Walking Thoughts

"The way you practice is the way you perform."  That's something I learned from years of practicing music.  The way I practiced the piece of music, the exercise or technique in the practice room, was the way I would perform it when I was out on the gig.  If I practiced it half-heartedly, or did not follow through and stopped everytime I made a mistake, I inevitably performed it the same way when it came time for the real thing; half-heartedly, missing notes and then not being able to keep with the band because I stopped while they kept going.

In our walks with God, the way we exercise our faith is the same we we live our faith when we come to the trials.  As long as we keep on allowing ourselves walk in sin, we are practicing giving in to sin and not exercising faith in the grace God gives us.  If we practice our faith and exercise the grace He gives us in the moments of trials with our flesh, we practice living in the blood-bought victory of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let me make it clearer.  The Holy Spirit brings conviction in the moment of your sin, at times, even before you sin or are beginning to sin.  Whatever your habitual sin is - sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkennes, orgies, and the like - if you are constantly giving in to them, you are practicing giving into sin for future battles and not living in victory by faith in the Holy Spirit for the trials to come.  Everytime you start boiling with anger in your heart even as He speaks to you, and you let that malicious word form in your mouth and flow from your tongue you are practicing relinquishing the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit.  But, if in each small trial, you practice stopping, listening to what He's saying and abiding in Him, you are practicing your faith, exercising the grace He empowers you with and walkin in the Spirit.  Not only do you win the battle, but you are practicing winning all the future battles you will have with your flesh.

Each moment is an opportunity to practice sin or salvation.  What you do during your practice determines how you perform - how you practice walking with God in the moment of sin will determine how you will run with God in the race against the flesh.  Remember the Lord is gracious and does not desire that anybody should perish! So run the race in faith, practice resisting the devil, practice keeping your mind on things above, practice denying your sinful nature and walking in the Spirit that He gives us so freely and graciously.  Come, taste and see that the Lord is good!!  He will not disappoint those who seek Him to be glorified in their lives.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impuriy and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.  I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things there is no law.  Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.  Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
Galatians 5:19-25

As you look back at the year past and consider your walk with Him, how have you practiced and exercised faith and trust in His grace and His power?  How much grace have you allowed in your life and heart to start changing those habitual sins into habitual victories?  As we finish year 2006 walking with the Lord, let us thank Him for how He has changed our lives, saved us from sins, empowered us to hear, experience and be changed by the Holy Spirit - to live in salvation and life abundant!  Let us remember that it was Him, in His grace, who gave us the ability, means, and strength to practice and exercise faith.  It was Him who has, and is, changing our habitual sins into habitual victories. It is Him who deserves all the praise for 2006!

God bless and Happy New Year!!!

You've probably seen an actor named Iron Eyes Cody in many Indian roles. He tells an old legend about a young Indian brave, going through the rites of manhood. As he hiked solo into this beautiful valley, he decided to test himself against that rugged, snow-capped mountain that dominated the valley. When he reached the top, he felt like he was standing on the rim of the world. Then he heard a rustle at his feet it was a snake. Before he could move, the snake spoke. He said, "I am about to die. It's too cold for me up here, and there's no food. Put me under your shirt and take me down to the valley." The young brave refused. He said, "I know your kind you're a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you'll bite and your bite will kill me." But the snake said, "No, I promise to treat you differently. If you do this for me, I won't harm you."

Finally, the young man was persuaded so he tucked the snake under his shirt and carried it down to the valley. But as soon as he laid it on the ground, the snake suddenly coiled, rattled, and leaped and bit him on the leg. The young brave could only cry out, "But you promised!" As the snake slithered away, he hissed back his answer "You knew what I was when you picked me up."

Copyright, Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc. Permission to reproduce this material is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes, will not be sold, and will be distributed for the sole purpose of expanding the Gospel.

How closely I can relate to this Indian in my life.  Everyday, satan and his minions try to tempt us to pick up sin and sully our hands with words, thoughts, actions and attitudes that will not glorify Him and, moreso, will bite us in the end.  We can rest assured in God's grace that He will not let us be tempted beyond measure by any sin.  Also, in His kindness, He will provide a way of escape, if we choose to take it.  So the next time the rattlesnake of anger, a sarcastic word, a rolling of the eyes, a snide remark, a contemptuous shrug or a hurtful action tempts you to pick it up and carry it in your life, recognize sin for what it is and remember God's grace to live in freedom from it.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:11

"Our ordinary mind always tries to persuade us that we are nothing but acorns and that our greatest happiness will be to become bigger, fatter, shinier acorns; but that is of interest only to pigs. Our faith gives us knowledge of something better: that we can become oak trees..."
-Schumacher


Optimal font: Palatino linotype

The Christmas story was told, gifts were exchanged, stockings unloaded, food was eaten and belts were unbuckled, and today, for many including myself, it's back to work.

It makes me wonder, though, what it was like for the wise men and the shepherds.  They had no Christmas tree or gifts to exchange.  They had no pomp or circumstance in a church service or holiday meal.  Was it back to work tending scrolls and sheep looking for the next adventure or preparing for their next assignment?  After seeing the Savior of the world being born in a manger, I hardly think that they would have left unchanged.  I'm sure they would have "gone back to work," but they were filled with the peace of His coming.  The knowledge that the Messiah was here and God had given it to them to witness filled their hearts with praise and worship!

