Military Devotion – December 10, 2021

Devotion based on Jeremiah 33:15

See series: Military Devotions

Once, it was like a mighty oak. Its large limbs stretched upwards. Its leaves offered shade. It stood strong against the wind. It was expected to stand like this forever.

It did not. It was cut down. Only a stump was left.

This once-monumental tree was the nation of Israel, now cut down by her enemies. Assyria trashed the northern tribes. Babylon carted away the debris left behind in the south.

Israel of old that had carried the hope of life and peace forevermore was as good as dead.

It had become an object of pity, its owner the object of derision. Threatening rulers echoed the challenge of the Pharaoh of Egypt, “Who is the Lord that I should listen to him?”

Jacob’s Israel had become diseased with the virus of rebellion against heaven. Corruption had replaced justice. Depravity overtook righteousness. The nation would reap what it had sown. Evil would prevail. Judgment would come.

The weeping prophet instructed mothers: “Teach your daughters how to wail; teach one another a lament” (Jeremiah 9:20).

The captives took up that lament: “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion” (Psalm 137:1).

The day of judgment dawned before Jeremiah’s eyes—but it was not the final judgment.

There still was hope. A new day would dawn. The God of Israel made a promise.

“In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line.”

The stump was not dead. The Righteous One would be born of David’s line in the City of David.

He was called “Jesus” because, as the angel said, “He will save his people from their sins.”

The escape from Babylon was startling. The nation of Israel should never have survived the heathen conquest and captivity. Seventy years had passed since Jerusalem was reduced to rubble. No Israelite army arose to regain the city. No rescue team was deployed to free the captives. There was no hope.

Except.

Except, the God of Israel had announced in advance that the captives could come home after seventy years. He could promise this because he was the Lord of nations. The Lord had announced the sentence, and he announced the freedom.

There was no breakout. There was no escape effort. The Jews in Babylon were simply told they were free to leave. The Lord God freed Israel from the Babylonian grip by overturning that empire and replacing it with the Persians—and he did it overnight.

There still was life in the cutoff tree! But release from Babylonian captivity was not the greatest work of Israel’s God.

The rescue of the human race from captivity to sin, death, and the devil—that was his great work of deliverance.

And we are among those that he rescued!

Saint Matthew begins his Gospel by showing the link of the Messiah to King David: “A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham…”

He ends it with Jesus saying: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…”

The righteous Branch grew out of Israel for our benefit. We are co-heirs of the inheritance of salvation through Abraham and David.

This line will live forever.

So will we.

Military Devotion – November 26, 2021

Devotion based on Revelation 22:20

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It was Advent. Students at one of our area Lutheran high schools had chosen “Come, Lord Jesus!” as the theme for their chapel services. The words appeared on a large banner for everyone to see.

In those worship services, they heard again about the three comings of Christ: As a child at Bethlehem; through Word and Sacrament today; and finally, when he comes to take his people to heaven.

They sang out, “Come, O Precious Ransom, Come” and “Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel.”

They left for Christmas break with the cheery greetings of “Merry Christmas!” and “See you next year!” They were looking forward to singing, “Joy to the World” with their families.

Two days after Christmas, the phone rang late at night. “Sad news!” the caller said.

One of the sophomore girls had died in her sleep.

People stood in the snow to listen to the funeral service by loudspeakers, the crowd was so great. “Shocked” would be a good description. Death had drained Christmas joy.

When the students filed in for chapel after Christmas break, some were surprised to see that the Advent banner was still up. Had the janitors forgotten to take it down?

No.

It was time for the mourners to face facts: Jesus had answered their Advent prayer!

They had prayed: “Come, Lord Jesus!” and he came.

But they didn’t mean for him to come like that! They prayed that he would bring joy to Christian hearts and peace to those who had not known he had paid the ransom for their sins.

They did not intend to pray for their friend to die!

But that’s what Jesus had intended all along. Their plans were not his plans.

