When a man starts out to do violence there’s only one way. You got to defend yourselves.”
              –Louis L’Amour

    “It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
              –Hebrews 10:31 (NLT)
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    “The assassination of character can be more deadly than that of a bullet.”
              –D.C. Adkisson

Ponder that for a while.  A bullet may take limb and life.  The pain and suffering of this world is over.  However, character assassination is sinister. A person has to live the rest of his days with that.  His legacy is destroyed.  Folks, I will also say that there is a judgment day coming.
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    I worked twenty-two years at a school whose mascot was a “Warrior.”  In those years I taught and spoke several times about the concept of a warrior.  Very few people understand that concept.
    First, a warrior is someone who lives their training.  All soldiers are given rudimentary training, but many of them become clerks, work in supply or transportation, some of in the medical view, and so on.  In reality there are only a few who become warriors.  Every hour of every day they are living their training.
    The second thing that depicts a warrior is that they are constantly confronted with death.  The first part of that is death to self.  Selfish desires are put aside for the higher cause.  Paul, that warrior apostle, wrote that he died daily.  He further wrote,

              “With eyes wide open to the mercies of God, I beg you, my brothers, as an act of intelligent worship, to give him your bodies, as a living sacrifice, consecrated to him and acceptable by him. Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.”
                        –Romans 2:1-2 (Phillips)

    To the warrior, life and death are ultimate issues.  Karl Marlantes said that “Warriors deal with eternity.”  In battle they will decide the death of their enemies.  And, their enemy may decide their death.  Death his something all around a warrior.  
    In this day it is hard to find someone who can fit that bill.  Living is about Christ.  Dying is about Christ.  All things are to be done in light of who Christ is.  Duty completely replaces self and selfish desires.  General Douglas MacArthur stated the following:

              “The soldier, above all other men, is required to practice the greatest act of religious training–sacrifice.  In battle and in the face of danger and death, he discloses those divine attributes which his Maker gave when He created man in His won image.  No physical courage and no brute instinct can take the place of the Divine help which alone can sustain him.”
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    There was a movie made several years ago whose title is somewhat prophetic–“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World.”  The world in full of hate and is moving further and further toward the chaos that Nietzsche predicted.  We are seeing possibly the first-fruits of a world gone mad.
    When a senator and his wife is forced from a restaurant because of their standard and then another senator is applauded for the vileness that comes out of her mouth, folks, there are sinister forces at work.  Man will choose either light or darkness; good or evil.

He told me always to remember that a man’s word was a piece of the man himself and never to betray it.”
              –Ernest Haycox  (Free Grass)

    “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.”
              –2 Peter 3:9 (NLT)
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                  “Lord, I am sick of soul.
                   I know you see my tears.
                   Oh, save me for your mercies’ sake
                   And drive away my fears.”
                         –Old Scottish Psalter

Have you ever been “sick of soul”?  It’s a dreadful feeling.  Whatever the cause it brings anguish that is hard to shake.  The devil loves to see us in that situation; he then takes advantage of it and keeps whispering to us that we are failures, that we are not worth anything, that we are doomed so why try.
    Psalm 6 is a psalm to hang on to when we feel in this situation.  When we are ill, either in body, mind, or spirit our focus tends to focus on ourselves and our troubles.  We wonder how much we can bear (i.e., Job).  It is in times like these that we have to hang on to the Word of God.

                “LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger; do not discipline me in Your wrath. (1)
                 Be gracious to me, LORD, for I am weak; heal me, LORD, for my bones are shaking; (2)
                 my whole being is shaken with terror.  And You, LORD–how long? (3)
                 Turn, LORD!  Rescue me; save me because of Your faithful love. (4)
                 For there is no rememberance of You in death; who can thank You in Sheol?” (5)

A person can have so much mental anguish that there is agony felt in their bones–their soul.  The pain is like a physical pain, but more deep and aching.  He cries in his pillow, there seems to be no hope.  In the dark days of World War II one of General Eisenhower’s aides remarked to him that he always seemed to have hope and he always gave his great smile to those around them sharing that hope with them.  He replied that a leader must show courage to his men–“The leader saves his tears for his pillow.”

                “I am weary from my groaning; with my tears I dampen my pillow and drench my bed every night. (6)
                 My eyes are swollen from grief; they grow old because of all my enemies. (7)
                 Depart from me, all evidoers, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. (8)
                 The LORD has heard my plea for help; the LORD accepts my prayer. (9)
                 All my enemies will be ashamed and shake with terror; they will turn back and suddenly be disgraced.” (10)

Don’t be afraid to groan upon your bed.  The Holy Spirits understands and interprets our groanings (Romans 8:26).  Never quit crying out to the Lord.  Robinson Risner, and others, when they were in the pit of despair when POWs during the Vietnam War would say that they would groan in their cells in prayer.  The Lord was with them, and they would have renewed strength.  Alfred Edersheim puts it this way, “However low I may sink, there is not a depth but grace goes deeper.”

