The Bible tells us that prior to Christ's crucifixion He was in the garden of Gethsemane with His friends, seeking and praying to His Father about the events that would soon transpire. Christ looks to his friends and says in essence; "hey guys, I've got a lot going on here and there is a lot at stake. Do you think you could stay awake, give me some support and help pray me through this?" I've read through these passages on many occasions in my life and have always judged the disciples for falling asleep when Jesus needed them. I mean come on! Didn't they know how big of a deal this was? Didn't they know that this was going to be the biggest deal ever? I don't think they did, and here is why. We are told in the bible that once Christ was crucified, they went away thinking the show was over. They were confused, scared, hiding and I would guess just depressed and miserable after losing what I can only imagine would have been the best friend ever. They didn't know the rest of the story. Sure, Jesus told them exactly what would happen, that He would be crucified as a sacrifice for man's sins, that He would suffer God's judgement on our behalf and that ultimately he would defeat the grave. I think the disciples heard Him, but I don't think it was part of their expectant reality. They didn't get to read about how they fell asleep and missed the opportunity to hold and pray for their Savior in the Gospel's because they were there, and they hadn't been written yet. If I can be completely honest here, I would have been sleeping too.
The Bible is packed full of stories, and as you read into each story you find layers of application that go deeper than the original subject. As I think through this story, I look for parallels in my life, and in the modern world for application. So the essence of the story is that God had a plan. The plan was to rescue humanity from their sin and reconcile them to Himself. The plan was going to unfold according to His will regardless of what else happened. Jesus was the key player in His plan. Jesus indicated that he wanted the support of His friends. Hmmm... God has a plan. The plan is going to unfold according to His will no matter what. Jesus is a key player in that plan and He wants the support of His friends. This sounds familiar. Are we not told in the bible that God still has a plan. Are we not told that God's plan is to reconcile us to Himself so we can be secure for eternity in His kingdom. Are we not told that Christ is the key player in God's plan. Finally, in the Bible, don't you get the feeling Jesus would like the support of His friends?
Have I been asleep? Have you? When Jesus found His friends sleeping in the garden, He said "the Spirit is willing but the body is weak". I think that surely applies to myself and many of my brothers and sisters in Christ. The Holy Spirit living in me is willing, but my worldly body and mind are weak. I fall asleep so easily at times and yet I'm surprised just how quickly it can happen. How do I fall asleep you may ask? I think for me, whenever I take my eye's off Jesus and focus on what is going on in my circumstances, I begin to fall asleep. These are the times that I almost forget God is there and instead decide to focus on my problems and worry about what may or may not happen next. I fall asleep when I compromise in my obedience. When I let the morality pendulum swing according to what feels right at the time instead of relying on the Word as my guide. I fall asleep when I wake up in the morning and am more interested to see what is going on with my Facebook feed than seeking what God wants to say to me in my morning devotions and prayer. Shift gears with me and look at the Church. Do you think we've been asleep? Do you think we have taken our eye's off of Jesus and instead turned our focus to our circumstances and what may or may not happen next? Do you think we have been compromising in our obedience to the Word of God? Have we manipulated and watered down the Word to fit our own morality and what "feels right" from the worlds perspective. Have we become more concerned with fitting in as opposed to standing out? I think I have. I think we have...
"This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil."
Ephesian 5:14-16
The good news is, we can wake up just as easily as we can fall asleep... Let's Wake Up!
Chris
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Signs of the Times
Have you noticed there is alot of talk lately about the second coming of Christ? I am by no means an expert on Biblical prophesy, but I have to admit, there sure seems to be alot of things falling into place. Now I really have no idea if Christ will return as I am writing this blog, or in another 1,000 years from now. The point is nobody knows. Jesus Christ himself said He didn't know. The angels don't know. God the Father is the only one who knows the appointed time. Jesus did give us things to watch for, and events that would transpire prior to the rapture of His church. He equated them to birthing pains. Signs that it's coming. Now birthing pains happen pretty close to delivery. I remember when my wife was pregnant with our two children. The pregnancies were one thing, birthing pains were quite another. As an expecting father I was excited at the prospect of my children, but I was kinda out of the loop. My wife was the one carrying this thing that was growing inside her. She could feel it growing, it was a part of her. I saw her belly grow, I felt the kicks from the outside, but all along felt very disconnected from the whole process. Maybe some of you fathers out there can relate. It all changed however once the "birthing pains" began. All of the sudden I was faced with the reality that in a few short hours I was going to be face to face with the reality of fatherhood. This was no longer a distant "thing" growing inside my wife, but a living breathing child that I could hold in my hands. All of the sudden what was once distant became very close and very personal.
This is similar to how I feel right now about the return of Christ. As I was growing up I knew he would return, but that has been in the works for over 2,000 years. Just like watching my wife's pregnancy develop, I knew it was there, but it was not part of my reality. Now that I am seeing the "signs of the times" as indicated in the gospels and revelation, all of the sudden the reality is kicking in that very soon I may find myself face to face with my Lord and Savior.
