Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Sustaining Christ"

"Apart from Me you can do nothing." John 15:5
   

Power plays an important role in our lives. Strength that sustains is the concern of everyone. People buy vitamins, herbs, health food, and all sorts of exercise equipment to keep them strong and well. Many emphasize exercise of every description to develop more physical strength. To live the full, abundant life, a person must have a full and confident faith. Many have discovered that while they were physically strong, they allowed themselves to become weak, frightened, and powerless because of their misdirected thinking.

When the will of man is misdirected and the mind of man is confused, confident power is missing. Faith in Jesus, the divine Savior, is important, not only to live confidently but also to do that which is pleasing to God. That is what Jesus means when He says, "If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit" (John 15:5).

When Christ rules our hearts and lives and our faith is focused on Him, His power will make us able to meet every situation in life and in death as God would have us meet it. We can say, "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13).

[Soldier4Christ]

"A Great Document"

"If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32
   

The Declaration of Independence has changed the course of human history. Many books have been written that have altered society's way of thinking and living as well.

Towering over every document and book written, there is one book, which has done more than any other to change the world. That is the Bible, the Word of God spoken through God's chosen writers. Jesus, the Son of God, asks us to believe this Word.

We are asked to search God's Word for meaning in life. All of the great fundamental problems of humankind are answered in the Bible. Why are we here in the world? Where are we going? Is there a God? What kind of God do we believe in? What is sin? Does God care for us? Why do people have sorrow and heartache? What is true happiness? What happens after death?

When we read the Bible, we obtain answers to these and many more questions. We know God's truth through His Law and Gospel. We learn that because of Jesus' death and resurrection our sins are forgiven and we are free of guilt. As a result, we discover the happiness that comes from the promise of heaven.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Fear or Courage?"

"We must obey God rather than men!" Acts 5:29
   

Biblical examples of human cowardice far outnumber the accounts of courageous behavior. The Israelites feared the Egyptian army at the Red Sea, even though a loving God had just rescued them from 400 years of slavery. Peter confessed undying loyalty to Jesus shortly before denying Him three times. Unwarranted fear has always been a major flaw in the lives of God's people.

We Christians are no different than the people mentioned above. When trapped in places where allegiance to Christ might bring us ridicule or harm, we find it safer to deny Him. A national magazine recently demonstrated that most people lie constantly to protect jobs, reputations, and themselves. Fear of opposition may weaken us spiritually and hinder our positive actions.

Jesus always told the truth, even though it gained Him enemies and cost Him His life. It took courage to chastise the religious leaders of the day and the Roman government itself. It took immense courage to face suffering for the world's sin and an agonizing death on the cross.

Christ's courage gained Him the victory of His resurrection on Easter, and we now share that prize. His example becomes our own as bold confession erases fears. With Christ beside us, we dare confidently boast that even the gates of hell cannot overcome us!

[Soldier4Christ]

"Proclaiming Good News"

Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? James 2:15-16
   

God has sent each one of us to proclaim good news in the mission field -- a mission field that begins at the end of our nose. As Christians we know the best news is the Good News of the Gospel of Christ's cross. But many people do not know that. In the account of the Good Samaritan, the man who fell among robbers was not interested in hearing the Gospel right there on the road. He had needs that seemed more pressing. The Samaritan provided first aid, food, and shelter. Now that was good news for a half-dead man along the side of the road.

Take a look around. Perhaps a child needs the comfort of a hug or a fellow worker could use a pat on the back. A teenager wants time to talk; a lonely neighbor longs to share a meal; a friend needs a hand with a home-improvement project. A hug, a pat on the back, some time, a meal, and a helping hand are all good news to those in need.

By providing "good news" as others perceive it, we share God's love. In this way, God opens the door for proclaiming His Good News, the story of what His Son has done for the people who need Him as their Savior and Lord.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Castles of Sand"

The world and its desires pass away but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:17
   

On the seashore or along the beach most of us have seen castles of sand carefully erected by youngsters, only later to be utterly demolished and destroyed. Beholding these disintegrated edifices reminds us of the "castles of sand" that men and women erect in real life. They spend not just a few hours but precious years, thinking they are really accomplishing something. But then comes the night, and the tides of time swirl in, and soon their cherished "castles" disappear.

There is only one way to build a life that counts and a "work" that endures. It is to found it on the rock, Christ Jesus, our Savior, and to do so with eternity's values in view. To rear and educate your children to succeed in this life is fine, but what are you doing to help them prepare for the life to come? To be successful in business and receive the praise of people may give temporary pleasure and satisfaction, but what are you doing for eternity? Are you building a castle of sand or a work that abides?

