Many of the thoughts I had in the days following 9/11 are just as appropriate in these current days of insecurity:
- Trust in God, not men (see Jeremiah 17:5-8). God and His plans are not upset by the actions of men. He is the anchor in a storm.
- Live for eternity and God’s kingdom now (see Matthew 25:14-30). Determine God’s purpose for you. How does He want to use you now to reach, influence and serve others in the cause of Christ?
- Share the gospel boldly (see 2 Corinthians 5:20-21). People need and want to hear about your spiritual journey - really they do!
- Embrace biblical values now, not just when there’s a crisis (see 2 Peter 3:10-13). Give others the courage to live for Christ today, at all times, in all their spheres of influence, and not wait for tomorrow (see Hebrews 3:13).
One of my favorite traditional hymns of our faith is Martin Luther’s “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Perhaps you know it:
A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe, doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
But the God of heaven is infintely greater. He loves you more than you can imagine and He has a perfect provision for all your needs. Those are great words to remember during these troubled times.
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Curtis,
ReplyDeleteAfter hearing Marks sermon on how we are all creations of God I am having a hard time deciding if I should go back onto Active Duty Army. I was an Airborne Infantry Officer while I was on Active Duty status before and my one of our duties was to find, capture and kill the "bad guys" I have been doing some reading on King David because he was a warrior too and took lives. Do you think God would hold it against me taking lives of his creation, even if they are people who stand against him? I know David was fighting for God's chosen people and he was called to fight his enemies. I'm having a hard time hearing if God wants me to fight for my country that he has blessed. But in these modern time I'm not sure God would want to bless a country that seems to be turning it's back on God.
Gryz, there is no clear answer here. Sometimes we have to separate the situational from what we know to be true of God. Whether or not God is pleased with a coutry such as ours that may be turning its back on Him, there are still things we can know with confidence about God. He is a righteous and just God - He will punish those who blatantly sin against Him without remorse. He works out His will through people -you may be an instrument of His will in carrying out His justice. His grace is there for all those who will turn to Him - He will bless and forgive those who repent and seek Him.
ReplyDeleteAll this may seem as though I am arguing in favor of you returning to active duty. Actually, I am not - I am arguing in favor of you seeking God's will in all this for you, in your life.
How is that accomplished? Read his Word, not just for blatantly obvious direction, but also for learning to think like God, to develop the mind of Christ in you. See the advice of godly people - your inquiry on my blog site is an example that you are doin this. Seek His face and direction in your daily quiet time; listen for the impressions that He is laying on your heart. Watch for Him to work through circumstances, doors that open and close, indicating that He is guiding you. Finally, take action on the direction you think He is giving you. God will stop you if you step out in the wrong direction. But just like an airplane cannot be guided by its flaps and rudder unless it is moving, so neither can God steer you until you step out in faith and act on what you believe He is telling you to do.