Man’s got to hold true to what he knows and I know this:  a man who’ll break one promise for ease of things will break more promises.”
              –L.C. Matthews  (The Promise)

    “I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help.”
              –Psalm 56:12 (NLT)
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The ol’ bones are achy this morning.  We did some walking at the zoo yesterday, excuse me the Animal Preserve.  I’m feeling it some this morning.  Almost said forget the Echo, but then I thought of those who faithfully look forward to reading them.
    Every morning holds the prospect of something new.  Very seldom can a person say it’s the same old thing.  If they do that there is probably something wrong with their attitude.  Each morning has something new, something beautiful.  For instance, here at Shauna’s, regular as clockwork there will be two flocks of Canadian geese fly over in formation.  Now, that’s something.  Hmmm, they must have an inward computer telling them.
    I read something from Charles Dickens earlier in the year. He wrote, “Such are the narrow views of those philosophers who, content with examining the things that lie before them, look not to the truths which are hidden beyond.”  What lies before you this day?  This is the day the Lord has made, therefore, we should observe the beauty of each morning.  Ponder the words of the prophet Isaiah; it will help you get the day started right.

              “That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me.  I am the LORD, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:6, NKJV)
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I have always believed that everything we do should be unto the Lord, therefore it is worship (Colossians 3:17, 23).  I also believe that every believer should listen to the call of God for his vocation in life.  In that vocation we should be doing quality work.  Today, there is a glut of mediocrity and those in the church add to it.  How I enjoy seeing a quality piece of work, or watching someone who really enjoys their work.  
Here are a few things to ponder as you go into the weekend: “Now God commands Christians, who are the fruit-bearing branches of his church, to exercise devotion in a manner appropriate to occupation and position.  It is not the same for everyone.  Devotion is expressed in one way by a laborer and another way by a prince, a young girl, a married woman, or a widow.  The manner in which you engage in devotional activities will also depend upon your physical condition, your activities, and your responsibilities.  It would make no sense for a skilled craftsman to be in church all day, or for a monk to attend numerous committee meetings.  That would resort in a comically distorted kind of devotion.” (Francis de Sales)
    Hmmmm, see then, I must be as devoted to my retirement as I was to my classroom.  And that’s why I got up to write my note to you this morning.

I don’t have the time or the temperament for machismo games.”
              –Lou Bradshaw  (Along the Way)

    “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”
              –John 10:10 (NLT)
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Ain’t that the truth.  There are far too many so-called adults who continue to play along with life.  Many have the “Peter Pan Syndrome” and don’t want to grow up.  I once had a student ask me if I thought he was an adult.  I replied, “Do you accept responsibility without being told?”  He didn’t reply, and I had my answer.
    People tend to more and more run away from life and their responsibility.  Life is not a game, no matter how many are playing.  Sooner or later the game is over and then instead of accepting responsibility they begin to cast blame or make excuses.  Grow up!  Fight the good fight of faith and redeem the time!
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    So in the midst of life in this troublesome world, we, as believers should be calm and have peace in our souls.  One way to find out if a person is a “real” Christian is to bring face-to-face with a world situation and ask them for their explanation.  Ask them how they are affected.  We must be perfectly clear about what the Word of God says about this world and its history.  It tells us that in this world there is evil and it has been ruined by sin.  Listen!  “The trouble with men and women, with life and with history is radical–it is sin.  Lloyd-Jones states, “Sin is something that does not merely affect the surface of life; it affects the very source.”  The result is that the life of this world is under the control of sin, under the control of Satan.
    “Sin is a radical problem and the world cannot now and never will improve itself; there is no hope for it in that way.” (Lloyd-Jones).  Therefore, man should not be surprised at what is happening in the world.  There is a problem with evil and it resides in the human heart.  Look around and see the atrocities than man creates daily.  The world is as it is because of man’s disobedience and sin.  One thing that we must see clearly, “God’s plan and purpose is not to reform that world but to take and save the people out of it.” (Lloyd-Jones)  Those who follow Jesus will be taken to another kingdom.
    On this earth there is currently a kingdom of darkness and a kingdom of light, and these two kingdoms are here together in this world.  Eventually everything sinful and tarnishing will be purged out of the universe.  This world, as we know it, will be destroyed, and there will be a new heaven and new earth.  People try to fix the times and the seasons or they scoff at the idea that Christ will return.
    Take heart, friend of God.  Whenever it is time to die you will have Christ there beside you.  You will not be going to a great unknown, but to a place He has prepared for you.  Jesus will be there and we shall be like Him.  “In the midst of he darkness and the confusion and the uncertainty of this modern world, if you want rest, if you want peace, if you want quietness of heart, you will not find it by trusting to ideas as to the reformation of this world, for these are all being falsified before you eyes.” (Lloyd-Jones) Instead why wonder what is taking place?  

         “Men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
                 –Acts 1:11

Want calmness of spirit?  Look up.  Want peace in troubled times?  Look up.  Want assurance for the weary soul?  Look up.  He is coming again, and coming soon.