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Therefore We Will Not Fear

[…]the many dangerous assignments which were to be his. I heard later that Russell was the means of leading at least three of his buddies to the Lord. He was killed in the Gothic Linc in North Italy, and as a result of his last moments, when he exhibited great heroism and Christian faith, two men accepted Jesus as Saviour. I was glad for the witness in that blacked-out house, the promise to God in the crowded […]

Was it Failure or Success?

[…]of drawing others to Him. “But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” In the face of failure, Simon did not give up. His was not a blind faith. He trusted Jesus for the things he had already seen Him do. What about you? Have you backed away from a challenge because the results have been slow to come? Remember, in God’s economy there’s no waste, “All things work together for good….”   Copyrighted by Officers’ Christian Fellowship and Larry Simpson. For personal reflection and growth. Not for […]

Reignited Service

[…]prayed, and then acted, peace returned. God certainly has not given those who trust Him a spirit of fear. What He has given us, though, is His Holy Spirit, Who guides us to apt responses or actions that quell our concerns and calm our anxious hearts. Further, He has given us power, love, and self-control (discipline). It is hard to imagine an earthly matter these three cannot surmount. Beware! As with Timothy, fear can cause us to stifle the gift God has given. Do not allow shame (verse 8) or any form of apathy to keep you from living out […]

War on Spiritual Terrorism

[…]under fire. Everyone will be scared, but there is a difference between scared or frightened and fear. Fear will dominate judgment. Those who don’t have an appropriate relationship with their God and an inner strength to live and function a day at a time in combat will be dominated by this […]

Service Separations

[…]thing, how else can you talk to your mate for a full hour and have his undivided attention without fear of interruption! Recently a friend was sharing with a small group her experience with tapes: “When my husband just wrote letters,” she said, “they were always so short and even impersonal, ‘nothing much happening today,’ that sort of thing. Then we started sending tapes instead. He’d carry his tape recorder and talk into it as he walked around the flight deck, and he just started opening up! He shared his thoughts and feelings, all the little details of things that […]

What Are Parents to Do?

[…]of God, the wounds were not critical. We didn’t take the news easily–unsettled by a mixture of fear and great thankfulness. We only wanted to physically be there with Darren, to comfort him, protect him, and suffer with him. But we couldn’t. We trusted in God, and three weeks later he returned to his platoon where he wanted to be. For Christmas, Darren revealed his heart by asking us to only send him used clothing that he could pass out to the poor villagers. We energized a lot of help for this, and Darren finally had to ask that we […]

What you do and how you lead does matter

[…]to the OCF Class of 2012! We who have gone before welcome you to the profession of arms and the start of your great race the Lord has set before you. Crossing the threshold, you now carry two commissions simultaneously: one conferred on you from our Commander in Chief and one from the King of kings.    You are now a Christian officer. Notice that “Christian” is in the adjectival position; your Christianity is preeminent and modifies, shapes everything else you do. As you launch out on your race, you can be comforted by some sage advice from the apostles.  […]

From Mid to Married to Mom

[…]the more I realized my need to prepare myself for what’s ahead. I felt God prompting me out of my fears to search through His Word for His promises of comfort and hope, such as Psalm 18:2: “The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”  We’ve been through a lot in our four short years of marriage, but it’s been exciting to look back and see how God has been a part of it all, especially in the […]

Leadership Came Naturally

[…]to salute anything that moved, and I was still in that mode. I’d developed a certain fear of officers, some of whom were certainly deserving of such fear. Not Tom. It was Tom Hemingway that I met, not LIEUTENANT Hemingway. I wanted to know why a robust, confident and clearly capable person like Tom chose to hang out at a Christian bookstore on a Saturday afternoon. Weren’t there more interesting things to do? When he told me the bookstore was an interesting place for a committed Christian I wanted to know more about that too. He had a magnetic personality […]

Three Words

[…]the body and at home with the Lord” will give you confidence in your mind to help overcome the fear of your instincts. Knowing that things do not happen to Christians by accident, and that you are under His protection will help calm your pulse as you move out on your first combat patrol. This confidence will help you do your duty as an officer–which is to do whatever is needed, whenever needed, regardless of your personal danger. You will find this confidence a continuous help and comfort as you walk into danger, and perhaps even more as you walk […]

Truth and the Christian Leader

[…]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 nor the disciples brought about […]

The Jungles of War

[…]I couldn’t make sense of my calling, my feelings, my day-to-day actions as a front line infantry officer. In June of 1966 this came to a head as we were briefed on an upcoming operation that threatened a large number of casualties on both sides. I went to the Lord the night before we were to land on top of a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) regiment. I insisted before the Lord that I had to know what to pray for regarding the enemy. I had no problem praying for my men, for myself and for others on our side. But […]

