Archives for November 2021

THE EVERLASTING PRESENCE OF GOD

PSALM 139:1-24, Hebrews 13:1-8, Galatians 6:1-10

INTRODUCTION: GOD DWELLS WITH US CONTINUALLY

PSALM 139

GOD CARES FOR US

1) GOD KNOWS US (1-6)

O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.⁴ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.⁵ Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

2) GOD IS WITH US (7-12)

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.⁹ If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;¹⁰ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.¹¹ If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.¹² Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

3) GOD MADE US (13-16)

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.¹⁴ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. ¹⁵ My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.¹⁶ Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

4) GOD’S THOUGHTS ARE PRECIOUS TO US (17-18)

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!¹⁸ If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

 5) GOD SLAYS THE WICKED (19-21)

Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.²⁰ For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.²¹ Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

6) GOD SEARCHES US AND KNOWS OUR HEARTS (22-24)

 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

HEBREWS 13:1-8

CONDUCT TOWARD OTHERS

1) BROTHERLY LOVE (1)

Let brotherly love continue.

2) ENTERTAIN STRANGERS (2)

² Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

3) REMEMBER THEM WHICH ARE IN BONDS (3)

³ Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

4) PURITY IN MARRIAGE (4)                                  

⁴ Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

5) BE NOT COVETOUSNESS, I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE (5-6)                       

⁵ Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.⁶ So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

6) REMEMBER THEM THAT HAVE THE RULE OVER YOU (7)

⁷ Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

7) JESUS CHRIST THE SAME YESTERDAY, AND TODAY, AND FOREVER (8)

⁸ Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.

GALATIANS 6:1-10

OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE

1) BEAR ONE ANOTHERS BURDENS (1-6)                          

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.² Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.³ For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.⁴ But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.⁵ For every man shall bear his own burden.⁶ Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

2) SOW RIGHTEOUSNESS (7-8)                       

⁷ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

3) DO GOOD TO ALL MEN (9-10)                             

⁹ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.¹⁰ As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

CONCLUSION:

Colossians 3: 23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

The everlasting presence of God. Psalm 139 explains this term. We will be exploring it this week.

GOD CARES FOR US

3) GOD MADE US (13-16)

For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.¹⁴ I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. ¹⁵ My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.¹⁶ Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

The thought that the God of creation knew us before we were born is amazing. Further, is the fact that it was God that formed us. Then He writes each of our members in a book. Each one of us is a unique individual, made by the hand of God.

4) GOD’S THOUGHTS ARE PRECIOUS TO US (17-18)

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!¹⁸ If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

When we think about God, what are we thinking? About His attributes, blessings, care, saving power, mercy, grace, or judgement? We cannot count them. We just keep thinking about how good God is to us.

 5) GOD SLAYS THE WICKED (19-21)

Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.²⁰ For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.²¹ Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?

Are we grieved at the wicked? Are we part of the wicked crowd? Today sin runs rampant in our world. Christians should not be part of this wickedness. When we are, we should repent of our sin, thank God for His forgiveness, and continue serving the Lord. God will surely slay the wicked, whether we see it or not.

6) GOD SEARCHES US AND KNOWS OUR HEARTS (22-24)

 I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Pray, seek God, listen, and respond.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

The everlasting presence of God. Psalm 139 explains this term. We will be exploring it this week.

GOD CARES FOR US

1) GOD KNOWS US (1-6)

O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.² Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.³ Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.⁴ For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.⁵ Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

It is comforting to know that God knows everything about us. He has known since before we were created. He knows all our quirks, peculiarities, and idiosyncrasies. He knows every thought, word, and decision we make. Knowing this, it should cause us to desire to please God.

2) GOD IS WITH US (7-12)

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?⁸ If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.⁹ If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;¹⁰ Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.¹¹ If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.¹² Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

The concept of God being with us is a tremendous blessing. Everywhere we go, God goes with us. (I Corinthians 6:19-20, 3:16) Oops, wait a minute! That means all the places that may be of questionable character, places we never tell others about, places that would bring shame to the name of Christ. God is with us even in those places. That should scare the living daylights out of us. This should challenge us to walk in obedience to the word of God.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

This week I will tell you about some of those veterans.