Today, some of us go back to work, or if we're on vacation, we enjoy family, friends, and all the new toys and gadgets we received - but do we go on in the peace of knowing that the Messiah has come and that He saved us?  Living in a 21st century world where advertising rules hearts' desires and materialism governs worth, we can lose sight of God born as man who humbled Himself, born to die as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Going into the New Year, let us lose our lives for the One who gave us His.  Let us remember in awe and wonder the great mystery of Immanuel, God with us.  Those who God gave the privilige to witness His birth were blessed with experiencing the real reason for Christmas without the distractions of the world's Christmas - may He give us those same eyes, to look past what has become the Happy Holiday Season of Shopping and singularly see the Light of the World that came down from heaven to save sinners like you and me.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them a light has shined.
Isaiah 9:2

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.  And the lord God will give to Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of HIs kingdom there will be no end.
Luke 1:32-33

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
Luke 2:20

   
 23"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
   and they shall call his name Immanuel"

   (which means, God with us). 24When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25

 1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed,^[b] who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.  8And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. 10And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger." 13And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

   
 14"Glory to God in the highest,
   and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"^[c]

 15When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." 16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

 21And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
Luke 2:1-21

A lady got on a crowded elevator, her arms laden with Christmas packages. "Man, whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be strung up!" she said amidst exasperated mutters and nods of approval from the other shoppers. "I wish he could be horsewhipped and hung out to die!"

A man raised his hand from the back. "Oh, don't worry... He already has."

-- Unknown

"All my theology is reduced to this narrow compass: Christ Jesus came into this world to save sinners."
-- Archibald Alexander

Optimal font: Port Credit

A Christian brother shared with me these words, "He's working on making you more and more holy so that when you are truly appreciative of the relationship you have with Him, He's going to bomb you with all the gifts He's been storing up for you."  That was an interesting way of putting it... to be bombed with His amazing blessings.

We know that the Lord is longing to be gracious to us, He's longing to shower us in the blessings of His grace.  

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion.  For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!
Isaiah 30:18

When He does, I'm sure it will feel like a massive bombing.  However, instead of leaving us destroyed, it will leave us humbled and amazingly blessed in His completely undeserved, unmerited love for us dirty sinners.

But my brother was right, it's only when we are truly appreciative of the relationship we have with Him... when we have let go of our pride in who we are to realize what we are before Him.  Once we begin down the road of humility, we can be amazed at the sovereign Savior who has, does and is working everything together for our good and His glory.  When there is nothing we deserve but a bomb to blow us to bits, He drops on us lavish love, abundant life, and blessings that fill us with good, joy and righteousness.  In humility we can truly adore Him for we will be in awe of Him who has done it.

God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
James 4:6

Walk humbly with Him and be amazed as He bombs you with amazing blessings and gifts in love.

Things were rough, I was having a hard time feeling joyful in the Lord... I wasn't reading enough, so I read more, tried to memorize more. I felt worse, I wasn't praying enough, I prayed more - a prayer journal to log prayers... Things were not changing, what was I not doing right? I was feeling depressed and sad, I needed to serve more, I need to witness. Now, not only was I sad and depressed, I was exhausted and tired. What do I need to do?!


I realized that there was nothing I could do. I got trapped in the deceit of the enemy's lie that to do well as a Christian I needed to do more as a Christian. If I was having problems struggling with fear, anxiety, depression, worry, whatever the ailment, I wasn't reading enough, praying enough, serving enough, etc. It's a lie. The more you do the more you realize how little it does. I was trapped in the horrible pit of "rejoicing" in the Lord but living in the tears and emptiness of the things I was doing to try and fix it. The sooner you understand that your efforts amount to nothing, the sooner you can experience the grace of the Lord.


But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior
Titus 3:4-6


When God says to rejoice, He means it! :oD It's something He grants us if we're willing to accept that nothing we do has any effect on what He does. That is, no amount of reading the Bible, no amount of prayer, no amount of serving will bring you the joy and fulfillment that will be yours in surrendering all to a sovereign living God who is longing to be gracious to you!


Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him!
Isaiah 30:18


It's not up to me to do, but to wait and receive! That's not to say that I should not read, pray, serve, or witness; it is to say that God gives us happiness in Him freely. We can either accept His grace in humility or keep trying to earn it ourselves driving us into the ground - wearing frowns and hiding behind artificial smiles and glumly saying... rejoice in the Lord.. rejoice always...


Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Philippians 4:4


Did you notice that we are commanded to rejoice?! Rejoicing is emotional, it's joyful, happy, excitied. Rejoicing in the Lord is not something that we say during hard times, it's something we do in all times! It's an amazing gift He grants us by grace. If we take the time to listen to the Holy Spirit and allow Him in our lives, He will give us the fruit of joy!


Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
Jonah 2:8


Brothers and Sisters, let us not forfeit the grace of God for the worthless idols of our self-righteous acts to gain the joy that is only a fruit of the Holy Spirit! Let us humble ourselves to receive and may He grant each one of us the joy that only He can give.

"Too many people long for the fruit and ignore the pain that leads to it. Betraying Jesus should be emotionally impossible."
-- John Piper