Were these young people betrayed? Was this some sort of cruel joke by the one who controls life and death? Did this make a mockery of Christmas?

No, it was the fulfillment of Christmas.

Hundreds of presents were opened by the members of that student body that Christmas. Two days after Christmas, their friend received the best Christmas gift of all: a trip to heaven.

Silently, without waking the rest of the family, angels accompanied the Christ of Christmas to bring to her joy and peace beyond measure.

Jesus had told his early disciples, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

Stephanie’s place was now ready. She had prayed, along with her classmates, “Come, Lord Jesus.” In loving kindness, he came.

Did she miss out on living a full-term life? No.

Would she trade even a minute of life with Jesus in glory to be able to live to old age here? No.

Do we want to dictate to Jesus when and how he should come to us? Never.

What is Christmas like in heaven? Wait and see.

He tells us, “I am coming soon.”

Military Devotion – November 12, 2021

Devotion based on 1 Kings 19:11-13

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I had met her only shortly before. She said she was studying to become a nurse. When I said I was studying to become a pastor, she made an unexpected comment.

“I don’t have any hope of heaven.”

That surprised me. I knew enough about her to know that she had been brought up in a Christian family, regularly attended worship services, and was apparently leading a Christian life.

Yet, she was living without hope. She explained why.

She had grown up in a church that taught spiritual life required a decision to accept Christ into one’s life. It usually took place following an “altar call.” After a sermon, the pastor would ask people to step forward to dedicate their lives to the Savior. That was the moment they were “saved.”

There was one other teaching: Once people accepted Christ into their hearts, they would never sin again.

This belief crushed her hope. She knew she had sinned since that altar call. She thought this proved her decision for Christ was fake. She was not saved. She was among the lost.

Thinking she was without Christ, she was without hope.

When we hear the phrase “mission work,” we might think of missionaries heading off to heathen lands.

We may call to mind powerful sermons which proclaimed the way of salvation with clarity and energy.

We could conclude that the every-day-Christian is not qualified to do mission work—that is, to share the good news of Jesus with someone who does not already trust in him for forgiveness and salvation.

That is a lie fed to us by Satan.

A degree in theology is not needed to point others to Jesus. It does not require a six-month instruction course before there is a result. Sometimes a child is an effective missionary.

The Holy Spirit is the one who works saving faith. He uses the words he has inspired writers to pen in Holy Writ. Those who relay the message of the gospel are just his tools. The gospel has the power to bring life to those living in the dungeon of spiritual death.

There have been times when the Holy Spirit came to people in a blaze of glory that none could ignore. We think of the first Pentecost with the tongues of fire on people’s heads and the sound of a mighty rushing wind in their ears.

But at other times, maybe most times, he works gently, quietly.

Elijah learned that lesson. A wind strong enough to split rocks, or a shattering earthquake, or a raging fire, would fit well with the idea of an almighty God. But the Holy One was not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire. He came as a gentle whisper.

He sometimes still comes that way, with simple words in everyday settings—words that whisper hope.

That’s what happened with that future nurse. She was pointed to the Lord’s Prayer and the phrase, “forgive us our trespasses.” If Jesus was teaching his people to pray for forgiveness, it must mean that his people will commit sin at times—and be forgiven. Does it not?

The Holy Spirit convinced her. She went on to live life as a redeemed child of God, confident of heaven. She experienced the whispering hope.

How do I know this?

I married her.

Military Devotion – October 29, 2021

Devotion based on Matthew 4:17

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The great reformation of the holy Christian church did not begin with the closed fist of defiant rebellion. The 95 theses posted on a church door in Germany in 1517 began with a call for sorrow over sin.

It echoed the call Jesus issued at the beginning of his ministry on earth: “Repent!”

Repentance is critical to spiritual life.

At times, it may seem that the celebration of the Lutheran Reformation means pointing fingers at others and declaring, “You’re wrong! We’re right!”

Jesus would have us start with the words: “Wrong lives here—here in my heart.”

