One of the truly great blessing of life is friendship. God made us to be social creatures, and within each one of us he has put an appreciation of and a need for friendship. When chosen wisely, friends can be blessings to us and remain with us for years—some through our lives. When poorly chosen, they can bring us to disaster.
Let each of us examine ourselves to determine the type of friend we are. Next, let us examine our friends, to see their effect on us. Finally, let us teach our children the power of friendship and help them to make wise choices in their own friendships.
A friend can . . .
Remain constant in his/her devotion to you—in good and bad times (Proverbs 17:17).
Betray you (Matthew 26:49, 50).
Hurt you while helping you (Proverbs 27:6).
Appear to help you while hurting you (1 Corinthians 15:33).
Multiply your joy by sharing it with you (Romans 12:15).
Divide your sorrow while sharing it with you (Romans 12:15).
Provide counsel when needed (Proverbs 27:9).
Risk his/her life for you (Romans 16:3,4).
Be trusted (Philippians 2:20-22).
Be with you when everyone else has left you (2 Timothy 4: 11)..
Be closer than a family member (Proverbs 18:24).
Bring you to Jesus ( John 1: 45, 46).
Supply needs different from, and beyond romantic love (2 Samuel 1:26).
Help you as you journey toward heaven (Romans 16:1,2).
Hinder you as you try to live for Jesus (2 Timothy 4:10).
Friday, June 22, 2007
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Today is D-Day
Today is June 6, 2007--63 years since the invasion of Normandy in 1944. In my previous post, I compared the preparations of the of D-Day with preparations needed for Judgment Day. In this post, I just simply want to say thanks to the men, living and dead, who gave themselves and of themselves so that significant battle would be won and the tide would be turned in World War II.
If you have never studied the subject, I challenge you to read about Operation "OVERLORD." A Good place to start is Stephen Ambrose's D-Day, June 6, 1944. When you have completed that, read The Bedford Boys. I don't remember the author's name, but that book concerns Bedford, Virginia and the 19 young men from there who died on D-Day. They comprised the largest per capita loss of any US town in that battle. It is for that reason the National D-Day memmorial is located in Bedford.
My family visited there not long after the opening of the memorial. It is a touching tribute to those who gave their lives at Normandy. I urge you to make a 30-minute drive off Interstate 81 and see it if you are ever in that area of Virginia.
Finally, rent or pull out a VHS or DVD of "Saving Private Ryan" and watch the opening D-Day sequence. You will be humbled and grateful.
If you value your freedom, thank the Lord--and befriend a vet.
If you have never studied the subject, I challenge you to read about Operation "OVERLORD." A Good place to start is Stephen Ambrose's D-Day, June 6, 1944. When you have completed that, read The Bedford Boys. I don't remember the author's name, but that book concerns Bedford, Virginia and the 19 young men from there who died on D-Day. They comprised the largest per capita loss of any US town in that battle. It is for that reason the National D-Day memmorial is located in Bedford.
My family visited there not long after the opening of the memorial. It is a touching tribute to those who gave their lives at Normandy. I urge you to make a 30-minute drive off Interstate 81 and see it if you are ever in that area of Virginia.
Finally, rent or pull out a VHS or DVD of "Saving Private Ryan" and watch the opening D-Day sequence. You will be humbled and grateful.
If you value your freedom, thank the Lord--and befriend a vet.
D-Day, H-Hour
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Matthew 24:36).
It was early June, 1944. The world that then was lay in the grip of the “Axis” powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan. Though the Allied forces were making strides, the tide was not yet turned. Indeed, the future of the free world was very much in doubt.
The supreme commander of Allied forces, General Dwight D. Eisenhower had been planning the invasion for months. The Germans were expecting the assault, but they did not know two key factors: the where and the when. The Germans relied on logic and chose to concentrate their forces and armaments at Calais, France. It was closer to the southern part of England than the eventual insertion point, the coast of Normandy. The date for the invasion was initially set for June 5, 1944, but inclement weather pushed the date back.
With a hope that the weather was clearing, Eisenhower sent forth the troops on June 6, to carry out the operation codenamed “OVERLORD.” The day of the invasion was designated by “D” and the hour, by an “H.” Hence, D-day was the day and H-hour was the hour at which the invasion began, early in the morning. Americans would do well to keep the date of June 6 marked on their calendars and in their minds, for it was, arguably, the day that marked the turning point of the war, thus leading to our continued freedom.
What strikes me now, however, is the German response to an event they knew was coming. Though they were prepared to some extent to defend the shores of Normandy, they first guessed that the invasion would take place at Calais. With inadequate forces at Normandy they were overrun and the essential breach was opened for the Allies.
Additionally, the Germans were caught off guard in regard to the time of the invasion. Field Marshal Rommel was, in fact, away from the front lines and at home to celebrate his wife’s birthday. Thus, when the invasion occurred, there was inadequate leadership of the defending troops. Both of these factors add up to one thing: lack of preparation.
Though a very significant battle, in a very significant war, “D-Day” was an earthly conflict with earthly consequences. There is coming a day which will have eternal consequences for all of us. No miscalculation or lack of preparation will be excusable. (See 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:12ff.) —Lance Cordle
It was early June, 1944. The world that then was lay in the grip of the “Axis” powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan. Though the Allied forces were making strides, the tide was not yet turned. Indeed, the future of the free world was very much in doubt.
The supreme commander of Allied forces, General Dwight D. Eisenhower had been planning the invasion for months. The Germans were expecting the assault, but they did not know two key factors: the where and the when. The Germans relied on logic and chose to concentrate their forces and armaments at Calais, France. It was closer to the southern part of England than the eventual insertion point, the coast of Normandy. The date for the invasion was initially set for June 5, 1944, but inclement weather pushed the date back.
With a hope that the weather was clearing, Eisenhower sent forth the troops on June 6, to carry out the operation codenamed “OVERLORD.” The day of the invasion was designated by “D” and the hour, by an “H.” Hence, D-day was the day and H-hour was the hour at which the invasion began, early in the morning. Americans would do well to keep the date of June 6 marked on their calendars and in their minds, for it was, arguably, the day that marked the turning point of the war, thus leading to our continued freedom.
What strikes me now, however, is the German response to an event they knew was coming. Though they were prepared to some extent to defend the shores of Normandy, they first guessed that the invasion would take place at Calais. With inadequate forces at Normandy they were overrun and the essential breach was opened for the Allies.
Additionally, the Germans were caught off guard in regard to the time of the invasion. Field Marshal Rommel was, in fact, away from the front lines and at home to celebrate his wife’s birthday. Thus, when the invasion occurred, there was inadequate leadership of the defending troops. Both of these factors add up to one thing: lack of preparation.
Though a very significant battle, in a very significant war, “D-Day” was an earthly conflict with earthly consequences. There is coming a day which will have eternal consequences for all of us. No miscalculation or lack of preparation will be excusable. (See 2 Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 20:12ff.) —Lance Cordle
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