Imagine for a moment you know for a fact; tomorrow morning at 9:00am CST, the trumpet will sound and Christ will return to claim His chosen. As a believer, the show is over, close your book and put your pencils down... How do you feel? Excited? Happy? Sad? Scared? To be completely honest with you, I'm a little bit of each. Being able to see the second coming of Christ is pretty cool, I don't care who you are. I do however find myself a bit fearful and apprehensive. Now I am a human being, and the fear of the unknown is pretty common for us as a whole. The reality of life as I know it completely coming to an end is a bit unsettling. This is a fear that can be overcome by faith. If we believe the Bible, we are told "No eye has seen, no ear has heard what the Lord has prepared for those who love Him". Think about it, the Creator of this planet & universe, the One who invented everything pure that your heart truly loves (sunsets, mountains, thunderstorms, waterfalls, holding hands, first kisses, adventure, beauty, love, sleeping in, babies and their cute little feet, Fat Tire Beer - maybe not that..., etc., etc., etc.) is basically telling us, you haven't seen anything yet. I'm going to absolutely blow-your-mind... So what is left to be anxious about if by faith I'm convinced heaven will be better than this life? I'm going to share something personal to me that may a least give you some insight into what another believer struggles with in this area. A couple of years ago as I was in devotion and prayer, really in the worst valley of my life, struggling with alot of questions, alot of hurts and fear and I felt I was just not "getting it". The promises in the Bible did not seem to apply to me, I was not feeling sanctification in my heart or my life. I read the devotion from Oswald Chambers - My Utmost for His Highest; July 22, 2009. This was my journal entry for that day:
_________________________________________________________
MUFHH - Sanctification - Journal Entry: July 22, 2009
"For Sanctification to take place, we must die before we can live; whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for the sake of Christ will gain it."
The fear and sadness and regret of it all coming to an end before I ever get started. My plans, my dreams, my ambitions, my hope, my worthiness, Me. Me. Me. Can I let go of everything and just accept the fact that God loves me in spite of myself. That the fact that I get to go to Heaven has absolutely nothing to do with me and what I think I've done to earn it, but only on what Christ has done on my behalf. Can I just accept this gift?
____________________________________________________________
Pride is a big problem for me. I live in a world where you only get what you work for and deserve. How do I get my head around not earning my own salvation? And yet that is exactly what Christ is asking us to do. By thinking we have anything to do with our acceptance into God's family takes away from the true, pure and perfect sacrifice that Christ made for us on the cross. I have to remind myself of this daily. It is so contrary to our worldview. As Christains however we should be influenced not by the world, but by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit for those who are in Christ.
So, do you really want a "heart check"? I challenge you to get alone with God, and ask yourself with the help of the Holy Spirit; "if Christ were to return tomorrow, how does that make me feel and why do I feel that way?" Write it down. Take the time to get it all out. If done prayerfully and honestly, it will really help reveal what you are holding on to apart from Christ Jesus in your life. What do you need to let go of in order to say with complete confidence and honesty; "in all the world Lord Jesus, there is only you...Only you."
This is similar to how I feel right now about the return of Christ. As I was growing up I knew he would return, but that has been in the works for over 2,000 years. Just like watching my wife's pregnancy develop, I knew it was there, but it was not part of my reality. Now that I am seeing the "signs of the times" as indicated in the gospels and revelation, all of the sudden the reality is kicking in that very soon I may find myself face to face with my Lord and Savior.
Imagine for a moment you know for a fact; tomorrow morning at 9:00am CST, the trumpet will sound and Christ will return to claim His chosen. As a believer, the show is over, close your book and put your pencils down... How do you feel? Excited? Happy? Sad? Scared? To be completely honest with you, I'm a little bit of each. Being able to see the second coming of Christ is pretty cool, I don't care who you are. I do however find myself a bit fearful and apprehensive. Now I am a human being, and the fear of the unknown is pretty common for us as a whole. The reality of life as I know it completely coming to an end is a bit unsettling. This is a fear that can be overcome by faith. If we believe the Bible, we are told "No eye has seen, no ear has heard what the Lord has prepared for those who love Him". Think about it, the Creator of this planet & universe, the One who invented everything pure that your heart truly loves (sunsets, mountains, thunderstorms, waterfalls, holding hands, first kisses, adventure, beauty, love, sleeping in, babies and their cute little feet, Fat Tire Beer - maybe not that..., etc., etc., etc.) is basically telling us, you haven't seen anything yet. I'm going to absolutely blow-your-mind... So what is left to be anxious about if by faith I'm convinced heaven will be better than this life? I'm going to share something personal to me that may a least give you some insight into what another believer struggles with in this area. A couple of years ago as I was in devotion and prayer, really in the worst valley of my life, struggling with alot of questions, alot of hurts and fear and I felt I was just not "getting it". The promises in the Bible did not seem to apply to me, I was not feeling sanctification in my heart or my life. I read the devotion from Oswald Chambers - My Utmost for His Highest; July 22, 2009. This was my journal entry for that day:
_________________________________________________________
MUFHH - Sanctification - Journal Entry: July 22, 2009
"For Sanctification to take place, we must die before we can live; whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for the sake of Christ will gain it."
This is what it all comes down to. This is one of the big things the father has been leading me to. Am I willing to be myself and nothing more? To simply be ready for death? - this part spoke to me. If Jesus were to return today, what in my heart makes me fear that, or be sad about it? These are the things I am still fighting to hold on to, and not submitting to Christ. This could be big...
What am I still holding on to?
- Confidence and hope in myself, and the life I long for...
- All the adventures I still hope to have in my life.
- Finally finding a sense of purpose and direction in my life. To find and do what I was created for and meant to accomplish.
- The hope that someday I will matter...and to be more than I am.
- I don't feel like I've earned it yet. The fear of it all ending before I ever get started... *this may be it!
The fear and sadness and regret of it all coming to an end before I ever get started. My plans, my dreams, my ambitions, my hope, my worthiness, Me. Me. Me. Can I let go of everything and just accept the fact that God loves me in spite of myself. That the fact that I get to go to Heaven has absolutely nothing to do with me and what I think I've done to earn it, but only on what Christ has done on my behalf. Can I just accept this gift?
Matthew 16:24-25 "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."
And there it is... My Prayer; Lord Jesus, please forgive me and strengthen me to real repentance not based on my success, obedience and accomplishments, but only on You alone and what You did for me on the cross. In all the world Lord Jesus, there is only you...Only you.
There is nothing left for me to do. I have already been made complete in Christ!
John 6:28-29 "Then they asked him, 'what must we do to do the work God requires?' Jesus answered, 'the work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.'"
