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‘I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (John 5:24)

I’ve built a lot of rope bridges and most of them were near an existing bridge or a fallen log. It was all good training but it looked pretty ridiculous building a rope bridge next to a perfectly good concrete bridge 100 meters away. You can bet in a real situation we wouldn’t stop to build a bridge if the other was secure. The objective is to get to the other side. It’s the same in our spiritual life. If Jesus has already made the bridge, the work has already been done and we simply walk across in faith. We cross at the Cross.

He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5)

A good friend of mine, Major Rusty Rowe, saved another soldier from drowning. For his act of selfless service and courage, he has been recommended for the Soldier’s Medal. Two soldiers were swimming during riptide conditions and one could not make it back to shore without help. So Doc Rowe swam out and brought the young soldier back to shore. He saved her. In the same way, we are drowning in our sin and there is no way we can make it to Heaven through our own efforts. It’s Jesus who, in the depths of our despair, has made His way out to us and rescued us through His work on the cross.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

When I attended Recondo School at Ft Bragg, I was a young E4. At the end of the three-week course there was a board for Distinguished Honor Graduate. As we went into the small Quonset hut we had to knock on the door before we entered. I was last to appear before the board. I knocked on the door so hard the window pains cracked and they yelled, ‘Come In.’ I entered and slammed the door behind me insuring it would need future repairs. As I saluted the All Special Forces panel their eyes gleamed and they all had a halfcocked smile. Later, I was informed that it was my knock at the door that persuaded the board to award me the top position and not my correct answers on patrolling. God is beating on the door. All you have to do is say, ‘Come In.’

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit (1 Peter 3:18)

American Veterans are passionate about POW/MIAs. You see the black and white flag flying all over our nation. Even over some State capitals. We want to bring our own home and we won’t give up. Some are still wearing red bracelets for the missing from the Vietnam War some thirty years later. This is so important to us, that we are willing to spend millions to recover the remains of our fallen comrades. God feels even stronger about His own. We are POW/MIAs in this world. He has gone to great efforts through the sacrifice of His Son to find us and bring us home.

Application: Do you know a spiritual POW/MIA? Why not send them SWORDPOINT or some other devotional. Invite them to your church or Bible study. You’d be amazed how Jesus can use these simple acts of kindness.

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27)

At the National Training Center, the training is as real as it gets. The exercises even include the evacuation of the wounded and dead. Once the simulated dead and dying reached a certain destination in the rear, they stayed out of the fight for a number of hours and then were Reincarnated as a replacement to be sent back to the units. There’s much talk in the spiritual world of reincarnation. Even Patton thought he was a reincarnated soldier. But the Bible teaches there is no second life here on earth. You get one shot at this life and then the big After Action Review in the sky. One chance to live a life of Faith in Christ. Use it wisely.

My brother Mike and I, building the Prayer Cabin on our 6 acres of retreat for soldiers at Fort Benning.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

The radio transmissions I’ve found the hardest to take to the TOC were, ‘We have lost a Ranger Student.’ Ranger students were so tired and in such a state of delirium they sometimes would walk away from the patrol. Or if the patrol stopped for even a second, you ran the risk of one of the students falling asleep on the spot and the patrol would move on without them. When this happened, everything else stopped and we went looking for the lost Ranger. Sheep do the same thing in the flock and so do we with God. Have you drifted from the fold? He’s looking for you. Come on home.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24,25)

Frequently, while running in formation, there are those who fall out. You can hear the NCOs in the rear calling, ‘Come on, don’t give up, get your carcass up here…’ And if you are in a tight unit you can even hear their peers calling, ‘Hang in there man, don’t give up, keep going…’ Everyone is trying to hang together and finish as a team, as a unit. So, why are we so offended when someone comes along side and tries to ‘spur us on’ in the faith? The next time someone challenges you in your faith, listen-up and get back in formation. Hope I’m spurring you on!

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)

As Ranger students we were told we could open the Ranger Handbook in any situation to get the answer. It’s amazing how much information is in that little handbook. But what’s even more amazing is how many Ranger students would completely ignore the book and wing it. You know God has given us a book with 99% of the answers. You aren’t cheating if you open it up and look for guidance in the Bible. Life is an Open Book Test!

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.’ (John 14:21)

LTC K was our Battalion Commander in the 2-503rd. He was a great commander. Everyone respected him and we called him Coach. He was just like a football coach. It was like being on the field and he would call in the plays, give instructions and encourage us to do better. He was tough but fair. I always wanted to do what he commanded. Not out of fear but out of love. We loved him so it made it easier to do what we were told to do. Think of all the things God has done for you. Count your blessings. That should make it easier to do what He commands us to do.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Mortality is a reality in the military. Even in simple training exercises soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines lose their lives. We knew when we signed up we would put our lives on the line. And for what? For our country, that’s what! We give our lives in exchange for others that they may have freedom and liberty. But Christ gave His life in exchange for our eternal freedom. He gave His life that we might have liberty over death. Now I cast my allegiance to Christ and reciprocate life for life. I have given my life for Christ’s sake.