Philippians 3:8-11
8More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
In the carnal realm, ambition is to be appalled. Yet in the realm of the spiritual it is the driving force of identification with Christ and knowledge of God. Ambition for the glory of God is a virtue, not a vice, and may God permit that we as saints embody it in an ever increasing fashion.
The apostle Paul pursued the knowledge of God and union with Christ with a holy conflagration. He saw the knowledge of Christ as being the most valuable thing that a human being could ever have, and he was willing to disregard everything that would hinder obtaining such a precious possession. He wanted to be "found in Him" and "know Him in the power of His resurrection and fellowship of His suffering". Paul wanted nothing less than total identification with the life of the Son of God. The Greek word translated "found" gives the idea to "learn the whereabouts or location of something". In other words, if someone where on the hunt to find Paul, he hoped that they would discover that his whereabouts, the totality of his life, is in Christ Jesus. This is the same idea that Paul speaks of in Col. 3:3, "we are hidden in Christ in God." Paul wanted this hiddeness to be a reality in his life. He wanted to be invisible; totally absorbed and overflowing with Christ. He wanted nothing of himself to be visible: "not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ." All this man wanted was Jesus. Paul wanted to participate in the fullness of Christ resurrection and suffering. Again, he wanted absolute identification with Christ. Nothing less would do.
God wants us to pursue him with this kind of holy ardor. To pursue anything else is idolatry. In our culture of selfism and human exaltation we indeed know about passion; we know about ambition. However, the type of passion and ambition is one that is self-centered and worthy of judgment in hell. This type of consumer mentality has knocked on the door of the church, and people are letting it in without ever questioning its origin. "Christians" pursue God for all the wrong reasons. Ministers pursue worship numbers, fame, building programs, baptism numbers, and church growth methodology. The idea that "Christ is first" in all of this is used as a misnomer. It is a statement that they use to justify their selfish ambition, all the while the church becomes more and more "professionalized" and less and less "spiritualized". Oh we say that we believe in prayer! Oh we say that we pursue Him! Yet if you examine our vocabulary, the way that we do church, and the things that we emphasize, you will be left asking "do we really believe these things we confess?"
In the pews it is no different. People pursue God as a means. He becomes their source, but not their ambition. They hold on to their selfish ambition and pursuit of the world, and try to use the spiritual resources of God to help them reach their end. We say that we believe that God is the center, but again this is a misnomer. We say that God is the center of the universe, and then imply that this One who is the center of the universe, exists for me! We present Christ not as one to be pursued because He is worthy; not as one to be pursued because this is what He requires; not one to be pursued because it is all about Him and His glory and fame. No, God is to be pursed as the center of the universe because I won't be happy with out Him; my marriage won't work without Him; my life won't be fulfilled without Him; I'll never reach my potential without Him; I'll never have a great ministry without Him; I'll never reach my goals and aspirations without Him. God exists to fulfill me, comfort me, and help me. No He does not! God exists to be worshiped! To be pursued! To be sought after and obeyed! Salvation is not about me, but about God! He chose us, we did not choose Him. He chose us not to enhance our lives or fulfill us, but to form the image of His Son in us (Rm. 8:28-30). All of these other things are a by product of my pursuit of God. The end goal; the prime product, is God Himself. Paul understood this, and saw identification and knowledge of Christ as things that were of surpassing value.
The apostle John said in his first letter that the world and all its lust are passing away, but the one who does the will of the Father abides forever. So, pursue God, not the world. Serve Him and stop trying to use Him to help you get all that you can out of life, because in the end, you will have nothing.
I am tired of this "new religion". I am tired of seeing God defamed. I am grieved at all the deadness and compromise and apathy. We need holy fire. We need God to open people's eyes and stir their hearts. We need awakening.
So, what is your life going to be about? Are you going to keep it for yourself, or are you going to lay it on the alter of God and let Him consume it with holy fire. If you lay it on the alter, you can be sure of one thing: That because so few are alive and burning, the light of your fire will shine brightly with the glory of the Lord. If you hold on, you'll be like all the rest. So, you can try to use God or serve God. Calculate Him into your pursuits or make Him your pursuit. It is time for a decision. Stop playing games and wasting your time; either serve God or serve the world. Either worship God or use Him. Stop wallowing in compromise. If you are His, separate yourself and get on with God. Stop loving the world and fondling it! Stop cheating on God!!!!!!! Stop committing adultery against your one husband, Christ. You were previously an adulterous whore whom He ransomed from your depravity. Why go back to it? Why? Leave the world and its lust and its sparkle alone. Pursue Christ as your most noble ambition. Whatever you do, at least do it with all of your might! You can rest assured of this, that there will be a day of judgment that will bring everything to light. Where will you be found? In Christ? I pray so.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Walking with God
Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. Gen. 5:24
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. Heb. 11:5
In Genesis 5:24, the Hebrew word for walk indicates the idea of "walking to and fro". The implication is that wherever God was, Enoch was there also. If God went left, Enoch went left. If God stood still, so did Enoch. He was caught up in the great way of God. The word is also used with the connotation that the one who would walk before Yahweh be blameless and pleasing to Him (cf Gen. 17:1) The author of Hebrews quotes the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) which picks up on this idea of the Hebrew word and translates it with a Greek word that can mean "to please someone". The way that the Greek is used in both the Septuagint and the New Testament gives the idea that the sum total of Enoch's life was one that was pleasing to God.
