Blast from the past

Heb 10:22-23  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.  (23)  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

What an awesome privilege we have to be able to draw near to our God – and to do so in full assurance.

But where does that assurance come from?  Do we look for it in our behavior?  In our thoughts and reflections?  In miracles?  In feelings?

Yes – no and maybe!

Certainly we experience assurance in all these areas of our lives.  The problem we often face however is wanting to consistently and constantly experience our assurance in one or maybe two particular areas.  It is not my experience or my understanding or the Word that this is the way it works.  We are a whole – the sum of all our parts and it is in all our parts that we experience, have a sense of assurance.  To limit the evidence of our assurance to but one or two areas is to make ourselves spiritually myopic.

Our assurance can and does express itself in our senses.  We can “feel” that assurance.  But feelings, as we know, are fickle.  Bad food, stress, neurochemical imbalances call all radically affect our feelings.  To look too much to them is not a good idea. 

We really need to build our assurance on much more than us, our experience or behavior.  You see my assurance is not in me, it’s in Him.  As Heb.10:23 says, “he is faithful that promised.”  My assurance is Him – His faithfulness.  Next to that, my faithfulness is microscopic.

Our faith is ‘in” His faithfulness.  We have believed and we have been cleansed and now we work out our salvation – and fear and trembling is part and parcel of the process. 

Gal 2:20-21  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.  (21)  I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Note the assurance in the verses above.  Many of us love to quote verse 20 but we seem to miss verse 21.

“Frustrating the grace of God,” is perhaps the most common activity we take part in.  Certainly we are to examine ourselves and “judge” ourselves but we cannot, for we have no right to condemn ourselves. 

When we examine our lives and we find sin we are to fall upon the grace of God.  Yes, we need to address the sin and forsake it but we are to do this within the wonderful grace our Lord has poured out on us. 

The Law is the tool by which we measure ourselves but it is the grace of God by which we must judge ourselves.  If sin is the way I measure my relationship with God, I will always be disappointed.  But if it is grace that I use then I, even as I struggle with sin, have every cause for rejoicing.

Without our unworthiness, grace would not be grace.  It’s tough to live with that tension but it is do-able. 

Gill says of the Galatians passage:

the life he (Paul) had was not of his own obtaining and procuring; his life of righteousness was not of himself, but Christ; his being quickened, or having principles of life and holiness implanted in him, was not by himself, but by the Spirit; and the holy life and conversation he lived was not owing to himself, to his power and strength, but to the grace of God; or it was not properly himself, or so much he that lived,

If you read the OT you will many places where god make it plain that it will never be by our efforts that we will be righteous (Deut. 5 is an example).

God says, “Thou shall not!”  but He knows we will.

God says, “Thou shall!”  but He knows we won’t.

So, why are we surprised when we do and don’t?  Why do we use our weakness (albeit redeemed) as the measure of our relationship with God when it is the faithfulness of Christ that is God’s own measure?

James presents us with a weird little insight into our lives in Christ.

Jas 3:2  For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.

Accepted – we all stumble and we do so in many ways.  That is the norm – the common frustration of all the redeemed.  But look at the measure of “perfection” or “wholeness” that James gives – what we say.  If we can control our tongues – but we don’t (read the rest of the passage).

STUMBLE:   πταίω   ptaiō

Thayer Definition:

1) to cause one to stumble or fall

2) to stumble

2a) to err, make a mistake, to sin

2b) to fall into misery, become wretched

Yes, sin is bad – we should do all we can to avoid it.  But we will stumble – trip.  OK – that is common and normal for us all. 

Yes, before our redemption we all stood condemned – now, we CAN’T. 

GET THAT???  CAN’T!!!!!

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

The bottom line?  “He is faithful that promised.”  Him – not you or I, Him.

God made you – God made you His > end of one story beginning of a new one!

a little piece of me 040612

A little piece of me…….  040612

I’ve shared this with a lot of folks but I want to get it “out there,” in the hope that the Lord will use it to strengthen you and close your ears to the lies Satan – and folks – have driven into your ears and hence into your heart.

In graduate school my first semester ended and the grades and class standing were listed.  I fought the desire to look for I knew it would be a disappointment.  Finally I had to look.

I was in shock.  There I was on the Dean’s List. – the good Dean’s List ;-}

I just knew this had to be a mistake.

