Walking Thoughts

So if you check in regularly, I apologize for not posting anything in awhile. I've been in Pakistan for about half a week you see, and I've found a rare opportunity to access the internet.

One thing I've noticed in this country, God is a central theme in everything.  We flew over on a Boeing 777 which has a personal video console for your convenience.  Included in the programming were several religious channels and a Qu'ran (Muslim holy book) application.  Everything here is bathed in Allah, which literally translated, is God of gods (identical to the Hebrew Elohim).  It makes me wonder, and this requires more research, if Allah is not Elohim.  We know God is faithful and gracious to the wicked as well as the righteous (but we need to remember the wicked, those with unredeemed hearts of whom we all once were, have lives mired in evil and death of sin whereas the righteous, those who have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, are upheld in life) - God is god, false teachers are the ones who lead people astray.  Allah is considered the Creator, the God of the old testament, and the Maker of the Universe - where they go astray is believing that Mohammed is the last prophet and what was "revealed" to him is the truth.  Muslims say that there have been thousands and thousands of prophets before Mohammed (including Moses, Jesus, etc.), but Mohammed had the final correct word.  We know that all the prophets were foretelling the coming of the Messiah, and and objective study of the Old Testament Prophets' teachings would show us that Jesus was the fulfillment of God's plan of salvation.

As descendents of Ishmael, the son of Abraham - I'm beginning to understand that when Muslims speak of Allah, they are in fact speaking of God, Elohim.  Elohim and Allah are identical, one in Hebrew, the other in Arabic.  They know God exists, He is real, but the false teaching of Mohammed and his followers have clouded the amazing work that God has done for His creation.

We should be careful not to look down on Muslims, however, because I'm sure if we took a hard and honest look at our own lives we would find plenty of, idols, false ideas, and teachings in the "religion" of Christianity that cloud the glory of Jesus Christ.  We have to remember that God is more gracious than we make Him out to be - He is full of grace, abounding grace, greater than any sin.  Let us live in the grace of God, and share Christ's hope of salvation in His love for all of us.

He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
Luke 24:44

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:45

Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD.
Isaiah 26:10

The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:20-21

Near the end of last year, my church handed out little plastic bags filled with kernels of corn.  Each bag contained exactly 365 kernels - one for each day of the year.  They instructed us to take out one kernel at the end of each day, meditate on what we had sown that day and then throw it away.  It was reminder that each day, once done, could no longer be retrieved and every man is born with a finite number of days, opportunities to sow as he wills.

In light of the gospel and eternity, I am forced to consider what it is I'm sowing and striving in with each seed everyday.  We have a choice to make every morning when we start each day.  We can spend our time and efforts in the pursuit of things like money, jobs, cars, popularity, power, etc., etc. that in God's light are less than chaff; carrying no eternal weight they are burned up like straw.  Or we can, in practical terms, not care about those things, whether or not we ever have them, and pursue the glory of an eternal God in the message of hope.

Life in this world is perishing, it will never do anythinge else.  Try all we might for a comfortable life, a good life, the "American" dream, it is destined for death no matter what "good" things we have or don't have.  The only life we can ever have is the one He gives us when we are willing to let go of the lives we try to make here.  Everyday, we either sow into eternity or we sow into a life that will perish in 80 years if we're lucky.

Brothers and Sisters, we can spend 60+ years to attain a "good" retirement of 20 years, or we can run with endurance for maximum blessings that will last for eternity - all by His grace! We have that choice only today because tomorrow is not gauranteed!  As a friend of mine said to me once, "Are you ready? Cause today is the only today you got!"  Today is the only today you will have to build for His kingdom guaranteed for eternity, or your own kingdom guaranteed for only the last breath that you just exhaled.  For me, I'm on day number 9752 of my life; today's seed is before you, how will you sow it?

The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone and we fly away.  So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:10,12

"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it."
Mark 8:35

But exhort on another ever day, as long as it is called Today, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.  For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
Hebrews 12:13-14

Have you ever noticed that you get the most smoke from a candle that has just been put out? When God deals with the sin in our lives it can feel the same way.  Sin, from an eternal standpoint, has already been dealt with through the Person and work of Jesus Christ.  However, as imperfect beings who dwell in the flesh, we still have sin that, by His grace, we are completely unaware of until He opens our eyes.  So as sinners, we still have the destructive force of sin burning our lives, but because of Jesus's sacrifice and His advocacy, we will not perish and the sin will be dealt with!

In our walk, when He does begin to deal with the sin in certain areas of our live, it's fire is put out and like a candle, our lives are flooded with smoke, the repercussions and realities of what was there.  All of a sudden we see sin for what it is.  We can try and hide the smoke, cover it up with something more fragrant like a good work, or we can even become so frustrated that we can light the candle of sin again just to avoid the smoke. 

Truth be told, when God shows us our areas of lack, we find the flame is nothing like a candle, but more like the forest fires that engulf the dry hillls of California.  Yet He is so faithful! Jesus said He is the living water.  Not only can we drink and be satisfied but by drinking of Him, He will also quench the fires of sin that burn in our lives.  And, as is the course of water and fire, smoke is produced as we fight through the habits, tendencies, and actions related to the sin that burned in us. 

