V a l o r L e a d e r B l o g

Why Are You Here?

jimmy.rourk — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:00:21 +0000

Toward the end of my enlistment I really enjoyed asking my younger Marines, “Why are you here?” This was usually in response to some complaining about the Corps or Gunny or something not entirely significant. At that time I could guarantee one of three answers: 1. “I want money for college” 2. “I wanted to travel the world”, 3. “Have you seen the uniform?” And yes, I did actually get that last one. All of those answers are pretty funny for anyone who has put on the uniform though. Off the top of my head: 1.) you could have gotten a loan or a job for college money, 2.) you could have been a steward on an airline and travelled, 3.) you could have bought an Armani suit. Any of those and you wouldn’t have had to put up with all this.

Now, why are you here?

Well, I don’t know?

“You went through all of this and you don’t know why? We really need to talk about that because this place is crazy and you need to have a good reason for being here. Now let’s look at what you did to get here. I don’t know if every recruiter does it or if it was just mine, but I remember filling out the contract and signing every page and initialing every paragraph. When we got to the very end the recruiter turned the paperwork around to me and read the last block which said, “We promise you two hours of sleep and one meal a day. Sign here.” Now my 17 year old brain had a moment of unusual clarity in which it realized what was left out of that promise. They did not promise comfort or shelter or being home with my family for Thanksgiving. For that matter there was no promise I’d come home with all my appendages. There was no promise I’d come home. But I signed the line and so did everyone in uniform. So did you. Why are you here?”

“When you signed that line you gave away all your comfort and everything you knew. Your country can now call on you to go anyplace at any time, and you go. You will likely have to do tedious and greasy work in hot and smelly places. There is no promise you will see your family at Christmas. There is a good chance you will have to sleep in some dank and dirty place and eat cold nasty food. You gave up home and family. You are not your own. Why are you here?

“If we are really honest there is no promise you will keep your arms or legs. There is a real chance this may cost you your life. You signed up for it. Why are you here?”

“Now let’s look at the gospel. Christ gave up his place in heaven. He was seated next to the Father with whom he had a perfect relationship. He was worshipped day and night by angelic hosts. Yet of his own will out of his great love for us his enemies he stepped down and took on flesh. He was reviled though he did no wrong. He was killed for our transgressions. He accomplished on our behalf that which we so desperately needed but were wholly incapable of doing.

“You voluntarily gave up everything to offer up yourself on behalf of those who would not or could not do it themselves. You live out the gospel everyday. Paul says, “I run the race to win the prize” And “I buffet my body to make it my slave.” You are the one getting up at 5:30 am to do PT. You are the one who stands in the gap for those at home, to intercept the wrath directed at us. This is what you have done. Now look at what Christ has done for you.

SUBMITTED BY KEITH TEPERA

Valor :: The Citadel

You Were Made for This

Jessie Miller — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:11:35 +0000

I recently read a commentary in ‘The World’ magazine online by Andree Seu. The author shared an experience of her eldest son and how it sparked a realization of who she is in Jesus Christ, and why she’s not struggling with some of the voids that many in the world do struggle with. I thought her categories were thought provoking and relevant to the start of a new fall semester, so I’ve borrowed the categories, but rewritten the explanations.

You have identity. One of the many wonderful gifts of knowing Christ personally is the inestimable knowledge of identity as a child of God (1 John 3:1–2). What does this mean? You were known before your birth and introduction to the world (Psalm 139: 15–16). You are not defined by the clothes you wear, your major, career choices or promotions, or your role or lack of role in ROTC. Followers of Jesus Christ do not need to be caught in the endless cycle of seeking identity in entertainment, sports, parties, or trendy fads; rather we can experience total freedom from these empty pursuits.

You have a purpose. Consider the debate about human origins, or even bigger – the origins of life itself. A primordial goo, sport for gods, reincarnation, gradual development, or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang…(oh wait, was that a movie…)? What purpose does life have if it is not intentionally created? Why do you exist? Having our identity firmly rooted in Jesus Christ means we are free to embrace our purpose – to glorify God and enjoy him forever (1 Peter 2:9, Ephesians 2:1–10). Such a purpose should lead to a sense of meaning as well.

You can establish healthy rules for living. If you have a clear identity, purpose, and sense of meaning you can embrace a life free from the tyrannical whims of an overindulgent world. As temptations arise how will you face them? Establishing boundaries early can help you build a healthy lifestyle that affirms and encourages your ability to live freely in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13–16). True freedom is found in the power to move confidently in the way you’re designed.

You have relationship with the living God through Jesus Christ. In John 14 Jesus tells his disciples (v.6) that no one can go to the Father except through him, (v. 16) that he would ask the Father to send another Helper to be with them forever, and (v. 18) that he would not leave them as orphans, but come to them. In John 15:15 Jesus calls his disciple friends. These are not the words of an ethereal and vaguely tangible deity, but of a living and active person who is fully God.

You know your destination. Confessing sin, repenting, and accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior leads to eternal life with God. We’re given knowledge of our destination not to ignore the present and wait, but to give us hope and motivation. It gives us a glimpse of the wonders to come when Jesus Christ makes his return, it makes current circumstances bearable and pale in comparison. How many people around you do not know with confidence what will happen to them when they die?

Consider what you’ll face when you return to campus and ask yourself what you want your influence for Jesus Christ to look like, and why. This doesn’t necessarily mean bold evangelism with tracts, a soapbox and a megaphone in the main thoroughfares of your campus, but it can mean intentionally looking at people around you and recognizing that many of them do not know Jesus Christ. I encourage your to take time to pray about the coming semester and what the Lord would have you do for him. The freedom we have should give us confidence as we interact with those who do not know Jesus Christ. If we have something as good as the knowledge of what brings eternal life, why not share it?