I took the list off the board and went to the Dean’s office to show him the mistake.

He checked the records and told me there was no mistake; my GPA put me on the Dean’s List.

I didn’t believe him.

I put the list back on the board and walked away thinking that my professors had felt sorry for me and had given me grades I had not earned because they felt sorry for me.

Huh?

Yep – you see I grew up being told loudly and clearly that I was stupid, clumsy and a sissy.  My father worked very hard to convince me of that and he was good at it.  By the time I got to graduate school I had proven (to my satisfaction) that I was neither a clutz nor a sissy.  But stupid was hanging’ in.

I was a slave to my father’s demands, judgments and condemnations.  I still saw me as he taught me to see me.

So what’s the point?

Well, before Christ let me know I was His I was a slave to the demands, judgments and condemnation of Satan – sin and my flesh.  They defined me – utterly.  One common theme in this is, “Not good enough!”  I wasn’t good enough if I didn’t go out drinking.  I wasn’t good enough if I didn’t do the macho-tough guy thing.  I wasn’t good enough if I wasn’t sexually promiscuous.  I wasn’t good enough if I didn’t keep up with my sinful companions in most if not all of their sinful activities.

This was a sinful, warped and twisted legalism I was caught up in and I don’t think it was unusual.  I HAD to be as good as if not better than any other sinner in my sinning.

So, in come Jesus and the Spirit.  I am convicted of my sin, convinced of my need for redemption and begin to seek to live a righteous life.

BOOM ---- “Not good enough!!!!!!”

Everywhere I looked I saw my sin – still!  In the word, in the fellowship, in the “you have to’s” of older believers – I was not good enough.

What pray tell was the problem?

Simple – I walked into the Kingdom of God laying aside sins but still carrying the legalism I had been taught while I was in darkness.  Then I had not been good enough for the world the flesh or the devil – now I wasn’t good enough for God.

Don’t thin for a moment that unbelievers are free.  They are not only under the judgment of the laws of God BUT the world-flesh-and devil have their own laws they expect their servants to obey.

Izod golf shirts, alligator belts with silver monogramed buckles, green Army fatigues and white Adidas tennis shoes.  If you didn’t have ‘em you weren’t good enough.  If you wore only one or two of these items you were a poser.

Alcohol, drugs, sex are all criteria by which the world-flesh and devil measure us while we are in the darkness.  Sitting here writing there are three females who must be convinced that to expose as much of their bodies as possible in public is a good thing.  (Yeah- I’m keeping my eyes on the keyboard!!!!!

See, Satan is the greatest legalist there is.  With him, in his kingdom (?) there is no mercy, no grace – just judgment and condemnation for not being as obedient to him-the flesh and the world as you can be.

And this legalistic thinking walks right into the Kingdom of God – the Kingdom of grace - with us.

After the first liberating joy of finding we are His we soon fall victim to this legalistic poison.  We realize that we are not in ourselves worthy.  We are not good enough.  Oh, we knew that at the moment we realized our redemption but the poison is still flows.

Somehow we’ve come to believe that doing battle with the flesh and the sin that remains is a bad thing and calls into question our salvation.  But it is this very battle that confirms our redemption and affirms our faith.  Why else would we notice much less fight unrighteousness?

Grace is an alien concept to us and regardless of our maturation in the faith it will probably always be alien.  We have NO well of knowledge from which to draw that enables us to be completely comfortable with grace.  Maybe this is how it is supposed to be.

But we do have a lifetime of experience with legalism and condemnation.  We well know the devastating effects, the insidious schemes, and the toxicity of legalism.  We must battle its influence constantly both in regards to our walk with Him and our lives in general.

I still battle thoughts of being stupid – not good enough – socially, financially, professionally and spiritually.  But I always – all ways – remind myself who it is that’s doing the measuring.  Socially, financially professionally it is the world, the flesh and the devil.  Spiritually it is my Redeemer the One who knew my need and met that need completely.  I am not nor will I ever be good enough to be Him.  But by His grace and because of His work he has made me good enough to be His and He keeps me there regardless.

Comments?

Churching 032812

James 4:4  You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

I’ve just finished reading, The Churching of America 1776-2005 1776-2005 by Finke and Stark and am greatly stunned by what they found in their studies.  The clarity and focus of this work makes it a must read for anyone concerned with the direction the Church is taking and the reasons for it.

