“Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that goes to war entangles himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” Commentary: How many recruits would the army get with this advertisement? My military recruiter told me about the benefits! The chance to see and travel the world! Adventure! Dodging bullets! After 8 weeks of basic military training in San Antonio Texas in the heat of august in 1975 I figured out that my recruiter lied to me! I lost 30 pounds in 8 weeks there was no fat left in my body! My belt size was reduced by 4 inches! Those were the beginnings of my benefits! I got the G.I. Bill for education and just recently got a free burial site because I am a veteran! So what is the Apostle Paul telling his young recruit Timothy that he has to “endure hardness”? The Greek word used here in this scripture is Strong’s number 2553. It means to endure evil! To suffer evil at the hands of Satan and his followers! Satan’s disciples! Why would Satan get so upset at me following Jesus? I mean I am going out into the world and doing good for people! Why would that make Satan sweat? Because Jesus defeated Satan in the biggest Super Bowl contest between good and evil on the Cross of Calvary! Jesus took my sin on the Cross and nailed it there and left it there! Death was defeated the biggest enemy of men! Satan does not want me to point people to Jesus and find redemption as I have and be free from the bondages of sin! Satan does not want people free! Free from guilt and sin! He does not want people to experience the love of God for them and the pardon of their past and the promises from God of their future with him! Satan wants people to be buried in guilt with no hope of a future! Jesus is my Commanding Officer! Where he goes I will follow and what he tells me to do I will do! In the military if you do not please your Commanding Officer you get no promotions I can be separated by him out of the service! There are many benefits for pleasing your Commanding Officer! This life is short but eternity is forever! I want to follow Jesus in this life and in the one to come! How about you? Life never ends not in this life or the one to come! Eternity is a long time but to be separated from God in this life and the one to come is to endure hardness that no man can bare! James & Hamsa Sasse. IndiajesusLovesYouChurch.com