Attaining To The Resurrection

Philippians 3:11

NKJV

“if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

At this point in my walk, I am reaching my own experience of “by any means”. Living in spiritual hardness and having a parched soul has been inwardly pressing me so deeply. I’m at the point of desperation as the battle that wars between the flesh and the Spirit rages on. “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1-2). The longer I search in the wrong places for those refreshing water brooks, the more desperate and dry my soul becomes. I cry out to God, asking for Him to show me the way, yet, without answer for what feels like an eternity in the moment. But, that leads to this truth. Just as I lose perspective of time while I walk through the valleys, I have lost, or never even gained, right perspective of myself in the Gods eyes. I am unworthy, undeserving, unrighteous and a worm compared to the majesty and holiness of the Creator of the ends of the earth. Yet, His love and mercy continues to pour out on me, His patience stretched beyond the stars for me, and His grace showers me even when I’m lost. He has been faithful to guide me, and make my heart glad with a good word in due season. And now, He is pulling the veil from my face to behold the power of His death and resurrection. More and more He is teaching me how to die to myself. How to walk in the Spirit and to always have the peace of God ruling my heart. How do I have that peace rule my heart? By living in the word of God. Soaking myself in it, allowing it to transform me, convict me, give me life. I have learned today that to have His peace rule my heart is similar to a referee blowing his whistle when a foul is committed. In order to keep Gods peace ruling my heart, I must be attentive to hear that whistle as the Holy Spirit alerts me of even the smallest of sins. Through learning to listen for these whistles, I will grow closer and closer to the dearly beloved desire to attain the resurrection of the dead.

All That I May Know Him

Philippians 3:10

NKJV

“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”

The power of His resurrection allows me to walk in the Spirit. Without His resurrection, I would be stuck in the death of myself, basically still stuck living under Mosaic law. Through that power I get to live my life free of guilt, shame and condemnation. Instead, I have communion with my Father and get to enjoy the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Not only that but I also have a guaranteed ticket to heaven! However, on the way there, sufferings are guaranteed. The most certain thing in life is that there will be uncertainties. I know for myself that sufferings are one of the best experiences, based simply on the fact that when I come out of it, the intimacy I have with Jesus is so much greater. My character is reformed and my life better represents the life of Jesus. God teaches me when I climb out of the valley up onto the mountain and look back. I see the valley I just walked through and God shows me how each step was guided and protected by Him. It not only increases my faith and intimacy with Him, but gives me the ability to hope through the next valley, and minister to those who go through similar valleys as I have. I can recall my mountain view on the valley, and testify of the guidance and protection God gave to me to those who are in the valleys. People will believe in the name of Jesus by the word of my testimony. I've begun journaling as I’ve been here simply for the fact of testimony. Not only does it remind me of the faithfulness of God in my life, but can show others that He will be faithful to them too. Last but certainly not least, is being conformed to His death.What does this mean for me? Quite simply, it means just as He left sin and death on the cross, so should I. Why walk in the ways of the flesh when I have the freedom to walk in the resurrection of Christ? Well, there is no reason to walk in the flesh. The times I find myself walking in darkness rather than light are when I’ve let my spiritual guard down. The enemy slips in undetected, or ignored, and then veers me off the straight and narrow into the ways of wickedness. Then I wonder why I’m discouraged or discontented or frustrated. Its for the simple fact that I let my guard down. Gods word wasnt holding priority over my situations and I walk into darkness. Thankfully, God has been guiding me and helping me keep the armor of God on at all times, and I’m beginning to walk in light more often than darkness.

