Davis / Robichaux Behind the Lines

365 Daily Challenges for Military Personnel
1. Auflage 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4245-6179-7
Verlag: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 384 Seiten

Become the warrior you are meant to be. Behind the Lines is a 365-day devotional written to encourage, empower, and inspire those who serve our nation. No matter your branch of military service, the words found within these pages will equip you with God's wisdom as you hold the line against evil and protect the innocent. Discover the true source of  - strength for serving - power for persevering - protection in times of danger - resilience during adversity - peace amid conflict You are fully equipped, completely prepared, and wholly trained to face your calling from God. Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1 NIV

ADAM DAVIS is a former police officer as well as a husband, father, small business owner, speaker, and writer. He is the author of Amazon best-seller Spirit & Truth: 52 Encouraging Messages for America's Law Enforcement and a contributor for Entrepreneur Magazine and The Huffington Post and was featured on FoxNews.com and The Blaze Radio Network. Adam and his wife, Amber, reside in southeast Alabama with their three children and two dogs.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Davis, Adam

Robichaux, Chad

Leseproben

MAINTAIN POSITION

February 1

Armed with Wisdom

Maybe you have heard combat veterans not trusting teammates with reckless courage. You know someone like that, I’ll bet, someone with no fear, no strategy, who just lays it all on the line and goes in guns blazing. I’m not suggesting there are never times we must go into harm’s way without hesitation, but we need to have the proper training and mindset if we do. After basic training, a person’s mindset is such an overlooked and rarely discussed tool. The best thing you could ever do is learn to think, know when to speak, and know when to act.

King Solomon remains heralded as one of the wisest men to have ever lived. He is famous for his wealth and possessions, but few know of his mistakes. Why? King Solomon sought God for his wisdom instead of asking for stuff. Solomon knew the importance of wisdom and its value over all other things a person could attain. It’s not a matter of you will encounter danger but you will encounter it. When you do, having supernatural wisdom gained only from God can guide you to victory or help you know when to retreat.

Heavenly Father, grant me your wisdom above all else. I understand the fear of you is the beginning of true wisdom, and I submit this day to your will. Amen.

The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

PROVERBS 22:3

February 2

Prudent Troops

You are expected to be aggressive yet professional in all you do as a warrior. Acting with consideration for innocent civilians means knowing when to decide how to engage the enemy. Prudence is wisdom looking forward, not only thinking about the here and now but also how your current decisions will affect you and those around you in the future. You have undoubtedly heard the phrase “risk versus reward” in your training. Think about your decisions. Will they honor God, your unit, and your nation?

Shunning evil is not something you have the liberty to do. Your job is to confront it, save lives, crush the enemy, and protect the innocent. But doing so in an even-tempered manner is critical to your reputation. Don’t be known as someone who loses his or her temper quickly over minuscule things. Your demeanor can escalate or de-escalate a situation and have a permanent impact on the lives of other people. Live as a person who fears God, seeks his wisdom, and makes decisions with the future in mind, not only the here and now.

Heavenly Father, give me discernment today in all the decisions I will be asked to make. Help me make the best decisions for the people I serve. Amen.

The wise fear the LORD and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure.

PROVERBS 14:16

February 3

Unwavering Faith

At some point in your career, someone who was unethical in his or her duties or even someone who committed criminal acts has probably affected you. This type of negative behavior brings a great deal of criticism within our ranks, even though those who are responsible make up a small percentage of the entire military. When we condone or commit crimes or unethical behavior, we are complicit in tarnishing the uniform. Each of us is held to a higher standard because of the authority we have.

Maybe it didn’t begin as a big deal. Maybe it was just an innocent lie or some other seemingly innocent action, but before you knew it, you found yourself on the other side of character and what is right, and maybe you even lost your reputation or career. There are always consequences to our actions. Hold yourself accountable, but don’t forget you are also responsible for your teammates if you have knowledge of improper behavior or activity. Don’t muddy the waters and don’t give way to the evil you confront.