They uncover a process the church, at least in the USA, seems to follow.  To put it in my own words you have a small group who reject the status quo of the established “church” and forms a sect.  The sect is marked by an “other-worldly” perspective, a high cost or commitment and a high degree of tension with the culture in which it exists.  However, over time as the sect grows more affluent and larger it seems it begins to seek accommodation with the culture and an institution (as opposed to a Body) is formed.  As this takes place the cost/commitment of membership decreases and the institution begins to suffer in numbers and effectiveness.  Then, a small group of members, dissatisfied with the status quo ------- and over and over.

The whole process revolves, in my view, around a desire to have the acceptance of and credibility in the culture in which it exists.  Unfortunately the shift is also one from serving the Lord in individual and corporate growth in holiness to serving the “world” in the manner the world dictates.  I would hazard to suggest that at the point at which the institution makes a definitive switch in servant hood the Holy Spirit is left little recourse but to influence those still sensitive to His influence to resist the switch and ultimately move on.

One place the authors do not delve into, although they do touch on it and its consequences, is the area of the education of Pastors.  It seems that the higher the education of the Pastors the greater the susceptibility of accommodation with the culture.  Early on one acquired a Bachelors of Theology in order to be considered for ordination.  Today, since the 70s, one is typically required to have a Masters of Divinity for ordination.  The M. Div. is considered a “professional” degree (actually it’s a B. Div./B. Th. on steroids).

But here’s my quandary.  In the early days of our nation the Gospel was spread (usually) by well-trained but poorly educated intenerate preachers.  They were as well educated as those they served; more poorly paid than their “professional” counterparts and almost always died young.  It was these men who moved the church into the frontier, who tilled the soul-soil and planted the seeds and with great success.  However, the established “church” saw them as a disfigurement on the Body of Christ mostly due to their lack of formal education, their rough and ready attitudes and their lack of social graces.

The issue, for me, breaks down into “professional” verses “vocational.”  Now the two are not mutually exclusive but of the two it is the vocational that has consistently fueled the health and growth of the Body of Christ.  In the 1700 and 1800’s a man who had a sense of “calling” usually had demonstrated some skill in ministry through teaching and otherwise serving the Body.  Determined competent by his peers he would be ordained of commissioned to preach and perform the duties of a Pastor.  Where these men may not have been theologically, philosophically or socially astute as their seminary trained counterparts they were much more effective in fulfilling the Great Commission.

When we lower the minister to the level of the Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, etc. we rob him of the true nature of his authority and limit the breadth of his work.  It is not the role off the ministry to engage the culture or science or cults.  It is the role of the ministry to:

Eph. 4:12 -  to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes

It is the duty of the pastor to shepherd the flock – and the flock is solely composed of the redeemed.

Back to my issue.  It seems that the more “successful” the “church” or “denomination” the greater the propensity for friendship with the world.  The greater the desire to be accepted and lauded by the community.  The greater the pull to be relevant to the unredeemed.  We want to be liked and valued – even as a “church.”

Accommodation is the only step to compromise which is the only step to apostasy.

Friendship – phileos – love for the world is as much (if not more) a corporate (church) issue as it is an individual issue.  It is adultery,  it is idolatry.  It begins with a desire for what the world tells you you need (church or individual) and then a lust grows and – well ------

James 1: 14 But each person ( and I would say “church”) is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

The question individual bodies of believers need to be asking is NOT are we growing numerically.  That is not our job (see Acts 2:47b).  Our job – our and in the church’s and especially the leaders is to:

Eph. 4:12 -  to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

So that the church can resist:

James 1: 14 But each person ( and I would say “church”) is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

What, “things of the world,” does the Bride of Christ seem to be enamored with?  Where does the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life assail her?  What wrongly directed desires doe she hold in her heart?

She’s not a victim – except of her own desires.

Temptation 032112

Wow ! !

“So temptation is like a knife, that may either cut the meat or the throat of a man; it may be his food or his poison, his exercise or his destruction.”  Over Coming Sin and Temptation  by John Owen

Old John didn’t mince words did he?

Temptation:  READ !!

πειρασμοσ peirasmos; from; a putting to proof (by experiment (of good), experience (of evil), solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication, adversity: — temptation, x try.  

