"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

I can remember a few years back that one of the agencies I have worked with issued me a brand new white helmet with the Chaplain shield on it. A few weeks later, I was on scene of a working fire. After everything was brought under control, one of the captains walked up to me.

"Can I borrow your helmet, Chap?" he asked. I took it off and he walked away with it. After a couple of minutes, he walked back to me and handed me the now not-so-white helmet. He had taken it and rubbed it in the burned debris of the house!

As he handed to me he said, "There ya' go, Chap, your helmet just looked too new."

I had the pleasure of speaking with a young firefighter yesterday. As we sat and talked, it became evident that this firefighter was seeking GOD in his life. He knew, deep within, that GOD was what he needed, he just didn't know how to make that happen. So, I explained the Gospel to him. And, I got to pray along with him as he accepted JESUS as his REAL CHIEF. He became a new person yesterday!

Our verse this week talks about becoming a new person in CHRIST. When we ask CHRIST to be our REAL CHIEF, we get rid of our old "gear" - our old way doing things, our old way of living. We then are to put on our "new gear" - the whole armor of GOD (see Ephesians 6:11-18) and begin to learn how to walk through life as a Christian (which means "CHRIST-like").

Will our new "gear" get a little soot on it? Yes. We still sin. We are still human. However, as a new person in CHRIST, we also are quick to ask for forgiveness and repent (turn away from) that sin.

If you have not yet asked JESUS to be your REAL CHIEF, I would love to talk with you more about what it means to become a "new person." Email me. I want each and every one of you to serve alongside me...

Copyright © 1999-2008 Chaplain Skip Straus and Emergency Ministries.

Emergency Ministries is an IRS 501.c.3 organization and donations are greatly appreciated. PO Box 9121 * Spring, TX * 77387

" The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, `Go,' and he goes; and that one, `Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, `Do this,' and he does it."

When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith."

Back during the times of the Roman Empire, men were deployed to the various regions to protect the emperor's interests and to enforce Roman law... some of our first cops! These troops were commanded by an officer called a "centurion." The centurion typically commanded 1000 soldiers... much like, perhaps, a division chief in one of our larger cities.

One of these men approached our REAL CHIEF one day and says to HIM, "One of my employees is about to die." Our REAL CHIEF told the division chief that HE would come right away to his house with him. But, look at the humility he shows - he says he is not worthy to have CHRIST come into his house. Then, look at the complete and total faith he displays... he says to JESUS, "I know all that You have to do is say the word..." The centurion goes on to explain that he understands a chain of command.

Our REAL CHIEF, the verse says, was astonished at the amount of faith that the division chief displayed.

Do you have that kind of faith? You and I both need to pray that GOD would grant us the faith that centurion had. You see, he knew, without any doubt whatsoever, that JESUS could heal his employee just by saying so.

I pray that each of us is able to turn our requests over to our REAL CHIEF in such a fashion that we, too, know that HE will answer our pleadings.

LORD, let us have that faith as we serve...