Continue to Walk in Christ

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.  -Colossians 2:6 (KJV)

I recall back in the early 1980’s when a singer named Madonna was becoming popular that she had a definite way of dressing and presenting herself.  I also noticed that girls and young women everywhere seemed to dress in a similar fashion.  Look back at the fashions among the young men of the 1950’s: leather jacket with the collar turned up, boot-cut jeans, and hair slicked back in a Pompadour.  Young men everywhere dressed that way thanks to a young actor named James Dean.  Indeed, we tend to want to imitate those we look up to.

Paul gave to the believers a bold challenge: As you have therefore received Christ Jesus as Lord, so walk in Him.  We are to no longer walk in the futility of our old ways, but we are to walk in the fullness of Christ.  To walk in Him means to take upon us the mind, heart, and attitudes of the Lord Jesus.  It seems that I once read somewhere that imitation is the highest form of flattery.  If we look up to someone, then it follows that we might try to be like that person.  Remember that as believers we are called to take on Christ.  We are challenged to have the mind of Christ, to walk in Him, to be like Him and to not just imitate, but to die – to self.  Dietrich Bonheoffer said that when Christ calls a man that he bids him come and die.  We die to self, to our old attitudes, thought processes, and the old way of doing things, and we arise to new life in Christ Jesus.

As the Bible says, if we have received Christ as Lord, keep on walking forward in Him - not in spiritual defeat, but in victory.  We can claim that blessed victory in the Lord as we strive to be like Him and to let His light shine from us and to a lost and dying world.

Are you trying to be like someone?  Hopefully, the one you are striving to imitate is Christ Jesus. 

The Spectacle of the Cross

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. -Colossians 2:13-15

Down through the ages mankind has come up with ingenious and terrible ways of execution.  The cross (crucifixion) was particularly gruesome because of its horrific slowness.  The condemned person might hang upon the cross in agony for hours or days.  Up until a relatively recent time, executions were done in public.  I have read that throughout the ages that when an execution took place that people of all ages would come, and in some cases it became something of a public fair with food vendors and a festival atmosphere.  All that odd revelry would then culminate in the execution of a condemned prisoner.  Indeed, such a celebratory atmosphere would have been a macabre sort of spectacle.

When we consider what the Lord did for us on the cross we are amazed that He would die such a painful death for us and in our place.  When we see what Christ did for us on the cross we see the greatest sacrifice ever made.  He died not just for my sins, although He would have had I been the only one, but He died for the sins of the world.  Christ bore upon Himself the sins of humanity.  All of what kept us away from God was nailed to the cross with Jesus and in Him we die to the old self.  Furthermore, the Bible says that the cross upon which the Lord died was done in public, and in dying for us, Christ took our sins, nailed them to the cross, and made a public spectacle of them.  We are no longer to be held captive by the sin which used to enslave us.  It has lost its power over us due to the power of the cross and the resurrection.  Not only were we crucified with Christ, but we have been raised with Him, as the Scripture says Romans 6:4, to now walk in newness of life.

As we have trusted the Lord Jesus, and as we walk in victory and newness of life, we are empowered to praise the Lord - in all circumstances and in the midst of all our trials.

Praise the Lord!

Victory in the Midst of Life's Struggles

Village life in Israel ceased, ceased until I, Deborah, arose, arose a mother in Israel. When they chose new gods, war came to the city gates, and not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel. My heart is with Israel's princes, with the willing volunteers among the people. Praise the Lord!  -Judges 5:7-9 

Many people are intimidated by strong-willed women.  Personally, I am not.  That’s because I have been around such women all of my life.  My mother, sister, and my wife are all wonderfully intelligent and outspoken women who are perfectly willing to speak their minds and move forward toward what they believe to be right.  Deborah of the Old Testament was indeed a kindred spirit with the forthright and strong-willed women of the world.  At a time when God’s people lacked godly leadership and direction, Deborah stepped up and led them to a badly needed victory.  Deborah pointed out that when they rejected the Living God and chose instead to follow new gods that the results were a disaster: war came upon them, their enemies overtook them, and they were without the strength they once possessed when they had been faithful to God.  Deborah’s attitude was not one of arrogance or a “ha ha I told you so” attitude, but rather she was giving God the glory for granting victory over those who had oppressed them.

   

This passage in the book of Judges reminds us of an important principle: When we are faithful to God we are blessed.  But when we turn away from Him we become vulnerable to the spiritual attacks of the devil and the dark forces he hurls at us.  Like the ancient Israelites, when we turn from God our lives are disrupted, our enemies attack, and we lack the ability to defend ourselves against those dark forces.  Once the people came to their senses and turned their hearts back to God they were blessed for doing so.  In a chorus of praise and thanksgiving Deborah sang a loud, “Praise the Lord!”  All glory went to God for the victory He had brought. 

