You have probably heard this before, but I think it is fitting to hear it again today as we recognize Veterans Day in the United States.

“There are only two defining forces that have offered to die for you; Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.”

Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater Love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”

Soldiers don’t join the service with the expectation of being killed, but all know the possibility exists.

Two key articles in the US Military Code of Conduct express why we give our respect to veteran’s today.
I. I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
VI. I will never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America.

To those who have served. Thank you!

Dear Lord, You have done something special in America, and our veterans chose to put their earthly lives at risk to maintain it. Thank you for them, and help us all have the courage to defend our Christian way in America. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

It is interesting to look at the lives of people and see how the many seemingly unrelated events and circumstances come together to create the lives they have at any point in time. I read a newspaper that has a biography of a notable person each day, and everyone seems to demonstrate that a variety of events work together to bring them to the place that makes them “famous.”

We can see this in biblical personalities as well. Would Moses ever have thought that he would become the leader and liberator of the Jewish nation, or Joseph becoming so powerful in Egypt after being sold as a slave by his brothers, or Paul at one point persecuting the early Christians, then later becoming the leading spokesman for Christianity?

We can see some of these things in our lives to today; how we came to know our best friends, how we met our spouse, or how we ended up living where we do or in our occupation. We cannot predict what God has in store for us, even tomorrow.

Proverbs 16:9 writes, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” and in 1 Corinthians 2:9 Paul writes, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

We don’t know why things are going the way they are for us at any one time, but we can know that God loves us and has plans for each of us.

Dear Lord, Thank you for the peace of knowing that you have control of all that happens to each one of us. If we only surrender ourselves to your will, our lives will be the beautiful picture that you are painting. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

One risk we face as we become more diligent in our Christian walk is evaluating other people’s behavior and judging their Christian credentials. it is a bit of a paradox that we are first saved through our faith, then we do good works because of our faith, but then we can start thinking doing good is the requirement. It is easy to look at someone else and think “well they don’t go to church every Sunday,” or “they don’t volunteer at the soup kitchen, and think that they aren’t “doing” enough.

Paul writes about this in Galatians 3:11, “So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

Doing good works does not save us or get us closer to salvation. God saved us through the gift of Jesus; We cannot save oursleves.

Dear Lord Thank you for saving us as a gift. Help us remember you provided this gift for all who accept it, there may be people who have accepted the gift, but are still working out the changes they need to live out their faith. Help us look at them with love and demonstrate our faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Some people say that reading books written by successful people is like having that person as a mentor. Although you cannot have a conversation with them, you can learn a great deal by reading the ideas that they took the time to assemble. Based on this, reading Proverbs is like having Solomon, who was granted great wisdom by God, as a mentor.

I particularly like the clarity and applicability of Chapter 27 to our modern lives. Verse 21 is something to consider, “Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but a person is tested by being praised.”

Hopefully we all will have the opportunity to be congratulated and applauded for doing something excellent. When it happens, it is our opportunity to pass the test and humbly say “thank you”, and also share the credit with others who helped. This test is like other tests we are given in life, but feels much better than dealing with a tragedy or failure. It may not be as easy as it may appear. Being praised regularly easily can become a burden for some people to maintain their humility. Remember this is another blessing from God that can be used to bring him glory and not just inflate our egos.

Dear Lord, thank you for the wisdom of Solomon, recorded for our benefit in the book of Proverbs. Help us use it to improve our lives to be of better service to you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Psalm 73 tells a story to which many of us could relate. It deals with envy and how the author, Asaph, started down the path to envy, but corrected himself.

Verse 3, “For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness. They seem to live such painless lives, their bodies are so healthy and strong.” Isn’t it difficult sometimes to see these people who are obviously not living godly lives, and everything seems to be just fine and dandy for them. At the same time we are doing our best to follow God’s will, but scratching and scrimping to get by. His questions, just like ours, verse 11, “Does God realize what is going on?” and 13, “Have I been wasting my time? Why take the trouble to be pure?”

Then he stops and realizes how wrong this line of thought is. verse 21, “Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was torn up inside…but even so, you love me! you are holding my right hand! You will keep on guiding me all my life with your wisdom and counsel…..Whom have I in heaven but you? And I desire no one on earth as much as you!”

How silly it is for us to worry about the prosperity of others. God gives us all that we need if we trust him. Finally in verse 26 he says, “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”

Earthly prosperity will never satisfy the longing God built into us that can only be satisfied by our relationship with him. Our true joy comes from being connected to God and keeping our life anchored in him and his teaching.

Dear Lord, Thank you for being there for us when we need to be reminded of what is important. Help us keep our focus on you and you will give us the things we need in our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.