Participants:
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000968
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01:01 It's my pleasure to introduce our speaker.
01:03 He really doesn't need a lot of introduction to Michigan; 01:07 in fact the Conference Secretary our Jim Mischief 01:09 was already putting pressure on him for Camp Meeting. 01:13 You like that idea, yeah we like that idea. 01:17 In the room over there just before we came in, 01:22 but we love this man, he is a director, speaker, 01:25 president of amazing facts, to doing the great work 01:29 for God. And we praise God for them; 01:33 we praise God for his preaching. You know, 01:35 it's not the man God raises up the man, 01:38 isn't that right? So, God raised him up. So, 01:41 Pastor Doug Batchelor as you come and speak to us, 01:45 We want to welcome you to the Michigan 01:48 Men of Faith, amen, poppet. Amen. 01:55 Thank you, very much Andrew Gallimore and 01:58 thank you; inviting us, it's a privilege to be here 02:02 with you. And there is, there is an energy when you 02:08 get into a room, where you got a thousand 02:09 men together. Something different about it, 02:13 I mean aside from the smell. you see, you have 02:15 got a lot of testosterone in the room, 02:18 but just as an energy that is unique and it's a 02:24 privilege to be here with you. I get to say things 02:28 in this kind of setting. I don't know always get to 02:30 say, yeah, I'm glad I'm a man and you might 02:41 be surprise someone would even say that, 02:44 but it's seems to me that in our culture today 02:49 that you must have to apologize for been a men 02:55 that fathers and men are sometimes portrait 02:59 as the wolves of the culture and there is a strong, 03:04 I think everyone would recognize feminist 03:06 movement and it seems like men are supposed 03:09 to be apologetic about being men. 03:13 And God made us the way we're and we were made 03:15 in his image. Amen. And God first made, 03:20 do you notice we say, AMEN, we don't say a women. 03:25 When that just came to me just now, 03:31 he made us in his image and you know, 03:34 told us to go forth and just to do, God, men are 03:37 created with his energy just desire to creates 03:42 and to subdue for adventure. 03:47 And sometimes we don't have fun and let's there 03:48 is an alimented danger involve and that might be 03:51 connected with the, the way that God first made us. 03:57 We all get to interesting quips and quotes that 04:00 are sent to this on the internet. 04:02 Most of from me after the lead, but some are, 04:05 who are saving, and somebody sent this to me. 04:08 So, bare with me a little bit because it actually 04:10 resonated with me, why we're glad we're men. 04:16 As supposed to you only other alternative. 04:20 Why we're glad we're men? Phone conversations 04:23 are over in 30 seconds. A five day vacation requires 04:30 only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars. 04:38 Dry cleaners and haircutters don't rob you blind. 04:43 You can go to the bathroom without a support group. 04:49 You never have to learn to spell a new last name. 04:54 You can leave a motel bed or made. 04:58 And kill your own food. I guess, I could lift that up. 05:02 You get extra credit for the slightest act of 05:04 thoughtfulness. What in plans just seem to take care 05:08 of themselves, if someone forgets to invite you 05:15 to something he or she can still be your friend? 05:19 Your underwear $10 for three pack. Everything 05:24 on your face stays that's original color. And you don't 05:30 ever have to shave below the neck. You can quietly 05:35 enjoy a car ride from the passenger seat. 05:40 Three pair of shoes and more than enough for all seasons. 05:45 You don't have to clean your apartment, 05:46 if the media readers coming over. Car mechanics 05:50 tell you the truth. You can quietly watch again 05:55 with your buddy for hours without ever wondering, 05:58 isn't matter me? Great hair and wrinkles only 06:06 add character, what interest $2000 took tuxedo 06:11 rental 75 bucks. You don't move much to 06:17 others deserts. You can drop by to see a friend 06:21 without having to bring a little gift, 06:25 if another guy shows up at the party and the same 06:27 outfit, outfit you might be lifelong friends. 06:35 Your polls can be trusted never to say by trapping 06:37 you. So, do you notice anything different? 06:44 You're not expected to know the names of more 06:46 than five colors. As got your men sort of think 06:50 like windows defaults setting is just got those 16 colors 06:54 and we read it, Mov, peach. You don't have to 07:00 stop and think about, which way to turn an 07:02 adorable. You almost never have struck problems 07:06 in public. You're unable to see wrinkles in your 07:10 clothes. I did a live program with John Lomacang, 07:15 the other dangerous before we went on the air, 07:17 I said you know, I'm thankful, I only had iron this 07:19 part of my shirt. And then he said, yeah me too. 07:35 The same hairstyle last for years. 07:45 Your belly usually hides your big hips. One 07:49 violet, one pair of shoes, one color all seasons. 07:53 You can do your nails with the pocket knives. 07:57 You can have freedom of choice concerning 07:59 growing a mustache. Christmas shopping can be 08:03 accomplished for 25 relatives on December 24th 08:06 and 45 minutes. There is more, but all stuff there, 08:11 that's just for little fun. Amen. 08:15 You know, we're, we're, we're gonna talk 08:16 about God's mighty men and I'm always encourage 08:21 by the stories of adventure, as I said, 08:25 the Lord created us to go forth to subdue with 08:28 the earth. And I just, I love the idea of exploits, 08:33 and encourage, and bravery. 08:36 And some of my favorite stories from history 08:38 are the stories of people like Louis and Clark 08:43 that just took off in this front tear and from 08:46 St. Louis, west they had no idea what to find, 08:49 they thought there might be a river that went all 08:51 the way to the pacific, there were no maps. 08:54 And just the courage and adventure of all those 08:56 men together and granted there was a one women 08:59 Sacagawea in their midst, but just the comradely 09:02 and the dependence and the trust of going across 09:06 this unexplored nation and they encountered. 09:08 They never knowing, if they comeback alive, 09:11 sort of a miracle story in that of the 40 plus men 09:15 that left only one die here in appendicitis. 09:19 And just you read about stories like this and some 09:21 of those stories are miracle in, in battle and courage 09:25 under fire. And then you read of the Bible about 09:28 David's mighty men. You know, I thought a good 09:31 place that start would be in the book of Ephesians. 09:34 God is looking for man of valor encourage today, 09:38 who will take a stand for the Jesus Christ, 09:42 who will be man of faith, who will take a stand 09:44 for the truth and be willing to fight that fighter faith. 