How does one walk with God in such a way that the Most High finds pleasure and delight in him? The author of Hebrews tells us in verse 6 that it is by faith, and that without this faith it is impossible to please God.
The great aim of the sanctification of the Spirit is to get us walking with God. He desires to pull us out of ourselves and get us caught up in the Great Way of God. Enoch was caught up in the Great Way of God. He was in stride with Him and only did what He saw God doing. He only went where God told him to go. Thus, he was pleasing to God.
When we turn to the New Testament, we see that this type of life finds its zenith in the Son of Man. Jesus himself said in John 5:19 "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise." There it is! Do you see it? It is the bravura of His relationship with God. Jesus shows us this dazzling display of what it means to truly walk with God.
The next question we have to ask is "what does faith have to do with all of this?" Indeed this is an important question, for without it, we are unable to live in a manner that is pleasing to God. It is a given that saving faith is a gift that can only be granted to a person by God (Eph. 2:8-9). In the context of Hebrews, it is not saving faith that the author has in mind, though it can certainly not be excluded. Based on verse 6, the faith has to do with "diligently seeking". In other words, a life that is pleasing to God is one that takes Him for who He is, and expends itself to following hard after Him and getting caught up in His Great Way.
In order to walk with God, you must come to your own funeral. Paul went to his when he said in Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." As long as the idol of self is allowed to co-exists next to the ark of God, there will be divided loyalty. You cannot be focused on God and walking in stride with Him as long as you are self conscious. You will always factor yourself into the equation. There is no place in the spiritual highlands for a saint, who like the Levite that served Micah and his household gods for 10 shekels and a shirt (Jdgs 17), that will compromise. The inclusion of self will always lead to compromise.
To be in God's Great Way is impossible without faith. Once we come to our own funeral, we have to trust in the life of the Son of God to carry out this stringent lifestyle through us. He was the one who had perfect vision and insight to what God was doing, and the power, by faith, to carry out what He heard. Since Christ now lives in us, He wants to live that same type of life through us- the life in stride with God. It is the life that only does what it sees the Father doing. This requires vision of God, and vision is only obtained by standing in the presence of God.
So many today have no concept of what it means to stand in the presence of God. The majority of Christians today both behind the pulpit and behind the pews have become like blind Eli, not perceiving the workings of God. There is dullness of heart and mind, because self is still in the equation. Prayers are empty of power and wonder, because there are few who know what it means to stand in God's presence. Few know what it means to walk to and fro with God. What is the life that is pleasing to God? It is the life of faith that turns all of its being to the face of God, and allows the Son to bring him or her into the blessed fellowship and wonder of the Triune God.
So, are you walking with God? Do you stand in His presence? Heed His counsel? Know His voice? Recognize His groaning? Feel is heartbeat? Understand what He is speaking to the churches? Or are you self deceived, kindling your own fire and walking in your own artificial light. Are you serving Micah for 10 shekels and shirt, living in compromise, or are you serving the living God, walking in stride with Him?
By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. Heb. 11:5
In Genesis 5:24, the Hebrew word for walk indicates the idea of "walking to and fro". The implication is that wherever God was, Enoch was there also. If God went left, Enoch went left. If God stood still, so did Enoch. He was caught up in the great way of God. The word is also used with the connotation that the one who would walk before Yahweh be blameless and pleasing to Him (cf Gen. 17:1) The author of Hebrews quotes the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) which picks up on this idea of the Hebrew word and translates it with a Greek word that can mean "to please someone". The way that the Greek is used in both the Septuagint and the New Testament gives the idea that the sum total of Enoch's life was one that was pleasing to God.
How does one walk with God in such a way that the Most High finds pleasure and delight in him? The author of Hebrews tells us in verse 6 that it is by faith, and that without this faith it is impossible to please God.
