Examine yourselves!!

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. (2Co 13:5-6)

Examine:  peirázō = to ascertain the character of some hing, someone 

In the faith:  a true believer

Test:  dokimásō = to prove a thing worthy

Fail the test:  adókimos = prove to be spurious; unapproved

As I pray and study the Word and read the works of our Puritan fore-fathers I grow more and more convinced that somewhere along the way we have so cheapened and minimized the "Way" (Acts 19:9) that the designation "christian" is for all intents and purposes, meaningless.  

The term "christian" was originally used as a pejorative term intended to vilify followers of the Christ.  Today it most aptly commonly describes those whom can only be called false believers or hypocrites.  When someone asks you if you are a "christian" ask them what they mean by "christian."  My experience has been that what they describe bears little resemblance to the "Way" as it is taught by the Word of God.

What passes for common christianity today is but a sorrowful caricature of the true faith.  

Through what I see as the cultural compromise of the faith we have fallen into the condition of Israel at the end of the book of Judges.

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.  (Jdg 21:25)

Though it is still proclaimed as true, in almost every practical sense Christ is not held as King and everyone does what it right in their own eyes.  We have moved further into a faith that has no crosses in it.  We have moved deeper into a cheapening of grace and a rejection of God's sovereignty.

What passes for the "Way" is not the "Way" we find in the Word.  Indeed in our making Jesus our own, we have made a Jesus of our own.  In even supposing and implying that we "make Him Lord and/or Savior" we have, at the very first, denied God's sovereignty in the redemption.

To "accept" Jesus as Lord and/or Savior has come to mean that we "allow" Him to save us.  We do Him a kindness by accepting His death so He'll feel good about Himself.  It no longer means that we fall to His feet in utter recognition of our sin and our need for His salvation and His absolute right to condemn us.  No, we do Him a good turn by joining His team - by telling Him He, "did really good," so we'll let Him save us.

Let me put it plain and main - If you do not recognize the utter hopelessness of your sinful state before God and your deserving or His righteous condemnation - then regardless of what you "say" about Jesus, you are none of His.  Unless your heart has been broken by your sin and His taking it upon Himself on the cross, you are none of His.  Unless you have acknowledged that He has every sovereign right over all of your life - that he is indeed King of Kings and Lord of Lords - and you kneel before Him in surrender of your self to His authority, you are none of His.  Unless, by His gracious providence, the Holy Spirit has convicted you of the worthlessness of your every effort in redemption and sanctification apart from the provision of God and His power - you are none of His.

Unless, in relation to Him, you hate everything and everyone, you are none of a His.  Unless you live in Him, by Him, under Him and for Him - you are none of His.

Do you pray much, study the word much, examine yourself much, give much?  Then you may well be none of His.  Are you raising your children in the Lord?  if not you may be none of His.

Is your walk with God the absolute priority in your life?  If not you may be none of His.

I will say this - and I do so because have been convicted and I am convinced by the Word of God, that unless you are humbly, depending upon His promises and power, seeking to obey Him in all the duties and obligations appropriate to a citizen of His Kingdom you may well be none of His.

If you are not healthily obsessed with His glory and honor, you may well be none of His.

His Word and His Spirit must be working in His to enable them to serve Him with all their minds, hearts and strength - and we must know that our minds, heart and strength, apart from His providence and power, are never enough.  

Where is the zeal for Him and His Kingdom?  Where is the single focused commitment to be conformed to His likeness?  Where is the crushing conviction of our sinfulness and His graciousness?  

Where is that cry, "Not I but Christ!"

I do not have any pleasure is writing this for it is indeed as much about me as it is anyone else.  But it is about all of us who would claim He is our Lord - utterly.  It is not about your goodness but His.  It is not about our righteousness but His.  It is not about us but Him.

Are you a tare of a stalk of wheat?  Are you a sheep or a goat?  Are you His or are you still your own?

Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. 

(2Co 13:5-6)

This and That - Every ready to stand. 091812

We are never as scared of those things for which our minds are prepared.Flavel, John (2011-12-27). Triumphing Over Sinful Fear (Puritan Treasures for Today) (Kindle Location 962). Reformation Heritage Books. Kindle Edition.

