Arrows in the hands of warriors.

The Patriot Update reports today that:

Twenty years ago, the world had about 1.1 billion Muslims. Twenty years from now, it will have about twice as many – and they’ll represent more than a quarter of all people on earth, according to a new study released Thursday. That’s a rise from less than 20 percent in 1990.

Pakistan will overtake Indonesia as home of the largest number of Muslims, as its population pushes over 256 million, the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life projects.

The number of Muslims in the United States will more than double, to 6.2 million, it anticipates.

Afghanistan’s population will nearly double, to about 50.5 million, making it home to the ninth largest Muslim population in the world.

Meanwhile, The Center for Bioethical Reform reports:

Women identifying themselves as Protestants obtain 37.4% of all abortions in the U.S.; Catholic women account for 31.3%, Jewish women account for 1.3%, and women with no religious affiliation obtain 23.7% of all abortions. 18% of all abortions are performed on women who identify themselves as "Born-again/Evangelical".

Birthrates in Europe have fallen below the replacement rate, and America is soon to follow. God has told us:

³ Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one’s youth.
⁵ Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them;
They shall not be ashamed,
But shall speak with their enemies in the gate.(Psalm 127:3-5)

And yet Born-again/Evangelical women, soldiers in Christ's army, represent 18% of the women who are killing their own children. How has Satan managed to deceive so many of us? When will we turn back to God? When will we confess our iniquity and repent of it? When will we start living for Him and take up our arms and march as to war? Or will we continue to kill our offspring, while the followers of a successful, violent, false religion take over the world by force and reproduction?

If children are like arrows in the hand of a warrior, shouldn't Christian soldiers have a quiver full of them and hone their points and preen their feathers and make sure their shafts are true? Think about it, soldier?

Satan's lies are beginning to catch up to him.

More information comes in almost daily, it seems, confirming that America is sliding down the slippery slope, which was first provided by Roe v. Wade, at an alarming rate. Chuck Colson's Breakpoint, this morning, reports:

The statistic has everyone reeling: According to a recent survey, forty-one percent of pregnancies in New York City end in abortion. Forty-one percent. Nearly half.

Now that is a shocking and sickening statistic, but the interesting thing about Colson's post is that it goes on to say:

But pro-choicers weren't too excited about this news either. The New York Times-hardly a pro-life bastion-reported, "No one is exactly celebrating. . . . Even abortion rights advocates expressed some concern about the numbers, trying to change the conversation to a broader one on reproductive health."

Colson makes the point that, when the pro-choice camp becomes alarmed at the statistics that their war on life have produced, it is a sure sign that they know instinctively that killing babies is wrong. In spite of the ongoing efforts of the pro-choice movement to tell us that a "woman's right to choose" is more important than the human being, imago Dei, that they are so interested in getting rid of, God has written on every human heart the message that human life is, in fact, sacred.

Satan and his minions, have had a heyday telling American women (and the weasely men who use them for their own pleasure, and are only too happy to pay for an abortion, instead of child support) to believe that the human being growing in that womb, is not really a human being at all. It is "fetal and uterine debris." Well, soldier, we know that Satan's primary tactic in this spiritual war is deceit. Oh, how willingly we swallow that deceit, when we want to indulge in a forbidden pleasure.

A woman has a right to choose, without doubt. But some choices are irrevocable. Once a woman has chosen to have sexual intercourse with a man, she had better be ready to accept the fact that the outcome could be a new human being (Psalm 139:13), a sacred being made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26). That's why God has instructed her to remain chaste until she is married to the man and they are ready and willing to take responsibility for nurturing that new little imago Dei. Otherwise, she may find herself contributing to the statistics that are now beginning to alarm even the pro-choicers. And she already knows, in her heart, that that is wrong.

(There are instances of rape and incest, in which the woman has not made a choice to have intercourse, and which may result in pregnancy. These cases present a moral dilemma, of course: should the woman be required to carry to term and rear a child who is not born out of love and responsibility, or should she be allowed to abort the pregnancy? The fact is that such cases account for only 1% of abortions in this country, whereas 93% of abortions are performed because the baby is "inconvenient." Another 6% are performed because of "health problems" of the mother or the baby (Source). According to AbortionTV.com these health problems leading to abortion break down as follows:

Risk to maternal health: 2.8%

Risk to fetal health: 3.3%)

Standing for the sanctity of life

January is national Sanctity of Life month. Many churches and Christian organizations are doing all they can to raise the nation's conscience and awareness regarding the slaughter of countless defenseless human beings, made in God's image, by supporters of abortion and euthanasia. Periodically, an individual stands out in this quest. The Catholic New Agency reports that one such individual has recently distinguished himself.

