Thank You Veterans! Thank you Lord!
“The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month”
After over four years of brutal warfare in Europe, Germany surrendered to the Allied powers ending World War I, at 11:00 AM November 11, 1918.
Perhaps this summary of the impact of World War I is a sobering reminder on this day we thank all our men and women who are willing to serve us by putting themselves in harm’s way.
World War I took the lives of more than 9 million soldiers; 21 million more were wounded. Civilian casualties numbered close to 10 million. The two nations most affected were Germany and France, each of which sent some 80 percent of their male populations between the ages of 15 and 49 into battle.
The political disruption surrounding World War I also contributed to the fall of four venerable imperial dynasties: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia and Turkey.
World War I brought about massive social upheaval, as millions of women entered the workforce to replace men who went to war and those who never came back. The first global war also helped to spread one of the world’s deadliest global pandemics, the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918, which killed an estimated 20 to 50 million people.
World War I has also been referred to as “the first modern war.” Many of the technologies now associated with military conflict—machine guns, tanks, aerial combat and radio communications—were introduced on a massive scale during World War I.
The severe effects that chemical weapons such as mustard gas and phosgene had on soldiers and civilians during World War I galvanized public and military attitudes against their continued use. The Geneva Convention agreements, signed in 1925, restricted the use of chemical and biological agents in warfare and remains in effect today. (https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/world-war-i-history)
Every war is ugly, brutal, deadly, disruptive and evil. Yet we have men and women who are willing to be ready to engage today to defend our Constitution, protect our freedoms, and combat evil where it exists. The last of World War I veterans died 10 years ago at the age of 110. There are still over 240,000 World War 2 vets alive (of the 16 million that participated). To all these and those that fought in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and any other battles around the world, you have my deepest appreciation, “Thank you for serving me…serving us.”
Service in place of self is a noble characteristic. Certainly there can be many motivations to be part of our military, but I have to think that two passages from Scripture are in many of our veterans:
Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Freedom can be used for many things. Thank you for using your freedom to serve others. Love can manifest in many ways. Thank you for loving your country enough to be willing to lay down your life for it, for us.
On this Veterans’ Day, remember the gift of our country is one we ought not take for granted. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. Let us not just thank our veterans today, but our gracious Lord who has allowed our country to be a beacon of freedom and hope to many. Then with the freedom we have in our United States, let us be an army of God’s people who combat sin and evil not with the swords of steel but with the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
Thank you Lord! Thank you veterans! Thank you for the freedom and love you all share with us!
Apply: Certainly take time today to thank a Veteran who has had a part in protecting the freedoms we enjoy. Resolve to use the freedom God gives to share Jesus with others around you.
Prayer: Lord thank you for men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line to protect mine. In your mercy, preserve our nation and the freedoms it allows. Disrupt and put an end to all who wish evil and harm on people and through it all let the power of your Gospel prevail. AMEN.
Believe Week 8: Give them what they NEED!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 8: Compassion”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Did I mention this week I struggle with showing compassion? (If not, I’ll probably say it a few more times. Thanks for reading devotions I’m writing for myself!)
I’ve gotten burned…a lot.
I’ve had people buy alcohol with money they said they needed for rent. I’ve been swindled out of $1000s of dollars when it was said it would be repaid. I’ve had bags of food given back to me after telling me that I wasn’t doing enough to help. I’ve had people “expect” the church to give them what they want. I’ve had a deadbeat dad send his wife and child into the church to beg for money while he reclined in the passenger seat of the car.
The stories could go on.
I struggle to drive through an intersection where there is a “homeless” person asking for help without feeling guilty for not helping or hoping the light is green so I don’t have to make eye contact.
Yep, I struggle with compassion for those “in need.”
While, I don’t know the backstory of every individual, I have seen enough evidence of mishandling of money, self-made issues, and multiple reports of “homeless” making $200-250/day tax free to question quite deeply if someone really has a true need. (Sorry for all those that truly have fallen on hard times, it is often ruined by those that have taken advantage of other people’s generosity.)
