In Memoriam

It's Memorial Day here in the US of A. What's everybody up to? Going to a veteran's memorial service? Driving back home from a big weekend up north?

I personally don't think we spend enough time honoring those who sacrificed their lives in order for us to be free. I wonder if our younger generation (those under 20) understands just what it means. They have no idea what war is like.

The last US war ended in 2021 - Afghanistan. You remember that hideous withdrawl, right? 13 US soldiers died that day. Here are their names.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas

Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, Calif.

Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City, Utah

Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tenn.

Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, Calif.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyo.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, Calif.

Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.

Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Ind.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Mo.

Navy Hospital Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio

Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Neb.

I know that other soldiers have died serving our country since these 13 perished in Afghanistan but these 13 came to mind for me. And look at their ages. All but one of them were in their 20's. Most of them in their EARLY 20's.

They were strong and courageous. I do not know if any of them knew The Lord. I hope they did. But this Psalm is for them regardless:

"Blessed be the Lord, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle; he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me." - Psalm 144:1-2

May this Memorial Day be one of rememberance and honor for the fallen heroes of our country. And may there be no more names added to the list of the dead.

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice, and may the Lord above guard the hearts of their families and friends . . . today and always.

Sacrifice

We celebrate Intendance Day because of the great sacrifices people were willing to make nearly 250 years ago. We came to this continent to escape religious persecution and fought for the right to worship how we chose to worship. Not how some government told us to. Lives were sacrificed back then in a war so that we could worship freely today in peace.

Nearly 2,000 years ago another sacrifice was made so that we could worship the One True God. We are free to choose, but there really is only one choice - The Lord, Jesus. He's the One who sacrificed Himself so that we could live. Period. But again, the choice is ours whether or not to believe.

My question for today is this: Are we, today, as individuals and as a country, willing to fight for what we believe in? Each one of us must answer that question in our hearts.

"Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. 15 And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” - Joshua 24:14-15

Did you notice Joshua's action verb in verse 15? Choose! And when does he suggest that we make that choice? This day! Today!

Make a choice for Christ this day. Choose to sacrifice yourself for Jesus, just as He sacrificed Himself on the cross for us. Then celebrate your REAL Independence Day. Free from the bondage of sin. Crucify YOUR sin and rise again in a NEW life. Then, and only then, will you be free indeed!

"So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” - John 8:36

Soldiers For Christ

Have you ever considered the similarities between the American soldier and the Christian believer? They are nearly identical. At least they SHOULD be.

Our pastor gave a message yesterday about the faith of the centurion (Luke 7). He listed six "characteristics of faith" found in that Roman soldier.

Faith, Reverence, Respect, Humility, a feeling of unworthiness, and Trust. The centurion in Luke's Gospel had them all. Jesus saw the character of this man's life and said this.

"When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” - Luke 7:9

When we think of the soldiers of today what characteristics come to mind? Sacrifice, Duty, Honor, Bravery. Those words reflect the same characterizes of Jesus, wouldn't you say? The sacrifice on the cross. The duty and honor Jesus continually displayed to God, The Father. And the bravery of His willingness to die on the cross, once and for all.

Shouldn't WE have those same characteristics? The characteristics of Christ? The characteristics of a soldier?

All American soldiers have been honored throughout our history for their service - except for the Vietnam soldier. They were spit on and shunned when the war ended in the early 70's. I will submit to you today that that disrespect marked the beginning of our downfall as a nation.

The media first expressed "their opinion" during the nightly news at that time. No respect was given to our returning soldiers. There was a waning reverence for God as we began removing Him from our schools and courthouses. There is no respect for our constitution. No honor is given to our highest court or political offices. Trust is absent and we feel that WE are more worthy than God.

We now see the result of our disobedience in just about every news story out there. We need to seek forgiveness from God for all of our shortcomings.

I challenge you to walk through a cemetery today. Seek out a Vietnam soldier amongst the headstones. There are thousands of them. And when you find one, take a knee and give thanks to God for providing such fine examples of His workmanship.