Whatever we build in faith on the Word and work of Jesus Christ will remain, for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Maximizing Life's Value"

I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me -- the task of testifying to the Gospel of God's grace. Acts 20:24
   

There is a growing trend in this day and age to regard life with little value. People thoughtlessly place themselves in harm's way by indulging in the perils of drug abuse. The proliferation of suicide indicates a groundswell of contempt for the value of life. There is little regard for the preciousness of other people's lives. Cruel, senseless murders are reported in every newscast. Minor irritations prompt ruthless homicide on our streets.

But life is a gift from the hand of God. Its worth is surpassed only by our new life in Christ and our everlasting life at God's side in heaven. Christians cherish life most highly and protect it vigorously. But Paul suggests that even so valuable a gift as life is nothing unless it is enriched by what we do with it. No end of possibilities exists. People who have no appreciation for the value of life are themselves a magnificent field for the investment of our lives. To confer new value on them by loving them, by sharing with them the discovery that they are "precious in God's sight," by taking them hand-in-hand to Calvary and showing them the love of God in Christ Jesus -- all these things maximize their worth. Life assumes it greatest value if we complete the task that Christ Jesus gives us.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Circumstances and Motives"

What has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel. Philippians 1:12
   

"I just can't figure out what God is getting at!" wailed one friend to another. "Just what is He trying to accomplish?"

Perhaps we have uttered a similar cry when our carefully laid plans and objectives have had to be modified because of unexpected circumstances. Sometimes it seems to us that God is intervening in a way that is counterproductive to His own stated objectives.

Saint Paul may have thought so when his work of proclaiming the Gospel was curtailed by his arrest and imprisonment. Yet he discovered that God's objective of advancing the Gospel message was being met in two ways: (1) the soldiers who guarded him came to know the Gospel through his witness; and (2) other Christians, encouraged by Paul's example, stepped forward to take a stand for Jesus also. Although their motives were mixed (some were self-serving), God's objective of advancing the Good News of salvation in Christ Jesus was still accomplished.

Today, perhaps one step at a time, one encounter at a time, one person at a time, let God have His way in advancing the sweet message of the Gospel -- in any way He chooses.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Lights in Dark Places"

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14
   

How have we been discharging the duties of citizenship in our great and blessed land? Is our country, our city, our town, our neighborhood, our street, the better for our having lived here? Have we by our Christian witness and by our daily actions made a constructive contribution to the betterment of our community?

Or have we merely been the passive and ungrateful recipients of all the bounties, both spiritual and material, that God has showered on us through our land, its institutions, and its government?

In His Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that Christians are to be lights -- not sponges! They are to give forth -- not merely soak up. They are to show the way to others -- not obscure it.

God puts His lights in dark places so they may spread their rays where they are needed. The world today -- our nation, our community -- needs nothing more than the light of the Gospel, which God has put into our hands. Wherever we are, God has placed us there "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).

May the light of the Gospel shine forth from our lives into the land we love the most.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Children -- Gifts from God"

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from Him. Psalm 127:3
   

The Bible teaches that children are gifts from God and a sign of His favor. God blessed Adam and Even and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number" (Genesis 1:28). Throughout Scripture children are regarded as special blessings from God. The psalmist calls them a heritage and a reward. He refers to children as "arrows in the hands of a warrior." He concludes: "Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them" (Psalm 127:4-5).

Today children are regarded by many as liabilities instead of blessings. Just as we are learning so much more about the beautiful mystery of God's creating hand at work in the formation of a new human life, child abuse is on the rise. The sad plight of "unwanted children" is seriously held up as a justification for killing them before birth.

What has happened? Could it be that we have forgotten that children are a "heritage from the Lord"? Let us never forget not only that God is the giver of children but also that His own Son became a child in the womb of the Virgin Mary to become the Savior of all children -- including us.

[Soldier4Christ]

"God's Plan for You"

We are God's fellow workers ... each one should be careful how he builds. 1 Corinthians 3:9-10
   

Rose J. Young, the first black Lutheran missionary in the Black Belt of the South, repeatedly told her students, "God has a plan for every one of you." It was her prayer and desire to encourage young men and women to follow God's calling and enter God-pleasing vocations.

We say to everyone who is choosing a vocation, "Look at that skyscraper towering high above the surrounding buildings. It didn't just happen that it is that kind of a serviceable structure. It had an architect who designed every part of it. Builders and skilled workmen followed the architect's drawing. The structure took shape. So it is in your life. God is the architect of your life."

We build on Christ, the sure foundation. We have been admonished to take heed how we build, whether with "gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw." The apostle goes on, "his work will be shown for what it is ... the fire will test the quality of each man's work" (1 Corinthians 3:12, 13). God's beautiful and wonderful creation did not just happen. God planned and designed it; His signature is on every part of His creation. It is also on you, for He planned your life.

