Honor Them tribute to the men and women always there when we need them

The rest of us count on them everyday. Police officers, firefighters, emergency responders, National Guards and Reservists. We count on the members of the military just as much to stand in our place, to rush to help us in times of great need and to risk their lives for our sake.
On September 8th 2009, OperationSafety91 will honor these heroes for all they do at 1st Baptist Church in Orlando Florida with a program including 6,000 waving flags.

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We spend our days never really thinking about any of them. We hear a siren as police and firefighters rush to help someone in need. We may get out of their way and never give them more than a quick, passing thought instead of offering a prayer that God watches over them.

When storms hit, floods come, wind blows down trees, accidents leave us in danger or a health emergency causes panic, they come.

When the leaders of this nation decide to go to war, we wave our flags and send them on their way. We don't spend time finding out what is happening to them while they are gone.

When they come home, few show up to welcome them home because the others are too busy with their own lives.

When they are in trouble, need someone to help them, few will answer that call.

They risk their lives everyday for the sake of the rest of us and ask nothing in return. Call any of them a hero and they will say "I was just doing my job." and then they humbly walk away or change the conversation.

Most of us never think of them again until the next war, the next emergency here at home, the next time we need them to say they will go in our place.

Each soul on this earth has within them all they need to do what they were intended to do by God's hand. Each one called for whatever small or huge job they have been given. They have the compassion in their souls to care enough to want to help and the courage required to do more than just care. The courage required to risk their lives for the sake of others.

This same compassion can cause turmoil within them when they misunderstand the horrors they see, the evil man is capable of and wonder where God was during those times. They cannot see that God was there within them in every second of their lives. He was there because He sent them to answer the prayers of others in His place.

When the responders suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a wound to their soul, they know that what was in their hearts calling them to act came from God, but after, they face turmoil when it all gets to be too much to bear. When they are able to reach their hand out to God, believe He is there, believe He still loves them, they begin to heal and become stronger in their faith, feel blessed with compassion and recognized the courage they had all along.

The ability to feel pain abundantly for others is also what enables them to feel the wonders and love more deeply as well. Their service comes with a price they pay all the time. God knows their pain and He knows their fears. He also knows that when we called out for help, they came in His place, but when they needed us, we were just too busy to notice.

Please, honor them for what they do for the rest of us everyday and take time to say thank you at the very least.


And now this from Papa Roy, arrived this morning as the daily reminder,,,,,

He has called us to participate

How often do we miss the big picture of what God is doing? We’re so busy running around with the daily grind, sometimes even within our ministries, that we forget the amazing plan that we’re a part of! There is so much work to be done. We must make sure that we are daily getting focused on what God would have us do! Otherwise we labor in vain! Let’s take a break for a moment, rejoice in the fact that God has an awesome plan in which He has called us to participate, and ask Him for wisdom concerning what He would have us do today.

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (Psalm 127:1)


When He watches a city

To understand this verse, first understand the word vain. It means empty. Why? Why is the labor in vain? Why is the watching in vain? because it is pointless. The only one who can build eternal things is God himself. When He builds a house, it lasts forever, when He watches a city, it is an eternal city, take up your citizenship there.

In God we trust: I will remember the works of the LORD; surely I will remember Your wonders of old. (Psalm 77:11)

Papa Roy

With God as the Architect and His Word the blueprint, your life will be built on a sure foundation.