We regularly begin our worship services with the confession of sins. The old hymnal used the words, “I, a poor miserable sinner, confess unto Thee all my sins and iniquities…”

Human nature does not like to say those words. Human nature wants to cover up sins and deflect guilt. That’s because human nature is infected with sin.

The people of his day had differing ideas about who Jesus was and what he was trying to accomplish.

He quickly attracted those who hated the Roman troops stationed among them. Those who sought to be healed flocked to him. So did those who enjoyed seeing Jesus put the Pharisees and other pompous people into their place.

In the 1960s the slogan, “Power to the people!” became popular. That fit the thinking of some of the people who crowded around Jesus. They expected him to set up his kingdom by driving the Romans out and establishing his throne in Jerusalem.

Scripture shows that some of his close disciples were infected with that false hope.

Since then, generation after generation has looked to Jesus for power and permission to gain for themselves privilege and prosperity. It continues to this day.

If we ask why someone would think they should receive these things, the thought is often: “I’m worth it!”

But we are not. We are not worthy of anything good. We must continue to confess, “I a poor, miserable sinner…”

Our only hope lies with the one who is not a sinner—the one who will judge sinners—the one who will declare the sinner innocent because crimes against God have already been paid for—paid for by this very Judge.

Scripture warns us, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” Then it adds the horrible words, “If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives” (1 John 1: 8,10).

Denying sin has hellish consequences. Repentance brings heavenly peace.

Let the message sink in: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

This is the reason why we must call out warnings to others who are wandering from the Word. It is not self-righteous to say, “You are on the wrong path!” to those in spiritual peril.

We join with Martin Luther, who refused to give in to error with the words, “Here I stand. I can do no differently. God help me.”

He said his conscience was held captive to the Word of God.

We must say that too.

Repentance leads to that.

Military Devotion – October 17, 2021

Devotion based on Joshua 6:25

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It’s a false dream that suggests humans can earn the favor of God by living a good life. It’s despicable arrogance that leads someone to think: “Unlike myself, that person over there does not deserve God’s favor!” The truth is: no one deserves God’s favor!

The Bible almost screams out the message: “There is no one that does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10). “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” (Ephesians 2:8,9).

Yet, we humans are inclined to reject this—either because it appears too good to be true or because it seems too bad to be true. Both conclusions assume that we must be deserving of his love.

The truth is a hard pill to swallow. To admit that I am a lost and condemned creature strips me of any intrinsic value and all hope of redeeming myself.

It should! That’s the reality I need to face.

The Savior God reveals the basis for offering his favor and rescue. He shows his undeserved love with words and actions.

Rahab, the prostitute, is one such example.

She lived in Jericho at the time when Israel was entering the Promised Land. By the command of God, every living thing in her hometown was to be killed by the sword—every woman, man, and child; all of the cattle, the sheep, and the donkeys—every living thing in Jericho, except Rahab and her family.

Surely some of those people had lived a better life than this woman! Certainly the children had fewer sins on their records! So why did Rahab deserve to be spared?

She didn’t. She was lost to the kingdom of God. The grace of God spared her.

And how was this undeserved love given to her?

By faith.

The New Testament explains: “By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient” (Hebrews 11:31).

This thing called faith—that sure, firm, trust in God—that’s what makes all the difference. It’s a matter of believing him when he says, “Son, daughter, be of good cheer! Your sin is forgiven! It is my gift, bought with the lifeblood of my Son!”

When Rahab the prostitute put her faith in this God, she was changed from heathen to servant of the Lord, from sinner to saint. Not only was her earthly life spared, but she gained eternal life in glory.

She even was given glory in her earthly life.

Saint Matthew pens the name “Rahab” as the great-great-grandmother of King David. Amazingly, she became an ancestor of Jesus, the promised Savior of the world! (Matthew 1:5)

That’s good to know. For, like Rahab, I, too, once was lost. But thank God, lost no more!