But instead of being discouraged by all that we have to face when we deal with our sin (how hard it is, how much of a struggle it is to even see through it, etc.), we can rejoice knowing that God has poured out His grace in us!  As He makes us aware of it, He is taking the steps of completing the good work that He began in us, and now we press on through the smoke so that His unclouded glory can be displayed unobstructed in the life He has given us; we are witnesses of what He has accomplished!  While dealing with the habits, the tendencies, and the smoke from the burnt out fires of sin can seem difficult, we aren't discouraged or frustrated because we press through them and gain victory over them for He has already started the work!

And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 1:6

Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me His own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14

A real estate agent had just closed his first deal, only to discover that the piece of land he had sold was completely under water.

"That customer's going to come back here pretty mad," he said to his boss. "Should I give him his money back?"

"Money back?" roared the boss. "What kind of salesman are you? Get out there and sell him a houseboat!"

"He who has not felt what sin is in the Old Testament knows little what grace is in the New. He who has not trembled in Moses, and wept in David, and wondered in Isaiah will rejoice little in Matthew, rest little in John. He who has not suffered under the Law will scarcely hear the glad sound of the gospel.”
-- R. W. Barbour

Great and simple men alike have known the horrid chains
Of sin's enslavement and defeat of struggle, without gain.

This battle common, though it be, takes daily casualties
And leaves the wounded living without hope of being free.

They walk in silent solitude behind their painted masks
And wallow in their private sins until somebody asks,

"Hey brother, how may I and these who know your desperate plight
Walk side by side with you in grace to end your pain and strife?"

We've known defeat and sorrow in this battle you now see,
But now we spend our lives instead in setting captives free.

Your battle scars and stories of entrapment and of blame,
we know them all, we've lived them all, we understand the shame.

Step up and walk beside us now, we're going the same way
We're seeking life in Jesus Christ and trusting more each day

That He will change our hearts and minds so we might come to be
Ones who pass the truth along by setting captives free.

- Anonymous

If you struggle with sexual sin and immorality. If you continually fall to the devil in the area of purity and holiness in your life - know that God wants so much more for you!! He doesn't desire for you to live in the darkness and shadow of your hidden sin - come, man, woman, young, old... experience the grace of God to live in the freedom He desires so much for you! Break the chains, live the abundant life that God has for you!

Setting Captives Free

It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you His Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-8

Here is something that astounds me.  Three men who have nothing to gain by doing this, spend their lives and their fortunes helping those in the world to whom death is a daily adversary.  They go to nations that would be considered hostile nations - enemies of world good.  They don't claim to be born again evangelical Christians yet they are doing more for less, sacrificing, serving, and loving the unloved more than many Bible-believing Christians, myself included.  It's humbling - God is so kind and gracious.

It makes me think and wonder, for all my own spiritual rantings coupled with selfish worldly living... would I be willing to do what these men do? For somebody who claims to be called by God unto salvation and a life dedicated to glorifying Him, the willing and the available sure do put a selfish Pharisee like me to shame.

Still, we can praise Him because it shows that He is sovereign and His grace is for everybody - He, in His grace, cares for and feeds those who don't know Him, will use those who don't purpose for Him.  Their eternal destination is still determined by their relationship with Christ but He is so gracious to let the rain fall on every man's field and the sun to shine on every man's face.  He is faithful in our lives to do the same and He will for He is sovereign, good and kind.

Beyond the Call (warning mild language)

"But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.  For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?"
Matthew 5:44-46

it's the first day of a brand new year.  It's the day when people wake up from all night get togethers and can't believe that it's 2007.  It's the time of year where people make and very quickly begin to break resolutions.  Whether it's losing weight, working out more, doing more of this, or doing less of that, most everybody resolves to accomplish something through the coming year.

By next month, many of those resolutions will be distant memories.  They will have been taken on with idealistic endeavor and pursued in the limited strength of the finite flesh.  It's no surprise we fail.

However, I wonder what would happen if we were to resolve to allow God to work His righteousness in us rather than pursuing it with our own strength. If instead of trying to fix the broken cisterns in our lives by resolving not to let them leak, we accepted God's grace and in in humility resolved to let go of these cisterns for a new vessel, we would live out the characteristics of the refined vessel rather than failing in our endeavors trying to fix the broken one.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
2 Corinthians 5:17

"And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins."
Mark 2:22

In Christ, we are new creations, but not only are we new creations, we are being made into new creations.  As He refines us and does His work in the different areas of our lives, He makes us new wineskins to hold His righteous wine.  Christ has a life for you, a righteous pure life so you can be the person who doesn't need to indulge in sin; who doesn't need to become irritated with their parents, their spouse or children.  He has a wineskin specifically for you so you don't need to be the old you who gets frustrated and bitter with people.  You don't need to be that argumentative person who needs to have the last word or win the argument.  He has a new wineskin - a new life, a new person specifically for whatever area in your life that needs to be transformed.  Not only is He giving you the new wineskin, but the ability and power to live and grow in it - the new wine of the Holy Spirit!  Whatever area in your life that you would consider changing this year, be resolute in allowing Him to do it by letting go of who you are and taking hold of the person He wants you to be and, in His grace, living out that new you in the power of the Holy Spirit.

This year, my resolution is not to change this or do more of that, but to accept the new man He has been and is making me and living out what He is doing in me.