Not My Righteousness

Philippians 3:9

NKJV

“and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;”

My righteousness is never to be my own. If it is, I’m doing something terribly wrong, seeking to be justified by the works of law rather than the work of Christ on the cross. The righteousness of God for me is to be received by faith alone can bring me before the throne of God and into His presence. What I love about this is that Paul states the truth that the righteousness is from God. From God. Not only righteousness will come from God, but also holiness, purity, liberty, joy, peace and many others. If God can give me righteousness through the riches and grace of Christ Jesus, then there is nothing He won't be able to give me. God is limitless, boundless, infinite. His resources are more bountiful than the dirt of the earth and the space of space. Yet I can find it so difficult to trust completely that He will be able provide for my needs, especially financially in this year of IGNITE. But, I am learning to strengthen myself in the Lord. God was capable of forgiving me of and forgetting my unrighteousness through the cross of Jesus, He is plenty capable of guiding me through the uncertainties. I can sleep like Jesus in the storm knowing that He will fulfill His promise to bring me to the other side. Peacefully. Not needing to expend any more energy trying to manipulate the plan, fulfill it on my own, or worry one cubit about it as He strategizes, organizes and provides all I need along the way. All He is asking me to do right now is deny myself, hoist my cross upon my shoulder, and follow the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Counting It All As Rubbish

Philippians 3:8

NKJV

“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ”

Three times in two verses (7-8) Paul says that he counts things a loss for the sake of Christ and knowing Him. God greatly orchestrated this weeks theme and verses to be aligned with the passage of Scripture for our men's Bible study, Philippians 3:1-11. Obviously, when Paul mentions something three times, he is beseeching us to follow the example. Thus the question to be asked is “Why?” Well, he also answers that question in the same verse. For the excellency of knowing Christ Jesus! Now I have found myself questioning my own life. What are the “things” that I hold much too dear to my life? I’ve found more than anything, is my desires for what I’d like to do after this year. Get back into the car scene, get back into ministry at church, travel, or whatever else it could be. It's a mix of “Jesus and”, which is unacceptable. Half of me wants it for my own fun, and half for the love of Christ. I’ve put Jesus as only frosting on my life rather than the whole cake. I can't be lukewarm and serve Jesus. I will be spat out of His mouth. This is such a simple concept, yet so much more difficult to live out a life on fire for God. I truly have the desire to live for Christ in all I do, but as I’ve slowly been learning, there are things in my life that are keeping me from Him. That take me away from the only focus, Him, and letting my life flow out of His boundless well of living water. Sanctification is not a quick process, and I’ve learned that consecration is an essential part of keeping sanctification going. Turning my knobs on the wall and then waiting as He does His work.

I yearn and dream of the day I can identify with Paul when he says “I die daily”. God has brought me up, or down, a step on my seeking to be crucified with Christ as Galatians 2:20 says. I know that out of that, out of true death to myself, will come a life living in the resurrection of Jesus. If Paul did it, a man just like I, with a rugged past and a thorn in the flesh, then so can I. The day will come when I’ll be able to die daily.

Do Two Walk Together?

Amos 3:3

ESV

"Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?”

No, they do not. Would I go get coffee with someone, if I hadn’t first agreed to? Or would I go to an interview that I first wasn't invited to? I wouldn't even go on a walk with someone if we hadn't first agreed to walk together.

I walk with Christ. I have agreed to meet Him, not only unto salvation but also each time I enter His presence by prayer. He stands at the door of my heart each day, each moment, knocking. When I commune and pray to Him, I am agreeing to meet with Him. He is the friend who is always on time to the walks, always picks up the phone to talk; He's my rock. Each day I get to walk with my Father as a Son, and receive guidance and encouragement. He lifts my soul with sweet words that speak deep within my depths, and out flows words of praise for His love. As I behold the countenance of Him through His word and presence, I can't resist the urge of my soul to bless His name! But, there's also the flip side. Inevitably, by being flesh and blood, I will disagree to meet with Him. The way I live, speak, love, have faith and the purity of heart that is maintained can go astray into darkness so easily. I’m then found walking around in the darkness, stumbling upon everything I come across. Its not until I fall to my knees in the darkness that I come again to be lifted up by my Father. His hand of kindness and mercy lifts me up, sets my feet in a wide place and calls me to walk with Him in the light, forgetting the darkness I had just walked in. Where sin abounds, grace will always abound much more! His grace truly is an endless ocean, spanning from horizon to horizon, reaching beyond the figments of imagination and further than the furthest stars.