____________________________________________________________
Pride is a big problem for me. I live in a world where you only get what you work for and deserve. How do I get my head around not earning my own salvation? And yet that is exactly what Christ is asking us to do. By thinking we have anything to do with our acceptance into God's family takes away from the true, pure and perfect sacrifice that Christ made for us on the cross. I have to remind myself of this daily. It is so contrary to our worldview. As Christains however we should be influenced not by the world, but by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit for those who are in Christ.
So, do you really want a "heart check"? I challenge you to get alone with God, and ask yourself with the help of the Holy Spirit; "if Christ were to return tomorrow, how does that make me feel and why do I feel that way?" Write it down. Take the time to get it all out. If done prayerfully and honestly, it will really help reveal what you are holding on to apart from Christ Jesus in your life. What do you need to let go of in order to say with complete confidence and honesty; "in all the world Lord Jesus, there is only you...Only you."
In Christ,
Chris
*Friend, I originally started this blog to create some open and honest dialogue with my brother's and sister's in Christ. Being a Christian in today's world is very difficult, and you can easily feel isolated and disconnected and over time lose heart because you feel as if you are fighting the battle alone. If you find yourself reading this and are not sure about the promises of the Bible, or do not know Jesus Christ personally and want to learn more, I want you to know that I would love to talk to you. I can be reached at my Gmail account (cnwitte@gmail.com), and would love to answer any questions I can for you, or point you to some resources that may help you get started on your journey.
Chris
*Friend, I originally started this blog to create some open and honest dialogue with my brother's and sister's in Christ. Being a Christian in today's world is very difficult, and you can easily feel isolated and disconnected and over time lose heart because you feel as if you are fighting the battle alone. If you find yourself reading this and are not sure about the promises of the Bible, or do not know Jesus Christ personally and want to learn more, I want you to know that I would love to talk to you. I can be reached at my Gmail account (cnwitte@gmail.com), and would love to answer any questions I can for you, or point you to some resources that may help you get started on your journey.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Something to think about...
A few years ago my brother said something in a conversation that has stuck with me. He said; "Every time we sin, I think something dies. We may not see it at the time, we may be unaware of it altogether, but I think something dies". Now this is not a bible verse. I cannot find this exact phrase anywhere in the bible. None the less, it feels true, and if it is true, what should that mean for us and how we approach obedience in our lives.
When my kids were younger, we used to play the antonym game in the car. I would say a word while glancing at them in the rear view mirror, and they would tell me the antonym from their car seats. I would say big, they would say small. I would say fast, they would say slow. I was always amazed, even at a very young age how quickly they were able to comprehend this concept.
So I've been thinking, what is the antonym of sin? Obedience? Righteousness? Virtue? Morality? Law keeping? Arguably not as simple and clear cut as fast & slow. I guess my point here is that "sin" is not an easily definable word. You know what else I think is not easily definable? God. I believe some things are just to complex to comprehend in flesh and blood. How can we define something spiritual when we are in these limited bodies with limited intellect and limited comprehension? God knows this. I won't get into it, but I think we can all agree, we have limited comprehension when it comes to understanding God. I also think we have limited comprehension when it comes to sin and it's consequences. Just as we cannot fully comprehend God, we also, I think, cannot grasp sin in it's entirety. Due to our limited capacity, in scripture, God conveys himself often in concepts and metaphors. One concept God uses in which we can all grasp is Light and Dark. This was an easy one, even for my small children.
"God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness". Genesis 1:4
"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Isaiah 5:20
"The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light." Romans 13:12
Sin is a big deal to God. It is the one thing that is diametrically opposed to all that he is. That's a big deal. God is the Giver of Life. Can we agree the antonym of Life is Death?
"The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death." Proverbs 10:16
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
"Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death." Proverbs 11:19
"'You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.'" James 4:4-10
Imagine for a minute what it must feel like for God when we chose sin and disobedience, instead of Him. Have you ever been betrayed by someone you love? Maybe it was a best friend, a sibling, a spouse, a parent or child? We have all felt worldly betrayal at some point in our lives by someone we love and counted on. Consider for a moment that God feels that same kind of betrayal every time we chose this world, sin or ourselves over Him. I'm thinking today about the pain and hurt God must feel as a cost of his love of us. To continually and perfectly put himself out there to us and for us, only to be selfishly rejected over and over again. Yet, he continues to pursue us, continues to love us, continues to believe in us and never ceases his pursuit. His one aim is for us to be reconciled to him, made righteous through our faith in Christ, and build a real and intimate relationship with him. He never quits. He looks past our sin, our selfishness, our deceit and lies, our abandonment, our ignorance and weakness. He looks past all of this and sees our soul, our pure core underneath all the screwed up layers of sin that are destroying and suffocating us. He loves what is under all of this and sees us as we truly are without all the worldly falseness and walls. He sees past all this and values us beyond measure in spite of our constant rejection of him, our turning away, and our sin. He sees us as we were meant to be...as he created us.
Conversely, recall what it feels like when someone you love comes through for you. When they chose you over someone or something else. That feels great doesn't it? So if our disobedience can cause such pain to our Lord, obedience should have the opposite affect. Choices we make, sin, obedience, faithfulness are all personal to God. We are not alone whether we realize it or not. He is there and experiences both the joy and the pain of His love for us, and never turns away...
Just something to think about,
Chris
When my kids were younger, we used to play the antonym game in the car. I would say a word while glancing at them in the rear view mirror, and they would tell me the antonym from their car seats. I would say big, they would say small. I would say fast, they would say slow. I was always amazed, even at a very young age how quickly they were able to comprehend this concept.
