War Heroes by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2016, all rights reserved. Chapter 1 Today is Memorial Day, and so we remember our heroes. After Hitler had pretty much conquered Europe, during World War 2, Great Britain, the U.S., and our Allies began planning an invasion of France. General Dwight Eisenhower was one of those planners, ("Ike," who after the war became President.) A huge armada of ships was sent to France on D-day. As the ships neared the French shores, landing craft were off-loaded, and packed with our soldiers. Many of those men were mowed down on the beaches of France, such as the beach called Utah, and the beach called Omaha. But France had to be taken back from Hitler, and with God's help, that was accomplished. So World War 2 was a very bloody war. But an even bloodier war, I believe I've heard, was our Civil War, during the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln. The North mowed down the soldiers of the South, and the South did the same to the Northerners. Medical Science was not as advanced back then, and there were many amputations. And Infection killed many soldiers. President Lincoln said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." (quoting Jesus in Matt 12:25) Lincoln prevented the splitting in two of our nation. Thank you, Brother Abe. No doubt our nation has had war heroes in every war that we've fought. But some of the heroes were not wearing military uniforms. Some heroes were civilians, such as the Scientists working on the Manhattan Project, the project that developed the atom bomb. After Albert Einstein came out with "E equals MC squared," people began working on making an atom bomb that would take advantage of the tremendous energy of atoms. The U.S. was concerned that German Scientists might get the bomb first, enabling Germany to then rule the world. In fact, one of our air attacks against Hitler was to destroy a German "heavy water" plant. "Heavy water" is sometimes used in the processing of Uranium. Another name for heavy water is "deuterium." Water is two atoms of hydrogen combined in a molecule with one atom of oxygen. An ordinary hydrogen atom has one electron and one proton. Deuterium (heavy water), has hydrogen atoms that have an extra neutron, unlike normal water. There's an excellent book titled, "Manhattan Project," by Grouef. I've seen it available at the Public Library. The developers of the A-bomb faced apparently insurmountable obstacles. But seemingly out of nowhere, experts appeared that had the solutions to the very difficult problems. Part of the project involved the use of steam. A guy came along who seemed to know everything that there was to know about steam. He said, "Here's how you do that," and he showed them how to do it. Chemists came along that had the solutions to very difficult chemistry problems. They needed some valves that would be perfect. No leaks. So, one of the Engineers invented a perfect valve that wouldn't leak. Thank you, God! As they were constructing one of the facilities, they knew that electricity would be needed, but at that early stage of development, it was not known exactly which kind of electricity would be needed. So they built a plant that had five different kinds of electricity available, alternating current, direct current, high voltage, lower voltage. (There was a war on.) One big advantage that the U.S. had over the Axis powers was our very significant industrial strength, and manufacturing capabilities. A factor no doubt very much underestimated by Japan when they decided to attack Pearl Harbor in the U.S. territory of Hawaii. It has been estimated that the dropping of the two A-bombs on Japan saved the lives of a million soldiers. Those two bombs brought the war with Japan to an end. President Truman made the right choice to drop those two bombs. Otherwise, we would have had to do the heavy slog of an infantry invasion of Japan. The Scientists worked at a special, highly classified, location in the State of New Mexico. But we also had plants in Tennessee and in Washington State working on the fissionable materials. The kind of Uranium ore that you dig out of the ground is not ready to be made into a bomb. You have to get the uranium metal out of the uranium oxide by chemical process. Then there's another difficult problem. There are two kinds of uranium--U 235, and U 238, those three digit numbers being the atomic weights of the substance. U 238 is a little heavier than U 235. It is the U 235 that you make bombs out of because the U 238 is more stable. It is easier to split the atoms of U 235, releasing tremendous energy. It is easier to cause a "chain reaction" with the U 235. But the U 235 only comprises 0.7 percent of the uranium ore that you dig out of the ground, less than one percent. The rest of the uranium ore is the U 238. So now, you want to separate the U 235 from the U 238. This process is called the "enriching" of uranium, the process of increasing the percentage of U 235 in your quantity of uranium, while eliminating some of the U 238. Not such an easy thing to do. But our Scientists found ways to do it. One method was a magnetic method. They would build a huge electromagnet. An electromagnet sends electric current though coils of wire, generating a magnetic field. Usually, you would wind the electromagnet with copper wire. But during the war, copper was in very short supply. So, the Manhattan Project contacted the U.S. Treasury, and borrowed tons of silver, and made the silver into wires for the electromagnet. No doubt, whomever was the Secretary of the Treasury at the time required a signed receipt for those tons of silver. Like copper, silver is an excellent conductor of electricity. Chapter 2 But many of our soldiers also gave their lives fighting in the Viet Nam war. And also in the Korean War. Still today there are two Koreas, North Korea, and South Korea, divided at the thirty eighth parallel of latitude. I served in the U.S. Army in South Korea (the Republic of Korea), years after the end of the Korean War. President Abraham Lincoln himself, of course, became a sacrificial lamb at the hands of the assassin, John Wilkes Booth, who thought he was doing a good thing by killing that great man. Jesus said, "The time will come when he that kills you will think that he is doing God a service." (John 16:2) That time is now. Speaking of sacrificial lambs, there was a man who was "The Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world." (says John the Baptist