Between You and Him Alone

Matthew 18:15

NKJV

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.”

Previously, I had understood going to your brother as an optional part of this verse. I believed that if I forgave them their fault against me, I wouldn't need to confront them about it. However, upon closer reading, that's the exact opposite of the truth. Jesus isn’t asking me to go, He is telling me to go. Go and tell him. Looking back there are many times I had lived out the prior understanding, and not confronting the brother for his sin. I often dont feel its my place to confront others for their sins against me, yet Jesus has put it in plain black and white that I am called to. I have the responsibility to go to that brother now, in love, to identify his sin against me and make right was has been wronged. Whether or not he receives my words in the conversation is not mine to guarantee, but in this same passage it does call me to keep trying by bringing witness of others, from two or three to then the church. However, if I still have yet to gain my brother, I am to count him as a Gentile or tax collector. I’m not to stop loving them and seeking for them to repent though. In the end, I am taking account before God for the love I poured out and my dedication to being a disciple of Christ, not necessarily the number of brothers who were gained. God didn't set a required number of souls for me to be brought in heaven, though I’m called to win as many as possible. As I’m to reflect the heart of God, I should seek to be a good shepherd and leave the ninety nine to save the one. The one in this context is my brother. Will I leave the ninety-nine to save the one?

The Unity of The Spirit

2 Corinthians 13:11

ESV

“Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

The restoration that the redemptive power of the blood of Christ brings is indescribable. The lives its changed are among hundreds of millions, the families that have been brought to unity are countless, and the impact stretches beyond comprehension. No wonder Paul found it necessary to include this verse in the final greetings to the Corinthians. He understood the power that unity of the Spirit possessed, especially when kept in the bond of peace. This concept he carried into his letter to the Ephesians. “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3-4). Aiming for restoration and being intentional about keeping unity by the bond of peace, as well as comforting and agreeing with one another, will be so essential during our field time. It can be easy to maintain a peace on the outside for myself, so as Paul wrote earlier in 2 Corinthians 13:5, I need to be examining and testing my own heart. When things are out of order within my heart, when anxiety and frustration may take the throne of my heart, I must be eager and quick to dethrone it and give God the throne He deserves again. All of the things mentioned in this verse begin within myself. Some come naturally, while others don't, but I can confidently say God is working the kinks out within me in those areas where it isn't so natural. Conviction, repentance and transformation are constantly taking place in my heart, and I honestly need to seek and ask God for more of it. Asking the right questions needs to become a habit as I read Gods word, so that I can walk away with something learned, or something convicted and repented of. Among all of this, what I’m most thankful for is the blood of Christ which not only cleans me from my failures and sins, but gives me the power to overcome and be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. The peace and love of God are personally experienced each day as I seek Him and seek to please Him. There's nothing like it, nothing that compares to it, and nothing that's better than the nearness of my Father.

Proportions

Romans 12:6

NKJV

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let  us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;”

Among sixteen people in IGNITE Class is 14, it is a sure fact that God gives each person valuable and significant gifts. I won't go into the list of gifts, for there are many among us, because that's not what's important here. What matters most, and what God cares about, is using what He has given us to glorify Him. No matter how big or small the gift, and no matter the proportion of your faith, you must give all you have for the one who gave all He had. His only begotten Son, to a people who had turned their backs to His love. Each person here is at a different stage in their walk and relationship with Jesus, yet seeing each person digging so earnestly and diligently to find the treasure God has for them is encouraging. They all have been granted a measure of grace, faith, and different gifts and they are learning to use what was given.

God has assigned me my own level of faith and given me my own gifts that none else have. I’m reminded of Philippians 2:20. “For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state.” Timothy could sincerely care for the state of others in a way none could. Am I able to care sincerely for the state of others? Yes, in Christ. But in my flesh, it is not a natural ability to have deep compassion on others. Thankfully through the word Of God and prayer, becoming more compassionate will come with time, sanctification, and learning to live in the light as He is in the light more often than not. Some things for me come naturally, my gifts, but others not so much. But, as I look to the team that God has created for me to be a part of in spreading the gospel, I can be strengthened by them in my weaknesses. Where I fall short, they go long and catch the ball for me.