So I've been thinking, what is the antonym of sin? Obedience? Righteousness? Virtue? Morality? Law keeping? Arguably not as simple and clear cut as fast & slow. I guess my point here is that "sin" is not an easily definable word. You know what else I think is not easily definable? God. I believe some things are just to complex to comprehend in flesh and blood. How can we define something spiritual when we are in these limited bodies with limited intellect and limited comprehension? God knows this. I won't get into it, but I think we can all agree, we have limited comprehension when it comes to understanding God. I also think we have limited comprehension when it comes to sin and it's consequences. Just as we cannot fully comprehend God, we also, I think, cannot grasp sin in it's entirety. Due to our limited capacity, in scripture, God conveys himself often in concepts and metaphors. One concept God uses in which we can all grasp is Light and Dark. This was an easy one, even for my small children.
"God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness". Genesis 1:4
"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter." Isaiah 5:20
"The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light." Romans 13:12
Sin is a big deal to God. It is the one thing that is diametrically opposed to all that he is. That's a big deal. God is the Giver of Life. Can we agree the antonym of Life is Death?
"The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death." Proverbs 10:16
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
"Truly the righteous attain life, but whoever pursues evil finds death." Proverbs 11:19
"'You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.'" James 4:4-10
Imagine for a minute what it must feel like for God when we chose sin and disobedience, instead of Him. Have you ever been betrayed by someone you love? Maybe it was a best friend, a sibling, a spouse, a parent or child? We have all felt worldly betrayal at some point in our lives by someone we love and counted on. Consider for a moment that God feels that same kind of betrayal every time we chose this world, sin or ourselves over Him. I'm thinking today about the pain and hurt God must feel as a cost of his love of us. To continually and perfectly put himself out there to us and for us, only to be selfishly rejected over and over again. Yet, he continues to pursue us, continues to love us, continues to believe in us and never ceases his pursuit. His one aim is for us to be reconciled to him, made righteous through our faith in Christ, and build a real and intimate relationship with him. He never quits. He looks past our sin, our selfishness, our deceit and lies, our abandonment, our ignorance and weakness. He looks past all of this and sees our soul, our pure core underneath all the screwed up layers of sin that are destroying and suffocating us. He loves what is under all of this and sees us as we truly are without all the worldly falseness and walls. He sees past all this and values us beyond measure in spite of our constant rejection of him, our turning away, and our sin. He sees us as we were meant to be...as he created us.
Conversely, recall what it feels like when someone you love comes through for you. When they chose you over someone or something else. That feels great doesn't it? So if our disobedience can cause such pain to our Lord, obedience should have the opposite affect. Choices we make, sin, obedience, faithfulness are all personal to God. We are not alone whether we realize it or not. He is there and experiences both the joy and the pain of His love for us, and never turns away...
Just something to think about,
Chris
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Sinner.
I'm a sinner. I always have been, and sadly will remain so until Christ returns for me. Here is the short list version of my transgressions that come to mind right off the bat:
1. Lying
2. Stealing
3. Taking the Lord's name in vain
4. Lust
5. Selfishness
6. Drunkenness
7. Anger
8. Unforgiveness
9. Coveting
10. Hatred / Rage
11. Selfishness
12. Idolatry
13. Profanity
14. Etc.
Each of the sin's above can easily have a subcategory, and a subcategory for the subcategory detailing my multitude of transgressions. Most of which I'm not willing to share with you because that would expose my weakness and make you think less of me. Oh yes...
15. Pride...
I am a sinner. The sin in my life has been one of the biggest barriers for me in coming to a point of reconciliation with God (at least in my mind, and thus probably in my heart as well). It is also one of the biggest discouragements in my walk as a Christian, and I can't seem to remove it from my life. I'm failing... Just when I think I've got this whole sin thing beaten, I fall into it again. I don't think I'm alone here, but we as Christians so rarely talk honestly about the sin in our lives that you can't help but feel isolated in the dilemma. The apostle Paul gives it a mention in Romans chapter 7.
"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do...For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do- this I keep on doing." Romans 7:15-19
I hear you brother. Amen? The apostle Paul seems to have had the same dilemma as I do. Arguably the most influential promoter of the Christian faith, a warrior of Christ, and a sinner saved by God's grace had the same problem as I do? Really? If that is true, what does it mean for me? What does it mean for any of us? Paul doesn't seem to have to wrestle with this contradiction as much as I feel that I do. He seems to be reconciled? He goes on to say:
"So I find this law at work: when I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
Romans 7:21-25 to Romans 8:1-2
I can relate to this. I do delight in God's law. I am attracted to purity, goodness, love and peace. I love the idea of it all, but making those things a constant reality in my life seems to be a real struggle. It is interesting to me that according to Paul, God's law resides in the mind, and the law of sin resides in the rest of the body. There seems to be three elements here. The body with its sinful nature, the mind, and the Spirit. The sinful nature and the Spirit are like oil and water, they can't mix, they can't co-exist. The mind however is the wild card. It can go either way. Whoever owns the mind, owns the choice.
I have heard an analogy that goes something like this; We all have two dogs in our backyard. One is a good dog and one is a bad dog. You can never get rid of either of them, they will always be in your backyard. You love the good dog, and you hate the bad dog. They fight all the time, sometimes to your joy the good dog wins, and to your sorrow sometimes the bad dog win's. On top of all of this you have another dilemma. You have horrible eyesight and most of the time you can't tell which dog is which until its too late and you get bit. So in the end, which dog will overcome the other and be victorious? The answer is; the dog you feed the most...
I think there may be some wisdom here. Before I was a Christian, I had a body with it's sinful nature, and I had my mind which was basically on it's own to determine right or wrong and to give into my sinful nature or not. As I came to Christ however I was introduced to the Spirit. Now I have the third critical element necessary to overcome the law if sin in my body. Think of the Spirit as a pair of glasses allowing you to see clearly which dog is which in the above analogy. It's still my choice, but I now have an all powerful alternative that allows me to see clearly through the Spirit in Jesus Christ. I will always have both natures as long as I live in this body, but I can chose which nature I will feed.
