Living a 220 life

Learning to lead from the Iraqi Army

Let me begin this blog post by saying I’ve met some amazingly talented Iraqi Army and Police officers during my two tours in Iraq. The professionalism these organizations display is comendable. I’ve made many great friends, some of whom have risked their own lives for me, and I will forever be indebted to them. During my time in Iraq I’ve also seen some very humorous things as well. One such event caught my attention and taught me a very valuable lesson.

I was walking into the chow hall on an ordinary Iraqi fall day when I saw a group of Iraqi Soldiers entering in front of me. These Soldiers were a part of the security detail for a higher ranking Iraqi Officer who was visiting that day. Typically these ‘body guards’ are better equipped and better trained than the ordinary Iraqi Soldier. Most of these Soldiers have been extensively trained by American Special Forces or some other Special Operations group. This particular group bore all the signs of this training: U.S. Patches proudly displayed on their Iraqi uniform, bandana’s worn rather than the typical beret, combat gear that looked like it was just purchased from Ranger Joe’s, the whole nine yards. Then I saw it: some of them had knee pads around their ankles. They were worn by only a few and they only had one knee pad a piece.

This one knee pad puzzled me. I mean, it looked about as weird as the first time the world saw Michael Jackson wear only one glove. I just couldn’t figure out why in the world they would be wearing one knee pad around their ankles. So I asked them, and the response blew me away. You know what they said? They said, “You wear them like this”

In other words, what they were saying is they had no idea what those things were for, but their American brothers were wearing them and they were going to wear them also. You see, some American Soldiers will push their knee pads down around their ankles when they come in off patrol. They certainly aren’t supposed to since it’s against Army regulation, but they do. These Iraqis saw this and began mimicking the action though they had no idea why.

I realized the burden of leadership at that moment. I realized as Christians we are called to be living examples all the time. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” Let me challenge you as a Christian, as a parent, as a leader; as you walk through life remember the people you come in contact with may be pushing their knee pads around their ankles. Is your life teaching others exactly what you desire them to learn? Parents, are you living the example you wish your children to mimick? They will certainly push their knee pads down every chance they get. Are you imitating Christ in order for others to imitate you? Friends, I pray we may all live a life imitating Christ that others may imitate us. AMEN!

How YOU can literally change the world

My friends, I’ve been in the book of Numbers recently and have found an amazing example of power; power great enough to change our world. I know the book of Numbers isn’t typically an awe inspiring book however, Moses’ example as presented in Numbers is amazing and it’s applicable for us today. Before I get into the scripture revealing the power available to us, I must preface two verses that led Moses to the power verse.

The first verse is describing the character of Moses. Numbers 12:3 states, “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.” This verse lays the bedrock of the power we have available to us. The second preface verse, Numbers 16:28, demonstrates this humility when we read, “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will.” Friends, the teaching point we MUST GRASP from Moses is this: He clearly understood his own inability to do anything and equally understood God’s ability to do everything through him. Do you see this? Moses’ humility was actually a true understanding of reality. Moses understood he was weak and could NOT do much on his own. Humility doesn’t stop at self pity or self denunciation, no, that’s where satan wants us to stop. True humility must equally see the Lords ability to do ALL things through US!

When we fully understand and believe we can do nothing on our own and God wants to do all things through us, we can step into the power verse; Numbers 16:46-48, “So Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the Lord. The plague has begun.’ Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped.”

Oh people of the Lord, don’t you see what happened here? Moses prayed (the incense) and altered what God had already begun. We are all heirs in God’s kingdom and have this same right to come to Him in prayer expecting our prayer’s to be answered. God wants to receive all the glory on earth and does when He does all things through us. God receives none of the glory when WE do great things. Moses acknowledged he did nothing on his own and therefore relied on God to do ALL things.

Friends, when we pray, we are inviting God to be glorified in us and through us. No hidden agendas can be present; no, we must rid ourselves of the pride that desires to do things on our own. Acknowledge right now that you can do nothing and He can do anything He desires through you; regularly go to Him in faithful prayer and see if God doesn’t use you to change the world for His glory! AMEN!

Meditations from Iraq

Greetings again everyone,
It’s been a little while since I last posted to the 220 Life blog but I assure you God has been working in Iraq and He is amazing. I will be heading home soon and am looking forward to catching up with everyone. A quick update on God’s work in Iraq: We’ve started a new Marriage Study on our Forward Operating Base which has brought numerous guys who are currently in broken relationships. The first night of the study saw two gentlemen come to know the Lord and two others rededicate their lives to Him. It was an amazing evening that ended with the Angels singing and the Saints rejoicing. Please pray for these young believers as they begin growing in the Lord. Also, please join us in praying for a revival amongst the Soldiers in Iraq. We are confident our God will do a mighty work in the desert like He has done so many times before.

My time in Iraq has also yielded some time for meditation on His Word. Psalm 37:4-5 is the focus of my most recent meditation. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. My friends, as I prayed and meditated on this verse it began to jump out at me, we are called to “delight” in the Lord. He wants us to find our pleasure in Him.

The Lord doesn’t desire some stiff robot who simply obeys commands and moves through life; no, He desires US in relationship with Him. His desire is that we desire Him. He wants us to want Him. This is the key to these two verses; actually this is the key to all scripture: God wants us to desire Him above anything else in life.

We’re told in verse 4 when we find our delight in the Lord, He’ll give us the desires of our heart. Here’s the beauty of this promise; God says when we desire Him, He’ll give us Himself. That’s amazing! Think of this, when you shift all your materialistic desires into a Godly desire you will be completely fulfilled. You’ll achieve complete contentment. You will desire nothing else. And this is a prayer God will answer…Lord, make me desire you more today than I ever have.

As you pray this He will change your desires and will fill those desires abundantly. Verse 5 is wonderful because it reveals life as we know it rather than grand theological concept. The Lord tells us to commit our way to Him. He acknowledges we have earthly pursuits; relationships, jobs, education, stuff we must do in life. He tells us to commit these things to Him. When our first desire is for Him above everything else, He tells us to lay the rest at His feet and He’ll bring it to pass. Do you see this? His only qualifying factor is that your first true desire is for Him and then He’ll bring to pass your way and give you the desires of your heart.

Let me caution you here. The Lord looks into the heart and sees your motivations. The only thing you can do is truely pursue Him with a passion unlike anything else. Don’t come to Him with a hidden agenda. No, come to the Lord with a broken and contrite heart and allow Him to fill your every desire. Get on your knees right now and begin begging Him to increase your passion for Him. He will not only give you the desire but He’ll fill it as well. AMEN!