In his work, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear, Flavel makes the above statement.  But I respond, “How can we be prepared for things our minds do not know”?  “How do I prepare for ?????? ?”

I have to start at the beginning:

We DO know what to expect!

Joh 16:33  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Tribulation:  oppression, affliction, distress, obstacles.

This is a given, as well as:Luk 6:22  "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!  (emphasis added).
I see two things here.  The first is the consequence of living in the world as His.  This is a general thing.  We all, as His, must fight the battle:

1Jn 2:15-16  Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  (16)  For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world.

The world wants - no, demands – us to conform to it.  It demands that we live according to its pattern.  The world and the devil wish to so impose themselves on our flesh that we live contrary to the faith we hold.

I do not really think the world or the devil have any hope of stealing us from Christ (Rom. 9:38&39).  But, they work diligently to confuse and confound us into compromise.  They wish to ingest just enough leaven into our hearts to hinder us.

And so, we fight a battle for non-conformity.  We fight a battle of inches not miles.  But, even though the battle is over little ground, it is still a battle that can hamper our growth, our faithfulness and cast our hearts down.  Satan and the world love nothing so much as a desperate believer.

The second thing I see is the direct assault on who and whose we are.  It is an attack because of Christ – because we are Christ’s.  The goal here is, again, not to steal us from Him but to get us to camouflage our faith – to dim the light. 

Now please heed what I say.  It is not the preaching of sin and redemption that so worries our enemies as it is the proclamation of God’s glory that they oppose.  It is the glory of God that we are to declare, and it is that they wish to silence.  I wonder sometimes if they have us so busy trying to “prove” there is a God that we get distracted from proclaiming His glory.

So we will have tribulation because we march to the beat of the Master Drummer and we will be hated, opposed, etc. because of Him.   

A Victoria Secret ad is a general assault.  A lawsuit to stop a home Bible study or a rule prohibiting your display of a Christian symbol is a direct assault.

So, how do we prepare?

Duhhhhh -  We all know: Eph 6:10-20  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  (11)  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  (12)  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  (13)  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  (14)  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  (15)  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  (16)  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  (17)  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,  (18)  praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,  (19)  and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,  (20)  for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

Ok, I may get in trouble – but this passage has been so over quoted, poorly explained and little studied and certainly poorly followed as a discipline, that I cringe when I hear it.  This passage must be studied if we hope to be prepared for that which we will suffer!

For brevity, I’ll just break it down.  I encourage you to really study it in the light of the whole counsel of God.  I encourage you to take it to Him in prayer.  I encourage you to let it soak into your mind and heart.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might-       Not “be strong,” but “be strong IN THE LORD” – in the strength of HIS might.

How?Put on the whole armor of God,-       Do it, put it on and KEEP it on! – Remembering it is HIS armor – not yours.

Why?that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  (12)  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. -       What part of “stand” don’t we understand?

How, What and Why?Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 

The details!(14)  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  (15)  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  (16)  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  (17)  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,  (18)  praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.   (emphasis added)  There is no mystery here.  There is no lack of clarity.  Because of what we are and whose we are, these things are ours.  Whether you formulate a strict process by which you CONSTANTLY AND CONSISTENTLY do these things or you don’t – we must do these things CONSTANTLY AND CONSISTENTLY.

It is not about having your plan but rather of working His plan.

This and That – Us in Him 0908112

Well – tomorrow night is the night, 6 pm is the time and Caribou Coffee is the place.

We are prayerfully offering Him an opportunity for Him to bring folks to a place and time where they can learn of Jesus.  We’ve worked very hard to stay out of His way in this and to only move when we were confident in His leading.

Of course all the typical fleshly stuff has raised its head.  Will anyone come?  Will they come back?  Who will come?  Will it be “successful?”  Who do we think we are?  Where do we get off starting a study?   But – we’re pretty familiar with all these questions and the doubt and fear that come with them.  For the three of us, they are old nasty companions.

What I’m asking of you – is that you pray that we will not forget for a minute that this is an offering to Him, for Him and about Him.  “We,” are just secondary instruments for Him to work His providence.  It ain’t about us – it’s about Him.