Sgt. Santiago J. Erevia – Medal of Honor Recipient

Sgt. Santiago J. Erevia “distinguished himself May 21, 1969, while serving as a radio-telephone operator during a search-and-clear mission near Tam Ky City, in the Republic of Vietnam.” A longer account of his valor includes this passage: “Under a hail of enemy fire, he continued to advance until he reached a location a few feet short of the first insurgent position. Disregarding the fire directed at him from the remaining bunkers, he pulled the pin on a hand grenade and advanced on the bunker, firing his rifles until he dropped the grenade into the bunker, thus destroying the fortification and killing the enemy soldier within.” He lives in San Antonio.

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“A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. (Psalm 91:7)”

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

This week I will tell you about some of those veterans.

What does it mean to be a veteran? J. Mark Jackson expresses it well. I will let him tell it with no comments by me.

By J. Mark Jackson

November 10, 2016

J. Mark Jackson served in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division and the 101st Airborne Division in the war in Afghanistan in 2009.

I was a soldier, and I went to war. By and by, I became known as a veteran. My civilian career progressed, my family grew, and the Army drifted into the gray mist of memory. But the experience of military service leaves an indelible imprint on the psyche and soul of each soldier, sailor, airman and Marine.

What does it mean, on a day-to-day basis, to be a veteran? To this Army veteran, it means:

●Advil is the narcotic of choice for a bad back and creaky knees, both earned like an invisible Purple Heart.

●Fourth of July fireworks sound surprisingly like a mortar attack.

●. . . and a nail gun sounds startlingly like the bark of an AK-47 when heard in the distance.

●Watching the evening news and feeling guilty for not being beside the soldiers fighting in the story.

●. . . but being grateful the country doesn’t still require my service, because it was always sweltering hot, and physically I could no longer keep up. This is a poignant realization for any former soldier.

●Waking up desperately searching for my rifle, while my wife softly says, “It’s all right, it’s all right; you are home.”

●Finding a lump in my throat and tears welling in my eyes when I see images of a crying mother or wife holding a flag folded into a triangle.

●Feeling slightly self-conscious at my child’s grade school on Veterans Day, but also feeling important and honored.

●Having a mother say, “Thank you for your service. Because you served, my son did not have to.” Really?

●Finding the term “hero” applied too liberally. Audie Murphy was a hero. We were soldiers.

●Wondering, when I forget how I filed my tax return the previous year, if I am suffering from a case of undiagnosed traumatic brain injury or if I just forgot.

●Wondering, when I miss words in a conversation, whether it is from hearing loss from the close rattle of a .50-caliber machine gun or if I was just not paying attention.

●Experiencing a faint gag reflex when Girl Scouts try to sell me cookies, though I loved them for sending countless boxes of cookies to the theater of war. It’s not their fault I made a pig of myself on their generosity.

●Feeling positive about the next strong and dedicated generation of future veterans to whom we handed the baton of service.

●Having a cracking, faltering voice when speaking of certain wartime events that trigger strong emotions, no matter how many times I speak of them.

●Forever being identified as a “military person” based solely on an upright posture and a shoulders-back walking gait.

●Buying a red paper poppy whenever I see another veteran selling them and calling him “brother” when the exchange is made.

●Being unable to throw those paper poppies away, ever. They seem somehow too sacred to desecrate.

●A surge of engulfing pride, like a warm shiver, when the American flag passes or during the singing of the national anthem.

●Surviving a hostile staff meeting by saying to myself, “It has all been easy since . . . ,” filling in the blank with the battle of my choice.

●Maintaining a slightly obsessed fetish with how a bed is made, with emphasis on the corners.

●Perpetual promptness. No event is too unimportant not to arrive early.

●Having a wave of emotion crash down while my son raises his right hand and swears the same oath I did a generation before.

●Desiring to be treated like everyone else — unless I’m waiting in a long line at an airport or praying for an upgrade to first class on a flight. Then I prefer to be treated as special.

