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THE PATCH

Guy’s this patch we wear, I think should be looked upon with honor. Just recently developed by some of our own brothers. I want to break this patch down today. I hope we never overlook all the many details on this patch. American flag, state flag, maltese cross, 2 ladders, 2 pike poles, hydrants, bugle, helmet, rescue, “Excellence and Efficiency in Public Service.”

“PRAYER”

Lord, give us understanding, and wisdom to face the days ahead of each of us. Be by our side as we come into your presents. Give us protection as we go out as firefighters and do our best to save lives and property. Put your angels in charge of our coming out and going in. Thank you for creating each of us and placing us in a free country.

Jesus name I pray,

AMEN

Scramble

In the center of the cross is a traditional "scramble". It is a collection of items that represent readiness. The speaking trumpets represent leadership and are from the days when fire officers would use the speaking trumpet to direct personnel. The helmet represents safety. The ladder represents the specialized tools of the firefighting trade. Combined, the "scramble" symbolizes total readiness. The color red that outlines the scramble symbolizes our enemy - fire - and represents the courage of men and women who battle one of the deadliest perils of mankind. It is the fire inside of each one of us that gives us the courage to battle the flames before us.

Mat 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Mat 25:3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

Ten virgins - humans

5 with oil - saved people

5 without oil - lost sinners

bridegroom - Jesus

Jesus will come back. You better get ready. It will be a day totally unexpected. Like a thief in the night. To get His chosen. Turn to the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The bible says our life is like a vapor mist gone before you know it. Heaven or hell awaits your eternity. Only you can make that choice. And if you don't make a choice your choice is done made.

FLAG

Luk 12:54 Then Jesus said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud coming in the west, you immediately say, 'There's going to be a storm,' and that's what happens.

Luk 12:55 When you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and so it is.

Luk 12:56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, yet you don't know how to interpret the present time?"

Jesus is commenting on the fact that these guys are professionals who can look at the sky and interpret the weather, but they can’t understand the meaning of the spiritual signs all around them.

We need to know what’s going on in youth culture today and what these things mean for us as individuals and as a collective body of Christ. We cannot allow our young people to be trained by the enemy any longer.

I. THE URGENCY

In the early 1900’s, almost the entire American population was considered Evangelical Christians. This means that they fully believed the basic tenants of the Bible—that Jesus was born of a virgin, is the only begotten Son of God, is the only way to salvation,

etc. They acknowledged that there is a heaven and a hell, and that God exists and created the universe.

Since that time, this percentage has been on a steady decline. For example, let’s look at the Baby Boomer generation—those who were

born from the mid 1940’s to the mid 1960’s. This generation currently holds the most influential positions in business and government. Yet only 35 percent of these Boomers are Evangelical Christians. The Baby Boomers were the largest generation in history when they

were born. However, some say that they have been surpassed in size by the Millennials, a group that started emerging in the mid- 1980’s. This generation is largely in their teens or younger and currently makes up 35 percent of the population. As they grow older

and the wealth is transferred from their parents, this will be the richest generation to date. The combination of their size and wealth will make them the most influential generation in the history of our

country.

A. 4% Will Be Evangelical Christians

Sadly, if nothing changes with the current rate of evangelism, research tells us that only 4% of the Millennial generation will be considered Evangelical Christians.7 What does 4% look like? Well,

let’s think about the Boomers who are the most powerful group in America today. Here’s a glimpse of our society under their leadership:

Morally corrupt films and television programs.

An increasingly perverted music industry.

The pornographic invasion of the Internet.

Civil initiatives promoting gay marriage.

Rulings that have dictated removal of the 10 Commandments from U.S. courthouses.

50% of marriages ending in divorce.

This is with thirty-five percent Evangelical Christians. What are we going to have with 4%?

Here’s what 4% might look like:

In Sweden last year, Pastor Ake Green preached against homosexuality and other sexual sin because he was fed up with his nation’s embrace of the homosexual lifestyle. Pastor Green was sentenced to prison under the “hate speech law,” even though he ended his sermon with a message of grace and love. In the Netherlands, it is now legal to euthanize children. Nearly

one-third of pediatricians have killed infants, and twenty percent of those killings were done without the consent of parents. These doctors will give a deadly shot to a child if they believe the child’s suffering is intolerable or if he/she has an incurable illness. It is completely up to the personal discretion and conviction of the doctor.

By some estimates, the Millennials are the largest U.S. generation since the Baby Boomers with 73 million total and 33 million who are currently teens. Just like the Boomers have dictated what’s

happening here in America, so will this generation. And their impact will go beyond U.S. boarders. Do you know what four percent will do to missions around the world?

