Metropolitan Christian Center

CUT DOWN TO SIZE
by Charles R. Swindoll

Read 1 Kings 17:2--6

"I am going to cut you down to size!" If I heard that once during the ten weeks I spent in a U.S. Marine Corps boot camp more than forty-five years ago, I must have heard it a dozen times. As I recall, those words formed the theme of the opening speech, delivered with passion, by a man I quickly learned to obey. Those words still play back to me in my mind, and the shrill tone of my drill instructor's voice remains a vivid memory. He meant every word he said, and he kept his promise.

There we stood, an unorganized, ragtag bunch of seventy or so young men of every conceivable size and background, thrown together in a strange place, having no idea (thankfully) what was ahead of us. During the months that followed, every shred of self-sufficient arrogance, every hint of independent spirit, and all thought of rebellion was scraped away. Any indifference toward authority was replaced by a firm commitment to do only as we were told, regardless. We learned to survive in the crucible of intense, extreme training that has characterized the Marine Corps throughout its proud and proven history.

The disciplined regimen of boot camp---day after day, week after week---brought about remarkable changes in each one of us. As a result, we left that place completely different than we were when we arrived. The isolation of our location, the absence of all creature comforts, the relentless, monotonous drills and demanding repetition of inspections, the tests that forced us to encounter the unknown without showing fear (all mixed with the maddening determination and constant harassment of our drill instructor), yielded powerful dividends. Almost without realizing it, while learning to submit ourselves to the commands of our leader, we ultimately found ourselves physically fit, emotionally stirred, and mentally ready for whatever conflict might come our way, even the harsh reality of facing the enemy in combat.

That kind of raw recruit training is precisely what the Lord had in mind when He sent His servant Elijah from the court of King Ahab to the brook Cherith. Little did the prophet know that his being hidden away at Cherith would prove to be his boot camp experience. There, he would be trained to trust his Leader so that he might ultimately do battle with a treacherous enemy.

           
Every Christian experiences many challenges in every day life, therefore we are call to stay updated in our Christian walk. We must pray every day, sing hymns, or psalms to the Lord, and keep well sharpened the double edge sword of the spirit which is the Word of God.

To that end we have included this Weekly Devotionals that have the purpose of helping you reflect on what is more  important in your Christian walk and keep you up-beat about your relationship with Christ.

In the Bible we read: "Give us Lord our daily bread" and we also read: "man shall not live of bread alone, but of every word that comes out from the mouth of the Lord"

Pastor Malave continuesly feeds his spiritual hunger on these devotianals that he will be sharing with you every week for your spiritual nurishment.

COME EVERY DAY TO DIGEST THIS SPIRITUAL FOOD FOR YOUR SPIRITUAL & CHRISTIAN GROWTH!