One of the most overwhelming truths about our existence is that everything is subject to the limitations of time: the glory of empires meet their fatidic end; the glory of heroes turn into a faint memory, and all creatures come and go. These were probably the thoughts of Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher, when he stated the famous maxim "Panta Rhei," which means everything flows. He was a peculiar philosopher, in that he was most likely prone to depression. Hs obscure views of the world were possibly a result of him internalising more than other people of his time about the hopelessness of this world. But should we, Christians, fall prey to feelings of nostalgia and melancholy? Even though for some more than for others, being optimistic is a hard endeavour, we ought to see time as working always to our advantage! Indeed, the word of God says in 1 John 2:17, "The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever." We look and boldly run ahead, knowing every second is a step closer to Heaven! All the things we do have eternal consequences. The relationships we build with our brothers and sisters in Christ will endure forever, because we, His Bride, were made to last forever! Nothing is lost, everything is gained. Panta Rhei!
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By Anonymous | TRINICY.org It is no secret that racial tensions in the United States have increased palpably over the last few months - an increase that was catalyzed by the death of George Floyd. That’s not to say, of course, that these tensions were nonexistent before this happened. Nonetheless, this incident spurred the reemergence of the Black Lives Matter organization and nationwide protests condemning police brutality against black Americans. Within these protests, (speaking specifically about those which are being peacefully conducted), the participants often hold signs or chant in unison some of the following slogans: "Color isn’t a crime" "If we don’t get justice, shut it down" "If you’re not livid, you’re not listening" "All cops are bad" "It has been time for change" "This is what democracy looks like" Overlooking the blatant issues with some of these slogans, the message being conveyed tells a lot about what these protestors are feeling. These people are hurting. They want change. They want to put an end to racism in this country. They do not want to read any more stories about black Americans being killed unjustly at the hands of the police. Those are noble, reasonable causes. I believe that 99.999% of Americans want the same things for our country. IF WE ALL WANT CHANGE, THEN WHY CAN'T WE BRIDGE THE GAP AND AGREE? Despite this overwhelming support, deterrents still exist that prevent every American from jumping on board with the BLM organization’s views for how these changes should take place. One of these fundamental deterrents is how we as a politically, ethnically, and religiously diverse collective of American citizens view racism as a whole. With that said, I won’t pretend that I understand the way that a black American in 2020 feels when he or she sees a confederate flag, nor will I belittle him or her for the pain that he or she feels when an act of blatant racism is committed against someone of their ethnic group. However, let me be clear that I do not subscribe to the condemnation of an entire group, or our country as a whole, because of the actions of an individual. When these claims of racism are hurled at any group or nation as a whole, the cause for which the protestors march is delegitimized for many Americans. That is the point at which many protestors lose both the sympathy and attention of their fellow Americans on this issue. If we cannot agree on what racism is or who is racist, then where do we go from here? ONE WORD TO DEFINE RACISM, AND WHY IT ISN'T ACKNOWLEDGED. Consider briefly a scenario in which all citizens of this country agreed on the aforementioned points, which are summed up in this one statement: no group or nation as a whole is racist; instead, individuals within a group or nation can be racist. Surely, if everyone subscribed to that statement, then and only then can we make real change in this country towards ending racism… right? Sadly, still no. The eradication of racism in this country or the world as a whole is not achievable by human power. Racism cannot be legislated away. It cannot be forced, marched, or protested away. It cannot be removed by payment of reparations. This is outside of human control, because racism is synonymous for sin. While you will not find the word racism in the Scriptures explicitly, the Bible has a lot to say on the issue.
