Gtcotr/ss052514
Memorial
Day, which many of us will observe tomorrow, is the time we set aside
to commemorate those who died while in military service to the United
States of America. It is an important holiday to those of us who have
lost family members, friends and comrades in arms. Beginning in 1775
with the American Revolution until today, our proud nation has
championed causes of freedom and justice in every generation,
offering our bravest and our best in defense of our chosen causes.
To
give you an idea of the numbers of our brave men and women from the
Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard, who have lost their
lives while serving in defense of our freedoms, allow me to show you
these figures:
US
Casualties of War 1775 – Present
(A
total of 65 declared wars, conflicts, and deployments)
(Source:
Wikipedia online )
Wounded 1,531,036
Killed
In Action 1,321,612
Missing
In Action 38,159
Average
US Military Deaths per Day 1775 to present:
1775
– Present 239 Years 87,235 Days
Total
US Military Deaths Since 1775 1,321,612 Deaths
Average
Deaths per Day 1775 - Present 15+ Deaths per Day
Since
1775 until today, the United States of America has averaged deploying
its military forces to fight at least one new war or armed conflict
every three and one half years. The need to process war has always
been and will always be present in every generation and without the
brave men and women of our nation who stand willing and ready to
defend our freedoms, the United States of America, along with the
values we so dearly hold and the benefits we so greatly enjoy would
long ago have ceased to exist.
War
has been a big part of our nation’s history and will no doubt
continue to be for as long as time remains. Those who imagine a
utopian society where war and famine, sickness and disease, poverty
and stupidity no longer exist are fooling themselves.
Greed,
lust, envy, hatred, wickedness and other base carnal appetites of man
existed long before there was a United States of America and in fact
since the beginning of mankind on planet earth, men have been
involved in war … war as a result of something man did not start
and a war which man cannot end.
For
the most part, war is always between good and evil – the good guys
and the bad buys … you know the stories, you’ve seen the movies,
you’ve read your history. In every age there are evil men,
destitute of common good and bent on destruction of one sort or
another. However, these men are but puppets on the world’s stage,
playing the parts they are given by the forces of evil which hate
good and hate righteousness and hate God.
Placing
Our Trust In God
Gtcotr/ss0522514
A
little history and some reasonable dates for those of us who like
such:
- The Apostle Paul was most likely born around the year AD5
- He became a believer in Jesus as Messiah at about 26 or 27 years old when he had his Damascus Road conversion experience.
- Near 35 years later Paul is in prison in Rome and knowing he is about to be martyred writes a last letter to his spiritual son, Timothy.
- About AD 67 Paul is beheaded by order of Nero, Emperor of Rome.
- The Book of 2 Timothy contains the last words God spoke to us through the Apostle Paul. Each word of the Bible is sacred, holy, powerful and true. However, last words seem to hold added weight.
2
Timothy 1 NKJV
6
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you
through the laying on of my hands.
7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love
and of a sound mind.
8
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me
His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel
according to the power of God,
9
who has saved us and called us
with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His
own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before
time began.
This
morning God is encouraging us to have and hold on to our confidence
in Him and His plan for all mankind. Life does not unfold nor are we
rewarded according to our own works but rather according to God’s
own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before
time began. You can afford to be confident because it is God who
works in you.
Seeing
that we have such a purposeful God who has saved us and called us
with a holy calling let us hold fast to the faith we place in Him.
Trust the Lord in all things and remember that:
God has
not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a
sound mind. These things combat and overcome fear.
If a
messenger from heaven miraculously appeared to us right now with all
of his splendor and glory, shinning with the brightness of God’s
eternal light, most likely the first thing he would say to us would
be: “Fear
Not!”
When
God looked for a man whom He could anoint to be King of all Israel he
found a young boy named David. The Bible records God accounting that
He found a man after His own heart. David wrote a Psalm concerning
the trust and confidence he had in God. In all of Psalms 91 David
encourages us to put our trust in God. He testified:
- God will be with you in trouble
- God will give His angels charge over you
- God will hear you when you call
- God will deliver you and cover you
- God will satisfy you with long life
- God will show you His salvation
- If you will simply love and trust Him …
Let me
ask you right now:
- Do you love Him?
- The scriptures tell us that we love Him because He first loved us.
- God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son and whosoever believes in Him shall never perish but shall have eternal life.
- Perhaps that’s the long life King David was referring to in Psalm 91. Only eternal life can fully satisfy the soul of man.
- God is willing to show you His salvation right now through Jesus Christ, His Son.
- Jesus said:
- “If any man thirst let him come to Me and drink.”
- “If any man comes unto Me I will in no wise cast him out.”
- “If you love Me you will obey Me.”
- The first question: Do you love Him this morning?
- The second question: Will you trust Him?
God has
not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind
Even on
this Memorial Day Eve, while our nation remembers the costs of
freedom and values the lives given in sacrifice so that we might in
pursuit of the great American dream– let’s also remember the
ultimate sacrifice of life wherein Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God,
freely laid down His life so that we might live forever and embrace
God’s great plan throughout eternity.
Whether
in this life or in the life to come …
Place
your trust in God!
