III – Be

Inspiring Quotes by C.S. Lewis for Living a Meaningful Life

Scholar and author C.S. Lewis, who lived 1898–1963, was a fellow of Magdalen College at both Oxford and Cambridge. Ardent atheist who became a passionate and intellectual Christian, he wrote more than 30 books, including the immensely popular Chronicles of Narnia series.

C.S. Lewis “very effectively champions objective truth, goodness, natural law, literary excellence, reason, science, individual liberty, personal responsibility, and Christian apologetics,” according to The Independent Institute. “His work captures a grandeur, precision, wit, imagination and insight seldom matched by others, and in the process, he articulately critiques the materialism, reductionism, scientism, collectivism, nihilism, statism, and de-humanization of the modern era.”

“If Christians are to be about bringing God’s kingdom values to our world, then Lewis helps us consider just how to do that,” writes Dr. Robin Baker, president of George Fox University, in his article, Why C.S. Lewis Plays a Prominent Role in My Intellectual Life.

What follows is a collection of quotes by C.S. Lewis, each taken from his book listed next to it, that are especially insightful in helping us live a SemperVerus life:

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Scriptural Principles for Church Security Volunteers

THE STAND Magazine is American Family Association (AFA)’s monthly publication that filters current news and information through scriptural truth to encourage Christians to live out their faith.

[ Bookmark the SemperVerus CHURCH SECURITY INTELLIGENCE CLIPBOARD ]

The focus of its brief devotional article, Officers and Believers, explores how the unity, courage, and sacrificial commitment of law enforcement reflect the even greater calling for believers to stand together as one body in Christ.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, The Ministry of Protection: Why Church Safety Teams Matter and How Serving in the Ministry of Protection Brings Clarity to the Calling ]

We’ve excerpted it here, adapting and applying its selected Bible verses to the men and women who volunteer on church security teams:

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Forgiving vs Forgetting

[The following is a guest article by retired police officer and police trainer Ron Borsch.]

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Interview With Police Trainer, Ron Borsch, on Church Security Teams Stopping Active Killer Incidents ]

Some readers may remember the 1982 movie with Robin Williams as an example of strange thinking. My takeaway was that Garp wanted to buy a house that an airplane had just crashed into. AI: “Garp’s logic was that the house had already been ‘pre-disastered.’ He reasoned that the astronomical odds against an airplane crashing into a house meant it could never possibly happen to that specific property again, making it the safest place they could possibly live…. The memorable quote from the IMDb The World According to Garp Quotes captures this comedic display of absolute logic cloaked in absurdity… “We’ll take the house Honey, the chances of another plane hitting this house are astronomical. It’s been pre-disastered. We’re going to be safe here.” “The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps” (Proverbs 14:15).

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Read the Protector’s Prayer

The Protector’s Prayer is a faith-based Christian prayer written by Nick Menster, a former state trooper and federal agent, to provide spiritual strength and courage for those who face danger, such as military members, police officers, firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics. It’s also adaptable for civilian first responders, including members of church security teams.

[ Bookmark the SemperVerus CHURCH SECURITY INTELLIGENCE CLIPBOARD ]

Protector’s Prayer began when Nick Menster felt called to write a prayer specifically for the men and women who put on a uniform every day. Not a generic prayer, but one that speaks directly to the weight of the badge, the helmet, and the rifle.

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Bible Verses to Overcome Fear and Gain Courage

No one likes living in a world filled with terror and uncertainty, but in such times, God does some of his most important work.

[ Read SemperVerus articles on the topic of COURAGE ]

The Bible repeatedly tells us to not live in fear. Proverbs 3:5 says we should put our whole-hearted trust in God, no matter what comes our way.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Self-Defense In Spiritual Warfare: Know Your Enemies ]

We should turn to God, as David did in Psalm 34:4, “I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.”

[ Read the SemperVerus article, Pray the Prayers of the Apostle Paul ]

Below are 10 Bible verses to act on when you’re facing intimidating challenges. They’re arranged in the order they appear in Scripture. One way to keep them front and center in your mind is to simply remember the first reference: Deuteronomy 31:6. Turn to that verse in your print or digital Bible. Write the next reference, Psalm 23:4, in the print margin or digital notes section. Then turn to Psalm 23:4 and similarly write the next reference. Repeat this for all 10 verses.

[ Read the SemperVerus article, 100 Essential Bible Passages to Know ]

So when you’re feeling weak-kneed and fearful, remember to look at Deuteronomy 31:6 and follow the trail from there to gather your courage by trusting in the majesty and will of God.

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