Articles
Grounded in the Word. Ready for the Mission. Christian Military Fellowship provides Scripture-centered Bible studies that invite people to know Christ, grow as disciples, and lead with integrity in every season of military life.
SGM Daniel Cartwright, USA (Ret)
Dan has been with CMF since 1982. He has served as a Local Leader, Regional Representative, and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Dan served 28 years with the United States Army Special Forces. He and his wife, Dee, live near Fort Carson, Colorado.
Truth, Lies and Horseback Riding
You are probably thinking that’s a rather silly title for an article. Maybe, maybe not. If it stimulated your curiosity to the point you are actually reading this, it accomplished the desired goal of the author! Therefore, it makes at least a little bit of sense. Agreed? Now on to the point.
Months ago, maybe even years ago in some cases, while studying various aspects of Christianity in light of Scripture (a favorite pastime of mine), I began to see beliefs in Christendom that had little or no Scriptural support, and that some of those questionable beliefs had achieved the status of “doctrine.” To disagree with them was labeled minimally as growth-hindering misunderstanding of Scripture, and, at the other end of the “error spectrum,” blasphemy deserving of Hell. I had then, and still have now, a soul-deep conviction that God wrote the Book and therefore what was taught as truth, but didn’t agree with the context of Scripture, was wrong or false in some measure and in some cases, was an outright lie.
The unavoidable question brought to this inquiring mind was, “How did these falsehoods and lies end up so widely believed by professing Christians?” The answer I arrived at after a considerable amount of Scripture study, researching a range of historical resources, and comparing them both to widely held beliefs of professing believers was and IS, precisely this: The “accepted” lie always rides in on the back of truth. Without an element of Scriptural truth upon which to hitch a ride, the lie never survives.
A prime example from the early church would be the Pelagian heresy; it denied any adverse effect of Adam’s sin on the rest of mankind that was birthed after the Fall. That lie didn’t get very far and was condemned as heresy. The “Semi-Pelagianism” that followed acknowledged that Adam’s sin affected all of us, but said that man is still able in and of himself to cooperate with God in the salvation of his soul. That was also condemned as heresy (at the Council of Orange), but is in fact alive and well in both major camps of Christianity. No segment of Christianity has ever admitted to being Semi-Pelagian, although a synergistic Gospel is by nature, exactly that.
There you have one man’s explanation of the connection between truth, lies, and horseback riding. The initial lie, without an element of truth, failed. The second lie, while admitting “some” truth, made a modified version of the first lie perfectly acceptable, and even pleasing to human sensibilities.
There have been other examples of lies riding in on the back of truth, some with a longer history of acceptance than others. The two most damaging to both the cause of Christ and the souls of men are 1) that Christ established a single religious organization as the only true church with an “infallible” human as head of that church and 2) that God “accepts” us unconditionally, WITH our sin. (Don’t panic — please read on!)
Both have a segment of truth. Christ did declare he would establish His Church on earth. God does LOVE unconditionally – it’s His nature and one of His divine attributes.
The Church that Christ established is made up of those persons for whom He died, from every tongue, tribe and nation – those whom He purchased with His own blood. We weren’t put on layaway!
If God could “accept” us into His Kingdom WITH our sin, His Son died in vain. The first point of the Gospel is that Christ DIED for our sin!
Pastor Bob Bingham
In 1962 Bob and his wife Dorothy were appointed as missionaries with the Overseas Christian Servicemen's Centers (now Cadence International), and served with them for 21 years, 17 of those years serving at three different military bases in the Philippines. Hospitality and discipleship training became the focus of those years with hundreds of lives being touched for eternity.
A change of ministry came in September of 1982 when he joined Scope Ministries (a biblical counseling ministry headquartered in Oklahoma City). This led to Bob's present ministry, CUPbearers, a discipleship ministry centered on the Lord Jesus Christ located in Englewood, Colorado.
For more than 25 years Bob has pastored the Rocky Mountain Evangelical Free Church in Black Hawk, Colorado, in tandem with his discipling ministry.
Bob has ministered in the Philippines (1962-1979, 1995, 1998) and a number of other countries in Asia and Europe with OCSC (1962-82), Panama (1996) and in Trinidad (1998). His additional ministry opportunities have been to Singapore, Thailand, and Hong Kong (2001), and Nepal (2001), China (2006).
