Life!

 

 

    I have now come back from North Platte Nebraska, after working for three and a half months there. It has been hard but it is now done and I get to move on with things here in Lincoln. I am very excited because the church that I am attending is giving me and another brother in the Lord a chance to start a mentoring, discipleship fellowship. I want to really hear from God on how he wants to build this fellowship of believers. I have burned into my mind and heart that, Jesus will build his church
and I have the great honor to be used by Him to do this. I have for a very long time felt there is more to this life and walk than what I have now. There has been a burning in my soul for a closer and deeper relationship with my Jesus. I am seeking this out; in hope I do hear His voice and get a sense of what is in His heart for the people of my church. I do not want
to just build another PROGRAM that will burn out in a short time and not ever be missed. I want to have the Lord of glory come and guide us and make it a world changing time. I thank God for all he has done for me and my family and hope to keep humble in the process.

 

May God Richly bless you all who read this in all that you do. Always remembering, that, it is all about JESUS and that He died for you and me.

 

Shawn Thornton

John 14:6

Why the Helmet of Salvation

    Why does the scripture use a helmet as a symbol for our salvation?

 

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; (Ephesians 6:17)

 

Eph 6:17 Albert Barnes notes

And take the helmet – The helmet was a cap made of thick leather, or brass, fitted to the head, and was usually crowned with a plume, or crest, as an ornament. Its use was to guard the head from a blow by a sword, or war-club, or battle-axe. The cuts will show its usual form.

Of salvation – That is, “of the hope of salvation;” for so it is expressed in the parallel place in 1Th_5:8. The idea is, that a well-founded hope of salvation will preserve us in the day of spiritual conflict, and will guard us from the blows which an enemy would strike. The helmet defended the head, a vital part; and so the hope of salvation will defend the soul, and keep it from the blows of the enemy. A soldier would not fight well without a hope of victory. A Christian could not contend with his foes, without the hope of final salvation; but, sustained by this, what has he to dread?

 

This was a good study for me because; it reminded me how important it is to keep a check on our minds. The enemy of our souls wants to knock us off the right path always. The first place he wants to

attack is the mind. The helmet shows that we need to protect our minds. In addition we need to know that the doctrine [teaching from the scriptures] and Theology [teachings about who God is] are in

line with what the bible teaches. There are many false teachers out in the world that even disguise themselves as evangelical preachers. If you look close into the truth about the teaching it is just as bad

as the Mormon teaching, {Joseph Smith} or any other cult. We have to make sure the teachings of God are in order. Out of all the many different things in life I have ever done the Studying of God’s

Word has proven to be the most exhilarating experience I have ever had. It also brings with it the immense duty to make clear in your mind how essential it is to be accurate and truthful in your studies.

We who teach are telling others we hear from God and that this is an accurate way to go. We will be held accountable for this.

 

    A great place for more info on things about false teaching is Hank Hanegraaff’s
web-site www.equip.org

    Here is where you can really trust what is taught. This man has devoted his life to the preaching of the truth of God’s Eternal Word.

 

 

May God Richly Bless you in all you do.

Remember, your father in heaven has numbered all the hairs on your head and his thoughts about you outnumber the

     Give It 110% For Jesus Everyday!

Salvation for Those Who Believe

Many people have a variety of excuses as to why they do not go to church.

1. There are too many hypocrites in the church.
   
2. There are so many different beliefs, which one should I believe?
   
3. I just don’t have the time to go.
   
4. I just don’t want someone telling me how to live.
   

 

I have heard even more than these but these are some that have come up recently. The Word of God is very clear on the way of Salvation. We have to confess and believe.

Romans 10:9-12 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and you believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. (10) For with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. (11) For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him shall not be put to shame.” (12) For there is no difference between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord of all is rich to all who call upon Him.

 

Today though I would agree with some that there is to much fighting among the different denominations about Doctrine that is not essential to true salvation.

 

John Macarthur said, “The only true way to know if someone is saved, they will obey the Lord’s Word.” As I have meditated on this thought I do believe it to be true. If I look at my own life the time that true changes have come is when I hold to what God’s Word tells me to do. We do not live in a perfect world and we will not be perfected till the day of Christ. Paul tells us in Philippians.

 

Philippians 3:12-17 Not that I have already obtained, or have already been made perfect; but I press on, if also I may lay hold of that for which I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. (13) Brothers, I do not count myself to have laid hold; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, (14) I press toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (15) Therefore, as many as are mature, let us think this way; and if in anything you think otherwise, even this God will reveal to you. (16) Nevertheless, to what we have attained, let us walk by the same rule, being of the same mind. (17) Be fellow imitators of me, brothers, and look out for those walking this way, just as you have us for a pattern.

 

He has not yet made it but he keeps trying and he asks for forgiveness and moves on. He also says, “as many as are mature” you need to think this way. We are called to serve God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength this is what He asks of us.

 

 

Prayer:

 

    Gracious heavenly father, may we come to you in the acknowledgement of, who we are and who you are. That we could become mature people of God and have this mind of forgetting the past because you have forgiven us. Each day that I wake Holy Spirit, bring to my mind the grace that has been given to me through Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord for my Life, may I ever live in your presence.

 

 

 

 

The Past!

How many of you have a time stamped that you came to know Jesus Christ? How many of you have always followed Christ?

 

All of us have a different testimony and that is the beauty of the church. As I have been going to a new church I have already meet a number of great people. The one thing that makes us all the same is SIN. There are many of us that have strongholds that are worse than others. We are called to move into maturity in Christ and not stay on the milk of the word. This can be very hard if we allow ourselves to have excuses for why we do not OBEY Jesus. The word of God tells us to renew our minds and not be conformed to this world. The only way this can happen is that we realize who is in control. You are not and God is! We can do nothing without the help of Jesus Christ and may we all seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. So that we can prove to an unbelieving world just what true Christians look like.

 

Keep the Faith in these times for His return is closer now then when you first BELIEVED.

God Bless

 

Shawn