Walk with Him

Walking. Just passing through. This is life. Life is not sitting and remaining. Life is moving.

A destination awaits.

that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)

The path. The Walking. The passing through: Becoming like him in his death-- How?

Jesus said, "This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. (John 15:12-14)

Walking is never done alone. The question is are you giving recognition to what is around you? Some things are easier to ignore than others (like trees and plants). There is a reason for that. People are not meant to be ignored! Jesus said, "You are my friends!" He laid down his life for us.

Oh to become like Christ in his death! Jesus died once for all, physically, but he also died daily giving each hour to the service of others. He commanded us to do the same

(Luke 9:23-24).

For the Love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

(2 Corinthians 5:14)

The fact that Jesus was raised proved that we too would obtain life through our death. That is why he is called the firstborn of the dead (Rev. 1:5), because he was the first to obtain life by a means of death.

Finally, back in Philippians 3, Paul shows his motivation.

Not that I have already obtain this (speaking of verse 10-11) or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:12-14)

Why press on? Jesus has made us his own!

What is the goal? The call of God in Christ Jesus! Bringing glory to him. All honor received by Jesus is thus received by the entirety of God since Jesus is God. When people acknowledge their need of him, he is glorified. Now, as Believers we come alongside and give up our lives to encourage other people to glorify him, by coming to him.

He is our goal!

Walking. Just passing through. Being drawn to Christ and bringing people with us.

This is life with nothing missing.

Shine

Our Lord is faithful. What else can be said? Constantly he proves to us he has not left us.

Recently, the Lord has been showing me how exactly to be dependent on him through 'normal' life. Missions trips and difficulties are places where it is easy to depend on the Lord because it has been made obvious that you do not have the strength to overcome the situation you are in. When sickness comes we know we can't heal ourselves, and we must rely on him. When we can't speak to someone in their language we suddenly realize we need him to communicate through His Spirit and so we rely on him. However, during 'normal' life we tend to look to ourselves because we have done a certain amount of work which is rewarded with a certain pay which we in turn use to make ourselves happy. Thus often we do not look outside of ourselves for strength during these times. Let us look to Him during the good times-- because he is worthy! We are the reward of his suffering! Psalm 16:2 says, "I say to the Lord, "You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you." Every human being on the planet needs to realize this. No one has any good thing within them apart from the Lord. Even during the good times we must realize that the Lord has allowed it.

During the difficult times we also must see the good hand of the Lord upon us that is allowing us to stand as a light in the darkness. How is it possible for people around us to see the light unless his fire is burning within us? How will anyone be able to believe that the Gospel can change lives unless they see in our lives the evidence of change. This evidence is put on display in our response to all that the Lord allows in our life. In good times giving our blessings back to him because they were his to begin with, and during difficult times by responding in love toward him. Trust in the Lord. The Lord's fire is simply burning away all that would hinder the Gospel from flowing forth from our lives. In a time of difficulty David prayed, "As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness," (Psalm 17:15). As the likeness of the Father shines on us and we see ourselves in his light everything of us is burnt away leaving only the reflection of him. Isaiah 2:5 says, "O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord." The exhortation here when applied to the Believer is that we would be continually sanctified as we walk in the light of the Lord.

The sun shines on the morning sky.

Oh, how the sun shines on the morning sky.

No more darkness it just can’t be

When the sun shines.

Arms shiverin’, cold.

So walk out, let me take you out;

To where the sun shines

The Son shines on your life.

Oh, how the Son shines on your life.

No more darkness--

There cannot be an enemy, he can only flee;

When the Son shines.

Hard Hearts slitherin’, cold.

So walk in, let me take you in;

To where the Son shines

Meeting You

Where are you? Life brings us trough many situation that make us feel lost and confused, but don't let anyone derail you from making your way straight to the Lord. Even if you have no idea where you're at or what's going on in your life receive the exhortation of Jeremiah which says, "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all of your heart," (Jeremiah 29:13).

After Jesus had been crucified Mary went to the tomb and saw that he was not there and so quickly left to tell the Peter and John. Returning with Peter and John, Mary remained after they saw, believed, and apparently left without saying a word. Mary was at loss. Her savior, her messiah had been gruesomely taken from her, killed and placed in a tomb. Now she couldn't even see the dead body of the one she had trusted and loved so much. Her entire world was shattered. She was nowhere. Then who she supposed to be the gardener asked, "Why are you weeping?" After her response which was certainly muffled by a choked throat and tears, one word changed her life forever-- it was her name. "Mary", Jesus said, and her eyes were opened, her heart restored, nothing could shake her now. However Jesus made sure that the emotion of such a moment would not be what dictated her life's response.

The Instruction Jesus then gave was, "Do not cling (or 'touch' in KJV) to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father." Now to some this may sound completely rude as it once did to me. The key phrase here is not the "do not cling", but the fact that he had not yet ascended. The original word here for "cling" refers that holding on which takes place with one's heart. Why would Jesus not want Mary to cling to him with her heart? Well because he had not ascended to the Father. If Mary could only respond to the physical presence of Jesus she would never be able to endure any trial. She would never be able to remain faithful. She must not be dependent on the physical presence of Jesus. He was teaching her that he will always be with her.

Now Thomas was in a similar position when he missed Jesus' upper room visit and said to the disciples, "Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe." Thomas too felt utter despair at the loss of his Savior and Lord in whom he had place all of his trust and all of his life. However, Thomas and Mary were two totally different people.

For Thomas Jesus' instruction was, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." To Mary, Jesus said, "Don't touch", to Thomas he says, "Touch". See and believe. He knew Thomas and what he needed to have a faith which could not be shaken.

Now why did Jesus tell Thomas "Put your finger here, and see my hands; put your hand and place it in my side"? How did Jesus now those were the conditions of Thomas' belief which he had spoken? He wasn't in the room when Thomas had said that to the other disciples. Or was he? :) He was teaching him that he will always be with him.

Look at Thomas' response, "My Lord, and My God." He was now unshakable. This too will be our response as we seek the Lord with our whole hearts. Notice where both Mary and Thomas were as Jesus met them. Mary was at the tomb and Thomas was with those who had seen him. They were seeking him. Seek the Lord and he will meet you wherever you are, he is the Good Shepherd. He is worthy, let us serve him.