Christian Report February 2023
To Win .... To Disciple ... To Equip ... To Win
Understanding the Mission
In the first part of this series, Behind Enemy Lines: Situational Awareness, we presented the premise that we, as Christians, are living ‘behind enemy lines.’ We are no longer citizens of this world, but we are members of God’s household, new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). We discussed the clear teaching of Scripture that the world in which we live is hostile territory. We then concluded with the question, “Why are we still here?” Where do we go to find the answer?
Well, we can walk into just about any Christian bookstore, listen to any number of teachers, preachers, televangelists, television or radio ministries and get all sorts of answers! We can come away easily with the impression that the Christian life is mostly about things on an individual/personal level, such as relationships, abundant/victorious living, success in this world, and receiving all of God’s blessings. While these might be benefits of being part of the household of God and citizens of His Kingdom, are they to be the primary focus of the Christian life? If they aren’t, what is?
I submit to you that God didn’t send His own Son to die so we could have an abundant life here on earth. Rather, He came because we are lawbreakers, born on death row, in order to save us from the certain judgment that MUST come if God is true to His word—“The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).
When we become believers and citizens of the Kingdom of God, we must still live here (behind enemy lines) in a world corrupted by sin, among people trapped in their sin. We remain here by God’s design, for His purpose, as part of His strategic plan to save others from the certain judgment that is to come.
Chapter 17 of the Gospel of John records our Lord’s prayer to His Father shortly before he went to the cross to fulfill God’ plan for our salvation. Concerning his disciples and, by extension, all believers to come, Jesus prayed:
“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” (vv 16-21a)
Jesus asked for our protection, NOT our removal, because as He had been sent into the world for the salvation of the lost, He was now sending His followers into the world as part of a divine plan!
Furthermore, this ‘sending’ into the world was no secret to the disciples! Earlier, the Lord himself told them:
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.” (John 15:16)
It was no secret to the disciples what they would face from the world during their ‘fruit bearing’ mission. Read the entire chapter of John 15 for the rest of the story. They knew they would be operating in hostile territory, but they went anyway!
The remaining piece to the puzzle is to define the ‘fruit.’ We know from the above verse that it is to be ‘fruit that will last’—eternal fruit. So, what is this eternal fruit? There is a two-part answer: The first thing that should come to mind is that we are to show others the only way to escape coming judgment—the path to eternal life. The second part of the answer is not quite so obvious. We are to help other believers grow in their faith walk so that they, in turn, will show still others the path to eternal life and help them grow! If you aren’t convinced, listen to Jesus’ command to His disciples.
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).
The ‘Great Commission’ Christ gave to the disciples then and to us now is NOT about all the benefits of belonging to Christendom mentioned at the beginning of this article, but ALL about growing the Kingdom of God on earth! ALL about the Kingdom.
What drives this old soldier to his knees is the fact that God could save anyone He chooses, anytime He chooses, in any circumstance He chooses—and yet He has chosen mortal human beings, with all their ‘sin’ baggage to be His ambassadors! Even though He knew we would mess up repeatedly and often be poor examples of Christ, God chose us—you and me! That, my friends is God’s master vision—His strategic plan!
You might ask, “Isn’t this ambassador thing – preaching the Gospel and helping others grow in Christ – the job of people with a special calling to full-time ministry and who have gone to Bible college or seminary?
What sort of training do you need for the task at hand? Let’s look at a couple of guys who did some street preaching a couple thousand years ago.
When they (Jewish religious leaders and the Roman ‘feds’) saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)
Our Lord chose unschooled, ordinary men, not religious leaders, for the enormous task of spreading the Good News to the rest of their world. Job qualification—just one— they had been with Jesus. He chooses us for the same task in our world—in our homes and workplaces, in our barracks and squad rooms, on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq or wherever we might be.
You and I have been ‘sent where we are,’ right now in our lives, on a mission from God! If we ‘have been with Jesus’, we have a responsibility. Have you accepted the challenge?
SGM Daniel Cartwright, USA (Ret.) is a 28-year veteran of the U.S. Army Special Forces and long-time member of Christian Military Fellowship. Dan is a Local Rep at Ft. Carson. He also serves on the CMF Board of Directors.
Children, Obey Your Parents!
When a hobo told Sheriff Andy Taylor that he should just let Opie “decide for himself” how he wanted to live… Andy had these words of Mayberry wisdom:
“No, I'm afraid it don’t work that way. You can’t let a young’un decide for himself. He’ll grab at the first flashy thing with shiny ribbons on it. Then, when he finds out there’s a hook in it, it’s too late. Wrong ideas come packaged with so much glitter that it’s hard to convince them that other things might be better in the long run. All a parent can do is say ‘Wait’ and ‘Trust me’ and try to keep temptation away.”
Somehow across this great land... we have lost this basic truth. What is this truth?