Military Devotion – October 3, 2021

Devotion based on Matthew 28:16

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Doubts are like stones thrown onto our path. Small doubts may just make us pay attention to our footing. Large doubts can become spiritual IEDs.

The person who never has any doubts is at great risk. We dare not believe everything we read on the Internet. We scoff at ads that promise: “Lose 50 pounds in 10 days!” Doubt makes us re-examine and re-evaluate. That is good. Doubt has kept many a person from making a mistake. Sometimes doubt has saved lives. Not every announcement of: “All clear!” is factual.

We simply cannot accept every person’s word as gospel truth—unless, of course, it is actually the word of the gospel!

Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Was Jesus truly the Son of God and Savior of the world? One disciple who was not there on Easter doubted this—until he was invited to put his hand into the risen Savior’s wounds. This earned him the title “Doubting Thomas.” That should have been the end of all doubts. But it wasn’t.

Easter cleared their path of any doubt that could explode in the face of the disciples and shred their faith to pieces. So where did these doubts come from that St. Matthew talks about, that showed up weeks later?

The Bible gives a clear answer: An enemy did this! The enemy always works this way. Clear away doubt about God on one day and expect that the enemy will re-plant doubt by the next day—maybe even later the same day.

He has done this from the beginning. He planted a deadly doubt in Eden. It was hidden in the words: “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” And Eve snagged the tripwire! Satan then grinned as Adam came to her side—and stepped on the pressure plate of his own deadly doubt. Neither would have survived the blast to their faith if God had not come to their rescue.

Satan has continued the tactic of planting doubt in the believer’s path for a simple reason: It works!

But now we are wise to him, aren’t we? We know where he likes to plant the threats to our faith. We have learned how he can disguise a deadly danger by placing it into something that attracts us, or with someone we trust.

We now watch for the telltale signs of this danger, don’t we? We scan the roadway of our life with the devil-detector—the Word of God.

We heed the God-given alarm deep inside of us: our conscience. We listen when others on our spiritual team call out warnings. We know the danger is real.

Only the holy God can see every danger to our spiritual life, and only he can defend us when doubt would kill our faith. Better than Kevlar, tougher than foot-thick armor, our God is there to protect.

And what if some doubts return? Does that mean we have lost our faith? Does that disqualify us from serving our Lord?

Not necessarily! Such doubts are simply temptations that can be overcome—as all temptations should be.

Immediately after revealing that some of the disciples doubted, Jesus issued his famous orders: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Those people overcame their doubts. So can we.

A father once told Jesus: “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24)

That should be our prayer, too.

Military Devotion – September 19, 2021

Devotion based on Ephesians 4:2-6

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The famous poem declares, “No man is an island.”

We agree. We live our lives connected to other people.

Birth is the tie to families. Geography ties us to neighborhoods and fellow citizens. Similar interests, similar nationalities, and similar uniforms link us to others. So will shared dangers.

Those who have donned the uniform to defend a country share a common bond. The bond tightens under combat. The death of a fellow warrior can bind us together with a knot that refuses to loosen. We then understand the concept of the Band of Brothers.

Emotionally, if no longer physically, we expect to remain tied to such brothers until we draw our last breath.

Is war, then, the strongest bonding agent known to mankind?

No.

Peace is stronger than war.

The greatest unifier is not circumstances or emotions. It is God the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul lists the “ones” that make up our unity. The holy Christian church is one body, even as there is just one Holy Spirit who has created faith in us to bring us into the kingdom of God.

We have only one hope: to be able to live forever in the joy of heaven. There is only one Lord Jesus. There is only one faith among all the different people who wait for the day of heaven to dawn. That faith grabs hold of the redemption Christ has won for us.

There is only one baptism that has washed us from sin and given us new life in Christ.

There is only one God the Father “who is over all, and through all, and in all.”

We are a united people. As the people of God, we are united with one another. We are united with the saints and angels in heaven. We are united with the Triune God himself.

The Holy Spirit has done this. The love and mercy of God has permitted this. The death of the Son of God has enabled this.

And what is the result?

