Happy, Happy New Year!!! 2014 is going to be a Great Year! I have learned much on the Front 9 and one of the things I carry into the Back 9 is that life usually gives you what you are looking for. It is in your Attitude!!! How you look at things. My attitude is “Bring it on!” and “No regrets!”
Of course, I don’t know what the future holds, but I rest every day in knowing Who holds my future—-Jesus!! Now that is pure Gold. Knowing every day in 2014 I can choose to Let God, who has the helicopter view, direct my days!! Awesome! Amazing! And Challenging as well. Following Christ is an adventure…….it is fun, down right exhilarating at times. It is hard and painful sometimes, but overall……there is nowhere I would rather be!!!
After reading and totally being inspired by Marcus Luttrell, the Navy Seal who wrote “Lone Survivor,” I am motivated to be a God SEAL!!
S- Sold out for Christ—- All IN—– God’s Front Line
E- Empowered to do His will, not mine
A- Accelerate the Gospel
L- Leverage (improve or enhance) my time and resources for God
What it takes to achieve the title of “Navy Seal” has downright gotten all my RESPECT, ADMIRATION, AND AWE!! Seriously, I am so taken back by the sacrifice. It overwhelms me to think of the willingness, “the choice” that Navy Seals have made and given their lives to, in protecting ME!! It has caused me to reflect for hours in a day on what Jesus did for me! The ULTIMATE SACRIFICE! I didn’t live during the days when the Bible was being written so the “greatest analogy” I can draw today is that the Disciples were modern day “Navy Seals!” They sacrificed everything for Jesus. I am so challenged to be a “Seal for Christ!” I think it starts with the scripture found in Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34 and again in Luke 9:23, “If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
Just as:
A Navy Seal denies self. They seek the purpose of loving and defending America. A God Seal would deny self and seek the purpose to love, share and defend their faith.
A Navy Seal only carries what he needs for his mission. A God Seal is called to “run their race”. No one wants to run a race with extra weight. We must get rid of all things that “hinder” or “slow us down!” (it will be different things for different people) IN order to run our race to “win,” we have to be wise and get rid of the “fluff,” or biblically stated, “our fleshly desires”. 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”
A Navy Seal puts his life into the hands of his commanding officer. There is a trust and a relationship that is built to the point that the Seal will obey, without question, the orders of his commanding officer. As a God Seal, God being the commanding officer, we as “Seals” must obey without question. And to be more specific, obey immediately and completely, not relying on our own understanding but Trusting!
A Navy Seal realizes fully that his job description calls for risks and rewards, dangers, sacrifice, trust, hard work, and a commitment to protect and defend OUR FREEDOM. As a God Seal, it is the exact same thing. It requires risks and rewards, sacrifice, trust, hard work and a commitment to our Lord. The Christian walk is a choice. God did not put it on us as a Must. He left it up to us. To choose Christ ultimately Gives an even better Freedom than a Navy Seal can offer or fight for. Galatians 5:13, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
My challenge for all who read the Back 9 is to be a “God Seal!” New Year’s resolutions come and go. Statistics reveal that under 10% of people who make them keep them, A relationship with Christ can enable you to have the power of the Holy Spirit in my/your life so that you can, not only commit and accomplish things in your life, but have the Power of your Creator enabling you!
STRONG LIVES ARE DOMINATED BY DYNAMIC PURPOSES! HAPPY NEW YEAR!! LET’S ROLL…………………