The great aim of the sanctification of the Spirit is to get us walking with God. He desires to pull us out of ourselves and get us caught up in the Great Way of God. Enoch was caught up in the Great Way of God. He was in stride with Him and only did what He saw God doing. He only went where God told him to go. Thus, he was pleasing to God.
When we turn to the New Testament, we see that this type of life finds its zenith in the Son of Man. Jesus himself said in John 5:19 "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise." There it is! Do you see it? It is the bravura of His relationship with God. Jesus shows us this dazzling display of what it means to truly walk with God.
The next question we have to ask is "what does faith have to do with all of this?" Indeed this is an important question, for without it, we are unable to live in a manner that is pleasing to God. It is a given that saving faith is a gift that can only be granted to a person by God (Eph. 2:8-9). In the context of Hebrews, it is not saving faith that the author has in mind, though it can certainly not be excluded. Based on verse 6, the faith has to do with "diligently seeking". In other words, a life that is pleasing to God is one that takes Him for who He is, and expends itself to following hard after Him and getting caught up in His Great Way.
In order to walk with God, you must come to your own funeral. Paul went to his when he said in Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." As long as the idol of self is allowed to co-exists next to the ark of God, there will be divided loyalty. You cannot be focused on God and walking in stride with Him as long as you are self conscious. You will always factor yourself into the equation. There is no place in the spiritual highlands for a saint, who like the Levite that served Micah and his household gods for 10 shekels and a shirt (Jdgs 17), that will compromise. The inclusion of self will always lead to compromise.
To be in God's Great Way is impossible without faith. Once we come to our own funeral, we have to trust in the life of the Son of God to carry out this stringent lifestyle through us. He was the one who had perfect vision and insight to what God was doing, and the power, by faith, to carry out what He heard. Since Christ now lives in us, He wants to live that same type of life through us- the life in stride with God. It is the life that only does what it sees the Father doing. This requires vision of God, and vision is only obtained by standing in the presence of God.
So many today have no concept of what it means to stand in the presence of God. The majority of Christians today both behind the pulpit and behind the pews have become like blind Eli, not perceiving the workings of God. There is dullness of heart and mind, because self is still in the equation. Prayers are empty of power and wonder, because there are few who know what it means to stand in God's presence. Few know what it means to walk to and fro with God. What is the life that is pleasing to God? It is the life of faith that turns all of its being to the face of God, and allows the Son to bring him or her into the blessed fellowship and wonder of the Triune God.
So, are you walking with God? Do you stand in His presence? Heed His counsel? Know His voice? Recognize His groaning? Feel is heartbeat? Understand what He is speaking to the churches? Or are you self deceived, kindling your own fire and walking in your own artificial light. Are you serving Micah for 10 shekels and shirt, living in compromise, or are you serving the living God, walking in stride with Him?
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Finest Hour
They call it a day of reckoning, a man’s finest hour
(When he decides within himself who he will become for the rest of his life from this day on)
When faced with insurmountable odds, which will make the faithless cower
(This man looks to God, stares his giant in the face, and considers death his ally)
For it is death that will consume his taunting foes
(As he grip the hand of God, his strength becomes more mightier than 100 armies)
With a broken body and a bloody nose
(He a rises as a conqueror ready to make an end of those who rejoiced in his fall)
When other men would have given up the fight
(The man of faith continually gets back up, knowing that his endurance supercedes his foes)
For through the desert land and darkest of nights
(He presses on, unmoved by the howls of his enemies, slashing through them with word of God)
He shines like the light of 1000 suns
(For the glory of God goes before him in a pillar of fire, warning his foes of terror)
The forces of darkness now flee and run
(Like crying children afraid of the night, they tremble at the Lord’s power)
The man of God, he shall prevail
(Because God upholds the foot of the righteous, not allowing them to utterly fall)
Though he be in an hour of great travail
(This hour has potential to mark a man forever, as one who has stared hell in the face and won.)
Yes, this will be my finest hour
(I will arise with my right hand in the Lord’s, and my left around the throat of my enemy)
This time, I will not be devoured
(For I am planted on the Rock, I stand stall and unafraid for the Lion of Judah is ready to roar)
(When he decides within himself who he will become for the rest of his life from this day on)
When faced with insurmountable odds, which will make the faithless cower
(This man looks to God, stares his giant in the face, and considers death his ally)
For it is death that will consume his taunting foes
(As he grip the hand of God, his strength becomes more mightier than 100 armies)
With a broken body and a bloody nose
(He a rises as a conqueror ready to make an end of those who rejoiced in his fall)
When other men would have given up the fight
(The man of faith continually gets back up, knowing that his endurance supercedes his foes)
For through the desert land and darkest of nights
(He presses on, unmoved by the howls of his enemies, slashing through them with word of God)
He shines like the light of 1000 suns
(For the glory of God goes before him in a pillar of fire, warning his foes of terror)
The forces of darkness now flee and run
(Like crying children afraid of the night, they tremble at the Lord’s power)
The man of God, he shall prevail
(Because God upholds the foot of the righteous, not allowing them to utterly fall)
Though he be in an hour of great travail
(This hour has potential to mark a man forever, as one who has stared hell in the face and won.)
Yes, this will be my finest hour
(I will arise with my right hand in the Lord’s, and my left around the throat of my enemy)
This time, I will not be devoured
(For I am planted on the Rock, I stand stall and unafraid for the Lion of Judah is ready to roar)
Sunday, April 20, 2008
The Wasting of Spiritual Energy
As Christians, we are called to be stewards. Stewards of our time, resources, work, family, ministries, money, etc. If you think about it, our life on this earth consists of management. However, we hardly, if ever, adapt this principle into the spiritual realm. If we are not careful, we could be doing what Oswald Chambers calls "wasting spiritual energy." What this means is that the energy we could be spending on meditation, prayer, obedience, and study, is often spent on daydreaming, anxiety, rationalizing, and being just plain lazy. We can also see this principle worked out in the areas of our spiritual giftings and ministries. In using our giftings and our time in ministry, we should ask, is this a good investment? Paul also gives an example in Phil. 4:6 about wasting spiritual energy. The verse reads "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made know to God." The phrase "be anxious for nothing" in the Greek is a command. Paul is commanding us not to waste our time, thoughts, and energy on being anxious. Next, he tells us what we should be doing with our energy, and that is to pray. The energy that we spend in our worry is less energy that we spend in prayer. And as a result, we miss out on God's peace (v.7). By holding on to our worry and not submitting our request to God, we wrongfully judge Him as unable to care for us and our problems. The reason we spend our time in worry instead of prayer is because we are not taking our Christianity personally. For if we did, we would take God at his word and spend our spiritual energy in prayer, thus reaping the fruit of a life of peace. For it is this peace that will guard us against an anxious mind and a troubled heart. In Ephesians 5:16, Paul speaks of redeeming the time. Though we may have spent much time in the past wasting our spiritual energy, we can start to day, and redeem the time. We can choose today to repent, and start spending our energy on what truly matters.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
The Sin of Prayerlessness
through all prayer and petition, praying on every occasion in the Spirit. Eph. 6:18 (translation mine).
In the context of the preceding verses, Paul tells us that we put on our spiritual armor "through all prayer and petition". On ever occasion that we pray, we are to do it "in the Spirit", or in the realm of the Spirit. We are to pray under His influence, under His power, and under His instruction, for He is the Spirit of prayer.
As saints of God, we are either walking in the Spirit or walking in the flesh (Gal. 5:16, 25). If we are walking in step with the Spirit, prayer will be a vital part of our being. It is the pulse that can be checked to see if we have any life within us. If we are walking in the flesh, prayer will either be a second rate exercise in which we have no joy or perseverance, or hypocritical confession that we merely give lip service to. So, what is the cause of prayerlessness in the modern church? Christians who walk after the flesh. Indeed, we always speak of sins of the flesh as adultery, fornication, outburst of wrath, strife, envy, etc., but prayerlessness never makes the list. if we are walking in the flesh, we will exhibit some of these characteristics, yet it is exactly these characteristics that will keep us from the place of prayer. If a believer is in sin, the last place he will want to go is into the prayer closet. Why? Because it is in the place of prayer that he or she has to come face to face with the Divine Holiness. Also, since the Spirit is the Spirit of prayer, the one living in sin is not being controlled by His desires, and will avoid the place of prayer.
But what is it that makes prayerlessness such a detestable sin? It is the fact that for the believer, it is a manifestation of pride. We are saying to God, “I do not need you, nor do I care about your guidance or your will. I am of no need of being in union with you, nor do I need your power and the filling of your Spirit. I do not care about knowing you, nor do I care that you have called me to a ministry of intercession." Some may object to this and say "I pray every day for 10 minutes!" Yes, you do, but where is your joy in prayer? Why is it that you have time for everything else but can only give God 10 minutes of your day? You make time and priority for all the other things that interest you. The fact that you only allot prayer 10 minutes a day shows that it is of little importance. Though you may be unaware of it, it shows how arrogant you are.