God is mighty to save, but we first must repent as a nation. Then, and only then, will He save this great country of ours. We must reinflate our 'In God We Trust' motto with the characteristics of a faithful soldier. And we need to do it quickly.

Behind Enemy Lines

My uncle died yesterday morning, early. He was a World War II veteran. He never talked much about the war. There was a reason for that. Talking is what gets you killed.

My uncle was in reconnaissance - a paratrooper. He would parachute into enemy territory, behind enemy lines. He recorded all the enemy locations he could, and then tried to make it back. Thankfully, he was successful.

Could you imagine what that was like? All alone, no one to talk to. And if you DID find someone to talk with, there was a chance they would turn you in.

Being a Christian, which my uncle ALSO was, is similar in some ways to the dangers of parachuting behind enemy lines. In many countries around the world, Christians are persecuted for their faith. Opening your mouth to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ can prove fatal.

We carry that same fear of persecution with us here in America. Thankfully, the threat of death is not at the level it is in other countries. But we can still be stereotyped and pigeonholed. We can still lose friends over our beliefs. Even family members can become estranged over our beliefs. 

So, what are we supposed to do? Well soldier, we are supposed to do our jobs to the best of our ability. And we are supposed to go one step beyond what recon paratroopers did in World War II. We are to stand boldly in faith, proclaiming the Gospel, regardless of the outcome.

Even The Apostle Paul knew this effort of his fellow Christians was going to be a battle when he wrote:

"Put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." - Ephesians 6:13-17

The life of a Christian is not an easy one. It can even be a battle at times. But what is our job, our duty as believers? It is to share the Gospel, to love God and to others, even our enemies. And then, when our mission is over, we are to go home to be with our believing brothers and sisters who have preceded us.

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." - Ephesians 3:20

Foxholes

It has been said that "there are no atheists in foxholes." I can believe that. That moment what we are SO desperate that we do anything just to get out of the situation we're in. Even call out to God for help!

Most of us have no idea what war is actually like. We see it on television or in the movies and that's as real as it gets. We have no clue.

In our desperate moments, when we DO reach out to God for help, what happens after we cry out? What happens when God actually answers?

For the soldier it is the moment when things suddenly become clear and an obvious plan of action is realized. Fear escapes and is instead replaced by acts of bravery and action. Purpose replaces uncertainty. The soldier moves without thought of self, but with a desire for the greater good.

There is another saying - "For God and Country." We need more soldiers in God's army of today. Ranks are dwindling. The purpose remains the same but our enemy has infiltrated the perimeter and is taking his share of casualties.

In the Book of #Ephesians Paul tell us to dress for war. He is NOT kidding around with some poetic slimily. He's deadly serious. Perhaps this Veterans Day would be a good day for us to heed this advice and suit up for the coming war.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." -Ephesians 6:10-17

We are soldiers of the Price of Peace but WE WILL FIGHT for our King.

Hacksaw Ridge Movie Trailer

War Of Souls

What I am about to tell you is only known to a few. It is not a secret in the traditional sense – something kept quiet by a few “in the know” people. Rather, what I am about to tell you is more of an undiscovered millennia-old truth that lies hidden in plain sight. Are you  ready? We, my friends, are in a war.

I’m not talking about our nation’s presence in Afghanistan or Syria. Nor am I talking about all the terrorist activities we’ve been seeing around the world and in our own backyard. This war is waged in the realm of the unseen and . . . the un-dead.

Here's what I mean.

In any war there are usually two sides - us against them, back against white, rich against poor, slave against free. Even the Bible seems to tell us that. Read this words from Jesus.

"Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." - Matthew 12:30

Are you with Jesus?

Did you know that you and I are living in enemy territory? It's true. We are living behind enemy lines. In the following text, Paul tells Christians of his days that they used to be held by the enemy - the ruler of the kingdom of the air. That's Satan. He's the general of the opposing army.

