In This Issue:
It Could Have Been Me
A Child of God Should Be…
I Am A Soldier
Volume: 890 January 1, 20239
Theme: Christian Example
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It Could Have Been Me
Bill Brinkworth
Thank you, Lord. I am grateful for your mercy, love, and all the “second, third… hundredth…” chances you have given me.
- I was saved. So many had the opportunity, did not trust Christ as their Saviour, and sooner than they expected, they died. As far as anyone knows, they are in Hell! It could be me that died lost!
- I did many terrible things, and many horrible events happened to me, but I did not die. It could have been me that perished because of my foolishness! God protected me so that I could get saved and serve Him. So many did fewer dumb things than I did and perished.
- I am glad after I got saved that I took my salvation seriously. I studied the Bible, attended church, did my best to obey what God showed me to do, and served Him with all my heart. So many also got saved, did nothing for the Lord, died, and now they must surely be regretting their mistakes.
- I am overwhelmed that God gave me opportunities and used me to do His will. There are many more intelligent, talented people that could have done so much for Him but did not. They wasted much of their life when they could have done great things for the Lord and society. It could have been me that was useless to the cause of Christ.
- I am so appreciative that I learned proper biblical doctrines. God allowed me to have excellent Bible preachers, teachers, and friends. So many, brighter than I, believed unbiblical teachings, followed the wrong doctrines and did not please the Lord. Because of their ignorance of His truths, they were, often unknowingly, disobedient to His Word. It could have been me that followed the wrong Spirit and false teachings.
My realizations are not meant as boastings. I recall that God even used a donkey to do His bidding by talking to a man of God (Number 22:28). So, if He can use a donkey, He can certainly use me. We both were willing, and you?
“He that turneth from the road to rescue another, turneth toward his goal; he shall arrive by the footpath of mercy; God will be his guide.” — Henry VanDyke
A Child of God Should Be…
Bill Brinkworth
Christians are often the only source the unsaved see that glorifies our God, His will, and His way. Godly men and women should represent Him by living differently than those not born again.
Here, in this study on the “man of God,” men, and in most cases women, can see how their lifestyle should be. A saved person should be:
A Christ-like example.
“But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” I Timothy 6:11
“That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” II Timothy 3:17
A blessing to others, as was Moses.
“And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.” Deuteronomy 33:1
A praying person and a leader, as was Moses.
“A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.” Psalm 90:1
“Pray without ceasing.” I Thessalonians 5:17
Honorable, knows the mind of God, is known from afar, and someone to go to when there’s a problem, as was Samuel.
“And he said unto him, Behold now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honourable man; all that he saith cometh surely to pass: now let us go thither; peradventure he can shew us our way that we should go.” I Samuel 9:6
Able to “hear” and be obedient to God, as was a man of God during Jeroboam’s day.
“And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the LORD unto Bethel: and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.” I King 13:1
“The altar also was rent, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign which the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.” I King 13:5
Speaks and knows the truth, as did Elijah.
“And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.” I Kings 17:24
Speaks for God.
“And there came a man of God, and spake unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.” I Kings 20:28
Trusts God, as did Elijah.
“And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty… 14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight….” II Kings 1:10-14
Obeys God’s commandments (“law”), as did Solomon.
“And he appointed, according to the order of David his father, the courses of the priests to their service, and the Levites to their charges, to praise and minister before the priests, as the duty of every day required: the porters also by their courses at every gate: for so had David the man of God commanded.” II Chronicles 8:14
Able to discern what to do in many situations.
“But there came a man of God to him, saying, O king, let not the army of Israel go with thee; for the LORD is not with Israel, to wit, with all the children of Ephraim.” II Chronicles 25:7
Chastised by the Lord when necessary.
“And when the prophet that brought him back from the way heard thereof, he said, It is the man of God, who was disobedient unto the word of the LORD: therefore the LORD hath delivered him unto the lion, which hath torn him, and slain him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake unto him.” I Kings 13:26
“If you want your neighbor to see what the Christ spirit will do for him, let him see what it has done for you.” — H. Beecher
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” II Timothy 2:3
I am a soldier in the army of my God. The Lord Jesus Christ is my commanding officer. The Holy Bible is my code of conduct. Faith, prayer, and God’s Word are my weapons of warfare. I have been taught by the Holy Spirit, trained by experience, tried by adversity, and tested by fire.
I am a volunteer in His army, and I have enlisted for eternity. I will either retire at the rapture or die in His army, but I will not get out, sell out, be talked out, or be pushed out. I am faithful, reliable, capable, and dependable. If my God needs me, I am there. If He needs me in the Sunday school to teach the children or work with the youth, if He needs me to work with the adults, He can use me because I am there.
I am a soldier! I am not a baby. I do not need to be pampered, petted, primed up, pumped up, picked up, or pepped up. I am a soldier!
No one has to call me, remind me, write me, visit me, entice me, or lure me. I am a soldier! I’m not a wimp. I am in place, saluting my King, obeying His orders, praising His name, and building His kingdom. No one has to send me flowers, gifts, food, cards, candy, or give me handouts. I do not need to be cuddled, coddled, cradled, cared for, or be catered to. I am committed. I cannot have my feelings hurt bad enough to turn me around, and I cannot be discouraged enough to cause me to quit.
When Jesus called me into this army, I had nothing. If I end up with nothing, I will still come out ahead. If I win, my God is the reason, and He will continue to supply all my needs.
I am more than a conqueror. I will always triumph. I can do all things through Christ. The devil cannot defeat me. People cannot disillusion me. Weather cannot weary me. Sickness cannot stop me. Battles cannot beat me. Money cannot buy me. Governments cannot silence me, and Hell cannot handle me. I am a soldier! Even death cannot destroy me.
When my commander calls me from His battlefield, He will promote me to captain and then allow me to rule with Him. I am a soldier in His army, and I am marching and claiming the victory. I will not give up. I will not turn around. I am a soldier marching Heaven bound. Here I stand! Will you stand with me?
“Loyalty that will do anything, that will endure anything, that will make the whole being consecrate to Him, is what Christ wants. Anything else is not worthy of Him. — Burdett Hart