It Didn’t Surprise God

[…]third blessing. God heard and responded to the prayers in very tangible ways. We had been warned of a multitude of potential complications, but Heather was protected. It hit home when a retired C-141 pilot contrasted Heather with his coworker who was in a remarkably similar situation. The only notable difference was the people who were praying for Heather. While his coworker suffered complications, Heather sailed through the treatment. I’m convinced the specific prayers of those who chose to pray alongside us made the difference. And yet this story is not complete unless I consider the alternative. God is not […]

Professional Excellence (Durfey)

[…]Lord was with them when they performed their duties; they were directed to conduct business in the fear of the Lord, faithfully and wholeheartedly; and they needed to be very careful what they did because the Lord would have no part in unrighteousness or partiality. The Lord demanded honor (integrity) from those who choose to serve as leaders. Superiors and subordinates must know that what is heard from the leader’s lips is true; what is done (seen and unseen) is for the organization’s good. Furthermore, honoring God in all our day-to-day dealings is critical to a successful life. This includes […]

Six Generations: 1

[…] harder right” over the easier wrong. Attracting attention to himself to take the “heat” off of his fellow classmate was certainly a choice he made that was risky and much harder than choosing to remain silent–smug in his self-confidence and ability to memorize all required Plebe knowledge–and watch his classmate suffer at the hands of upperclassmen. Time and again, as a new cadet, as an upperclassman, as a new Army lieutenant, and as a combat platoon leader in Vietnam, Jon would choose the harder right–even during the last hours of his life. Love for God, love for his fellow […]

Six Generations: 2

[…]He was at peace with the task that was before him. The three of us talked about the role of the Word of God in our lives and ended up having a very meaningful prayer time together.” Paul also remembered a Scripture verse that Jon sent him in a letter from Vietnam in which Jon shared what became Jon and Gail’s favorite verse–Romans chapter 8, verse 28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (the verse on the plaque at Fort Shine). “I […]

Superhero’s Faith

[…]else was doing, thinking it would take me somewhere. Now, I look back, and I long for that life of fun, of adventure, of true faith. I realize that in my attempt to recreate the “exciting life” that I had forgotten, I entered a life of drinking, status, and popularity, but it was actually making me more miserable. I would constantly return to that Clark Kent-like person, a lame, robotic person of whom I wasn’t really fond. I was never fulfilled-I needed to go to party after party and pump myself up by acting cool and buying cool things to […]

The Wounded Healer

[…]suffering is simply the effect of living in a fallen world where evil can strike anyone. Yet none of the aspects of suffering limit God’s capacity to use pain in a redeeming fashion. Isaiah’s prophesy about the greatest Suffering Servant declares, “By His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Jesus’ wounds and suffering are the venue through which we have been redeemed. Believers can rejoice because through our own lives, God uses the mystery of pain and suffering through which His eternal work shines brightly. After David came face-to-face with his scarred, miserable nature and repented, he penned marvelous words […]

Undivided Heart

[…]resembling those guided by the Holy Spirit? At the heart of these queries is the consideration of the root of one’s conscious choices (actions). Our options are to allow the “spiritual self” or the “old nature” to dictate our decisions. David asked that he would know God’s ways and walk in His truth. Is it possible to discern right judgment without knowing the truth? James 1:8 says: A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. Surely, as Christian leaders, our desire is to show compassion with an undivided heart–one that rightly discerns truth with reverence and awe of the […]

Wrestling with Depression

[…]Chaplain Assistant, retiring in 2007. He served as the enlisted advisor to the Executive Council of Officers Christian Fellowship. His vision for ministry is to train, equip, and encourage chaplains and chaplain assistants globally.  If you or someone you love is struggling with depression, seek the help of a qualified professional counselor. Talk to your commander or chaplain who can get you the help you need. Published in COMMAND magazine August […]

Professional Perspectives for Senior Officers

[…]and capabilities that your position and rank afford the body of Christ! Develop the role of professional and spiritual teacher and encourager that is intentional, not merely passive or convenient. Understand the national impact you will have as a senior officer, to make that impact positive both professionally and spiritually, and to integrate (not compartmentalize) professional leadership with the spiritual leadership commensurate with your position and spiritual maturity. In summary, we want to help you strengthen the meshing of your faith with your professional attitudes and actions so that you may reflect the character of God. Your senior position will […]
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Some Thoughts for Christians

[…]commander given the luxury of choosing a battalion commander. You have a choice between a secular officer of good character whom you know to be a top-notch leader, or a brother-in-Christ who is a good man and a hard worker, but just isn’t the natural leader the other man is. Which one would you select? In choosing leaders for the church, their beliefs and quality of Christian walk ought to be our first criteria. But in selecting leaders for our secular society they ought to be a factor we consider, but not the only factor. Finally, let us consider how […]

With the Love of a Clanging Cymbal

[…]of the Holy Spirit, drew me to the first verse of that chapter, “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1). Clanging cymbal—that was a perfect description of my actions as I “clanged” away about a friend’s moral failure without any concern for the how or why. I had no love for him, and it was the one thing that, unfortunately, came through loud and clear. I wanted to show I was morally superior—I knew right from wrong while […]
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