09:50 Now, you cannot fight the fighter faith without the 09:53 armor of God. So, I thought it would be appropriate 09:56 during this session together to take a look at that. 09:59 Ephesians chapter 6, verse 10. And he summarizing 10:05 everything each says, here in Ephesians probably 10:08 wrote this book as he would shame to a Roman soldiers. 10:11 So, they are right before him in the Roman soldier. 10:14 He had exhibit a, of what the armor might look like. 10:19 Finally brethren, Ephesians 6, verse 10. 10:23 Be strong in the Lord, some of you might workout at the 10:27 gym, but the Lord is inviting us to be strong in him. 10:34 And in the power of his might that's available to 10:36 every men here whether or not you take steroids, 10:39 you have a gym membership, you can all be strong 10:43 in the Lord, in the power of his might. And he adds, 10:49 put on the whole, emphasize underline the whole 10:53 armor of God that you might be able to stand against 10:58 the wiles of the devil. I share this afternoon, 11:02 I will talking at 2:30 about tips on resisting temptation. 11:06 We're all under a constant withering hale of temptation 11:11 the devil especially in this last generation is 11:14 attacking men, who should be the priest leaders 11:18 in their families in their churches. 11:20 And the devil is attacking men. And we need to know, 11:24 how to take a stand for Christ in the truth that 11:28 you might stand against the wiles of the devil, 11:32 for we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. 11:36 You know, the weapons are our warfare, 11:39 are not carnal weapons, but they're might bringing 11:42 down those strong roads. We're not wrestling 11:44 against flesh and blood. Sometimes I wish I 11:45 could just punch the devil on the nose, don't you? Amen. 11:49 But you can't fight him that way, 11:51 but you can punch him. You just got to know, 11:55 what the weapons are. For we don't wrestle against 11:58 flesh and blood, but against principalities against 12:02 powers, against the rumors of the darkness of this 12:04 age, against spiritual host of wickedness in the 12:09 heavenly places. Therefore take up again the whole 12:14 armor of God. Now, when I began to do my first 12:20 study on the armor of God, I just took 12:22 the word armor and began going through the Bible 12:24 and it's first that was little discouraged. 12:27 Because you know, when David went against 12:30 goliath, it made a big deal about talking about 12:33 goliath armor, but how much to that armor 12:35 help goliath. And then King Saul said to David, 12:38 you better not go against that giant without some 12:41 armoring, and he said, he will mine David tried arm 12:44 Saul's armor of course Saul was had a shoulders 12:46 tall and everybody else live is like extra large of this 12:49 did and fit like in picture David with Saul's armor army, 12:52 he is kind a looking like he pulled up his socks through 12:55 his eyes and peering up the nickel and he said, 12:59 I can't use this. And if he would aside, 13:02 so if that how is that gonna help my sermon on armor. 13:05 Then I read about Ahab's armor, 13:07 where he had a crack in his armor and a stray Ero, 13:10 struck of idolatry and he die. He said, 13:13 Lord I'm reading about armor and that's failing 13:16 everywhere and the works who had done, 13:19 that's the armor of men. It says; 13:21 take up the armor of God. Amen. David had the 13:25 armor of God, when he went against goliath. 13:27 He notice he said, you come against me goliath 13:30 and you have got the sword in the spear 13:31 in the shield and the helmet and it tells us about 13:34 his breastplate and his grieves and it explains 13:37 his armor and how much your weight 13:39 And David said, I come against you with the Lord. 13:41 David was armed with the armor of God? 13:46 Take up the whole armor of God that you might be 13:50 able to with stand in the evil day having done 13:54 all to stand, stand therefore. Now, 13:59 I want to stop again and emphasize something 14:01 that you probably have caught in verse 11. 14:05 That you might be able to stand. Verse 13, 14:08 to with stand, to stand, verse 14, stand. 14:14 What is God saying to men today? Stand, 14:19 stand your ground, so while when we curl up 14:22 and cover and run and God is looking for an army 14:26 of mighty men in these last days that will be 14:29 discourage or intimidated by the culture to cover 14:33 and to high, but stand up for what you believe, 14:38 whenever surrounded that with people, that 14:40 are telling us this nothing wrong with same sex 14:42 marriage, you can stand up and say, yes there is. 14:44 Amen. Oh! When people are telling us that you know, 14:49 it doesn't matter whether not God created 14:51 over millions of years and if you still believe 14:54 in creation world and your ignoramus believing 14:56 in fables. You can take a stand and say, 14:59 I believe the word of God, yes I do. 15:02 And there is a, a hale of intimidation coming from 15:06 the devil, that's trying to get men of God to cover 15:10 and be ashamed of what he says in his word, 15:12 do not be ashamed, but take a stand for what you 15:15 believe. Hold you head up, when someone ask you, 15:19 are you a Christian? You say, absolutely. 15:21 What kind of Christian? Well, I don't want to brag, 15:24 but I'm a Seventh-Day Adventist Christian. 15:28 Amen, amen. Stand therefore, there is a flood 15:34 coming in the last days, and if you're building your 15:36 house on the rock, it's for the purpose of standing 15:40 through that storm is coming. God wants people 15:43 to stand, he ever going, I went to an ocean 15:48 where they have got real waves nothing against 15:50 the great lakes, but I mean a like the pacific. 15:56 And you get off their own the beach in Hawaii 16:00 and it's fun sometimes to watch people, 16:02 when they're not paying attention, 16:03 they got some big waves and people out their playing 16:05 and their bodies surfing and the tourists that aren't used 16:06 to the power of the waves, and they get sometimes 16:09 slapped down into the sand and one of things 16:13 you have got to do is, when the waves coming in 16:16 you got to lean into it. You don't turn your back on it 16:21 and you can stand through it, but you got to be planted. 16:25 Well, that sort of, how it is in our culture today is, 16:27 there is wave after wave of propaganda that the devil 16:34 sending against the Christian church and against 16:36 Christians men, you got to take a stand and just 16:39 lean into it stand up for you believe and other 16:43 you don't locky down. Stand therefore having 16:47 good at your ways with truth, for sins he mentions 16:51 his truth. It's the truth that will set you free, 16:55 that's the belt of truth and it holds everything 16:59 else together. Now, some of you, you, you got 17:04 belt, so I just wonder shelf hands, 17:06 how many you have got a belt on today? 