Don’t think for a second that your prayers are a requested as some “vote for us” kind of thing.  We know many things we need to be careful about but YOU know some we don’t.  It is those things we ask you to pray about.

Oh, EGO – (whatever that really is :-&).  Pray that our flesh will not interfere with our service !

We all have hopes and dreams concerning the study.  Our imaginations run hot and cold.  Pray that our imaginations will be sanctified by His Spirit and that they do not become, in any way, the controlling factor in this.  This must be His work or it will not work!

Pray that in all ways and all circumstances He will be glorified in what we are doing.  We know He has equipped each of us and us as a team to do works of ministry.  Pray that we do not forget that our gifts are His to be used for His glory and honor.

We have invited, “The wondrous, the wondering, the wandering and the wounded.”  Pray that we are enabled to be with and for them what He needs us to be.

We are keeping in mind:

2Co_4:1  Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.

2Co_5:18  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

2Co_9:12  For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.

And

Heb 13:18  Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.

Peter’s Pen 1st Peter 2:9-10

1Pe 2:9-10  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.  (10)  Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

We are:

·         a chosen race  [family, lineage, stock]

·         a royal priesthood [a priesthood as a fraternity, a body of priests]

·         a holy nation  [the sense of nation, people, as distinct from all others]

·         a people for His own possession [a people acquired or purchased to Himself in a peculiar or unique manner]

In order that:

·         you may proclaim the excellencies of him

o   who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

We are a specific “called” and “commissioned” people.

Please note that we are NOT just called that we might be saved – we are called and saved that we might serve Him and “proclaim” [make widely known] His excellencies.

Now, that proclaiming might be verbal, written or it may be in feeding or clothing.  It may be just listening – but it is for the purpose of proclaiming the truth about Him and we need to consider making that clear.  Something on the order of, “I do this in service to the God who has redeemed me and made me His own.”  Or perhaps just “4 Jesus.”

My point is this.  We are not to serve Him by “stealth.”  Proclaiming His excellencies shouldn’t be a “hidden” agenda.  When proclaiming His excellencies is an “ulterior” motive, it is no motive at all.

A friend of mine has posed the question “Can we use deception in order to be able to proclaim His excellencies”?  In other words, if the government of a country bans Christian missionaries – do we present ourselves as just well diggers or food providers?  If a country bans the Bible, do we violate its laws by smuggling Bibles into the country?

NO – you’re not going to get a definitive answer here.  This is a great matter of discussion and one about which we all must spend time in prayer and examining our consciences.

But – we are to proclaim His excellencies – to make them widely known - which is getting to be a little dangerous even in our nation. 

Where do we get the “oomph,” the moxy to do this?  Of course – from Him.  But, we can go to Him confidently because:

Once you were not a people,

but now

you are God's people;

once you had not received mercy,

but

now you have received mercy.

Please notice that once we were “not a people.”  We were all a part of different families, ethnic groups, cultures.  We were all what men call “different races,” (thank you Darwin ;-{ ).  We were “not a people.”

But God didn’t just call us together and tell us, “You are now a people.”  What He did do is call us and tell us, “You are MY people.”  That is a point we need to really get in our heads.  WE are HIS people.  AND we are His people who have HIS mercy (of course His grace as well).

I think that this is cause for joy – which I describe as a sanctified humility and thankful pride.  A pride in Him.  Pride?

Pride:  καυχάομαι, kaucháomai:  To boast, glory, exult, both in a good or bad sense.

Indeed, we should boast, glory and exult in Him, for Him and about Him.  That is our commission. 

Rom 8:3-4  For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,  (4)  in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Today we struggle with, “Who are His people”?  All the denominations, sects, septs and other groupings of believers cause us to be cautious, which is not a bad thing.  But the bottom line is determining who “we,” is:

1Co 12:3  Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus is accursed!" and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit.

Yes, I know, anyone can “say” that but when the rubber meets the road or we listen to what else they say, we can, by the power of the Spirit, discern if they are SAYING that or just mouthing the words.

Let’s pray hard that we will learn to and be bold to proclaim His excellencies – and remember it is all about Him!