These points provide a brief Biblical explanation for the way Bible-believing Christians view racism. It is not an issue unique to the United States – it is a sinful condition that was spoken of throughout the Bible (for example, the Jews and Samaritans hated each other). Christians understand that sin is the inherent problem of the heart for all mankind, and racism is no exception. The removal of sin comes only by acknowledgement and repentance of said sin. Again, I ask: if we are unable to fix the problem ourselves, where do we go from here? IF FIXING RACISM IS OUTSIDE OF HUMAN ABILITY, THEN WE NEED HELP APART FROM OURSELVES. If only we had the power to fix our own sin – how much simpler this would all be. If every anti-racism law currently on the books in America had the power to eradicate racism within our borders, then we would no longer experience racism. What is one more law going to fix? There’s only one Man with the power to save us from our sin (and from each other – Acts 26:17), and He isn’t a member of the United States Congress. 1 John 1:8-10 claims that Jesus is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us if we confess those sins. The hatred and anger that lead to racism are not excluded – they are forgivable. Their removal requires that we acknowledge them in each of our lives. If we fail to acknowledge sin, then Scripture says that we are fooling ourselves. Complementary to this forgiveness of sins is that, though we are forgiven, we will still sin. The difference is that those who have been forgiven are no longer slaves to sin. Paul says in Romans 6:11-14 that we shall no longer be mastered by sin because we are covered by grace. This may seem strange to someone who has not experienced the grace of Jesus. If Salvation saves us from sin but does not remove sin from our lives, then what is the point of being a Christian? If hatred and anger still have free rein on this earth and cause havoc, pain, and destruction in spite of Jesus’s death, then why believe in a Savior who did not end all sin? UTOPIA IS COMING, BUT NOT BEFORE JESUS RETURNS. The attempts to legislate toward the end of racism, injustice, and other forms of discrimination are futile and often unsuccessful for the very reasons we have discussed. For those who make this legislation and participate in the protests, what is the ultimate goal? Utopia. These people want to create a sinless earth. However, 2 Corinthians 4:4 says that Satan is the god of this world; therefore, sin and hatred will always reign over the earth. Likewise, Philippians 3:20 tells us that this earth is not, nor was it ever meant to be our home. The earth as we know it will never be perfect. It will never be free of hatred. It will never be free of racism. Nothing apart from God Himself is perfect (Mark 10:18). But that isn’t the end of the story. There is coming a day in which God will provide for His people a sinless existence with Him in the place that He has promised to us. Isaiah 65:17-25 lays out beautifully the utopia that God has promised for us. In this passage, God says that He will create new heavens and a new earth, and that we are to rejoice and be glad forever in that. That is why Jesus came. That is why we believe in Him. That is why we hold fast to the truth of Jesus and who He is in light of a broken world. That is why we know that He is sovereign over all the sin and shame and racism on this earth. INJUSTICE WILL NOT LAST, BUT HOPE IN HIS KINGDOM WILL. Earlier, I mentioned that I personally am unable to relate to the feelings of racial injustice held by the protestors. But Scripture tells us that Jesus suffered one of the greatest injustices in the history of the world. He committed no sin. He committed no punishable offense. He did no wrong. And yet, those in power during His day allowed their hatred and jealousy to dictate their actions, leading them to murder an innocent Man. Barring the fact that Jesus was the only perfect human to ever walk the earth, the motivations in both Jesus’s death and the racially-motivated deaths we see today are the exact same. He understands your pain. While I wish that I were able to remove this pain for my fellow Americans, the fact remains that neither a law, nor a conversation, nor a protest, nor a roundtable, nor a reparation has the power to change anyone’s heart. I am glad that we have a Savior who died for the reconciliation of our hearts and not individual races. I am glad He understands our pain and that He gives us hope for the future. There is only one place where racism is eradicated: in the heart. That eradication only comes about by accepting the gift of Salvation that Jesus so freely gives through His death on the cross. That Salvation gives us hope for the utopia that is to come. Galatians 5:5 so perfectly says it: through the Spirit and by faith, we are waiting for the hope of righteousness.
THE NINE-FLAVORED FRUIT DEVOTIONAL SERIES But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) Many of us have walked down the Mall in Washington DC on a hot summer day, and climbed the steps to enter into the National Gallery of Art. The refreshing air conditioning revives the body, while the art inside revives the soul! Here are just a few of the masterpieces. If they aren’t familiar, I urge you to plan a trip there either virtually or in person. But how many of us would mistake this painting by the famous Pablo Picasso as real fruit? This fruit, while a very famous still-life painting, is not a realistic substitute for, nor even a representation of fruit. You could not, nor would you want to, pluck an apple from it and expect it to refresh or satisfy. So it is with the Christian life. The satisfaction of it does not come from mimicking the spiritual fruit that the Apostle Paul describes in Galatians 5. You see, the nine characteristics, or ‘flavors,’ are the spiritual product in our lives that God Himself produces. That is, if we walk in the power and presence of the indwelling Spirit of God. The nine characteristics of this fruit include the ‘flavor’ Peace. To measure our understanding of, commitment to and whether Spirit-produced Peace is present in our lives, let’s look at it in “3-D”! 