Mexican actor, Eduardo Verastegui, late of "Bella," has vowed to create the largest "pro-life" women's health center in--ready?--the U. S. While our national religion, secular humanism, continues to support the culture of death in the U. S. sacrificing over a million children a year to the god of "choice," this brave, Christian actor is putting his money and his name where his mouth is.

Speaking at the first-ever gala held by Mantle of Guadalupe, which he founded, and Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Verastegui

...reiterated his commitment to defend life and announced that the organization’s new goal is the construction of “the largest women’s clinic in the United States.”

“I will not use my talents except to elevate my Christian, pro-life and Hispanic values,” Verastegui promised the guests. (Source)

Although he works in a business that is characterized by narcissism, shameless self-promotion and blind allegiance to the secular humanist culture of death, this young actor has chosen to stand up for Jesus, for life and for the millions of women, mostly minorities, who are victimized annually by the lies of Satan and his minions, who refer to unborn humans as "fetal and uterine debris." I consider him a hero and a true Christian soldier.

You may read the full story here.

The fruit of the Spirit is...kindness...

We now consider the next component of the fruit of the Spirit: kindness, the state or quality of being kind. Random House Dictionary (c) 2011 defines "kind" as "having, showing, or proceeding from benevolence." Hence, kindness is the state or quality of having, showing or proceeding from benevolence, that is, a "desire to do good to others; goodwill; charitableness." (From the same source.)

The Greek word from which "kindness" is translated in Galatians 5:22 is Chrestotes, which has the definition, "moral goodness, integrity; benignity, kindness." It is clear, that the word "kindness" is not one that has a controversial meaning. It amounts to having a benevolent or charitable nature. Now that is a pretty nice piece of fruit.

In looking into the uses of this word in Scripture, we find some interesting things. In the New King James translation, the word kindness appears 46 times. In 14 of those instances, we learn that kindness begets kindness. For example, after Saul, who hunted David relentlessly in order to kill him, was himself killed, David wanted to show kindness to his survivors, because Jonathan, Saul's son, had been kind to David. (2 Samuel 9)

I believe kindness is one of God's most powerful attributes, and as such, it is no surprise that the Holy Spirit would endow those whom He indwells with kindness. What is more compelling than kindness? One function of the Holy Spirit is to draw people to Jesus; another is to glorify Jesus. (John 16:14) That means to honor Him with praise, admiration, or worship. To whom are we more likely to be drawn, and whom are we more likely to honor with praise, admiration, or worship than someone who has shown us kindness?

In fact, no one in history has been a purveyor of kindness like Jesus, "in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8) Jesus told His disciples, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." (John 15:13) May we agree that such an act can only come out of a spirit of "goodwill; charitableness?"

I glean from this discussion that acts of kindness are acts of love. Recall that the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I have argued in a previous post that LOVE had to be the first component of the fruit of the Spirit, and here is corroboration for that position.

So, how shall this part of the fruit manifest itself? It is easy enough for us to be kind to others who have been kind to us; or to those for whom we feel love. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the disciples,

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?^" Do not even the tax collectors do so? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48, emphasis added.)

Am I wrong in believing that "love," "bless," "do good" and "pray for those" are words that suggest goodwill; charitableness? I think not. Jesus expects us to show kindness to our "enemies," "those who curse us," "those who hate us," and "those who spitefully use us." I don't know about you, Gunny, but I see that as a tall order. I don't think I can do that in my flesh. Perhaps, that is why the Holy Spirit endows us with His own kindness.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the Roman church,

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore

“ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21)

Can you see the power of kindness? When I was practicing dentistry, I learned (and this may come as a surprise to you) that dental patients can become adversarial at times. The best defuser of such situations, I eventually learned, was kindness. The meaner, the nastier, the more abusive a patient would become, the more solicitous and humble I grew, even when the patient was being entirely unreasonable. "Kill 'em with kindness" was the phrase I encouraged my staff to remember. The end result was invariably that the patient calmed down, and we were able to get to the root of his problem (you should pardon the pun.) Heaping those coals of fire on his head (perhaps not intuitively) cooled him off.