The Message

1 John 1:5-7

NKJV

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

The message. Messages are so easy to believe outside the word of God. Whether a text message, a letter, an email, or even the account of an event that a friend experienced. The truth and messages that come through those are so easily believed, and can change our lives at the reading of a single sentence. Yet this most important Message sent by God is so easily doubted. Often times I read the Word and it doesn’t hit me like a text message could, which is quite sad, but a sad reality for many followers of Christ. The Word is alive and active, and does penetrate, but there is always an oppression and resistance present within our own hearts. The Word of God is not walled, our hearts are. Even the times I ask God to take the walls down, I can still walk away from my devotional being aware of walls that still stand. Yet I press on, for by my God I can leap over a wall. I will choose to believe the Word which has proved true before, rather than let current experience determine my hope for the future. God is light and God is truth. The light will shine in the darkness and the darkness will not comprehend it. It will dissolve the walls into nothing. One thing I cannot control or choose though, is when God will say “Let there be light.” Until then, I must wait patiently for God and ‘practice the truth’. Walking in the light, in Christ, the light of the world. I can't put a basket over the lamp that the Lord has lit in me. Its not my right to, yet so often I will have the audacity and pride to do so. The Spirit can tug and pull and guide my heart towards walking in the light around those who walk in darkness, yet out of fear I shrink back and hold back. God hasn't given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. Any time I find myself in fear I need to step back and come back to the God of confidence, who is strong and mighty in battle. I can’t afford to live a life of compromise, when I was bought by One who didn't.

Be Found Watching

Luke 12:37-40

NKJV

“Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.  And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

God has appointed for each His will in their life. For my class and I, it is to be here and now in IGNITE. To be fully engaged in what God is doing each day in our lives here. Our equivalent to watching the masters house is being here and doing what we know we should be doing. Not only are there earthly masters but also the heavenly Master, neither of which do we know when they could show up. Often times it comes down to integrity of heart. God will reward my faithfulness and integrity, in due season, but I cannot begin to slack in what has been committed for me to do. Matthew 12:47-48 says that those who know what they are to be doing, but don't prepare themselves or do according to the will of their master will be beaten with many stripes. Of course, we will not be actually beaten, but the equivalent is being rebuked. Neither one is a fun experience, so why not start off and stay on the masters good side, always being found diligently working within the masters will. There have been too often times where I wouldn't do what I knew I needed to do. In middle school and high school, I would hardly do any homework. At home, chores were often drudgery because I wanted to be doing whatever else I wanted to do. Thankfully as time has gone on I’ve learned to enjoy both of those things, but I still slip up occasionally. From school to here, the root issue was always pride. I is the center of pride and I lived in a way where life revolved around what I desired to do, rather than accepting what was committed to me and revolving around that before doing anything for myself. Even now the temptation to do that comes, whether it be sleeping early, or postponing work I need to do, or to go do my own thing while others finish up the work. But, God has never allowed any temptation to come beyond what I was able to handle, and always provided ways of escape from falling into old habits. I may get drowsy watching the masters house at times, but I’ve always had someone around to help wake me up again.

Son First

John 15:15

NKJV

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

I am not to serve to be a son, I am to be a son then serve. During these past couple days I’ve been so focused on being a servant I’ve tended to forget that Jesus wants to be my friend and my Father. Yesterday while serving it clicked in my heart; I was so focused on serving and going quickly, I left no room for relationship with Jesus. My head was buried deep in the work, instead of being buried deep in conversation with Jesus. I was convicted of running ahead of Jesus. He was knocking but I couldn't hear it over the noise of my own work. I shoved off any tugs from the Holy Spirit to slow down or pray and just kept going. Until I hit a wall physically and it slowed me long enough to hear Jesus was knocking and I then let Him in and began to talk with Him. I repented of becoming so focused on work that I left Jesus alone, and I was reminded of a devotional I read the day before about leaving Jesus by being so focused on the duty. The verse quoted was John 16:32, “Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.”

