Christian Soldiers
A man was looking at the world and observing all the evil that was going on. He asked Jesus, “Why are You letting all this happen?” Jesus’ response was, “Why are you letting all this happen?” That puts the responsibility on us. What are we doing to combat evil?
We are in a war, a spiritual war. Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” We are born for battle, but the Lord, the Holy Spirit will help us.
A scared world needs a fearless church. A.W. Tozer.
I served 6 years in the Marine Corps Reserve. I spent 6 months of active duty in California and then 5½ years attending monthly meetings and 2 weeks every summer on active duty in various places in California. But in God’s army, there should be no reservists We’re all called to active duty, to whatever God has called us to do, whether it’s cleaning the church, paying the bills, leading worship, counseling, evangelizing, pastoring, or teaching Sunday School. There’s something for everyone to do. No Christian should ever be idle when it comes to doing God’s work.
The devil is real and there are demons. The demon-possessed man described in Luke 8 had a legion of demons. Jesus drove 7 demons out of Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9).
Ephesians 6:13 “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
There’s another term related to “stand your ground.”. It’s known as “breaking rank.” In military terms, it can refer to a soldier stepping out of formation without permission. It also can refer to a soldier stepping away from a battle formation. His platoon or company is in formation, facing and about to engage the enemy. He’s overcome by fear and steps back away from his fellow soldiers. If more than one backs away, what does that do to the morale of the other soldiers? The commanding officer shouts, “Don’t break rank!” As Christians, God’s army, we must stand our ground, stand firm against our enemy, the devil, and not “break rank.” We must work together in this spiritual battle against the devil’s schemes. And when a fellow Christian soldier is wounded or needs help, we must come to their aid through prayer, God’s word, words of encouragement and moral support and with whatever they need. And we must “always keep on praying in the Spirit for all God’s people.” Eph. 6:18 We’re to bear each other’s burdens. Gal. 6:2
There’s an old hymn I learned when I was growing up. Its title is “Onward Christian Soldiers.” The second verse is “At the sign of triumph Satan's host doth flee; On, then, Christian soldiers, on to victory! Hell's foundations quiver at the shout of praise; Brothers, lift your voices, loud your anthems raise!”
We need to be Christian soldiers, a fearless church, a fearless people. The world needs what we have. The world is a playground for too many people and some don’t realize it or they don’t want to give up their play. For others, it’s a “killing field,” either through persecution or poverty or disease or famine.
What are we doing about all the evil in the world?
Why is my website named Yucca-network? Almost everywhere my wife and I lived, there were Yucca plants of some variety, even when we lived in northern Montana. In one place we lived, our house was built into a hillside where there were many yucca plants. The name of our street had “Yucca” in it. The plant is resilient, adaptable, and hard to get rid of if you don’t like it. For some reason, it has become one of my favorite plants. Along with writing, I’m also an artist who likes to draw or paint pictures of yucca plants. I recently acquired a painting that my maternal grandmother painted when she was probably in her 90s. It’s a desert scene with several yucca plants in it. It’s a treasured possession.
In my research into the different varieties of the yucca plant, I discovered Yucca whipplei (aka Hesperoyucca whipplei). It grows mostly in the southwestern United States. One of its common names is “our Lord’s candle.” That name intrigued me. According to what I learned from my research, it’s towering, flame-like, white inflorescence (flower cluster) “glows like a divine beacon.” Thus, the term “candle.”
A candle, when lit, produces light. I am an ardent believer in the Bible, God’s Word. I’ve read through it many times and studied it for many years. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 119:105 which states, “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (NIV). God’s word shows us how to live our lives according to His will and plans for our lives. Another of my favorite verses is Hebrews 4:12. It states that God’s word is “living and powerful.” As I’ve read and studied the Bible seriously and intensely for over forty years, I can testify that my life has been literally and dramatically changed, for the better. My late wife would also testify to the changes that have taken place in me. It’s my prayer that every person would read and study God’s word. People in other parts of the world are begging to have their own Bible.
So, to me, “our Lord’s candle” is a symbol of God’s word. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1 that God’s divinity and power can be seen in His creation. Yucca whipplei is one of His many creations.
Recently, I self-published my first novel. Its title is Uncommon Grace.
A story of adventure, drama and romance
“Disillusioned and angry at God for what happened to his family during the Civil War, young Frank Duncan leaves his home in rural Georgia to escape the memories and find his own way in life. Though wise in some ways, he encounters many challenges that shake his own personal confidence and his belief in God. What will he find as he travels to Texas and beyond?”
It is available on as an eBook or paperback 0n Amazon.com (Amazon.com: Uncommon Grace eBook : Taylor, Lamar: Kindle Store). If you read it, please add a review to the Amazon site. Thank you.
Hi! I’m Lamar.
For 20 years, I worked in several western states as a Rangeland Management Specialist, overseeing livestock grazing on Public and Forest lands.
At 44 years of age, my wife (she was a science teacher) and i left our jobs and went to Bible college for two years. We were pastors and assistant pastors for several years, all in the western US.
