ACFP Articles Be Strong! by Scott �Gash� Meier
A Christian fighter pilot almost sounds like an oxymoron these days. The Ops tempo, pressure during long TDYs or remotes, or even just the desire to fit into that �fighter pilot mold� due to our own human weakness waters down the Christian side of us and we become just like any other fighter pilot. In order for us to do both, we must be strong at both. As fighter pilots, we routinely challenge ourselves through BFM, DACT, and Turkey Shoots to become the best that we can. As Christians, we must also challenge ourselves to strengthen our God given talents and gifts. God called us to be holy, or set apart, which takes a lot more strength than simply conforming to the world�s standards (Rom 12:2). Paul realized this in his exhortation to Timothy when that young Christian was questioning his own spiritual strength and what God�s purpose was for him in the church at Ephesus. Paul reminded Timothy to not be ashamed of Christ�s testimony, because �God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power� (2 Tim 1:7-8) <p> In verse two of 2 Timothy Chapter 2, Paul begins to list four pictures of a spiritually strong Christian. Paul says Timothy must first be a teacher to pass along what he taught to other faithful men in order for them also to grow in the knowledge of Christ. Paul is not saying we must all be come pastors or Sunday school teachers; all of us are not called to be that, especially me. We all have our unique roles as part of the body of Christ. However, all of us were spiritual babes at one point and continue to grow in His grace and knowledge (2 Pet 3:18). By that process of growing, we are more spiritually mature than younger Christians, whether they be strangers, good friends, or our own children. If you are like me flying the Viper, you BFM�d the final turn and had long forgotten the pitch and power settings you used until you went through the instructor course at Luke. Maybe some of your bombing skills and techniques, previously unexplainable, became more concrete as you attempted to explain them to a student. That is precisely Paul�s point in this verse-teaching encourages a greater study and hence a greater knowledge and understanding of, in this case, God�s word. <p>Paul secondly tells Timothy in verse 3 to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. We are all familiar with the sacrifices of a soldier, or in our case, fighter pilot: self-sacrifice, integrity, little recognition, long hours, hardship, and many others. Some of you may have fought in the Gulf War. I am sure you paid a little more attention to the intell brief, accomplished a thorough FENCE check, and frequently checked six. All of us need to maintain that same vigilance as Christians, for �your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour� (1 Pet 5:8). We need to be roaring lambs in our own right. We must unequivocally follow our Lord, and treat each and every day as if we are actively engaged in battle, dressed in our spiritual armor, �realizing we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places� (Eph 6:11-12). When engaged in combat we also do not worry about menial day to day tasks, paying the bills, or where our next meal will come from. We focus on the task at hand, to win the victory, in order to please the one who enlisted us as a soldier (v. 4). Flying as wingmen, we strive to be in position, cover the flight lead�s six, and shack the target, based upon his plan of attack. We attempt to meet his objectives with as few mistakes as possible, and therefore please him. <p>Paul next relates the picture of a strong Christian in verse five as that of an athlete, who competes to win and plays by the rules. The picture here is not someone working out just to stay in shape. Rather, it is that of a runner, who runs a race to win it, and after having finished the race, kept the faith, and received the crown of righteousness as his reward (2 Tim 4:8). In order for the athlete to win, he also has to have integrity. Most sports have referees to administer penalties when appropriate, with an expected level of arguing from the targeted individual. Golf is unique in the fact that the players administer their own penalties. I believe Paul was telling us to live our lives based upon our convictions from the Holy Spirit living within us, to call sin what it is, to admonish as well as lift up our brothers when we see them stumble. Are you on a spiritual treadmill, working out but getting nowhere? Or do you run the race to win? Paul himself had to �discipline [his] body and bring it into subjection, lest when [he] had preached to others, [he] should become disqualified� (1 Cor 9:27). <p> Finally, Paul gives the picture of a farmer in verse six, or the person who sows and reaps. Everyone should sow, just as everyone should teach. Jesus sent us to reap that which we have not labored, and that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together (John 4:36-38). God provides the light as well as the fertile soil of a receptive heart. We must realize that some seeds may fall by the wayside, devoured by birds, others may fall on stony places, scorched by the sun when they eventually sprout, some amongst thorns and choked out before they can really grow. But other seeds will yield a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty (Matt 13:3-8). Our job is to continue sowing, to not waste an opportunity to spread a seed of the gospel, and when God provides, to reap the benefit of gaining a lost soul. <p> Don�t be surprised if it isn�t easy, since we all fall well short of God�s goal for our lives. These pictures produce the picture of a perfect Christian: the teacher who could disciple thousands with a simple sermon on a mountain top, the soldier who fought the good fight, who won the victory by laying down His life to the pleasure of His Father who sent Him, the athlete who ran the race and won the victory, who played by the strictest of rules and was found blameless, the farmer who saw that the fields were white for harvest and will return again to reap what He has sown. The perfect picture of course is of Christ, and my prayer is that we fighter pilots remain spiritually strong and �beat our bodies into subjection� when necessary to avoid the stumbling blocks of this life. Tuesday, March 03, 1998 _______ Let the Golden Rule be your daily rule. Please pray for your list sponsor: http://eBible.org/mpj/ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit http://rangernet.org/subscribe.htm http://rangernet.org
