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Leaving a legacy of faith

[…]Cornelius to intervene in the life of Peter the Apostle and to deliver the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 10:34-48). Cornelius’ devout life and reverence for God influenced his entire household and left an enduring spiritual legacy for generations.  Conscientious leaders strive to establish a positive legacy, and when it is time to move on, they usually pass the function or office on in better condition than they received it. Cornelius was obviously a faithful soldier. He gave time and attention to the spiritual dimension of his life and for that his spiritual acts of prayer and good deeds were […]

Speak my language

[…]to show love to one’s spouse when one doesn’t feel loved personally. But 1 Corinthians 13:5,7 reminds us that love “is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs…. always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.” Jesus summed up a life lived out in love as this: “Do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31). And even if for no other reason, we love our spouses because Jesus tells us to. Marriage is far richer when we know how to love each other effectively! And when one spouse makes […]

Getting Intentional in Your Marriage

[…]and ask for forgiveness. Think the best of your spouse’s motives and intentions. In the Book of Acts, we are introduced to a married couple that moved in tandem, seamlessly serving others with humility and excellence-Priscilla and Aquila. “When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately” (Acts 18:26). They worshipped, studied, encouraged others, and even taught together. How exciting that on any given day God could use them individually or together for His purposes. In essence, this couple hosted an OCF fellowship in their home (1 […]

Leadership and the Christian Officer

[…]will keep in perfect peace of mind one who fully trusts Him, regardless of circumstances (Is. 26:3; John 14:27; Phil. 4:4-8). Finally, in this life the Christian is a witness to the world that Christ saves one from sin and transforms one’s life. Others will scorn our Christian testimony unless our lives exhibit true Christian character. Therefore, the Christian officer should strive to be the very best professional officer possible, and should do this with Christian faith and conduct. Lieutenant General William K. Harrison Jr. Lieutenant General William K. Harrison Jr., retired in 1956, after forty-four years in the Army. […]

Let His Light Shine!

[…]world, we can draw the same analogy-our defense-in-depth measures include fellowship, which acts as our perimeter defense, surrounding us with brothers and sisters to hold up our hands and protect us from outside evil influences.  Prayer acts as spiritual anti-virus protection, culling out evil thoughts and evoking the Holy Spirit to keep the “hard drive” of our inner man unpolluted.  And by feasting on the Word, we password-protect our heart and mind with Scripture, locking and protecting our thoughts. As you continue to serve our nation, know that OCF was tailor-made to come alongside and provide you with the defense-in-depth […]

The Line Officer and the Chaplain

[…]when Christians focus on their oneness in Christ and strive to get along with one another (Psalm 133:1). When Christians are eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3), the chapel offers opportunities for exciting Christian ministries in growth and outreach. In such a congregation, few are concerned about the denominational background of the others. Their focus (praise God) is on the Lord Jesus Christ and on being His church! As you advance in your career, you will one day be a military commander. One or more chaplains will be on your unit’s staff. If you’ve served Christ […]

Truth and the Christian Leader

[…]heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened” (Acts 5:5). A close reading of Acts 5:1-11, the account of Ananias and Sapphira’s deceit, should lead one to conclude that truth is the essential thing. In this perplexing story–which takes place as the early church was forming–maintaining a standard of truth and honesty proved to be the bedrock for the church and our Christian faith. Those endowed with leadership responsibility needed to set and safeguard ethical standards. Many are shocked at the decisive, harsh response to the couple’s duplicity. Yet neither Peter […]

Do you have a PCS sponsor—to heaven?

[…]for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2-3). This Savior and Lord—our “sponsor” in this life and as we PCS into the next—will one day stand to welcome and greet us at death before the Commander in Chief of the universe and in the communion of saints. Today is the time to make sure Jesus is your spiritual sponsor for that coming day.   Marine Corps: As a sponsor…you provide initial important contact [and] first impression of our unit. Jesus provides the connection between God […]

I Only See Green

[…]Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). Paul shows exactly what matters to Jesus; not what you are or where you are, but who you are and where you’re going. You’re probably saying to yourself that it sure seems that whites get promoted faster and that minorities have a better chance at scholarships. Well, as my wife says, you can’t battle racism with more racism. The Bible repeatedly says that Christ is the head of the church and we are the body. When I picture this body I […]

Leadership Moments: Are You Leading?