 

I am forced here to contemplate those instances when the circumstances of my life were going the direction I wanted them to go.  My writing ministry was flourishing, the church was thriving, and my family was experiencing showers of God’s blessings.  Then suddenly, without warning, came the attack.  The church faced unanticipated challenges, family problems arose, and my creative energies seemed to be at an all-time low.  I know perfectly well the feeling of crying out to God for deliverance.  I began to feel powerless: “Not a shield or spear was seen.”  There appeared no defense against the dire forces that seemed to be trying to overcome me.  During those difficult times I have discovered a wondrous strength – this is not unique to me, but is available to all who will look to God.  Spiritual strength comes when I trust God, move forward, and praise Him.  Have I shed some tears in those dark times?  Have I prostrated myself before God and asked why did this happen?  Did I feel overwhelmed with it all?  The answer is yes, but the peace – and the spiritual strength, came when I began to praise the Lord for the victory I knew was mine.  This blessed victory came not through me, no not for a moment, but through the Lord.  As Deborah found victory in the Living God, so we find victory in Christ.  As we go, even though the way seems dark and dreary, we must praise God.  He is present, He is able, and He will be with us in our time of need.  Say it with me, just like Deborah: 

 

Praise the Lord!

True Shelter in the Storms of Life

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.  –Psalm 7:17 

Several years ago I watched a dramatic video taken by some people who were seeking shelter from a tornado that was bearing down upon them.  As the tornado approached, those caught on the highway quickly parked their cars and found shelter beneath a highway underpass.  The tornado blew across them and shook the underpass, but the people held on and were safe.  That certainly looked like a solid plan: The tornado was coming, the highway underpass was right there, they got under it.  Good plan, right?  Wrong.

   

According to the “Tornado Safety Project,” an online resource which offers strategies for surviving a tornado, getting under a highway underpass is a bad idea: “An underpass may seem like a safe place, but may not be. While videos show people surviving under an underpass, those tornadoes have been weak. No one knows how survivable an underpass is in a strong or violent tornado. The debris flying under the underpass could be very deadly... head for a ditch” (http://www.tornadoproject.com/safety/safety.htm).  A better strategy would be to lie down in a ditch.  Who would have thought that?  The highway underpass appears so strong.  Lying in the ditch appears so vulnerable.  It doesn’t seem to make sense, does it?  How we handle the trials and crises of life often function in like manner. 

Often times when we are faced with some new problem we look toward what appears to make sense.  We mistakenly believe that we can handle this on our own strength.  I’m a solid person and I’m made a strong stuff, right?  I can handle this.  Or worse, people look to some artificial means of support: drugs, alcohol, or outright denial.  The best place to be when the difficulties of life come our way is in a personal relationship with Christ.  We look to the Lord in the sure hope that He is with us and He will empower us to not simply get through the problem, whatever it may be, but to walk forward in victory.

 

David of the Old Testament understood this perfectly.  He knew that his only hope for spiritual victory and for overcoming whatever trial he was facing rested in God.  He could have sought to take on the problem with his own strength, but he knew that in the end this was a futile approach.  A better strategy was to humble himself before the Living God.  And having done so, he was empowered to rise up and praise the Lord, the rock upon which we can stand in times of trouble.  For David, it made perfect sense to place himself in God’s hands.  He humbled himself, took on an attitude of trusting God no matter what, and was able to walk forward in confident faith.  When we adopt a similar strategy, we quickly find that what the world offers is no assurance of safety whatsoever.  What God offers is certain, solid, and absolutely right.  Like David, we will then know the power of lifting our voices and our hearts in praise to God for His wonderful presence on our lives.

What will we do in times of trouble?  Shall we seek shelter in the unstable edifices of the world, or will we look to the solid rock – Jesus Christ, the One upon who all hope rests?  Look to the Lord.  He will not let us down, and He will see us through the storm.  Praise His holy name!

Praise the Lord in all the Trials of Life

I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, O Lord, proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds. -Psalm 26:6, 7

David of the Old Testament was a man familiar with the trials of life.  But regardless of how difficult the situation became, whether it was facing a giant or trying to stay alive while being hunted by an angry king, David continually trusted God and looked to Him.  David would not allow the difficulties he faced to interfere with seeking the Lord and relying upon His grace.  Here we see a powerful principle at work: Our lives are in God's hands.  In fact, every breath we take and every beat of our hearts is dependent upon the Lord.  David understood that in order to experience the fullness of God's grace and power that he had to praise God and worship Him regardless of the circumstances of life.  So strong was his commitment that he desired to live an honorable life as he went forth proclaiming to others of the wonders of the Living God.  David had his problems to be sure, but he did not waver from his love for the Lord.  Not once did he prostrate himself before an idol or burn incense before some worthless piece of stone.  David was going to give all glory to the Lord God Almighty as he gained deeper knowledge and insight of the truth that "All the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens" (Psalm 96:5).

