Men

Christian Soldier Field Manual

Christian Soldier Field Manual

Sean Vickers

Believers in Christ are in a battle for their lives, families, churches, and nation. God has given believers, Christian Soldiers, everything they need for victory. I hope this short Christian Soldier Field Manual is challenging and encourages you to fight the good fight of the faith.

  •  Commit yourself to the battle.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV)

  •   Get ready to fight.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

  •  Know your enemy.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)

  •   Fight spiritual battles with the spiritual weapons.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.  Ephesians 6: 13-18 (NIV)

  •  Don’t fight alone.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16 (NIV)

  •   Don’t ever give up!

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

Known by Love

Known by Love

Sean Vickers

 

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails….” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NIV)

This is a familiar passage from the Bible. It is frequently used in wedding ceremonies, vow renewal services and it is the sentiment in many Hallmark cards.

1 Corinthians was written by the Apostle Paul to the mission church he started on one of his missionary journeys. The church at Corinth was having some problems and Paul was writing to correct and encourage this young church. Although we primarily use this passage to describe the love between a husband and wife, the original intent was to describe how people within the church should treat each other.

Paul paints a literary masterpiece with the theme of love. He describes what love is and what love is not. We all want to be loved and we all need to show love to others. Can you imagine belonging to a group of people that truly love each other like Paul is describing?

Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35 NIV) This life is not meant to be lived in isolation. The church is a great place to be loved and to love others. Chocolate and flowers are great, but belonging, truly belonging, to a group is sweet to the soul.

This article originally appeared in the Dalhart Texan and was written by Sean Vickers.

 

Arlington Cemetery – Changing of the Guard

Sean Vickers

The Changing of the Guard Ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery honors those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom whose bodies are not identified. The video below is a clip from the Stepping Up Bible Study – A Call to Courageous Manhood. It interviews some of the soldiers who bravely guard the tomb and the sacrifice they make. I highly recommend the Stepping Up Bible Study from Family Life. See samples of the Bible study at the link below.

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Stepping Up Channel on YouTube

Stepping Up – A Call to Courageous Manhood Official Site

Memorial Day – We Remember

Memorial Day – We Remember

Sean Vickers

3rd Infantry Places American Flags At The Graves Of U.S. Soldiers
Arlington National Cemetery Washington D.C.

This weekend we remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. There are two places that I have personally visited that left a permanent  mark on my life. Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC and Normandy American Cemetery in Normandy, France. These two places are sacred reminders of the great price that was paid for our freedom. Each grave represents a life, a family, a story, and a sacrifice. What should our response be to their sacrifice?

  • Pray everyday for the United States of America giving thanks for those who serve, have served and gave their lives for our country.
  • Remember and honor their sacrifice, not just on Memorial Day, but everyday.
  • Dedicate yourselves to promote and protect this great democracy.
  • Look for ways to support and care for our veterans and service men.
  • Seek out ways to contribute to our great society and look to the needs of others.
  • Educate younger generations to appreciate and respect our great heritage.

Normandy
Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial, Normandy France

John Wesley’s Holy Club Questions

John Wesley’s Holy Club Questions

Sean Vickers

Recently I went through The 33 Series with a group of men. This was a challenging study that calls men to Authentic Manhood. During our small group discussion time, Dr. Rob Jackson mentioned the “Holy Club” that was begun by brothers John and Charles Wesley. Here are the questions:

In 1729, while John Wesley was a student at Oxford, he started a club with his brother Charles, which was mockingly dubbed “The Holy Club” by some of his fellow collegians. The club members rigorously self-examined themselves everyday by asking the following 22 questions:

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?

2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?

3. Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?

4. Can I be trusted?

5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?

6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?

7. Did the Bible live in me today?

8. Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?

9. Am I enjoying prayer?

10. When did I last speak to someone else of my faith?

11. Do I pray about the money I spend?

12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?

13. Do I disobey God in anything?

14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?

15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?

16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?

17. How do I spend my spare time?

18. Am I proud?

19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?

20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?

21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?

22. Is Christ real to me?

These men were on to something powerful. They knew that the choices they make every day determine who they are and who they are becoming. This self-examination helped them “keep their heart-flames burning red hot for the King of Glory!”

Do you regularly evaluate your life and the condition of your heart?

Do you have someone in your life that you have given permission to ask you the hard questions of life?