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions - it is by grace you have been saved." - Ephesians 2:1-5

We were born behind enemy lines, living in sin. Our soul belonged to Satan so to speak because it didn't belong to God. But God is a far better general than Satan. He sent His Holy Spirit to rescue us and wake us up from our "slumber". Now, as we fight our way through enemy territory, when we "cross over" to God's side, our eyes are opened and we can see the battle field for what it is.

What used to be so comfortable for us now gives us chills. We look at people we don't know with caution. Remember, whoever is not with God is against Him. And that is our challenge as soldiers in Christ's army. God wants us to interact with the enemy soldiers of this world and share the good news with them.

God's side is the winning side in the end. And Jesus is the one we follow. And for those who think that Jesus is just a wimpy, peaceful God who wants you and needs you, read this:

^"11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True (That's Jesus). With justice he judges and wages war. ¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

king of kings and lord of lords.

We ARE at war. Whose side are YOU on? You and I have been given a mission. To go back, behind enemy lines and tell Satan's prisoners of war about our King - Jesus. We must tread cautiously because "the world" hates us, but in we must go. We have been commanded to do so . To rescue those whose desire is to harm us.

"15 If you love me, keep my commands." - John 14:15

^"19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" - Matthew 28:19

You and I were once prisoners of war. God set us free. He saved us and then He trained us. We are now His. He equipped us with His weapons - a double-edged sword, which is the Word of God, and He gave us love, which is our battle plan. Let our love be the proof, the proof of YOUR love, Lord.

The Proof Of Your Love - For King and Country 

Greater Love

I'm not sure if you saw it or not. I almost missed it myself Tuesday night. A very special moment that spoke volumes about how the people of this country feel about our service men and women.

The special moment occurred during President Trump's State of The Union speech when he recognized the widow of fallen Navy Seal Ryan Owen. What a touching tribute memorializing the soldier and honoring him and his wife.

After the applause died down . . . and it took a while. A LONG while. Our president quoted Jesus.

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." - John 15:13

God insists that we take care of the widow and the orphan. He tells us to do so several times. James 1:27, Isaiah 1:17, 1 Timothy 5:3, Exodus 22:22, Psalm 68:5, - the list goes on and on. 2000 years ago the widow was without standing in society. She had no means of supporting herself and had to rely on the generosity of others. Read the Book of Ruth to learn more.

As I watched this young widow Tuesday night I couldn't help but feel compassion for her and her children. She had lost the man she loves and the father of her children. Her tears flowed freely. So did mine.

Yet, there are some people in this world born without compassion, or so it seems. They are so full of themselves and their own desires and aspirations that they can't see the truth when it is staring them right in the face. Some man tweeted about this grieving widow after Trump's speech, calling her "an idiot." He lost his job and rightly so. Maybe he'll learn. But this guy wasn't the only one in need of repentance.

This country's leaders are incredibly out of touch. They are so in love with their doctrine and their beliefs that they simply cannot fathom any other possibility besides their own. Does all this sound familiar? Open your Bibles to John 18.

The Jewish leaders of the day disagreed with the view of a certain prophet named Jesus. They arrested Him and turned Him over to the Romans for punishment (to be executed) because Jesus did not believe as they did. So who's right? And where do we find the truth?

^"33 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

³⁴ Jesus answered him, “Are you speaking for yourself about this, or did others tell you this concerning Me?”

³⁵ Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?”

³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

³⁷ Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”

Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”

³⁸ Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all." - John 18:33-38

Pilate was staring The Truth right in the face and he never saw it.

Earlier in Jesus' ministry He spoke these words to Thomas . . .

^"6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." - John 14:6

Thomas heard Jesus' voice and thereby learned the truth. Pilate did not.

We who call ourselves Christians should be responsive to the voice of our King. When He tells us to look after the widow and the orphan we should do as He commands us. There should be no doubt. NO hesitation. There should be no questioning or expressing "opinions." There should be no denying His command.

