Honoring Veterans

“Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.” Romans 13:7

Veteran’s Day is an outgrowth of Armistice Day, which commemorated the armistice of World War I in 1918. Since 1954, it has been enlarged to celebrate veterans, being those who have had experience of serving our country in the military, especially in time of war.

God tells us to honor those to whom honor is due. Christians, especially, need to keep our mind open to God on this, since there can be a tendency to relegate all secular service as belonging to the world that we are to remain separate from.

But where would Christians be without those who have obtained and preserved our freedom by fighting the battles necessary for it? Freedom is not the accepted norm of this world. History reveals that freedom only exists where people have properly fought for it. However, in our time, as nations are turning away from God, rather than a soldier being sent to fight a patriotic war, he may be bound to sacrifice himself for a political agenda instead. PRAY.

Veteran’s Day is celebrated with ceremony and, no doubt, many heartfelt and meaningful tributes. But Veteran’s Day passes.

What is there beyond the temporary moment of being honored? There can be the enduring honor of understanding, careful consideration and continue appreciation.

While citizens enjoy the comforts of life, soldiers are being trained to endure hardships by being subjected to hardships. For us to enjoy our freedom, they forgo their freedom to serve. For us to be healthy and whole, they subject their bodies to possible injury, pain, suffering, perhaps even permanent disability and/or death. In serving, they are displaced and engulfed with unimaginable loneliness, so others can enjoy the comforts of family and loved ones.

The circumstances that a soldier is subjected to changes their temperament, sensitivities, and subconsciousness. The impacts of their experiences may very well control them, rather than their ability to control the impacts.

Honor our veterans with the best understanding, consideration, and continue appreciation. They have borne heavy burdens for us.

SHARING

Being Sensible About Government

—Romans 13:1-7

There are arguments that churches should not subject themselves to government in anything, for this would be saying that the government is the authority over the church instead of God.

But the Bible plainly teaches Christians to be subject to the powers of government, for government is ordained by God. For a church to teach that Christians, as well as non-Christians, are to be subject to government as the institution ordained by God for the welfare and preservation of society, it must necessarily lead by example in complying with its own teaching. For a church to resist submitting to the power of government in the principle sense, is for a church to resist the ordinance of God.

God teaches us to walk by faith, not by sight. Rather than fear the “what ifs” that an imperfect government may present to a church (or an individual), we need to respect in every practical way that civil government is a Divine institution.

As far as the conflicts of interest that arise between a civil government that becomes hostile toward Christianity, the same solution applies to the church that does to the individual Christian: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29

For evil men to use government to oppose those who serve God, is a violation of the ordinance of God, for which God will surely judge.

The ordinance of God establishing civil government, is not in and of itself a threat to a church, rather it is to be viewed as, “the minister of God to thee for good” Romans 13:4a. God uses civil government to protect the presence of churches in society. Where governments do not afford churches protection, wicked men rise up and destroy the presence of churches. Thus, wisdom and faith dictate churches to cooperate with and promote God’s ordinance of civil government.

Just as churches have their sphere of ministry and influence, so does God ordained civil government.

Nowhere does God prerequisite that civil authorities must first be Christians. Marriage is a God ordained institution. But God does not require that people first make a profession of faith before they can marry. Marriage is for all the human race, saved and lost, and so is civil government. Just because one may be a Christian does not mean they have the knowledge, the understanding, and the experience to succeed in civil government. You can be a good Christian and know nothing about what it takes to be a good doctor, a good governor, a good general, etc. Secular work is best performed by those with the best secular skills, as well as good character and judgment. Just as it would make no sense to seek out a mechanic to preach, it makes no sense to seek out a preacher to be your mechanic.

SHARING

Child Sacrifice

I read recently where a person saw a bumper sticker that read: “Anti-Abortion, Pro-War? I’m Anti-Hypocrite, Thanks!”

Thus the idea being projected that there is no difference in killing an innocent baby than in killing an enemy soldier on the battlefield. This is illogical thinking, to say the least. On the battlefield, it’s “Shoot, or be shot!” Our free society would not exist had it not been for those who killed our enemies in battle! But all the living owe our lives to the fact that our mothers did not choose to kill us! To equate the killing of an innocent baby to be the same as killing an enemy soldier in battle, is morally bankrupt reasoning indeed!

To think the killing of an innocent unborn child is only a matter of rightful choice is perilous times, with people loving only themselves, and fallen into the vanity of lacking natural affection.

