Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

Life's Ambitions

    But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Mt.6:33).

What this life holds for us may not be nearly as important as what we hold for this life. Perhaps we see the span of seventy or eighty years to encompass the time we will live on this earth. Within that time we see the possibilities of families built, children raised and grandchildren coming home for summer visits. We may look at the years to come and hope they will be rich and full of blessing. We might even say, as many have, "I look forward to Jesus coming again--I would just like to do a few things in this life first."
The accomplishments of this life can indeed bring us great joy and feeling of satisfaction. That is, after all, one of our primary goals in this life. For much of what we do is done for a moment's satisfaction--a time when we can look back and have a sense of "it was worth it after all." And while it is true that we attach a great deal of that sort of satisfaction to those "things" we would like to do before Jesus comes again, they will fade in comparison to the coming of his kingdom.
But as it is, His kingdom seems to be one that is often vague and difficult for us to perceive. Is it a place we will someday go to, or is it a place wherein we can now dwell? Is it a lifestyle, a loyalty to God that makes us seem as though we do not belong on this world? What we can perhaps derive from this is that it is a following closely to the path of Christ--the path of righteousness. It is a place wherein our ambitions are like anyone else's who lives in His kingdom--and those ambitions are for His kingdom and not our own.
We may ask, "But doesn't God want us to have these things on earth?" To that we must answer, God wants us to have many things that are truly good and truly pleasing and truly by His design for us. Yet He does not want us to seek those things. For even as a parent will give good things to their children, so God also gives good things. But now, that is good as defined by the parent, or in this case, God. What we think is good and what He knows is good may be two different things, but He knows the best good.
By seeking first His kingdom we will desire that Jesus returns when is appropriate for the fulfilling of His purposes--not as a convenience to ours. For though these things are good and though they are things we have been given a natural desire toward, they are not to take precedence over the kingdom of God. And as we seek Him and make His kingdom first in our lives, we can rest assured that our needs will be met--and that those things that bring us joy will do much more than satisfy us for a moment--they will stay with us for an eternity in that they were granted to us out of the Grace of God by seeking Him first.

[Soldier4Christ]

The Poor In Spirit

    Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him and he began to teach them, saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their is the kingdom of heaven
    (Mt.5:1-3).

They sit in the shadows of the empty city streets. As the rest of the city sleeps in their beds, these are the people who make their beds in the alley ways, sheltered beneath old, weather-beaten cardboard boxes. Many have not known a home as we know it for some time. But they do know the condition they are living in, and they realize their poverty--and with that, they are closely acquainted with their need.
These are they we call the "homeless." For they have "no place to lay" their heads--at least, not as we would consider it. They are different. They stand out. They are sometimes the subject of conversation as they are passed by on our way to wherever. But there is truly little else I can say here, for I have never walked in their shoes.
If all of us were to go without, scrounge for food and shelter, live in the streets, then soon we may suddenly understand as they what it means to be in need. We would quickly realize that poverty is not experienced as one becomes unable to go to the movies one weekend--and it is not even a state in which someone makes less than a national preset standard. Poverty is poverty when one who is in need is unable to meet that need, and must rely on outside help to have those needs met. Or if that is not a satisfactory definition, perhaps we can all agree that for someone to exist as such is where they will truly realize their need, and come to grips with their poverty.
When Jesus tells us, "Blessed are the poor in spirit," He is speaking of spiritual poverty. Those He refers to have realized that they have a need. And they become aware that their need is a need that they themselves are unable to meet--they must rely on outside help to meet that need. For though they have tried to be spiritually fulfilled in and of their own means, they remain poverty stricken. And it is not until they recognize their need that they will begin to look to the one who can meet that need as it needs to be met.
Those that are spiritually poor must rely on Christ to fill them. The rest will continue trying to fill themselves spiritually as they have before. They will do what makes them feel righteous, and they will go where they gain a sense of purpose--but until they see their spiritual need has not yet been filled, they will remain in want. Sure, they look good on the outside, but the inside is crumbling and will one day be crushed.
The poor in spirit may seem different to the rest, and some of their actions may seem strange. They are perhaps, the "homeless" in spirit. And as they follow their Lord, they find "no place to lay" their heads. Their lives are like a continual wandering to those who look on. They seem to have no real ties to this life. They are the subject for interesting conversation as others find them somewhat odd and are unsure what to think about where they fit in.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit." They know their condition. They realize their poverty. They see their need, and they know that Christ is the only place where they can go to have all of their needs met perfectly--and sufficiently. They do not try to take care of it themselves, for then they would only be trying to make out as though it were they who have the answers, or they who know the best direction for the whole of their lives. They have learned of their need, and have learned to allow God to meet that need.
The lives of most of us are full of things and events, and plans for things and events. As I heard one person say, "We get all we can, and can all we get, and sit on our cans." Most of us don't know what it is like to do without our basic needs, and therefore do not understand the incredible thankfulness that one who is destitute feels when someone else helps them to have that basic need met. And so long as we keep filling ourselves, getting all we can, we shall not come to grips with our true state of spiritual need--and we shall not have our need met, but only continue to pacify it until we crumble and are completely crushed within.
Our thirst for this life and this world and the pleasures thereof is killing us slowly, for as long as we have, we shall never know what we have not.