“The peace of God that transcends all understanding.”

Where there is perfect peace, there are no divisions that separate. No jealousy, no anger, no disagreement!

If we have peace with God, as the angels announced, what can divide us against one another?

Sin can. Satan can. False teaching can.

The apostle warns: “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them” (Romans 16:17).

We do have enemies who would rob us of our peace with God. Our fight is with them, not with one another.

Our tie is to one another, not to them.

Peace is the tie that binds us to God and everything good.

Military Devotion – September 5, 2021

Devotion based on Genesis 18:23,24

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When we think of days that brought death and destruction, 9/11 and New York City might come to mind. So might Pearl Harbor on a December 7.

Yet neither compares to the death and destruction that rained down upon the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. We have seen the pictures. Survivors have told their stories of the horror. We pray such bombs will never fall from the sky again.

But the story of their destruction doesn’t compare to what happened to two cities in the Middle East: Sodom and Gomorrah.

We can only imagine what it was like to have burning sulfur fall from the sky. Buildings burned. So did human flesh.

There was no rebuilding of these cities. They are forever gone. They had rejected God’s laws. Now they faced his judgment. They learned the depth of the saying, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

The sin was sexual perversion. So depraved were the inhabitants that they wanted to rape angels—though they did not know they were not human.

The remarkable backdrop to the story is the visit the Lord God and two angels made with Abraham and Sarah just before that fatal day. The Lord announced to the elderly couple they would have a son. The news was shocking. More shocking news followed.

As the angels headed toward Sodom, the Lord told Abraham what he was about to do. This horrified Abraham. He immediately began to plead that the cities be spared. He asked the Lord, “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?” Perhaps he was thinking of his nephew, Lot, and his family, who lived in Sodom.

He asked, “What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?”

He voiced his concern. “Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Was he really willing to argue with God? Was he really suggesting that God would not do the right thing?

It was not an argument. It was not criticism. It was a plea for mercy.

The result? “The LORD said, ‘If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.’”

But Abraham wasn’t finished. “What about forty-five?” Then “What about forty?” Then “What if thirty are found?” Then “Only twenty?” Then “What if only ten are there who are not guilty of this horrendous defiance of the Holy One?”

Finally, he stopped pleading. The Lord had said, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”

But there were not ten. Yet, the Lord did not punish the innocent along with the guilty. Lot, his wife, and his two daughters were allowed to escape. The daughters’ fiancés were offered a chance to go with the survivors—but they chose to stay behind. Lot’s wife turned back to look while already on the path to safety. She was turned to a pillar of salt.

Lot and his two daughters survived. No one else did. Then Abraham “looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.” It was like Hiroshima—but worse.

The lessons are many. The tragic result of defying God is one of them. But there is another. The Bible reminds us: “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16).

Might we be one of those righteous ones? Remember what was said about Abraham? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3).

Since we believe God, we are declared righteous, are we not? Then our prayers must be as powerful and effective as Abraham’s. Are they not?

They are.

It is good to remember that.

Military Devotion – August 22, 2021

Devotion based on 1 Kings 19:9

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He was hiding. He was giving up. He was feeling sorry for himself.

From the heights to the depths! Sometimes, that’s how our lives go.

Just a short time earlier, Elijah was riding the crest of success. He had challenged the priests of Baal and overcome them. The people had shouted, “The Lord, he is God! The Lord, he is God!” Elijah was a hero. It was an exhilarating feeling. But it didn’t last.

Those emotional highs never do. Not this side of heaven.

When King Ahab told his wife what had happened at Mount Carmel, when he reported the slaughter of the priests of Baal, Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah with the threat, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like one of them.”

Elijah panicked. He ran south to Judah, out of her grasp—and he gave up. He wanted to die. “I have had enough, Lord, take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”

Despite his best efforts, despite some signs of success, it was now clear that he never would gain total victory over his enemies. When he overcame one threat, another took its place. Life seemed to be telling him: “You cannot win.”