1st “DIMENSION” - PEACE WITH GOD “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 Before we can experience and enjoy the peace of God, we must first be at peace with God. Man once walked with God in perfect fellowship and friendship. But because of sin, man entered into an enemy relationship with God. There is a wall called “sin” between God and man. Man must be reconciled to God, not God to man. Man must be brought back to God as it was man who moved, not God! Because of the person and work of Jesus Christ on the cross where He paid the required payment for sin, man can now be reconciled and justified freely! It is when I was justified by faith (God now looks at me ‘just-(as)if-I’d’ never sinned!) that I can renew a friendship-type relationship with God who, because of my rebellion, had become my enemy. Are you the enemy of God, or the friend of God?! 2nd “DIMENSION” - PEACE OF GOD “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 Once we have made peace with God, it is then that He can give us the very peace of God! The feelings of anxiety plague our hearts and minds. However, we are unable to change how we feel. Has anyone, even a well-intended friend, or Bobby McFerrin himself, ever told you, “Don’t worry, be happy!” or, “Cheer up, Charlie!”? The train of Life, the engine of Fact, and the coal car of Faith will pull the caboose of Feelings. Trying to drive a train with the powerless caboose of Feelings will, quite literally, get you nowhere!! No one can change how they feel by an act of the will. What we can do, according to Philippians 4:8-9, is to think rightly and do rightly, and our feelings of Peace will follow. 3rd “DIMENSION” - PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER “Live in peace with one another.” 1 Thessalonians 5:13b Yes, we are told to live in peace with other people, but what about that parent who just doesn’t understand your circumstances?! What about that ‘bff?’ Who is testing the ‘b’ part, or the ‘f’ part, or the other ‘f’ part?! We must love one another, but if someone is not likeable, that is not our part! While we are to “Pursue peace with all men” Hebrews 12:14a, we are also told in Romans 12:18, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” God is able to be at peace with you, give you His peace, and be your friend. Don’t you think He might empower you to do the same with others who are hard to live with...just like you?! SUGGESTED PRAYER Father, thank you for befriending me, when my heart was so far from you. Thank you for giving me peace that no one else could give, because only you understand. And father, thank you for __(name of someone I should be a friend to)__ in my life, because, by grace, you have accepted someone like me. In the name of the Prince of Peace, Amen.”
Original watercolor painting by Ruxandra Ionce My grandma used to tell me I should learn how to be alone with myself. Everyone of us will go through seasons of loneliness and isolation for reasons beyond our control. These can be terrifying times, mostly because loneliness does not allow us to camouflage those deep places of our soul that we so successfully cover up with the noises of modern life. God often uses these times to confront us with the raw state of our souls, to confront us with who we actually are and what we actually have. In solitude, God worked in the lives of the heroes of faith sculpting, refining, and perfecting their characters and purifying their souls. In isolation, on the small island of Patmos, God revealed to John the future glory of the church. Isolation can be contemplative, peaceful, pleasant. God gave us the gift of imagination to use it according to Philippians 4:8 and fill our minds with beautiful and noble things. We do not suffer more today because our problems are greater than before. Instead, we suffer because the world is too loud and we lose control of the things we let in. We were made to live in a garden, surrounded by God's creations. However, for many of us it is not physically possible to escape our urban environment. There is a solution: we have Christ with us, beside us, around us. We can use our imagination to better comprehend the reality of Christ being next to us, to contemplate His beauty, and the work of His hands.
THE NINE-FLAVORED FRUIT DEVOTIONAL SERIES But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) Paul wrote to the Believers in Galatia, now in modern day Turkey, about the dangers of legalism. He warned them that the gospel, plus works, was no gospel at all! We are also instructed that growing in the Christian life is not a matter of human strength, but of supernatural empowerment. As we ‘branches’ draw our daily life from Jesus, the Vine, the Spirit of God will produce in our lives the nine-flavored Fruit of the Spirit, one of the ‘flavors’ being JOY. This delicious flavor, craved by any who have ever tasted sadness, hopelessness or sorrow, is often disguised and served up as ‘happiness,’ These two flavors, while similar in appearance, can be worlds apart. Just bite into a grapefruit when you are expecting an orange! Remember, “grin and bare it” is not Joy...it is a sham. True Joy is experienced when we see things God’s way. The letter of Paul to the Believers in Philippi mentions the word, form or root of the word “JOY” fourteen times. To measure our understanding of, commitment to and whether Spirit-produced Joy is present in our lives, let’s look at it in “3-D”! 1st “D” - DEMANDED In Philippians 4:4, Paul tells the believers, “Rejoice in the Lord, always; again I will say, rejoice!” Paul does not ask, or suggest that we rejoice. He demands it! Who does he think he is, telling people to be happy?! Wait, he is not telling them to be happy. He tells them to rejoice. Paul was under house arrest, chained to a rotating group of assigned palace guards, and robbed of his freedom. When he was in prison, probably in stocks sitting in his own excrement, what did he do? He burst into song, singing songs of praise to God. He didn’t do this because he was happy, but because his JOY was greater. Happiness is based on our circumstances, on happenstance, on what is happening to us. JOY is based on Who we know. If we are seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) then we no longer need to be “under these circumstances,” but instead we can live with God’s perspective of our lives...from above, with JOY! 2nd “D” - DELAYED In Philippians 2:16, Paul says how glad and grateful he is the Philippian Christians are clinging to and being faithful to the Word of God, to the end that, in the future, when the Day of Christ comes, that Paul’s JOY will be full, seeing that his life and labor and investing in them was not in vain, and that it mattered! Have you ever wondered if living the life you are