Morning Manna by Rufus Parker - 30 December 2021

 The Making Of 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:  One of the things we discover about the apostle Paul is that he seems to have taken notice of his surroundings and he uses those things which he saw as Jesus did to educate the church on what it should be, know, and do, and what it should look like.  He told Timothy, “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.”  What did Paul see in soldiers that he desired Timothy to be as such?   I believe that Paul saw those good soldiers were:

Submitted

Obedient

Loyal

Disciplined

Indubitable

Enthusiastic

Respectful

These qualities must be found in every born-again believer in the church if the church is to fulfill and accomplish its mission.  Are you a good soldier?

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

Thought For Today:  The more sweat in peace, the less blood in combat!