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.