called to in Christ is worth it? Thinking no one cares about your faithfulness to Jesus?! Dear brother and sister, Jesus said in Matthew 25:23 that one day, as you have been a faithful servant, He will say to you, “Well done, good and faithful servant...Enter into the JOY of your Lord!” Even Jesus endured the infinite agony of the cross for future JOY; “for the JOY that was set before Him [He] endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) “Runner when the road is long Feel like giving in, but you're hanging on Oh runner, when the race is won You will run into His arms” -Runner by Twila Paris 3rd “D” - DELIGHT True JOY must be expressed. Over and over in the Word we see that JOY is uncontainable! Praise, singing, dancing, shouting and even silence in the face of “indescribable joy”! As we are able to express the JOY that is ours in Christ. In spite of our circumstances, our happiness that has been missing has a chance to rise and join with the JOY that is greater. It will bring a personal reality and gladness that warms the soul! Is there anything more joyous than a wedding? It is comparable to the delight the bride experiences as she unites with her long awaited groom. “Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.” (Song of Solomon 2:3) This is the Fruit called JOY. Happiness is wonderful! Joy is greater! SUGGESTED PRAYER “Lord, help me to find my JOY in living my life in Your Word, in my life in light of the soon return of your Son, and in the delight that comes from pleasing you, my Father!”
Photo credit: George Frances Schreiber Frederick Douglass and the Fourth of July On July 5, 1852, abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglass took the stage at the Women’s Abolition Society in Rochester, New York. The oration that followed would not only be one of Douglass’s most remembered, but also one of America’s most remembered. The speech is often quoted among academic figureheads and celebrities alike. On the surface, it is often presented as an indictment of America. How well, however, do its critics actually know the speech? Furthermore, are Americans actually being given the entire content of the speech? Frederick Douglass was born into slavery circa 1818, in or near Cordova, Maryland. At an early age, he escaped from slavery and headed north where he eventually joined the Boston Abolition Society. Douglass later moved to Rochester, New York where he became a newspaper editor. A talented writer and orator, Douglass was later referred to as the most influential African-American of the Nineteenth Century. In his time, slavery was the greatest evil and the most controversial political subject. Throughout the first half of the Nineteenth Century, much tension surrounding the issue of slavery occurred. Various compromises were introduced in an effort to prevent secession or war. The United States gained much of its Western territory following the Mexican-American War in 1848. This further complicated the slavery question, continuing to polarize the anti-slavery and pro-slavery factions. INDEPENDENCE DAY: HOLIDAY OF HATE? In today’s age, the Progressive Left often asserts that celebrating the Fourth of July means to celebrate slavery and inequality. In their point of view, because slavery and racial inequality were present at the time of the American founding, it is wrong to honor a day of independence when not all people were actually free. Progressives insist America’s founding in general, with all its components - Declaration of Independence and Constitution included - were made only for White men. On July 5, 1852, Frederick Douglass delivered a speech titled, What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? For many, this oration is both viewed and used as an anti-American speech. Take, for example, the following excerpt, often used on social media: “What have I, or those I represent, to do with your national Independence?...This Fourth of July is yours, not mine...There is not a nation on earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of these United States at this very hour.” On the surface, this speech may seem as if Douglass was condemning American patriotism. In actuality, a thorough reading of its entirety reveals something different. Once the speech is fully examined, the reader may be surprised to learn that Douglass was condemning the evils practiced in America during his day, while simultaneously casting support to the founders, Declaration, and Constitution. THE NATION’S RINGBOLT At the start of the speech, Douglass acknowledged the importance of Independence Day to Americans, and called the Declaration of Independence the ringbolt to the chain of the nation’s destiny. He stated, “The principles contained in that instrument are saving principles. Stand by those principles, be true to them on all occasions, in all places, against all foes, and at whatever cost.” Douglass then turns his attention to the founders. Today, many progressives reject the founders and downplay their intellect. Douglass, however, held a different view of them. He said: “Fellow citizens, I am not wanting in respect for the fathers of this republic. The signers of the Declaration of Independence were brave men. They were great men, too - great enough to give fame to a great age. It does not often happen to a nation to raise, at one time, such a number of truly great men. The point from which I am compelled to view them is not certainly the most favorable; and yet I cannot contemplate their great deeds with less than admiration. They were statesmen, patriots, and heroes, and for the good they did, and the principles they contended for, I will unite with you to honor their memory. They loved their country better than their own private interests...Your fathers staked their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor on the cause of their country. In their admiration of liberty, they lost sight of all other interests. They were peace men; but they preferred revolution to peaceful submission to bondage. They were quiet men; but they did not shrink from agitating against oppression. They showed forbearance; but they knew its limits. They believed in order; but not in the order of tyranny...With them, justice, liberty, and humanity were “final;” not slavery and oppression. Their solid manhood stands out the more as we contrast it with these degenerate times. How circumspect, exact, and proportionate were all their movements! How unlike the politicians of an