Many wonder why their spiritual life is so feeble. They wonder why they never see or experience God. It is because they are in sin, the sin of prayerlessness. Many even try to cover up this void by filling it with service, study, and work in the church. What a sad state. All that they do is done in the power of the flesh, because it is not bathed in the Supernatural in the place of prayer. Many failures in the power of modern day preaching and ministry are due to this great and heinous sin. We plan all kinds of things without ever taking them to the throne of the Most High and asking if this be His will. We presume upon the divine forbearance, pick something to do that sounds good to us, and then demand Him to bless it.
It is a necessity for the spiritual leader to outpace the rest of the church in prayer. If you come across one who outpaces you in this place, you should repent and ask God to forgive you for not being the leader and ask Him to give you the capacity to receive more of the Spirit for the work of intercession. In order for the sin of prayerlessness to be on the decline in the life of the modern church, the minsters and leaders have to set the pace and teach other how to do it. Until that happens, the rest of the church will be hindered because of their sin.
In the context of the preceding verses, Paul tells us that we put on our spiritual armor "through all prayer and petition". On ever occasion that we pray, we are to do it "in the Spirit", or in the realm of the Spirit. We are to pray under His influence, under His power, and under His instruction, for He is the Spirit of prayer.
As saints of God, we are either walking in the Spirit or walking in the flesh (Gal. 5:16, 25). If we are walking in step with the Spirit, prayer will be a vital part of our being. It is the pulse that can be checked to see if we have any life within us. If we are walking in the flesh, prayer will either be a second rate exercise in which we have no joy or perseverance, or hypocritical confession that we merely give lip service to. So, what is the cause of prayerlessness in the modern church? Christians who walk after the flesh. Indeed, we always speak of sins of the flesh as adultery, fornication, outburst of wrath, strife, envy, etc., but prayerlessness never makes the list. if we are walking in the flesh, we will exhibit some of these characteristics, yet it is exactly these characteristics that will keep us from the place of prayer. If a believer is in sin, the last place he will want to go is into the prayer closet. Why? Because it is in the place of prayer that he or she has to come face to face with the Divine Holiness. Also, since the Spirit is the Spirit of prayer, the one living in sin is not being controlled by His desires, and will avoid the place of prayer.
But what is it that makes prayerlessness such a detestable sin? It is the fact that for the believer, it is a manifestation of pride. We are saying to God, “I do not need you, nor do I care about your guidance or your will. I am of no need of being in union with you, nor do I need your power and the filling of your Spirit. I do not care about knowing you, nor do I care that you have called me to a ministry of intercession." Some may object to this and say "I pray every day for 10 minutes!" Yes, you do, but where is your joy in prayer? Why is it that you have time for everything else but can only give God 10 minutes of your day? You make time and priority for all the other things that interest you. The fact that you only allot prayer 10 minutes a day shows that it is of little importance. Though you may be unaware of it, it shows how arrogant you are.
Many wonder why their spiritual life is so feeble. They wonder why they never see or experience God. It is because they are in sin, the sin of prayerlessness. Many even try to cover up this void by filling it with service, study, and work in the church. What a sad state. All that they do is done in the power of the flesh, because it is not bathed in the Supernatural in the place of prayer. Many failures in the power of modern day preaching and ministry are due to this great and heinous sin. We plan all kinds of things without ever taking them to the throne of the Most High and asking if this be His will. We presume upon the divine forbearance, pick something to do that sounds good to us, and then demand Him to bless it.
It is a necessity for the spiritual leader to outpace the rest of the church in prayer. If you come across one who outpaces you in this place, you should repent and ask God to forgive you for not being the leader and ask Him to give you the capacity to receive more of the Spirit for the work of intercession. In order for the sin of prayerlessness to be on the decline in the life of the modern church, the minsters and leaders have to set the pace and teach other how to do it. Until that happens, the rest of the church will be hindered because of their sin.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Journal Entry: Saturday, March 10, 2007
Today, I wanted to share one of my journal entries from last year.
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What I have gained from these verses this morning is very rich. Those who have gone before me- Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Barak- have set an impeccable standard of faith. Because they have gone before me, I also must strip away those things that will keep me from living at the level of faith that they did. The reason being is that there is a race set before me in which I must, by necessity, run. However, as great as those who went before me where, I am not commanded to fix my eyes upon them. I am, however, told to turn all my attention, interrupted, to Jesus. He is the one who is the Founder of my faith, and the Perfecter- the one who will bring my faith to a successful conclusion! Therefore, He is the source of my endurance. I have the promise that Christ himself will bring my faith to a successful conclusion! Why? Because He Himself successfully completed the will of the Father.