[Soldier4Christ]

For They Will Be Filled

    Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Mt.5:6).

It is in the mouth of a starving man, woman or child, that a single morsel of food means most. But in the mouths of those who have plenty, it is not nearly enough to satisfy their appetites. When one is use to having three meals a day, and those meals being what they choose, there is often little gratefulness seen in them. Consider how many of us come away from dinner banquets or catered events and immediately begin to criticize what food was served, or the portions thereof. But to go to a banquet and be presented with a single morsel--what response would that evoke in most of us today?
But most of us need not worry of such circumstances--right? After all, most of us have more food than we need and may end up giving our leftovers to the dog or perhaps putting them down the garbage disposal. Most of are not so concerned with having food as we are with how it tastes. It is seldom a question of need but of desire. We must admit that of this life and the things here on earth, we are a people who are certainly filled. Sure, it may not be everything we want, but it is more than what we need. Or is it?
One might begin to wonder, "How can anyone who is full possibly have room for one more bite, or one more morsel?" If we are so full of so many things, the morsel loses its value to us. In fact, it is even looked upon as worthless or insignificant. And if that morsel be something that one has never tried, isn't it easier to refuse it in favor of something we already know we like--something our mouth is watering for?
David cries out, "Taste of the Lord, and see that He is good." While a world who does not see their own need replies, "No thanks, I'm quite satisfied," "I'm full," "May I be excused?"
Our mouths water for this world and the pleasures of it. We deny ourselves nothing that fits within our church and social norms, and perhaps do not even realize how we have taken our fill of this life without crossing our predefined doctrinal lines. But scripture continually shows that in order to be filled, one must first become empty. One must become empty of self, of this life and of the pleasures of this age. For it is not until we are spiritually poor that we will ever see our need, it is not until we refuse the meat of this world that we will once again crave the morsels of the Bread of Life, the Living Word of God.
Proverbs 20:17 tells us that the "Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel." This world offers us bread that is deceiving, for though it looks filling it leaves us in want, and though it looks nourishing it leaves us weak. It looks so wonderful that it makes the morsels of God seem insignificant, to those whom have never or seldom tasted of the Lord.
And shame to us, the "bread sellers," if we think we have to add to the Bread of Life to make it more pleasing to the eye--if we think we must add sweet jam or colorful bread wrappers to make the Bread more attractive. The Bread of Life is not something to be dressed as to compete with the bread of this age--It surpassed it on Its own and does not need our help to make it more tasteful.
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." What appeals to the flesh is bread of deceit--it fills the mouth with gravel, and leaves the soul empty. It is time we stop filling ourselves with the bread of this age, both at home and in our churches, and start filling ourselves with the Morsels of the Living God. Blessed are those who are empty of themselves, the flesh and the pleasures of this age--for they shall be filled for now, and also for the age to come.
10.gif (822 bytes)

[Soldier4Christ]

Not Far

    And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God (Mk.12:29-34).

"Repent," says John, "for the kingdom of heaven is near." It is even as close as the air around you. To turn around (away from our own way) is to come face to face with the reality of the kingdom of Heaven. It is near--as close as He who waits to take us by the hand, should we finally turn around.
It is near. But only when we realize our need will we then realize we must turn and receive Him. For the kingdom of heaven is like a "pearl of great price." To some, it may seem small and insignificant, but to one who sees the treasure within it, it is a rare and precious thing to behold. It is something for which we would be willing to give up everything else, if only we realized the half of what it holds for us. But so long as we are filled of our own device and do not see the need that we have, we will scarcely find the treasure in His kingdom--because it falls short in the eyes of those who behold the fleeting pleasures of the this world.
It is near. But we are filled. We do not hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God. But we hunger and thirst for the things we enjoy--that please us for a moment--that make us numb to the painful realities of this life. We toss aside the meat of God's Word because we cannot even digest one morsel. We then choose meats more palatable--food that allows us to have this life as we choose it. Is this not so? Consider how many of us who claim to follow Christ spend real, life changing time in the Bible, reading and memorizing scripture. But most of us are content to have a basic knowledge, and make sheepish excuses when our limited knowledge surfaces.
Jesus told us not to seek the treasures of this life, but to seek the treasures of the kingdom of heaven. For the treasures here will perish, but the treasures of heaven are an eternal investment. As we sow to ourselves that which we desire, we spend our efforts in that which is quickly gone. But as we sow to others that which through love we perceive they need, we spend our efforts on that which shall never fade. Its like this: The more benefit I receive from the work that I do, the shorter the benefits will carry; but the more benefit others receive from the work that I do, the longer the benefits will last--for others and for me. The writer of Ecclesiates tells us, "Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days" (11:1). What we do for heaven's sake shall return to us "on every wave."
It is near. And those who see their need and turn to receive from God will be filled. And they shall walk "not far from the kingdom of God." They will cast out their bread as they love God and love others--many shall benefit, and the return shall be eternal.
Oh that we all could walk not far from the kingdom of God. To live a life that puts self last as the closeness of God inspires us to love even as we are loved.