●Sitting slack-jawed in amazement when I realize my family’s dinner was purchased by a table of teenage girls sitting across the restaurant. Thank you!

●Critiquing any marching organization during a parade and resisting the urge to cry out, “left, left, left, right-ta, left” if it is out of step.

●Gladly deferring saber-rattling to those who have never had to do it.

●No longer feeling compelled to prove my mettle — that urge was settled and sated while wearing a uniform.

●Grasping the knowledge that peace is eminently more precious than any state of war, regardless of the justification. Veterans know the cost of peace firsthand, and that cost has a first name, a last name, a middle initial and parents.

Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. said of his Civil War service, “In our youth our hearts were touched with fire.” I would add devotion, exhilaration, camaraderie and fear. Our service in the armed forces determined who we were and continues to define who we are moving into the future. My father said about events in his life that “I wouldn’t give a penny to do it again, but I wouldn’t take a million dollars for the experience.” Would most veterans say the same about their service? I believe so; I know I do. Further, and more important, I consider it my honor to have served our country.

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

VETERANS DAY 2021

The Four Chaplains

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13)

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

The Four Chaplains

It was the evening of Feb. 2, 1943, and the U.S.A.T. Dorchester was crowded to capacity, carrying 902 service men, merchant seamen and civilian workers.

Once a luxury coastal liner, the 5,649-ton vessel had been converted into an Army transport ship. The Dorchester, one of three ships in the SG-19 convoy, was moving steadily across the icy waters from Newfoundland toward an American base in Greenland. SG-19 was escorted by Coast Guard Cutters Tampa, Escanaba and Comanche.

Hans J. Danielsen, the ship’s captain, was concerned and cautious. Earlier the Tampa had detected a submarine with its sonar. Danielsen knew he was in dangerous waters even before he got the alarming information. German U-boats were constantly prowling these vital sea lanes, and several ships had already been blasted and sunk.

The Dorchester was now only 150 miles from its destination, but the captain ordered the men to sleep in their clothing and keep life jackets on. Many soldiers sleeping deep in the ship’s hold disregarded the order because of the engine’s heat. Others ignored it because the life jackets were uncomfortable.

On Feb. 3, at 12:55 a.m., a periscope broke the chilly Atlantic waters. Through the cross hairs, an officer aboard the German submarine U-223 spotted the Dorchester. The U-223 approached the convoy on the surface, and after identifying and targeting the ship, he gave orders to fire the torpedoes, a fan of three were fired. The one that hit was decisive–and deadly–striking the starboard side, amid ship, far below the water line.

Captain Danielsen, alerted that the Dorchester was taking water rapidly and sinking, gave the order to abandon ship. In less than 20 minutes, the Dorchester would slip beneath the Atlantic’s icy waters.

Tragically, the hit had knocked out power and radio contact with the three escort ships. The CGC Comanche, however, saw the flash of the explosion. It responded and then rescued 97 survivors. The CGC Escanaba circled the Dorchester, rescuing an additional 132 survivors. The third cutter, CGC Tampa, continued on, escorting the remaining two ships.

Aboard the Dorchester, panic and chaos had set in. The blast had killed scores of men, and many more were seriously wounded. Others, stunned by the explosion were groping in the darkness. Those sleeping without clothing rushed topside where they were confronted first by a blast of icy Arctic air and then by the knowledge that death awaited.

Men jumped from the ship into lifeboats, over-crowding them to the point of capsizing, according to eyewitnesses. Other rafts, tossed into the Atlantic, drifted away before soldiers could get in them.

Through the pandemonium, according to those present, four Army chaplains brought hope in despair and light in darkness. Those chaplains were Lt. George L. Fox, Methodist; Lt. Alexander D. Goode, Jewish; Lt. John P. Washington, Roman Catholic; and Lt. Clark V. Poling, Dutch Reformed.

Quickly and quietly, the four chaplains spread out among the soldiers. There they tried to calm the frightened, tend the wounded and guide the disoriented toward safety.

“Witnesses of that terrible night remember hearing the four men offer prayers for the dying and encouragement for those who would live,” says Wyatt R. Fox, son of Reverend Fox.

One witness, Private William B. Bednar, found himself floating in oil-smeared water surrounded by dead bodies and debris. “I could hear men crying, pleading, praying,” Bednar recalls. “I could also hear the chaplains preaching courage. Their voices were the only thing that kept me going.”

Another sailor, Petty Officer John J. Mahoney, tried to reenter his cabin but Rabbi Goode stopped him. Mahoney, concerned about the cold Arctic air, explained he had forgotten his gloves.

“Never mind,” Goode responded. “I have two pairs.” The rabbi then gave the petty officer his own gloves. In retrospect, Mahoney realized that Rabbi Goode was not conveniently carrying two pairs of gloves, and that the rabbi had decided not to leave the Dorchester.

By this time, most of the men were topside, and the chaplains opened a storage locker and began distributing life jackets. It was then that Engineer Grady Clark witnessed an astonishing sight.

When there were no more lifejackets in the storage room, the chaplains removed theirs and gave them to four frightened young men.

“It was the finest thing I have seen or hope to see this side of heaven,” said John Ladd, another survivor who saw the chaplains’ selfless act.

Ladd’s response is understandable. The altruistic action of the four chaplains constitutes one of the purest spiritual and ethical acts a person can make. When giving their life jackets, Rabbi Goode did not call out for a Jew; Father Washington did not call out for a Catholic; nor did the Reverends Fox and Poling call out for a Protestant. They simply gave their life jackets to the next man in line.

As the ship went down, survivors in nearby rafts could see the four chaplains–arms linked and braced against the slanting deck. Their voices could also be heard offering prayers.

Of the 902 men aboard the U.S.A.T. Dorchester, 672 died, leaving 230 survivors. When the news reached American shores, the nation was stunned by the magnitude of the tragedy and heroic conduct of the four chaplains.

“Valor is a gift,” Carl Sandburg once said. “Those having it never know for sure whether they have it until the test comes.”

That night Reverend Fox, Rabbi Goode, Reverend Poling and Father Washington passed life’s ultimate test. In doing so, they became an enduring example of extraordinary faith, courage and selflessness.

The Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart were awarded posthumously December 19, 1944, to the next of kin by Lt. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, Commanding General of the Army Service Forces, in a ceremony at the post chapel at Fort Myer, VA.

A one-time only posthumous Special Medal for Heroism was authorized by Congress and awarded by the President Eisenhower on January 18, 1961. Congress attempted to confer the Medal of Honor but was blocked by the stringent requirements that required heroism performed under fire. The special medal was intended to have the same weight and importance as the Medal of Honor.

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“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.⁴ No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” (2 Timothy 2:3-4)

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9)

“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13)

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11)

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

This week I will tell you about some of those veterans.

Sgt. Jesse Cottle: A Healing Love Story

In July 2009, Marine Staff Sergeant Jesse Cottle was in his sixth year of service in the Corps when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan. He knew the blast was bad. In fact, he thought it was the end and he had two regrets: He’d never get to finish Dreamcatcher by Stephen King, and he’d never know what it was like to be a husband and father. Thanks to the work of doctors, he survived after enduring several operations at several different hospitals. However, both of his legs had to be amputated.

One weekend, while he was with his parents in Phoenix, the Forresters, friends of his family, invited the Cottles to see their daughter, Kelly—a record-setting collegiate swimmer—compete in a meet. Jesse went, and it was one of the first times he was on his new prosthetic legs. He was instantly stunned by Kelly and her beauty, and by her warm personality when the two families had dinner together after the meet. Jesse and Kelly became friends because they were both in other relationships, but gradually they fell in love. As Kelly said in American Heroes on the Homefront: The Hearts of Heroes, “I don’t just love Jesse in spite of his injuries, I love him because of them.” The couple married in 2012.

Jesse received a Bronze Star with a Combat V for valor, and he and Kelly live in San Diego. P.S. And he finally finished Dreamcatcher!

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“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Veterans Day is an official United States public holiday, observed annually on November 11, that honors military veterans; that is, persons who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays, including Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, celebrated in other countries that mark the anniversary of the end of World War I; major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. The United States previously observed Armistice Day. The U.S. holiday was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

This week I will tell you about some of those veterans.

The homeless veteran hero

He’s known as Staff Sgt. Royal on account of his 10 years in the army. And it was that battlefield training that helped the homeless Seattle veteran save a friend’s life one summer night last year. Royal was just a few blocks away when an argument escalated outside a bar, and an unidentified man shot the homeless man he was fighting with. The victim ran down the street before collapsing. Royal quickly came to his aid. The bullet had struck the man’s femoral artery — a large artery in the thigh that, when ruptured, can cause victims to bleed out. Royal used a belt as a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. The man was transported to a nearby hospital and was said to be in stable condition. Royal attributed his knowledge to his medical training at Ft. Carson in Colorado. “I’m just glad I was there,” he said.

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“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

The goal of living in this world

(J.R. Miller, “Things That Endure”)

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(You will find it helpful to listen to the audio above, as you read the text below.)

The goal of living in this world, is ever to grow into more and more radiant and lovely Christ-like character–whatever our conditions or experiences may be.

We cannot escape temptations–but we are so to meet them and pass through them, as not to be hurt by them; to come out of them with new strength and new radiancy of soul.

We cannot escape trials and difficulties–but we are to live victoriously, never defeated, always overcoming.

We cannot find a path in which no sorrow shall come into our lives–but we are to live through the experience of sorrow, without being hurt by it.

Many people receive harm from the fires which pass over them. Many fall in temptation and lie in dust and defeat, not rising again. Many are soured and embittered by the difficulties, the irritations, the frictions, the cares of life. But the problem of Christian living, is to keep a sweet Christ-like spirit amid all that might embitter us–to pass through the fires, and not have the flames kindle upon us.

We live in the midst of the countless dangers through which we must pass in this world. Danger lurks in every shadow, and hides in every patch of sunshine. There are tempters all around us. Only by committing our lives day by day into the hands of Christ, can we be kept in safety amid the perils of this world. He is able to keep us from falling, to guard us from stumbling, and to set us before His presence without blemish, in exceeding joy!
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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

The making of Christian character

(J.R. Miller)

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(You will find it helpful to listen to the audio above, as you read the text below.)

It used to be a custom for travelers in Switzerland to bring home clusters of the edelweiss. The flower is not sought because of its beauty or for its fragrance, but in recognition of its hardiness and victoriousness in living and blooming under very difficult conditions. It grows on the Alps and Pyrenees, at lofty altitudes, where almost nothing else lives, and on crags difficult of access, and is among the hardiest of all plants. Thus the edelweiss becomes the symbol of noble life which . . .
  endures hardness,
  is victorious amid antagonisms,
  rises superior to obstacles.

The man who has never known hardship, who never has had to practice self-denial or make a personal sacrifice–may be the envy of other men whose lives have been one continual struggle. They may think that if they could have had his easy circumstances, that they could have made a great deal more of their life. But really, their opportunities in life thus far, has been far better than his. Christian character is made in the field of struggle and hardship, not in ways of ease and luxury.
Hindrances are opportunities.
Difficulty is a school for character.

Strength is the glory of manhood. Yet it is not easy to be strong, it is easier to be weak and to drift. It is easier for the boy in school not to work hard to get his lessons–but to let them go, and then at the last depend on some other boy to help him through. It is easier, when something happens to make you irritable, just to fly into a temper and to say bitter words–than it is to keep quiet and self-controlled. It is easier, when you are with other young people, and they are about to do something that you know to be unworthy, just to go with them–than it is to say, “I cannot do this wickedness against God!” It is easier to be weak, than to be strong. But weakness never leads to mature Christian character.
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Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com