I want to thank all veterans who have served our country to keep us safe. I especially want to give honor to my father, William Knight, Jr., who served as a very young man in the United States Navy. He has passed on and I can't express my gratitude for his courage to him, but I can acknowledge that he was a brave and faithful man who served his country during World War 11. My nephew, Jason Knight, who served in Iraq and is currently serving overseas made a war journal of my father's and his travels and exploits. These two brave men served overseas so that we would not be faced with an enemy on our own turf. Thanks to all of our American servicemen and servicewomen, as we remember your deeds and acts of courage you performed for our country.
My father never told us about his war exploits, but he would sit at McDonald's Restaurant with a group of other old men and talk about their war experience. It wasn't until the year before he died that he began to tell me about being on a ship, the U.S.S. Durik and the places he saw. My dad was a talking machine before he died, but I was no longer able to understand much of what he was telling me. I could tell when he was excited about whatever he spoke about and my heart yearned to know what he was saying, but his ability to speak clearly had left him. I remember one thing he said, "try to see the world for yourself, no one can tell you of it's beauty." Dad was right, because we can look at movies, utube or whatever to see about a place, but there's nothing like walking the streets, tasting the food, the smells and the colors of a place for yourself. Some places can only be experienced by being there. I so wish I could sit at my daddy's feet today and listen to his life experiences. My daddy had no idea that I would one day sail the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, or sit at a seaside restaurant on one of the Greek Isles, eat Pizza in a restaurant in Spain, become mesmerized by the sights of Italy or stand on a mountain in Turkey. He knew some of my travels, but his love was Europe and he would have been thrilled. We would have had much to talk about.
I had the wonderful experience to go on a Mediterranean Cruise, sailing to Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey nine months ago, I was able to have a taste of what my dad loved; the open ocean. I was simply mesmerized by the vastness of the ocean and the feeling of freedom as I sat in the chair on our balcony looking out over the sea. Sunsets, sunrises and the roaring of the waves made this a time of freedom like I have never experienced before. God, the sea and me! I can't even remember how much God and I communicated while I sat quietly being saturated in His love and looking out over His creation. I thought about Genesis quite a bit as the waters covered the earth and then the voice of God began to speak life into existence.
But, I want to thank another group of veterans and they are the men and women of God, who have fought the fight of faith to carry the gospel from Jerusalem to the uttermost parts of the world. Their journey was a treacherous one over mountains, hostile territories, hiding in caves, mountain crevices and sailing on ships in difficult waters. They were totally committed to advancing the gospel, even to the point of imprisonment and death. These veterans of the army of God, forged westward, northward, southward and eastward from the persecution in Israel with a mandate from the Holy Spirit to preach the gospel in all nations. They lost everything so that I, two centuries later, can enjoy the glory of God in my life. They crossed the seas, looking for a place of religious freedom.
Although men with twisted minds sought to purchase human flesh to make money, stole and brought humans who had been enslaved from the mighty continent of Africa to the Americas. None of them could fathom that the descendants of these slaves would build mighty cities and then would rule many of them. None could have fathom that the descendants of these broken and mistreated slaves would run corporations, become astronauts, engineers, CEO's, or live at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Some would become ministers of the gospel, taking airplanes back to the continent of Africa and the other continents to preach the gospel.
I salute the Christians who travel as missionaries across the planet to take the gospel of Jesus Christ in sometimes, hostile territories. Jesus said, "this gospel shall be preached in all the world and then the end shall come." I have heard many sermons where well meaning preachers criticize those who go to other countries to preach the gospel and they often say that these people need to preach in their own cities. There are many callings to ministry, and some are to remain within their cities as evangelists, pastors, teachers or prophets, but there are apostles and emissaries, who are called by God as, "sent ones." Stay in your lane, if God has called your feet to remain in the city, then do what he has called you to do. Everyone is not called to work the local communities; God has wired them differently to go to other nations. You are judging what you don't understand.
Those who are sent to take the gospel have an important job as well as those who are called to stay within their city gates. Remember, the country of Turkey was the area where the first apostles evangelized and won over for Christ. The seven churches listed in The Book of Revelation were physically in what was once called Asia Minor. Now that area is 93% Islamic, with Christianity being apart of the remaining 7% along with other religions like Hinduism or Buddhism and the like. What happened? So, you don't think that world evangelism is important? Think again!
In the natural military, I suspect that all branches of the military understand that everyone's assignment is important. Whether you are in the Marines, Air Force, Navy, Army, National Guard or Coast Guard, your branch has an significant role to play. If you are called to be a sharp shooter, you wouldn't speak against those who build bombs or are the medics who pick up the wounded. Everyone's job is important and necessary, as it is in the Kingdom of God. All of us have a job to do, whether we are Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, Healers, Givers, Deacons, Administrations, Singers or the Ministry of Helps. We all have a job to do and we must cover each other in prayer so that we can advance the ministry of Jesus Christ. I salute the Body of Christ, who has been called to demonstrate Him in the earth. We are to operate in love for this is the only way that the world will know that we belong to Him. If your job is to clean the sanctuary, God bless you, for you understand that the place where God's presence shows up and has been dedicated to Him is holy and it is an honor to clean.
I thank the men and women who serve America in the natural military and God bless the men and women who serve the Earth in His spiritual army.
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