Who Shall I Send?

"Also I heard the Voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?..." (Isaiah 6:8 KJV)

It was a while back when I was a teenager, I remember talking to God. "God, you know that I'm not real smart," I said.

"I know," He said. That's how we talk, you just have to understand that's how God works with me, fairly blunt and honest.

"Seeing as how I'm not real smart, when you want me to do something or want to lead me in a certain direction, I think you might need to just smack me in the face with it and point." I said quite matter of factly.

"You know, son," He said to me, "you got a good idea there. But you have to do something for me."

"What is it, God?" I asked, "just name it."

"When I smack you in the face with what I want you to do," He said as he put his arm around me, "Do it."

Now I know many of you reading this might think that I'm exagerating a little, or maybe being a little rediculous, but that is how I talk to to God and that is the agreement that I made with Him. So far He has fullfilled His end of the deal. He told me he wanted me in the Army. That's where I am. He took me to Ft. Bragg, NC, and said go to Layton Chapel Baptist Church. So I did. While there he said I want you and your wife to become missionaries. So we are. Then he told us he was sending us to Ft. Campbell, KY. So here we are. He told us help the Brockman's over at the Eagle's Nest. So we do. He told us leave the church you are at now and go somewhere I tell you to go. So we left. And we're still waiting to find the church.

Now here is where we start getting confusing. The only Independent Fundamental Baptist Churches in the Ft. Campbell Area are the most legalistic churches I've ever seen. What is left? Liberalism that you wouldn't believe. Either the churches here are so far right that they've missed the point or they're so far left that they wouldn't know the point if it bit them in the rear. The bottom line is that this area needs a Good Independent Fundamental Baptist Church, that much God has shown me. But what is it that we want's me to do alone? I haven't felt God's call to Preach. Is this his way of telling me he's calling? Don't get me wrong I'm not running, but I don't want to just assume. After all that is why I asked God to smack me in the face with it.

I'm so confused with what he wants me to do. It's almost frightening.


Valkyrie

IFB Extremists: Revolution In The Making

I want to talk about this because it is something that has bothered me for a long time now. I know that not many people may read my blog but I feel it is important to make a stand against a growing problem that I have seen in the Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB) churches as of late. The problem is extremism (as the secular world would call it today), but the bottom line is the Bible calls it LEGALISM. Ladies and Gentlemen we always talk about the world and how they try to use the scripture "Judge not lest ye be judged" against us in order for them to continue in their sinful ways without the reproach that we may bring to bear upon them. I agree with this. However, we feel that this gives us the right to override this verse and that it gives us the justification to judge everything about everybody.

This week I was told that I wasn't seperated enough because I attended (for just one Sunday, as my wife and I continue to look for the Church that God wants us to join) a large 1500+ member church in the area. The gentleman that accused me of not being seperated told me that the church had comprimised in its stand somewhere because there isn't any other possible way that they could accumalate so many members. I challenged him on this using the Book of Acts where the Bible says that the Church in Jerusalem had 3000+ members and that souls were added daily. I asked him then if the Apostles had comprimised because they had a large congregation. He said that's not what really happened.

Folks this is a member of an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church. He told me I wasn't seperated because my wife has a nose ring, wore pants (heaven forbid), and spoke her mind. I was appauled that such a man could believe such heresies and that, even worse, his pastor would preach such things from the pulpit.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the fact is whether the man is right or wrong in his opinion doesn't matter. What made him wrong was (yes his opinion) mostly his approach. It was done in such arrogance. Never once did he attempt to use Scripture to back up what he claimed, though I used it repeatedly. Never once did he attempt to convey his concern for me as a brother in Christ, though I listened to his argument intently and called him my brother. Not once did he attempt to show longsuffering, though I never once raised my voice nor talk over him. Not once did he show my wife nor myself any Christian Love, though we had assisted in cooking the meal that he had previously ate, set the table, fixed his drink, cleaned his dishes, and place at the table when he was done, served his food, and ministered to his physical needs (of hunger and thirst) for no cost to him nor effort of his own.

Ladies and Gentlemen, what is it that we have come to? How is it that the word Fundamental has become synonomus with Legalistic? I am almost ashamed to be associated with such a movement due to the stereotype and stigmatism that such hypocracy and foolishness has brought to bear upon it. This is not what the church was meant to be and I feel that it is time for those of us that truely are fundamentals to stand up and take back the movement and put it back on Track. Ladies and Gentlemen, these people will continue to dominate the IFB circles until Godly men and women stand up for what is truely scriptural. I know that I am ready, but are you?

The Truth About Freedom

We have recently heard a lot about freedom in the media and from the politicians. They talk a lot about the so called "freedoms" that they want to "grant" to us. They think that they have the power to set us free. However, they don't understand that our freedom isn't something that they voted on. It was purchased by the blood of brave and honorable men that stood against the oppression that we are threatened with today. Our physical liberty was bought with blood and was whole-heartedly earned. But is the liberty we enjoy as Americans enough?

