Armored Up!Ephesians 6:13-14“A Knight’s Tale”
By: Rev. Dusty R. Marshall
Let's read Matthew 15:10-12 real quick;

10When He had called the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear and understand: 11Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” 12Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?”

Last week we covered why we need the Armor of God. We went through boot camp. Today we will be covering some specific pieces of the Armor of God; one being the belt of truth the other the Breastplate of Righteousness. Now the whole Armor will always be about Christ. These two specific pieces really get down to repenting and accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior. As we read Matthew notice what Christ is teaching; He points out that what we say, and how we act can really mess us up. With the war that is going on, satan always tries to find ways to get us to compromise our beliefs so we will talk, walk and look like the world.

So, before we get to the belt of truth look with me at Ephesians 6:13. Note what we are being called to do, wear the whole armor not just the pieces that feel comfortable. Now here is a silly question why would you need all of it? Well, Paul addresses this by say “…that you may be able to withstand in the evil day,…” (Eph.6:13) Withstand in the evil day? When is the evil day? I'm glad you asked. The evil day is any day, every day, satan roams around like a lion looking for someone to devour. If we are not equipped and prepared he will devour us.

With the “father of lies” flanking our movements, let’s look at the belt of truth and see how it represents Christ and how a Knight’s tale of honor, loyalty can tell us something about it.

When Knights would take their oath into Knighthood part of their oath and part of Knighthood was to tell to truth no matter what. They would swear to tell the truth even if it would cause their own death. Now that’s loyalty. The position they would now hold was held in such high regard that they would honor it and those that bestowed it to them by telling the truth. Who do we honor when we lie or refuse to stand on God’s word? We are made to worship God and we face many trials and tribulations along the way. But as Charles Spurgeon said; “If you were not soldiers, you would not need armor; but, being soldiers, you need to be clad from head to foot in armor of proof.” We are fighting a war, and I suppose that all Christians know that they are in a war, fighting as soldiers under the banner of the Cross, but fighting a war is hard and often we want to give into the flesh and hand it over, this is why we must be reminded of the war we are in and the equipment we have. So put on the belt of truth, speaking the truth always, spreading the truth of the Gospel, and knowing that Jesus is the TRUTH, THE LIFE and THE WAY!

Now on to the Breastplate of Righteousness.
First let us look at another one of Paul’s writings to understand more of what he is saying.

1 Corinthians 9: 7 “7 Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?”

Here Paul points out that the soldier does not go to war at his own expense. This is true of all the armor. God has provided it for us. He has equipped us. Not only must we rely on Jesus being the truth, but we must rely on His sacrifice and resurrection to have Righteousness. His blood covers us, washing away our sins. So that the breastplate we wear is crimson, and the beauty of it, the craftsmanship put into, the one wearing it would not only look righteous in it but act righteous wearing it. The most amazing thing about this is we can’t save our selves. We are given the armor we just have to put it on. “ …The soldier who devotes himself to the service of his country is not expected to find his own equipment and his own rations, but he is provided for by his country.” -Charles Spurgeon-

Man lives on the word of God, we cannot save ourselves, our salvation is not in our hands. We must realize the equipment we have, rely on the truth and be righteous for His name sake.

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Armored Up part 1: Why do we need the Armor

Armored Up!Ephesians 6:10-12“Welcome to Boot Camp!”

By: Pastor Dusty R. Marshall

Let us start today by reading Romans 12:1-5;
1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 3For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

I would like to ask you few questions right quick. These questions have very easy answers, but please humor me as I ask them.

What Happens to us if we are unprotected?
Why would a soldier need a Bullet Proof vest?
What happens to a Soldier if they enter the Battle Field with nothing more than a Feather Duster?

Today, before we can study the Armor of God, we must understand why we need it! Just as the earlier questions may have had obvious answers to us, so it would be if we asked them concerning the Armor of God.

We never plan to fail, we just fail to plan.

We would be fooling ourselves and making a grave mistake if we thought that in the moment of our Salvation that our lives would now be easy. It’s quite the contrary. The fact of our Salvation is that it also marks the beginning of a lifelong struggle, warfare. Not of our salvation, that you can be sure of, but one of Christian service. Paul’s closing in Ephesians outlines the struggle of Christians with the forces of evil. The Christian must never live and move unarmed.

Isaiah 14: 12-15 not only tell us of the fall of satan but also of his agenda and what will happen to him.
12“How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ 15Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.

So why do we need this Armor? Eph. 6:10-12
1. You are in a War! (10-12)
a. We must be strong in the Lord (10)
i. “Strong”, the word used here means “Pour Power into.”
ii. Remember God is God, we’re not!
iii. We cannot fight with our strength, but God’s

b. We are not fighting against Flesh & Blood! (12)
i. We must not underestimate our enemy, this is grave mistake!
ii. “We wrestle” translated suggests Hand-to-Hand combat. (This battle is up close and personal)

c. To stand against the devil, we must understand the Armor! (11)
i. The verb “put on” denotes urgent and decisive action!
ii. The word used for “Put on” means it would never come off.
iii. “To stand” means to stand ready to fight & hold your ground.
iv. “Wiles of the devil” are his strategies & many subtle ways by which he attacks God’s People. (4:14)(A cuss word here or a lustful thought there, everyone else is doing it to premarital affairs, living together or complacency in out laziness etc…)
When we do these things is how we take off the armor or really never put it on!