God Space

Mike Miller — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:54:35 +0000

I’m reading a book titled “God Space” by author Doug Pollock. It’s one of those books where you say, “I should have thought of that.” Yet we didn’t and we even less often do what it describes. I’d like to share some thoughts from what I took from reading it. (I’d also encourage you to get a copy for yourself instead of just taking my word for it!)

From years of experience, Doug gives many Biblical and practical perspectives on how to naturally create what he calls God Space, or room for spiritual conversations where God is felt and encountered in ways that address the longings of our heart, where judgment is absent, dialogue flows, and where those far from God feel safe to bring their real selves out into the light and journey to the magnetic pull they sense in their souls.

To be honest with you, I absolutely love the idea of taking the Good News to the world, but struggle with doing it. I fear, I doubt, and I hesitate to offer hope when I’m talking with people. Pollock’s book highlights a few things that are helping me as I seek to have spiritual conversations with those around me.

The first is my own resistance to allowing the Holy Spirit to work through me. When I decide to listen to my own will, I handicap the will of the God working in me. Our battle isn’t to overcome our sinful desires, but to surrender them and to choose to submit to God.

His other principles are to Notice, Serve, Listen, and Wonder your way into spiritual conversations.

Noticing involves using the “eyes of your heart” to see others the way God sees them. Look for their joys and sorrows and seek ways to bridge their needs with God’s ability to meet those needs.
Serving is straight forward: Go meet someone’s need out of kindness and see if they don’t ask you why you’re doing it. You’ll have many opportunities to share the hope that is within you!
Listening means resisting the urge to hijack a conversation and humbly seeking to understand more than to be understood. As you genuinely seek to offer others a chance to share, they’ll take you up on it. This doesn’t mean agreeing with every idea out there, but it does mean affirming others as they pursue God.
Wondering is about asking questions that invite others to think more deeply about their lives and beliefs. Let people know you’re curious about their thoughts on God, truth, sin, life, and why they hold to those thoughts.

On a final note, I was struck when he pointed out, “It’s been said that the only thing more difficult than getting the church to go to the world is getting the world to come to us.” God invites us to ‘go and be’ the body of Christ. Will you join me in taking the first step and going to those who aren’t interested in coming to us, but who need to meet Jesus and have their longings met by Him?

Loving Well

Jessie Miller — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:58:54 +0000

The following is taken from the “7 Characteristics of ROTC Life and Faith” series posted in the resources tab of www.valormovement.com, and is an abridged version of the 7^th study in the series. The series was written by the former Valor Director for Texas A&M, and is intended to dive deep into scripture to integrate faith and military life. I would encourage you to explore this series of 6 Bible studies covering: Priorities, Training, Deny the Self-Centered Life, Submission to God’s Will, Following Christ, Stewardship, and Loving Others. This series would make a fantastic summer study for an individual or a group.

The final study in the series covers Service – Love Others, below is an abbreviated version. Consider this – both the military and faith require that you love others and serve others. How would you define Love, and who in your life has demonstrated this for you?

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will now that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. John 13:34–35

Love is a COMMAND – “a new commandment I give to you”

The military emphasizes group cohesion, team work, and leaving no one behind – as a leader you’re to think of others first. Without this external perspective your unit would not function efficiently or effectively, it could not accomplish its mission.

Love is a PERSON – “as I have loved you”

How can anyone know what is love? By knowing the life of Jesus Christ, Love is defined by his very words and actions.

Love is a TESTIMONY – “by this all people will know that you are my disciples”

If Jesus is Love and you love others like he loves, then others will see Jesus through you. How is this love different than love from other people?

Check out the rest of the study, and series, at: http://www.valormovement.com/biblestudies.htm

Consider those around you now, perhaps you are in a training environment, working a temporary summer job, or spending lots of time with family. Pray for God to reveal a new way for you to demonstrate love — taking out trash without being asked, offering rides, giving someone help with a task, offering encouragement, or even checking your sarcasm. Living out love runs counter to our world, it means letting go of your desires and demands and allowing others to come before you, and yet it is an integral piece of living for Jesus Christ. Just as our own salvation is not of our own accord, neither can we love without the power of the Holy Spirit. Ask for the Lord to move, then be willing to allow him to move — I’m confident you’ll be amazed by how the Lord transforms through love.

Playing it Safe

Jessie Miller — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 17:58:07 +0000

The video below is taken from a clip of a Francis Chan talk from a 2006 conference. Take a few minutes and check it out; it’s a pretty challenging message.

As you watch, ask yourself if you recognize yourself in his words and actions. Summer break from classes is a great time to reevaluate your influence for Christ within your ROTC program, Valor movement, or general life on campus. The objectives of military training are set with an expectation that you will move from receiving all direction and instruction, to giving direction and instruction for creative problem solving, leadership, and mission accomplishment.

Our lives as Christians are no different. Spiritual formation is guided by the scriptures to result in a maturity that will enable us to teach and guide others to grow. The Apostle Paul writes to Timothy explaining that his mentoring was not so Timothy would hold it all to himself, but that he would “entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” (2 Tim 2:2).

I would encourage you to take a few minutes and look at what the Lord has done during the past academic year, and what you’d like to see happen in the next one. Give thanks for what he has done, and pray specifically for your new goals. You could even write them down to be reminded of both what God has already done, and what you are believing him to do through you.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]