Lock Your Shields; click here to listen

The heart of every man craves a major life doesn't usually feel that way.

Jesus speaks of narrow gates wide roads masculine journey is filled with many twists and turns. So how do we keep from losing heart trying to find a way when life feels more like a losing battle than something worth dying for, grab your gear and come on a quest band of brothers will serve as the guides we call masculine journey masculine journey starts here now. Have fun on the masculine journey. Today we are going to be talking about locking shields and we got a boot camp. That's right around the corner where we will be locking shields April 6 of the nine so at this point time to couple weeks. Wainwright, Sam, quick to register their still open Internet radio.org. Register today so my heart as we were getting ready for the show.

Sam was just this while if if I would've known what that even meant to lock shields you know 10 years ago before I went to boot camp. I would've been lining up to register to figure out what in the world. That meant that I could hand a band of brothers that I would actually be able to lock shields with what that actually meant. In those kind of things I just can't believe I missed out on it all these years I'd wait until I was in my 60s but one of the exciting things is that we have some guys are signed up that are coming from teen challenge that are in our early teens got guys from all over the place and be with us is time to be very good dynamic of what God has in store.

Really looking forward to what what is up to something really cool. Well, when we talk about the shield from a spiritual standpoint are in the masculine journey you would think about Ephesians 6 and a whole lot of what we talked about boot camp has to do with spiritual warfare. So in this spiritual warfare. Interestingly, we have this armor that were we find out about Ephesians 6 actually summarizing a lot of places, but one of the things that Paul tells us to take up above always take up above all, the shield of faith and you know what I found out today from Jim to Ricky my good friend right here that Capt. America shield was made out of on attaining them, you know, about trying to get my faith together. I can really trust God right have that unbelievable shield. It's kind of on the team. Yes, this and and the guy that he thought was from what I understand Capt. America had a red-faced character looking like thing right. Sam so anyway were gave got a little clip here talking about you know what happens when you actually have a shield on attaining and you know defeats the enemy and so here we go with Capt. America baby can set this clip a little bit up why what was going on here. Sam well you have this battle going on not long before that Capt. America shield and is learning how to use the and he learned quickly on the battlefield really does most of learning. There, but in the process is really touring the enemy's plans of what he's trying to do, let's take a listen to Capt. Mark I thank you that was an awfully Capt. America Capt. America. That was a bold King close website you to see aerial automation for the American finishes his so tells about that scene. Well I believe that the gentleman's name was read school. Let's go read school. That's proof and you know Capt. America's was pretty much tearing apart red skull little facility but when I listen. It reminds me that the enemy is always trying to build weapons against and that these always trying to attack and it's only through our shield of faith or faith in God that we can ward off those attacks that we know that no, everything works together for good for those who love God are called according to his purpose. And so you you look at you look at that scene and you know it. Red skulls getting frustrated because his guy was building his weapons askew. If you will for those James Bond type people he's trying to build these weapons and red skulls watching Capt. America cares whole place apart and I think that's the way the enemy sees this as sometimes just a simpleton with the shield, you know, how can we do anything were simpleton with the shield but with God on our side. We can be that simpleton more week we are strong right in the speed this whole idea of shields apparently has come down through the centuries and if you begin to look around you and your world today, you'll see shields everywhere.

Firestone is a shield. The interstates have a shield. Everywhere you look there is a shield. So this must be significant about something, but in ancient times I William girl wrote in the Christian in full armor that the Greeks held such high esteem about the shield that the mother would send her son off to war saying either you come home with the shield or on an that's a little hard to understand, then think about the shields of the Knights of old, you know, when you see all the different colorful shields at Heather heraldry on a big gate.

It told the story. It was their family honor, not just their own personal honor their country's honor, but you know the McDougall's are in the case of Jim Gray Graham shield have one on it.

Jim well, it has a role start at the top.

What I have all my wallet was by my grandmother as the stork being killed by actually this the Graham clan was stork was being attacked by another clan. If I remember rightly, it also has shells, scallop shells, which are related to Christianity with the later adorned a lot of we have two fields of three but it has always been to me something that identified me with my family in a very strong way and having my grandmother's knitting did that to I my good friend Robby was attacking these flowers look kinda like snowballs and so when I said you know you got snowballs in an Jim or Ricky not Rob you don't have a snowballs chance in shells. That's what that's worth. Which was clever but nonetheless you get the picture that this is really something quite important, and it was it was so important that the Romans realizing that they had to defeat the Greeks figured out a way to get people to drop their shields so they could not play Capt. America and the way they would do that as they would shoot fiery darts and that fiery dart actually I'm told the Romans had like a 30 pound javelin that was on fire and they toss this thing up a great shields and so if you can imagine your whole the shield.