At times, we may know how he felt. Sometimes, we also ask, “What’s the use?” Sometimes, just like Elijah, we may want to give up on trying to soldier on.

We, too, may feel down in the dumps.

Those who have fought battles and lost friends in distant lands without seeing total victory might sometimes feel that way.

So might the family struggling to get ahead on bills, only to be hit by another one, and still another.

People who have been fighting against a disease may feel this way. So may those who are trying to adjust to the new normal after a crippling wound—be it with the loss of the use of a limb or the invasion of PTSD.

It makes us wonder, who could blame Elijah for feeling down in the dumps?

The answer is: God.

When the Lord asked him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” he replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

His mission was obviously hopeless, wasn’t it? In the end, he was a failure, wasn’t he?

No. The final victory did not depend upon him, but upon the Lord, his God. Elijah needed to learn what that meant. So, the Lord showed him.

The Lord told him, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” A powerful wind that shattered rocks came by. But the Lord wasn’t in the wind. Then came an earthquake followed by a fierce fire. But the Lord was not in them, either. Then came a gentle whisper.

The Lord was in the whisper.

Sometimes the Almighty works, not with explosive drama, but with quiet gentleness.

Elijah’s tour of duty wasn’t over. He received new orders: “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.”

Elijah had done his part of God’s plan. These people would now continue it.

All was not lost. The Lord revealed: “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

The lesson has been taught: Don’t let feelings rule your life! Don’t judge only by what you can see! The Lord, he is God. Let him be the judge of your life. He is, in fact, Lord of life and death.

When the Lord knew that Elijah’s mission on earth was finally over, he sent a chariot of fire pulled by horses of fire inside a tornado to carry him to the home he had longed for when he was down in the dumps.

Military Devotion – August 8, 2021

Devotion based on 1 Kings 18:27

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He showed no mercy. He was not polite. He made fun of their faith. He ridiculed their “higher power.”

He taunted them.

It might make us wonder if Elijah went too far. Perhaps his zeal for the Lord God caused him to cross the line of what was acceptable and God-pleasing.

After all, did not the Lord God love these people? Was the Savior of the world not going to die for these people?

He did love them. He would die for them. In fact, these were some of his chosen people.

They were children of Israel.

And that made the situation much worse.

These were the descendants of Abraham, the heirs of the covenant, relatives of the heroes of faith. How did they end up as fanatic followers of the idol, Baal?

After the death of Solomon, the nation of Israel split in two. The northern ten tribes kept the name “Israel.” The southern two tribes called themselves, “Judah.” Jerusalem, with the temple, was in Judah.

To keep the nations apart, the leaders of the northern kingdom set up an alternate temple, an alternate priesthood—essentially an alternate religion. By the time of the prophet Elijah, the worship of idols dominated their religious scene. Under the rule of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, the worship of Baal was the state religion of Israel.

Worshipers of the true God were threatened. Elijah, spokesman of Jehovah, was branded as a traitor and sentenced to death—if ever he could be found. He was in hiding.

At the Lord’s direction, Elijah finally showed himself to Ahab to demand a showdown. He invited the people to gather at Mount Carmel as he confronted the 450 prophets of Baal.

To the people of Israel, he posed the question: “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing. They were waiting to see the outcome of the test.

Slaughtered bulls were placed upon two altars with wood underneath. Elijah told the priests of Baal, “Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”

The prophets of Baal went first. “O Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.” That’s when Elijah began to taunt them. “So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed.”

Still no answer. No fire. Because Baal was no God.

Elijah needed to demonstrate the frailty, the emptiness, and the sinfulness of idolatry. So, he acted boldly.

Idolatry was the work of Satan. Elijah’s taunting was a rejection of the devil and all of his works and all of his ways.

As the day came to an end, they poured water again and again over the altar before Elijah. Following a prayer to the LORD, fire streaked from heaven to burn up the sacrifice, the wood, and even the surrounding stones.