17:09 I see how many of you really needed to hold your 17:12 pants up? Would you dare raise your hands? 17:16 Pants are too bigger; your belly is too big. 17:19 I wear a my belt because I hang things are, 17:22 I got a belt pack right here, hung on my belt, 17:24 and we're not, not speaking in public of got a Swiss 17:26 army knife and sometimes I have got by keys 17:28 hang it off my belt and, and I have got my phone 17:31 hang it off my belt, you all know what I mean? 17:34 I have gotten sometimes to usually might seems 17:37 serves that tighten up right and I belt isn't really 17:39 hold my, my suit on, but sometimes 17:43 you needed to keep everything together. 17:45 For the soldier that belt held everything in place. 17:49 They had robes that they would wear, 17:51 but when they were fighting, they would good up 17:53 their robes into their belts, so they can run 17:56 without tripping, it kept everything in place 17:59 the sword was held in place, the sheave was on 18:03 the belt. And as one thing, if you got the Bible and, 18:06 and a lot of church has have the Bible, 18:08 but do they have the belt of truth. 18:11 This is what holds at all together, 18:12 it helps you know, what you believe and why 18:14 you believe it. We should be ready always to given 18:17 an answer to anyone, who asks, 18:18 why we believe, what we believe; 18:20 we ought to be grounded in the truth, 18:23 eluded in the truth, amen. So, that we're not blown 18:27 away. A belt can save your life. I remember one time, 18:34 I you felt me, heard me share this story before, 18:37 but it's serve the point. I was a Camp Pastor at 18:44 Summer Camp in Northern California they had a lake, 18:48 they would take the kids out skiing and I will tell you, 18:50 it's a, it's pretty rough when you're Pastor 18:53 and you got a take it's skiing all day along, 18:55 but one of the benefits was I was able to take 18:58 my kids out to the Summer Camp. 19:00 And they were trying to teach some of these 19:01 kids to ski barefoot. And so we took these bulk load 19:08 of kids out, and they had a boom, 19:11 they went off perpendicular from the 19:12 boat, here is the boat and hand this aluminum 19:15 boom that went off and, and you get going us 19:17 seen barefoot, it's not like just regular skiing. 19:20 You know, you got a big surface area of one 19:22 or two ski and you can pop up pretty quick, 19:25 but when your skiing would just your feet you 19:27 know, big feet like mine, you got to go about 19:28 40 miles an hour or it is not enough to placement 19:32 to support you. And so we get the boat up 19:35 and you have to have a glassy water to do this. 19:38 We will get the boat up and you get going about 19:40 35-40 miles an hours and that candidate would pull 19:46 one foot out and you will get it, you don't even 19:48 learn it, co-cruel down, just one toe curling down, 19:51 it catches the water and little flippy over. 19:53 And when you fall, at your skiing barefoot, 19:56 whether it's off the boom or of a big tale and rope. 19:59 And you fall going 38 miles an hour, 20:02 it's different than when you fall regular skiing speed. 20:05 You don't just fall under the water; 20:06 and you skip across the surface of the water 20:09 like a stone for while. And they actually give you 20:11 a vest to wear that is reinforced; son Michael broke 20:15 his ribs skiing barefoot, as he hit the water so hard. 20:20 So, we're gonna skiing, these kids around the lake 20:21 and some of them were getting in, some of marked 20:23 and finally this one boy, he was like 11, 12 years old 20:28 little bit shall be remember he had a bathing suit 20:31 that look like a checker flag on a race, 20:33 a racing flag you know, that he was wearing still 20:36 remember that. And he wanted to try and 20:39 we're little worry because he was a big boy, 20:41 but a little feet, it's what I thought this is gonna 20:45 be challenge, but he want to try, and courage 20:47 and so he got out there, we got the boat gone, 20:49 we want to go little bit faster you know, 20:51 make sure that he was able to get up, 20:54 and he got one foot down and he is going like this, 20:56 he said, I have got it, this is okay you know, 20:57 it's got the, see, see on the edge of the boat and some 20:59 try the other foot and he gets the other foot out 21:01 and he is, he is going, he is so happy and he looked 21:03 at up and smile right about them. 21:06 He called one of his toes and he just runs, and he skipped 21:10 across the water and spiel whole around the few times 21:13 and then disappeared beneath the surface. 21:15 As we turn the boat around came to pick them up 21:17 and he came up his little, little days. And we said, 21:20 you alright and he said, yeah, should do you want 21:24 to try it again? He said, no. And we said, 21:29 well hopping the boat? No. Do you want to try it again? 21:38 No. Do you want to get in? No. What's the problem? 21:43 He said, I can't find my suit. You know, 21:49 your bathing suit comes usually from the factory 21:51 with a little draw string, a little belt. 21:54 And that kind of holds everything in place and he 21:56 didn't really know what that was for, until too late. 21:59 So, we had give little safari through the legs, 22:01 see if we could find this suit form, but sometimes 22:05 it creates embarrassing moment. 22:09 And others have been embarrassed before because 22:11 they did not have the belt of truth and someone, 22:14 who say what about this verse? And I said, 22:17 I can't explain that verse, I don't know. 22:20 We have to know, what we believe specially the 22:22 foundational truths, principles and we ought 22:26 to be able to shrimp. Not everybody is a Pastor, 22:28 not everyone's a teacher, but every soldier of God, 22:31 every man of faith, ought to know, at least the primary 22:34 foundational pillar of what they believe and how 22:37 to defend those things. And be able to turn 22:40 in the word of God and say, this is the truth. 22:44 So, your sword is hanging on that belt of truth. 22:48 As you read on with it, on the implements of the 22:53 armor of God were to stand having the truth and it says, 22:57 the breastplate of righteousness. 23:01 Now, that breastplate was often made of little pieces 23:04 of male that were sound together like fish scales 23:09 that would especially protect the vital organs 23:12 in the front. And the front mine, 23:14 when I was sharing about this one day and he came 23:16 up later and he said, no Doug he realize that underneath 23:19 that breastplate, they never wear the breastplate 23:22 right on their bare skiing. It was always one 23:25 over a rope, when he would get hotten the sun 23:28 and burn them and get cold and shield them or 23:30 pinch them. And now that read in the Bible that sure 23:33 enough even the, the high priest when he wore 23:36 that that little breastplate with the 12 stones on it, 23:40 it was one over a robe. And so first you have the robe 23:45 of the Christ righteousness and then that breastplate, 23:49 it would cover the front and that would cover the vital 23:51 organs. So, that when you in come that, 23:55 it would protecting might get to cut on the armor 23:58 of the leg, but if you get too wounded in the torso, 24:02 it was all from fatal. You know, during the several 24:05 wars before they had discovered some of the basic 24:08 rules of sanitation develop by Joseph Lister. 