BATTLE:
Benefits:
VFW service officers help veterans get benefits accrued to them for combat duty. It is very difficult for a veteran without help to fight through the bureaucratic red tape to get what is legally his. That is probably the biggest reason veterans join the VFW. When someone enlists in the army of God he too receives a “benefits” package? Many who do join Gods’ small band of believers don’t know about all their benefits. We find these benefits listed in Psalms 103:2-5. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Satan and his army tries to keep you blind to what is yours as a believer or steal them from you through doubt, worry or unbelief. When he does this you need to remind him where these benefits are articulated in God’s written word. “No Satan!” you must tell him: “God told me these promises are mine,” and then declare these benefits are yours because you surrendered your life to Jesus Christ. Personal faith is critical when battling Satan in your mind where the battle rages, to receive your benefits. Your mind is where the battle is fought. When those benefits you desire to receive are from active duty in the United States military you elicit a service officer’s help. When they are divine benefits you might elicit a chaplain or another strong believer’s help to pray with. It says in scripture “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in their midst.” This verse Matthew 18:19 is very important in securing benefits. Don’t fight alone in prayer. There is strength in numbers. So what does this opening passage about your benefits say: These are yours but just like with the Veterans Administration often your right goes unrecognized due to incompentence or error and you have to fight through. So when you pray before the answer comes there is also a fight required. Don’t give up! Wait patiently! And be courageous! Remember this: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Hebrews 11:6
Bible:
Blood:
Body Armor:
Trump wears body armor when out in public. Smart! He knows the threat against him is very real. While we may not have people actually gunning for us like Trump does, we need to know there is a real threat against our lives too. God told us so in Ephesians chapter six and elsewhere. We too need physical protection and putting on our spiritually body armor is a part of God’s daily protection plan. Physical protection equipment used to be heavy, expensive and not very practical for day to day use. Especially for the knights of old. But our spiritual armor is lighter than a feather. The Bible needs to be taken seriously:
“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
Ephesians 6:11-18
When you get into the shower in the morning is a good time to appropriate this protection for the day. Supernatural protection is very real for it is demons who are behind the evil in the world and they are under God’s mighty power. Satan goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8). It makes great sense to be clothed in the armor of God.
Boldness (1):
A very interesting word. Yet one does not find this important, english word used in the King James Bible. How can that be? Americans use this word when speaking of bravery and courage in the face of danger. We see boldness in many of the actions of Jesus when he faced the authority of the Pharisees (religious leaders) of his day. Some synonyms come to mind. Are they used in the Bible? Audacious (no), bravery (no), courage (yes), daring (yes), determination (yes), fearless (no), reckless (no), adventurous (yes), dauntless (no), nerve (no). Here are a few antonyms: cowardice (no), timidity (no), fear (yes). In America there is another word used in place of boldness. It often is used by judges in writing legal opinions: “Chutzpah” Its a Yiddish slang term meaning something like ‘nerve’ or ‘brass, ”extreme confidence in action’ according to Brother Bob Lindsey. A person with chutzpah is someone who ‘goes for it.’ Jesus certainly demonstrated such boldness at his first coming. The Bible warns us almost 500 times not to fear. Fear is the opposite of boldness. Jesus talking about boldness in Matthew 17:20. But he used the word faith: “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.” Faith captures what soldiers talk about when referring to boldness of action. It is an important personal trait in a world that tells us “no” when we need to hear “yes.” In these dark times it is boldness that will carry the day. The Bible’s promises are conditioned on faith or what the world refers to as “boldness.” In Hebrews chapter eleven we find many of the heroes of the faith mentioned. Verse six says this about faith: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” My wife just came back from Texas and a funeral for a 25 year old grandson, an army hero. He was tragically killed at the age of 25 by a car thief. We prayed diligently for a harvest of souls at his funeral thinking this alone would make sense of this terrible tragedy. In response to our prayers God downloaded a powerful sermon from heaven which touched many hearts. Are you bold for Christ in the face of the growing anti-Christ spirit? The world needs real men to stand up in these end times. As the world grows darker and things wax worse and worse we need to be the light that draws all men to Christ.
Boldness (2):
Most of us respect bold leadership. Righteous courage is appreciated wherever we observe it. On the other hand indecision in our leaders is quite disappointing. I love Proverbs 28:1. It tells us that “the wicked flee where no man pursueth, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” The military has a history of honoring their brave ones. Men who get a hold of truth and act on it decisively. Concerning the present national fear! For a believer there is no virus to fear for those who look to Christ for their protection. (Psalm 91) We are in an age of lukewarmness and political correctness. Our culture is dominated by lying spirits. Many in the church have lost any real understanding of who they are in Christ Jesus. As a retired marine I don’t want to pick on those we look to for leadership such as our pastors. But I can’t help noticing the widespread fear when it comes to the issue of how to address such issues as our personal response to Covid-19, the wearing of masks and the call to shut down our economy and the fear it generates. We need courageous believers to stand boldly against the plans of the enemy. This current fear is certainly manufactured to bring in an anti-Christ agenda: God himself gave us biblical prophecies telling us what the devil and his crowd are up to at this very time in history. That pastors don’t know what is going on is quite telling. Here in Washington State it has been said we are the least churched state in the union. What better place for pastors to show courage and rise up against this unconstitutional attack on our bill of rights. The level of fear is shocking. We are ambassadors of Christ. Hebrews 13: 5- 6: is one of 23 verses that instruct us about the importance of boldness: “… For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” We find this word being used in six different verses in the Book of Acts, and throughout the New Testament. Christians who know their LORD should not fear any virus. We should be as bold as lions. We are called to be more than conquerors in Christ Jesus, our LORD.
Footnote: These were teachings for Chaplain’s Corner of VFW monthly newsletter.