Backblast:
11.17.23, 05:15-06:15
AO: 3rdF; TED Shed
The Pax: @Mr Rogers, @Sawdust, @Boilermaker, @Web, @Buckeye, @Nurse Jackie (F3 Florence), @Wee Man, @Dipstick, @Boucher, @Frodo, @Pinto
Q: @Paycheck
WARMUP—Praise and Worship:
“Goodness of God” , Bethel Music live version
Readings from the Holy Bible
1 Peter 1: 3-9 | Praise to God for A Living Hope
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Romans 5:3-5
Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Psalm 51:16-17
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
Jeremiah 17:8
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
1 Peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
1 John 5: 19-21
We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
Ephesians 6: 10-20 | The Armor of God
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. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
Matthew 13:44 | The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
Philippians 4: 6-9
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”
https://bible.com/bible/111/php.4.4-8.NIV
THE THANG
WHAT’S A DOG-TAG CHRISTIAN?
While helping his daughter London with her gymnastics, his youngest son fell into their pool.
Granger did everything he could to get to him, but he was too late.
River drowned, and Granger’s world shattered.
The days, weeks, and months that followed River’s death sent Granger on a dark and painful journey.
“I was a Dog-Tag Christian—at least that’s the phrase I use now. It comes from a practice during World War II where the military stamped the name of the soldiers’ religion on their dog tags so that if they died people would know what kind of holy man should speak at the funeral.
I grew up in a Christian home with a mother who read the entire New Testament to me as an infant while I nursed. I went to Sunday school every week and learned about Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, and Moses parting the Red Sea. In high school, I attended the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, youth groups, and church camps. On rare occasions I would pick up a Bible and read some of the red-letter words, but not really understand what they meant in context with the black ones.
After my dark night in Boise, I began to doubt that my Dog-Tag Christianity was worth anything. In John 6:44 Jesus said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”
When the call came, it was irresistible. It was as though I’d been handed a key that opened a door that had been locked, and when I gazed inside, nothing looked the same. I went home and ditched the self-help books I’d been relying on to get me through my grief. I sidelined the devotionals, the visualizations, and the affirmations. I quit the meditation apps cold turkey and deleted them all. I dusted off my childhood Bible. I was hungry for what it would feed to my wearied soul. – Granger Smith” (https://wng.org/articles/peace-like-a-river-1690248162)
[Discuss]Is a broken spirit is pleasing to the Lord?
Growth, dependence on Lord can come from it. We have a tendency to not come to Him when all is well.
“THE SLIDESHOW”—Guilt and Shame as a weapon.
Granger Smith is an extreme example of how “The Slideshow” or Guilt and Shame, Negative Self-Talk, etc. can have and yet we all can fall prey to it (negative thought patterns).
1 Peter 5:8; Phil 4: 6-9
He said it was like an entity was in the room with him.
He drank Spirits that night. Let that sink in.
After going back on tour after the accident on a good night, the band asked him if he wanted to go to the bar. He did, drank liquor/Spirits to excess, and the enemy blitzed via negative thought patterns and images as he drunkenly forgot the passcode to his trailer, triggering a negative thought pattern.
Once inside the trailer, he was under spiritual attack.
“That’s when I realized someone else was in the room that night. I didn’t think that. That wouldn’t have come from me. I wouldn’t have generated a thought that would’ve said…give up, quit…but yet, something was thinking that for me…that’s the best way I can describe one of the strangest moments in my life. in that realization that I was not alone came the next realization that suddenly i was under attack, I was in a war that I had no weapons for, I was flanked, surrounded, outgunned, outmanned against an enemy I didn’t even know who it was, and this was all in my mind playing out and right in that moment I said, “JESUS- SAVE ME! Please, God Jesus save me.” It all went away.
“JESUS- SAVE ME! Please, God Jesus save me.” It all went away.
The slideshow stopped.
The anxiety stopped.
My mind went clear…” Who was this Jesus that I called out to that was more powerful than any thought I had outside of me? I knew Jesus I called myself a Christian my whole life, but why, was it now…who is he really? Who is the real Jesus?”
Thankfully he had a very strong foundation as a child, of which many do not. I am convinced that his strong background of faith gave him the muscle memory to call out to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Being Utilized by the Lord
Granger had been given a stage by Providence, thinking it was all done by “me me me” but now has the platform to impact others for God.
Granger’s Moment driving, listening to John Piper on John 14:
“Why is it that you manifest yourself to us but not to the rest of the world? Jesus said- if anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
John Piper: That’s not unconditional love; that is PROFOUNDLY CONDITIONAL. “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love them in a way that he doesn’t love everybody.