24:12 A person might survive been hit in the arm or in the leg, 24:15 but if they got hit in the head or in the torso, 24:19 it was typically considered to be fatal right away because 24:22 of the vital organs, I mean infection and they 24:24 didn't have ways of dealing with it. 24:25 There was nothing in the breastplate to protect 24:28 the back because you're not supposed to expose your 24:32 back to the enemy. The Bible says, resist the devil 24:36 and he will flay from you. You know, there is a fantastic 24:40 story about David's mighty men that you find in 24:42 the Bible. And the one of the character is goes 24:44 by the name of Eleazar and you can find him in 24:49 second Samuel chapter 23, verse 14. 24:54 Actually I want to go to Second Samuel 23, verse 9. 24:59 Speaking about David and these three might men 25:01 that were his sort of his special honor guard, 25:06 sort of like Jesus is son of David and Peter, 25:08 James, and John. And after him, was the son of Dodo, 25:13 he Ahohite. Oh! Its kind a chapter 1, I want to 25:16 say that, I would you like to see my dad Dodo. 25:18 It means something different. 25:20 Now, one of the three might men with David, 25:24 when they define the Philistines, were gathered 25:27 together to battle and the men of Israel were 25:30 gone away. So, here is this battle with the Philistines 25:32 and David, they define the Philistines armies 25:36 and they sort of challenge. them in the Philistines 25:38 must have themselves and they would charge the men 25:40 of Israel, but the rest of the soldiers were treated, 25:45 but David did not retreat. You know, 25:47 David went right in the battle and fought with his men. 25:50 And that's one reason the soldier of Alexander 25:52 the great was so loyal and he conquered so successfully 25:55 during those 12 years. He marched his army 25:58 22,000 miles. And conquer the world is can see 26:01 would lead them into battle and he was often wounded 26:04 sometimes he received what we're, they thought 26:07 modal verbs. He will be the first one over a wall. 26:12 And they do anything for Alexander and David 26:14 soldiers were that way too. So, when some of the 26:16 men were treated, Eleazar stay there with David, 26:22 and they were fighting over a high piece of ground, 26:24 it was a barley field. Let me finish reading this to you, 26:27 just to give you the, the background here. 26:30 And the men of Israel had gone away. And he arose, 26:33 and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, 26:37 and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD 26:41 wrought a great victory that day; and the people 26:43 returned after him only despoil that the story is 26:46 in two places in the Bible. Let me read it you, in 26:48 a first chronicles 11 and12. First chronicles 11 and 12 26:54 and after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, 26:55 the Ahohite, who was one of the three mightiest. 26:59 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the 27:02 Philistines were gathered together to battle, 27:04 and there was a parcel of ground full of barley; 27:07 and the people fled from before the Philistines. 27:10 And they David and Eleazar set themselves in the midst 27:15 of that parcel, and delivered it, and they slew the 27:19 Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great 27:22 deliverance. So, let me we heard what we just read 27:24 in these two passages. There is a battle with the 27:28 Philistines between David and his mighty men his 27:31 soldiers, it could have been back one, 27:33 when he only had that 600 soldiers. And the Philistines, 27:37 the army seen to big and they are trying to fight 27:40 and defend this field of barley; it's a type for the 27:43 word of God is a grain. And the soldiers all flow 27:47 back and retreated, but Eleazar said, 27:50 as long as David is here I'm not going anywhere. 27:54 He is my captain and if he is not afraid, I'm not afraid. 27:57 And so as they got these breastplates on and the 27:59 only place expose is the back, I anticipate they 28:04 fought back to back. And it says, that the Lord 28:08 gave them a great deliverance and 28:09 the only thing I can picture is, they just began 28:12 to circle and swing their swords and hold up your 28:14 shields, just like a mowing sieve. And they were 28:18 just mowing down the Philistines until the 28:20 Philistines realize that God was lift them and they 28:23 thought so longer, so hard that Eleazar could not 28:27 let go with his hand cleave onto resort, 28:29 he could not let go with the sword. True story, 28:34 man name Henry Dempsey, pilot on a small computer 28:37 jet was flying by up state New York. 28:41 After take off and he heard a noise in the back 28:43 and he got up, turned over the controls to his co-pilot. 28:46 And went into the back to find out, what the noise, 28:48 right about then they hit a bump, he felt against 28:52 the entrance door and that's what the problem was, 28:55 he did not been totally shut and he was stuck down. 28:59 Pilot, co-pilot now here is all these air rushing 29:02 through and he sees the lighting coming on, 29:04 that says, that the, the doors open and looks 29:08 back and he doesn't see the captain radios and 29:11 that hoping that he fell over the water that 29:12 there were flying over that, you might be found 29:16 calling from emergency help, he lands and after 29:19 he lands, he didn't found out that the captain 29:22 was not sucked all the way out. His torso 29:24 dropped out of the plane and with one handy 29:27 got a hold of this chain covered by vinyl that 29:29 let down the steps. And he held on with his feet 29:34 still inside the plane 200 mile an hour winds 29:37 blowing against him, landed with his head, 29:40 one foot off the ground, when the emergency 29:45 people came, they said, it took several minutes 29:49 on the news to get him to let go of the chain 29:52 that could not try his hand the off of the chain. 29:58 You know, the over riding the motorcycle a long distance 29:59 on a cold day, and he can't opened up your hand. 30:04 He cleaves unto his sword. Now, what is the sword 30:07 is symbol for? Word of God, we're gonna get 30:10 to that in just a minute. Don't let go, amen. 30:14 And the Lord wrote a great victory that day, 30:18 the reason they were able to fight the enemies 30:19 because they had that breastplate of righteousness 30:22 that was there out front protecting those vital 30:25 organs and we need the same. You know, 30:30 it mentions this, by the way in the Book of Job, 30:34 chapter 29:14, it says, I put on righteousness 30:38 and it clothed me. And Aaron used to wear this 30:44 breastplate of judgment on his heart. 