A view from a Christian Soldier Vol

A view from a Christian Soldier Vol. I Last April 2003

This is long but please read for our troops. Pictures too.

. I've been in the military now 16 years. I was one of the ten out of one hundred high school graduates that would join the military. That statistic was for 1987, I’m sure it is much lower today. I can say that confidently because I’m now 34 years old and a platoon SSgt in my unit. My young troops coming into the military say that it is rare for one to join the service and many don't now why they did. I've asked that question often of my troops to get them to think about the big picture of life, its meaning, and the world around them.

I believe many of my younger soldiers have no idea that just war is a "moral judgment placed on other nation(s) by other nation(s)".

Question ? Which nation is morally right in suppressing, stopping or changing another nation’s way of life, i.e. morals?

A Hindu nation may find the Buddhists way of life or (morals) offensive and even harmful to a human and may attack and win a military victory over there so called enemy. They as a nation or as a religious whole may feel just in there actions because of what they believe.

Recently I conducted a church service at my unit and I asked the question what nation is the right nation to live in. ( I was trying to get them to ponder the real question being asked of them- What absolute truth do you know about the world nations and the religion that makes the nation what it is? I gave them examples of laws within this nation that are right out of the Old Testament and I asked if they believed if that was ok for them. I went as couple steps further and asked if it was right for them to be in the military and to follow our commander and chief George Bush a professing and practicing Christian if there beliefs were not Christian. I'll get to my point of all this............

George Bush I believe and us as a nation founded on Christian principals by men of Christian values who believed in religious freedom so that all men could choose by there own free will to find a relationship with there creator through whatever religion they so choose.

Well one could say then that these Christian founders - ( Not all were but the majority were - also remember that up until a hundred years ago theology was the queen of the sciences and one would pursued that before any other degree)- didn’t promote what they preached.

I believe our founding fathers knew something very profound about God and His word and placed there faith in His sovereignty and provision for the future otherwise they could have mandated true Christianity, which in a nutshell is:

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Eph. 2:8-10), as the nations religion.

You say how could they believe our nation would be a Christian nation without mandating Christianity? Well that’s the power of freedom and what George Bush said in one of his latest speeches that all of mankind desires the same fundamental truths of life – liberty I quote:

“As we enforce the just demands of the world, we will also honor the deepest commitments of our country. Unlike Saddam Hussein, we believe the Iraqi people are deserving and capable of human liberty. And when the dictator has departed, they can set an example to all the Middle East of a vital and peaceful and self-governing nation.

The United States, with other countries, will work to advance liberty and peace in that region. Our goal will not be achieved overnight, but it can come over time. The power and appeal of human liberty is felt in every life and every land. And the greatest power of freedom is to overcome hatred and violence, and turn the creative gifts of men and women to the pursuits of peace.

That is the future we choose. Free nations have a duty to defend (Psalm 82) our people (and others) by uniting against the violent. And tonight, as we have done before (for others), America and our allies accept that responsibility.

Good night, and may God continue to bless America.”

Remarks by the President in Address to the Nation
The Cross Hall

8:01 P.M. EST March 17^th 2003

What George Bush (a devote Christian) is referring to in a political correct way, and what a Christian would say Liberty in this life is, is knowing the ultimate purpose and reasons why the world is the way it is. Or: Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free John 8:32.

Let me read between the lines for you on His speech. I highlighted in bold just a few of the points. (Remember he is a professed Christian so that’s what his moral slant is or how he views the world)

Just demands-

1).Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him… For he (Abraham) was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God…..And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies

2). Deut. 27:19 "Cursed is the man who withholds justice from the alien, the fatherless or the widow." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

3).Job 19:7 "Though I (the Iraq people) cry, 'I've been wronged!' I get no response; though I (the Iraq people) call for help, there is no justice.

4) Job 36:2-32:

verse 2 "Bear with me a little longer and I will show you that there is more to be said in God's behalf. v3 I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker. v4 Be assured that my words are not false; one perfect in knowledge is with you. v5 "God is mighty, but does not despise men (the innocent Iraq’s); he is mighty, and firm in his purpose. v6 He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted (the innocent Iraq’s ) their rights. v7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever. v8 But if men are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction, v9 he tells them what they have done-- that they have sinned arrogantly. v10 He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil. v11 If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. v12 But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge. v13 "The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help. v14 They die in their youth, among male prostitutes of the shrines (false religions). v15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction. v16 "He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food. v17 But now you are laden with the judgment due the wicked; judgment and justice have taken hold of you (Iraq). v18 Be careful that no one entices you by riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside. v19 Would your wealth or even all your mighty efforts sustain you so you would not be in distress? v20 Do not long for the night, to drag people away from their homes. v21 Beware of turning to evil, which you seem to prefer to affliction. v22 "God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? v23 Who has prescribed his ways for him, or said to him, 'You have done wrong'? v24 Remember to extol his work, which men have praised in song. v25 All mankind has seen it; men gaze on it from afar. v26 How great is God--beyond our understanding! The number of his years is past finding out. v27 "He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams ; v28 the clouds pour down their moisture and abundant showers fall on mankind. v29 Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his pavilion? v30 See how he scatters his lightning about him, bathing the depths of the sea. v31 This is the way he governs the nations and provides food in abundance.