Bob also served as Chairman on the CMF Board of Directors for many years.
Abundant Life and Peace Today?
“The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.” (John 10:10, NASB)
“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” (John 14:27, NASB)
In spite of Jesus’ promises, great unrest exists among people around the world. In the marketplace, coffee shops, bars, clubs, schools, offices and homes, men and women are searching for peace. There is no individual peace, no peace in the home, community, nationally nor worldwide. Instead we find unrest, uncertainty, fear, terror, turbulence, revolutions and chaos everywhere.
I seems that the majority of us find ourselves fretting about the future and what is going to happen next, or we are bemoaning things that have occurred in the past. Because of these practices there is little peace or comfort. Historians remind us of the past glories and failures of nations, philosophies, leaders and those that they lead. They remind us to pay attention and not repeat the failures of the past.
Psychologists and counselors claim that understanding one’s past, learning to deal with the pain of hurts and developing relational skills is the pathway to finding peace and self-confidence.
Energetic motivational speakers challenge their hearers that there is a great future for the stout-hearted. Rarely do these bring true success and peace.
Educators are confident that with the proper education one will be prepared for whatever happens in the present and future. However, fewer and fewer people are living healthy lives and enjoying peace.
The media bombards us with all kinds of news: atrocities, violence, murders, including natural and manmade disasters.
Advertisers assure us that by using their products one will enjoy life more fully now and in the future, but neither of these produce corporate nor individual peace.
The film industry focuses more and more upon violence with explicit sexual content. Television portrays very little reality and when it does, it is negative and depressing. Video games tend to be violent and sexually explicit. Modern art often displays disillusionment, surreality and emptiness. Again there is no abundance of true life nor peace.
The church does a great job presenting God’s grace for salvation and God’s grace for our future glorification with God in heaven. Most, however, fail in presenting God’s grace for today!
Consequently, Christians often bemoan the past and hope for the future, but enjoy very little abundance or peace in their daily lives.
Is this promise of a life full of abundant life and peace just a cruel joke?
No! The answer is not about the past failures nor the glories of the future life—it is today! The writer of Hebrews encourages us by referring to the Israelites in the wilderness. He quotes God saying,
“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end; while it is said, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as when they provoked Me.”” (Hebrews 3:13-15, NASB)
The Israelites in the wilderness were unsure of God’s faithfulness for their future deliverance. They yearned to return to the security of their Egyptian captivity. God kept reminding them that He was providing all of their needs today.
God provided fresh manna for them each day. If they tried to save it for another day, except for the Sabbath, it spoiled. When they complained, He gave them so much quail that they got so sick that they never wanted to see another quail again!
Their clothes and shoes never wore out for forty years. He sheltered them daily from the sun’s heat with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to warm them and give them light. He led them through Moses and protected them from their enemies. However, they neglected to enjoy the today that god graciously gave them.
Too often we fail to enjoy the today that God has provided for us. Our tendency is to live either in the past or in the future.
Before the Second World War a barber shop was built next to the wall of the old walled city of Manila, Philippines. On the window of the barber shop was a sign that read, FREE HAIRCUTS TOMORROW.
It was not uncommon for a customer to come and ask for his free haircut. The barber would take the customer outside and show him the sign and would say, “Sir, as you see, the free haircut is tomorrow, and not today. Sorry!”
The past is gone forever an the future (tomorrow) never comes. We only have today in which to enjoy life and peace.
Our daily experience is always today! When we wake up, it is today. We eat, plan, labor and play today. We sleep and wake up, and again it is today. In this sense tomorrow never comes because it is always today. We only live in the present; it is always today.
The Apostle Paul states,
And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—for He says, “At the acceptable time (today) I listened to you, And on the day (today) of salvation I helped you”; behold, now is “the acceptable time,” (today) behold, (today) now is “the day of salvation” 2 Corinthians 6:1–2 (NASB)
Paul continues
“I can do all things (today) through Him who strengthens me.” And “And my God shall supply (today) all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:13, 19 NASB)
Jesus’ gracious promise of an abundant life and peace and the Apostle Paul’s confidence of God’s continual supply for al of our needs holds true for today.