An experiment, attempt, trial, proving trial;  the trial of man's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy an enticement to sin, temptation, whether arising from the desires or from the outward circumstances an internal temptation to sin or a mental state, by which we are enticed to sin, or to a lapse from the faith and holiness adversity, affliction, trouble: sent by God and serving to test or prove one's character, faith, holiness temptation ( i. e. trial) of God by men rebellion against God, by which his power and justice are, as it were, put to the proof and challenged to show themselves.

Temptations can come in all kinds of wrappings.  The may be sweet smelling and pretty or they may stink and offend.  Allllllll tooooooo often we think of temptation in sexual terms – which is a shame.  There are more sins than the nasty ones.

I can be tempted to flatter for self-gain.

I can be tempted to defame for self-promotion.

I can be tempted to stand silent for self-protection.

I can be tempted to conform for self-worth.

I can be tempted to do a kindness to expose another’s miserliness.

I can be tempted to do good to obscure my bad acts.

Temptation – is a trial – of my heart, my faithfulness, my maturity.

I sometimes wonder if, when we are tempted, we see it too much a test of our faith as opposed to a test of our general condition “in Christ.”  Many folks seem to approach temptation as a test of whether or not the believe in the Redeemer – and maybe 

sometimes that’s what’s happening.  

But for the most part I find it to be a test of my:

Knowledge – Do I know it’s a test – do I know how to respond?

Understanding  – Are reasons X is a temptation to me clear?

Maturity – Have I so grown in Christ that I see the “fine points” of temptations I used to miss?

Surrender – Where am I on the continuum of “Not I but Christ?”  Depending on all the above I may still need a lot of growing.

Discernment – Hello!!! Am I paying attention?

Remember >>  TO BE TEMPTED IS AS PAIN BUT IT IS NOT A SIN !!!!!!!!

As a matter of (a Mikey) fact – did you ever stop to think that you can only be “tempted” if you are His?  Is that not GOOD news!  If you aren’t His then it is not a temptation.  Oh, it may be a challenge to cultural and societal expectations for the unbeliever BUT,for the believer, it ain’t no sin!

Now can you see why James says to “count it all joy?”  Temptations/trials demonstrate you are His – they bring assurance.  Failure to resist simply demonstrates that here is a place in your mind, heart and life where you need to grow more in Him. 

It also keeps us looking for His arrival.  Sometimes when I am entering a situation where I know there will be temptation (and these are unavoidable – quit thinking sex) or when a temptation pops up I laugh and pray, “Come quickly Lord!!!!”  It’s just a simple and funny way for me to keep in mind that there will be a day when there won’t be temptation – and OH Boy am I ready.  How about you?

Until them, to make a play on scripture, “Be tempted, and sin not!”  It may not be easy – but is really is that simple!

Curses 032212

Curses

Interesting things.

Especially

God’s curses.

Gal. 3:10

• g2671. καταρα katara; from 2596 (intensive) and 685; imprecation, execration: — curse (- d, ing).  AV (6)- curse 3, cursing 2, cursed 1;   an execration, imprecation, curse.

A curse

isn’t only

a thing

It is

a state,

a condition.

To be “cursed”

Is to

mnot

be “blessed.”

It’s like

Being

in the light

or

not.

Outside the light

there is only darkness.

Being

in the darkness

has its own

consequences.

Try it.

Go into a room

at night

and turn out the lights

Now,

walk normally across the room.

Get it?

You hesitate.

Why?

Because

you can not see.

Oh, you have

a vague

memory

of where the furniture is

but you don’t know.

You hesitate?

You don’t want to stumble and fall.

Being

under a (or the)

curse

is a

state

or

condition

in which

injury (something bad happening)

is more probable

than

not.

Curse (darkness)

is

the absence

of

light (blessing).

So,

When we read

John 3:19-20

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

We

have to scratch our heads

and wonder

how dumb

we can be.

Now, I ask,

since the light

is in the world

where do

the evil lovers go?

Mmmmmmm?

Consider 032012

Consider –

“True and lasting resistance to sin comes not through willpower and self- improvement but through the Spirit who empowers believers with a knowledge and love of God.”

There is a NOT

And

There is a BUT

And OH how critical they are!

Is that which is “NOT” un-needed?

No – for it is NOT – through

NOT – by means of

NOT – alone

But it’s still NOT.

