Read Mt 3.13-17, Mk 1.9-11, Lk 3.21-23

John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance so why did Jesus need to be baptized? Jesus was sinless and had no need to repent but He did need to live up to all the expectations of righteousness in order to be holy (2 Cor 5.21). It wasn’t merely not doing the don’ts; it was doing all the dos as well (being perfect as His Father in Heaven is perfect; Mt 5.48). So John’s baptism has more significant than just repentance, it was the right thing to do. As we are discipling men and women we need to help them understand the importance of baptism and every other positive command. It is part of Jesus’ Great Commission and it’s the right thing to do. FJ17

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Exodus 20:12

“I want out of the Army!” “Why?” “Because the only reason I joined was to show my parents I can control my own life.” “And who’s in control of your life now?” “Well… uh… the Army.” “Boy, you showed them.” That’s a conversation I’ve had with many soldiers. The problem isn’t necessarily parents; it’s our rebellious nature. The first place that rebellion becomes evident is in our relationship with parents. But that’s just the beginning and ultimately it’s only a small glimpse of our rebellion against God. Honor, respect, and obedience should begin in the home. If it’s cultivated and nurtured properly, there’s a good chance it will reflect in our relationship with God. Some may be thinking it’s too late. If you have breath, it’s never too late. Go back, make things right, and receive the special blessing that comes with honoring your mother and father. Just a thought: the older I get, the smarter my folks get.

Read Mt 3.11-12, Mk 1.7-8, Lk 3.15-18

Jesus Christ will cause division. Right and wrong. Believing and unbelieving. Saved and lost. Eternal life and eternal damnation. This is a matter of fact that comes with relating to Jesus and straight from His words. As much as we’d like to soften the blow eventually it boils down to one question, “Will you follow, trust, embrace, Jesus?” I agree with the Universalist on this point, “All roads do lead to Heaven.” But how long one gets to stay there is where our disagreement begins. There is a final judgment. We will all stand before God to give an account. And the only delineating factor will be our relationship to Jesus. “He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” (1 Jn 5:12) It is very important as disciplers of Jesus to acknowledge this fact and communicate it in love. We do not use it as a contentious weapon but as a compassionate warning. FJ16

Universalism is a religion and theology that generally holds all persons and creatures are related to God or the divine and will be reconciled to God.

Read Mt 3.7-10, Lk 3.7-14

John the Baptist’s job was to help people achieve a right attitude. He accuses the people of having false motivation disguised under spiritual pretense. When John was asked, “what should we do?” which really means “how shall we repent?” each response has something to do with relationships. The fruit of repentance is always about repairing relationships. Whether it’s our relationship with God and our relationship with other people, John’s message would needle into the true motive. He was the perfect forerunner for Jesus’ message of loving God and loving neighbor. FJ15

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” Exodus 20:8

In Kuwait, I made the big mistake of telling the XO I’d take a day off when he took a day off; four months later, not a single day off. By the end of the tour, we were both crispy critters. Then, just as we were ready to fly home, Operation Desert Fox kicked off and we headed back to the desert. As I looked him in the eyes, I could see a deep weariness. Then it dawned on me: I was looking in a mirror. All because we had not taken time to rest. There was no way to be at our best for this very unexpected crisis. We have a very demanding job and there are times we can’t afford to take a break in the midst of our demanding duties. But God has commanded rest for a reason. Leaders, there comes a time when you may have to order your “High Speeds” to stand down. And you owe it to your soldiers to be at your best and get rest yourself. A rest plan is just as important as a security plan. Get some rest. That’s an order from God. SP304

Read Mk 1.1-6, Lk 3.1-6, Mt 3.1-6

Getting soldiers ready for combat is the primary objective of TPLs (Troop Leading Procedures) There are orders to give, inspections to conduct and rehearsals to perform. All in preparatory to accomplish the mission. It seems God does a lot of preparation as well. He helps us to recognize Him and receive Him by doing some work in our hearts and minds before we will actually respond to Him. Some of that prep work may be giving us knowledge that we lack. Some may have to do with changing some of our attitudes. It’s a matter of getting the heart ready to receive the teacher and His teaching. Repentance is a very crucial component of heart preparation. It is the expression of need, a need to change, a need to be forgiven, a need for Jesus. As a discipler, are you alert to God’s preparatory works? Are you participating in the work that is necessary to get a person ready to receive Christ? FJ14

“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. Exodus 20:7

“Sir, you are making my job very difficult.” The commander replied, “How’s that chaplain?” “Well, sir, I spend a lot of time asking God to bless the men and the efforts of your battalion and you turn around and ask God to curse it.” This was a discussion a wise chaplain friend of mine had with his boss about his using the name of God in vain. From that point on, the commander made every effort to eliminate using God’s name in vain. We need to remember God’s name is holy and should never be used in a trite and trivial manner. If we are to invoke the name of God, let us do so with reverence and admiration. When you call His name, He’s listening. SP303

“You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God.” Exodus 20:4-5

“Chaplain, with your little prayer and my lucky rubber band on my wrist. I know I’m going to shoot well during gunnery.” Hmmm, is that so? Today, idols may come in the form of trinkets like a rabbit’s foot, medallions, statues, horseshoes, or even the cross I wear around my neck. These objects, in themselves, have no power. But when we believe they supposedly bring good fortune or have some intrinsic spiritual value, we’ve got a problem. We establish these items as idols that inherit the same value as some mystical favor-giving god. They become idols if we ascribe any power to them. In reality, there is no power in such things. And why would we place our trust in some blind, deaf, dumb, and impotent object when we can simply pray to the Creator of the Universe? True and righteous power comes from God and God alone. There’s no such thing as luck. SP302

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“You shall have no other gods before me. Exodus 20:3

I love the Army but it’s not my god. I believe in the Army values but my supreme loyalties and duties belong to Christ. Over the years I have watched men and women sacrifice their spouse, the kids, the cat, the dog, and maybe even the kitchen sink in homage to their “career god.” But it’s not just career. False gods come in all shapes and sizes. Relationships, recreation, fame, and fortune can all demand our highest devotions. Worship is reserved for the One and only true God, the Lord Jesus Christ. He and He alone deserves our greatest affection and allegiance. And consider this: we worship more by our actions than our words. If someone placed 24-hour surveillance on your life, whom would they say you worship? May it be the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Jesus Christ. (John 14:6) The closer I look at the commandments, the more I realize I need the mercy of a forgiving God. SP301