Service In His Army

The wise shall inherit glory (all honor and good) but shame is the highest rank conferred on [self-confident] fools. (Prov 3:35-Amplified Version Classic edition)

Greetings. It has been a while since I last wrote a blog post. Today, I was impressed to share my thoughts through my blog post. I am sitting in my Mom’s dining room, enjoying the weather in Puerto Rico. Usually, I would have a live session, but it is busy around this neighborhood. (Dogs barking and other traffic noises) God willing, I will be back in Virginia working as usual for the ministry and our livestream. In the meantime, I want to share some blessings with you concerning our ministry.

First of all, God has added some partners that are helping us with their finances. We are grateful to God for all our financial partners and those who pray for us and our ministry. Second, I am happy in my new assignment as associate Pastor with Agape Love Kingdom Connection, and God is going to move mightily through this ministry. Lastly, I am scheduled to preach in a couple of weeks. I will keep you informed, so stay tuned for further news.

     What Army Are You In?

             Navy Chief Petty Officer (E-7)

Amid all this news, we will continue our studies on Highlights in the book of Proverbs. We will focus on Proverbs 3:35, the word rank, and its application in the Military. What is a Military rank? A Military rank is a position of authority within the Armed Forces.

The word of God tells us that we are the Army of the Lord. (2 Tim 2:3) An Army has many branches (i.e., Navy, Air Force, etc). As we study Prov 3:35 in the Bible Amplified Classic version, we see the word rank mentioned in the arena of fools. So, based on this, this is talking about an Army of fools comparing it to the Army of the Lord.

Our Commander in Chief is Christ Jesus, while the Army of fools is satan. On this day, I want you to self-examine your life. Are we acting like Soldiers in the Army of the Lord or as Soldiers in the Army of Fools? Let’s look at a couple of tips that can help us.

First, 2 Tim 2:3 tells us to endure hardness as a good Soldier of Jesus Christ. Let’s break down this verse, starting with the word hardness. It comes from the Hebrew word Kakopatheo, which means suffering, hardships, troubles, and affliction. Years ago, The Marines had a poster saying–I didn’t promise you a Rose garden indicating that life in the Military would be tough.

On the other hand, being in the Military has its good side. As you move up in rank, there are privileges and benefits. Likewise, it is the same with following Christ. As we grow in Christ, so does our rank in him. (Rank has it’s privileges) When I got my E-4 rank in the Navy, I was blessed with not waxing the floors because there were sailors of lower ranks who were expected to do that, but my responsibilities had increased. There were things that I was expected to do, especially in the area of leadership.

In getting promoted in the Military, there were specific tests that you had to pass. You get an upper rank with better pay and privileges when you satisfy those requirements. So, beloved, don’t give up when you are tested and going through. God is giving you a chance to go up in rank. God bless, and more to come, God willing.