“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13
As part of the Performance Ministry team, this verse came to mind after I returned home from my visit to Camp Pendleton.In the month of March, the Performance Ministry came alongside the Military Ministry during their visit to the Marine Corps Base.
The Military Ministry is a group of brothers and sisters from our church body who go to Camp Pendleton once a month to minister to the needs of our Marines through prayer, worship, and sharing of God’s Word.
The Marines are also given cookies as another way to convey that we are thinking of them and that they are in our prayers.
An Opportunity to Minister
The Performance Ministry was given the opportunity to perform a drama for the Marines during their Sunday night church service.
The auditorium was filled with young Marines from across the country that had just finished boot camp. These Marines were about to begin eight weeks of SOI (School of Infantry) to become combat Marines.
We were honored to be there among these Marines who are willing to fight for our freedom and lay down their lives for our country.
We prayed that the Lord would use the drama ‘Blink’ to minister to each one of them in a personal way.
What is the Blink Drama All About?
Blink is a drama that portrays a young man who struggles with different sins in his life such as stealing, lust, and anger.
Throughout the drama, there are two demons that torment the young man by pulling and pushing him down.
Although Jesus is present and is reaching out to help him, the young man is blinded and trapped by his sin.
Towards the end of the drama, the young man is in a state of hopelessness and is about to commit suicide when a Christian evangelist approaches him and shares the gospel.
The young man realizes that Jesus is the only way to break free from his sin.
While he is asking Jesus for forgiveness and accepting Him into his heart, Jesus steps forward and defeats the two evil spirits.
The Message of the Gospel
The main message of Blink is that apart from Jesus, we are enslaved to sin. For the Bible says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin” John 8:34.
Being a slave to sin leads a person down a path of destruction. It is on this path that the darkness of this world becomes overwhelming and utter despair sets in.
The only way to overcome sin in our lives and be taken out of a place of hopelessness is acknowledging our need for a Savior, and that Savior is Jesus.
Only Jesus can set us free.
“Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:36
God Does a Beautiful Thing
While our group was outside gathering our stuff once the drama was finished, a young Marine came out to talk to us.
He thanked us for being there and said that the drama really spoke to him, especially the part where the emotion of anger was acted out.
He admitted to us that he struggles with anger.
One team member asked him if he had ever accepted the Lord and he said no. Then the team member asked him if he wanted to receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
The young Marine replied yes.
Our team led him in the sinner’s prayer and then prayed over him.
Towards the end of the church service an alter call was given.
Several Marines accepted the Lord and received prayer.
When the Marines left, they thanked us for coming and performing the drama.
One Marine asked us questions about scripture and another Marine wanted to know where a specific Calvary Chapel was located so that he could start attending.
A Blessing
We had a blessed time with the Marines. We were also blessed to see a young Marine from our church that will be going through SOI.
We thanked the Lord for how He used us, for what He allowed us to experience, and for using the drama to touch the lives of these Marines.
It’s important that they know there is hope in God. And as children of God, He promises to never leave us nor forsake us.
It’s also important for them to know that we have not forgotten them and are truly grateful for the sacrifice they are making to service our country.
May we never forget to lift up all our service men and women in prayer.
I loved this Blog: My first thought was about the 11 General Orders of a Sentry, applying them spiritually now being a follower of Christ. And about 2 Timothy 2:4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Along with Ephesians 6:11-18 Put on the whole armour of God. And in Hebrwes 13:5 I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. And about the Blink Drama my thoughts are from our pastor Steve message on Easter how we need to always have both hands on our Lord. Because this world will and dose blind us from God’s truth. Praying for present and future Marines as being in the military we become Goverment property. And again as our pastor Steve shared on Easter about the little ginger bread man being made and bought belonging to the one that made him. So as believers in Christ we belong to Jesus Christ who made us and has bought us also. Lastly about that we are on longer slaves to sin because of what Jesus did and has done for this world on the cross, even tho Easter Resurrection Day has passed. It is a blessing to know that Marines and this world can still except Jesus Christ as Lord and savor any day of the year. Praying for past present and future military members and families. <
I am so blessed to read that this blog post ministered to you and that you are praying for our military. Praise God!