“When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!’” (1 Kings 18:39)

Those prophets of Baal? This was their judgment day. By Elijah’s command, they were brought into the Kishon Valley and slaughtered. All of them.

Surely, this is a warning never to place faith into anything other but the true and living God.

Surely, this is a reminder of the grace of God for sinners that he would send his Son to die for people like us—people who by nature are idolaters, those who tend to fear, love, and trust in things other than God.

Surely, our entire life should be an offering of thanksgiving, service, and praise to the only true Savior God.

Surely, the LORD our God never does sleep. There is never a need to wake him. Never.

Military Devotion – July 25, 2021

Devotion based on Luke 23:34

See series: Military Devotions

We were taught the words when we were very young. Grownups asked, “What do you say?” We replied, “Please.” Again, they asked, “What do you say?” Then, we answered, “Thank you.” They were teaching us. We also learned when to say, “I’m sorry.”

They were like magic words. “Please,” “Thank you,” and “I’m sorry” opened the doors to approval and acceptance. Say those words, and life goes smoother.

After a while, we discovered that we did not necessarily need to mean the words. We just had to say them the right way. Not through gritted teeth. Not as a sneer. Not in anger.

But with politeness, as if we were speaking from our hearts, even though they came only from our mouth.

As we grew older, we found this empty-hearted method also worked with the serious words, such as, “I forgive you.” or “I love you.”

At times we meant those powerful words. But sometimes, they became counterfeit words, empty words, lying words. There was no truth behind those words.

They were just words.

Such words are not God-words.

His words may have come from his mouth, but they have always sprung from his heart.

God’s words are not always polite. They may expose our emptiness and selfishness. They may call us “Liar!” or “Hypocrite!” They may hurt our feelings. But they always accurately express his feelings.

His words are always true. His words are backed up with actions.

Of the forbidden tree in Eden, he said, “when you eat of it, you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17). To murderous Cain, he said, “Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand” (Genesis 4:11). To an overconfident Peter he said, “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times” (Mark 14:30).

Which of these words did he not mean? Which warning was not carried out?

They were not just words.

To the Israeli slaves in Egypt, he said, “I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob” (Exodus 6:8). To fisherman Peter and his brother, Andrew, he said, “Come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). To the hostile crowd, he said, “After three days I will rise again” (Matthew 27:63).

Which of these words did he not mean? Which promise was not carried out?

They were not just words, were they?

They never are.

When the Savior God tells us, “I forgive you,” there is truth behind those words because there is blood behind those words.

Blood was dripping from his hands and feet when he prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

The prayer fits every member of the human race. The ones who were carrying out his execution, those who said, “His blood be upon us and our children,” they had no idea of the depth of the crime against heaven they were committing. So little do we know of the seriousness of our sin—any sin.

“Father, forgive them!” is his continuing prayer for us.

Those words have meaning. They have power. They give forgiveness.

They are more than just words.

Military Devotion – July 11, 2021

Devotion based on Luke 17:17

See series: Military Devotions

It appears that America is going to skip thanksgiving.

No, not that day in November which is spelled with a capital “T” and celebrated with turkey and pumpkin pie. But the giving of thanks to the one who has presented a gift.

The gift in question is the rather rapid discovery of vaccines that are effective against Covid-19.

The giver of the gift is God.

Indeed, there have been expressions of appreciation for those who worked on the vaccines. Parades are planned to honor those who risked their health by tending to people who were afflicted.

That is only proper.

But the Ruler of the universe should not be forgotten. He can both bring disease, and he can end it. He once told his people: “I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you” (Exodus15:26).

Infectious diseases have plagued humans for eons. Old Testament Law decreed that a person who broke out with leprosy must leave his family and quarantine himself with other lepers. As the disease progressed, parts of the body, such as fingers and toes, began to drop off. There was no cure. There was only the prospect of a miserable, painful, and lonely life.

One day, as Jesus was walking to a village, a group of lepers called out from a safe distance: “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

They must have heard the reports of Jesus performing miraculous healings. They begged for his help.