It was for the joy that was set before Him that He endured the cross. The Greek text gives the idea that there was a greater plain of existence in the realm of joy that awaited Him. It was laid before Him. There is also for me, a greater plain of existence in the eternal state- a greater joy to come. Because there is this greater plain of existence to come- the eternal kingdom in which the author has been talking about in the previous chapter- I need to live for that joy. This life is a vapor, and the pleasures found here are fleeting and disappearing. They will not last. Therefore, I must do as Jesus did- live for the plain of existence in the realm of the joy that is soon coming. That realm of joy is eternal, and far exceeds any temporal pain and persecution that I MUST go through. For this life is preparation for eternity. This life is the valley that I must walk through in order to reach the mountain of joy. This valley is what God uses to perfect me and to build up treasures for me in the eternal state.
There is only a certain amount of time left in this life. Therefore, in the time that remains, I must live for the eternal existence that will soon be here. All the persecutions, all the heartache, pain, vile words, oppression, discouragement- it will all cease. Yet the joy that is to come will never stop! It is an unending, everlasting state of super abounding joy- a plain of existence now foreign to us, yet not out of reach! This is why it is so important not to falter or fall in times of difficulty. They will not last, but the one who does the will of the Father will abide forever! And his reward? Unending joy in the presence of his King!
Here is a something I wrote to go along with this entry:
I have found hope in your truth today,
the stench of discouragement you are washing away.
A spirit of mourning you have poured out on my head,
a broken heart accompanies me at night in my bed.
My sorrow stemmed from the wickedness all around,
vile words, apathy, and lies that abound.
Why do you bear with the foolishness of men?
When will you rise up and judge them with your hand?
Indeed I know all things are happening as they should,
and you will soon use this evil for good!
So I take up my cross, in my eye there's a gleam,
determination, perseverance, as I pick up that beam.
No sissy Christianity, no time to whine,
with scars on my heart, it 's gut check time!
So I'll press on with your joy in my heart
until this wicked, corrupt world I depart.
I'll bear with the vapor that you have called man,
for they are but dust, the work of Your hand.
The day of judgment will humble them all,
it will silence their mouths, on their knees they do fall!
But as for me, I rejoice in all of Your might,
it's your truth that has caused me to walk in the light.
So here is my body, my life, my all,
a ball of depravity You ransomed from the fall!
A sin loving sinner you elected in grace,
removing the veil so I can see Your face!
Here I am Jesus, I take up my cross,
counting all things in this world as loss!
Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What I have gained from these verses this morning is very rich. Those who have gone before me- Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Barak- have set an impeccable standard of faith. Because they have gone before me, I also must strip away those things that will keep me from living at the level of faith that they did. The reason being is that there is a race set before me in which I must, by necessity, run. However, as great as those who went before me where, I am not commanded to fix my eyes upon them. I am, however, told to turn all my attention, interrupted, to Jesus. He is the one who is the Founder of my faith, and the Perfecter- the one who will bring my faith to a successful conclusion! Therefore, He is the source of my endurance. I have the promise that Christ himself will bring my faith to a successful conclusion! Why? Because He Himself successfully completed the will of the Father.
It was for the joy that was set before Him that He endured the cross. The Greek text gives the idea that there was a greater plain of existence in the realm of joy that awaited Him. It was laid before Him. There is also for me, a greater plain of existence in the eternal state- a greater joy to come. Because there is this greater plain of existence to come- the eternal kingdom in which the author has been talking about in the previous chapter- I need to live for that joy. This life is a vapor, and the pleasures found here are fleeting and disappearing. They will not last. Therefore, I must do as Jesus did- live for the plain of existence in the realm of the joy that is soon coming. That realm of joy is eternal, and far exceeds any temporal pain and persecution that I MUST go through. For this life is preparation for eternity. This life is the valley that I must walk through in order to reach the mountain of joy. This valley is what God uses to perfect me and to build up treasures for me in the eternal state.
There is only a certain amount of time left in this life. Therefore, in the time that remains, I must live for the eternal existence that will soon be here. All the persecutions, all the heartache, pain, vile words, oppression, discouragement- it will all cease. Yet the joy that is to come will never stop! It is an unending, everlasting state of super abounding joy- a plain of existence now foreign to us, yet not out of reach! This is why it is so important not to falter or fall in times of difficulty. They will not last, but the one who does the will of the Father will abide forever! And his reward? Unending joy in the presence of his King!
Here is a something I wrote to go along with this entry:
I have found hope in your truth today,
the stench of discouragement you are washing away.
A spirit of mourning you have poured out on my head,
a broken heart accompanies me at night in my bed.
My sorrow stemmed from the wickedness all around,
vile words, apathy, and lies that abound.
Why do you bear with the foolishness of men?
When will you rise up and judge them with your hand?
Indeed I know all things are happening as they should,
and you will soon use this evil for good!
So I take up my cross, in my eye there's a gleam,
determination, perseverance, as I pick up that beam.
