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Being a good soldier of God

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Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.  
[NIV] 2Timothy 2:3~4

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The Bible, we read, contents letters to the people who believe Jesus. Some of Paul's letters teach how to live a life of faith to Timothy as his son. Paul, an apostle, told Timothy to be a good soldier of God.

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What enters your mind when you think about soldiers?

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I'm sure you can think of many things.

Soldiers have to wear military uniforms and put on combat boots.

They cannot have long hair only a short buzzed hair cut.

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Whenever, they want to come back home, they are not allowed.

If they get a vacation, they are allowed to go out; otherwise, if they are caught leaving, they will get in big trouble. Because they belong to the army.

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Soldiers want to do what they are not allowed to do when they are in the army.

Even they want to wear their hair long, even they want to sleep more, but they cannot do as they wish.

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Who is a good soldier? A good soldier keeps the laws made in the Army and overcome difficulties during life as a soldier.

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Another example of this, is runners in a race. At the referee's signal, they all run fast.

However, one of them came to the goal line, first. The people assumed that man would be the winner.

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But that man did not receive the award. The man thought that was unfair so he went and gave the referee a piece of his mind. "I came to the goal line first, why don't I get a award, too?" The referee said to the man, " Yes, you are right. But you cannot receive a award. Because while you were running, you broke the rules by going over to another ones' line.

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The man ran well, but he broke the rules. So he was sent off.

The man could not receive a award because he did not keep the rules.

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Paul, an apostle told Timothy as his son to be a good soldier of God. Not only Timothy but also we all who believe Jesus have to be a good soldier of God. We should live following God's laws.

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Then, what are the laws that soldiers of God should keep?

We should read the Bible and act out what the Bible says for us to do.

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The best of God's laws is that we love God as a soldier of God.

That is our first duty.

People who love God are pleased to worship God and try to make God pleased. Pleasing God is praying to Him. Whenever we do and get an answer from God. Then, we should act out as God has said for us to do.

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The second law for the soldiers of God is to love their neighbors.

A helping person helps their friends when they are in trouble Jesus told us to " love your neighbor as yourself."

This is an important duty that soldiers of God have to follow.

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We become a good soldier of God when we do as God's words say like a good soldier of the army.

There is no award, however fast you run, unless you keep the law.

We cannot get a award from God even though we go to church faithfully and do many things well, if we still disobey God's law.

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From now on, I will remember who I am as a good soldier of God and I will try to do my best as God's words says for me to do.