Heavenly Father, give me strength in the face of temptation, strength to stand, and wisdom in difficult circumstances. Amen.

Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked.

PROVERBS 25:26

February 4

Serving the Persecutor

If you have ever been formally written up, the frustration associated with that can be detrimental to your development. Concern for your future may linger in your mind while you await a decision. It has been said that those who are best in the field will be more likely to get in trouble in garrison. You will, over the course of your career, find yourself having to answer for poor decisions or simple mistakes as you learn and grow. The question is whether you will let these moments set you back or learn the lessons and grow from them.

Don’t allow these setbacks to create bitterness and resentment in your heart. It is easy to hate and withhold forgiveness, and it is not easy to love those who are hard to love, even those responsible for discipling you within the ranks. Loving our friends and family is easy, and it comes naturally in most cases. But Jesus said love includes loving those who hate and persecute us. It is perfectly normal to find loving our enemy a difficult task, especially within our own strength. But through the new life found in Jesus Christ, we are not only empowered to love those who persecute us but also expected to love them. Jesus commands us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. Complaining does no good, but praying will change the circumstances.

Heavenly Father, thank you for empowering me to love not only those who love me but also those who hate me and persecute me. Remind me of the power of praying for those who seek to harm me. Amen.

You have heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

MATTHEW 5:43-44

February 5

Pain Tolerance

On occasion, you may find yourself wondering if God has forgotten you. When you are consistently serving others, it is easy to forget about taking care of your needs. Years of working at high levels of stress preparing for or experiencing the hardships of war will take a toll on any human soul. Through all the training we have experienced, seldom do we address pain management from an internal perspective. After all, we aren’t supposed to talk about those things. But past pain, if not properly addressed, is a weapon the enemy can use to bring us defeat and thwart our God-given purpose.

God records every single moment of pain you have ever experienced or witnessed. He sees all and knows all. We have all wondered why God “allows” terrible things to happen. The answer is simple: we live in a fallen world, and sin has consequences. Our hope of healing spans beyond this life, and our impact goes far beyond our military careers. If you need pain management, God’s eyes are not passing you by. In fact, he is the solution to your pain. Much like you have to document everything you do on duty, so God has a record of your life.

Heavenly Father, help me to find healing from the things that bring me pain and misery. Help me to realize I am a human being and will have more positive impact when I operate in total healing. Amen.

Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll—are they not in your record?

PSALM 56:8

February 6

Through the Valley of Death

Whether you are working endless hours to provide essential battlefield life support or are the point man on a patrol through an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) infested route, you are never alone. It can seem as though you are by yourself at times, but having the promise of an eternal partner will give you the confidence you need to be successful and safe on every assignment. Your training has completely prepared you for the steps you should take to safely, successfully, and securely conduct your duties, but peace that God is with you is a confidence we all need.

At the end of the day, you need to know you will never be alone. There are men and women who are completely willing to serve by your side and are fully equipped to do so. However, there may be times when you still feel alone for what seems to be an eternity. There is a strength within you that, when called upon, will not fail. You must do your part, and part of that is to properly train and prepare, which includes engaging in regular prayer. The other part is to call on God in these times of need. God will not fail you.

Heavenly Father, gently remind me that you walk with me even when I feel like I am alone. I acknowledge you are the sole source of my strength. Amen.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

PSALM 23:4

February 7

The Hands of Justice

For everything with a beginning, there is also an end. The end may not be in sight to you or anyone else at this point, but the end is already established. However, now may not be the “proper” time for something or someone to come to an end. Proverbs 16:4 is a great reminder that even the wicked have an established end to their plans and actions. Your service, without a doubt, will deter evil actions from taking place today. Your courage, wisdom, experience, professionalism, and readiness will make those who plot terror think twice about the consequences they might face.

To this end, you are marked as the hands of justice, protecting...