My friend Sarah wrote this on my previous blog post and I wanted to quote her as this comes timely with a few conversations that I have had today...
"That's the argument of so many people, this feels natural, therefore this is the way to go and anything else is denying myself .. well .. hello .. we're actually called to deny self to follow Christ. Following Christ is not natural because sin is natural... living by our fleshly desires is what comes natural."
We are born into sin...and thus we struggle with sin issues...period! Those of us who are enlightened by the saving grace of Jesus Christ begin the whole process of refining and redefinition of who we are and who we are called to be.
Paula and I talked today about righteousness and the fact that we will be persecuted as followers of Christ. We will be ridiculed and laughed at, scorned and mocked because of our belief system. Sure, we could bend scripture or interpret it so that people would feel more comfortable, yet, who are we fooling? Are we fooling ourselves or are we fooling the one created God, who designed us and inspired man to write holy scripture. We talked about the church...each one of us and our call to holiness...not necessarily happiness. If it was for happiness sake...then I probably wouldn't be married to Paula (don't get me wrong...I LOVE HER...and would shout that on any roof top...and she has brought me MUCH joy and happiness), but what I am getting at is the fact that with happiness...we do things to appease ourselves, rather than deny ourselves.
Is it easier to blow up with anger at someone...yelling and screaming at them...
is it easier to just give in to that flirtatious advance and have an affair...
is it easier to masturbate...
is it easier to get drunk...
is it easier to tune out and just watch TV/get caught up in entertainment...
is it easier to lose ourselves in anther person...
is it easier to just identify ourselves as LGBTTQ...
is it easier to smoke up...
is it easier to just think of ourselves rather than the poor that live among us...
is it easier to just divorce rather than learn through the hard process of forgiveness, the beautiful gift of reconciliation.
These are just a few examples that I have been thinking about in regards to our walk with Christ.
I fail often. I think of how many times in my struggle with depression that I just go to the TV and watch...and before I know it, the whole evening is gone and I have not once asked the Lord in to help. I think of times when I want my own way, or think my way is more right than Paula's, rather than looking at what really is the issue and that is my own sin.
I love the church, because we/I are the church. I know that Jesus is coming back, and I want to live fully for him, sold out, refined and washed, cleansed and continually made more whole than the day before...but that takes work and that takes an attitude of denying oneself and submit it all to Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.
Could I be so bold as to say, before those who are not yet enlightened can become enlightened the Church...each one of us...needs to fully look at ourselves, asking the holy spirit to examine us...ALL THE TIME, to see if there be any wickedness in us, to walk in full obediance...to take the hard road, rather than the easy way out, so that people can see Christ. Because as we take that hard road, we experience an extrememly loving and extravagant Father who is always wanting to lavish His love on that which He delights in...His precious sons and daughters. We walk the road of holiness, aiming for the prize set before us...and experience joy and peace and contentment in our walk of FULL submission before Him...our creator.
Lord have your way...in me today.
1 comment:
And you posted this at 11/11 the 11th hr but 11 is seen twice which makes it a pattern. :)
This is such a critical message for the church today.
One thing that led to my own personal compromise in my faith and healing journey is the fact that it wasn't easy. At the age of 24 after 10 years of hoping for change, healing, and a life that wasn't filled with pain, difficulty, and hard choices. I didn't understand that part of my journey would in fact be difficult. I guess I also thought I was on this journey alone and that Jesus would walk away too. So then when I began to learn the heart of repentance and Christ being my strength in weakness I finaly decided it was time for Living Waters after quite a few years of questioning the affectiveness and if it would be worth it. It was in that season of questioning I came back around full circle in the hope that God had so much more for me and I took a long hard look and said it will not be easy but I know whom I believe in and I know who and what I choose and even if my heart goes through phases of being divided with desires in conflict I choose Christ. Like it says in scriptures, I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection. Some want to experience the resurrection without having to die but the resurrection can only happen after death. I was just thinking about a talk from Joe Dallas I heard a year or two ago, his 1-800-die-now infomercial sagment in his talk. Here's where we're headed if we truly follow Christ. I heard one Pastor say, salvation will cost you nothing but the Kingdom will cost you everything. We have gotten used to talking about salvation and a rarity to hear people discipled towards Kingdom living.
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