The Holy Spirit is so much more than what I have described above. More than I think we can ever grasp. I do feel however that this is at least one small element of the power we receive from the Spirit when we are truly in Christ.
I don't have the answer for completely removing sin from our lives. Undoubtedly at some point we are all going to "feed the wrong dog" so to say. The point is, we need to keep fighting the good fight. Keep doing our best to feed the "good dog" through the power and wisdom we receive from the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ died for me and for my sin. There is the truth. Do I believe his sacrifice is sufficient to cover all of my sin? Both the sin of my past and the sin of my future? If I believe what the bible tells me, the answer is a definite yes. On faith we believe that we are forgiven and redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ. As he said on the cross "it is finished". So the point here is that it doesn't really matter what I do or don't do. I am already made complete in Christ. My one purpose in this life is to remain in him until he comes back for me. How do I do that? Keep fighting the good fight, lose my life in order to gain it, walk the narrow way that leads to the narrow gate, keep asking, keep seeking and keep knocking... Feed the good dog.
These verses come to my mind every time I stumble and help me get back up again:
"The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.."
Psalm 37:23-24
This tells me that God places a high value on true and genuine effort toward obedience. You will never be perfect, you will fall and stumble at times, but God is understanding and knows your heart. He will pick you up again.
Feed the good dog,
Chris
1. Lying
2. Stealing
3. Taking the Lord's name in vain
4. Lust
5. Selfishness
6. Drunkenness
7. Anger
8. Unforgiveness
9. Coveting
10. Hatred / Rage
11. Selfishness
12. Idolatry
13. Profanity
14. Etc.
Each of the sin's above can easily have a subcategory, and a subcategory for the subcategory detailing my multitude of transgressions. Most of which I'm not willing to share with you because that would expose my weakness and make you think less of me. Oh yes...
15. Pride...
I am a sinner. The sin in my life has been one of the biggest barriers for me in coming to a point of reconciliation with God (at least in my mind, and thus probably in my heart as well). It is also one of the biggest discouragements in my walk as a Christian, and I can't seem to remove it from my life. I'm failing... Just when I think I've got this whole sin thing beaten, I fall into it again. I don't think I'm alone here, but we as Christians so rarely talk honestly about the sin in our lives that you can't help but feel isolated in the dilemma. The apostle Paul gives it a mention in Romans chapter 7.
"I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do...For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do- this I keep on doing." Romans 7:15-19
I hear you brother. Amen? The apostle Paul seems to have had the same dilemma as I do. Arguably the most influential promoter of the Christian faith, a warrior of Christ, and a sinner saved by God's grace had the same problem as I do? Really? If that is true, what does it mean for me? What does it mean for any of us? Paul doesn't seem to have to wrestle with this contradiction as much as I feel that I do. He seems to be reconciled? He goes on to say:
"So I find this law at work: when I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death."
Romans 7:21-25 to Romans 8:1-2
I can relate to this. I do delight in God's law. I am attracted to purity, goodness, love and peace. I love the idea of it all, but making those things a constant reality in my life seems to be a real struggle. It is interesting to me that according to Paul, God's law resides in the mind, and the law of sin resides in the rest of the body. There seems to be three elements here. The body with its sinful nature, the mind, and the Spirit. The sinful nature and the Spirit are like oil and water, they can't mix, they can't co-exist. The mind however is the wild card. It can go either way. Whoever owns the mind, owns the choice.
I have heard an analogy that goes something like this; We all have two dogs in our backyard. One is a good dog and one is a bad dog. You can never get rid of either of them, they will always be in your backyard. You love the good dog, and you hate the bad dog. They fight all the time, sometimes to your joy the good dog wins, and to your sorrow sometimes the bad dog win's. On top of all of this you have another dilemma. You have horrible eyesight and most of the time you can't tell which dog is which until its too late and you get bit. So in the end, which dog will overcome the other and be victorious? The answer is; the dog you feed the most...
I think there may be some wisdom here. Before I was a Christian, I had a body with it's sinful nature, and I had my mind which was basically on it's own to determine right or wrong and to give into my sinful nature or not. As I came to Christ however I was introduced to the Spirit. Now I have the third critical element necessary to overcome the law if sin in my body. Think of the Spirit as a pair of glasses allowing you to see clearly which dog is which in the above analogy. It's still my choice, but I now have an all powerful alternative that allows me to see clearly through the Spirit in Jesus Christ. I will always have both natures as long as I live in this body, but I can chose which nature I will feed.
The Holy Spirit is so much more than what I have described above. More than I think we can ever grasp. I do feel however that this is at least one small element of the power we receive from the Spirit when we are truly in Christ.
I don't have the answer for completely removing sin from our lives. Undoubtedly at some point we are all going to "feed the wrong dog" so to say. The point is, we need to keep fighting the good fight. Keep doing our best to feed the "good dog" through the power and wisdom we receive from the Holy Spirit.
Jesus Christ died for me and for my sin. There is the truth. Do I believe his sacrifice is sufficient to cover all of my sin? Both the sin of my past and the sin of my future? If I believe what the bible tells me, the answer is a definite yes. On faith we believe that we are forgiven and redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ. As he said on the cross "it is finished". So the point here is that it doesn't really matter what I do or don't do. I am already made complete in Christ. My one purpose in this life is to remain in him until he comes back for me. How do I do that? Keep fighting the good fight, lose my life in order to gain it, walk the narrow way that leads to the narrow gate, keep asking, keep seeking and keep knocking... Feed the good dog.
These verses come to my mind every time I stumble and help me get back up again:
"The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.."
Psalm 37:23-24
This tells me that God places a high value on true and genuine effort toward obedience. You will never be perfect, you will fall and stumble at times, but God is understanding and knows your heart. He will pick you up again.
