Protect Your Head

Good morning!  Today’s topic and communion seem perfectly suited to one another.  Our title “Protect Your Head” is based on the first part of Ephesians 6:17 which says,

Take the helmet of salvation … —Ephesians 6:17a

I have to say that this must be the shortest passage of Scripture on which I’ve ever given a message.  At just five words, I think I can get through this one in about 45 minutes ;-).

Fight Fire With...Fire Extinguishers!

Good morning!  John did a pretty comprehensive review of our study last week, so I don’t think I need to do that.  But I will put up a picture just to remind us of what our soldier has been dressed in up to this point.

Wage War With Peace

Good Morning!  We’re now in the seventh message in our series titled “The War.”  After today, we’ll be halfway through the series.  In preparation for today’s message, I spent some time reviewing the messages which have come before.  One thing which stood out to me came from Carl’s message a couple of weeks back.  He shared how he wanted “to be able to look back after this series is over, for years and years, and be able to say that the body really took Ephesians 6 to heart, and they ever since that time, put on the full armor of God, thereby becoming strong in the Lord and His mighty power, so that although trials and tests come, Satan has no effect on them.”  

That caught my attention to see it again.  In one way, it is the obvious desire of all the teachings that we give.  It is our heartfelt desire that we share so that God will speak to us all and shape us all and change us all.  In another way, it struck me that, “Boy, I better pay attention.  I better focus on applying the things that I am learning.”  If I am honest with myself, I don’t easily remember what was said in the previous week, or what I’ve read each day in God’s Word, and I know if I apply myself more diligently, I can do better holding onto and meditating on these things.

So, let’s take a minute and go back through several of the insights which have come to the forefront so far.  The basis of our series is Ephesians 6:10-20.  Let’s take a look at the beginning of that passage:

Just Who are the Good Guys?

Our Scripture passage for today in our continuing series on spiritual warfare is Ephesians 6:14.  It begins:

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist

A Roman soldier prepared for battle by first putting on his armor.  He would begin by putting on an armored belt around his waist.  It was not only part of his armor to protect his midsection and his groin area, but it also served as a place to hang the rest of his armor and some of his weapons.  The apostle Paul, who had spent a long time as a Roman prisoner, was familiar with this process.  He used this analogy of putting on armor to describe how to be strong in the Lord and His mighty power in order to take a stand over the schemes of the devil by first putting on the belt of truth.  Remember Satan is the father of lies, so in order to stand up against him Paul exhorted the Ephesians to have truth as the foundation of their defense against his schemes.

Hold the Hill

Welcome! Today we continue our series on spiritual warfare, called The War. The overall message of this series is that we are indeed in a war, and that God has provided instructions in Scripture for us on how to not only survive but be victorious in this war. Our main text for the series in Ephesians 6:10-18, but we are also looking at many other supporting passages as well.

Our past messages have taken us through Ephesians 6:10-12. By way of context and review, here are these verses:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. – Eph. 6:10-12