Jesus Christ was conceived into the virgin’s womb. He did not enter into it at some other point in time, other than at this conception. After one is conceived in the womb, from then on it is just a matter of bodily development and growth. To kill the unborn child is to kill the person. God recognizes the person, even before they are developed in the womb: Psalm 139:16 “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”

In the Bible, God’s judgment is declared against the wicked act of sacrificing children. Today, there are those who irresponsibly have their children sacrificed, not with a knife through the heart in a heathen temple, but with the abortionist’s instrument gouging a hole at the base of the skull of a partially born child, to suck their brains out, and it’s just called “Pro-Choice”.

This is not about some distraught mother, seeking to survive. It is about the wickedness of advocating the shedding of innocent blood as a matter of human rights, when there is nothing that is destroying more innocent human lives than the practice of abortion!

There have always been people who are willing to sacrifice their children for their lust’s sake. But what is astounding is the masses of people who support those who advocate such a practice.

GOD FORBID!

Forget not God’s Word when you make your choices!

SHARING

Human Imperfection

One of our greatest temptations, or maybe even vanities, is to think of ourselves as the most correct personification of Christianity. We think that those who share our mannerisms are right and those who don’t, well, they are just poor souls. Thank God for our belief in charity that allows us to treat one another with courtesy!

However, we should have more than just good manners that keep us proper in our fellowship. We should have a conviction and faith that the only perfect One is in heaven, and that we all are but imperfect shadows of His perfect image.

I am not advocating compromise of doctrine. I believe that a preacher who believes one doctrine, but won’t mention it because he knows those he stands before don’t believe it, is not a gentleman, but rather given to deceitful ways.

I believe we should all stand for what we know to be true. But at the same time, we must remember how we came to know the truth–by denying our way and our thoughts unto being open minded to God to show us through His Word. Sometimes, after we come to know some things in God’s Word, we then start closing our minds to everything but our own ways and our own thoughts. Thus, some of the things that we then contend for as being the right way, are really no more than the projections of our human imperfections.

It is amusing sometimes when opposite projections meet. When this happens, we usually think to ourselves of how right our way is and how far off base the other person’s way is. In defense of our way, we will usually ad lib on anything that compliments our way, while resisting anything that testifies in behalf of the other way.

We all need to have the door open to grow in grace and in knowledge of the truth. We will best do this by observing and open-mindedly considering things. It is surprising how we can improve ourselves this way: “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” Proverbs 27:17 This will not happen, however, if we despise the other for their differences.

Sometimes, both are working from imperfect positions and both need to take a step toward the direction of the other. Some may need to loosen up a bit, while others need to tighten up equally.

Some things just testify of the need to take a closer look spiritually. When our way of projecting ourselves starts becoming an offense unto others of like faith and doctrine, it calls for a closer look.

Thank God that we can all look to Him that He might perfect that which concerneth us. May we consider how glorious it will be when we are all delivered from our imperfections and made perfect in Christ!

SHARING

The Short Skirt Speaks

I want to make it clear that I am a Christian short skirt. That is, youre mom I go everywhere my Christian wearer goes, even to church.

Though we represent a variety of colors and patterns, we short skirts have a lot in common. We all have a way of revealing attractive thighs, especially when the legs are crossed.

Unless I am misreading the situation, we seem to make our wearers a bit self conscious. At least the girl who wears me is always tugging at my hem.

I have also noted that we short skirts have the ability to attract a good deal of masculine attention, even at church. At first I took pride in thinking men are fascinated by my pattern and color design. However, just this morning, I heard the preacher say that this was not really what the young men (some not so young) were looking at. Though I was all ears when he started to preach, “The Appeal Of A Short Skirt”, I was embarrassed before he was through.

According to him, there are dozens of other skirts more beautiful than I. His blanket statement that short skirts do not make an aesthetic, academic, moral, or spiritual contribution to the wearers left me feeling I was not such a great Christian after all.

He said my appeal was to the lusts of the flesh, at which time I felt a hard tug on my hem. He then spoke on the carnality of human nature and gave this quote: To flaunt sexuality in public is a betrayal of your femininity, not an endorsement. It is like playing the tuba on the subway to prove you are a musician. It isn’t honest to expose a man to the aroma of steak and apple pie…, and then accuse him of being a glutton because he licks his lip.”

I really blushed when he asked what we thought our testimony amounted to in the presence of men who cared not about feminine purity. He said it doesn’t take much to trigger a man’s thought in the direction of sex.

The preacher claimed there is nothing about a short skirt that would suggest to the man on the street that the wearer’s body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. He said that the Bible teaches that a Spirit-indwelled body should be adorned in modest apparel (1 Timothy 2:9-19). I began to feel as though I was abetting the crime wave when he made the connection that lust leads to sin, and sin to violence and abuse.

I suppose it is the truth that hurts. That’s why I hurried out of church this morning. I saw several other short skirts slinking out, too.

I guess what we really need is to be converted into something more modest.

–Adapted from a tract by Don W. Hillis

SHARING