Jack Eppolito wrote about the time his granddaughter’s second-grade class was asked to write about their personal heroes. Her father was flattered to find out that she had chosen him.
“Why did you pick me?” he asked her.
She replied, “Because I couldn’t spell Arnold Schwarzenegger.”
As we mature, hopefully we find better reasons for choosing our heroes.
“Remember our leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”—Hebrews 13:7.
I have always heard of the “patience of Job”, but I never thought of Job as being a patient man. After his troubles come upon him, he is constantly demanding an audience with God. He wants some explanations for why he is being battered by so much misery. He wants some answers, and he wants them now.
Job did not think of himself as a patient man. He asked, “Is my complaint directed to a human being? Why should I not be impatient?” (Job 21:4).
Perhaps the main lesson of Job is not that we should be patient. Perhaps it is to teach us that God is willing to listen to our questions as long as they come from a perspective of having faith and trust in him, and as long as we persevere in seeking his face.
Warner, left, and Middaugh, right
Henry “Bill” Warner and John Middaugh bonded together when they served in a war zone during the Vietnam War. They learned to count on each other, and after the war they continued to stay in touch.
Warner and Middaugh, both 73, have an even closer bond now. Middaugh recently gave Warner one of his kidneys. “He had my back many times,” Middaugh said, “so this is payback time.”
This wonderful sacrifice reminds us of what Jesus did for us on the cross. However, instead of sacrificing for a long-time friend, Jesus performed his act of mercy for those who were far from him.
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”—Romans 5:8.
It is good to see so many people making statements about their appreciation for veterans. We must always be thankful for those who gave so much of themselves in order for us to gain and maintain the freedom in which we live. Veterans Day is a wonderful time to express our gratitude for the service of these fine men and women.
Let us also remember to be thankful for our heroes of the faith, those who have bravely engaged in the spiritual warfare that we all face on a daily basis. Perhaps it would be a good time to thank someone–a relative, a friend, a teacher or preacher—who has been on the frontlines, praying and acting on behalf of those who are being attacked by Satan.
Let’s honor these veterans of spiritual warfare by putting on the full armor of God and joining them in the on-going battle between Good and Evil!
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”—Ephesians 6:10-11.
A proposed piece of legislation called the “Heartbeat Bill” awaits action in the Ohio Statehouse. The bill would ban abortions after the detection of the first heartbeat, which occurs just a few weeks after conception. Supporters of the bill are frustrated with the amount of time it is taking to see any progress. Other pro-life activists are concerned that passing the bill would hinder the overall efforts of the pro-life movement. Meanwhile, pro-abortion forces are threatening to sue if the bill becomes law.
It is disheartening to see how jaded our society has become. Do we really have to debate whether or not it is a good thing to protect the heartbeat of a tiny, defenseless human being?
Sadly, I guess so.
The pro-life movement is only one of several fronts upon which the culture war is being fought. One person said that it should actually be called “the war on culture”. That sounds about right.
Let’s all be at our battle stations.
“Finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”—Ephesians 6:10-11.
I just tried to place a phone call, but got a recorded message: “All of our circuits are busy now. Please try your call again later.”
Thankfully, it was not an emergency. I tried again a few moments later and was able to get through to the person with whom I wanted to speak.
Aren’t you glad we never get a recorded message when we try to talk to God? He never asks us to call back later. He is always willing and able to listen to his people wherever and whenever we reach out to him.
“Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.”—2 Chronicles 7:15.
Now that the dust has settled from the results of the election in Kentucky this past Tuesday, maybe it is time for a little reflection on what happened.
I consider myself an optimist, but I am somewhat cautious about the reasons for the election turning out the way it did. While I rejoice with other Christians over the fact that we will have a governor who is pro-life and respects the institution of marriage, I also suspect that moral issues were trumped by economic ones in this election. Most people, even Christians, tend to vote for their own perceived economic interests rather than for righteousness.
However, the Bible continually teaches that if we put God first, we will prosper. Deuteronomy 30:15-16 says, “See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.” Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33).
The Bible plainly teaches that if we bless God, then he will bless us. But I fear that due to the lack of spiritual understanding of many voters, the next election cycle might see us losing any moral and economic ground we may have gained in this one.
We shall see.
I used to think that communion time at church was my alone time with God. It was a time for my own personal meditation on God’s love for me. The only thing that would make my communion time better would be if all the other people in the room would have the decency to leave for a few minutes, so as not to interrupt my alone time with God.
I don’t know where this mindset comes from. You certainly don’t find it in the Bible. The church at Corinth was chastised severely for being selfish at communion time and not considering their brothers and sisters in Christ when they had the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11).
The early Christians were devoted to observing the Lord’s Supper…together. Communion was one of several worship activities that was practiced by the believers that served to bond them together. When we take communion, it is best that we keep in mind that Jesus not only died for you individually, he died for the community of believers.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”—Acts 2:42.
I recently attended my 40-year high school reunion. Since our graduating class was small, I thought that I would never forget my classmates, no matter how many years would go by. However, when I got to the reunion, I sure was thankful for name tags! While I hadn’t changed a bit, time had not been so kind to many of my friends!
When you don’t see someone for years—or decades—you tend to forget what that person looks like. If you don’t see them or talk to them or think of them on a regular basis, they tend to fade in your memory.
So it is with Jesus. If we don’t spend time with him, we tend not to think about him. And if we don’t think about him, there is a danger that we might forget who he is and what he has done for us.
This is why it is so critical for believers to meet on a regular basis to have communion. As we participate in the Lord’s Supper, we bring to remembrance the One who loves us so much that he would rather die than to live without us.
That’s certainly something worth remembering!
“On the first day of the week we came together to break bread…”—Acts 20:7.
Brad Dickson, a sportswriter for the Omaha World-Herald, took note of the fact that the Army football team has a junior wide receiver named Edgar Allan Poe. Dickson said, “If he’s the only Edgar Allan Poe you’ve heard of, you may want to watch a little less football.”
There is certainly nothing wrong with watching sports or having hobbies. However, there is a danger of spending too much time on such interests, even to the point of being distracted from what God wants us to do.
We need to make sure that we take time to focus on Jesus and our mission to serve him.
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”—Mathew 6:33.
Jesustrek 