The world we live in has turned its back on the truth. It did 2,000 years ago and it continues to do so today. Look at this picture. It sure tells a sad story. Nearly everyone is standing and clapping. With the except ion of one guy on the right side of the aisle, all on that side are sitting, motionless.

The Supreme Court justices and military leaders excluded (they are to be impartial at these events), it is still obvious that some people just don't get what this president is saying. The same was true when Obama was president, only it was the other side of the aisle dissenting. These men and women are so full of their own version of the truth they refuse to acknowledge God's command about the widow.

"¹⁰ Also He said to them, “In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. ¹¹ And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!” - Mark 6:10-11

May we be more like Jesus in our relationships and in our speech. May our thoughts always be about others rather than ourselves. Maybe, if we become less, placing the needs of others above our own, we actually live out the Gospel instead of trying to ram it down the throats of those who don't believe as we do.

CPO Ryan Owen's Widow Receives Standing Ovation
Ex-Clinton Volunteer Loses Job

The Lowest Places

A lone man sits on a hill, looking down at the desolate valley below. A cold mist hangs in the air as his dirty and blood-stained face is split in two by a single tear tracing down his face. Bodies of his brothers and sisters lie everywhere. Motionless, lifeless, dead. The battle, it seems, is over and we, the people, have lost.

Does that sound like a movie? A dream perhaps? More like a nightmare. But the battle described in the opening paragraph is currently underway. Right now people are dying. The battle is being fought right here. Right now. In this very country and we, the people, are losing. It is the battle for morality and religious freedom.

"Opponents of the moral revolution are to be treated with scorn, contempt, and worse. The terms of moral surrender have been delivered to us, and they are absolute and unconditional. Just ask Japan and Germany what that means." - Albert Mohler

"We The People," have failed. Failed to stand guard, failed to guard the gaps in our moral walls. We have lost the battle for morality.

Nehemiah is usually spoken of as a great leader but today I would like to show you what Nehemiah did when the lives of God's people were threatened. He did something that WE failed to do as a nation.

"7 When Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. 8 And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. 9 And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.

10 In Judah it was said, “The strength of those who bear the burdens is failing. There is too much rubble. By ourselves we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” 11 And our enemies said, “They will not know or see till we come among them and kill them and stop the work.” 12 At that time the Jews who lived near them came from all directions and said to us ten times, “You must return to us.” 13 So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. 14 And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.” - Nehemiah 4:7-14

Nehemiah stationed people with weapons at "the lowest places" in the wall surrounding the city. The places where the wall was lowest and most vulnerable.

When we as a people noticed our enemy (Satan) coming into our "city" (our country's moral character) we should have placed guards. We should have fought. We were massively outnumbered and we . . . we, as a nation, HAVE . . . lost this battle.

But what about us as individual followers of Christ. We can still protect OUR walls, our "low places." And Nehemiah already told us how to do it.

Verse 9 - "And we prayed to our God." - We must pray! The ranks of the enemy are growing daily. It is an uphill battle but "if God is for us, who can be against us." (Romans 8:31). We also must "set a guard . . . day and night." - We must guard our hearts and our minds against the attacks of the enemy. How? Read God's Word. Commit it to memory. Apply it, live it, both day and night.

Verse 13 - "in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people by their clans, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

What are your "lowest places? Where are you most vulnerable to attack? What is your biggest weakness? Station a guard there! Find verses to defend yourself. Don't let your moral walls crumble.

We must take action in this battle, even though we are on the losing side of it right now, because God wins in the end. Which side of the moral line will we find ourselves on when He returns? Let me tell you, we do NOT want to find ourselves with crumbling walls and breaches open to the enemy. We must protect our city and the temple where God lives . . . our souls!

This is not a war waged in Washington D.C. That battle is over. The battle we are waging now is in our own minds and in our own hearts. Draw your weapons! Build the walls high! And pray. Pray like you've never prayed before.

