Recently, I had a friend drop me a line to touch base, a young man that sings lead in a Southern Gospel Quartet. Their music speaks to my heart, and churns the spirit bringing a smile to my face and joy to the core of my being.
As I thought about Dear Brother Sellers, I began to reflect where this Spiritual Trek has taken me since we last saw each other. I have served as a Lay Minister, with a Teaching / Preaching ministry Wednesday nights, and a Sunday School ministry to the High School / College Age folks in our Church.
My, my goodness, what wonderful Truths I have learned in studying and preparing myself for these ministries each week. How can we not stand before Almighty God trembling in fear of His awesome presence in our lives? The more I learn of His Great Power, His Might, and the punitive judgments of men and nations of past days; I fall in silent thanksgiving for His Tender Mercies in the midst of that judgment. The more I study His Grace, His Love for us in spite of our fallen condition, and how that Mercy and Grace is offered freely, well then I see just how I must fall short of His perfection and righteousness.
To stand in the light of His Truth, we must clearly see the darkness of our own ways, and our need for regeneration, submission and yield to His Sovereign Authority in not just our own live, but in all of creation.
In Romans Chapter 6, we read beginning in verse 6....
6. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
11. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13. (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
15. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
17. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18. Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
The Lord Jesus Christ came to the forsaken place to pay a price that we could not pay on our own. After showing us the way through His earthly ministry, He showed us the way through the veil of Death, and back again. Oh Dear Jesus, how we have failed you as a people and as a Nation. We have truly lost sight of our First Love in Christ.
The words in this Holy Book that He has provided us for study and communion with Him, stand as Holy Ground; the last Bastian of Truth to a dying world. Lighting the path to Life, yet we have churches in this country that have washed away those truths to become more socially acceptable and bring in the numbers that will fill the offering plates.
In the name of evangelization, the Truth of His HOLY and RIGHTEOUS character attributes have been replaced with entertainment that is devoid of pure Truth and doctrine. To the point that Christ's Life is now called to question. From where I sit, from what I have been taught and learned on my own - that view is nothing short of Blasphemy.
A nation that Blasphemes the Life, Work and Spirit of Christ is damned - not blessed! For God in His own time, will turn a people over to their own heart’s desire, and they will serve that master right to their own destruction.
As Paul said in Romans 6; For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
For when we were yet sinners - Christ died for us, God gave His absolute Best for the filthy, for the unworthy, for the indignant, for the arrogant, for the pompous, he died for every race, every creed and every color. Yet in the Light of that Truth even those that claim His name, prostitute themselves to the ways of the world, and all its vices. Oh how His Dear Heart must pain, how it must trouble His Spirit to watch the wrong choices we often make.
Yet in His Economy of Time and Grace, He sees through to the very core of the heart, sealing those He called unto Himself. Precious are they in His sight, for they are Obedient to His voice, and they seek the very Holiness that makes Him God. He delights in their devotion, and blesses them with His Joy and His Peace even in the midst of emotional and physical pain.
Oh, My Dear, and most Precious Lord God, Praise Your Holy and Mighty Name. May my heart and voice carry your Name to my housetop? Thank you Father for saving such a worm as I, help me never forget the miserable being I was before you found me in that lost condition, without any Light in my life. Thank You Dear Jesus for coming to sacrifice yourself in such a terrible and horrific physical death, reversing the curse from Adam's transgression. Freeing me and all those before me that have Proclaimed the Name and Work of Jesus the True and Only Christ, freeing all True Believers and Followers of Christ from the bonds of Satins grip and Sins reward of Hell... We will never - ever fear Hells pain and destruction, because you paid our ransom, and we now serve a new Master who stands in place proclaiming our Kinship and position inside His Righteousness.
However; we will stand in review of our service and life for Him, the life that He paid for in full, hence we are not our own. In that knowledge, we must remember that every idle word will be weighed, and rewarded with precious metals and jewels, or with wood, hey and stubble. Action and Motive will be placed in the Burning Light of the Bema Seat, those things that were said and conducted in True Service to Him, will be rewarded; the rest will be burnt up and never mentioned again.
I pray that I find strength in these last days to stay focused on the main thing, finding strength in the Armor of God, ready to do Spiritual Battle with the enemy. Speaking His Truth to all that will listen, sharing His Love and Sacrifice with those less fortunate than myself, and those truly seeking Him out. I want to let my heart reflect the Light and Life of Christ to all that cross my path.
May His Joy shine through to a smile on my face even when it hurts to walk and go on? May I never forget all that He gave to secure a place for me by His side through eternity? May I forever remember the sufficient Grace that I enjoy, and the power of His Spirit that lives within me? Yes Dear Father, Praise Your Holy Name, and may all that I do in these last days, bring Honor, Glory and Praise to your Precious Son. May I forever Revere Your Sovereign Presence and Authority, and yield and submit myself to Your Will.
In Love & Joy I serve you, resting in Your mighty arms, Thank You Dear Lord for these Blessings and Lessons.