Have you been burned?
I’m sure at some point you have.
So how do I/we reclaim a heart of compassion?
First – as was mentioned in yesterday’s devotion remember that Generosity is not dependent on a person’s reaction to it, but on the compassionate heart of God. Our generosity does one thing and one thing only: Reflects the heart of God.
If someone misuses your generosity, it is on their conscience not yours.
That being said, I always marvel at Jesus’ ability (probably because he was the Son of God) to know the true need isn’t always the presenting ask. Here’s an example in
Mark 6:34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
If you read Mark 6 it was a busy day/week for Jesus. He had sent out the 12…they had just returned and wanted to tell Jesus all about their experiences. John the Baptist, the cousin and friend of Jesus, had just been beheaded. The crowds were pursuing Jesus that they were hungry and needed time alone. They went away by themselves, but the people saw them leaving and pursued them.
I would have kept going. I wouldn’t have wanted to be bothered. Not Jesus.
He had compassion on them, because he understood their biggest need. They were spiritually lost sheep wandering to find direction. The most important need they had that drove Jesus’ heart of compassion was the need for love, grace and forgiveness. Even though he ends up feeding the 5000 that followed him, he fed their greatest need with his presence and teaching FIRST!
I love this account because, based on last week’s key truth, I remember that everyone needs Jesus. That is their greatest need. The presenting issue may be a need for food, money for prescriptions, or a bus ticket, but underneath is potentially a lost sheep spiritually.
Jesus found a way to give them what they needed: His Word, His love, His forgiveness.
Perhaps I can do the same.
Apply: What ideas do you have to meet someone’s spiritual need before or along with meeting their physical need?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for a heart of compassion for the spiritually lost and hurting. I was one of those at one point that captured your heart. Help me to bring the solution to every human being’s greatest need to their heart. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.
Believe Week 8: God’s Compassion Drives My Compassion!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 8: Compassion”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Psalm 82:3-4 Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
4 Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.
Do you know what my first reaction was to this week’s key verse? (Psalm 82:3-4)
“To whom is God talking?”
I wanted to know. Who is God’s Spirit telling to “defend the weak” to “uphold the cause of the poor” and to “Rescue the weak.”
Why did I ask that?
Because I was hoping I would be off the hook.
When I look at the context there is a direct application to the kings of the people of Israel who were being influenced by the wicked and unjust. These words were correcting them as people in a position of power and authority to defend the defenseless and deliver them from the wicked.
So I’m off the hook, right?
No.
Neither are you.
This is just one example of the encouragement God has given to us to love those around us, especially those that are unable to help themselves. For sure our culture in America has created many “safety” nets that weren’t at the time of King David, Jesus or the Apostles. But the heart is the same. Here’s just a few examples:
Jesus acknowledges our works of faith to help those in need are noticed and recognized by our Father in heaven.
Matthew 25:34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
The Apostles found faithful men to help with distribution of food items in the early church.
Acts 6:1-4 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
James, the half-brother of Jesus, encouraged Christians to see helping those in need as a primary work of faith.
James 1:27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
There is no question that the Lord, who is compassionate, desires his people to have a similar heart of compassion.
I will be the first to admit and the first to repent that I struggle with showing compassion. I’ve been burned personally and as a pastor and, rarely have I felt good that I have really helped someone, but more often felt used by that person.
But here is the truth that God reminds me in this. The reaction or the response of the person is not the driver of compassion, the heart and compassion of God is the driver behind us showing compassion.
The Bible verse says, “We love because he first loved us.”
It could easily say also, “We are compassionate, because God was compassionate to me first.”
Apply: Notice this week opportunities to show compassion. How does your heart respond? Resistant? Open? Ask God’s Spirit to work the compassion of God deeper into your heart to enable you to more readily show compassion to others. (MORE tomorrow on how to determine the NEED when we show compassion.)