5). Psalm 11:2-7 :

For look, the wicked bend their bows (Iraq and the terrorists); they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart (America). v3 When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" v4 The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine (ALL OF) them. v5 The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence (Saddam Hussin) his soul hates. v6 On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. v7 For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.

6). Psalm 37:6-13

v6He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. v7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret (George Bush is not) when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. v8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil. v9 For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land. v10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. v11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace. v12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; v13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day (March 19/ 20^th ) is coming.

7).Psalm 106:3 Blessed are they who maintain justice (Through a just war), who constantly (by sacrifice) do what is right.

********Remember 1 John 3:10-16: the most important fundamental of the Bible and of a Christian’s life.

This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother (all of mankind - Matt 28:18-20).

11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.

12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous.

13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.

14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Other related verses I found related:

Prov. 18:5 It is not good to be partial to the wicked (Saddam) or to deprive the innocent (Iraq’s) of justice.

Prov. 28:3-5, v3 A ruler (Saddam) who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops. v4 Those who forsake the law- (Ignore Godly principals) praise the wicked, but those who keep the law resist them. v5 Evil men (Saddam) do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.

Prov. 29:4-7, 4 By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down. v5 Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet. v6 An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad. v7 The righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked (Saddam) have no such concern.

Isa. 5:20-23, v20 Woe to those (the French and the Russians) who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. v21 Woe to those (the French and the Russians) who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. v22 Woe to(the French and the Russians) those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks, v23 who acquit the guilty for a bribe (Money contracts?), but deny justice to the innocent. (The Iraq people).

Isa. 10:1-3 v1Woe to those (Saddam) who make unjust laws, to those(Saddam) who issue oppressive decrees, v2 to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my (God’s creation) people, making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless. v3 What will you do on the day of reckoning (March 19/20^th 20030, when disaster comes from afar? (America). To whom will you run for help? Where will you leave your riches?

Luke 11:42-46 "Woe to (us Americans and other nations) you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

43 "Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the(united Nations) synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

44 "Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it."

45 One of the experts in the law answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also."

Its funny how everyone wants peace – the politically correct response. Forbid that (being insulted) from happening. It needs to happen to those in Hollywood and all who protest.

I heard a good line from a WWII vet once he said, “It is only those who fought that truly know the true cost and taste of freedom.”

I’ve tasted and felt that feeling somewhat in the many years of military training I’ve experienced. Last year I remember a solider after a long night of prepping for night sling load operations with our helicopters (which is very dangerous under no light conditions and which I might add is very awe inspiring. Imagine having a helicopter quickly approach you at night (remember he has night vision goggles on which I might add give him very poor depth perception – something which is needed as you bring the aircraft near a soldier who is going to hook up a load) and the helicopter seems to be trying to land on you and then the wind and noise under which you then have to discharge the static from the helicopter before it could injury you. Oh ya watch out for the rear spinning blade of the rotor -that could leave a permanent mark! I had to shove a soldier last year away form one. Any way my soldier said: “ Sarge…. I’m tired could we just call this training off?” Oh boy did I have to reach within myself and collect my thoughts. This generation xer which joined the military for school benefits and fun said it all – as humans and as Christians we all grow weary in life and give up. What does the Bible say about our need to persevere?

Galations 6:9-10

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

And One of my favorite verses as a soldier

Hebrews 12:2-4

2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Please remember that last verse many are doing this right now and for me as a soldier still in America its heart wrenching – I long to not be here but to be there -closer to the hand of God than ; liberating a people who need to know liberty and the right to find my Lord and savior Jesus Christ!

1) I’ve attach a few graphic examples of what people will do to get here in America - the car dash -border patrol scene.

2) What one might witness or become a victim of in the theater of war in Iraq. – I bet you haven’t had one of those missiles’s throw at you while you were at work lately!

Click on video link on the web page.

3) And finally a story from WWII that I can’t hardly get through reading without a lump in my throat – Our leaders and commanders, including our Commander and Chief George Bush deal with this emotion every day this war goes on – it’s a very humbling thing to give a command that will take a life of someone – that’s character that Hollywood and the protesters know little about.

Thanks for all who support freedom and its cost to our Lord- He died for all sin for all time for all people.

Romans 5:6-21

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come. But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Extra- a Must See

********

Below are pictures of troops who left for Kuwait many weeks ago. Mary Hughes Alison Lehn’s mom was a flight attendant on the plane and she took these pictures along with giving out 85 Bibles and taking many prayer requests.

Here are the storys , pictures, and prayer requests per Mary Huges :

1sgt Pannel

Here are the prayer requests. 1st Sgt Pannell from Okalahoma. He wants wisdom to direct his troops (130) so they all return safely. (He had all these charts and papers out and I asked him what he was doing and he said he was counting his amunition to make sure he had enough. I asked how do you know what enough is? He told me it is broken down into formulas and graphs etc.)