30:47 And so this was a very vital piece of, of defense, 30:52 through it we can resist the devil. Christ said, 30:55 get thee behind me saved. You don't turn your 30:57 back on the enemy else stab you in the back. 31:00 So, in the armor of God, you have got the belt 31:01 of shoes, you got the breastplate of righteousness 31:05 and having Shaun your feet with the preparation 31:08 of the gospel of peace. Shoes are extremely 31:12 important in the water. We have one daughter 31:16 that was in the army Sherry and our son Daniel 31:19 was in the Marines. Whenever he would come 31:21 home and he showed me, he still has his Marine 31:23 Issued boots and you know, they are well 31:24 made because, especially they found that 31:27 during the Vietnam War. They told those soldiers, 31:30 if you don't take care of your feet, 31:32 you become useless as a soldier, and all kinds 31:34 of problems were jangled rodent 31:36 and they would often take their boots 31:37 out and dry them and take care of their shoes, 31:39 take care of their feet. Remember a friend of mine; 31:43 Bob Hoffman lived up, in the mountains. 31:47 He lived in the Canyon. Where I lived, 31:49 but he moved their, after I moved away up. 31:51 He, he build the cabin of drift would up and that 31:53 desert Canyon lived their ten years. 31:55 Went back to this of the cave one day 31:59 and, and Bob told me a story that he was 32:01 crossing towards the creek, this is a creek out 32:04 in these vast desert mountain wilderness, 32:08 Cactus, burning rocks everywhere, 32:10 it was the hot summer day, but there was some 32:12 had been a rain storm and the creek was swollen. 32:15 We didn't want to get his boots wet and so 32:16 I took off his boots and the socks. 32:18 He stuck his socks in his boots, he tied his laces 32:20 together through them over a shoulder, 32:22 and he went across the creek. And crossing 32:25 the creek through the swollen waters, 32:26 he slipped recover caught himself, 32:30 but his boots fell off his shoulders. 32:32 And now here was out in this burning desert 32:36 with no shoes, no socks. And he describes, 32:41 how dangerous it was, trying to walk over these 32:44 burning hot rocks with cactus everywhere 32:48 with no shoes. I know, exactly what he was talking 32:50 about, if fighting the battle, you need good traction. 32:56 I remember one time, when I was a kid 32:58 growing up, as a little scrappy, a little guy. 33:02 And one reason I got into a few fights is because 33:06 my brother, I went to the same school of my 33:07 brother. My brother fought and had cystic 33:10 fibrosis. And he looked a little different because 33:13 he had flaming red hair and very fair skin. 33:18 And he was abused about my side, even though 33:20 he was my older brother and the kids in his class, 33:23 used to tease him all the time. He used to 33:24 make me so mad because they didn't know, 33:27 how he is struggle with his disease. 33:29 He is to sleeping attendant night, 33:32 he had to get these treatments and he had all 33:34 kinds of problems and operations and, 33:37 and he would get the school, my father named him 33:38 Falcon. You already problems, when your last 33:41 name Batchelor, but the name he could 33:43 Falcon Batchelor. And they used to play with his name 33:47 and call him terrible things and call him turkey, 33:49 and bird brained and all kinds of things, 33:50 when I was in gym one day. As my brother's 33:53 class was leaving and my class was arriving and 33:57 some kids were teasing him. And there just 34:04 indignation came up within me. And I took off 34:08 after one of the kids in the gym in his class, 34:11 who had been making fun my brother just swinging 34:14 and we got into a fight, but I, it happen right after 34:17 I taken off my dress shoes as I was preparing 34:20 to change into my gym clothes and I had my socks 34:24 on and they have just waxed the gym floor. 34:29 And so, we had seen like this. And so there 34:32 I'm trying to box and fight with this guy. 34:34 Now, I'm slide, now all over the place, 34:36 it was absolutely ridiculous. And so while I'm fighting 34:39 with this kid, we're tussling and reaching down 34:42 with one hand and I'm trying to take off my socks 34:45 because at least, if I could get my foot on the 34:48 ground, I get a little bit attraction and when I got 34:50 my socks off and I got my feet on the ground, 34:52 I got some traction then I was able to win. 34:57 You can't fight without traction. By the way, 35:00 if you don't have some traction, you know, 35:02 I'm talking about those old Waffle Stomper Shoes. 35:06 The terrible about brining in the mud that 35:08 they're nice, when you have in the mud, 35:10 if you have on slippery trained, nice that traction 35:13 in your shoes, give a drive off road with slip tires. 35:19 You know, if you don't have good shoes you 35:20 back slide. That's one reason, we need these 35:23 gospel shoes, amen, and we need them synched up. 35:28 So, that we have good foot, footing. 35:31 How beautiful upon the mountain, 35:32 mountains are the feet of those who preach the 35:35 gospel. And occasionally we got to take those 35:40 shoes off, Jesus wash our feet. Amen, 35:42 but you want to have good traction, 35:45 when you're fighting those battles and having those 35:49 Gospel shoes, having your feet sharp with the 35:53 preparation of the Gospel of peace and above all, 35:57 taking the shield of faith with which her able 36:00 to quench all the fiery darks of the wicked one. 36:05 Now, the purpose of the shield and sometimes 36:07 what they do, is they, they would a beat down 36:09 metal thin strips of metal and they would put 36:11 it over a peace of wood, maybe it was covered 36:14 with leather and some metal, metal grading 36:16 and it was usually just about raise higher, a 36:20 little higher the idea being you wanted to be able 36:23 to quench behind it, if there was a hail of Arrows 36:26 coming down and protect yourselves against the 36:28 arrows, that's what Paul is referring to the fiery 36:32 dark. Sometimes they used to light their arrows 36:34 and send flaming arrows, and the shield was 36:39 there because it would provide some insulation 36:42 between you and the arrows, you don't want them 36:44 to actually touch you and we need the shield 36:48 of faith to keep a barrier between us and those 36:52 flaming arrows of temptation that the Devil 36:55 is constantly firing on us. Now, when you got a 36:59 fiery dark, darks aren't very big are they? 37:03 Sparks aren't very big, matches aren't very big, 37:06 but once it hit something it ignites. So, the ideas, 37:10 you want to stop them with your shield before 37:13 they hit anything and ignite anything. 