So, Corporal, let us walk in the Spirit, that we might bear the fruit of the Spirit, including kindness which overcomes evil with good.

Courtesy in warfare

Chuck Colson wrote, in his Breakpoint feature today, about "Embracing Courtesy." "What," you may ask, "does courtesy have to do with spiritual warfare? This is war!"

Remember, Soldier, when I wrote about the fact that the battlefield of this spiritual warfare is the human mind? Colson makes the point in his article that "today's political correctness has become a sort of secular alternative to the old Christian virtue of courtesy." But there is a difference between courtesy and political correctness, for, as Colson writes, "The virtue of courtesy is rooted in the idea of the imago Dei, the concept that each of us was created in the image of a loving God."

Political correctness, on the other hand is rooted in Marxism, which seeks to foment class warfare. It is Marxist theory applied to social engineering instead of economics. In essence, political correctness says (my apologies to Orwell), "All men are created equal, but some men are more equal than others." That is, "If you don't believe as I do, you don't deserve the freedom to express what you do believe."

When we view the world with a Christian world view, we see others as Paul did when he wrote to the church in Philippi,

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:3-8)

Courtesy is not taking sides. That is the nature of political correctness. Courtesy is recognizing each human being as imago Dei and esteeming him for the intrinsic value that status imparts. Political discourse in this country has devolved from the level described in the immortal words, often attributed to Voltaire, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

Civility in the political arena has all but disappeared, largely because, in a post-Christian world, people see those who have different opinions as creatures inferior to themselves and deserving extermination, not courtesy. But you, Soldier, living in the Spirit, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above [yourself], not looking to your own interests but...to the interests of the others."

The Bible exhorts us saints to "be holy," be "set apart for God." We are set apart when we view the world from Christ's perspective, seeing each human being as imago Dei. Courtesy is one way we reflect that holiness. When we are walking in the Spirit, our whole lives will reflect God's holiness. In the words of St. Francis of Assisi, "Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words."

Courage and Compassion

T. M. Moore, resident theologian at the Chuck Colson Center for Christian worldview, has written an article that we, as Christian soldiers would do well to read. It is titled, "The Courage to Oppose."

In the article, Moore explains something that true believers have known since Jesus taught his disciples:

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ He who hates Me hates My Father also. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. ²⁵ But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ (John 15:18-25).

The fact is that the world hates to be convicted of its sin. It hated it when Jesus did it, and it hates it when we shine our light on the darkness of this world.

Nevertheless, as soldiers in the Lord's army, we are called to

go...and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. (Matthew 28:19-20)

I think, perhaps, the most important passage in Moore's article is this one:

But let’s make sure to observe how Paul did this – not in brash, loud, spectacular, or violent manner, but patiently, reasonably, dialoging and discussing the claims of the Kingdom against the false views of unbelief, inviting those with whom he spoke to consider the consistency and congruency of the Christian worldview against the backdrop of the inadequacy of their own. Paul argued gently and reverently with those he sought to persuade, and, if his conversation sounded like judgment, it was at least seasoned with grace and therefore more likely than not to be heard and pondered (2 Tim. 2:24-26; Col. 4:6).

How does the world view the modern church? Are we seen as the purveyors of a message of love and hope, or are we seen as narrow-minded, bigoted, uncaring fanatics who are not for anything but against everything? Where does such a viewpoint come from? Could it be, Sergeant, that we forgot in our fervor to spread the Word that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost and not to belittle them with self-righteous judgment? Remember, when you are sharing John 3:16:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life,

to be constrained by John 3:17:

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

As Paul wrote to his protege, Timothy:

But you, O man of God...pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:11-12, emphasis added)

We have the Truth on our side. We are fighting this war against the powers of darkness not for victory, but from victory.

Satan was defeated by our Commander-in-Chief on a hill called Golgotha, overlooking a garbage dump. He left us behind to mop up after the victory, to minister to those who have been wounded in the battle for their souls. Let us therefore, conduct ourselves with the courage of the Marine Corps and the compassion of the Medical Corps.