The fact of the matter is that we are truely slaves. We have no way to obtain true freedom in and of ourselves. The Bible in fact says that we are slaves to sin. As slaves to sin we cannot be free, because we are liars and only the Truth can set us free. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) The fact is that it doesn't matter how many good deeds we do, our status doesn't change. We have been seperated from God and there is nothing that we can do to change that fact. The Bible says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;" (Romans 1:18). And what does the Bible say about our unrighteousness? "For the wages of sin [unrighteousness] is death..." (Romans 6:23a). The Bible says in Romans 2:11 & 12, "For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned with law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law." So we must conclude that there is nothing we can do in and of ourselves.

However, there is hope. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). In Romans 5:8 the Bible says, "But God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." The hope we have is found in the person of Jesus Christ. He said that he alone is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that none can come to salvation unless it is through him. Romans 5:1 & 2 says "Therefore being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God."

So how do we obtain this hope? We must accept the gift. "For the wages of sin is death, but the Gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23). Romans 5:15 says, "But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many." Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the Gift, and he only way to truely be free is to accept him as the Lord and Savior of your life. The Bible says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13). It is a free gift that God desires all of us to partake in. The fact of the matter is that the only thing you have to do to accept that gift is found in Romans 10:9, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." It is that simple. It's not about good deeds or how much you give to charity or how much you attend church or even if you get baptised. "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:10).

The bottom line is that whether republican or democrat, church member or not, moral or immoral, rich or poor, we are all slaves to sin. And the only way to be free is through Jesus Christ. I pray that you will be free. I pray that you accept Christ as your savior and that when Christ returns we will meet in the air.

Valkyrie

Little Is Much

5200 Greek hoplites stood by as the massive Persian armies marched toward them at the beat of their drums. The Persian King, Xerxes (as the Greeks called him) or Ahasuerus (as he was known in Asia) had sent emissaries to all the Greek city-states demanding, "Earth and water," the tokens of their submission to the "Persian". But the Greeks which stood before him this day, though mere peons to the vast numbers that the Persian had assembled, represented those Greeks that rejected his rule and chose instead freedom over slavery. And though he laughed and scoffed at their little attempt to resist, the Greeks' resolve and determination shook his own resolve to the very core.

We all know how the Battle of Thermopylae ended and what the over all result was of this war. The result however was not what was important here but rather the stand that those brave 5200 men made that day. To me however it pales in comparison to the bravery, determination, and committment that I have seen over the past two weeks in a couple that I have had the pleasure of knowing for the past two years.

Earnie and Martha Brockman are the directors of the Eagles' Nest Christian Servicemen's Center in Clarksville, Tennessee. On a daily basis these two passionate people serve the Lord by ministering to the tens of thousands of soldiers that serve in Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. If they are not on a Drop Zone (DZ) serving food to the soldiers who are performing paradrops, then they are on the roads of Ft. Campbell at 0300 in the morning serving gatorade and snacks to the soldiers who have been on a twelve hour road march, or they are counseling with soldiers or their wives and helping them adjust to the life that they now live. They ensure that there is never a day where they don't share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a lost soldier.

The topper, these two who are in their sixties do this with Mrs. Brockman's mother who is well in her ninety's and who is sharp as a tack. The three of them have been serving at the Eagles' Nest alone for over two years after the death of their partners. However, that past two weeks I and my wife have had the pleasure of taking part in their ministry and pray for many, many more. I thank God for these folks who have such a burden for my fellow brothers in arms both among the Screaming Eagles and the 5th Legion.

Please pray for them and us we continue to reach out to the soldiers here on Ft. Campbell.

5th Legion Valkerie

I am not normally someone that would blog, but I think it might be fun and interesting in order to say things that I feel need to be said. What I don't want to do is end up becoming a blogger who blogs just because it's the thing to do. I feel that is a waste of time.

I am currently married to greatest woman in the world, who I like to call Lei, the love of my life. She is the most beautiful woman in the world and am so blessed that she feels that I am worthy of her, (though I don't really know why). She is constantly doing everything for me, and I don't ask for her to, (usually). I'm so thankful for her and all that she does for me. God has blessed me so greatly. I'm not saying that we haven't had our rough spots, believe me, have we had our rough spots. But she has stood by me through everything. I love her more than anything

God has also blessed me with the best little boy that you could ever hope for. He is so fun and full of life and is, to put it quite honestly, a whole lot bigger than a child that I should produce. He is going to be 2 years old next month. He loves to watch Barney even though I'm not such a huge fan, but he's learning a lot. He also likes the Incredible Hulk, I think because he's big and green. But more than anything he loves his mommy just as much as I do. And I love watching the two of them play together.

God has also allowed me to give me the Job that I wanted since I was a little kid, and I love it. I do a job that not even one percent of the population of the US can do. And in that job I have a skill that even fewer have. Again God has been good to me, despite myself. I love my family and my job but I wouldn't have them if God did not see fit to give them to me. I am so thankful to him and all he has done.

The 5th Legion Valkerie