Blog Now Blocked

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

I have been alerted to the fact that blogs are now blocked by the filters on our military computers. Are any of you still reading this post now that this is the case? Please let me know if any of you are reading it on your personal computer. If so, I will keep blogging here. Otherwise, I'll shut this baby down.

In Christ,
CH Stevo

Thought of the Day: Measure of Our Lives

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

How do you measure your righteousness? By the Ten Commandments? If you keep six of them, are you sixty percent righteous?

The reality is that we don't keep a single commandment--the law only kills, it doesn't bring life. Jesus made this point where he explained that anger in the heart is tantamount to murder and lust in the heart is tantamount to adultery (Matthew 5). He tightens the screws to let us know that our thoughts are just as liable to judgment as our deeds.

James (ch4) makes a similar point in that if we know the good we ought to do, but don't do it, it is sin. In other words, it is not just direct acts of sin (sin of commission) that condemn us, but any instances of not being perfectly good (sin of ommission).

The bottom line is that if we measure our lives by the law, we will surely be condemned. We need a Savior who will perfectly keep the law in our place, and will die for our guilt in accordance with the law. That is what we have in Jesus Christ, who measured our worth in His shed blood.

Question of the Day: God the Tolerant?

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

For me, tolerance seems to be one of the most disturbing concepts today. It is not a call to love. It asks that you show no regard to another's behavior, but to tolerate them, which seems to imply simply putting up with them. No, this petty concept falls far short of love.

Love involves looking upon someone who is morally corrupt and sinful (like you and me) and desiring their good to the extent that you are willing to lay down your life for them.

This doesn't mean overlooking sin, but it does mean not holding sin against someone. God's eternal love for His people did not overlook their sin, but considered it paid for when it was nailed to the cross with Christ Jesus (Col. 2). He is not a tolerant God, nor will He ever tolerate sin. But has has paid for it for all those who believe in Christ.

As such, when you approach God in prayer, you do not approach an open-minded reflection of man who holds His nose while you talk to Him. No, He embraces you unconditionally because of the perfect life and atoning death of Christ. He delights in you, and that is way better than tolerance.

Question of the Day: Still Grateful?

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

We have been engaged in our work for many months now, and at some point, we grow tired and begin to grumble. We miss our families. We grow tired on the monotony of our work.

A year ago, my pregnant wife had to go under the knife to remove a mass that we thought might take the life of her and/or our unborn baby.

Today, though we live apart, we thank God because we still live together.

Christ promised us not only life, but life to the full. This fullness does not describe our happy feelings, but of God's provision for our every true need in Christ.

If you're mired in bad feelings regarding your circumstances, look anew to all that you have in Jesus Christ. There is always ample reason to be grateful.

Thought of the Day: Run With Me!

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

Just a reminder that we have both a Ruck Run 5k as well as the great Ragnar Relay coming up. If you would like to participate in either event, please let me know. I'd love to run with you.

And whether you run, eat chow, ride in a convoy, or do admin work, do it with the mercies of Christ Jesus in view. In gratitude for His saving work, offer your lives to the glory of the living God.

1 Cor. 10

³¹ So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Thought of the Day: Accountabili-buddy

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

We all struggle. We all suffer. We all sin.

Normally, we can depend upon our spouses to help care for us in all of these regards. They can encourage us, empathize with us, and hold us accountable.

They are not able to fulfill this role as effectively from across the world.

Alongside our regular times in God's Word and in prayer, as well as hearing from God in our chapel services and learning of Him in our studies, we need someone in our daily lives who can encourage us, empathize with us, and hold us accountable.

They can convict and comfort us with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and continually work to "set our minds on things above, where Christ is" (Col. 3).

Who is this person for you?

Free Books

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

Please don't forget that I have plenty of free books and resources. I have Bibles, books on Scripture and Jesus and the Jesus-centered life. I have booklets on many of the hard questions the we frequently wrestle with. I have pamphlets on most any problem you could be struggling with.

And if you come by, I have coffee, candy, and a chair to sit back and enjoy them all!

Thought of the Day: Christ the Hero

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

Sometimes, we get lost in thoughts of our own heroics. We imagine doing great things, especially for those we love, and there is nothing wrong with that.

But do not let your desire to do good outweigh your memory of Christ, the true hero. He did what no one else could do--came from heaven to save sinners by living a perfect life and dying in their place--and deserves all of our reverence and trust.