37:17 Don't get anywhere in near those areas of 37:19 temptation. I will talk little bit more about that later 37:23 today, but the way you operated in a practical 37:26 way with the shield of faith is you avoid 37:29 those places in those situations, stay away from 37:32 them hold that shield up. Well, you know, 37:35 you're gonna be tempted. We got a problem with 37:38 alcohol; don't push your card up and down the wine 37:41 section of the market, amen. Just go all the way 37:45 around, if you have too if your problem is ice cream 37:49 don't pick that job at Baskin Robbins and they 37:51 just pray for strength. So, often we you know, 37:56 we put ourselves in these situations where we're 37:59 tempted and we need to have that, that shield of faith. 38:04 You know in other way that, that shield of faith 38:07 operates in a practical sense, it's through faith 38:12 we get the victory, if you believe that Christ 38:17 is with you, that is a shield amen. How often did 38:22 God soldiers go often to battle and they won't 38:24 afraid because they believed the Lord was 38:27 with them. Matter of fact, you and Jesus are 38:31 always a majority. The story we just read about 38:34 Eleazar, Eleazar and David, you know David never 38:38 lost the battle. Eleazar and David, he said if David 38:43 is with me oh when this is the guy that kills the giant. 38:48 You and Jesus will not lose that battle. You know, 38:51 how many times in the Bible, it says that God 38:53 is our shield. The word shield appears about 45 times 38:56 in scripture. And if you know, the Christ is with you, 38:59 you, if you're walking with the Lord and you're 39:01 in the will of God and you're faith of God's presence, 39:04 he sent an army of angels to protect you. 39:08 They'll encamp around you. God becomes a shield 39:10 and fortress for you. And you know you can go 39:15 through life with lot more peace and confidence. 39:17 I don't ring my hands and fear from day-to-day 39:21 I travel all over the place and matter of fact; 39:23 we flew in here this morning and not only is Dwight 39:28 a good pilot, but I trust the Lord and you don't 39:33 want to attempt God, but if you live by faith 39:35 and you know, that you're following the Lord 39:38 then hey, it's like John Wesley said, or rather 39:41 George Woodfield, he said I'm a mortal until my work 39:44 is done; if you're living by faith and you're 39:47 not tempting God then you're immortal until 39:50 your work is done and when God said that your 39:52 work is done; you don't want to live a minute 39:54 longer anyway do you, do you? You won't do, 39:58 hey, this likes nothing compared to 40:00 what God's got prepare for us, Amen. 40:01 Amen. And so you fight that fighter faith that 40:05 you're fighting a long side the Lord. The helmet 40:08 of salvation is a next thing it's mentioned here. 40:12 And take the helmet of salvation. 40:16 Now, the helmets are really important because 40:21 you got your brain and you need to protect it. 40:26 You know, I was really surprise when I was in, 40:29 I don't know what the laws are in Michigan, 40:31 but I was in Southern Illinois couple of days ago, 40:34 and we saw these guys riding down the street 40:35 on their motorcycles at 90 miles an hour. 40:38 No helmet on, my wife used to work in a hospital, 40:41 they called them donor cycles. And because 40:45 people often had irreparable head injury, 40:48 but the other organs maybe could be used. California, 40:51 now you've got wear a helmet. What's a law here 40:53 in Michigan, you have to gotta wear a helmet. 40:56 I know, it's not a fashion statement and you know 40:59 the Harley riders is kind of chase that, 41:00 and so they trying wear the little bitty helmets 41:02 and look like you know, looks like a monastic head 41:06 or something, but I don't know how much it protects, 41:14 but the idea is you want that protection. 41:17 There is a story in the Bible about one of the first 41:18 kings of Israel was the name of Elimelech, 41:22 Abimelech rather and, and he went to fight against 41:25 the city and he took off his helmet and a lady through 41:28 walk off the wall and bunked upon the nogany died. 41:32 How was at the David was able to find and open in 41:35 with Goliath, when Goliath saw the David was coming 41:37 out and he had a stick, he was indignant, 41:41 he push back his helmet or deviser of his helmet that 41:44 exposes his forehead and David said, 41:45 Bingo I was looking for a target. So, you want 41:51 to protect, by the way, you know, on your head, 41:53 you have got seven secret openings. 42:00 You got two eyes and two ears and two nostrils 42:03 and one mouth. These seven sacred places 42:08 and I think that you have to protect what goes in, 42:16 but ought to be careful, what you're looking at. 42:20 Make a covenant with your eyes. I know others 42:21 will be talking at length about this during our day 42:24 together. Ought to be protecting and deciding 42:28 what you listen too. You know, we're all constantly 42:34 being bombarded with visual images just driving 42:38 down the road, walking through the Airport, 42:40 no matter where you are? There are so many 42:42 messages that are constantly assaulting our senses. 42:48 Then as a Christian you need to pray that God 42:49 is gonna put a helmet of heaven's atmosphere 42:52 around your head. I kind of like to think of it is 42:55 something like what the astronauts were. 42:57 Well it's not only protecting you, but it creates 43:00 its own atmosphere, its own pressure. 43:03 Not only that will knows astronauts are doing the space 43:05 walk around the shuttle that helmet is you notice 43:08 devisers got this coding on it, because 43:10 they're being bombarded with the radiation from 43:13 the Sun without the protection of our atmosphere 43:16 and it can do terrible damage. And so they have 43:18 got all kinds of protection in that helmet. 