“Today, If you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Hebrews 4:7, NASB)
The writer of Hebrews encourages,
See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God… (Hebrews 12:15, NASB)
In conclusion let us enjoy God’s grace for today.
For we are His workmanship, [by grace] created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them [today]. (Ephesians 2:10, NASB)
Robert W. Flynn
Bob has been with the Christian Military Fellowship since 1981. He has served as a Local Leader, Coordinator of Ministries, Chief Operating Officer, President/CEO, and Chairman of the Board of Directors. After a short retirement he returned as Chief Information Officer. His ministry area has been one-on-one mentoring and discipleship. He now also leads the the Remote Access Discipleship Program creating opportunities for our members to engage in Bible study where ever they happen to be standing.
Bob enlisted in the United States Navy in 1968 and served on active duty until 1991 when he joined the CMF Staff. He and his wife, Nancy, live near Buckley Space Force Base, Aurora, Colorado.
Absolute Surrender
December is here and soon the yuletide will be upon us. With it comes the day we set aside to celebrate the birth of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. My mind has trouble grasping the full significance of this event. For on this day, in a time long since past, the Son of God set aside His Glory to become a man so that He could save us from our sin. He gave to us an eternal example of His life given completely to the will of the Father. The ultimate weapon used to win the ultimate war thus became absolute surrender.
Here then before us is the example of the Nativity—God lying in a stable midst the stench of the animals and the odor of our sin through the centuries. The first question that comes to your mind is, “what does that have to do with the title of this article?” I thought that it might be fitting as we celebrate Jesus’ first day on earth that we remember our first day with Him. Do you remember the day you met Jesus Christ? Do you remember the warmth of His sweet salvation as His Spirit swept over your soul like a mighty river. Do you remember with a sense of disappointment how that warmth faded with time? Often you have wondered why it was that your relationship, instead of deepening, has become lame and produces no fruit in your life. The answer, though not complicated, is far reaching. You wandered from the Highway of Holiness! You wandered from Him.
It appears as though it may now be the midnight hour in this age of grace, and all the while the church races headlong toward apostasy. The newspapers are replete with the witness of holding to a form of godliness yet denying the power thereof. For the believer still lives in a reality where temptations abound and Satan is active in the deception of the whole world and all its inhabitants. Within us resides a sinful nature that all too frequently resurrects itself.
So despite salvation we can find ourselves impotent toward sin’s power and our victory absent without leave. There is no repair shop that can fix this old man. There is no transformation operation that can remake him anew. He can only be put to death.
Beloved, you are God’s treasure! You are destined for that which is far greater than a temporary sojourn in happiness. Jesus has prepared for us a dwelling place that is Himself where we are to “abide.” We must see our abiding as an intimate connectedness like that of the branch to the tree. Have you ever seen a branch wander away from the trunk? If we “come to him” to “abide” we must also “take the yoke” lest we stray and make the ditch alongside the “highway of holiness” our home. Jesus cannot be Lord if we think we have the right to have our own way in the thousand things of life. If we say we are our own masters, the captains of our fate, then there can be NO blessedness NOR peace. Jesus said: “A good person produces good deeds from a good heart, and an evil person produces evil deeds from an evil heart.
Whatever is in your heart determines what you say. So why do you call me ‘Lord,’ when you won’t obey me?” “If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads you into all truth.” (Luke 6:45-46, John 14:15-17 NLT) Jesus’ example was to forsake everything for the Father. The disciples’ example was to forsake everything to follow Christ. The Apostle Paul’s example was not only to “count all things to be loss” but he also “suffered the loss of all things.” (Phil 3:8 NASB) Warriors, this is absolute surrender. Paul declares, “For God is working in you giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him. (Phil 2:13 NLT) Since the Holy Spirit lives in us and is the provision to keep “my commandments” perhaps we ought to say, “Jesus, I forsake all to follow you.” This is NOT a passive thing (the ditch on the left of the highway) NOR is it an act of arrogance (the ditch on the other side). It is in the balance between Grace and Truth wherein we are delivered from sin’s penalty and power. We can then live in the hope of the day when we shall see Jesus and also be delivered from sin’s presence.
“The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other in an ecstasy of love and delight compared with which the most rapturous love between a man and a woman on this earth is mere milk and water.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity