“I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other” (John 13:34-35 CEB).
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD alone. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:4-6 NRSV)
Last week, we focused on celebrating those we love and their positive influence in our lives. From the great Shema of the Torah in Deuteronomy to the teaching of Jesus found in John 13, this focus on loving relationship is at the root of the scriptural values of our faith. In the Christian faith, we attend to the teaching of the Shema in the context of the teaching of Jesus. One of the ways we express our love for God is through our love for one another. This is a clear expectation of our faith.
I pray that God would use the Conference Centers to help people stand for Jesus and share His good news with the lost.
Religious freedom in the military is under a frontal attack. Train soldiers how to combat evil by confronting it with the truth! 2 Timothy 1:7 is a good model: Power tempered by love controlled by a sound mind.
Given the spiritual climate in the military I hope OCF emphasizes 1) the Christian’s reliance on the leading of God the Holy Spirit in our hearts and 2) specifically in spiritual warfare terms. Our troops understand the military and have a military mind-set; it would be great to teach spiritual warfare based on that foundation.
That God will train men and women to be godly leaders properly handling the Scriptures, that parents will have teens and adults come alongside their children such that the Word of God taught at home is reinforced and built upon at the Conference Centers, and that all are refreshed to go back out to the mission field they have been called to serve in, particularly to the entire military society.
That many men and women would hear God’s call in the midst of His beautiful Colorado creation, encounter Him in a new way, and have their hearts, minds, and lives transformed for His glory and their good!
That the examples, teaching and shared experiences at the conference centers would convict Christian officers to fully embrace their responsibility to serve God and the members (and families) of their command as they (Christian leaders) live daily at the intersection of command authority and spiritual directive.
I would wish/pray that many more generations would experence, enjoy and profit from times spent at OCF’s conference centers. That personal walks, families and OCF ministries would grow mightly as a result. .
Our hope is that military members and families might continue to be blessed in God as they take some time aside at these beautiful conference centers. May our Lord continue to bless His work through His people and His creation in these beautiful places.