No sissy Christianity, no time to whine,
with scars on my heart, it 's gut check time!
So I'll press on with your joy in my heart
until this wicked, corrupt world I depart.
I'll bear with the vapor that you have called man,
for they are but dust, the work of Your hand.
The day of judgment will humble them all,
it will silence their mouths, on their knees they do fall!
But as for me, I rejoice in all of Your might,
it's your truth that has caused me to walk in the light.
So here is my body, my life, my all,
a ball of depravity You ransomed from the fall!
A sin loving sinner you elected in grace,
removing the veil so I can see Your face!
Here I am Jesus, I take up my cross,
counting all things in this world as loss!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Sinners at Ease in Zion
Amos 6:1-8 Woe to those who are at ease in Zion And to those who feel secure in the mountain of Samaria, The distinguished men of the foremost of nations, To whom the house of Israel comes. 2 Go over to Calneh and look, And go from there to Hamath the great, Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than these kingdoms, Or is their territory greater than yours? 3 Do you put off the day of calamity, And would you bring near the seat of violence? 4 Those who recline on beds of ivory And sprawl on their couches, And eat lambs from the flock And calves from the midst of the stall, 5 Who improvise to the sound of the harp, And like David have composed songs for themselves, 6 Who drink wine from sacrificial bowls While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils, Yet they have not grieved over the ruin of Joseph. 7 Therefore, they will now go into exile at the head of the exiles, And the sprawlers' banqueting will pass away. 8 The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself, the LORD God of hosts has declared: "I loathe the arrogance of Jacob, And detest his citadels; Therefore I will deliver up the city and all it contains."
Hear the words of Amos the prophet! He unloads a scathing rebuke on those arrogant sinners who are living in a makeshift security devised by their own corrupted mind. He pronounces the prophetic curse, “woe”, to those in Judah and Israel because of the monstrosity of their sins that rise up into the nostrils of a Holy God. In their pride, the covenant people of God felt “secure” because they presumed upon God that being a covenant nation gave them a right to spiritual apathy. They claimed that they were secure because their city dwelled in the “mountain of Samaria”, deeming themselves impregnable from any oncoming onslaught. Oh see the picture of these arrogant, self absorbed people, sprawled out upon their fine couches, drinking the best of wines, while their nation slips into moral decadence and apostasy. Now, mind you, these were the leaders who were doing this, the “distinguished men from the foremost of nations, to whom the house of Israel comes.” Boasting in their pride and material gain, these wicked imposters “put off the day of calamity” and had no after thought of the judgment of God. Day by day they were storing up wrath for themselves. They had fallen asleep. They were at ease on the Holy Mount of God. Indeed, did they think that God would never rise up and avenge His name? Did they think that God would turn His face from the spiritual adultery that was going on? Yes they did! Yet God through Amos had word for them that flew in the face of their self absorption and false security: The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself, the LORD God of hosts has declared: "I loathe the arrogance of Jacob, And detest his citadels; Therefore I will deliver up the city and all it contains." Judgment was inevitable. Those sinners who now sit at ease in Zion will soon be weighted down with heaviness of heart over the destruction that will befall them. Those sinners who now sit at ease in Zion will soon eat the ashes of the ruins of their riches. Those sinners at ease in Zion, who presume upon the goodness and forbearance of God, will receive back to them all the oppression that they brought upon others. Why such a strict judgment? Because these were the covenant people of God; they knew better!
So now I turn my comments to those in the church. Woe to you sinners who are at ease in Zion! You who presume to be among the elect of God, what evidence is there of your election? Let us take you into the courtroom. Let us examine you under the light of truth. You come in week after week to the house of God, yet you are devising evil in your heart! You speak with smooth words that could fool only the most nominal Christian, yet the venom of the asp flows from your bite! You claim genealogy from the Son of God, yet your actions show that your real father is the devil himself! What of you who defame the name of God and blaspheme the Divine Majesty by attributing your sinful actions to the direction of the Holy Spirit? How is that you say “God told me to do this,” when your life is so full of sin, that there is no way you are hearing from God. You follow the voice of folly and arrogance, pride and the sinful way! You sinners at ease in Zion! What is your protection? Do you boast of your works? Your church attendance? Indeed, what are your works or your fruits? Do you bear the fruits of repentance? Thanksgiving? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control? Do you share your faith? Is there holiness of life? Do you abstain from the pleasures and vices of the world, or are you fascinated by them? Do you know your God? Do you fear Him, love Him, and obey Him? Indeed, what is the evidence of your conversion?
