Today is Veterans Day here in the United States. We honor those who have served in our armed forces and have been honorably discharchged to come home. Their sacrifices are not forgotten, and we are forever grateful to them and their families. It is my hope that all Veterans are able to find peace & rest from their service now as civilians. Well...there are no veterans in the service of God. Even into our old age, we are called to bear much fruit. Until the day we die, we continue our spiritual fight as good soldiers. Let's answer that call, for God still has work for us to do!
#SetYourMindAbovePodcast
Today is Veterans Day here in the United States. We honor those who have served in our armed forces and have been honorably discharchged to come home. Their sacrifices are not forgotten, and we are forever grateful to them and their families. It is my hope that all Veterans are able to find peace & rest from their service now as civilians. Well...there are no veterans in the service of God. Even into our old age, we are called to bear much fruit. Until the day we die, we continue our spiritual fight as good soldiers. Let's answer that call, for God still has work for us to do!
#SetYourMindAbovePodcast
Welcome back to all of our listeners! I’m BJ Sipe, and you’re listening to the Set Your Mind Above podcast – where everyday ordinary events teach us extraordinary eternal truths. I’m so glad that you’ve tuned in today, I am excited to share my life and my faith with you, and I sure hope that you’ll do the same with me along the way.
Today is a very special holiday for us here in America, as today we honor our military Veterans that have served in the armed forces. Throughout the year we pay homage and tribute to those that have served us and our country through their service in different ways. On Memorial Day, we commemorate those who paid the ultimate price in giving their lives as soldiers. They are the ones that never made it home, and it is on that day that we honor such men & women as well as their families. On Armed Forces Day, we honor those who are currently serving in the military both home and abroad, as we thank them for their ongoing sacrifices and diligence to protect the American people & their freedoms. Today on Veterans Day, we honor those that made it home and have concluded their service. All those that have been discharged with honor now carry the name of “veteran” as their time of service has come to an end. Though they are no longer on the front lines, it does not mean that they do not continue to sacrifice in many ways. Many soldiers upon coming home have great burdens that they must bear both physically and psychologically, and it is for this reason that I believe we must do so much better as a nation in providing for the needs of our veterans & their families when they return home. The words of the late president John F. Kennedy come to mind, “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” Veterans do not just need told that we are grateful for them, we must show them that gratitude through the way we care for them. I am mindful of so many veterans that are close to me in my life, foremost of which I am thankful for is my father-in-law Shane Vaughan served in the United States Air Force. I am sure that different family members and friends come to your mind as well today. Without men and women like this, our country would not be what it is today. It is also my hope that as they have come home and now live as civilians, that they will have much deserved rest from their sacrificial service. While some Veterans have from time to time been called back into service, and they are often so willing to do so, I would hope that such a need never occurs again. They have more than earned their rest, and should not be called upon to sacrifice more than they already have – let another stand up in the next generation and answer that call if need be. If you are a listener and have yourself served in our armed forces, would you do me the honor of messaging me and telling me when and where you served? Then allow me to do you the honor of praying for you, thanking God for you, and having the opportunity to visit with you for a few moments. Let me say again once more to all of our veterans: thank you. May we honor you not just this day, but every day for your great service to our country and its people.
As I have reflected on these things today, I had a sudden realization come to my mind. While there are veteran soldiers that we honor in each of our lives, there is actually no such thing as a spiritual veteran. What do I mean by this? Well, for starters, we recognize that as Christians every one of us is enlisted in a spiritual battle. We read in Ephesians 6:10-13, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” Consider also the words of Paul to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:3-4, “Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” If you have put on Christ through faith & baptism, you not only were raised to a newness of life, but you were enlisted into the spiritual army of God. The weapons of our warfare are not like that which our armies fight with here on this earth, because we wage war against a different enemy. We wage war against Satan, against sin, against evil that surrounds us in a broken & corrupted world of which we once walked. But we have defected, now standing side by side with Jesus, we are willing to sacrifice and suffer for the sake of the gospel. We fight with truth, with faith, with love, with peace, and with hope. So now let me ask you this question: at what point is your fight over as a soldier of Christ? I believe the answer to that question is found in Revelation 2:10, where the church at Smyrna is told, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” When we put on Christ and become children of God, our work of service is not concluded until we have taken our last breath. There is no “retirement” from our service as children of God. Those both young and old are called to bear fruit. In fact, many of those whom we read about in Scripture who bore much fruit for God were very advanced in years. Men like Abraham, Daniel, Paul, and John all had much to accomplish for the Lord even into their old age. Their rest was not found in this life, but in the life that is to come. Psalm 92:12-15 reads, “The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.” There are no “veterans” in the church, rather we will all die on duty, for while we live even into our old age we are actively in the service of God. I am reminded of a dear friend back home in Salem, Oregon who served as an elder for many years named Ray Tipton. And while he is no longer able to serve in that role because of his health, every time I see him, even into his 90’s, he tells me, “As long as I’m living, I know that God still has work for me to do.” His message to me is the message that I want to share with each of you: God still has work for you to do. Whether you are newly enlisted as a young Christian, or whether you have served the Lord for 70 years, we have fruit to bear and love to share. Jesus, our commander, is calling us out to the battle field until the very day that he calls us home. Armed with truth & love, may we answer that call as good soldiers of the King of Kings.
Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode. Tune in, Tuesday-Fridays, as a new podcast episode will be uploaded each day. Also, be sure to follow the Facebook page for the Set Your Mind Above podcast for future announcements and video sessions. As you have the opportunity, share these thoughts with your friends and family, and share with me what important lessons you are learning from every day, ordinary events. Until next time know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.