[Soldier4Christ]

And The Darkness Overcame It Not

    In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it (Jn.1:4-5).

To the left of me, storm clouds had formed. They were very large and very dark. They looked as though they could break forth at any moment, spilling vast amounts of water on the earth below. They formed a gigantic wall that covered one half of the sky. But to my right, the other half of the sky was blue. The sun had not yet been hidden behind the clouds and it shined so brightly. Its brilliance was reflected off the white trim of houses along the street, and highlighted trees to contrast their bright leafy green with the shadows beneath. And as the light shown into the area of darkness, I could see white birds that stood out against the backdrop of the stormy sky. For the light was so brilliant upon them, that in comparison to the darkness behind them, they appeared as lights themselves.

The storm clouds of our lives may be comprised of many things. They may be made up of our times of trouble and pain, fear and heartache. They may be formed from the choices we make that lead to unfavorable consequences. They are often the accumulation of the pressing needs of this life--always hovering over us, reminding us they are there--threatening to dump on us without warning. The storm clouds at times move in as a gigantic wall, and because they appear so large and fearsome, they steal our attention away from the sunlight that has not been hidden behind them.
The sunlight is always present. It is only the movement of the clouds or where we are relative to the sun that hides the sun from us. And so it is with us in relation to the Light of God. His Light is always shining, it is always present, it is never-ending. At times it would appear as though it is momentarily out of our sight, as perhaps it may seem to be hidden behind the clouds of our lives. Other times, it may seem that the Light has left us altogether. But if we open our eyes to the truth, we may realize that the Light is still there but we are walking in darkness--and this because of our relative position to the Son. For even as the thick of night is brought upon us by the moving of the earth so that the whole world comes between us and the sun; so also, we are often spiritually in the night because the world has come between us and our God.
The white birds that I saw in the sky, they are like the children of Light--the followers of the Light of God in Christ. To look at them, they seemed to be in the darkness, but not of it. They moved within it, yet did not look like part of it. Instead, they brilliantly reflected the glory of the light, and therefore, stood out against the backdrop of darkness. They did not change colors so as to blend in and perhaps feel safer--for they could not. It was only natural for them to remain what they were, and because of that they were unmistakable against the darkness, and could be easily seen.
We, like the birds, are to be in the darkness and not of it. It should be only natural for us to remain in Christ and reflect His glory. As lights in the darkness we are unmistakable, and we cannot be hidden. We can be easily seen. We would not think to change our colors so as to blend in, in order to feel safer--for we could not--could we?

    Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven (Mt.5:14-16).

[Soldier4Christ]

Mark My Words

    And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory (Eph.1:13-14).

You may have heard of the way kings would send messengers with important letters to other people or other kingdoms. The king would write his words, or have a scribe write what he would tell him to, and then he would seal the letter to authenticate it. He would do this by putting hot wax at the seam of the letter, and then he would press his signet ring into the wax, thus creating a royal seal. This indicated to anyone who received the letter that it was, in fact, from the king, and that the words within it were his very own.
Paul writes to the Ephesians, and tells them that, "Having believed, you were marked with a seal." And that the seal we are marked with is the Holy Spirit. This seal is not unlike the seal of the wax on the letter. We are marked so that all who see us will know who we belong to. We are the possession of God.
Now even as the words that were contained within the letter were the king's words, so we also are to contain the words of our King. Could you imagine a king putting his seal upon the words of another--words which perhaps he would not support. As God puts His seal upon us, it is an indication that what He has placed inside of us belongs to Him. And even as the king would not put his seal in something he did not agree with, so our God will not put His seal upon us if what we promote is not of Him. That is, He places a seal of approval upon us according to the Spirit that resides within; but if what is within us is based in selfish gain then He cannot approve, and He cannot seal it as though He does.
But the seal of approval is not about actions. Although actions should and often do show evidence of what is in the heart, our works are not the prerequisite for His seal of approval. But a heart that truly desires for the will of God to be done, one that is full of faith and one that has received grace and redemption through Christ, that is a heart that is ready to bear His seal.
As we are marked by God and presented as His, and have been sealed with the Holy Spirit, we become living letters--written in God's own hand. But instead of wax, it is the blood of Christ that forms the seal, marking us as God's. And it was the signet ring of God's right hand that was pressed firmly and deeply into Christ--marking Him for us--demonstrating His approval of what was now to be contained within each of us through the shedding of blood.

    Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin. . .(Isaiah 53:10).

That which is contained in each of us is not our own. "For we have been bought with a price." And with that, God earned the right to put His seal upon us, and to put in us that which is pleasing to Him. He has marked Christ for our redemption, and has placed His Spirit as a mark upon us. And we are the King's letter that is to be carried to the people, and the kingdoms of this earth--to carry the Word of our Lord to the ends of the earth.

Let us ask God to remind us whose words we are to contain, proclaim and maintain as we go throughout this day and every day. And let us pray, "Lord, remind me of the seal that is upon me, and how You set it there to mark my words."

[Soldier4Christ]

Not What We Expected

    Then the town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region (Mt.8:34).

I'm reminded of a movie entitled "The Robe." In the movie a young lady was unable to walk. The main character in the film, who was a roman leader, could not understand how the woman could do anything but despise Jesus. For he knew that Jesus had been near the woman but did not heal her of her affliction. But the woman was not embittered for in her heart she had received much more from Jesus than the healing of her legs could have brought her. She had learned how to walk on spiritual legs though her physical legs remained useless--and in that she found that Christ could take her much farther than her legs ever possibly could have.
It is the miracle we expect that may be the very one that is never done. On the other hand, it is the miracle we do not expect that may be that which is done. It seems that we often have things a little backwards as to how we see them and how they actually are. We determine, like the man in "The Robe," that if God is who we believe Him to be, then He must do this or that. Or if God is who we believe Him to be, then He must not do this or that. Yet it is God's will that God must follow, and not our expectations of Him.
The trick may be in our being like the young crippled woman. For though she could no longer walk in the flesh, she learned to walk in the Spirit. Her expectations could have very easily been that Jesus heal her so that she could physically walk again. But as she was able to release her expectations of Him, He was indeed able to accomplish much more than she could have ever imagined.
It is sad when the response to Jesus would be to become upset or perhaps frightened as He accomplishes His unexpected will. The townspeople that came out to meet Him did not find quite what they had expected and so "pleaded with him to leave their region." We lose more than we know through our expectations of God. We want Him to work within our guidelines for Him, and if He does not, we might turn away in disbelief or confusion--we might even hope that He would kind-a, sort-a leave--if that were possible. In so doing we settle to walk in the physical (being spiritually crippled), and miss what might be found through the working of God's beautiful unexpected.
But we are spiritually crippled. We were not created that way, but sin comes in and sweeps our feet out from under us. And we lose our ability to walk in the Spirit. To walk in the Spirit again takes hard work and time--just like physical therapy. We have to learn how to walk all over again and it is not easy. We will fall down from time to time (a lot right at first). We will feel weak and tired, and sometimes we will not want to get back up. But we know we must, if we are ever to walk again.
The miraculous wonders of God run deep in the unexpected. For this is where we can find people who have not been delivered out of the storm, but who have peace in the midst of it. We find those who have not been physically healed of a terminal disease, yet spiritually they are full of life. And we see men and women who have no earthly reason to be happy, but every heavenly reason to be joyful.

[Soldier4Christ]

Taking Those First Steps

    Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly. "See that no one knows about this." But they went out and spread the news about him all over the region (Mt.9:29-31).

Once we have taken our stand, the next thing we must do is begin to walk. Very few of us while learning to walk stop with merely standing up. Standing up is just the first part of the process. In Christ we first stand because we have believed, and in that belief we have trusted. And in the moment we first come to our feet, we realize that it is because the Hand of our loving Lord has lifted us to our feet.
But for some reason, many of us have become content to stand and do nothing more. We become excited within the moment we stand and we are satisfied with that moment. So much so that many of us grow contented to remain there because we like it there, or because we are afraid to take a step in any direction.
But Jesus did not call us to stand only, but also to walk. That is because He wants to give us a life more abundant. He is the God who will take us places, should we decide to listen to Him and take that first step once we have stood up.
The salvation Jesus brings us is born from unconditional love. However, for us to truly benefit from what He has to offer us, we must also learn to walk. What that means is that we not only trust, but we also obey. Jesus brought healing to souls and bodies of people who needed Him. But He often said something afterwards to them--a kind of verbal instruction or commandment. He told the woman caught in adultery, "Go and sin no more." He told many whom He had healed not to tell anybody but to go and do this or that. Each case was specific to the individuals involved, and each command well intended. Yet so many times, the commandment of Christ was broken almost immediately. The people had taken a stand to trust Jesus in some fashion, yet they did not take the first step of obedience after standing.
Each call of Christ upon each life is one of trust. We must come to a point wherein we take a stand. That is not a stand against, as in, against wrong or against sin or against abortion etc.. But it is a stand taken for: for Christ, and for personal holiness, and for a personal forsaking of self and the pleasures of this age. For as we have purpose in our stand that goes beyond what we shall receive--it is then that our stand becomes a walk. And it is then that we do more than just trust Christ for our salvation, we obey Him by taking those first steps--learning to walk in the Spirit, and no longer after the desires of this life.