hour!” ADDRESSING THE PRESENT Following his vindication of the founders and the principles enshrined in the Declaration, Douglass turned his attention to the present. Slavery was, without dispute, the greatest moral and political issue in 1852. This is where Douglass began to stir the fiery passions among his fellow anti-slavery advocates. Since the 1830s, various politicians - notably within the Democratic Party - had embraced John C. Calhoun’s view of slavery. This belief asserted that slavery was a “positive good.” That is, good for both the master and the slave. Douglass whole-heartedly renounced this view, stating no one would possibly declare slavery to be good for their own selves. Douglass went on to make the claim that it was time for citizens to act in order to abolish slavery. In other words, it was time to shine the spotlight on the nation’s wrongdoing. To accomplish this, Douglass returned to the country’s most celebratory day, and asked: “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in a year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham…” Douglass continues to state that America is without rival when it comes to boasting about liberty, yet keeping people in bondage. At certain points, Douglass definitely hits home. For instance, at one point, he remarked, “You invite to your shores fugitives of oppression from abroad, honor them with banquets, greet them with ovations, cheer them, toast them, salute them, protect them, and pour out your money to them like water; but the fugitives from your own land you advertise, hunt, arrest, shoot, and kill...You can bear your bosom to the storm of British artillery to throw off a three-penny tax on tea; and yet wring the last hard-earned farthing from the grasp of the Black laborers of your country.” CALLING OUT THE ENABLERS Douglass then turned his attention to those who allowed slavery to reach its current condition. In 1850, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act. This proved a further blow to anti-slavery advocates and provided no legal safe haven for those seeking refuge from bondage. Douglass referred to this as slavery being “nationalized in its most horrible and revolting form.” He commented that all states had now become a hunting ground and that true liberty was in peril. Douglass then commented on religious liberty, as well as the fact that the church was often responsible for remaining silent on slavery. It is an unfortunate fact that, historically, the greatest opposition to liberty occasionally came from people within the religious establishment who twisted scripture to fit their own agenda. Douglass said, “A worship that can be conducted by persons who give shelter to the houseless, to give bread to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and who enjoin obedience to a law forbidding these acts of mercy, is a curse, not a blessing to mankind. The Bible addresses all such persons as ‘scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites who pay tithe of mint, anise, and cummin, and have omitted the weightier-matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith.’” Douglass remarked that churches that preached pro-slavery messages were even more dangerous than the infidel writings of figureheads such as Thomas Paine. A paraphrase of 2 Timothy 4:3-4 is sugar-coated preaching is dangerous to your soul. A GLORIOUS LIBERTY DOCUMENT One thing that both pro-slavery Democrats and Radical Republicans seemed to agree on was that the spirit of the U.S. Constitution protected and condoned slavery. One prominent abolitionist, William Lloyd Garrison, deemed the Constitution a “covenant with death and an agreement with Hell.” How did Frederick Douglass hold up on this issue? During his younger years, Douglass agreed with Garrison and other radical abolitionists. Like them, he viewed the Constitution as a document that encouraged property ownership of slaves. By 1852, however, his view had shifted entirely. He stated, “interpreted as it ought to be interpreted, the Constitution is a GLORIOUS LIBERTY DOCUMENT. Read its preamble, consider its purposes. Is slavery among them? Is it at the gateway? Is it in the temple? It is neither. While I do not intend to argue this question on the present occasion, let me ask if it be not somewhat singular that, if the Constitution were intended to be by its framers and adopters a slave-holding document, why neither slavery, slaveholding, or slave can be found anywhere in it.” Douglass later said, “Now, take the Constitution according to its plain reading, and I defy the presentation of a single pro-slavery clause in it. On the other hand, it will be found to contain principles and purposes entirely hostile to the existence of slavery.” SEEKING JUSTICE AMID DARK DAYS Douglass then said what is perhaps one of the most important lines in the entire oration. “Allow me to say, in conclusion, notwithstanding the dark picture I have this day presented of the state of the nation, I do not despair of this country.” Douglass remarked that he believed slavery would eventually come to an end, especially if the nation stayed true to the principles enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. Douglass lived to witness the end of American Slavery in 1865, and he then continued to serve his Lord and country as an impressive statesman. Perhaps his true character was most exemplified in 1877, when he met with his former master, Thomas Auld. Douglass forgave Auld for his past treatment of him and the two parted as friends. What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? is not, as Progressives have tried to sell it, a condemnation of America. Rather, it is a necessary criticism of a nation’s wrongdoing. Throughout history, all countries have experienced some form of sinful action. What makes America special is the fact that America has done more than any nation on earth to combat not only its own evils, but the evils of other nations, as well. Americans have defeated slavery, fascism, communism, and radical Islam, and saved countless individuals from tyranny. It is also important to remember that slavery still continues today in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and other locations of the world, in which Progressives remain virtually silent about. Douglass’s speech should always hold a special place in American memory, and may we never forget his iconic call to action: “I would unite with anybody to do right and nobody to do wrong.”