This and That 082812

I had a great meeting with a local Pastor this morning and was blessed to share our concerns and needs.  I was reminded that even sheep that have a safe sheepfold can be twitchy and obstinate.  In my ministry it’s really the absolute norm but one would hope that in a body, a fellowship it would not be so.  Oh well, we can hope.

I’ve not found any reference in scripture to “bad” sheep.  lost sheep, wandering sheep even rowdy sheep – but not bad ones. 

One thing comes to mind.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.   Joh 10:27

It is soooooo easy in any form of ministry and service to take on more responsibility than is rightfully ours.  If we’re the “leader” we think it’s all on us.  That’s bad – and – that’s good.  It’s good to take responsibility and accept the challenges it brings but it is bad to let ourselves think it’s all on us.  It wasn’t, isn’t and never will be about us.  It’s all about Him.

Sheep, even wild sheep are His sheep.  Oh He lets us serve Him as under shepherds and sheepdogs but they are still His sheep.  He is the Master Shepherd – the “sheep whisperer.”   It is His voice they hear.  Yes, they can hear it through us but we have to be very sure it is His voice they are hearing – and not our own.

Sheep follow Him – If we’re behind Him and ahead of them then I guess you could say they follow us.  But we have to be following Him, depending upon Him – recognizing that He doesn’t really need us but rather has graciously invited us to work under, with and for Him.

As we serve as His under shepherds or sheepdogs we have to continually ask, “What has He said to the flock and what is He saying now?”  It won’t be anything “new” – He’s already made all things “new.”  He is saying what He has always said.  We just need to figure out how to apply it to the present context.

It is His voice they need to hear – so it is His words we need to speak. 

Of course the hard part it “getting us out of the way” of His words.  That good old (err bad old) flesh just doesn’t want us to accept that He is faithful - we are feeble and that it’s all about Him.  Sure, we do what we can do – but when we think we are supposed to or can do His thing, we get into bad trouble. 

When we take on the burden that only the Master Shepherd can carry we are – well – sinning.  I know, I have to consistently work on that.  The results are usually a time of discipline for my well intentioned efforts.  He smacks my hand and says, “That’s mine!!”  It is not pleasant but it is none the less a blessing.  The object is to submit to Him, to rely on Him even for that drive and energy to serve – especially the what and how!

I’ve been reading Flavel’s work, The Mystery of Providence and I cannot tell you how what a great blessing it has been (thanks again David).  Once you get in tune with his 17^th century style of writing I promise you, you will be well blessed.  There are some “ouches” in there but there are a lot of comforting and encouraging things as well.

I pray, for you and me, that we will seek to hear His voice more clearly and to know when the sheep need to hear His voice – or our voice from Him.  I doubt that this side of heaven we’ll ever nail this down.  But through prayer, study and sharing with others who struggle we will get better and better.

Remember too that our battle orders are summed up in one word: 

μαθητευσατε – make disciples

This is the what – we trust Him to show us the how – His how!

I like to say that by His power – the power of the Gospel, “We catch ‘em, the Holy Spirit prepares ‘em and He cooks ‘em till they’re done.”

Not junk - art!

A creating power can, not only bring something out of nothing, but contrary out of contrary.   Sibbes, Richard (2012-04-24). The Soul's Conflict With Itself: And Victory Over Itself By Faith. (p. 296). A Puritan At Heart Press. Kindle Edition.

If of nothing, God created everything, then out of coal He can create a diamond. 

In our struggle – nay battle against the flesh we do not always win.  Indeed we fail often.  In those times I am threatened with a sense of futility and frustration.  Will I ever, “Get it right?” is just one of the hopelessness inducing thoughts.  When my attention is forced upon my utter unworthiness either by my being prompted to look of my nose being stuck in I default to everything that ever made me feel, “not good enough.”

I don’t know about you but I do know that I don’t like seeing my sins.  But see them I must for if I do not see them what value does His sacrifice have in my heart.  If I am folled into thinking I’m “Ok,” I am fooled indeed and I lose sight and sense of the great grace He has called me with and to.