Where is the prophet among you who is standing up and crying out “Injustice! Violence! Apostasy! Hypocrisy! Luke warmness! Repent and turn back to God!” Who among you stands up for the truth and yearns to lead sinners in the way? Who of you is righteously indignant at the state of modern Christianity and the apathy that has invaded the churches in America? Who among you have been enlightened by the Spirit to recognize what I am talking about? The majority say, “all is fine, we are doing great!’ Oh sinners at ease in Zion! Sinners on the way to destruction! Blind guides! People living in ignorance! Indeed the Lord said, “My people are destroyed by lack of knowledge!” Where are the tenderhearted? Where are those who burn with fire and whose lives are invaded by the supernatural? Are you there? I have not seen you. Is there a man or woman of God out there who will stand up and be counted? Is their a man or woman of God out there who will challenge the status quo of the pretenders who camp all around you? Where are you? Come out! For I am sure that God has his remnant!
Hear the words of Amos the prophet! He unloads a scathing rebuke on those arrogant sinners who are living in a makeshift security devised by their own corrupted mind. He pronounces the prophetic curse, “woe”, to those in Judah and Israel because of the monstrosity of their sins that rise up into the nostrils of a Holy God. In their pride, the covenant people of God felt “secure” because they presumed upon God that being a covenant nation gave them a right to spiritual apathy. They claimed that they were secure because their city dwelled in the “mountain of Samaria”, deeming themselves impregnable from any oncoming onslaught. Oh see the picture of these arrogant, self absorbed people, sprawled out upon their fine couches, drinking the best of wines, while their nation slips into moral decadence and apostasy. Now, mind you, these were the leaders who were doing this, the “distinguished men from the foremost of nations, to whom the house of Israel comes.” Boasting in their pride and material gain, these wicked imposters “put off the day of calamity” and had no after thought of the judgment of God. Day by day they were storing up wrath for themselves. They had fallen asleep. They were at ease on the Holy Mount of God. Indeed, did they think that God would never rise up and avenge His name? Did they think that God would turn His face from the spiritual adultery that was going on? Yes they did! Yet God through Amos had word for them that flew in the face of their self absorption and false security: The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself, the LORD God of hosts has declared: "I loathe the arrogance of Jacob, And detest his citadels; Therefore I will deliver up the city and all it contains." Judgment was inevitable. Those sinners who now sit at ease in Zion will soon be weighted down with heaviness of heart over the destruction that will befall them. Those sinners who now sit at ease in Zion will soon eat the ashes of the ruins of their riches. Those sinners at ease in Zion, who presume upon the goodness and forbearance of God, will receive back to them all the oppression that they brought upon others. Why such a strict judgment? Because these were the covenant people of God; they knew better!
So now I turn my comments to those in the church. Woe to you sinners who are at ease in Zion! You who presume to be among the elect of God, what evidence is there of your election? Let us take you into the courtroom. Let us examine you under the light of truth. You come in week after week to the house of God, yet you are devising evil in your heart! You speak with smooth words that could fool only the most nominal Christian, yet the venom of the asp flows from your bite! You claim genealogy from the Son of God, yet your actions show that your real father is the devil himself! What of you who defame the name of God and blaspheme the Divine Majesty by attributing your sinful actions to the direction of the Holy Spirit? How is that you say “God told me to do this,” when your life is so full of sin, that there is no way you are hearing from God. You follow the voice of folly and arrogance, pride and the sinful way! You sinners at ease in Zion! What is your protection? Do you boast of your works? Your church attendance? Indeed, what are your works or your fruits? Do you bear the fruits of repentance? Thanksgiving? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control? Do you share your faith? Is there holiness of life? Do you abstain from the pleasures and vices of the world, or are you fascinated by them? Do you know your God? Do you fear Him, love Him, and obey Him? Indeed, what is the evidence of your conversion?
Where is the prophet among you who is standing up and crying out “Injustice! Violence! Apostasy! Hypocrisy! Luke warmness! Repent and turn back to God!” Who among you stands up for the truth and yearns to lead sinners in the way? Who of you is righteously indignant at the state of modern Christianity and the apathy that has invaded the churches in America? Who among you have been enlightened by the Spirit to recognize what I am talking about? The majority say, “all is fine, we are doing great!’ Oh sinners at ease in Zion! Sinners on the way to destruction! Blind guides! People living in ignorance! Indeed the Lord said, “My people are destroyed by lack of knowledge!” Where are the tenderhearted? Where are those who burn with fire and whose lives are invaded by the supernatural? Are you there? I have not seen you. Is there a man or woman of God out there who will stand up and be counted? Is their a man or woman of God out there who will challenge the status quo of the pretenders who camp all around you? Where are you? Come out! For I am sure that God has his remnant!
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