Keeping Watch (Part 1) - Ravi Zacharias
Keeping Watch (Part 2) - Ravi Zacharias

A Different Kind Of Memorial Day

It's refreshing to watch all of the posts on Facebook, honoring our soldiers who have sacrificed so much for our country. It wasn't always that way. I grew up in the Vietnam era. The American public greeted soldiers returning from war with jeers and riots. Our soldiers were spit upon and degraded by the very people who they were fighting for. A very dark time in this country's history. But today, thank God, things are a whole lot better in the way we treat our soldiers.

As I was reading the book of Revelation this past week I came across a passage of scripture that made me stop and take notice. The story was about a different kind of soldier. They were honored for their service and for making the ultimate sacrifice for the God they love and serve. I would like you to read this, keeping in mind the numerous Christians who have lost their lives because of their faith. It is a story of their ultimate reward.

"I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years." - Revelation 20:4

Most of cannot understand what goes through the mind of someone who has been asked to make a choice between denying Jesus Christ or dying. It is a testimony to those brave souls who did not struggle when a knife-wielding Islamic extremist cut their heads off. Their reward is in heaven as we have just read.

"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." - Philippians 1:21

We need to lift up our soldiers in prayer. Not just the brave soldiers that guard our country and protect it against all enemies - foreign and domestic. We also need to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to pray for their families as well as their enemies. OUR enemies.

If we lived in a world without evil there would be no need for soldiers. Our young men and women would never have to go off to war. They would never have to die for their country or for God. They could stay at home and love their children and their spouses. They could play and work in an environment of peace rather than fear.

What will it take to one day live in a world without the bloodshed of human lives. Two things. We need to pray, as I have already mentioned, and we need to place our faith in God, the one TRUE God. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We need to repent of our sins, receive Jesus, the savior of the world, into our hearts and live our lives for Him, not for our selfish desires.

Jesus already paid the price for our sins. Let us remember HIM this Memorial Day and also the soldiers in God's army, men, women and children, who have paid the ultimate price for their faith.

"34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” - Luke 23:24

The following is a very powerful video. It is also very graphic in nature - depicting a Christian family choosing Jesus over death. I offer it to you this morning because we often do not know these people who are dying for their faith. If we did, we might take action and pray. Otherwise we sadly just flip the channel, onto something else, ignoring the all-too-real threat many of our brothers and sisters face every day.

Pray. Pray for the fallen . . . and for those left behind.

Liena's Prayer - Voice of The Martyrs

Soldier

What characteristics do you think of when you hear the word "soldier?" Bravery perhaps? Honor? Strength? Loyalty? Sacrifice? Determination? That's quite a list. And ALL are appropriate when talking about our these honorable men and women.

Last weekend I watched a special report about the attack on our country's embassy in Benghazi, Libya. It was amazing to hear a first-hand account of what exactly went on during that deadly attack from the perspective of the soldiers that were in the fire fight, defending our country's territory. Four Americans lost their lives that night . . . while serving their country.

Could you do that? Would you put your life on the line, defending something you believe in?

There are people in Iraq, Christians, who are being killed BECAUSE they are Christians. Would you be one so bold as to NOT renounce your faith in Jesus Christ? So bold that it would cost you your head? I hope that I would stand tall and proclaim His name until the end.

The past few weeks there has been a controversy in our area over a singer named Gungor performing at a Christian event. He said a few inflammatory things in a Christian Post interview about the Bible, stating this about Adam and Eve and Noah, "I have no more ability to believe these things than I do to believe in Santa Clause or to not believe in gravity." You can read the interview here.

His statements, and refusal to repent of them led a local radio station to pull its sponsorship of the event. It also led me and my friend to NOT take kids to the event this year. Then my friend said this, "Staying away from this event will only effect them a little. We should do more." She was right. So we planned to hand out information about the artist's statements, and what it means to be discerning about the things we hear and read in this world.