B U T – now that’s a through too

NOT a what

BUT a who

Through whom

NOT do not will it

NOT do not improve you

BUT

NOT, do NOT rely on them

They are nice and good and helpful – indeed!

BUT, alone, they are NOT!

Who empowers?

He does.

Empowers with knowledge and love!

Then

Only then

Will “will” will anything useful and effectual

Only then

Can self improve

Only then

Hey! 032012

Hey!

How are ya doing?

I know you’re out there!

Are you hiding?

Come on – what’s up?

Doubting Him again?

Doubting you again?

Doubting again?

Doubting doesn’t mean you’re “double minded.”

It probably means you’re tired.

It may mean you’re trying to do it on your own again.

It may mean you’ve got a flu bug.

It may mean you need a break, a hug, good counsel, encouragement, etc.

But,

It does mean you need.

And that’s OK

We all do –

Often –

A lot –

That’s what He says.

Does what we do matter?

Does it matter if what we do matters?

To whom?

Why?

What does mattering look like?

“I want to make a difference in this world!!”

What’s a difference?

How much difference counts?

“I want to glorify Him!”

Good, keep breathing!

“I want to please Him!”

You do.

He said so.

He made it so.

But    But    But    But - - - -

No “BUTS.”

No “IFS.”

Yeah – you want to say “But…” again don’t you?

Go ahead – He knows, He understands, He sympathizes – He “gets it.”

Of course,

You’re only as OK as He is.

Mmmmmmm ----

He’s uber-OK! Always!

You’re “in Him” how could you ever not be OK?

You’re still thinking “BUT…”

That’s OK

The day is coming

When all you’ll say is

“Oh….!!!”

And smile.

Never more safe .......

021312

Never more safe.....

"We are never more safe, never have more reason to expect the Lord's help, than when we are sensible that we can do nothing without His help."

"He has a sovereign right to do with us as He pleases; and if we consider what we are, surely we will confess we have no reason to complain; and to those who seek Him, His sovereignty is exercised in the way of grace.  All shall work together for good; everything is needful that he sends; nothing can be needful that He withholds."  John Newton

Do you ever find yourself feeling and perhaps thinking that Jesus is only concerned about you occasionally?  Do you ever feel as though the Holy Spirit is more a visitor than a resident?  Do you sometimes feel estranged from God?

Some of us do - some not so much.  But perhaps, for many of us, it is we who are strangers, we who are occasional.

They say there are no atheists in foxholes - and there are probably fewer in the oncologist's office.  But we cannot offer such people anything more than the gospel - which - if they are called, is sufficient and more so.

It is the Child of God with which I am concerned.  That one whom from all eternity is God's however lately they have discovered it - or it has discovered them.

It is a easy thing to be redeemed and no harder to remains so yet that assurance is constantly attacked by the desire for it all now.

"Satan wispers in our ears, "Why does God delay?"  Satan hint that, "Perhaps you have so displeased Him that He has left you."  The evil air carried all the wisperings of Satan and never more so that when our flesh is pinched or crushed by our circumstances. 

There is a point where even the mighty oak is neither nut nor tree but both.  As God works His wonderousnand observable will upon the acorn to grow His mighty Oak there is indeed a time of vulnerability.  We as we grow from nut to tree may have a sense of vulnerability but since God's intent is that we be oaks we must trust that indeed we will.

But let us not I imagine all oaks are or all nuts will be identical trees.  Certainly the nature and the attributes of every oak are alike or similar and so it is with each of us.  Yet God does not create or call His from an assembly line.  We are all, in Him, the same - but different.  It is to the "likeness" of Christ He mofes and mold us.  That is likeness not sameness.  We will never be and we were never intended to be Christ - rather to be like Him.

Tall, short, thin, stout, fast slow -- oh what variety God has among His people and how wonderfully does He fit that likeness of Christ upon each individual unique child.  You - are to You in Him.  I am to be I.  We are to have I common His righteousness.  Whether we have else in common is irrelevant. 

You may like purple I may like orange yet we both are His.  I may prefer quiet reflexion you may prefer joyous and lud praise yet we are both His.

In all of this we share the circunstance of living in a world who prince is set upon our injury.  He cannot destroy us but he can do us grevous injury.  As any prince he has his subjects and whether they know or acknowledge it they serve him and him alone.  It is the enhancement of the damnation of the u redeemed and the confusion and frustration of the redeemed that is their only goal.  This danger we, the sales of the Lord of Lords, also share in common.