They did not expect his response. He simply told them, “Go show yourselves to the priests.”

By Law, that is what a person was to do if the symptoms of leprosy went away. If the priest saw no longer any sign of the disease, he was to pronounce the person free to return to normal life. The quarantine restriction would be lifted.

But these lepers were sent to the priest before they were cured. Their leprosy was still evident as they headed off. They needed to trust that they would be healed before they reached the point of inspection.

They were. We hear: “As they went, they were cleansed.”

We can imagine their joy. We can envision their eagerness to get back to family and friends and a normal life.

In their excitement and relief, we can also understand how some of them neglected to thank the one who had healed them. We understand because we easily do the same.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?”

Those words might make us wince. Sadly, sometimes we are among the “other nine.”

Like them, it isn’t that we don’t trust Jesus. We will go on record to declare that he is our Lord and Savior. We have saving faith.

But sometimes, it is also a forgetful faith, a self-centered faith. Sometimes we act as if we are entitled to special blessings from the Lord God. Sometimes we pout when we don’t get them and become ungrateful when we do.

This is more than a weakness and more serious than a mistake. To forget about thanking him is wrong. That makes it a sin.

Fortunately, he has the remedy for our sin. He has forgiveness.

The warrior king, David, knew this. He invites us to join him in saying, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases” (Psalm 103:2,3).

No, we will not skip thanksgiving.

Military Devotion – June 27, 2021

Devotion based on Isaiah 42:8

See series: Military Devotions

The old song says, “If it weren’t for bad luck, I would have no luck at all.”

Hard-faced reality says, “Actually, you do have no luck at all. Never did. Never will. There is no such thing as ‘luck.'”

To put faith in luck is to put faith in an idol.

But before we go around leveling idolatry charges against people, we need to clarify the possible meanings of the word “luck.”

After a hole-in-one, we might say, “That was a lucky shot.” What we mean is, “That was unexpected and not likely to be repeated.” After a fishing trip, a person might ask, “Have any luck?” He probably means, “Have any success?”

But sometimes, luck is being counted on or hoped for as a means to achieve success or prevent bad things from happening.

Trusting in luck is putting faith in a fake god.

It happens easy enough and often enough to make this a common spiritual crime.

We may have fallen into that habit. We surely have seen it happen with people around us.

We could probably come up with a long list of items that have been used as lucky charms. They can range from a rabbit’s foot to a certain coin, to a special rubber band.

It isn’t that we doubt the care and protection of the holy God; it’s just that it makes us feel better to have that “lucky” thing with us.

But when we boil it down to basics, we are telling ourselves that it is not enough to have the power of the Almighty and his angels watching out for us. We need extra protection.

The heathen people who lived around the Old Testament and early Christian believers would have understood this. In fact, that’s what they wanted from the believers. That’s the way they accepted the presence of God.

They trusted in the gods of rivers and trees, the gods of the clouds and the stars. If believers wanted to worship Jehovah as god, they had no problem with that. They would join them.

But to worship Jehovah as God, as the only God—that they would challenge. If there is only one God, that would mean their faith in their idols is wrong, is worthless.

In this, they were correct.

Even idols made of gold and jewels cannot see, cannot speak, and cannot save.

What can a golden calf or a lucky coin do about the guilt of sin? What can any earthly item do to appease the anger of the Holy God? What does luck have to do with escaping from the decree, “The wages of sin is death”?

The holy Lord God does not need a helper to protect us. He accepts no one and no thing to stand next to him in power and glory.

In his Son Jesus, who conquered sin, death, and the devil, there you have the answer. No one else! Nothing else. The Bible declares, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts:4:12).

He who can save us from the wages of sin can save us from the sniper—if that is his will. It comes down to a matter of trusting that he knows what is best for us and will bring that about.

It takes faith to mean it when we say, “Thy will be done.”

The order from on high is: “Fear, love, and trust in God above all things.”

There is no need for luck. No place for it in our lives.