In Memory of those Who Died

It is at Memorial Day, we as a nation pause to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our county and our freedom. It is right therefore, that as Christians, we too should pause to remember those who like our service men and women gave their lives for the Kingdom of God.

We too are involved in warfare against a great adversary, the devil. Many of our brothers and sisters in arms give every day of their lives for the cause of Christ at home and on the foreign field. They sacrifice everything we hold dear, time, talent and treasure for the name of Jesus. I would like to take a moment and remember them.

Many of us who have never ‘served’ in the armed forces, yet we too serve under the banner of Christ, and His banner over us is love. We are called to serve, to give our lives for the one who gave His life for us. When our life’s work is done, there are no parades, muffled drums, flag ceremonies or pipers playing a lament over us. We are fortunate if a few friends come and gather around our families to sing the praises of our loving Lord. The minister will remind those of us who live of the life our loved one offered.

Many of our fellow believers suffer greatly for the cause of Christ, and often they suffer in silence and unknown by the vast majority of the world even fellow believers. Pastors, their wives and family suffer (bravely) alongside them, even while they too don’t say or speak of the pain they too endure. No grand memorials are raised in their memory; often their graves have no marker or tombstone to mark their final resting place. It is as they too are “the Unknown Soldier, or as our British cousins say, “the unknown warrior.”

Well today I want to pay tribute these “unknown soldiers.” First they are not unknown, our God know everyone of their names, because “no one can pluck them out of my hand;” You Lord were with them at their calling and falling; you swept them into your presence at the moment of their death. They rest with you, even now.

I thank you for their testimony, their lives and their gifts, even those I don’t their name or how and where they served. Help me and those that follow them to live as honorably as they did, to work as hard and be willing to sacrifice as much for your glory.

Today Father, I honor you for the gift you made of these to me and countless others; they didn’t know me or know I would be born, but they knew you and dared to believe your Word and live in the power and presence of your Holy Spirit. They are warriors and victors, they have fought a good fight, they have finished they course, and now they wait for the promise of the reward they’ve earned, not for themselves, but for your glory.

Father, I bless their memory and pray I and others will live up to the example they have left for us. 

Becoming Vulnerable

Wednesday, 11 May 2011 12:00 AM EDT R.T. Kendall Daily Devotionals - By Love Transformed

For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you. —2 Corinthians 13:4

Being vulnerable is not cowardice or being a "wimp." In fact, it is the opposite—it is being a tower of strength. It is what Paul means by becoming a man (1 Cor. 13:11). It is when you are so strong inside that you do not take yourself so seriously. Vulnerability means the ability to be hurt, being unprotected. Our friend Alan Bell says that love is "moving forward without protecting yourself." Becoming vulnerable is therefore the opposite of the sin of self-protection.

Jesus was the strongest man who ever lived. He had the power to stop the entire crucifixion proceedings. He proved that by manifesting only a degree of His power when the chief priests and soldiers came to arrest Him. The Word tells us that when the soldiers surrounded Him in the garden, suddenly dozens (some scholars think it was hundreds) all "fell to the ground" (John 18:6). But Jesus chose to be vulnerable.

Many marriages on the rocks could be healed overnight if both husband and wife would become vulnerable, stop protecting himself or herself, and stop pointing the finger.

Taking myself too seriously grieves the Spirit and robs me of anointing. The issue of "who gets the credit" paralyzes many ministers today—so many want to be noticed and given due recognition.

Many a person forfeits greater usefulness because he or she can't bear the thought of not getting deserved credit for something. Neither can many people tolerate someone else's getting credit for something they did themselves. I can understand this. But it is a wonderful inner release—and glorifying to God—to be utterly self-effacing and to abandon the praise of people. God can trust such a person with a wider ministry.

Excerpted from The Sensitivity of the Spirit (Charisma House, 2002)

Don't Quit

Wednesday, 04 May 2011 12:00 AM EDT R.T. Kendall Daily Devotionals - By Love Transformed

Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire ... —Daniel 3:17, NAS

Can you think of any moment lately when you were glad Jesus had not come? If He had come, would He have found you complaining, criticizing, or ready to give up? Perhaps you know what it is to be lonely; perhaps you were passed over; perhaps you feel that life has passed you by; perhaps you feel it is unfair that you had to have the lousy wife or husband you have or the illness. Endure the trial with dignity.

But what is enduring with dignity? It means that at the Second Coming of Jesus, beware that you are not questioning God. Beware of bitterness against Him.

It also means do not be found quenching. That is trying to abort a God-ordained trial. Every trial has a timescale, and it will end. There is no trial given to you that is not common to man from which God will not make a way of escape. Now that is God's promise. It does not matter what the trial is. You may say, "This one is too big for me"—it is not. The devil will make you think it is too big for you, and you may think that you have found a loophole so you can complain. The trial will end, but if you try to end it before it is over, you will build a superstructure of straw.

As you read this you may be undergoing a trial greater than you imagined, and maybe no one has a clue what you are going through. You are almost ready to quit. Don't! Your endurance in this trial of your faith will bring praise, honor, and glory to Jesus Christ on His appearing. Dignify the trial even though your faith is tried by fire. Do not quit! You are the one who has an opportunity to have what Paul calls "reward."

Excerpted from When God Says "Well Done!" (Christian Focus Publications Ltd., 1993).