Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 10 February 2021

 

A Good Soldier

 

Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.(2 Timothy 2:1-4)

 

Today’s Morsel:  For twenty-eight years, four months, and nine days; or 10, 360 days, 248,640 hours, 14,918, 400 minutes, 898,704,000 seconds, I was a U.S. Army Soldier.  From day one, I quickly realized that the military was not about me, but rather about the defense of our nation.  When I enlisted, I was told that if the Army would have wanted me to have a wife, they would have issued me one!  They wanted nothing distracting me from the mission.  I needed to separate myself to be a good soldier. The U.S Military has had many men and women who have separated themselves from their goals, dreams, and families, to defend other’s rights and this nation's way of life.  Writing to Timothy, the apostle Paul told him to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.  Thou , therefore, endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.  When Jesus chooses us into His army, we cannot be entangled with the affairs of this life. We must separate ourselves. As Paul states to the church at Corinth: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)  If you want to be a good soldier for Jesus, then you must separate yourself from this world.

 

Sing:  Well, I’m a soldier in God’s army, and I'm fighting, I'm claiming victory; I will not give up, I will not turn around, I’m a soldier marching heaven-bound.

 

Thought For Today: “If you want to be a good soldier for Jesus, then you must separate yourself from this world.” (Parker)

 

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