Feed the good dog,
Chris
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Travel Light
God is the King of metaphors. I know, I know he is also the king of all that was, all that is, and all that ever will be, but he is also the king of metaphors...just sayin'. I had some other blogs prepared that I was going to post next, but this "Narrow Way" thing has been on my mind (See Narrow Gate post from last week). As I thought about this passage of scripture I always envisioned the wide road heading off one way, and the narrow road in the opposite direction. I don't think that is the case anymore. I think they run side by side. I picture one big interstate wide road heading off into the distance. The trees are all cut down on the sides, the ditches are clear and you can see for miles ahead of you. I then picture the narrow road as hidden behind the treeline on the right hand side of the road (no particular reason, that's just where it is in my head). This is a gnarly road (more like a path), twisting and turning through the trees, up and down hills and ravines and you can only see steps in front of you at any one time. The destination is the same, we're all trying to make it to the end of the road. Metaphorically speaking, this is what my journey to the narrow way has looked like so far.
I was on the wide road. Everyone that I knew or wanted to be around was too. All of the things I needed to survive were with me on that road. I pushed them in a big cart. I had my addictions, my friends, my pride, my fear, my insecurity, my self-reliance, my selfishness, my anger & jealousy, I even had my self righteousness tucked away in the little pocket of my shirt. Whenever I had a need I would just reach into my cart and get it. When I was bored or depressed, I would reach into my little box of addictions for a little taste and then I'd be good for at least another mile. When I was feeling a little too optimistic, and the journey seemed to be going well I would reach into my box of fear just to even everything out. You get the picture. Whenever I had a need on the wide road, I'd reach into the box on my cart and pull it out.
Usually on the wide road we just look straight ahead to see what's coming next, stare at our cart to make sure we don't lose anything, or look around at our fellow travelers to see how they are fairing and judge them because they brought way too much stuff. I'll be honest with you. The wide road can get really boring. Sure there is always something going on, but its usually nothing new and we entertain ourselves by doing the same thing over and over again with a little variation to make ourselves think it's something new. There was "nothing new under the sun". Read the book of Ecclesiastes (it's hidden between Proverbs and Song of Songs - in the Bible...). It's short, and you'll get my drift.
On the rare occasion that we would look beyond the road, you would catch a glimpse of someone on the narrow road. It was usually only for a split second through a break in the tree's, but you could clearly see them. The thing that struck me most about the narrow way travelers is that they didn't have a cart. They couldn't. There is no way you could push your cart, let alone carry anything and walk that path. They didn't have anything! They were just walking with this stupid grin on their face and waving for us to come join them. I couldn't understand why anyone would choose to walk on that trail when there was a perfectly good road right next to them. I also had no clue how they survived without their "stuff". Anyway, every once in a while you would see someone leave the road. They talked about how they were fed up with this wide road, they just couldn't take it anymore and that anything would be better than this, blah, blah, blah. Then they would dump their cart, grab what they could carry, and head for the ditch. All the while looking back at their cart, and all the stuff they were leaving behind. Most never made it even close to the other side of the ditch. They would turn around and run back to their cart, to their stuff, and then feel foolish for even thinking they wanted to do it. But, every once in a while, someone would make it through. You watched them and thought, they're going to turn around any minute, they kept looking back at their "stuff" the whole way, but for some reason they kept going dropped all their "stuff" at the last minute and vanished into the tree's. One thing I noticed about the ones who made it to the tree's; they rarely, if ever came back. It's not like they couldn't, you could easily cross the ditch both ways, but they never did. I wondered why.
Well, one day everything changed. The wide road let me down for the last time. I was done. I let go of my cart, grabbed what I could carry and headed for the ditch. I didn't even make it to the bottom before I wanted to go back. I needed my stuff, and I was sure I wasn't going to find anything in the woods... I'll be honest with you. This wasn't my first run for the tree's. I'd done it before, and sadly turned into one of those poor souls who ran back to their cart at the last minute, feeling like an idiot for even trying, again. For some reason, this time was different. I was determined to make it across. I soon found that even the stuff I was carrying with me became way to heavy, and I knew I either had to turn back or drop it if I was going to make it.
So I dropped everything and ran through, past the tree's and on to the narrow road. I'd love to tell you once I was on the new road, everything was great, but it wasn't. When I first got there I thought to myself, "there is nothing here!". How was I going to survive? I wanted to go back. I kept trying to remind myself why I left in the first place, and that seemed to help because I just started walking. It was hard. I could only see a few steps in front of me at a time, and I had no idea what was going to come next. Just when I thought I couldn't make it another step, I turned a corner and there in front of me, was exactly what I needed. So I kept walking. The narrow way isn't that scary to me anymore. I have found it to be beautiful. I have found wonderful friends to travel with and support me. I have found that life doesn't have to be as it was on the wide road. On the narrow way you take life as it comes at you, and you get what you need along the way. This doesn't mean I'm perfect, or have figured it all out. I struggle with my own personal sin and "stuff" on a daily basis. What I have learned though is that as I pick stuff up along the path, I put it down much sooner. I remember I don't need it, or the burden of carrying it, because God will faithfully meet my needs all along the way if I only trust in Him.
Jesus says "Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." Luke 17:33. As I have been on this journey I have come to realize that we as humans, even as Christians, carry allot of "stuff". That "stuff" is what separates us from a life in Christ, and prevents us from fully entering the Kingdom, both in this life, and the life to come. There is the obvious "stuff" we know we shouldn't be carrying at all (deliberate sin and disobedience), but there is also stuff we carry in which we rely on in order to survive this worldly life. Anything that I carry with me and run to or rely on other than Jesus Christ (fear, anger, jealousy, worry, etc.), weighs me down and prevents me from realizing the Kingdom right here and right now. I have found the key to finding Christ, and experiencing intimacy with him on a deeper level has been to stop running back to my "stuff", and learning to let him provide what I truly need, not just what I think I need. I have found him to be faithful in providing exactly what I need, exactly when I need it. With me, I have found that God wants me to take the first step in faith, and once I do, he is there to fulfill and sustain me, one box of "stuff" at a time.
