Good Lord's Day Morning to you! I hope each of you are in good spirits and health.  We know those we have been praying for.  The Commander asks that we include Bear this week.  He talked to him yesterday and a cold or the flu or some other type of varmint had Bear down.  Outside of that, no new news. My brothers' never forget to go to the Chaplain’s Corner of the website to reread this morning’s lesson. When I set down to hammer it out each week, some of you get the rough copy.  With rough English, poor spelling and my run-on sentences, it can make for some real misunderstanding.  The Commander does a great job of cleaning it up and clearing it up.   Thank you Commander.

Today’s topic is entitled Confidence and Caution.  The Bible clearly teaches both a good use of John 3:16 "whoever should believe in him should not perish" should give you great hope and a reason for it if you have been born again of the water and the spirit. II Timothy 4:8 "Henceforth there is.....not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" The Bible speaks of His children’s ability to approach His throne of grace with Boldness. We need that boldness.  Nothing worse in the church then a bunch of brethren who never miss church, do everything as right as humanly possible and still not for sure they are going to heaven. Those same brethren wonder why their children didn't choose to make the church their life too. We need our confidence in what we believe and in how we live. That comes from knowledge of God's word and knowing that we are living with in his teachings as best we know how and with study we will always grow and change according to our understanding.

But we can not throw caution to the wind I Corinthians 10:12 "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall".  Now, let me give you a tanker example. I left Germany as a top gun. I general shot pretty well.  Went to Fort Knox got in trouble and was sent to Delta Co to train Marines. Well, it didn't take long for the Marine Capt. and gunnery Sgt. to fall in love with the Corps of the Congoleese general’s take. I could and would teach their marines to out tank and out shoot any one in the world. My last range I went to with them was a converted rifle range that had never been used for tanks before. It had a sort impact zone and there would be soldiers on the rifle range on the other side. So, CPT Henry told the senior tank commander that no one was to zero any tank on that range that day but me and I could choose whoever I wanted to assist in bore sighting.  Man, my head swelled up.  Zeroing went off perfect with generals on hand to witness. The firing exercise began.   My coax started jamming.  The trainee was unable to handle the misfires.  Three times I came down out of the commander’s spot to handle the misfire of the coax.  Twice, I followed the misfire steps by the book. However, the third time I dropped down I didn't.  Based on the two previous trips down, I didn't need to hold the charging handle to the rear.  When I opened the cover this time I should have as I pulled the jammed rounds out of the feed tray.  I watched as in slow motion the bolt flew forward and explode a round loaded in the chamber.  The marines freaked out as blood run out of my eyes and down my face. I fixed the coax and climbed back in my cupola and gave the command to fire.  As we continued to proceed with fire mission, one of the marines keyed the net and reported I was bleeding everywhere. The tower asked if I was hurt.  I told them I needed another machine gun.  Once they cleared the firing line and brought me the machine gun, they took me to the hospital were I would lay on the operating table for the next three hours having brass removed and cut out of my eyes. So my brothers, remember I Corinthians 10:12.  Remember the Bible does not apply just to spiritual matters, but it is the Book of Life.  Love,  Chaplain Tex