It was usually made out of wood and the case degree shield and this 30 pounds javelin stockinette on ice on fire.

There's a good possibility that you're going to drop your shield which could put you in real harms way. But now, think about what Satan and again were talking about put on the full armor and how we need to put on the belt of truth, but Satan keeps lofting over these darts the same guts not to come through for you this time. In fact, you can't trust that guy over there with us with the shield of the snowballs thinking and so he's he's lobbing these fiery darts in the in an effort to get you to to drop that shield and you know this is a significant thing Sam that we we we get caught making these agreements.

The shield comes down to just not might hurt us but others very clearly. I think times.

Well clearly, clearly, after a time walking the understanding of spiritual warfare is getting deeper and God letting us see deeper into it. For some people come to him they may never really heard of spiritual warfare and so get introduced to that as well.

The concept of family. For example, if I let down my shield if I just need to get my kids and my friends and the people around me and each one of us are intertwined relationally one another, but by the same token, when you pick it right and you and you say God's got this working. What is the name of that metal on titanium on attaining you will get lots of notes gave that I'm wrong on that answer, but when you look at it from that standpoint, Jim, is there anything that that really God can't handle. There's nothing you can't handle. And faith holds together the entire set of armor if you don't have the shield the rest of it really did do you any good that I and looking at the locking shields concept the phalanx worked and it was the most effective form of combat of its day because these guys were locked together in combat and relying on each other. Also, everybody is saying this where you have arrows being fired by don't have to be the 30 pound Roman limbs which worked but when you are being shot at everybody gets under their shields and interlocks will him and you have a pretty impervious barrier to areas that are coming in from above, which is usually held their love that you which is harder to defend against and in order to lock shields right there's there's there's a challenge there with amendment number one, they like to do things. If individuals know yeah hello yes you know I and and in that pose a come to I can do this and all I want to be the superhero.

You know, but without that faith, they can operate alone and we all need others around us to fight the enemy we come back. We've got a clip from the 300 where we get a picture of this poor character who can't raise his shield and thus is not fit for battle.

So what you look like We apply this to realize how we can we wait for battle vessel for finding out today April 6 through the ninth radio.org and register now when we come back so much more on the shield of faith is assuming that my son Eli. We talked about ways you can help support clearly smiled at. It was on the information that Facebook.com where you can click button waking into masculine J once again you mail something to PO Box 552 7285 on the baseball field.

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The 300 and and Sam you seen the movie, there's this character that he wants to be in the Army, but he has one giant fault and and again when you listen to the clip. The thing you don't demand. Sort of a Quasimodo character. He can't lift his shield right would have normally been rejected by the Spartans aside father and mother took him away from it your way and it comes back to the king wanting to join in the fight were going to pick that up because what they would look at him. He may or may not be able to do it because I have something I like having you come back. My father trained me so much a part of me is my own thought is your shield his eyes again.

Father should fight as a single unit that is the source spotted left thigh single weeks. Ask this single weeks, but the weakest link, so to speak, and the feeling shatters and and so how important it is. Is it when you're in the band of brothers Sam that we take off her mass and let people know what is it were actually struggling with absolutely are.

The only way that it really work effectively is just to be able to be honest with one another and talk about where the tracking you talk about acceptable like you're going to let that shield down either you understand or believing the lies, something is trying to do all the time that shield down on you knowing not only can he take you out with those around you and the cool part about it. That is not offensive weapon think that it Jim when they all are working together as a force of faith. You can imagine how God loves to come alongside of absolutely no taxes were two more gathered my name. I am in so in the next clip we want play, which is right along the same lines of Lockyer shields is from the movie gladiator in here you have a situation that looks absolutely hopeless.

