This afternoon I received a call from a colleague in the pastorate who serves a large church in an urban setting. He just needed to talk. As he was in his office this morning finishing up the preparations for the funeral of a church member, someone walked into his office and interrupted him to complain about something from the worship service the day before. My friend handled it with grace and tried to get back to the funeral service. When he called me, he was in his car on the way to the graveside.
It happened that my devotional this morning provided a word of encouragement and I shared it with him. It talks about two kinds of people: fire lighters, who encourage you; and fire extinguishers, who will throw cold water on you. They can rob your passion. Fire lighters focus on how to inspire but fire extinguishers would rather focus on what's wrong rather than what's right. Sadly, most of us spend more of our time dwelling on the latter rather than the former. Perhaps God's word for my friend and for us all is to focus on the people who encourage and let God handle the rest. Life is difficult enough. Don't let anyone extinguish your passion. Like Jeremiah, ask God to light your heart afire -- "His word is in my heart like a fire" (Jeremiah 20:9, NIV). Blessings, Pastor Bob
source: God's Word for You Today, May 19, 2008
Jeremiah 20:9
This verse is so appropriate for the Navy Chaplain below. Please read the entire story below. We need more men like him.
Posted: January 12, 2007
1:00 am Eastern
By Bob Unruh
© 2008 WorldNetDaily.com
Lt. Gordon James Klingenschmitt
A U.S. Navy chaplain who prayed "in Jesus' name" as his conscience dictated is being ejected from the military service "in retaliation" for his victorious battle to change Navy policy that required religious rites be "non-sectarian."
"This fight cost me everything. My career is over, my family is now homeless, we've lost a million dollar pension, but Congress agreed with me and rescinded the Navy policy, so chaplains are free again to pray in Jesus' name," Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt told WND. "My sacrifice purchased their freedom. My conscience is clear, the fight was worth it, and I'd do it all again."
Klingenschmitt, as WND has reported, has fought an extended battle with the Navy over its restrictions on religious expression by its chaplains. He appeared and delivered a public prayer "in Jesus' name" at a White House rally last winter and was court-martialed for that. The Navy convicted him of failing to follow a lawful order because his superior didn't want him praying "in Jesus' name."
He's also launched a legal battle that he said he hopes eventually will result in his reinstatement, alleging the Navy assembled a "civic religion" by ordering its chaplains to pray in a certain way.
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