[Soldier4Christ]

There Is A Season

    To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

As I looked at my son and considered that he would soon be turning thirteen, I began to wonder what advice I could pass on to him. And there in the front seat of my car as I was taking him to school, I began to tell him about something I believed to be probably the most important thing he should ever learn. I began talking to him about need for balance.
I had learned early in my Christian walk about this very important need, and have since been struggling to perfect it in all aspects of my life. But this is not an easy task for someone who can be bit of an extremist from time to time, or for anyone else for that matter. As it is with many who are filled with passion regarding something, it seems to be an "all or nothing" attitude that is possessed, so it also was with me. I gave my heart to Christ at the age of twenty-six and was affected dramatically by God's gracious touch. I became enthralled with Him and anything about Him. There are theologians who call this the "honeymoon stage" of our walk with Christ. That seems to be a fitting description. I spent a great deal of time in prayer and in the Bible, and I learned so very much so quickly. Yet, as it is said, too much of anything is not good. One might wonder, how can too much time in the Bible be "not good." Well, I wouldn't have thought there could ever be too much time in the Word, yet my time with my wife and children was lacking, and some of my responsibilities were going unattended. Considering that I was spending so much time in the Bible, I could easily justify it to myself as being right. Yet, with all the learning I was doing I wasn't getting it--it was not about knowledge alone, it was about application. The Word of God was to be the tool to help me find balance in my life, it was not something to unbalance me. His Word was to be filtered into all areas of my life, not take the place of those areas.
All things must be balanced. There is a season for everything under heaven. We embrace, and we let go. We cling to that which is new, yet not so tight as to neglect the familiar. Our hearts, minds, spirits and bodies must be attentive to all things, giving time to each thing as needed. We must work, but we must rest and play. We must serve God, church and others, and we must be willing to be served. We must minister and we must be ministered to. We must be willing to see the pains and sufferings of this present age, yet we must also be willing to embrace laughter and joy. We must love, be loved, fellowship, be still, be active, exercise, eat right, and selectively monitor all that goes on our plate in a given day--yet not become anxious about any of it.
Consider the entertainer who has made a lively hood out of balancing things. Perhaps he started by simply balancing a stick on his fingertip as a little boy. In time he could balance his stick without dropping it. Then he balances a pie pan on top of the stick, and soon is able to balance the pie pan on the stick with very little difficulty. The more he does it, the easier it gets, until one day he has mastered it.
Learning to balance is not something that comes very easy to so many of us. Yet, if we practice balance in our lives each day, it will be something that will become easier and easier over time. The alternative is anxiety and regret. For as we focus too much on one thing and not enough on another, we will worry about that thing which we have put off so long that we have little hope in ever getting it where it should be. And we even worry about that thing that has so much of our attention because we convince ourselves that if we pull any amount of attention away from it--we will lose control of it. But we are given hope in this: that if we do our best with all that we have, not neglecting anything but not becoming obsessed with any, that God will do the rest. His assurance to us is that He is with us, and that He will help us. He will help us keep the balance when we are weak, and even when something else is thrown on top of our pie pan at the top of our stick. For it has never been about how much we have to hold, but about the extent to which we allow God to hold on to us in the process.

[Soldier4Christ]

To Each His Own

    To this John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven (Jn.3:27).

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" is the question often asked of children. The responses may vary, yet they are often based upon something that somehow appeals to the interests of the child. The answers we get when we ask children such questions are perhaps what we might often expect. And in a nation where we have the freedom to choose an occupation, we might find that the reasons for seeking a particular line of work has not changed much from when we were children. For the most part, we would still choose to do that which holds some particular interest to us--and that reasoning often about sums it up.
Now, that which we would do and that which we do are not always the same thing. We may do that which we feel we must in order to bring home a paycheck, or we may do that which we want to do, only to find out that it was not quite as good as we once thought it would be. But, perhaps we get the job and pay that we had hoped--what then? Is that our purpose in this life?
The point being this: when we are asked what we want to be when we grow up, or in the future or what we want to be even now, what are our considerations? Maybe someone has asked, "So, what do you do?" and we know what that means: "What do you do for money?" Within our answers we often define who we are and our role in this life according to something we do to make money. Is that accurate or is that too simplistic of a summary?
How many times has someone asked, "So, what do you do in the Kingdom of God?" Does that sound strange? If so, perhaps we should consider this: God put each of us here for a reason. Now, most of us can go that far, but let's add to that this: We have a God given, special purpose--a task that He has given us to complete while on this earth. It is our function in the Kingdom of God, and it is the only rightful answer to the question, "What do you do?" Isn't it? For if we consider our earthly jobs, in the scope of eternity, they are more like a temporary occupation. If we don't much care for it, it's a job, but if we like it, its a career. But it is not the entirety of who we are and it should not be "what we do."
As the children of God and members of His Kingdom, what we "do" should be seven days a week, 24 hours a day. For as we live to Christ what we do is defined by His call on our lives--His special task that He has given each of us. So then, as we see ourselves as strangers in this land and heirs to an eternal home with Christ in His Kingdom; when asked, "What do you do?" we should be translating that as, "What do you do in the Kingdom of God?"
If that still sounds odd, perhaps it is because we see ourselves more as citizens of the kingdom of this earth rather than the Kingdom of God. In the Kingdom of God, God sits on the throne and what we do is in relationship to Him, His purpose, His righteousness, His will. . . But if we are the citizens of another kingdom, what we "do" will be done in relationship to the king of that kingdom. If the question, "So, what do you do?" is answered by telling people what we do for money--then who is the king of the kingdom, and who is it that we serve?
We each have been given a function in the body of Christ. It is one that moves us beyond a life and lifestyle of serving self and working for king money. God did not put us here in this life to work for this life, but for the life that is to come. We are going to have to realize that our loyalties have been slowly and subtly divided between the God of the Kingdom of Heaven, and the god of this earth.

    No one can serve two masters, Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. you cannot serve both God and Money" (Mt.6:24).
    Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap (Galatians 6:7).

[Soldier4Christ]

Faith, Freedom &  Responsibility

    What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? (James 2:14).

    "When Queen Victoria was a child, she didn't know she was in line for the throne of England. Her instructors, trying to prepare her for the future, were frustrated because they couldn't motivate her. She just didn't take her studies seriously. Finally, her teachers decided to tell her that one day she would become the queen of England. Upon hearing this, Victoria quietly said, 'Then I will be good.' The realization that she had inherited this high calling gave her a sense of responsibility that profoundly affected her conduct from then on" (Anonymous).

The greatest freedom we will find, is when we realize that we are responsible to more than just ourselves. Our faith in God is not, nor has ever been, a license to neglect our responsibilities to the office we hold as Christian. We are responsible first of all to our Lord. This demands discipline and obedience in our daily lives. This demands that we take seriously the office of Christian that we hold. For even as a politician is ideally to reflect the desires of those whom he represents, so also we are to adequately reflect the desires of the Lord whose name we claim.
In being responsible to our God, we are equally responsible to others. We are to uphold integrity and maintain a Christ-like character in all of our dealings. Being honest, paying our debts, keeping appointments, and giving our best efforts in our work place are necessary parts of who we are to be as a representative of Christ--anything less is dishonoring to our Lord.
Our faith is very important, but it fails us if it is not coupled with obedience, integrity and honor. Our faith will never lead us to neglect our responsibilities, but will open the doors to meet them. Our faith will never excuse actions that forget our debts, but will enable us to discover God's methods for restitution. We cannot justify breaking a promise because God has "led us elsewhere." We cannot rationalize laziness because we are simply "trusting" in the Lord. Our trust must be placed in God, but with that trust we have also been entrusted with the task of representing Christ to the best of our ability--placing His name ahead of our desires--upholding integrity so that the name of our Lord is not brought down by our actions.
Our obedience is of great importance, but if fails us if it is not coupled with faith. Doing what we have been told by God is truly disobedience if it is not done the way He directs. He has told us that we must do all things as unto Him, and that we must rely on Him to provide what we need to accomplish every work in our lives. Our Christian work, our jobs, our relationships; all can only be accomplished best if they are accomplished God's way. He tells us that we must abide in Him like a branch on a vine, and that apart from Him, we can do nothing. It is through a balancing of faith and obedience that we will allow God to effectively carry out His purpose in every aspect of our lives--and therein, we shall find true and lasting freedom.

    Lord Jesus, thou who art the way, the truth, and the life; hear us as we pray for the truth that shall make all free. Teach us that liberty is not only to be loved but also to be lived. Liberty is too precious a thing to be buried in books. It costs too much to be hoarded. Help us see that our liberty is not the right to do as we please, but the opportunity to please to do what is right. (Peter Marshall, Before the U.S. Senate ).

[Soldier4Christ]

To Walk With God

    Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away (Genesis 5:24).

We strive for many things in this life. Our ambitions, goals and desires often takes us down paths we hope hold the fulfillment of our dreams. Our paths may change as our desires change, and as quickly as we started walking one direction, we may change coarse and begin to walk an entirely different direction. If we pursue a dream, perhaps we can say that we walk with that dream. Or if we pursue a short term or long term goal, perhaps it can be said that we walk with our goals. For if these things are strong within our hearts, we know by what Jesus has told us that these things will also be our treasures. And in some cases, the very things we desire to possess, will wind up possessing us instead.
But Enoch must have treasured God greatly, for we are told that Enoch walked with God. Certainly he had other dreams, aspirations and ambitions, yet as he walked he did not walk as in the pursuit of those things, but he walked in the pursuit of God. Many of us walk after our goals and desires with the best intentions. For in so doing, so many of us love God and remain conscious of God's presence. But I can imagine that for it to be said of one that he walked with God, it would seem to others that the person pursued God, while being conscious of the other aspects of life--and not the reverse.
Can you imagine if we as Christians could be taken as Enoch. What a fantastic and wonderful thing it would be if we could all reach a point at which it was automatic for us to be taken, and not have to see a physical death. That seems quite appealing, doesn't it? If that were the case, what do you suppose our pursuits would be in this life? If we knew that by truly walking with God with Him as our pursuit, that one day we might attain a righteousness that could deliver us from this physical world, and from the imminent death we would suffer in the future as human beings; how do you think it would effect our lives? Would we be more anxious to be called people who walk with God, and more excited when we reach short term goals on the way to righteousness? What would we treasure then?
But let us come back to reality and consider this: Christ came and lived and died in our place, so that we can say even as Paul said, "For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Jesus walked with God. And in so doing He became righteousness for us, and with that, He has provided to us deliverance from the physical world in that we can live within it, yet rise above it. He has made it possible for us to walk with God--to pursue Him while maintaining a conscious awareness of this life as such that we take notice of it, but that it does not make us anxious or become our pursuit.
Our life may take us many directions. Our walk may be one that is filled with pursuit of goals for this life. But how marvelous if we can only truly pursue the goals for the life hereafter, treasuring our abundant life with God as we walk with Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Held

    My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father , who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one (Jn.10:27-30).

I remember as a young boy playing a game with my friends where one of us would hold on to something and dare the other to snatch it out of his hand. Slowly, one person would open his hand and the other would wait for just the right moment and then lunge his hand forward to try to grab the object from the other's hand. Sometimes the holder would win, and sometimes the grabber would win. But imagine how difficult the game becomes for the grabber when the holder is a father--there is often very little chance for the child to get the object before the father can quickly secure it within his grip.
But life is not something we should see like such a game. Our objective should never be to put it out there for anyone to come along and take. Whatever it is that we hold on to we must realize that it is not something to be taken lightly and that it should be handled with wisdom and prayer. It could be many things--relationships, intimacy, careers, entertainment. We perhaps fail to keep in mind the consequences that can occur from opening our hand and daring the enemy to snatch away from us something that we should hold tightly to.
But we should take heart, for there is a God who loves us and who can help us when our grip is weak. Sometimes we may feel as though everything is going to slip through our fingers--leaving us empty handed. We look at the enemy and the way he desires to leave us desolate, and we may even feel helpless to stop him from having his way, but God is far greater and His strength is endless. Where our grip becomes weak, God's Hand holds tight. So as we try to hold closely to us that which is of value, we should remember that the best way to keep from losing our grip, is by first putting our hand in God's.
I have heard it called, "The Grip of Grace." It is a way to describe the marvelous hold that God has on us, His children. For as children we are still growing and going through awkward and clumsy times. We stumble, trip-up and even fall down. Yet, the grace of God holds us firmly in His hand. We know how easy it is for us to lose our grip on things, on life, on a moment in a day. But Jesus promises us that "no one can snatch them out of my hand." We are held more securely than we could ever imagine.
Sure, Jesus is not going to hold us out in His hand and open it up to dare the devil to come and take us. We are far too precious to Him to ever do such a thing. And even so, the loss would continuously be the enemies, for he could never be clever enough, quick enough or slick enough to take us away from our Father.
In this life we will stumble and we will fall, but we will always remain secure in the Hand of our loving Father. Rest in His Hand today and consider how secure you really are--even when everything else seems crazy.

[Soldier4Christ]

A Sign of Faith

    What does it profit, my brethren, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? can faith save him? (James 2:14).

What constitutes the amount of faith we put in another? With a child it may be that we determine the amount of faith we have according to the amount of responsibility we give them. Or perhaps it is the first time we give them the keys to the car. And what about at work? What constitutes the amount of faith you place in someone or someone places in you? That response might also be shown according to responsibility and privilege, I imagine. And what about in a marriage? Within a marriage the signs are probably as such that they run more deeply, even as we might consider our personal and more intimate faith in God. For as James would remind us, faith is best demonstrated by actions, and those actions are for others a sign of faith.
But let's not consider the demonstration of our faith as something for our own benefit, but for a moment, consider it from the benefit of the other. Do we think it important that our faith be demonstrated as such that others might believe that we believe? For if we claim to have faith in a child to do a job, yet we act hesitant or are always there ready to jump in and take over, what faith in the child have we demonstrated? Or if we place our faith in someone at work to complete a project, yet we are constantly looking over their shoulder, where is the demonstration of our faith in their ability to do their job? Or if we say we have faith in our spouse and yet maintain suspicion, who are we trying to convince that we trust him or her? And finally, if we claim that we have faith in God to care for us, protect us and love us; where is the demonstration of that faith if we struggle to care for ourselves, or find ways to protect ourselves, or seek out ways that we can feel loved--all without consulting Him? Where is the demonstration of our faith?
As a child of God, we are entrusted by Him with certain responsibilities. And since God is never anxious, He is not lurking behind us, looking over our shoulder, ready to jump in at a moments notice. For if He has entrusted something to us, He has placed faith in us to accomplish it. You may wonder how that can be. Its really not hard to understand if you consider His nature. For although He knows where we will make mistakes, He is also able to trust us--not because we shall not fail, but because He knows our hearts. This may not yet make sense, for we see ourselves as untrustworthy--rightfully so--for we are untrustworthy. Yet God demonstrates the very kind of faith to us that He desires us to have in others, and He does so perfectly.
Now consider the faith of the faithless. I would think that someone who claims to have faith in God, yet never spends time with Him or talks to Him or consults Him, they must have a great deal of faith in Him--for it would seem that they believe that He will always be there, even though they act most often as though they do not care that He is there. They come to Him only when they are in some kind of trouble, and feel confident that He will be there to hear them. What is amazing is that their faith may indeed be stronger than some who believe that God will turn His back on them if they have messed up just once after doing "all the right things." for so long.
But the difference is this: the one still trusts God, while the other has been trusting their works. But neither have really trusted God--have they? For one believes that God will be there even though they are unfaithful to Him, while the other believes that God remains with them because of what they do. With one there is a faith without a sign of that faith; while the other produces signs of a faith that is not real. One places faith in his faith, and the other places faith in his works.
If we have faith in God, then we will entrust Him with our lives and we won't look over His shoulder (if that were possible) to see that He is handling things all right. We instead leave it in His capable hands. It is a sign of our faith to Him and to others, when it is seen that we do not worry or fret about the things of this life. As we do not become anxious where others might, we demonstrate that we truly trust God to handle things and give us guidance that is good and wise. But to do otherwise is as silly as the picture it paints--for can you imagine yourself trying to look over God's shoulder to see that He is doing His job? Kind of ridiculous, isn't it?

[Soldier4Christ]

Sometimes Miracles

    And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

A number of years ago, my wife and I were experiencing some tough times in our marriage. I was a new Christian and the changes that were taking place in me and my wife's relationship created a number of aftershocks throughout our lives. One Wednesday night, after a huge argument, I left the house to go to church. I fumed for the first couple of miles and finally calmed down enough to pray. The radio was playing softly in the background but did not occupy any real part of my attention--at least, not at that moment. My focus fixed on God and without being able to find anything else to pray, I simply said, "Lord, please do something with our Marriage." I had no sooner said that than I heard the voice on the radio affirm, "God can work a miracle in your marriage." The pain of the recent argument still clung to me, but somehow I found comfort in those words. Somehow I knew that it would all work out for the best.
The fact is and has always been that God can work a miracle in your marriage. He can work a miracle in whatever area of your life you have need. His miracles may not be a physical parting of waters as such that your eyes can behold His hand at work. Instead, His miracles can seem to you something even greater, a parting of the waters of your life, a working out of the barriers that separate you from the promised place--the place wherein you will experience healing of broken hearts and the mending of torn lives.
He is still the worker of miracles to them who believe, "to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." He is ready, willing and able to help us get through our rough times and rocky roads. He is faithful to go through the healing process with us, and He is more than able to bring the healing we need. He has so much more for us than what we see and so much more to give. His powerful healing ministry on this earth was only a foreshadowing of things to come. His healing of multitudes of those with physical ailments was outward and was a picture of a deeper healing of the soul that was yet to come--and certain to reach far more.
Now as for us, we have many miracles in our lives. Seen or unseen? It doesn't matter, really. The fact is that "we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God," and this is a continuing work of His in each of our lives. The miracle He said He would work in my marriage was one I did not fully understand. For I saw it like a work with an end, as though once things with my wife and I were better that His miracle was done. But His miracle has not ended. He continues to work things to the good for our marriage, as well as other areas of our lives.
What many of us may forget is that "God ain't done with us yet." And I know that makes many of us happy to know that He's not finished with us. His miracles are not a one time fix, they are a continuing process extended from the heart of a caring and loving Father. And we can always find our affirmation in the soft spoken words, in the miraculous parting of waters in our lives today, and every day.