There are some trails a man can ride that can be ridden by no other.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (The Californios)

    “Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].”
              –Ephesians 6:13 (AMPC)
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I just finished a chapter in my new book (The Shepherd) where the main character, Tom Franks, has just come through a deadly fight.  Bullets were fired, people were killed and Franks was wounded.  As he sat there in his pain, being tired and weary after what had taken place, he was alone with his thoughts.
    In our human battles; the physical, emotional, and spiritual, there is often a tremendous letdown after the victory has been won.  This letdown, after a fight, is often more dangerous to the soul, as there can be a lack of alertness.  We have stood in the evil day–now what?
    We know how to train and prepare.  We understand and fulfill our duty.  The enemy did not breach the wall and was turned back.  Now we are alone with our own mind.  “Lord,” we cry out, “arm me for the silence!”
    Think of Jesus in the agony of Gethsemane.  The weight was beyond His ability to withstand.  He pleaded for it to be removed–His Father didn’t hear Him.  He pleaded for His disciple to watch and pray with Him–they slept.  He was alone–in the silence.
    In the battle we grip and wield the sword with fury.  We slash at the enemy with all our being, now in the silence we need the breastplate–His righteousness.  It is not our righteousness, but the righteousness of Christ that we know that we have done the right.  We have served Him well and endured.  Then we can truly say, “I have done all, and I still stand.
    In closing this morning, I want to leave you with a prayer from George Matheson.  I ask that you ponder and contemplate it.

          “Save me, O Lord!  save me from my own companionship!  Protect me from the solitude of my heart; arm me against myself!  I have been strong in the hour of outward battle because I heard the voices of human sympathy; let me hear the voice of a greater sympathy for the watch of the night!  I was able to withstand in the day because there was work to be done; help me in the shadows when no man can work!  Teach me that the heart has a duty greater than the hand!  Teach me that I am not a perfect soldier when I can only fight!  Teach me that the courage which can endure is nobler than the courage with can strike!”

But I wasn’t looking for trouble only a fool takes chances.  Fools or children who don’t know any better.”
              –Louis L’Amour  (Last Stand At Papago Wells)

    “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I put aside childish things.”
              –1 Corinthians 13:11 (HCSB)
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November already!  How did that happen?  The world turns, we get caught up in our busyness and soon another year has passed.  We look back and what do we see?  Accomplishment or ruin, or maybe just the same old, same old.
    As we start to move out of this year of 2018, I would ask the question, “Are you a sincere person”?  I didn’t ask if you were consistent, but if you were sincere.  Sincerity must come before consistency.  As one grows in their consistency it will be added to their sincerity.  
    Some people are extremely zealous, but without any doctrinal backbone.  Some people think that the rah-rah is the way to show Christianity.  George Matheson wrote, “Do not pretend that thou hast to-day what waits to-morrow!  Do not seek to shine with more light than is in thee!  Thy light may only be a dawn, but God’s dawn is better than man’s gilding; be true to thyself, O my soul!”  Your witness is not built on your emotional state, but upon the sincere and secure Word of God.
    I might add another thought to this.  People may think they are sincere when they make a promise or vow, but they have not sat down to count the cost.  There was a man in our church when I was growing up that whenever a pledge was taken for a project or when money was needed for the church, he always made the largest pledge.  I found out that he rarely made good on his pledge.  His heart was not sincere to begin with.  Was it for show?  Was it to build himself up?  To be sincere means whole-heartedness.  Man pledges to be sincere when he comes to Christ; he pledges his whole-hearted being.  To do that one must guard against emotion and listen to the voice of God, then do what he can with what he has unless the Spirit tells him to do otherwise.
    We are often our own worst enemy.  What was it that the Pogo said in the cartoon strip, “We have met the enemy and the enemy is us”?  Often a person doesn’t grow up, or doesn’t want to grow up and still play childish games.  It seems that life to many is that–just a game.  They may talk a good talk, but when it comes to sincerity they rarely show it.  In fact, sincerity is not for show; it is something that is done because a person realizes their responsibility and has put childish things aside.