07/04/2026
Today we honor the men and women who courageously fought to defend our freedoms, but we also must remember and honor the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made to secure our freedom from sin.
A soldier gives their life to their country. Their mission comes before all things. Having been in the Air Force, I lived, and still do my best to live by the three core values of, "Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do." These values require courage and a willing heart.
Jesus. A man of integrity.
Jesus. The Son who was committed to His mission that He valued more than self.
Jesus. Was excellent in all He did.
Ephesians 6:11-17:
" Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” (ESV)
2 Timothy 2:3-4
“Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him.” (ESV)
2 Corinthians 10:3-6
“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” (ESV)
Christians live in a physical world. However, the battle against sin, deception, and spiritual opposition cannot be won with human strength, or worldly weapons. The war we wage is against sinful habits, lies, pride, and philosophies. Pursuits of the world that set themselves up against God. These are the fortresses that people build up around themselves because of sin and disbelief. We as Christians are called to arrest the everyday thoughts and submit to Christ’s authority. As Paul worked to build up in the early church, we must find spiritual maturity and unity with our fellow brothers and sisters. We need to be Christ’s soldiers that will help lead others to the freedom found in genuine obedience to God.
As we celebrate this 250th year as a nation, remember the soldiers that stood strong as a shield to give us the freedom we have, but let us all be soldiers of Integrity for Christ. Let us each put our service to God before self. And let us be excellent in all we do for the Lord..