There will come times when we will pass through difficult valleys which we never imagined we would walk.  As the road gets rougher and the situation grows more critical, what will be our response?  Will we try to walk forward on our own strength and power?  Will we try to handle the crisis on our own ability?  Try to imagine yourself holding upon your shoulders a large stone that weighs several tons.  What chance do you have of supporting such a colossal weight?  You know the answer: You have no chance whatsoever.  In fact, you would not even try, for you know you would be crushed in the attempt.  Such is the picture of the trials and burdens we so often face.  We cannot bear them alone; to attempt to do so would be hopeless.  However, we have one who comes to our aide: Jesus Christ the righteous.  The Lord will come alongside us in our darkest and most hopeless hour with the assurance that He is indeed able to carry the burden for us - no matter how heavy it may be.  We are then empowered to rise, stand, and walk forward, for we are no longer carrying the weight; the Lord is carrying it for us.

Like David we too can go forward with pure hearts as we thank the Lord, praise Him, and tell others what He has done for us.  My prayer has often been as follows: "Lord, I cannot carry this burden on my own.  I need your help.  Please take it for me and help me to walk forward praising you as I go."

Praise the Lord in all circumstances and in all the trials of life.  He holds us safely in His strong and capable hands.  He will come to our aide.  He will carry the burden.  And we will praise Him and give thanks.

Our Hope is in the Lord

But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.  My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day, for I do not know their limits. -Psalm 71:14, 15 (NKJV)

 I find as a look around me that there is an epidemic of hopelessness in the world.  What happens when people no longer have hope?  The results can range from sorrow and sadness to personal catastrophe.  Hope is that wonderful force that motivates us to keep trying, keep going, and keep moving forward when we might otherwise have given up.  The opposite of hope is despair, and despair when left unchecked leads to a loss of purpose and reason to exist in the world.  The world is filled with people who have lost all hope, but yet are still walking among us.  Their hopelessness is often manifested in addiction, bitterness, anger, and a lack of personal vision.  They have ceased to live, but rather are merely surviving life.  Such an existence if just that: existing rather than living, and surviving rather than thriving.  Christ invites us to stop just surviving and start living the abundant life in Him.  He offers to us the power to rise up from hopelessness and into a life characterized by peace, joy, purpose, and yes - hope.

Clare Boothe Luce was quoted as saying:

"There are no hopeless situations; there are only people who have 

grown hopeless about them."  

What we often perceive as a hopeless situation is actually us refusing to see God's presence and power in the midst of it.  What will we do when faced with the unthinkable?  How will we respond when what we had feared the most comes to pass?  How will we react through the crises, trials, tragedies, and storms of life?  Shall we behave like those who have no hope?  Like the Paul the Apostle we would reply, "God forbid!"  We will respond as those who have hope.  Our hope is secure, for our hope is founded not upon human will and power, but upon the eternal presence of the Divine and Eternal God - the author of our lives and the finisher of our faith. 

In Christ we can resolve to not be like those who have no hope.  Like the psalmist, we can say with full confidence, "But I will hope continually, and will praise you yet more and more."  And like the psalmist we will ever seek the deeper and uncharted depths of faith in God.  What follows will be growing and vibrant faith - faith that does not waver, but instead grows more and more secure as the the storms of life rage around us.

Hope is always good, and hope based upon faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is akin to a granite foundation upon which is built a strong and mighty tower.  Rains will come, hurricane force winds will blow, and flood waters may rise, but the tower holds for it is built upon so firm a foundation.  Do not lose heart, and by all means never lose hope. The mouth that once uttered words of despair can sing God's praises yet again - continually from day-to-day.

Our hope is certain in Christ.

Praise the Lord at all Times

I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.  -Psalm 34:1

As I read this verse I am reminded of a most fundamental spiritual truth: the follower of Christ is to praise the Lord, exalt His name, and worship Him all of the time and in all circumstances.  We are not called to only worship the Lord and praise His name when all is right with our lives, but rather we worship Him even in the midst of the dark valleys we so frequently traverse.  Where would we be as Christians, as human beings, if we had to rely upon our own power and resources to lead us through the fires of life's struggles?  We would drift aimlessly: no hope, no assurance, no plan, and no peace.  Jesus Christ bring us peace, joy, strength, and hope as we walk through the darkest nights and the deepest and most forbidding valleys.  

I am reminded of the ship captain who navigates his vessel through a dark and dangerous storm.  As long as he keeps his eyes fixed upon the lighthouse, he could move forward with the hope of deliverance from the storm.

Trust in the Lord and praise Him at all times.  He is with us, and He will bring us safely through whatever trials we face.