43:19 That's kind of like, what I picture. Paul was today, 43:22 he said put on the astronaut helmet of salvation, 43:26 because you need that whole atmosphere around 43:28 your head. There is so much that were expose 43:32 to these days. Need to pray that God will help us, 43:35 be careful what we look at. What we listen to. 43:39 And you know you're constantly being attacked 43:43 by the Devil and his man of faith you need to be 43:46 aware of it. One reason, we need ongoing revival 43:49 it's, it's like you got a plug in your, your phone 43:52 and your computer all the time even if you're not 43:55 using that the battery was slowly drain, won't it? 43:58 And you just got to know, I got a plug it down. 44:01 You need personal revival and devotions on a regular 44:04 basis to counteract that. I see in my life and I really 44:10 worry sometimes because, I give you an example, 44:13 what I'm talking about you know I travel a lot in often 44:17 rent cars. I was going to meeting in Southern 44:20 California. And there was actually an AMEN Conference 44:24 down in Southern California and I got my rental car 44:27 and I was late, my plane was delayed and 44:30 I'm trying to get there because I need to speak 44:31 that night. And I, you know, hoping the car 44:34 and you do always get a new rental car, if you 44:36 done this before you kind a looking around 44:37 the figure, where everything is and one time 44:41 you know, I never driving a previous before just 44:44 a side note. And I was, I thought well it might be 44:47 interesting a Hopten and think boater like a computer 44:52 and I couldn't figure out where anything 44:53 it was and it didn't even sound like a car. 44:56 And I though you know, it's distracted that I get, 44:58 I have, I just got out of the thing, I thought I'm 45:00 gonna kill myself. So, I still never have driven one, 45:03 but so I get in this car and, I, I go around to, 45:08 where you check out you know, you putting 45:10 on your seat belt and looking for my credit card 45:11 to give them as you checking out with your car. 45:14 And finally I,I said can I have a map and they 45:16 give me a map and as you know, in the car 45:18 five minutes waiting to get out of the rental car 45:21 parking lot, and finally get on the on the road 45:23 and find out where inner state Tennis and then 45:26 I sort of settle down because I know my way 45:27 and for the first time in the six to eight minutes 45:30 I had been in that car. I realize the radio was on, 45:33 when I got in? And it was playing the most 45:36 awful worthily rap diabolical rocky music. 45:45 I mean, it was like exhibit of the worse thing, 45:47 I would have felt terrible, if I had made a pocket 45:49 call during that time. You know, what pocket call is? 45:52 Three accidentally bump yourself on it, and dials 45:54 the last number. I didn't know, what that was my 45:58 son call maybe other day he said dad I got a 45:59 pocket call from you. So, what is the mean, 46:02 well I call him in that bump my phone, he was 46:03 hearing me conversant with some body else, 46:06 but if someone had heard me in my car, 46:08 if he said Doug Batchelor and then he picked up the 46:10 phone and they heard the music. 46:15 He wants to rule at me. What scared me was, 46:20 I was listening to it and I was totally unconscious, 46:25 because I was so used to hearing it in the stores 46:28 and everywhere you go these days. Sometimes 46:30 we be at Mexican restaurant or call somebody 46:32 and though person will say, Doug, where are you? 46:35 Because I had in the background, 46:36 you're hearing and you going and you know, 46:39 I'm sorry I'm here at Chipola and that's you know 46:42 What, can't even get a veggie bridle without 46:45 having to listen to that these days. 46:48 So, you know what I'm saying. It's everywhere 46:50 around us. You want to protect, what goes in your 46:55 mouth and what comes out that helmet of salvation. 46:59 And even you nostrils, do you know for a couple 47:02 of years after I quit smoking, it was so bad for me. 47:06 Someone else would be smoking, I tell, 47:09 I'm gonna smoke that I follow people up the street. 47:15 And when they would exhale and I like to kind a go, 47:18 as I'm not smoking Lord. I find that was under 47:22 conviction you can't do that Doug. She gotta protect 47:25 everything, but we need that helmet of salvation. 47:31 All the time, but the Devil will get through 47:33 to our minds. You're the some total of what 47:38 comes into your mind over the course of your life. 47:40 Amen, amen. The words are come out your mouth, 47:44 that's what you've taken in. And it can change 47:46 you so you have got to choose what goes in and 47:49 feast on the word, clean cleave onto your sword. 47:57 Having the helmet of Salvation and the sword 48:00 of the Spirit that is the word of God. Now, 48:06 Hebrews chapter 4, the word of God is quick and 48:09 powerful and sharper than any two edge sword. 48:12 When you're talking about these implements of war 48:14 in this arsenal, the only one that is really the offense 48:19 weapon, everything else is defensive, 48:20 the shield is defensive. I suppose you get probably 48:23 during knock person down with your shield. 48:24 The helmet, the breastplate, the shoes are all 48:27 pretty much defensive in nature, 48:29 but there is no question that the sword while being 48:31 defensive is also an offense weapon meaning 48:34 you go forth with it and you conquer for Christ. 48:37 It's not enough for us to read our Bible, 48:39 so we can defend our faith. We're also supposed 48:42 to be going forth for Christ conquering, when Jesus 48:46 appears in Revelation as the word of God, 48:49 he is got what coming out of his mouth. 48:53 A two edge sword, why two edges? Because 48:56 it's a dwell nature to the word of God, it's called 48:59 well all the New and the Old Testament. 49:02 The law and the prophets, its Moses and Elijah, 49:10 the two witnesses, this two edge sword, 49:15 we must fill our mind, by the way, it's dwell in nature 49:18 because it that gives you perspective like your 49:21 two eyes, gives you balance. And so we need 49:24 to fortify our minds with the truth of God's word. 49:27 Not only so we can defend what we believe, 49:29 but we need to prepare it to share it. 49:31 And when the Devil comes to us with temptation, 49:34 what did Jesus used to attack the Devil. 49:40 He said, it is written, it is written, it is written, 49:44 and he finally was able to defeat the Devil 49:46 and send him running, because he have the word 49:50 of God. And by the way, does it say that Jesus, 49:54 when he was tempted by the Devil is at just a 49:56 moment Lucifer I got to get my, my Knapsack 49:58 out here and some where in the bag I've got 50:01 a scroll, and see if I can find the reference, 50:05 let me get my laptop out and Laptops are great 50:08 for study, but I found that, what's happened for me. 50:11 as the more-and-more I've dependent on my computer 50:13 to study the word of God. I used to know, 50:15 exactly where to turning my pages and now 50:18 I still remember the words of it's getting the little 50:20 harder to find it actually in the book. 50:23 The Lord wants us to have these things in our mind. 50:26 So, we're prepared, to share what we believe. 50:30 You know, that maybe just think of a story. 