The hour for me to be scattered to myself had come and I left Jesus, even though I may have said in my head that I was serving Him. But, God brought me back to Himself. Back to the focus of it all, being a son. I am adopted into the kingdom of God first and foremost always as a son, by my acceptance of the death, blood, and resurrection of Jesus, my friend.

Whoever Desires To Be Great

Matthew 20:26-28

NKJV

“Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.  And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Christ came to give, not to get. By this He became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. As a result of giving till death, Christ was exalted to the right hand of the Father and given the name above every name. The Father so deeply desired and yearned jealously for His creation to become His again that He gave His only son. He desired to be the greatest in the eyes of His children again, just as He had been before Adam and Eve ate of the tree. All because He loved us. All because He loved me, he came down to set me free.

The servant is always last, the slave is always the final one out of the trenches. They will work till there's no light, or till theres no work, and then beyond that should then seek to go over and above for their master. As I think of my reflection and application of yesterdays verse, to go over and above when opportunities arise, I see how God honored that desire to go over and above. To be His servant and His slave for the work of His kingdom. Everything had a new sense of accomplishment and satisfaction as I sought to go over and above in all the big and little things that came my way. There were things I didnt even realize were connected to my application until now! I got to give my life as a ransom to many. Starting from being four feet down in a hole digging in the mud to find a broken water line, to then working overtime cleaning up the church before I went with the guys in my class to Mudman to help them close down the restaurant. Then to end the day off I was the last one awake as I scribed a skit for our Uganda team. Among all this, I got to give my life as a ransom for many. Slowly but surely through experience, I’m learning what it means to be giving my life a ransom for many, and to love it. To become the slave and servant of others for the glorification of Jesus is right where I belong, even though the enemy might try to wear me down in it. And at the same time learning when to slow down and focus on talking with Jesus. But, in all the things that come, I’m more than a conqueror through Christ.

Never More Than The Cross

Luke 17:7-10

NKJV

“And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?  But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.  So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.”

A servant doesn't stop being a servant. It doesn't matter what time of day it is, or how much work I’ve already done. It’ll never be more than the work that was done on the cross. Nothing I do here on earth will ever compare to the works that Christ did for me and for others. He never stopped being a servant at heart, even when He went alone to pray on the mountaintops. Something that was shared this past Sunday was that the heart is the center of Gods economy. How true that is, especially in the realm of serving. When Gods see’s my heart toward what I’m doing and weighs it to be directed toward glorifying Him, He will have no problem supplying me with the strength, endurance and a full heart to continue the works He sets before me. This is comforting to hear in light of where I’m being sent for my field time, Uganda. We will be teaching kids and doing kids ministry from day one and if I don't go in with my heart set to heaven, I can expect a heart tainted with leaven which will bring my whole heart down. I cant afford to be a servant thats not able to serve because hes got heart issues. God wants to use me. He wants to use all of me to the point where the only reason I’m still going is by the power of His Holy Spirit. I expect to reach that point of ultimate defeat in myself, and I hope and pray that when it comes I’ll receive it with joy and open arms. Not that I already dont understand the fact that the end of myself is the beginning of Him, but I havent quite reached that point where I’m sold out and God is the only one who has the product I need to stay alive. I have been too sick with the “self” disease for too long, and I’m sick of it. I’m grateful for the three months we are spending training, for its given opportunity for me to learn going to God when myself is ended. I’m being sent to Uganda to have a rock that will shatter my “self” to dust and have God use that dust to fashion a vessel better suited to pour out His Spirit and love with. Thankfully, I’ve already had some small rocks dropped on me here, so the rock in Uganda wont be quite as destructive, but I still expect it'll be rough at first. And at the end of it all, may I be able to confidently say I am an unprofitable servant, who did what was my duty to do, and even went above and beyond what was asked of me.