So why do we need to Armor Up? Because without it we fail, we can do nothing on our own. Just as a soldier will not run into battle with a feather duster and expect to be successful in the battle, nor shall we rush in the battle in the same manner. Do not think that there is not a spiritual warfare going on. Don’t be tricked into thinking you don’t have to fight because someone else is fighting for you, because you are already in the war. Through Christ we are equipped to stand against anything that may be thrown at us. Christ through the cross has already won the war. We must now stand through Christ in the battles that satan is waging on. So, Armor Up! Accept Christ, His death, burial and resurrection and follow Him. Start planning to win! Guards don’t go and fight the war they tell the commander. The sooner we learn as David said, “The battle is the Lord’s”. If we want to win we must join God’s army and allow Him, our commander, fight and organize the battle.

Deprssive Stress

I know I've been gone for a bit. Man, life has become busy!

Today I want to right about stress and depression. It seems to be something that almost all of us deal with. Today I’m dealing with it. Yesterday was my birthday; I’m 27 now and feel, well, just here. I'm not really sure why but that’s where I’m at. Finances, getting ready to be a dad, my jobs, the church, the boards I’m on, it all seems to be piling up. I love them all but all seem to be in trouble in some way, some more severe than others. I almost feel like Job as the servants kept coming and telling him "...I alone have escaped to tell you!” (Job 11:13-19). It’s just one thing after another; I find that this is where I’m the weakest. I believe this is where most are weakest. Not knowing what to do or where to go. I can only turn to God's word and prayer. The book of Job reminds me God is faithfully and I’m not God, the persistence and never giving up counts. He created everything I didn't. I wasn't there when He created everything. But, I know I can trust him. I know he is in control. Job's friends kept telling him to give in. Job’s own wife said “give up”. But, Elihu would speak in the later chapters of Job (32-37). He would point out how God is justified and how he was angry with Job for justifying himself and not God. (Job 32:2)
Elihu was the kick we all need to prepare us for what is to come; our encounter with God. As we struggle we don't understand. We are justified and righteous in our own eyes. We are so miserable we forget who we serve. We often have friends who come and sit and talk of nothing of worth to us, but then Elihu comes along and gives us the kick we need, showing us who God truly is. He is the provider the great "I AM". Through Him all things are possible. Sometimes we have to go through many trials and tribulations to find that in our toughest moments are when God is at work to make sure we will stay out of "The Pit". Today I rejoice even though I’m depressed and the world seems to be crashing down, I rejoice in God; for he is the creator and amazing, He has saved me. His glory is known more when I am weak, because in these moments I have nothing left but to rely on God. Today rely on God and rejoice in Him. Even in your weakest moments, keep your faith in Him. Remember what happened to Job at the end of the book, he was blessed. So today hang in there, DON'T QUIT, and be blessed.

Read Job!!!!

Life Lessons

Today i wanted to write about some life lessons I've learned over the years. You know the ones that come by experience, and the ones that come as you get older and you say "Momma was right." Let us do what is right and learn from our past, present, and others.

#1.) Don't follow what others do because you want to:
There is no need to be a carbon copy of a bad example. Examine who you listen to and follow. Not everyone who seems to have all the right answers actually has them. Just because it feels right or looks good doesn't mean it is. It's somewhat like the the movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The apple the witch gave her looked very good but was meant to put her in a permanent sleep. Christians today all over the world are being put to sleep because something looks good, because it is all to tempting! Check you actions against scripture and know who you follow. Remember these wise words from a father to his son. "My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood." (Prov. 1:15-16 KJV)

#2.) Your reputation is a very valuable thing:
To often we will make compromises that hit our reputations hard. We forget who we serve and end up serving our selves. Why? Because we want pleasure, riches, people to like us...etc. But the righteous life is not after the temporary things. The righteous are after God's will, even God's heart. It is more important to have a safe guarded righteous life than and financially, socially accepted life. "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God." (Psalm 92:12-13 KJV)

#3.) We must take in to account The God Factor:
Through the years I have learned that if it wasn't for God I would not be here. Looking at my life there where many things I was supposed to do in my life or so I thought. Looking at it know only God could have helped make the things in my life happen, and I couldn't be happier. This is where I learned that I don't always know best. Growing up , regardless of how much I may have argued, I had to really on my mother. She knew what to do. She knew how to take care of me. She knew the stove was hot so don't touch it. So it is today with God. I sure the creator of the universe, the creator of you and me, knows allot more than I do. So , I must trust him to tell me when the stove is Hot! How do you do this? Read God's word, meditate on it. It's the God factor. No parent wants their child to fail or be miserable, and so it is with God. We must look at the unseen. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)