I know it's not even close to being this simple. It never is. Perhaps though, this will get you thinking of the "stuff" you are carrying, and what Christ is asking you to put down for your own sake. Ask Jesus to show you what you are carrying. Don't stress about putting it all down at once. Faith builds through experience. Let God come through for you in one area of your life, and you will start to learn and trust that he will come through for you in all areas of your life. God loves to come through for us. I challenge you to lay that one thing down and wrestle with the consequences of obedience before your loving Father, no matter how long it takes. For me it was reading his word, desperate prayer and authentic worship. For you it may be something else, but don't let it be someone else. Learn to seek God on his terms, not yours (or someone elses). It has to be personal. He knows what you are carrying, and what it means to you. Be honest in your pleas for help and seek his guidance and support. I promise, if you will only fight through it you will find him on the other side with open arms and a new level of personal intimacy with your Creator that you never had before. Be persistent. His mercies are new every morning...
"Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 Amplified Bible
Travel light,
Chris
I was on the wide road. Everyone that I knew or wanted to be around was too. All of the things I needed to survive were with me on that road. I pushed them in a big cart. I had my addictions, my friends, my pride, my fear, my insecurity, my self-reliance, my selfishness, my anger & jealousy, I even had my self righteousness tucked away in the little pocket of my shirt. Whenever I had a need I would just reach into my cart and get it. When I was bored or depressed, I would reach into my little box of addictions for a little taste and then I'd be good for at least another mile. When I was feeling a little too optimistic, and the journey seemed to be going well I would reach into my box of fear just to even everything out. You get the picture. Whenever I had a need on the wide road, I'd reach into the box on my cart and pull it out.
Usually on the wide road we just look straight ahead to see what's coming next, stare at our cart to make sure we don't lose anything, or look around at our fellow travelers to see how they are fairing and judge them because they brought way too much stuff. I'll be honest with you. The wide road can get really boring. Sure there is always something going on, but its usually nothing new and we entertain ourselves by doing the same thing over and over again with a little variation to make ourselves think it's something new. There was "nothing new under the sun". Read the book of Ecclesiastes (it's hidden between Proverbs and Song of Songs - in the Bible...). It's short, and you'll get my drift.
On the rare occasion that we would look beyond the road, you would catch a glimpse of someone on the narrow road. It was usually only for a split second through a break in the tree's, but you could clearly see them. The thing that struck me most about the narrow way travelers is that they didn't have a cart. They couldn't. There is no way you could push your cart, let alone carry anything and walk that path. They didn't have anything! They were just walking with this stupid grin on their face and waving for us to come join them. I couldn't understand why anyone would choose to walk on that trail when there was a perfectly good road right next to them. I also had no clue how they survived without their "stuff". Anyway, every once in a while you would see someone leave the road. They talked about how they were fed up with this wide road, they just couldn't take it anymore and that anything would be better than this, blah, blah, blah. Then they would dump their cart, grab what they could carry, and head for the ditch. All the while looking back at their cart, and all the stuff they were leaving behind. Most never made it even close to the other side of the ditch. They would turn around and run back to their cart, to their stuff, and then feel foolish for even thinking they wanted to do it. But, every once in a while, someone would make it through. You watched them and thought, they're going to turn around any minute, they kept looking back at their "stuff" the whole way, but for some reason they kept going dropped all their "stuff" at the last minute and vanished into the tree's. One thing I noticed about the ones who made it to the tree's; they rarely, if ever came back. It's not like they couldn't, you could easily cross the ditch both ways, but they never did. I wondered why.
Well, one day everything changed. The wide road let me down for the last time. I was done. I let go of my cart, grabbed what I could carry and headed for the ditch. I didn't even make it to the bottom before I wanted to go back. I needed my stuff, and I was sure I wasn't going to find anything in the woods... I'll be honest with you. This wasn't my first run for the tree's. I'd done it before, and sadly turned into one of those poor souls who ran back to their cart at the last minute, feeling like an idiot for even trying, again. For some reason, this time was different. I was determined to make it across. I soon found that even the stuff I was carrying with me became way to heavy, and I knew I either had to turn back or drop it if I was going to make it.
So I dropped everything and ran through, past the tree's and on to the narrow road. I'd love to tell you once I was on the new road, everything was great, but it wasn't. When I first got there I thought to myself, "there is nothing here!". How was I going to survive? I wanted to go back. I kept trying to remind myself why I left in the first place, and that seemed to help because I just started walking. It was hard. I could only see a few steps in front of me at a time, and I had no idea what was going to come next. Just when I thought I couldn't make it another step, I turned a corner and there in front of me, was exactly what I needed. So I kept walking. The narrow way isn't that scary to me anymore. I have found it to be beautiful. I have found wonderful friends to travel with and support me. I have found that life doesn't have to be as it was on the wide road. On the narrow way you take life as it comes at you, and you get what you need along the way. This doesn't mean I'm perfect, or have figured it all out. I struggle with my own personal sin and "stuff" on a daily basis. What I have learned though is that as I pick stuff up along the path, I put it down much sooner. I remember I don't need it, or the burden of carrying it, because God will faithfully meet my needs all along the way if I only trust in Him.
Jesus says "Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." Luke 17:33. As I have been on this journey I have come to realize that we as humans, even as Christians, carry allot of "stuff". That "stuff" is what separates us from a life in Christ, and prevents us from fully entering the Kingdom, both in this life, and the life to come. There is the obvious "stuff" we know we shouldn't be carrying at all (deliberate sin and disobedience), but there is also stuff we carry in which we rely on in order to survive this worldly life. Anything that I carry with me and run to or rely on other than Jesus Christ (fear, anger, jealousy, worry, etc.), weighs me down and prevents me from realizing the Kingdom right here and right now. I have found the key to finding Christ, and experiencing intimacy with him on a deeper level has been to stop running back to my "stuff", and learning to let him provide what I truly need, not just what I think I need. I have found him to be faithful in providing exactly what I need, exactly when I need it. With me, I have found that God wants me to take the first step in faith, and once I do, he is there to fulfill and sustain me, one box of "stuff" at a time.