If you know what's going on is that you have these men that would look hopelessly outgunned. In other words, all they have is shields and a sword in the people against him or armed with crossbows and horses and and horrible looking weapons that that run on their chariots and those chariots have no things that spin and tear stuff up and I mean it looks just hopeless, but interestingly they had something called Maximus who understood warfare and at the beginning of the clip he explains to the men if we have any chance of making this if we got any chance of living we have to work together but is you can't hear from the clip that you can see it if you watch it. There are a few guys that think all I can do it on my own.

There's a few Hercules is out that it doesn't play too well form Sam because that when that bed that Jared comes through with a spinning thing if it's real ugly.

But as we hear what happens when these guys lock shields all of a sudden something that looks totally impossible. Through their faith in their shields comes out of these gates chance of survival together.

You understand we stay together survive yelling hold their holding and and you hear the music changes actually this unbelievable small group of men with shields takes on this larger force you can't help but note that there's some faith involved in in the whole situation and in their shield late afternoon press out well in the movie when you notice the men back to back shield or interlocked all the way around the. There is no backside to attack, which I think is pretty cool that when you're doing it on your own and your back when you have a group you can surround each other and and help fight that battle and I know Jim you're like me, prior to understanding the master journey, so to speak. This walking in the boot camp experience that kind of thing the band of brothers idea that it becomes real, something that you can actually lock shields and some it is such a strong bond when you can be honest and I have two very good friends in the room one remotely that I would trust with my very life.

I have some others and those are my brothers mostly guys are rely on lift me up when I'm down. We watch over each other when were wounded. Praying for my buddy Jim here all week is he's been in a major battle this week, but part of the what I would say the heraldry of the shields is when I look around this room and I know you know some of the stuff that Sam has come through and I know the stuff that's on his shield to stop teasing God come through them. When you know when I'm with Sydney with Jim Berkey.

I know how God's comfort through for you. Just recently with your own wife's illness and it seemed this time last year was pretty scary time.

I know this time last year I didn't know what was that, but get to the point where you have to turn rely on God and you know it was my my friends my band of brothers that no more praying for me, me lifted up help me through this tough times. There were there in a I think what you went.

You don't realizes many of those shields that are at the boot camp are battle hardened and that there is there's chances are there's nobody there does not understand what you are going to vent mean there's there's definitely somebody there that you can relate to say no. Oh yeah, I got to that and this is how you survive in LA goes back to you know one of the clips we often played camp and says you know if you want to live get off the beach and I think you know is we see that is a band of brothers is from the movie saving Pvt. Dexter. I mean if they're going to live.

They've got get off the beach right Sam yeah yeah you have to realize that the word around you. Either way, do it either totally unprotected. Without your shield. You can try to do it alone with your shield break and let God lead people to stand alongside and protect the group and not just protect but I love the way that that it says in the Gospels that that the kingdom of God is forcefully advancing and forceful men take hold of it and when you think about the Romans use that tortoise technique, which is what Maximus was using that when they would go on to some place it was under siege people be porn hot oil and who knows what all coming off the walls down on these, but they could put those they could lock their shields in such a way that that would totally come up against people that were on the wall that were willing to do anything to I mean that you are you are Jim one of the two did have a pretty good shot rigidity that one of the things that really impressed on my heart is looking back at the Maximus Maximus battle. There is a superior strategist with bringing the men together to do it.

They would've all died. If Xmas was that we've got a better than Maximus God. That is giving us the marching orders telling us how to defend ourselves if we are listening to it if were not were one of those guys it runs out gets cut down by the chariot and didn't have a prayer. But when we band together and we are all following our leader, God, there's no battle we can't win in one of the major ones that really Sam I know you like me are just so thrilled to do is is we've got guys coming from the rescue mission. We got guys coming from teen challenge is to enter in with young men that wow if they get this in Nevada got this when I was 25. Wow, what would it be I mean and even your own son, Sam, I mean, what does that mean well have Caleb went through it with me in college and we can have conversation you can see the warfare that coming friend knows what really going on much different level than I even fathomed his age.

I don't think now to see Eli going through that with me as well just to see that they're going to come in adulthood with a very very deep and father there to help guide wow I just cannot value my mind means you listening right this minute master journey radio.org and join you've got a shield battle hardened that we need your help and you need hours. We can't do it if we don't lock shields and that of the get together so go to master journey.org master journey radio.org and sign up nine dollars and I assure you we are, have absolutely nothing.

Airsoft sale. Not much will that be maybe not as much as shooting Rob