Out of utter nothing He brought His creation.  Out of my corruption and sin He brings a saint.  Nothing can stop Him.  His intention is never to be thwarted.  We may think we can resist but we can’t.  We may think “we” fail but we must know He cannot.

We are, as much as DNA and the cosmos, His workmanship. 

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

As a friend of mine says, “God doesn’t make junk!”  I have a friend who works at a place where they forge metal.  There’s lots of scrap and “junk.”  This friend of mine takes these objects and created really fascinating and beautiful work of art with them.  I a human can do that, imagine what the God of all can do!

Oh if only we would accept the truth – all the truth of the Gospel and not pick and choose.   Yes, we sin, that is our battle – our battle against the flesh – the “body of death.”  Oh how I pray for you and I that we might come to the place where Paul found himself where he was able to proclaim with great sincerity and much joy:

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then,

I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.   Rom 7:24-25

Walk with P & me 07

Walk with P & me  07

Note:  No, you haven’t missed anything.  The blogs are numbered as they are written and published as they are done.

When does a positive (kauchēsis; kow'-khay-sis), boasting , become (ἀλαζονεία; alazoneia,) a sinful boasting/self-confidence.

In 1 Cor. 7:4 Paul speaks his boasting of the of his “pride” in the Corinthian believers.  This is a good “pride.”

I am acting with great boldness toward you;

I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort.

In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy.

(2Co 7:4)

In I John 2:16 the apostle warns against “pride” – alazoneia.

For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh

and the desires of the eyes a

and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world.

(I John 2:16)

Pride biblically is neutral.  Whether it is good or bad depends upon what it is rests upon.  Pride is confidence.  It’s what one’s confidence is in that makes pride either an asset or a sin.  To place our confidence in anything other than the providence of God is an arrogant pride.

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.

(Pro 11:2)

This verse speaks to pride misplaced or mis-sourced.  This “pride” is arrogance and presumption.

Yesterday I was listening to Alistair Begg via Truth for Life and he was talking about Paul’s admonition to believers to support their teachers:

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain," and, "The laborer deserves his wages."   (1Ti 5:17-18)

I was curiously convicted by this.

I was convicted of having become prideful, presumptive and even arrogant.

For years I have been a “tent-maker.”  That simply means that I have worked to support myself and rarely accepted any kind of “support” from those I ministered to.  Now, that’s not a bad thing – that is until you begin to think it makes you special.

The reason I wanted to be a tent-maker was because it was being “like Paul.”  That is not a bad thing except that being “like Paul” can puff you up – and it does.

Not only that but doing well in the “tent-making” can make one think more of themselves than they ought.

But the real problem is that I began to see the tent-making as “mine” and the ministry as “His.”  Can you catch the subtleness of the sin there?  Simply put I was proud I was a tent-maker.  Actually, as I prayed and thought about it I discovered I had become arrogant about it.  I began so really think I was “self-supporting.”  Somehow I had slipped into that sin of pride.

Not only was there sinful pride involved but there was a failure to let others be a part of the work by helping Patti and support ourselves as we went about the work.  There was also a failure to allow myself to depend upon God working through others for the work to continue.

Well, let’s heap it on – There was also a sinful failure to be in a position to be accountable to those who were blessed by and supported the work.  Perhaps this is the root of it all.  I have been un-autonomous.  I have not honestly depended upon God or His people, which makes me wonder if my ministry has been somewhat of a sham.

So I am confessing to you and to Him that I know more of my heart than I did before.  It is not pretty.  I am humbled and if it takes out right humiliation to tattoo this on my mind and heart then I will accept that. 

Right now we have five people interested in the Us In Him, Sunday @ 6 fellowship.  The support of the work will be in His and their hands.  We will simply put it out there and allow Him to work.  I will continue to make tents but I know now that that is and always has been His.

One thing I would ask of those of you whom I have been allowed to serve.  Let me hear from you – I don’t want to assume anything about the work I have done and pray to do.  Your feedback, council, correction, encouragement would be a real blessing.  Write me at:  ms@tc2v1.com 

Pray my repentance holds and that I grow from and in it.

God bless you!

Michael

Patti and Michael Sanders

2205 New Garden Rd.

# 2807

Greensboro, NC 27410