Ever looking for which door is the right one to go through? Jesus said, I am the door. He is the only door to our salvation and protects and provides for His children. This is the third in a series covering the I Am statements by Jesus in the book of John.  May you enter through the door that leads into salvation.

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Hungry for food that satisfies not just your stomach but your soul? In the first of seven I am statements, Jesus declared: I am the bread of life. After Jesus fed the 5,000 with the five loaves and two fish, He offered the people something even better to feast on. Himself.  His broken body on the cross produced spiritual food that gave life to all who would believe. May we feast on Christ through fair winds and high storms. 

Have you ever tried to control your life, only to have things go differently than you planned? Learn how to rest in the Lord by trusting His character. Float freely on the waves of God's grace.

This podcast covers Lesson Six of The Whole Armor of God Bible study on the helmet of salvation. Discover the importance of the helmet of salvation as you learn to guard your mind. Let the assurance of your salvation in Christ be the filter for how you feed your mind on good things so your thoughts will honor God.

We need to guard our minds because our thoughts lead to actions which form our identities. The things we feed our minds on become the truths we use as the foundation for our beliefs. If we aren't careful to take our thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ, we can fall prey to the lies of Satan. When we consume junk food, our bodies ache; when we buy lies, we feel miserable. Instead, we must intentionally think good things so our lives bring light and not darkness. 

As Christians, we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. His death that took the wrath of God for our sins, burial, and resurrection, is what saves us. We are not saved by any righteous acts we have done, only by the blood of Jesus. When as believers we rest in Christ to save us, we can be secure enough to not fear the future. We are complete in Christ. His salvation is enough for us to have an abundant life on earth and eternal life in heaven with Him.

The helmets on the firemen protect their heads as they fight to save people caught in fires. Isaiah 59:17 indicates that God Himself put on a helmet of salvation when setting out to save His people. He went knowing He could save us. We too can wear the helmet of salvation with confidence.

A few ways to intentionally feed your mind on truth are by memorizing Scripture, reading God's Word, writing lists of things we are thankful for, and singing praise music. These keep our minds set on things above that are praiseworthy instead of sinking into complaining and gossiping. I pray we use the helmet of salvation to guard our minds and live from the foundation of our salvation in Christ.

• What are some ways you can intentionally feed your mind on truth? 

This podcast covers Lesson Five of The Whole Armor of God Bible study. It discusses how God uses our faith as a shield to protect us. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, NKJV) We hold onto faith in God keeping His promises when all we see is hardship.

I love this photo above of the police holding smaller and larger shields for protection. The bigger our faith in God, the bigger our shield.  When we make God big, His presence before us is larger and shields more of us. For we walk by faith and not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV) When we focus on our circumstances, our faith shrinks, and our shields grow smaller.  Personally, I know I need the biggest shield possible to block the fiery darts of the enemy.

Our faith in God is solid because He keeps His promises. The same way our bodies atrophy if we don't exercise, faith atrophies if we don't use it. We grow our faith by finding verses to apply in our struggles. I challenge you to read through God's Word and discover Scriptures that address your needs.  Memorize them so they are part of your arsenal to build to your shield of faith. If you lack faith, ask God for more, and look for ways He is shielding you in your storm.

• What are some verses that have helped grow your faith?
• What are some ways your faith has shielded you?

This podcast covers Lesson Four of The Whole Armor of God Bible study on having our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. It discusses how we can have beautiful feet by sharing the gospel. It defines the good news of the gospel as being Jesus' completed work of reconciling us back to God through His death, burial, and resurrection. We need to know what we believe and why, and always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in us.

In line with preparing our feet, look at the soccer cleats in this photo.  Those are probably the best modern-day example of what the Roman soldiers wore as sandals with cleats to help them stand fast in battle.  We need to be rooted in the Word to help us remain steady in spiritual battles.  Also, this is a great picture because you see the athlete advancing down the field.  We are not only to stand strong, but to advance the truth of the gospel wherever our feet take us. 

I pray you will diligently seek to know the gospel and clearly articulate the good news so you can share it with your neighbors and the nations as ministers of reconciliation.

Here is the link for the podcasts. This episode is WFTH 004.  You can also find it on iTunes and Google Play.  Thanks and God bless!

• What is something good that's happened to you lately? Who did you tell?
  
• What are some things you've done to prepare to share the gospel?