Americans NEED TO WAKE UP.

LADDER

Gen 28:10 And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.

Gen 28:11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put [them for] his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.

Gen 28:12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

Gen 28:13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I [am] the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;

Gen 28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Jacob made the journey from Beer-sheba to Luz, about 12 miles north of Jerusalem, where he spent the night. Bethel was in that immediate vicinity. In the night he was honored with a special communication from God, a vision or dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder that reached from earth to heaven. He became aware that there actually is communication between heaven and earth. He recognized in that place that God was by his side, promising him guidance through life, and future greatness. Jehovah said, I am with thee, and will keep thee … I will bring thee again into this land … I will not leave thee (v15). What a challenging message! No wonder Jacob exclaimed: The Lord is in this place … How dreadful (awesome) is this place! (16,17) He was profoundly moved. Perhaps for the first time in his life he was conscious of the presence of God at his side. The voice, the words of hope, the actual presence of EL Shadday brought him around to worship and awe and commitment.

Palms 139: 7-11

Psa 139:7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?

Psa 139:8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou [art] there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou [art there].

Psa 139:9 [If] I take the wings of the morning, [and] dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;

Psa 139:10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Psa 139:11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.

GOD IS EVERYWHERE HE IS ALREADY IN YOUR STORM. OPENING A DOOR. HE IS IN YOUR TOMMORROW.

HYDRANT

Living Water

May pertain to salvation, I believe it has particular reference to the gift of the Spirit in the life of the Christian.

Salvation involves both justification and santification.

John 4:10-14

Joh 4:10 Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Joh 4:11 The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

Joh 4:12 Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

Joh 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

Joh 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Joh 4:15 The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

I pray we all have that attitude (Sir, give me this water)

Maltese Cross

The badge of a fireman is the Maltese Cross. This Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection and a badge of honor. Its story is hundreds of years old. When a courageous band of crusaders known as the Knights of St. John, fought the Saracens for possession of the holy land, they encountered a new weapon unknown to European warriors. It was a simple, but a horrible device of war, it wrought excruciating pain and agonizing death upon the brave fighters for the cross. The Saracen's weapon was fire. As the crusaders advanced on the walls of the city, they were struck by glass bombs containing naphtha. When they became saturated with the highly flammable liquid, the Saracens hurled a flaming torch into their midst. Hundreds of the knights were burned alive; others risked their lives to save their brothers-in-arms from dying painful, fiery deaths. Thus, these men became our first firemen and the first of a long list of courageous firefighters. Their heroic efforts were recognized by fellow crusaders who awarded each here a badge of honor - a cross similar to the one firemen wear today. Since the Knights of St. John lived for close to four centuries on a little island in the Mediterranean Sea named Malta, the cross came to be known as the Maltese Cross. The Maltese Cross is your symbol of protection. It means that the fireman who wears this cross is willing to lay down his life for you just as the crusaders sacrificed their lives for their fellow man so many years ago. The Maltese Cross is a fireman's badge of honor, signifying that he works in courage

John 15:13

Joh 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

PIKE POLE

The pike pole is design to move obstacles out of the firefighters ways. This story is a story of God removing and obstacle out of Joshua’s way. But first we must obey God. Sometimes in the flesh the things that God wants us to do don’t seem not to make since, but we must realize that God is all knowing.

Jos 6:1 And Jericho was completely shut up because of the sons of Israel. None went out and none came in.

Jos 6:2 And Jehovah said to Joshua, See, I have given Jericho into your hand, and its king, and the mighty men of war.

Jos 6:3 And you shall go around the city, all the men of war. Go around the city once. So you shall do for six days.

Jos 6:4 And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of ram's horns in front of the ark. And the seventh day you shall go around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.

Jos 6:5 And it shall be when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout. And the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall go up, each man straight before him.

Quote (Excellence and Efficiency in Public Safety)

Rom 12:11 As to diligence, not slothful, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

simple command

I think can be easily applied to SFD

In service to the Lord

Also in business and job.

(slothful) Do as little as they can at work. Always looking for something not to do.

Dilident in all we do

Ecc 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no work, nor plan, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave where you go

In the work place

Col 3:22 Slaves, obey your masters according to the flesh in all things; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.

Col 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men;

The bible says that even on our jobs it is the Lord we serve, not man. So when you thank you are cheating the city by just sliding by. Your are really stealing from GOD.

Eph 6:5 Slaves, obey your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as to Christ;

Eph 6:6 not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,

Eph 6:7 with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men

Eph 6:8 (knowing that whatever good thing he does, he shall receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or a freeman).

END “prayer”