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. (1 Tim. 1:15)

Remember, you may want to be a hero, but you need Christ to be your hero.

Never Forget...

Martin Richard, the eight-year-old boy at the Boston Marathon, alongside his mommy, daddy, brother and sister. Behind him, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Beneath him, a backpack. This, in many ways, is why we're here.

Thought of the Day: Operation Outreach

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

I have shared the pleasure of volunteering for Operation Outreach with many of you. There is something invigorating about joining with men and women of all ranks and branches of service to do a little something to improve the life of impoverished citizens of this country.

But let us not grow satisfied with the work we are doing, nor believers in our own righteousness. We serve because we were served. It is not an expression of our piety, but of our gratitude.

The true outreach operation was launched by Jesus, who did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking on the form of a servant, made in human likeness, and became obedient to death, even death on a cross (paraphrase from Phil. 2). He did all this to bring glory to the Father and secure a spiritual impoverished citizenry to Himself.

When we boast, we boast in His righteousness. When we serve, we serve in view of the mercy shown to us in His perfect life and atoning death. And when we unify for a good cause, we are but getting a foretaste of the life unified with all tribes, tongues, peoples, and languages when we gather around the throne of the Lamb who was slain for our sin.

Every blessing but shows the past, present, and future grace afforded those who are found in Christ.

God's Word for the Day: Mark 1:1-13

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

Do you ever struggle with whether Jesus Christ really is God?

In Mark 1, we have several very credible witnesses who insist that He is indeed God in the flesh.

First, the writer of the Gospel, Mark, declares that Jesus is the Son of God (v1).

Second, John the Baptist, the last great "Old Testament prophet" (though he is in the New Testament), declares that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit (something only God can do--v8).

Third, while the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus at His baptism, God the Father declared "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" (v11).

Finally, Satan, the adversary of God, came out of the shadows to openly confront Jesus and try to tempt Him, which was unsuccessful (v13). In the other Gospels, Satan uses Jesus' identity as the Son of God in his efforts to tempt Him.

This is a pretty impressive array of witnesses--and ones who would not profit from deceit.

The same Holy Spirit who descended upon Jesus has descended upon you and confirmed the truth of Jesus' identity and His saving work in human history for sinners like you and me.

When Satan, the Deceiver, stirs up our self-deceit, turn to the Word of Truth, which anchors your sould back in saving reality.

Jesus: Your Prophet, Priest, or King?

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

Jesus is our prophet, priest, and king. He is our prophet in that He is the perfect fulfillment of all prior prophets in His revealing the truth of God by Word and by Spirit. Hebrews 1 tells us that in the past, God sent prophets, but in these final days, He has revealed Himself in His Son. Jesus not only perfect bears the Word for us, but is Himself the Word. He is truth personified. As the truth, He proclaims Himself to be the way and the life. He preaches faith and repentance in His name.

Jesus is our priest in that He is the perfect fulfillment of the Old Testament priesthood as our representative and advocate before God by His own blood. Having endured every temptation and suffering known to man, He is called our "great high priest" by God through the author of Hebrews. Unlike the sinful priests of old, Jesus never had offer atonement for His own sin. Rather, He offered His own perfect life and death for sinners.

Jesus is our king in that He is the perfect fulfillment of all prior kings in His ruling and defending His people. Most Old Testament kings exposed God's people to judgment due to their own disobedience. Even David, in his sin, was a weak example of righteousness, even as "a man after God's own heart." Jesus, however, is the perfect king. To secure His people from the guilt and power of sin and the devil, He became a servant, purchasing His people once and for all by His own blood. Now He reigns over His people as Lord, securing their eternal life and requiring their grateful obedience.

These great "offices" of Jesus, described in brief here, are not only valuable truths of the Christian faith, they are sources of conviction and comfort for Christians. Yet, we often tend to favor one or two of the offices at the exclusion of the third.

Do you wrestle with one of these offices of Jesus, not truly recognizing the full ministry of Christ on earth and heaven? If you struggle to truly believe one of these great doctrines, what are the consequences for the way you live and way you approach the throne of grace in prayer?

Thought of the Day: Self-Check

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

I have noticed recently that my lack of sleep and long work days are catching up with me. I'm more irritable and crabby and desperate for just a few minutes of alone time to recoup.

