The desire to be known as a man who is seeking God is a vanity. I am certain my efforts here sometimes entertain my old natures wish for recognition. However in my heart my wish is to gain discernment and maturity by these contemplations. More importantly to learn along the way what The Father wishes of me by seeking understanding from His Word which this writing forces me to try to accomplish. Yes I know the bible tell us who we are to be, in no uncertain terms. "That you may be blameless and harmless, children of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among who you shine as the lights in the world" Phil. 2:15. But it seems sometimes to be so difficult to accomplish on this side of things; that is to feel we are shining the light as we should. I know we all have this same common problem, the natural being such a stumbling block. These blogs are simply my admission of weakness you might say, a way to learn awareness of my place in Him as I struggle. Yes I am made vulnerable by exposing my thoughts. Both from myself in observing how sinful and Adamic I truly am, as well as others judgement as to my struggling spiritual insight. I realize all do not understand or agree nor has there been any expectations of agreement. And sometimes I am sure I make a fool of myself. But if I stay under a rock, locked in my room, I will never know the potential of His Spirit in me. Writers are the most vulnerable of people, we put our hearts to words then allow others to have a inside view. To be honest it would be much easier to only communicate with those like minded, but then I would be remaining under a basket. Very few take the time to read my musings I know, perhaps it will be to their loss, but the Spirit guides. Like all brothers and sisters I can know by my studies who I am; but my mind is filled with apprehension given me by my place in the world of the first Adam, so I suffer and reach out in the hope that is before me.
I must ask myself; are we as Christians, at worst, to be merely bystanders viewing our faith as a chosen morally based culturally reverent. lifestyle? Where by attending and being a part of a Church community we might be associated with the things of God and fill good about our contribution. Yes and hopefully be true believers in Jesus Christ too. Or perhaps we find ourselves in a happy way living in the Church life, functioning as expected we have found our way and have therefore entered a comfort zone. Is ours simply a life of heartfelt imitation, still contained in the old Adam personality, duplicating our surroundings, sort of faking it until we make it? We in the west have become so complacent and have often adopted the culture we have been issued as that by which we define our Christian worth. Surrounded by the proper blessed life. I do not think most believers in today's institutional Churches think of those around them as brothers and sisters in Christ; at least as equal heirs of all that The Father has for His Children in His Son. Let alone have any awareness that they have been chosen to be co-mingled with the living God. That we are the living instruments of Him dispensing Himself into the world. Him prevailing through us. And that even in their weakness and sin, if truly Christians, they are destined [and do now in position]to have the image of Jesus Christ Himself. These things are generally not taught or presented to the congregants in such a manner or terms, yet are very biblical. The reason being, I believe is, to begin to know Christ as life requires of them a difficult struggle. The challenge is truly great. Really a personal confrontation of a complete loss of there former self in order to climb up the ladder of Christian maturity. "For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision [works and law] avails anything, nor uncircumcision [the natural] but faith which works by love" Gal. 5:6. We must my friends attempt to recover the asset in fullness which was given us upon our new birth. The old is dead, we must learn the new. We are not the assignment or a experiment, we are God conducting Himself by His Spirit in the world despite what we may think of ourselves.
I often think we would be best served for adopting the revealed wishes of God in us if the gains of the world were simply removed. Perhaps to suffer persecution and a loss of our material wealth like many in the community of saints of the past, and at this time in other locations: the great attack by Satan upon our fellows around us we have mostly chosen to ignore. Or even we might be best served to enjoy the complete freedom one must have on the bed of their final demise; soon to leave this wicked world, therefore forced into absolute dependency upon God, self finally shown to have no value whatsoever! I know there are many brothers and sisters who have gained much in material here in the west and function well in the body. I cannot enter their heart and know true motives and see the spiritual inner man of their mind. I only see the outside. But to be honest I do not know how one can surround themselves with the complications and interference of this world and combine their life with the evil things it fosters upon all who would actively participate This can only compromise spiritual integrity."What profits a man to gain the world". I know I was never made satisfied spiritually by acquisition. If one finds great comfort in their well being perhaps they are so under the influence of the system of the evil one. We must know that is his deceitful wish. For me even the little I have left is a burden that sets up a enclosure to the things of God. There always seems much to arouse anxiety in our possessions; tend to this tend to that. It really never ends as we acquire more.
We seldom hear the word in today's Christian communication; supplication, meaning the act of begging for something earnestly or humbly. "Be anxious for nothing, but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made know to God" Phil. 4:4. Surely those in great supply have less need for this prayer. Nor is meekness used much. "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in a fault you who are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness" Gal. 6:1. The Greek word for meekness "praus" means power under control. As in a soothing medicine applied, or a gentle breeze moving a sailing ship through the water, and was also used by farmers to describe a broken colt. Jesus would be the great example. He had all power but humbled Himself in meekness by entering into this world. These words used in spiritual terms take away our own power and place us in a position of weakness, under the power and destiny of another. Again the gathering up of worldly concern restricts this need. But being found in a position of meekness is exactly the definition of a true Christian! "For what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ" Phil. 3:7. Perhaps it is the domination of the natural man in us that explains why we do not think of this term much in application to our Spiritual understanding. We are busy at gathering. However the asset of Spirit which we have our very life in, requires the contribution of a attribute of meekness and supplication to be fully realized. But this Christian advantage is often held in abeyance by the cares of the world. I know this to be true in my case anyway!
So how are we to be made better? That can only come by realization of truth. We must become aware we live as active participants on the other side of position. In other words we are who we are seen to be by The Father in Christ. Which if realized should cause us to live differently in recognition of that Spiritual fact.We will gain a new prospective on things Christian. As believers who are in the position, [seen in Christ] it is by the position we have the power to act in meekness. We do not choose ourselves for a life conducted in Christ. He Chooses us! Many of us tumble into what we become. But we have a direction even in that unbeknownst to ourselves. Yes all is necessary, I know from experience. Even though, all has been made clear in His Word as to the path we are best served in, to take full advantage of His grace and providence. We still often stumble through life either unaware, of what God is toward us or allowing our natural self to be at the helm of things.
How are we to unshakel ourselves from the nature of the natural man, the first Adam? Only our great need to be relieved will accomplish it. As we become more and more desperate to leave this world system behind, and our adherence to it, which we have by our self reliance upon the first Adam personality. We must come to know we are not of this worldly system and spirit. "We are not our own, we have been bought with a price". His death upon the Cross has placed us in the position we occupy. It is not a question of our dying to the things that incumber our spirit of the revelation of our status in Him; but it is found in our realization that the father has planted us in the death of His Son. Self-effort will never take us there, seeking to grasp a fact, unwinding the reckoning of our mind will prove futile. You and I, all who believe, will only understand as it is revealed in the heart and the mind by the Holy Spirit through the Word. There is no other way to recover the asset give us upon our new birth!
On a personal note, I can see by my blog account how many view my work, which is only a very small proportion of those I send it to. So in a effort to not bother those who are "chronic deleters" any longer; I hope to build a list of those who are interested and who think my writing might be a contribution to growth. So I will be reminding you all of that goal in the next few weeks. I kindly request you send me your wishes to stay connected. July 5th is the date I plan to send only to the new list. I will need your help to make that happen. Please email me soon.
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