Whether directly or indirectly all the Redeemed are always under attack.  If the prince of this world hates us and aims at our destruction, it is not possible even though unaware, that his servants do not aim at the same end.

IN ALL THIS - regardless of its intensity or duration we need only hold to one thought:

Phi 1:6  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.� ESV

In this we see all.  Beginning - bringing and completion. 

Forget not who HE is.  Forget not who we are, HIS.

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Jam 4:1-6

Chapter 4

Warning Against Worldliness

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? 6 But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

� ESV

Tit 2:11-13

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self- controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

� ESV

Heb 12:7-14

7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.  12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

� ESV

Phi 4:11-14

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.� ESV

The Right fight

John Owen wrote that he knew of no other scripture that best defined the Christian than   Gal. 5:17.

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  ESV

This is so contrary to our experience today.  We are called victors, more than conquerors.  We are told we are free men and women.  We are told we are priests and princes.  And in all this we are so apt to forget that we are, while we remain here, soldiers, warriors engaged in an incredibly intimate and personal battle - with ourselves - our desires.

Today we are more often than not enjoined to battle that which is without allowing the flesh not only to hold the ground it has but to advance however small the gains.  Pogo was quite right, "We have met the enemy and they is us!"

Paul writes at length of the hardships he faced in his ministry.  We too, as we serve the Master will face hindrances, distractions and bold opposition.  But this is not our fight.  Our fight is within.

Rom 7:15-21

15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.  21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.

ESV

Here dearest brother and sister is our battlefield.  We cannot fight well anywhere else until we fight here.  To ignore this fight through intent is to raise questions concerning our actual state.  To ignore this fight through inattention brought by external distractions is to be deceived and weakened.

We have three forces seeking to destroy our faithfulness.  The world, the flesh and the devil.  But we are not to engage all three in combat.  Rather we are to refuse the world ( be not conformed), resist the devil and fight the flesh.  To engage in a war on two fronts is foolishness. To do so on three is insanity.

Jam 4:1-2

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.  ESV

Why is there such division within the Body of Christ?  Because there is a war within us in which we fail to engage the enemy.  Our passions - but not just any passion.  The word here is hedone a Greek word meaning - pleasure, typically but not exclusively sensual.

How on the mark!  In a world obsessed with looking young, dressing young, being accepted, having all the right toys and of curse having a good self-image - "feeling good" - regardless the area or cause is the be all and end all of worldly efforts.  We want to "feel good" and so we invest precious time and effort (life) into those things we are convinced will make us "feel  good."

Let us consider the god of a good self-image.  I ask you plainly, "Who determines whether your image is good or not?"  Have you actually sat down with pen in hand and written down what is required for you to have a good self-image?  Or, have you simply accepted what friends, family, culture and TV has said you need? 

Is your image - your self- image- determined by your dress size, your job, your car, you house?  Does a "bad hair day" make a powerful difference?  Does acceptance or rejection by a certain groups have an impact?  Why?  Is it not your flesh that yearns for all this, good hair, acceptance, etc.?

What do you wish for?  What is it that if you possessed it would make everything good?  What are you, "If only?"  If only this......if only that.......if only this other.... then all would be well.  And, on those occasions when an "if only" has materialized did it make everything OK?  Did that "if only" actually produce what you expected or did it simply lead to another "if only?"

This is the war in which we are engaged.  It is a war of definition.  What defines you?  What gives your life meaning and value"  Is it the things of this world or is it the grace of God that makes you his?  Oh how hard we must fight to hold the center, to raise the truth above all the claims and expectations of the world as they assault the flesh!

Brothers and sisters we, individually and collectively must fight the flesh. The world, right now, has its prince the devil.  We have the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He is ours and by His grace we are His - what value do we place on that?  Would we, do we, like Paul count all things as dung compared to knowing Christ and being His?  Ah, yes, it's a hard fight but a worthy one.

But we find it easier and more convenient to fight those battles that are not ours than to fight the one we are called to.  It is much easier to picket an abortion clinic, attend a political rally, even home school instead of fighting the battle within. We are not called or commissioned to redeem of change the world but rather to be unmistakably His in it.  To be salt and light not pepper and fire. 

It is a simple thought that belief follows behavior.  Can what you believe be discerned by how you behave?  Do your priorities reflect your faith?  Do your yearnings, your passions demonstrate whose you are? 