Paul explains in Ephesians 6: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (vv 1-4)
These words are even more important now as Paul warned Timothy of the world we are experiencing today. He said in 2 Timothy 3:1-7:
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
Indeed, these perilous times are here! Parents guard your hearts and homes from the evil that is all around us. Do your best to protect your children from the terrible influences which are all about us and make sure you are connected to the Church. Surround yourselves with people who are walking with the Lord and follow the instructions which Jesus said were the greatest commandment:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Dt 6:4-9)
We must focus on our families and diligently teach our children to understand what is right and wrong if we are to withstand the attack that has already begun for the minds and hearts of young people. Indeed we must “train up children in the way they should go.” Paul concludes this portion of his writing to the Church at Ephesus with these words:
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.” (Eph 6:10-18)
As we continue to give thanks across this great land, let us encourage one another with these words and trust in the Lord with all of our might.
Dr. Doug Sullivan is the Chairman of the Board for CMF. He is a prior-enlisted, prior-line officer who then became a USAF chaplain and retired in 2006. Lt. Col Sullivan continues to serve as the Command Staff Chaplain for the Texas Civil Defense.
Do Not Give Up
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:9–10 (ESV)
May we never grow tired of living out the love of Jesus. Where we have opportunity to do good for another, we have the chance to show the practical and powerful mercy of God in action. May we not lose sight of what love is and what it stands for. It is not self-seeking, it is not hasty, and it does not require any return.
There is a place for boundaries in our lives. There is also a space for opening our doors instead of shutting out the world and its needs. Starting with the family of God, let us lay down our self-protective comfort and extend kindness through the choices we make. The love of Jesus is not lilted, nor is it exclusive. May we find ourselves like him in the ways that we move toward others in practical acts of compassion.
Prayer: Jesus, I know that you never grow weary. Your mercy does not come close to drying up. I lean into our love today as my life source and strength. Give me eyes to see and willing hands, to move in practical compassion toward others.
Chief Derrick Norris serves on the board of CMF. He is also the Senior Pastor of Andice Baptist Church. He retired as a Chief Petty Officer in 2002. He loves to serve God, his country, and people. He wants to be a living example of a loving God to a world that is watching.
The Devil Owns the Fence
There was a large group of people gathered. On one side of the group stood a man, Jesus. On the other side stood another, Satan. Separating them was a fence running through the group. The scene set, both Jesus and Satan began calling to people in the group. One by one, each having made up his or her own mind, went to either Jesus or Satan. This kept going for a time. Soon enough, Jesus had gathered around him a group of people from the larger crowd, as did Satan. One man joined neither group. He climbed the fence that was there and sat on it. Jesus and his people left and disappeared, and so too did Satan and his people. The man on the fence sat alone. As this man sat, Satan came back, looking for something which he appeared to have lost. The man said, “Have you lost something?” Satan looked straight at him and replied, “No, there you are. Come with me.” The man said, “But I sat on the fence. I chose neither you nor him.” Satan said, “That's what you think; I own the fence.”
Jesus said: “Whoever is not with me is against me.” Mt 12:30
Are You Interested in Becoming a Local Leader?
Christian Military Fellowship exists to help you fulfill your calling in Christ to share the hope that is in you with those with whom you interact as part of your daily life.
Briefly, CMF Local Leaders will start, and sustain a CMF fellowship made up of members of the military community in their area. While CMF is an “all ranks” ministry, our area of focus is on enlisted personnel. Local leaders institute and lead the military community in Bible study, prayer, and fellowship, keeping in communication with participants. They should also seek to build relationships with the chaplains and the chaplain team.
Toward that end we encourage you to study and complete the CMF briefing material:
Toward that end we encourage you to complete the briefing material we send to our new members:
Orientation (Brief #1) that shares an overview of the CMF ministry.
Developing a Local Ministry (Brief #2) that shares the Biblical foundation for you local ministry and delineates the logical steps in beginning your local ministry.
Pray and Plan (Brief #3) that shares the most important activity of all! Asking Jesus what He would have you to do and then being obedient to follow His leading in your local ministry. This will begin your journey of obedience to the Great Commission (Matthew 18:28-30).
If you choose to begin this process, you may send your completed and signed exams to us by US Mail or via email at:
Leader@CMFHQ.ORG
They are also available on the Get Involved → Volunteers Needed page on the CMF Web Site.
We’re praying for you!
We are pleased to announce that MinistryWatch has listed CMF as one of their “Shining Light” Ministries. To become a MinistryWatch “Shining Light,” a ministry must have earned a 5-star rating on MinistryWatch’s 5-star financial efficiency scale. Further, those ministries on this list have a Transparency Grade of “A.” That’s MinistryWatch’s highest transparency grade. Out of 700 ministries, only 13 meet these strict criteria.
Mailing Address:
PO Box 449
Veradale, WA 99037-0449
(800)798-7875
(303)761-1959
https://www.CMFHQ.ORG
God Bless you Sir and your Ministry for Our King Jesus. May Jesus' Holy Spirit Anoint and Appoint your every step and multiply and Bless your entire sphere of influence in Jesus' Mighty Name above all names!