The Shield of Faith (Ephesians 6:16)

In connection with the message this morning about lifting the Shield of Faith and moving it to the point of attack, here are the forty (thirty-nine, actually) identity truths for defense in the Christian Life.

The file is here.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2880531/fortyThings.pdf

Church Services cancelled on 08-28-11

Veterans Day and Romans 13:7

It is good to honor those to whom honor is due.

Paul instructs us in Romans that is is good and right to obey the government (when those commands do not conflict with the commands of God), to honor our governing officials because they are the appointed agents of God in our lives to enforce laws and dispense justice.

Paul articulates a principle in Romans 13:7 that extends far beyond respecting government officials or obeying laws. He commands the giving of honor to all who deserve it. Romans 13:7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

As Christians, we should be first and foremost to obey when our nations laws do not conflict with the law of God. We should pay our bills on time and pay our taxes. (We should also vote for representatives who will lower those taxes if we feel they are too high!)

The final two commands in this passage command respect to those who deserve it, and honor those who deserve it as well. We might not like war or guns, we might not agree with whether the Vietnam or Korean War were just or necessary... but we should never make the mistake of disrespecting someone who has put their own life at risk in the service of our nation. We should honor those who have lost their lives in conflict and combat, and honor those who have put themselves in second place so that their people might enjoy freedom.

So take joy in honoring those to whom honor is owed. I am proud to say 'thank you' to all who have served the great nation in which we are blessed to live. I am honored by your service and enriched to know you! Thank you for the freedom to speak God's Word without restraint, to raise my children as I believe I ought, to worship God in the manner I am convicted He has revealed Himself, and to delight in the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness.

Freedom rings in our nation because you refused to let anyone silence the beautiful sound of liberty.

May you know in truth the honor and gratitude we wish upon you on your day!

Things to Consider as You Approach Worship this Sunday (and Every Sunday!)

Before the Service

• Read the passage in advance - Our text this week is 2 Thess 1:11-12.
• Pray for the gathering
• Arrive Early
• Greet newcomers (act like you are the host)
• Think strategically about who you should sit with

During the Service

• Sing with gusto (even if you can’t sing)
• Help with logistics (if there’s a problem, help fix it)
• Don’t be distracted
• Listen carefully
• Be aware of your facial expressions (you may affect others and discourage preachers)

After the Service

• Connect newcomers with others
• Get newcomers information
• Start a conversation about the sermon
• Ask someone how they became a Christian
• Stay late

Source: www.9Marks.org

Thanks to my buddy Duane for Posting!

Fighting Against Unbelief - Version 0.5 & Errata

Here's the link to the E-Resource I've created to help us fight unbelief.

Your input is valued. I want to emphasize my deep indebtedness to both Dan Fuller and John Piper on this resource. I plan on developing it further in the future, but the work may seem very similar to theirs at this point in time. Credit and honor is due to them for their pioneering work.

Also - yesterday in the message I think I mentioned that Saul was removed from his throne because he refused to wait for Samuel to come and make the sacrifice at Gilgal. I think my words were accurate, but I realized in my Bible reading this morning that I might have combined two accounts - one in 1 Samuel 13:8-14 and one in 1 Chronicles 10:13-14. Sorry for any confusion.

May God guide and encourage as you chip away at Unbelief,

Keith

Fighting Unbelief E-Book

Did Christ Really Rise from the Dead? [Resource]

Did Christ Really Rise from the Dead?

It's an important question... perhaps the most important one you could ever ask.

As mentioned in the sermon today, here's a booklet from RBC that answers this question in great detail. You can go directly to the PDF file by clicking here.

There's a brilliant line of reasoning from Chuck Colson on pages 27-29.

Enjoy! Fight for your faith!

Keith

"Did Christ Really Rise from the Dead?" Booklet

On the Physical Death and Suffering of Jesus Christ [Article]

I mentioned this article in my sermon this morning. If you're interested in reading more about the physical trials of Our Lord Jesus, this is the first and most extensive treatment I've ever read.

It's very graphic, but written from a medical perspective.

I encourage you to read it, but keep in mind that John's emphasis is not on the Physical suffering of Jesus, but on the importance of what His death accomplishes... satisfying the righteous demands of God and securing grace towards all who would trust in His death.

Link to the article:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2880531/deathjesus.pdf