As it turned out, God already had things under control and Gungor pulled out of the event, thereby removing all of the distractions. A Christian event should be more about God than any one individual.

I am glad my friend and I were willing to stand up against this artist and his beliefs. I am pleased to see a radio station make a stand for the truth of God's Word. Placing non-believers on pedestals or stages gives them authority and if they use that status to present another Gospel other than our Lord Jesus Christ's, it is WE who said nothing who are to blame because WE gace them the opportunity to do so.

We Christians need to be more like soldiers in how we live our faith. According to our pastor, being a soldier for Christ carries with it a higher commitment level than just "believing." That's what I think we Christians need. It would be very easy for us to just ignore false teachings and let the words slide. It is NOT so easy to make a stand and shout the truth from the rooftops.

These days there are many churches that "allow" certain things to go on inside their doors. They take liberties with God's Word, even to the point of condoning sin, all in the name of making members of their congregations happy and comfortable. Being a Christian is not about comfort. Just ask any Christian in Iraq, or China, or Syria. We need to become more like soldiers with God's Word.

The soldiers in Benghazi helped and protected each other. Sometimes it was to their death. We here in the relative safety of our sanctuaries tend to let things slide. That is NOT being a Christian. It is being ANTI Christ.

I'd like you to read a few passages. The first one is from the Book of Acts about the early church and a group of Christians known as the Bereans. They were soldiers, defending God's Word.

"10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed," - Acts 17:10-12

Do we examine the scriptures to see if what our pastors say on Sunday morning is true or not? Do we examine the lyrics of hymns in the same way? Are we members of churches that allow behavior contrary to the teachings of God because we don't want to rock the boat or are comfortable in our faith?

God has told us that He WILL test us.

"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you (. . . WHY?) in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you... to teach you that man does not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord." - Deuteronomy 8:2-3

We Christians need to be defenders of our faith, not merely users of it. God has said He WILL test us. A local radio station in our area (Q90FM) passed the test, Will we?

"4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." - Revelation 20:4

I Am A Soldier - D.L. Moody

Memorial

As I sit here this morning on this Memorial Day, a day set aside for remembering those who have given their lives defending our country, I can't help but think of the families of those soldiers. How they must weep when they see us forget to mourn for the family members who have died. Instead we have picnics, we go fishing, we mow the lawn.

Where I live the white bass are running on the Wolf River. There will be places where one could easily walk across the river by stepping from boat to boat. For many Memorial Day has become simply a day off from work rather than a day of remembrance. Our focus on what this day is all about has become lost.

I am guilty of this myself. I enjoy the fact that I don't have to go in to work today instead of those who worked 24/7 defending our freedom. I like sleeping in rather than remembering those who slept in foxholes. I enjoy eating brats, hot dogs and hamburgers, hot off the grille rather than those who ate cold C-rations in a damp, dark jungle as the enemy tried to kill them.

Yet the soldier we are supposed to be honoring today willingly gave their lives as a sacrifice for us. And we thanked them by spitting in their faces when they returned from war (Vietnam).

The similarities between the selfless soldiers who gave their lives and our Lord Jesus are many. They would rather not have died yet they did so. How many soldiers, in desperate situations, asked to "have this cup pass from me" but sacrificed themselves on our behalf. How appropriate it is that the graves of our fallen soldiers are marked with a white cross.

What better day to remember not only those who died defending our freedom but those "soldiers" who died defending our faith.

I encourage you today to attend a Memorial Day service where you are. Spend some time standing over the grave of an unknown soldier. And spend some time praying, giving thanks for the martyrs who were killed simply because of their faith. Our soldiers AND our martyrs should be honored, not only on THIS day, but every day, for the sacrifice they made . . . defending our country or for refusing to deny their faith and our King.

Pray . . . give them honor . . . and may their sacrifice never be lost us we who remain.

"12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 13 though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Timothy 1:12-17

Prayers for the Fallen Facebook Page

Voice of The Martyrs Website