#4.) We often sit in our own Prisons by Choice:
More often then not we are our worst critics. We fail and never try things again. Failures have become a lesson in life in today's society that means to never try that again. Because of this we become broken people, forgetting God's promises. We become our own wardens and lock ourselves away, in many areas of our lives, finances, family, self, jobs, school, and the list can go on and on. What's more amazing is that allot of people never realize that they are free. I have learned it is OK to fail. Without failure I would never realize, what to do better next time. Did you catch that? What you can do better next time. There are allot of people who have heard Christ died for them but don't want to believe it, or want to live a certain life, just as a rebellious child may do. So they never leave the prison. "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths." (2Timothy 4:3-4 NIV)

#5.) With out joy in your life things look miserable:
I saved the best for last. Joy is something that escapes most of us. We have some much going on in the world today that we forget what real joy is. Here is a saying I've learned recently: "Happiness is the symptom of circumstance, Joy is the product of perspective." Let me help explain this. If our favorite football team wins, or we ace our term papers we are happy until the next game or next assignment. These are circumstances. But,if our perspective is changed it doesn't matter if the team wins or we ace the paper, we will always be joyful. Christ died for me and rose again so I don't have to face death. God so loved me. God will take care of me better than the birds in the air. I will live for eternity in heaven. These are all a Christian perspective that should make us all eternally joyful. If we don't change our perspectives in life then our happiness will always be temporary, but if we do change it then our joy can be everlasting. "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Romans12:2 KJV)

Now I hope this helps you in your life. These are just five of the many life lessons I've learned. What are yours? What does the Bible say about them? and How can you incorporate them in your life? (Life application.)

roller coaster Joy.

The holidays have come up so fast. We have had an exciting year. Our economy was crazy, the war on terror still rages, all kinds of bills affect us have been passed or over turned. We have our first black president in office, and not long ago the Fort Hood shooting.That's allot for our country plus many things I didn't mention. This year we have seen many changes at Castle and in our lives. We started out the year strong I felt but, the summer came and the roller coaster ride began. We had a massive church split. Some people stayed only to leave later, and others stuck it out. The financial state of the church was in now in question. We weren't sure if we would be able to keep the doors open through December. Our personal family finances where in-peril. My marriage became highly strained and everything looked all but lost. However I serve an amazing God. Even in my mess up's and many mistakes God was still working. The fact that God could use a mess up like me was humbling. When everyone left us, and me and my wife felt all alone God never left, he held us, let us cry, let us scream, then helped us up and dusted us off. What a year it has been. Through all this we will rejoice! Paul tells in Philippians to "rejoice in the Lord" then in chapter four he reminds us again, "again I say rejoice". For the past couple of months my life has really been challenged. Not in a bad way, in a great way. My life has been challenged to Rejoice in the Lord. Today I'm closer to living those words than just speaking them. God has taken great care of me and my wife and Castle. We have bounced back, our finances are stable. The doors are staying open, our personal finances are leveling out, and I have found out that me and my wife are going to have a child. Oh it is amazing how God has blessed us. So yes I will rejoice. I will have Joy in my life. My perspective is changing. I am saved. God has called me to spread the love of his son, and preach His word. He suffered for me, Paul wrote from imprisonment so we may know to rejoice. Daniel was thrown in a lions den so God's glory would be shown. There are people preaching God's word underground so that they may keep their lives to do His work, as they hear his word while sitting on a dirt floor or being beat or even put to death for the progress of God's word. Today what to I have to really complain about, what reason's do I have to not rejoice, there may be many, but the glory of God over shadows them. "He knew me before he created me", He "knows the plans that He has for me, .. to prosper me and not harm me." I may suffer, I may experience pain, but I have Joy in the Lord. He has blessed my life, has blessed me and my wife with a child, and even when everything looks so bad, if I'll just lift my head I will be able to see the Joyous things around me and the many things I have to be thankful for.

Wednesday night we had four youth accept Christ as their Lord and Savior. That is what this is all about. The Kingdom of God is growing and I'm glad to know he can use a wretch like me. "This is the day the Lord has made and I will Rejoice and be Glad in it." AMEN

Baby News

Me and Liz went in for the first Doctor's appt. since we found out Liz is pregnant. All is well the doc said she is about 8-9 weeks along. In a week or so we will have the next appt. and hopefully hear the baby's heart beat, and get our first ultra sound. I so excited that we are going to be parents but nervous at the same time. Pray for us as we strive to be parents after God's own heart.

New Addition

Me and my wife Liz have recently found out that we are going to have a child. We are so very excited! Pray for us as we take this new journey in our life as God allows us to bring a new life into this world. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. This our first and I'm so happy. We will keep you posted with updates. This is so awsome!