That is not "a" point, it is THE point.

We are not called to let our anger show, to demonstrate our disgust or to seek to regulate the lives of the unredeemed.  We are called to let our light shine and that light is Christ.  It is He who is the light, it merely shines in and through us - or does it?

Feeding the hungry pleases our Lord and yet if you will but read Deut. 15 you will see that hunger is a permanent condition in this world.  Yet it is easier to scramble eggs at a shelter than to dig deeply into our hearts to grow in righteousness.  Clothing the naked is a good work but, do we do it with our cast offs and leavings, those articles that are out of fashion, which show too much wear for us to be seen in them?  Do we seek justice for its own sake or justice for our particular concerns?

Christian-doing is a lot easier and more pleasant that Christian-being.  I may hide the log in my eye with designer sun glasses but it is still there.  If frightens me when I am distracter from the battle, when I catch myself watching or experiencing something that serves not Him but the flesh.  I once had the flu – vary bad flu and I couldn’t seem to shake it.  My doctor and I were very frustrated.  Finally I went to see him and he said, “Shave!”  I said, “Huh?”  He told me to shave my mustache.  I did.  Within a few days I was much better.

We need to starve the flesh.  We need to keep from it that which it craves – even demands.  To give it the merest morsel is to give it renewed hope.  Even to keep it barely alive keeps it alive.  We like the Spirit must oppose the flesh!

No – don’t become some kind of belly-button watching mystical self depriver of anything fun or pleasant.  Don’t go live in a cave or on top of a pole.  We are to be “in” the world – just not of it.

Rather, consider what brings you pleasure and ask it would bring pleasure to Him.  Consider what makes you feel good about you and ask if it would make Him feel good about you.  Consider what it is you really feel you need and ask if He would agree.

Reflect upon your activities, conversations, leisure, hobbies, and enjoyments and ask, “Are they really as neutral as I think they are?”  “Do they hold the appropriate place in my life?”  “Do they bring honor and glory to Him as well as pleasure to me?”  “Do they result in both gratitude to Him and comfort to me?”

Gal. 5:17.

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  ESV

I guess the killer question in this is “What are the things you want to do?”  Notice – and I’m no great exegete but at least in English there seems to be some hint at a double whammy here.

The Spirit keeps me from doing what I want to do that I shouldn’t want to do.

The Flesh keeps me from doing what I want to do that I should want to do.

Should want.                                     Shouldn’t want.

Have you made YOUR list?

Of course you’ve got to start with a list of “Do wants.”

Ahhhhh, there’s the trick part.

I want to see the movie, The Inglorious Bxxxxxxs.  I love shoot ‘em up movies and especially when it’s Nazi’s who are getting shot up.  The movie has been out for a while but I’ve never been able to bring myself to get it and watch it.  Why?

Here’s something I just learned.

Just to numb my brain I started reading some “action” novels.  Nothing too gross or nasty just “kind of” good guys and bad guys going at it.  After about the third one I started having nightmares.  Real, real bad nightmares.  They were violent and frightening and all that stuff.  Now I’m a fifty something ex-cop, a revolver master and a black belt – nightmares???????

Yep.

Then it hit me.  What I’d been reading (and I hadn’t read that type book in ages) was having a not so hot influence on me.  Incredible?  Well, dropped those books and started reading good stuff only – John Newton, John Owen, Richard Baxter, John Frame, ect.  I also started to re-read Dumas’ works on the Musketeers (classic).  Guess what.  No more nightmares.

OK, we all know I’m nutz so part of this experience is, well, me.  But I am convinced that those nightmares, at least in part if not in whole, were the Spirit dropping a not so subtle hint.  Now, where I wanted to read those thrillers I want to NOT read them although I want to read them.

There, in its simplicity is the battle.  Nothing against Jerry Seinfeld, but a steady diet of the judgmental, self-absorbed, snide, cutting and cynical offerings found on his show cannot be an aid to godliness.  And it is certainly NOT without its influence.  Think about it, is it really funny?  Should it be funny to us?  Mmmmmmmmmm………

Enough for now – maybe more later.  Please consider the fundamental battle in which we are and will be engaged!  I want to be active in that battle.  I don’t want to be distracted by fights that aren’t mine.  “I have met my enemy and he are me.”