“You can get there, from here!” All that could be heard was the soothing, and yet somehow annoying droning of the engines as the plane cut through the evening sky. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. I have some Bad News and I have some Good News. The bad news is we are lost. The good news is we are making excellent time!” Have you ever felt as though you were in a hamster cage, running as if your very life and happiness depended on it, only to recognize the obvious?...You are not getting anywhere! All too often, this is the sense of the struggling Christian. With discipline, intestinal fortitude, and good intentions they apply themselves to their life as a follower of Jesus Christ, only to feel that they are no closer to the ‘promised’ “victorious Christian life” then when they began their journey of faith. From ancient scrolled parchments, to folding maps, to trip booklets, to car navigation tools, to the ubiquitous smartphone maps and location apps everyone has access to, anyone can instantly determine where they are...physically. Where are we spiritually? This is a whole nother story. For the Christian, it is very easy to feel confused. Having embarked on their Christian journey by placing their trust in Jesus Christ as their necessary payment for sin, life still seems fraught with the same struggles that were present BC, Before Christ! Maps give information on where you are, where you have been, where you are going, and how to get there. It can provide relief if you are lost, instruction if you are confused and timing of arrival, for a hopeful sense of anticipation! Mapping the Christian Life can provide the same kind of benefits, from a spiritual perspective. Included in this article are two diagrams, or ‘maps.’ Map #1 is completed, from numbers 1 - 22, and Map #2 has numbered blanks for you to fill in yourself if later you would like to test your own comprehension. Map #1 (Numbered & Complete) Breaking up the Christian Life into three tenses helps greatly. The (#1. Past) is inked in black because we are dead and separated from God because of our sin. The (#2. Present) is inked in red because of the shed blood of Christ for our sins. The (#3. Future) is inked in blue because we will be with Christ in the Heavens. The (#4. R.I.P.), Rest In Peace Tombstone illustrates that, according to Ephesians 2:1, “you were (#5. dead in your trespasses and sins).” Fallen man is not spiritually sick. He is spiritually dead and unable to live any kind of life, especially a perfect life which is required by a perfect God! Why does fallen man behave in evil ways? Because he is a (#7. Slave To Sin), and according to (#6. Isaiah 64:6), even his “righteous deeds are like a filthy garment.” (Look up what filthy garment Prophet Isaiah ben Amoz is referring to!) We all understand the bad things we do are ugly, to say the least. But God says because we are spiritually dead, even our good deeds are ugly as compared to the standard of His righteousness. We can, for a funeral, try to make a corpse in a coffin look alive and well and ‘peaceful,’ but it is not well. It is not sick. It is not peaceful. It is dead and has no life. So it is with man spiritually. He does not need reformation...he needs salvation! He does not need education...he needs resurrection! He does not need resuscitation… he needs regeneration! He does not need “good works”...he can’t do anything! He’s dead! This is the desperate predicament of mankind. This is why social reform is not the ultimate solution to man’s woes and ills. That is also why Jesus Christ came; to be the perfect substitute sacrifice for our sin that we needed in order to be reconciled to God and to spend eternity with Him. This is the Good News! The crux of the matter (lit. cross or resolution of a problem) on the Map of our Christian Life, is in fact the instrument of torture and execution itself was the Cross of Calvary. For the Believer, life and eternity changed there. The moment someone places their trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior, the (#11. Penalty of Sin) is completely paid for, (#8. Salvation) is forever secured because of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection. (#9. Hebrews 10:11-14) says in part that animal or ceremonial sacrifices “can never take away sins; but He [Christ], having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God...for by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” Now, about this word, “sanctification”...what does it mean?! (#13. & #22 Sanctification) literally means “to make holy, to set apart for a particular purpose.” God says that I am holy. But I’m not. But I will be. Which one is it? The answer is, “Yes”! However, while our (#12. Position) spiritually is that we are (#10. Ephesians 1:3) “blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,” and are seated “with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6), life often doesn’t seem very “heavenly”! (#12. Positionaly) I am holy in the eyes of God because He has declared me righteous in Christ. But in (#9. Practical) terms, I still struggle in the Christian Life, yes, and still sin. It is a progressive life where God changes me day by day to be conformed to the image of His Son--that is--to become more like Christ, moment by moment. (#14. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) says in part, that “the God of peace Himself [will] sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We are in the process of being fashioned into the (#17. Ultimate) state that is yet to come. No longer should the (#15. Power of Sin) rule over our lives. We have the Holy Spirit residing in us, convincing us of sin, comforting us in suffering, and empowering us in service in the life we are still living in this world! Then, in a moment, whether we pass from this life through the shadow called death, or at the glorious Second Coming of Jesus Christ, we shall be be changed through the (#19. Glorification) of our mortal bodies, we shall be changed to be like Him. (#20. 1 John 3:2) says, “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” Here is the great ‘wonderment’: From the (#1. Past) we have been born into God’s forever family by His Son. In the (#2. Present) we are being changed, moment by moment to be like Christ in this roller coaster ride of life, knowing one day in the (#3. Future) we will actually be delivered from the (#21. Presence of Sin) in (#18. Heaven)! Map #2 (Numbered & Blank Self-test) Do you better understand Mapping the Christian Life, or are you still a little lost?!...To test yourself, here are the answers to fill in: Words to number: __ POSITIONAL __ PRACTICAL __ ULTIMATE __ SANCTIFICATION __ PAST __ PRESENT __ FUTURE __ GLORIFICATION __ HEAVEN __ SALVATION __ 1 JOHN 3:2 __ REST IN PEACE __ SLAVE TO SIN __ DEAD IN SIN __ POWER OF SIN 22 SANCTIFICATION __ EPHESIANS 1:3 __ PRESENCE OF SIN __ PENALTY OF SIN __ HEBREWS 10:11-14 __ ISAIAH 64:6 __ 1 THESSALONIANS 5:23,24 How did you do on your test?! More importantly, how are you doing in your journey through the Christian Life? Remember, you are not where you were. You are closer to your destination. Knowing you will get there can make today an amazing adventure! Press on brothers and sisters! You are making progress, Pilgrim! You’re almost Home!
By Ruxandra Ionce | @ruxandradoxiada | TRINICY.org THE ARTIST'S STATEMENTThe Father's instruction to His beloved children is for them to acquire the most important of all possessions: wisdom (Proverbs 4:5). It is to be obtained by all means and with any sacrifice required, for wisdom rewards us more than a thousandfold. Even though wisdom is always near and always inviting, it is never loud nor imposing, but awaits to be taken by those who value her purpose. It is wisdom that is promised to us in great abundance and without measure, as long as we are determined soldiers with minds set on our glorious duty and honor our Father's commands in full trust (James 1:5). Wisdom shows us how to live, how to understand, how to use the knowledge we gain, how to love and be patient, to abstain, to be abundant, and how to rejoice at all times.
DEVOTIONAL SERIES: THE NINE-FLAVORED FRUITBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) Paul tells us in Galatians chapter five that if we are walking in the Spirit we will be manifesting the fruit of the Holy Spirit who dwells within all those who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior. It is not that we are called to “try harder” to produce this fruit in our lives. It is that we are to walk by faith in the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit and He will produce this fruit, supernaturally, in our lives. The nine characteristics of this fruit include the ‘flavor’ Love. All you need is Love, so say The Beatles, and every other love song, in their own way! Love is spoken of so often, and misunderstood and ignored so badly. The next time you tell someone or write on your Instagram or Facebook entry, “Love ya!,” “Love you!,” or “I love yooooou!,” ask yourself, “Do I?!” Depending on the version you use, it is mentioned in the Bible well over 300 times. To measure our understanding of, commitment to and whether Spirit-produced Love is present in our lives, let’s look at it in “3-D”! 1st “D” - DESIGN If you have ever attended a wedding, chances are you have heard someone read from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, “Love is patient, love is kind. It [Love] does not envy; it [Love] does not boast, it [Love] is not proud. It [Love] does not dishonor others; it [Love] does not self-seeking, it [Love] is not easily angered, it [Love] keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil, but [Love] rejoices with the truth. It [Love] always protects, [Love] always trusts, [Love] always hopes, [Love] always perseveres. Love never fails.” A challenge: First read this passage out loud with the word “Love” used where it ought to be in the text. Next read the passage with the word “Jesus” used where the word “Love” ought to appear. Then finally, read the passage with “your name” where the word “Love” ought to appear. How did you measure up?! 2nd “D” - DEFINITION My working definition of Love is that “Love is wanting God’s best for someone, expecting nothing in return, believing it will probably cost you something.” Love is not about you. It is about the one you choose to love. You can love your enemy this way. You can love your sibling or friend this way. You can love your sweetheart this way! 3rd “D” - DISTORTION Beware! There is much and there are many out there that would fool you into thinking that it is Love that they are peddling! To like someone is not necessarily to love them. You can like someone and not love them. You can love someone and not like them. They might not be likeable! You can want someone and not love them, either! Ultimately it is the example Christ showed us of how we are to love. “This is Love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10 Like, want, and trust are not unconditional. Love is. Suggested prayer: “Father, remind me today of how much you loved me by giving me Jesus. Help me to love someone like that, today! I pray in the lovely name of Jesus. Amen”