[Soldier4Christ]

"The Beauty of the Sunset"

He wraps Himself in light as with a garment. Psalm 104:2
   

On our evening drives in the country or to the lake we have opportunities to enjoy the beauty of the sunset. We feast our eyes on the gorgeous harmony of colors, see the mighty architecture of embattled clouds, and note the changing splendor of the western skies.

No two sunsets are alike; all are rapturously beautiful. Science has an explanation for this phenomenon of nature, but a Christian knows that behind the laws of nature is the omnipotent hand of God. His paints at sunset are absolutely perfect.

Our Lord is a Lord of beauty, and He desires that we worship Him in the beauty of holiness. Our lives should reflect the glory of His kindness, love, wisdom, and strength. From day to day we are to be changed into the image of Him who created us. For this purpose He has given us His Good News of salvation.

The beauty of the sunset lasts but a short time. However, it is repeated every day. How abundant is the goodness of our Lord of creation! The enchanting hues of the sunset are given by God for our enjoyment, and He never tires of lavishing beauty before our eyes.

The beauty of the Lord is reflected in the skies. He asks that His light also be reflected in our lives. We are to shine daily before others in abundant deeds of love so that they, seeing our good works, will glorify our Father who is in heaven.

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"Strive for Holiness"

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14
   

Spiritual growth is exhilarating. How can we grow spiritually, become more holy and more dedicated to God's will? Only by the power of God's Spirit!

Jesus teaches us to pray for the Holy Spirit. "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11). The Spirit works through His Word. Daily we need to mediate on that Word so God's thoughts and truths can control our thinking and govern our actions.

By God's grace, as we open our lives to the influence of the triune God, we grow spiritually. We pray more for others, forgive more easily, and have more peace within. We are less money-minded, less worrisome, and are more grateful. We are less jealous, less critical, and more understanding. We are less often depressed and more cheerful. We will never be all that we ought to be, but we can make progress. Each of us can say with conviction, "By the power of Christ's Spirit working through the Gospel, I can and will be better than I now am."

[Soldier4Christ]

"Worship the Lord"

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. Psalm 95:6
   

In worship we express our love for God; we honor and adore Him "for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care" (Psalm 95:7).

We can worship God in public and in private. In either case, faith and a feeling of gratitude to God for His blessings motivate our worship.

Worship involves thanksgiving and praise. "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise," the psalmist invites (Psalm 100:4). Worship includes great joy and yearning for God. "How lovely is Your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God" (Psalm 84:1-2).

Sometimes these feelings are not as strong as they should be. But the more we worship with our fellow Christians, the more the joy will come -- through Scripture reading, the Lord's Supper, the pastor's message, prayer, hymns of praise, and the encouragement of fellow Christians.

We do not go to church because we have to. We go to thank and praise God and to receive new spiritual strength in Christ through Word and sacraments.

[Soldier4Christ]

"Children of the Most High"

To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. John 1:12
   

An outstanding statement in the Bible promises that we can be and are children of God. When we consider the statement from our side, it is easy enough to comprehend. We have or have had parents. We understand that relationship, and we have had the opportunity to share ourselves and our experiences with these dear relatives. They have always been willing to listen, to give advice, and even at times, to chastise and correct us when that was for our good.

But we certainly need to hang on to our hats when we begin to think about a Father-and-son or a Father-and-daughter relationship with God. Isn't He the Creator of all things? Doesn't He sustain and maintain everything with His almighty power so the stars do not clash with one another and the earth produces its fruit in due season? I can understand being His creature, but His child? His son? His daughter? Unbelievable!

But is it? Jesus affirmed this relationship in Matthew 6:6-9, and He should know! He brought about the Father-child relationship when He reconciled us to God by taking all our sins on Himself as we were baptized into His name.

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"Words Are Not Enough"

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? James 2:14
   

Words are the lifeblood of our daily existence. Words express our emotions and desires. Without words there would be no civilization, no community, no business.

Words also make our religious life possible. God's Word tells us of salvation in Jesus Christ. We respond by confessing our faith in Him. But words are not enough. When we deal with others, God demands concrete actions, not just pious expressions from our mouths.

We cannot do anything directly for God. God has everything -- all the riches of the universe. He has no need for anything we might offer to Him. We can, however, do something directly for others. In our relationships we must not only say that we love our neighbor but also do things that help him. Our good sentiments must be followed by real assistance.

Without good works flowing from faith, faith would be useless. Christians are concerned about feeding and clothing the poor, especially fellow Christians -- because of their love for Christ, who died to make them His own that they might serve Him.