And I know that I am not unique in this. We practically live on top of each other out here and are exposed to other people 12 some odd hours of the day, every day, for the better part of a year. There is always the nervous energy that accompanies every trip outside of the wire, as well as the toll that rolling down bumpy roads through conjested traffic for hours of the day in stuffy body armor and poor air quality will take upon you.

Of course, we always have the pressure exerted upon us by soldiers above us and below us on the rank structure, as well as the normal family matters that we need to attend to from afar.

Taking this together, make sure to keep giving yourself a psychological and spiritual self-check.

Are you irritable or irrationally angry at times? Do you feel stressed? Do you try to avoid people as much as possible?

If any of these questions are answered in the affirmative, ask yourself what it is in particular that is causing these feelings, share your thoughts with others, and start seeking out opportunities that you know would bring you a greater measure of peace (prayer, reading, running, intentional alone time, etc.).

And lay all these things before the Lord, who has not only saved your life in Jesus Christ, but is now working in and through your for His good pleasure.

Psalm 139

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts!
²⁴ And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!

God's Word for the Day: Joel 3:17-21

And in that day...a fountain shall come forth from the house of the LORD. (v18)

It is fitting that God's Word through His servant, Joel, ends with a picture of the New Jerusalem, where God's people shall reside in peace.

In this book, we have passed through the judgment of Israel, the final judgment in its manifold terrors, and have heard a constant call to repentance--not only in holy fear of the God who rules over all things, but in grateful obedience to the loving God who relents of His anger for the sake of His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.

As we traverse the darkened paths of this world, guided by the light of God's Word (Ps. 119), the strength of His Spirit (Acts 4), led and secured from Satan, sin, and the flesh by Christ (John 10; Rom. 8), we walk toward a city of light. God will be our light, and our thirst for righteousness (Matt. 5) will be quenched by He who is our righteousness (Rev. 22).

As you walk by faith, do you keep this heavenly home in view? And how does this glorious future swallow up the sufferings of your present circumstances?

Thought of the Day: Christmas Compassion

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

Christmas is two months away and soldiers naturally feel their separation from a home a bit more during this season. Do you have traditions or gifts that you would like to uphold out here if possible?

Sometimes, the most enriching experience for us during a holiday season away is to consider the struggles of others and try to enrich their experience. Do you know what might help another soldier pass the days away with more joy?

Are there other Coalition soldiers and Afghan friends who lack your material wealth who could take great joy in something small (expendable clothing, etc.)?

Most important, this season provides yet another opportunity to realize that life is only truly enriched by life in Christ. 'Tis the season for growing in His grace.

A Poem on War

In light of yesterday's passage from Colossians, consider William Wordsworth's poem of war, Character of the Happy Warrior.

Who is the happy Warrior? Who is he

That every man in arms should wish to be?

—It is the generous Spirit, who, when brought

Among the tasks of real life, hath wrought

Upon the plan that pleased his boyish thought:

Whose high endeavours are an inward light

That makes the path before him always bright;

Who, with a natural instinct to discern

What knowledge can perform, is diligent to learn;

Abides by this resolve, and stops not there,

But makes his moral being his prime care;

Who, doomed to go in company with Pain,

And Fear, and Bloodshed, miserable train!

Turns his necessity to glorious gain;

In face of these doth exercise a power

Which is our human nature's highest dower:

Controls them and subdues, transmutes, bereaves

Of their bad influence, and their good receives:

By objects, which might force the soul to abate

Her feeling, rendered more compassionate;

Is placable—because occasions rise

So often that demand such sacrifice;

More skilful in self-knowledge, even more pure,

As tempted more; more able to endure,

As more exposed to suffering and distress;

Thence, also, more alive to tenderness.

—'Tis he whose law is reason; who depends

Upon that law as on the best of friends;

Whence, in a state where men are tempted still

To evil for a guard against worse ill,

And what in quality or act is best

Doth seldom on a right foundation rest,

He labours good on good to fix, and owes

To virtue every triumph that he knows:

—Who, if he rise to station of command,

Rises by open means; and there will stand

On honourable terms, or else retire,

And in himself possess his own desire;

Who comprehends his trust, and to the same

Keeps faithful with a singleness of aim;

And therefore does not stoop, nor lie in wait

For wealth, or honours, or for worldly state;

Whom they must follow; on whose head must fall,

Like showers of manna, if they come at all:

Whose powers shed round him in the common strife,

Or mild concerns of ordinary life,

A constant influence, a peculiar grace;

But who, if he be called upon to face

Some awful moment to which Heaven has joined

Great issues, good or bad for human kind,

Is happy as a Lover; and attired

With sudden brightness, like a Man inspired;

And, through the heat of conflict, keeps the law

In calmness made, and sees what he foresaw;

Or if an unexpected call succeed,

Come when it will, is equal to the need:

—He who, though thus endued as with a sense

And faculty for storm and turbulence,

Is yet a Soul whose master-bias leans

To homefelt pleasures and to gentle scenes;

Sweet images! which, wheresoe'er he be,

Are at his heart; and such fidelity

It is his darling passion to approve;

More brave for this, that he hath much to love:—

'Tis, finally, the Man, who, lifted high,

Conspicuous object in a Nation's eye,

Or left unthought-of in obscurity,—

Who, with a toward or untoward lot,

Prosperous or adverse, to his wish or not—

Plays, in the many games of life, that one

Where what he most doth value must be won:

Whom neither shape or danger can dismay,

Nor thought of tender happiness betray;

Who, not content that former worth stand fast,

Looks forward, persevering to the last,

From well to better, daily self-surpast:

Who, whether praise of him must walk the earth

For ever, and to noble deeds give birth,

Or he must fall, to sleep without his fame,

And leave a dead unprofitable name—

Finds comfort in himself and in his cause;

And, while the mortal mist is gathering, draws

His breath in confidence of Heaven's applause:

This is the happy Warrior; this is he

That every man in arms should wish to be.

Colossians 3:1-4

If, then, you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is. Set your minds on things above, not on things below. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, you will also appear with him in glory.

The precious, perfect, and powerful Word of God. Amen.

Thought of the Day: Beauty of Family

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

Why do we miss our families so much? Is it because our relationships are always flourishing? Are our conversations always edifying? Perhaps it is the ways in which we also sacrificially love each other at great expense to ourselves? We all know better than that.

Our relationships, like our very natures, are infected by sin. But in marriage, and with children, we are bound for lifetime to unconditionally love another who is infected by sin like us. In the case of kids, we often must do so without any sort of reciprocal love--they are totally dependent on us.

Each day, infected by sin as we are, we remember that we are sinners saved by grace loving sinners saved by grace. And as we remember the cost of Christ's redemption of sinners like us, we are enabled by His Spirit to love our families with grace.

Why do we miss our families so much? Because within them, we are given painful and wonderful evidence that grace abounds to the worst of sinners (1 Tim. 1:15-17).

Thought of the Day: God's Word is All About Jesus

Greetings in Christ Jesus, Fellow Soldiers.

It is tempting for us to turn Scripture into our own personal rule book. Proverbs becomes our guide for financial planning or parenting. Song of Songs becomes our guide for cultivating our marriages. Job becomes our how-to on dealing with suffering.

Remember that Scripture is fundamentally about Jesus. Jesus is the wisdom espoused in Proverbs. He is the fulfillment of the covenantal love expressed in Song of Songs. There was certainly none more afflicted by Satan's assaults and temptations than Jesus, to whom Job stood as a pointer.

All of these portions of Scripture have real applications for how we are to live, but if we are to understand these applications, we must first understand these portions in relation to Jesus.

God's Word for the Day: Joel 3:1-16

Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, "I am a warrior." (v10)

This verse, describing how a rebellious mankind will oppose God and His people until the very end--the Day of Judgment--is startling. In fact, it is particularly startling as it mirrors a much more famous verse in Isaiah 2:

He shall judge between the nations,
and shall decide disputes for many peoples;
and they shall beat their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning hooks;
nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war anymore. (v4)

In this passage, we glimpse the peace that will settle upon the new heavens and earth, when God's people, drawn from all nations, experience the total peace that is found only in a Christ-reconciled relationship to the living God.

But that time will not come until the plowshares are first beaten into swords--when mankind makes his final treacherous attempt to dethrone the King--and is rightly condemned for it. That Day is coming, when God will judge the nations, but will be "a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel" (v16).

Such salvation comes only through the throes of judgment. Such incredible ark-borne deliverance achieved only the floods of God's righteous wrath. In that Day, justice will be firmly and finally established through the earth, and mercy will appear with glorious beauty in the eternal, peaceful reign of Christ over a people drawn from every tribe, tongue, people, and language.