Granger [explaining]: “He wasn’t saying if you want me to love you then you keep my word and earn it.
He was saying there’s people that I love, that I will save, redeem, restore, forgive, and you can tell those people—
because those are the people—that keep my word….
“You.Can.Tell.Those.People.
Because those are the people— that Keep.My.Word (my commandments)…”
”[GRANGER]: I DON’T KNOW IT…. I don’t know all of it…I knew I wasn’t doing what He asked me to do…We are going to go to The Word itself…we literally knocked the dust off these Bibles, that we haven’t really touched, calling ourselves Christians. It’s how we learn who God is, just like you know your child or a friend– by spending time with them, you start to learn what they like”- Granger“As we start to read the Bible, we start to learn who God is, and begin to know Him as a Sovereign, Providential King worth surrendering to. The shame, the guild the Slideshow- it makes it lose its sting.This silences the Slideshow.
JOHN PIPER- The lynchpin message which shifted Granger’s trajectory—
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/how-to-seek-the-holy-spirit/excerpts/trust-and-obey
⁃ “As we start to read the Bible, we start to learn who God is, and begin to know Him as a Sovereign, Providential King worth surrendering to.
The shame, the guild the Slideshow- it makes it lose its sting.
This silences the Slideshow”.-Smith
SUPPRESSIVE FIRE AGAINST THE ENTRENCHED ENEMY:
—Pursuing the Lord by reading his Word first thing in the morning is Suppressive fire against the entrenched Enemy.
—It is also like a treasure hidden in a field.
—It is also The Manual.
About Face and Col. David Hackworth’s ripple effect of excellence – Discuss,
and how many numerous, miraculous times he was spared obliteration, likely due to his righteous earnestness towards the welfare of his men.
—David H “Hack” Hackworth Merchant Marine 1945- as an orphan, signed up for at age 14.
—Paid a vagabond to pose as his farther to join the Army.
—One of the most decorated soldiers (91) in US History.
—He was stationed in Treaste, Italy after WWII in an Honor Guard, known for taking utmost pride in every detail, up to and including memorizing every element of the Field Manual, as a supreme source of unit pride: being of the utmost highest standard; a positive example to bestow.
“KNOW THE MANUAL”:
RED LIGHT CHALLENGE: Fire Suppressive Fire at the enemy, via worship, at redlights. The Word is The Way. You call yourself a Christian but do you know the manual?
KNOW THE MANUAL.CHALLENGE: Set the Recurring Appointment, first thing in the morning. Fire the first shot at the entrenched enemy.
Know the Field Manual for whom you serve.
—Bible
——Bill of Rights …you call yourself an American but…
——US Constitution,
————F3 Freed to Lead,
——————QSource
————————Your occupation
What else?
Same for F3. Do we know the manual?
I got us 3 new copies Freed To Lead. In the front will be names and dates. Shield Locks will be broken into teams of 3, each team class will figure out how to complete the reading, so that the next class can then complete among their 3 man team. The next team is waiting on the team ahead of it. We all depend on one another!
KEY POINT:
The enemy IS out there. Do not deny it. The world and its ways will lead you astray. Fire back into the fray with worship every day.
Early and often: set the recurring appointment first thing. Praise Him by seeking Him, in His Book.
PARABLE:
The Harvest and Sowing Seeds. Grow branches with deep roots.
Think of yourself not as a rock for your family. Who does the rock lean on when there’s nobody else. Think instead of yourself as a Tree that can bend and sway with the storms, and have roots that go deep, but can also intertwine with other trees around you to help you stand upright. You can shed your leaves. The new ones will have room to grow. Spread seed. God will provide for the Harvest.
Shield Lock– Like Trees with roots joined
~”So many times it takes tragic events for us to see we are not in control. You don’t have to wait around for a tragedy. Gods purpose for Granger ride high, learn how to communicate with people, gain people’s trust, taught him how to use a microphone and have authority. Now he will show up for my glory and people will listen. We will find out over time if it was a seed sown in rocky soil or good soil. We will know if it is good fruit in time.”- Granger Smith
New Testament Bibles were given out, to be kept in cupholders to fire Suppressive Fire at the enemy via Diving into the Word, and aligning our minds and spirits with, our Maker and Good Father. We get to know him by spending time, with Him in His Word.
~”So many times it takes tragic events for us to see we are not in control. You don’t have to wait around for a tragedy. Gods purpose for Granger ride high, learn how to communicate with people, gain people’s trust, taught him how to use a microphone and have authority. Now he will show up for my glory and people will listen. We will find out over time if it was a seed sown in rocky soil or good soil. We will know if it is good fruit in time.”- Granger Smith
F3 Florence 
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