Mark your doorpost. 00:30:22.480 --> 00:30:24.240 Put it out there so that you what? 00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:28.160 Remember my faithfulness. 00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:31.039 I have in my office a plaque. 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:34.880 Not really a plaque, a name plaque that says Coach Passmore. 00:30:35.119 --> 00:30:38.559 Many of you don't know, I've taught school for seven years, coached. 00:30:39.039 --> 00:30:46.160 You can go today to the Oklahoma Athletic Hall of Fame, and my name is not there. 00:30:48.319 --> 00:30:51.440 But I have this plaque that I keep on my shelf. 00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:55.039 And I know people are like, why in the world would you keep that? 00:30:55.119 --> 00:30:56.400 Haven't you moved on? 00:30:56.640 --> 00:31:02.240 That piece on my shelf is a reminder of God's faithfulness. 00:31:02.480 --> 00:31:05.119 God started dealing with me the last little bit of my school. 00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:06.960 And by the way, I love teaching school. 00:31:07.200 --> 00:31:12.640 I got up in the mornings, I was energized, I love, but the Lord started dealing with me about ministry. 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:18.640 And I'll never forget when I felt called to the ministry, I was scared to go back to the school and tell them. 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:22.960 Because I mean they went out, gave me a job. 00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:34.000 I just school was starting back in three weeks when the church called me to be their children's pastor. 00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:39.759 I'll never forget, I knew in August it's it's crunch time. 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:41.599 They're getting their teachers. 00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:51.279 So I go in to talk to the principal, mind you, the principal that hired me just retired. 00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:54.000 She went and got her palm red. 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:54.640 This is funny. 00:31:54.720 --> 00:31:58.799 She went and got her prom read, and the palm redder told her that she needed to start a new career. 00:31:59.039 --> 00:32:01.680 So she retired to go start a new career. 00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:06.400 So I've got a new principal that I really don't know. 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:14.079 And I'm really nervous about going in two or three weeks before school starts because he's trying to get a team together. 00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:25.279 I go in and I'm, I mean, I am ham-hawing around, and I'm like, well, you know, I go to church and I feel like I need to help my church. 00:32:27.279 --> 00:32:28.880 And I can do this and that. 00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:31.039 For a year I was going to do both. 00:32:31.839 --> 00:32:34.079 He looks me in the eyes. 00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:38.400 And he goes, Do you know I go to such and such church and I'm a deacon there? 00:32:40.079 --> 00:32:47.519 He goes, back when I got out of college, the Lord called me to college ministry, and I thought I had a better plan. 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:50.880 So I taught school. 00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:54.559 He says, Sounds like to me the Lord's calling you to ministry. 00:32:54.799 --> 00:32:56.319 You need to go do that. 00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:58.160 This is my principal. 00:32:58.480 --> 00:33:05.680 So when I look at that plaque that says coach Pasmore, it's not about me being a coach, it's God's faithfulness. 00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:12.480 And I think it's important to see God's faithfulness in the small things and the big things. 00:33:12.880 --> 00:33:25.519 I think it's important to write it down where you can open it somewhere and see them all, but I also think it's important to have them around the house so that when you walk through, that you can see God's faithfulness and say, yes, Lord, I can do that because you were faithful there. 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:29.440 Yes, God, I can do that because you've been faithful there. 00:33:31.839 --> 00:33:38.480 I think it's extremely important to remember times when God was faithful. 00:33:41.279 --> 00:33:45.599 So as we close, I got something I want to try. 00:33:45.759 --> 00:33:48.079 Don't don't tell Greg I did this. 00:33:52.160 --> 00:33:53.359 I got a picture here. 00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:55.200 I want to to show you something right here. 00:33:55.839 --> 00:33:57.440 If you'll give me a second to try it. 00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:01.200 Okay, now as a children's pastor for a lot, I don't ever get to do this. 00:34:03.440 --> 00:34:05.920 Okay, I got a little powder I'm putting in my hand right here. 00:34:06.160 --> 00:34:08.960 Okay, I'm a trained professional, don't try this at home. 00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:12.079 Okay, in the in the powder in my hand, watch this. 00:34:12.239 --> 00:34:15.760 In the powder of my hand, I can do this and I can light it. 00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:20.400 And you can see it's getting black, but it's still overall pretty protected, right? 00:34:27.199 --> 00:34:30.480 But the picture I want to show as we close, think about this. 00:34:31.280 --> 00:34:35.519 When it was in my hand, it was still getting hot. 00:34:37.119 --> 00:34:38.960