Prayer: Father, forgive my callous heart when it comes to showing compassion. Lead me to look to the immeasurable compassion you have shown to me as the source and motivation to show compassion to others. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.
Believe Week 8: The Lord IS Compassionate!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 8: Compassion”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Did you know that “compassion” was one of the first adjectives God used to describe himself?
Exodus 34:5 Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”
What is ironic about this statement is it follows immediately on the heels of the people of Israel turning to Aaron to make a golden calf in the absence of Moses who was with the Lord receiving the commands and directives from the Lord.
Moses heads back up the mountain with a second set of stones as he broke the original ones when he saw the people worshipping a calf. You would think that God would forget about mercy, forget about love, forget about compassion to a people who was outright rebelling against him.
Yet that is at the heart of God’s heart: compassion – mercy for those who haven’t merited it and a willingness to show it even though the recipients haven’t deserved it.
Yesterday during the message I showed this video. For the rest of your devotion today, I invite you to watch it. It’s a wonderful summary of what it means that your God is compassionate…to you! Simply reflect on how you have benefitted from the compassion of God.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJEtyAiAQik
Apply: When you reflect on God being a compassionate God, how have you been the recipient of his compassion?
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for being compassionate and merciful. My actions deserve your scorn and judgment, yet you have chosen to show me your love and forgiveness because of your Son Jesus. Let me soak in your compassion and learn to show the same to others in my life. AMEN.
Believe Week 7: Your Needs Are Met!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 7: Humanity”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
What is humanity’s biggest need?
If you know a little bit about psychology you may have run across “Maslov’s Hierarchy of Needs.”
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid.
From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs are: physiological (food and clothing), safety (job security), love and belonging needs (friendship), esteem, and self-actualization.
Needs lower down in the hierarchy must be satisfied before individuals can attend to needs higher up.
As you look at this list of needs, you probably can quickly relate.
What is always interesting to me is when secular scientists, or in this case psychologists, observe components of nature or humanity that reflect the very creation God put together. Remember we have been reflecting on different worldviews this week. A humanistic worldview can recognize these basic needs of humanity. A biblical worldview would agree, but take it one step deeper.
Ultimately all of these needs are filled by the Almighty God who loves every member of humanity.
Remember Wednesday’s devotion on the First Article? Consider our need for food and clothing and safety…Luther wrote:
He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil. All this He does only out of fatherly, divine goodness and mercy,… (Explanation to the First Article of the Apostles’ Creed)
So what about the need for love? We looked at that yesterday in God’s love that sent Jesus as well as our key verse for this week:
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
So what about the need for “belonging, esteem, and self-actualization”?
Consider the Third Article of the Apostles’ Creed:
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
What does this mean? I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ.
Belonging? The work of the Holy Spirit through the message of the Gospel has brought me into “the holy Christian church, the communion of saints.” I belong to God and fit in with all other believers around the world of all time. What greater belonging could one ask for!
Esteem? I am forgiven. I have been made a saint! I have value because God valued me enough to call me into his kingdom!
Self-actualization? If left on my own “self” my actualization will only be what I can accomplish on this earth. But when I realize that God created me for his purpose, I grasp he desires my “actualization” to be fully realized with him in eternity. What greater “actualization” reality do we have to look forward to: On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. The eternal life that sin lost is restored. Just as Jesus rose from the tomb, I too will rise and experience the full reality God had in store for me for eternity.
In the Lord, all my needs – great and small are met!
This is most certainly true.
Apply: So reflect on the devotions this week. How would you like to view humanity? A product of chance with no other purpose than to survive? Or would you embrace the view of humanity God gives? You are loved, created, priceless, and have a God who fills all your needs in every way…including our biggest need for forgiveness and grace. How can you embrace this view of you and others every day?
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for loving us, creating us, valuing us, and providing for all our basic needs of life and our most important need for eternal life – the forgiveness of our sins. AMEN.