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB) Photo by Trang Doan One of the great misunderstandings concerning the Christian life is, if we are ‘good,’ then we will be ‘spiritual’ people and will please the God who seems never to be happy with us! True Christians are those who have appropriated, by faith, the substitutionary payment for sin Jesus Christ purchased for them by His death, burial, and resurrection. He never insisted we should attempt to keep the law, which we know to be futile. They often wonder that, if salvation has purchased for them a new life in Christ, then why does victory over sin seem so difficult, and actually impossible? “If only I were a good child, then my parents would love me.” So goes the backwards assumption that only leads to discouragement, a sense of despair, and to defection that leaves the Christian uttering the words of surrender to their spiritual mirage. “If the life of victory is always before me, but never attainable, then why bother?!” If we try to live by the letter of the law, we are doomed to die by it. The solution to this dilemma is very simple, but because this failed approach of merit is so ingrained into our view of life and living, it is not very easy. In Paul’s letter to the believers in Galatia, an area located in modern day Turkey, in Chapter 5, he tells the believers there the formula for what he describes as our Walk in the Spirit. I include the text for verses 16-25 here, because it is the text that imparts truth, power, and the possibility of the victorious Christian life. I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. The formula for fullness in the Christian life is this: Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lust, passion, and empty striving of the flesh. It does not say we must try to avoid and triumph over the flesh, and by that, enter into and enjoy the Spirit life. So many who read the words in verse 16, read it in reverse. They understand Paul to be saying that if we do not fulfill the passions of the flesh, then we will walk in the Spirit. No! Paul says the very opposite. He says if we walk, move, and have our lives in the very Spirit of God who indwells every believer from the moment of salvation, it is then that we can have freedom from the sin that so easily controls us. “God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” 2 Corinthians 3:5-6. If we try to live by the letter of the Law, we will fail and die by the law. If we choose to live by the Law of the Spirit, He will succeed and we will live truly spiritual lives. To refer to the child analogy, a child does not need to try to be good so that the parent will love him. When the parent loves the child well, the child’s passion and power come from that love, and the child will then be motivated and equipped to live a life that pleases their parent! It is not that the flesh is evil. It is neutral, yet tainted by the inherited sin nature that Adam passed down to all people...the Ultimate Pandemic! People like to be hopeful and magnanimous and say what is patently false, that man is “basically good.” No, man is basically a sinner and does not need to learn how to be selfish. No newborn child has to learn how to make themself the center of their universe. At salvation the sin nature is not eradicated, although it will be in the future. But for now, we should know that the power and sway of sin over the believer has been broken, as chains off of a prisoner who has been set free. He does not need to live like a prisoner any more. Once bound by shackles, he has been set free. The struggle is described in Galatians 5:17 where the Word says that the battle rages. However, the outcome has been won and the ultimate victory is sure. As it says in verse 25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” How did we receive eternal life and become born again by the Spirit at salvation? By faith (John 3:3-6)! How should we walk about and move and live in the Spirit? Also by faith! It is not by the keeping of the law that makes us spiritual. It is by realizing that we are spiritual creations and living by faith in the power of the Spirit who indwells every believer that we will experience and enjoy victory. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul describes the Fruit of the Spirit. It is not that we have to strive to produce this fruit in our lives. It is that, as we walk by faith in the realm and power of the Holy Spirit of God who resides in us, that He will produce the evidence of His presence by displaying this ‘nine-flavored fruit.’ It is not Yin & Yang battling it out...it is not good versus evil that leads to the victory of the stronger entity...it is not ‘good’ spirit trying to beat ‘bad’ flesh...it is not even God wrestling with Satan! The battle has already been won. Live like it! We have been loved with an infinite love. Respond to it! We have been victorious, through Christ, over sin. Celebrate it! The Fruit of the Spirit is not something for us to strive for. Because of our salvation in Jesus Christ, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God, the fruit of the Spirit in our lives is in fact the evidence that we have ceased from striving, and started truly living! “This I say then: Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
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