in John 1:29) In this next passage, we read about people who will be worshiping the world ruler, the Antichrist, at the time of the "Great Tribulation" that is yet to come-- 8 And all that live on the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If any man has an ear, let him hear. (from Rev chapt 13) Notice vs 8--"The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." God knew from the foundation of the world that a Messiah, a Savior, would be needed to save men from their sins. Under the Mosaic Law in the Old Testament, sacrificial animals were killed for the sins of the people. As you kill the animal, you shed its blood. And the sacrificial lamb had to be perfect, without blemishes. Jesus was qualified to be the "Lamb of God..." because Jesus never sinned. "For he has made him to be sin for us, WHO KNEW NO SIN, so that we would be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Cor 5:21) But everyone else has sinned. (Rom 3:23) Paul the Apostle, formerly Saul of Tarsus, of the Tribe of Benjamin, informs us that,-- ___Hebrews chapter 10 1 For the law, having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices that they offered year by year, continually, make the comers to it perfect. 2 For then would they not have stopped being offered? Because the worshipers once purged would have had no more conscience of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats can take away sins. 5 So when he comes into the world, he says, "Sacrifice and offering you didn't want, but you've prepared a body for me, 6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you've had no pleasure. 7 Then I said, See, I come (in the volume of the book it is written about me,) to do your will, Oh God." 8 Above when he said, "Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin you didn't want, nor had pleasure in that, which are offered by the law," 9 Then he said, "See, I come to do your will, O God." He takes away the first, so he can establish the second. 10 By which will we are made holy through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all. 11 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, that can never take away sins, 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 From then on expecting, until his enemies would be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified. 15 About which the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us, for after he had said before, 16 "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and I'll write them in their minds, 17 And their sins and iniquities I won't remember anymore." 18 Now where forgiveness of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 19 Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way, that he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, 21 And having a high priest over the house of God, 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold tightly the profession of our faith without wavering, (for he is faithful that promised,) 24 And let us consider each other to provoke to love and to good works, 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting each other, and so much the more as you see the day approaching. Notice vs 4, above, "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats can take away sins." Paul says animal sacrifices do not exactly take away sins. But God was willing to count animal sacrifices as taking away sins for a period of time. But not any longer. And we are told in Heb 9:22 that WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD, THERE IS NO REMISSION OF SINS. And why does the sacrifice of animals no longer count as paying for sins? Because, quite simply, we now have the ultimate, once-and-for-all sacrifice of the "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world," the very, virgin-born, Son of God, Jesus. And so, this Memorial Day weekend, as we remember our heroes, let's not overlook one of the world's greatest heroes ever, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Who died on the cross of crucifixion, but who was raised from the dead by God. Of course, your sins are taken away only if you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (John chapt 3) To become a born again Christian, obey Romans 10:9,10-- "That if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation." ___James chapter 1 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings. 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations, 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away. 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man, 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God. 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror, 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ___James chapter 2 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also, 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool," 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats? 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called? 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well, 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law. 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food, 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that? 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ___James chapter 3 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies. 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants. 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind, 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be. 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace. ___James chapter 4 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask. 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?" 6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up. 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else? 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit," 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that." 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin. ___James chapter 5 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter. 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near. 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door. 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation. 13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven. 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good. 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him, 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.