Christian Family Services Ministry

12-3-2021 – A Word to the Wise – On a personal note, let me be honest and direct. This time of year, that is the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a bad time for me. Growing up this time period was always traumatic. I have noticed I tend to be pretty negative during this period so be aware that much of what I may be posting tends to be negative.So it may be best to avoid it for awhileI suppose most of us have heard a lot of prayer in a variety of settings from the dinner table to church, to care groups. Have you ever in your prayers, or those of others heard anyone ask for adversity? I suspect if you entered the barracks of some special operations soldiers you would get an earful about combat readiness. Practice, plan and repeat exercises until every aspect of an upcoming mission is deeply ingrained in the warrior. Contrast that attitude with the Christian warrior with a constant litany of complaints about food, clothing, or shelter. When do we hear of a Christian volunteering for hardship, or adversity?Let’s face it there are some things worse than death, and Satan knows just how to dish it out. Yet somehow, I wonder if we should not prepare self and others for spiritual combat. What camp would the Lord have us sneak into under cover of darkness to spy out the enemy? How would we go about destroying the Baal’s and Asherim of our day? Do physical attacks on abortion clinic really represent God’s battle or something more sinister?Armies have different occupations. Soldiers are taught in one area and sometimes cross trained in two or three other fields. Modern armies do not have one soldier do everything yet often we approach spiritual warfare with this kind of mentality. One minister does everything. The worker bee does all the work.At a simple level God’s kingdom is divided into earthly and heavenly. The earthly kingdom is divided into warriors and civilians. There are basic differences between these two groups. The warriors in God’s army may use governmental authority to combat evil, as well as to serve and protect mankind. Civilians are under church authority, and as such exercise a different role in combating the forces of evil.Both have weapons specific to their needs. The army tends to be limited to the physical exercise of power while the civilian is limited to the spiritual exercise of power. Like apples and oranges, one does not compare them for they have different functions. The army came into existence after the flood to stem the power of Satan on earth. It did not exist in the pre-flood period Spiritual warfare on the other hand was restructured with the death burial and resurrection of Christ and exercises its power through the church. The Lord may use other organizations from time to time to accomplish His will but these organizations rarely survive longer than a generation.Recruits for God’s army, those authorized to kill, are trained primarily by the military and law enforcement, and both groups are empowered by God through the government to physically take life. This recruit may be a Christian or not.One must always be warily of the enemy. We fail to comprehend that the death of a law enforcement person or a soldier is catastrophe to the kingdom of God. This person does not have to be a Christian. Anytime an official is acting on behalf of the government and is killed in the line of duty that loss is great. Paul tells us in Romans 13 that these are ministers of God. Satan considers it a great victory to destroy these warriors. Even in the Old Testament David went to great lengths to protect evil King Saul. Even though evil he was a minister by God’s standard. Anyone guilty of taking the life of one of these individuals must account for it before God.What about the person who takes a life in the line of duty what is his standing before God or man? Well, I can assure you Satan does not like his warriors killed and he does what he can to avoid it and retaliate. A master stroke on Satan’s part is convincing people that there is no need for war, nor should a law enforcement person ever kill in the line of duty and most certainly the state should never put to death the evil doer. Satan does all he can to make his chosen appear as angels merely protecting themselves from outrageous behavior of law enforcement people. Law enforcement personnel are viewed as liars, cheats, and baby killers.Perhaps the next time you hear these types of claims you will recognize its source. Perhaps even consider it possible that the law enforcement person is telling the truth and the defendant telling the lies.More will follow.