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Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:10-12)

We were rushing down the runway at Ft. Benning in a C-141 and settling in for the long flight to Ft. Bliss, Texas. We had grown so comfortable with our frequent trips to the desert that we ignored some of the basic safety precautions. Then suddenly there was deafening explosion. I jumped as though a bolt of lightning had struck me. A portion of the engine housing had ripped off. Now things like putting on a helmet and rolling down sleeves didn’t seem so trivial. Both were done in seconds, but precious seconds that were only given by the grace of God. We made a safe emergency landing at a nearby airport. Seconds. That’s all it takes. In the spiritual realm the unprepared trooper can have his or her life suddenly and irrevocably changed by a bad decision that the tempter has initiated. Be prepared. Put on the full armor of God.

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:1-2)

Failure is a tough part of life. I tried for the Expert Infantrymen’s Badge (EIB) seven times and failed seven times. I was always the honor graduate in everything I did but for some reason I would always bolo the EIB. I knew I wouldn’t quit until I conquered it and others assisted me as well. My Chain of Command could have said, “Wood, you’ve wasted enough time on this. Face it, you’ll never be good enough.” However, they stuck by me. They encouraged me and allowed me to train year after year. We also fail in our spiritual lives. Our brothers and sisters fail too. Our job is to encourage and lift up, not to discard or ignore. It takes support and encouragement to restore the fallen and the goal should always be restoration. By the way, on my eighth try I finally received my EIB.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

One of the things I found unique in Ranger School was that everyone was the same. Although there were officers and enlisted in the course, we wore no rank and were forbidden to even mention it. Everyone carried a heavy rucksack. Everyone had their turn at carrying the radio and the M60 machinegun. And most importantly, EVERYONE was evaluated on leadership and followership. Everyone experienced the same thing. Much like it is in the Christian life. We all experience temptation and we all have the means by which to escape it. Jesus makes sure of that. He gives a way for success. The question is, are we willing to take it? Pop Smoke and Break Contact!

http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=660848571129883095&hl=en

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31)

In the Army we find it too easy to say, ‘This is worthless.’ MRE toilet paper when it’s wet is worthless. A dud grenade, old chemlights, and a protective mask with no filter are all worthless. If you were around for the Gamagoat (6 wheel utility truck), we said it was worthless. But, one thing we should never call worthless is another human being. You and I are worth a great deal in the eyes of God. He proved it by sending His Son to pay the ultimate price for our salvation. He counts us as worthy of His priceless sacrifice on the cross. To God, you and I are His most valued creation.

But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’ (1 Samuel 16:7)

He was a short, skinny, scarecrow-looking kind of man. He wore army issue coke bottle glasses and spoke in gentle tones. He was my first supervising Chaplain and I was not impressed. But I soon found out there was more to the man than met the eye. He was a runner, sometimes 20 miles a day. He’d served as the 2nd Ranger Battalion’s Chaplain with great effectiveness. And when we went to the National Training Center I saw the lion in him come out. He was as tough as any other soldier in the Brigade. But what impressed me most was his heart. As a brand new Chaplain, I found myself in very interesting circumstances. Every time I called him on the phone, I would no sooner hang up, and he was right there to coach me through the situation. Looks are deceiving. It’s the heart that counts.

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15)

If you have been in the Army for more than a month you have met the supply sergeant. Supply sergeants have been stereotyped as greedy, stingy, beady-eyed bean counters that always say ‘NO.’ But that hasn’t been my experience. In fact, I’ve found them to be pretty generous. Most of them look for a way to provide above and beyond (except the one time as a private I was sent to supply to get a box of grid squares). Maybe I’ve just been blessed with folks who understand how to take care of soldiers. God operates the same way. He is always ready and willing to provide the things we need and even a lot of the things we want. If we don’t receive what we request, then we can rest assure there is a very good reason for it. It never hurts to ask.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5)

I was just a young private in Basic Training and a topographical map was thrust in my face. It just looked like green and brown spaghetti to me. The instructor was spitting out information like a machine gun and I was lost before I even got started. Then they showed me a compass and explained how to use it. He said, “using the degrees on the compass, determine your direction and look for a fixed object. Move to it without deviating right or left.” I’m a simple guy and that sounded good to me. This works in our spiritual lives as well. We exchange our own ideas for the values found in the Bible, that’s our compass and map. As we begin to trust God’s principles as fixed markers for navigational aids in life, that’s our known terrain features. And our final destination, to be like Jesus. Now that’s some simple navigation.

In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)

Once as a Ranger Instructor I was with a patrol that was moving very quickly through the woods at night. As we glided down the trail in pitch-black conditions I thought to myself, ‘These students really want to get to that patrol base and get some sleep.’ Then there was a problem. We got off the trail and the point man maintained the same speed as previous. Suddenly ranger students were cracking their shins on logs and being whipped in the face by swinging branches, a very painful night movement. Come to find out the point man was using an infrared flashlight and night vision goggles. He could see the light and the obstacles through the NVGs but no one else could. Sometimes as Christians that’s how we lead others, leaving them to stumble in the darkness of mystery as we glide by most of life’s obstacles. Share the light of Jesus!

‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ (Jeremiah 29:11)

In all my days of soldiering I must have heard hundreds of Operations Orders. The details of the plan were always meticulously spoken to soldiers ready and willing to carry out their mission. But, we also have a saying, ‘No OP ORDER ever survives the first round fired.’ In other words, as much as we think, prepare, and plan, there are too many unknowns, too many things that can go wrong. The plan usually ends up being salvaged with contingencies and ingenuity. There is no such problem when it comes to the Master’s plan. There are no surprises for God. He is able to plan the intricate patterns of our lives with certainty. This can give us great confidence as we consider His great competence in guiding our lives. Charlie Mike in Jesus!