[…]Do you fire back with insults, or are you exercising servant leader restraint? (1 Peter 2:23) How effectively do you take the spiritual high road when resolving conflicts? (James 1:20, Proverbs 15:1) When project goals are seemingly being thwarted, do you entertain the idea that God can also work through this opposition? (Romans 8:28, Acts 8:1)   More leadership articles on the website Courageous Command: Beyond Battlefield Boldness Lessons in Leadership…from a Squadron Janitor Leadership […]

Making the ‘no greater love’ sacrifice

[…]that, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). Four WWII chaplains, who had studied and served together, put into practice one February morning in 1943 what they preached. They gave their lives so others might live. The USAT Dorchester was a converted troop ship taking 902 souls from New York to war in Europe via Greenland. Anyone who’s ever been aboard a troop ship as a passenger, with troops huddled in every nook and cranny of the ship, knows it’s not a Princess Cruises excursion! The sights and smells of huddled […]

On The Rock

[…]response come from the foundation of your spiritual life? Jesus said that everyone who hears and acts on His words is wise. That wise one will be the person all eyes turn to in the midst of tragedy and need. When I was a child, we played a game called Follow the Leader. As an adult, it is not a game. The world is watching, and those in our sphere of influence will follow our lead. The strength of our building materials will be revealed by how our life of faith is lived out when the rains fall and the […]

Preparing for Active Duty

[…]for and a commitment to the OCF vision, purpose, and mission. (Ephesians 4:11-13, Colossians 3:23, Acts 4:13) Air Force Academy “firsties” sometimes ask: “Why should I have to attend the Basic Course at Maxwell? It just  rehashes what I’ve spent four years learning.” Not true! You will build relationships that will last throughout your career, and for the last two weeks of the course, you will interact with NCOs from the Senior NCO Academy. Perhaps the right questions are: “Lord, what is it that You want to teach me while I’m at ASBC? Lord, to whom do You want me […]

Professional Perspectives for Senior Officers

[…]you to think of them as ever-increasing concentric circles. Your relationship with God MATTHEW 6:33. Your most important relationship is how you stand as an individual before God. This relationship provides the basis and perspective for all your other relationships. Having accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you know that God’s Word provides several very clear commands that you are to practice in order to maintain a right relationship with Him. PSALM 1. This is an excellent selection to return to frequently for reading and meditation. As a senior leader, you will be given much advice and […]
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Some Thoughts for Christians

[…]tell us about human government? Prescriptively: (see Romans 13:1-7, Matthew 22:15-22, and Acts 5:29) Government is God ordained. Thus, anarchy is ruled out. Government rightly has a responsibility to reward good and punish evil, using force when necessary. Believers ought to obey the law, render respect to officials, and pay taxes. Government’s rightful authority is always subordinate to the authority of God, and in situations of clear conflict between the two “we must obey God rather than men.” This is about all I find prescriptive or direct in Scripture about the role of government. There are several roles implied by […]

Spiritual Battle Plans

[…]and friends. Lean on them. Take advantage of Technology. Listen often to Christian music (MP3 Players, etc). Use the Web to listen to Christian radio. Have someone send recorded sermons and listen to a few minutes of them here and there, as you get ready for bed or have time. Have pastors and Bible study leaders send their notes to you. Plan ahead for long distance accountability (Proverbs 27:17). Reevaluate your walk weekly and plan your next week’s QT schedule. Use unexpected “free time” with short “bursts” of the Word. Participate in and/or lead a Bible study (when God provides […]

The Chaplaincy

[…]the God who died for them. I think of our work much like the ministry of Phillip in the book of Acts. He was called to leave the comfort zone of fruitful ministry in Samaria. The Angel of the Lord told him, “Take a walk on a deserted dusty road” (my paraphrase). Phillip obeys the angel’s voice and he is vectored to an Ethiopian government official ready to hear the words of salvation. In much the same way, as chaplains walk among the tents, eat in the chow halls, and ride in the convoys, the Lord vectors them to those […]

The Heartbeat of OCF

[…]thing is getting a group started so there is a safe place where you can encourage one another to acts of love, service and Christian maturity.  As commissioned officers and Christians in the Armed Forces of the USA, most every one of us can find a wingman to pray with about starting an OCF group.  Once you have a meeting day/time set up, you’re ready for the next step. If the group consists mostly of peers (age/rank/job location, etc.) or specific demographics (sex/marital status/retired, etc.), you should be well attuned to needs and preferences.  Check the OCF website home page […]

Ways to Give

[…]code or anything else you’re unsure of, just give me a call. Combined Federal Campaign #10531Many members and non-members give through CFC, which also has the advantage of taking the contribution out of your pay account. So the next time the CFC campaign rolls around, remember to fill out #10531 on your CFC pledge form. Electronic Bank DebitThis is popular with members, whose monthly contribution is taken out of their bank account electronically. I administer this personally, and target the fifth day of the month to debit the bank accounts of those who participate. It has all the advantages of […]

What Works for New Officers?

[…]language doesn’t cut it. What we say is what we are. Jesus talked about this in Matthew 12:34-37. Unless someone holds you accountable, you will pick up words you wish you hadn’t. 6. As a leader, PRAY DAILY, especially for wisdom (Phil. 4:6,7). Often we pray in a reactive sense instead of a preparatory sense. It doesn’t have to be formal or even done in private. Let God speak to you, cry out to Him, be honest, admit weakness, and plead for help (1 Thess. 5:17, Rom. 8:26). TIP: Set aside specific time to pray for coworkers, commanders, subordinates, and […]
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