PLUS

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.  For if they fail, the one will lift up his fellow:  but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”

Several years ago I was able to spend an afternoon at the Pratt & Whitney headquarters and assembly line in Hartford, Connecticut.  Pratt & Whitney is one of three major worldwide advanced engine manufacturers, and they are constantly in stiff competition with Rolls Royce and General Electric.  If there is an industry where business is considered a zero-sum-game, this is it.  A win for one seemingly implies the loss for another.

Interestingly, though, as I wandered through the advanced Pratt & Whitney complex in Hartford I noticed something surprising and encouraging.  Just off the high-tech assembly floor were liaison offices of Rolls Royce and General Electric.  Yes indeed, Pratt & Whitney had employees of their competitors embedded in their operations.  Their rationale for doing so was simple but powerful – even in the most competitive businesses there is a strong need for communication and ample opportunities for collaboration.

This is a great reminder to all of us who call on the name of Christ with like doctrine.  There is a strong need for communication and ample opportunities for collaboration, and we should do so at every opportunity.  Even when we view our partners as competitors, we must remind ourselves that there is outreach to be done and mutually beneficial partnerships to be formed.

PLEASE PRAY FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO COMMUNICATE AND COLLABORATE WITH OTHER LIKE-MINDED BELIEVERS.  Two are better than one!

Genesis 41:15-16 “And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I have dreamed a dream, and there is none that can interpret it:  and I have heard say of thee, that thou canst understand a dream to interpret it.  And Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, It is not in me:  God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

Several years ago, our church had an amazing lead singer named Elizabeth.  There were several times that I had the opportunity to go up to her after a solo and compliment her amazing talent.  Yet, her response was the same each time – “Praise God!”  While I was intending to compliment her, she wanted to ensure the praise, the glory, the honor, and the credit went to where it belonged.  The power was not in her.  Instead, it was completely in God’s hands, and Elizabeth wanted to make sure that we all knew it.  The Lord deserved it all!

When asked by Pharaoh to interpret his dream, Joseph immediately gave God the praise, the glory, the honor and the credit.  The power was not in him.  Instead, it was completely in God’s hands, and Joseph wanted to make sure that the Pharaoh knew it.  The Lord deserved it all!

PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD GIVE GOD ALL THE PRAISE, THE GLORY, THE HONOR, AND THE CREDIT.  The power is not in us.  Instead, it is completely in God’s hands, and we should make sure that the world knows it.  The Lord deserves it all!

II Timothy 2:2 “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

The United States Air Force Weapons School is the Air Force equivalent of the Navy’s Top Gun.  The graduates from this grueling six-month course are the tactical experts and warfighting leaders of the Combat Air Force.  They are tasked with not just being superb at their warfighting craft, but are expected to replicate themselves by producing a squadron full of tactical experts.  It is through this process that the United States Air Force maintains its decided edge over all others.

The Weapons School creates such warrior mentors and leaders by expecting them to embody three critical characteristics.  These warfighting experts are expected to be Humble, Approachable, and Credible.  The last of the three is likely the easiest for a graduate as they permanently wear a graduate patch on their left shoulder that indicates their ability to withstand the rigors of the school’s demanding syllabus.  Yet, without the first two characteristics, these tactical experts would never be able to replicate themselves.  While they would likely survive any engagement due to their individual prowess, their supporting force would crumble around them and the enemy would win the battle.  Thus, they are reminded by their instructor cadre that humility and approachability are as important as credibility.  Without all three, they could never produce a complete fighting force.

American Christians need to remember that the battle we are waging for the soul of our nation requires not just individual faithfulness, but collective faithfulness.  Our own credible testimony is not enough, but we need to build up the skills of others around us by reproducing ourselves through humility and approachability.  If our supporting force crumbles around us, then the enemy will win the battle.  Instead, we need to replicate ourselves to produce a complete fighting force.

PLEASE PRAY FOR AMERICAN CHRISTIANS TO BE HUMBLE, APPROACHABLE, AND CREDIBLE.  It is the only way we can create a decided edge over a determined enemy.

For a related thought, please see:  https://prayatlunch.us/replicate/

Hebrews 11:5 “By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him:  for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”

What a simple but amazing and powerful testimony.  Enoch pleased God!  Everything and anything else beyond that didn’t matter.  There was nothing he could add to such a testimony, and nothing that could be taken away from such a testimony.  There was nothing else that needed to be said about this man of God.  This short phrase would put an explanation point on any life.  In a few short words, we know enough.  He lived for an Audience of One – the Lord Himself.

May American Christians seek such a testimony.  May we please God!  May we not concern ourselves with anything beyond that.  May we live as if everything else doesn’t matter.

There would be nothing that we would need to add to such a testimony, and nothing that could be taken away from such a testimony.  There would be nothing else that would need to be said about us.  That short phrase would put an explanation point on our lives and an emphasis on our impact.  In a few short words, the world would know it all.  We would be living for an Audience of One – the Lord Himself.

PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRSITIANS WOULD LIVE TO PLEASE GOD.  If we did that, nothing else would matter.

I Timothy 5:17 “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.”

On July 9^th, 1776, General George Washington issued his first General Order after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  The order contained the following:

“The Honorable Continental Congress having been pleased to allow a Chaplain to each Regiment, with the pay of Thirty-three Dollars and one third per month—The Colonels or commanding officers of each regiment are directed to procure Chaplains accordingly; persons of good Character and exemplary lives—To see that all inferior officers and soldiers pay them a suitable respect and attend carefully upon religious exercises: The blessing and protection of Heaven are at all times necessary but especially so in times of public distress and danger—The General hopes and trusts, that every officer, and man, will endeavour so to live, and act, as becomes a Christian Soldier defending the dearest Rights and Liberties of his country.”

General Washington understood the importance of providing for the spiritual health of his men as an upmost priority.  He recognized the significance of encouraging soldiers to attend carefully to the exercise of their religion.  He grasped for the blessings and protection of Heaven at all times.  He knew the pivotal nature of character among the revolutionary army, striving for all to live and act as model Christian Soldiers.  He saw all of the above as critical to the defense of our rights and our liberties.

Character, vision, mentorship, spiritual health, exercise of religion, and God-given blessings and protection remain just as critical today to the defense of our rights and our liberties.  Sadly, they are often neglected and shunned by our culture.  PLEASE PRAY THAT WE WOULD ONCE AGAIN CAREFULLY ATTEND TO RELIGIOUS EXERCISE IN THIS LAND.  It is essential that we live and act as becomes a Christian Soldier.