50:32 You've all heard of Sam Houston, Houston Texas 50:34 was named after him. He had a son Sam Houston 50:37 Junior and during the Civil War the battle of Shiloh, 50:43 he was actually struck by one of these little 50:47 mini balls, I called them then don't let the word mini 50:51 deceive you, they were really powerful and knock 50:54 the man down flat just like you were hit with the 50:56 sledge hammer and he was shock at the back, 51:01 knock down and when he finally recovered 51:05 his senses, he realized that he was alive, 51:09 he didn't know how to battle he was wounded 51:10 because you know, frequently when you're shocked 51:12 you don't even know because you're so shocked 51:15 by the initial force, a friend came and pulled off 51:20 his knapsack, and the bullet had struck the Bible 51:25 that his mother had given him, a little Bible 51:28 in his knapsack and it is stopped right on Psalm 51:33 70 verse 5. Other word of God is a shield 51:42 and the word of God is our defense, 51:45 interesting story, amen. Amen. And so, 51:47 if the word of God must be hidden and, 51:49 now the seven things that are mention 51:51 among the implements in the armor of God. 51:54 And the seventh one is prayer, prayer that 51:59 represents your relationship, your moral of the 52:03 troops. Having that encouragement of an ongoing 52:07 relationship you know, if we cannot see or commander 52:11 going before us, the troops can become 52:13 them moralize. What happen, when the army, 52:16 what outlet by Joshua, when they couldn't see 52:18 Moses with his hands lifted up, it receding, 52:21 they start to getting discourage, but as long 52:24 as I could see their captain on the hill with his hand 52:26 stretched out, they were victorious? 52:30 I remember reading during the World War II, 52:33 how Isan however knowing that it was gonna 52:35 be a bloody day, D-day. He went out there in England 52:39 and he visited with a troops and he prayed for him. 52:43 And knowing some of the might not comeback, 52:45 but the Moral was very high, as they went out; 52:47 of course Europe is free because of that day. 52:52 And so we need to have a relationship of prayer. 52:54 Notice what Paul says, always praying with all prayer 52:58 and supplication in the Spirit being a watchful to this 53:00 in with all perseverance supplication for all saints. 53:07 all! all! all! When do you think soldiers pray for most? 53:13 When they're in Boot Camp, or before they 53:15 activated on the front lines. And when you know, 53:20 you're getting to engage the enemy, 53:23 how sincerely do you pray them? I remember 53:28 my son; he had one relationship with the Lord, 53:31 when he was in Boot Camp. He had another 53:33 relationship with the Lord, when he was in a rack. 53:38 And they entered hostel territory. 53:43 We're living right now friends on the front lines, 53:46 we need to be living with all prayer, 53:49 we need to have peace that our commander 53:50 is with us and have that kind of relationship with the 53:52 Lord, but we know, that we're in God's hands, 53:55 Amen. Amen. You know, I'm looking at clock 53:58 and I've actually got through most of my points here, 54:01 but I want to share a story within, 54:02 I'm gonna read this to you, it's a true story. 54:08 Speaking about God's Mighty Men. On July 9th, 54:12 1755 during the French and Indian Wars. 54:16 A force of 1500 British soldiers were embellish 54:19 in the open by a small force of French and Indian 54:22 fighters, who are shooting from the woods. 54:26 The British soldiers they are the one, 54:28 who were embellished, trained for European 54:31 War made easy targets. Shoulder-to-shoulder 54:33 in the bright red uniforms and their officers were 54:36 even more exposed on horse back, 54:38 high above the men on the ground making 54:40 perfect targets. The slaughter continued for 54:43 two hours and as nearly 70 percent of the British 54:47 soldiers were cut down, there it was decimated 54:50 out of 1500. One-by-one, the chief's marksmen 54:55 shot the British officers from their horses, 54:58 until only officer remained, amazingly round 55:02 after round was anger this one man, 55:04 twice the young little tennis horse will shot out 55:06 from under him. Twice he grabbed another horse, 55:09 10, 15, 20 rounds were fired by the sharp shooters, 55:13 especially at this officer. Still the officer remained 55:17 unhurt, the native warriors stared in disbelief, 55:20 the riffle sell the myths. 55:21 The chief realize that a mighty power must be 55:24 shielding his men and he commanded his soldiers stop 55:27 firing. This one is under the special protection 55:30 of the great spirit he said, eventually the 55:33 Lieutenant Colonel gathered the remaining troops 55:35 and he led them to safety that evening as the 55:39 last of the wounded men will be in care for, 55:42 the officer noted in armchair in his court, 55:45 it was a bullet hole, he rolled up the sleeve and 55:48 looked at his arm directly under the hole, 55:49 there was no mark on his skin. 55:52 Amaze he took off his court and upon examination 55:54 he found three more holes where bullets 55:57 had passed through his court, but stopped, 55:59 before they reached his body. Nine days after the 56:02 battle, the young Lieutenant Colonel wrote his 56:05 brother, by the all powerful dispensations of 56:09 Providence, I have been protected beyond all human 56:12 probabilities or expectation, for I had four bullets 56:15 through my court, two horses shot from 56:18 under me, and yet escaped unhurt. 56:21 Although death was leveling my companions on every 56:24 side the 23 year old officer went onto become 56:28 the commander and chief of the United States Army, 56:31 the first president of the United States. 56:34 During the years that followed upon his long career 56:36 this man George Washington was never once 56:38 wounded in battle. Washington also escape 56:42 flying bullets on four other occasions and survived 56:45 contracting diphtheria, malaria, small pox, 56:48 and tuberculosis. The Bible says, if thousand 56:52 may fall at your side, 10,000 at your right hand, 56:55 but it will not come now onto you. 56:59 One day, during the revolutionary war of farmer 57:01 was going through the woods, and he saw an officer 57:06 while he heard a voice on the woods. 57:09 And he crept up and you know, he didn't know, 57:11 where there is a Britisher ,or whoever 57:12 it was and he saw that was an officer on his knees 57:15 praying. He didn't interrupt and went back home. 57:19 And said to his wife Millie, we're gonna win this war. 57:22 She said, how do you know? He said, 57:24 I just saw a George Washington kneeling 57:26 praying in the woods. God's is going to answer 57:30 those prayers, I know we're gonna win this war, 57:34 but you know, our commander and chief has 57:35 prayed for his troops. Amen. And we're gonna 57:39 win this war. Amen. And if you going to battle, 57:41 trusting in your commander you will not lose, 57:45 a thousand may fall at your side and 10,000 57:47 around you, but you can stand, if you're wearing 57:49 the armor of God friends. How many of you 57:52 would like to say, I would like to be a man of faith. 57:54 I would like to fight in that army. 57:56 Junior and during the Civil War the battle of Shiloh, |
Revised 2014-12-17