I know it's not even close to being this simple. It never is. Perhaps though, this will get you thinking of the "stuff" you are carrying, and what Christ is asking you to put down for your own sake. Ask Jesus to show you what you are carrying. Don't stress about putting it all down at once. Faith builds through experience. Let God come through for you in one area of your life, and you will start to learn and trust that he will come through for you in all areas of your life. God loves to come through for us. I challenge you to lay that one thing down and wrestle with the consequences of obedience before your loving Father, no matter how long it takes. For me it was reading his word, desperate prayer and authentic worship. For you it may be something else, but don't let it be someone else. Learn to seek God on his terms, not yours (or someone elses). It has to be personal. He knows what you are carrying, and what it means to you. Be honest in your pleas for help and seek his guidance and support. I promise, if you will only fight through it you will find him on the other side with open arms and a new level of personal intimacy with your Creator that you never had before. Be persistent. His mercies are new every morning...
"Keep on asking and it will be given you; keep on seeking and you will find; keep on knocking [reverently] and [the door] will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 Amplified Bible
Travel light,
Chris
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The Narrow Gate
"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." Matthew 7:13-14
I always thought I was on the narrow road. I was after all a Christian. That's what Jesus is talking about here right? The Christians are the ones on the narrow road, and everyone else is on the path to destruction. I have Christian parents. I grew up in a Christian home. I went to a Christian church. I went to Bible camp. I worked at bible camp. I prayed to God every time something went bad in my life. Sometimes I listened to Christian music (if I was in the mood). God crossed my mind every time I was doing something I knew I shouldn't be doing. I put money in the offering when I happened to have some in my pockets as the plate went by. I was on the narrow road. I remember thinking, this is easy. This road isn't narrow at all, it's actually quite wide and easy to travel. There is plenty of room for me and all the things and all the people I need to have a safe, happy and comfortable life. Throughout it all though, I knew deep down, something was missing. There had to be more to it all than this.
I carried the guilt of my sin and shortcomings so long they became a part of me. I thought, this must be the burden of walking the narrow way. I'm suffering for Jesus. After all, I'm just a sinner saved by grace, right? I kept telling myself this. I was lying to myself. If you haven't figured it out yet, let me spell it out. I was on the wrong road, and deep down inside I knew it. All of us who were there, or are still there, know it.
Here is what I believe the Creator of the universe thinks of us. Those of us who are riding the fence of obedience and faithfulness: "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Revelation 3:15-16
I don't know about you, but that is not the impression I want to leave with my Lord and Savior. There are many things we can debate in the Christian life, but sooner or later we all need to reckon with this question. Which road am I on?
As for me, I'm tired of being on the fence. I am exhausted from trying to get this world to come though for me. It won't. You know it, and I know it... We need something else. Someone else. That's pretty much what I'm about these days. Take a good look at the road you are on. Is there plenty of room? Can you carry all of your fears, addictions and idols while still making good time? Does it seem like "many" are on the road you are traveling? If any of this is ringing true for you, I invite you to come along with me. I'll post what I learn and see on my way, and God willing, maybe it will help you along your journey as well, if only to know someone else is traveling with you. As I was thinking about this narrow road that leads to the narrow gate, these words of Paul came to mind:
"Not that I have already obtained all of this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers (*and Sisters), I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 3:12-14
See you on the road,
Chris
*added by me
I always thought I was on the narrow road. I was after all a Christian. That's what Jesus is talking about here right? The Christians are the ones on the narrow road, and everyone else is on the path to destruction. I have Christian parents. I grew up in a Christian home. I went to a Christian church. I went to Bible camp. I worked at bible camp. I prayed to God every time something went bad in my life. Sometimes I listened to Christian music (if I was in the mood). God crossed my mind every time I was doing something I knew I shouldn't be doing. I put money in the offering when I happened to have some in my pockets as the plate went by. I was on the narrow road. I remember thinking, this is easy. This road isn't narrow at all, it's actually quite wide and easy to travel. There is plenty of room for me and all the things and all the people I need to have a safe, happy and comfortable life. Throughout it all though, I knew deep down, something was missing. There had to be more to it all than this.
I carried the guilt of my sin and shortcomings so long they became a part of me. I thought, this must be the burden of walking the narrow way. I'm suffering for Jesus. After all, I'm just a sinner saved by grace, right? I kept telling myself this. I was lying to myself. If you haven't figured it out yet, let me spell it out. I was on the wrong road, and deep down inside I knew it. All of us who were there, or are still there, know it.
Here is what I believe the Creator of the universe thinks of us. Those of us who are riding the fence of obedience and faithfulness: "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth." Revelation 3:15-16
I don't know about you, but that is not the impression I want to leave with my Lord and Savior. There are many things we can debate in the Christian life, but sooner or later we all need to reckon with this question. Which road am I on?
As for me, I'm tired of being on the fence. I am exhausted from trying to get this world to come though for me. It won't. You know it, and I know it... We need something else. Someone else. That's pretty much what I'm about these days. Take a good look at the road you are on. Is there plenty of room? Can you carry all of your fears, addictions and idols while still making good time? Does it seem like "many" are on the road you are traveling? If any of this is ringing true for you, I invite you to come along with me. I'll post what I learn and see on my way, and God willing, maybe it will help you along your journey as well, if only to know someone else is traveling with you. As I was thinking about this narrow road that leads to the narrow gate, these words of Paul came to mind:
"Not that I have already obtained all of this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers (*and Sisters), I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Phillipians 3:12-14
See you on the road,
Chris
*added by me
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