Withdraw, and pray...

Withdraw, and pray...

Jesus healed many, people thronged to Him with requests... He withdrew to pray (Luke 5:12-16). When we are busy, pressed by life, we should withdraw and pray.

Jesus healed a friend's mom, healed many more, dealt with demons and withdrew to pray; upon withdrawing to pray, Jesus prepared to preach (Mark 1:29-39). Whether having been busy in ministry, being pressed in spiritual warfare or preparing for spiritual work, we ought to withdraw and pray.

Jesus healed a man's withered hand, realized the intentions of conspiring persecutors and He withdrew (Matthew 12:9-16). Whether He prayed or not, Jesus withdrew. He came apart from the conspirators and continued His work. When we are serving the Lord, pressure comes, and we must be discerning when we ought to go forth, and when we ought to withdraw. Jesus's pattern seemed to be to go forth in work and withdraw into intimate fellowship with the Father. We'd be wise to follow His pattern.

In the death of John the Baptist, Jesus experienced the loss of a cousin, saw the persecution of the righteous, witnessed the wickedness of ruling powers and loss an honorable partner in Kingdom work; then, Jesus withdrew to pray (Matthew 14:1-13). In loss, we should withdraw in prayer. In empathy with the persecuted, we should withdraw to pray. In the oppressing pressure of this wicked world, we should withdraw to pray.

Jesus intended to withdraw in prayer when He heard of the death of John, but was interrupted by the necessity of ministry; doubly needful now, Jesus did indeed withdraw (Matthew 14:22-33). When our need to pray is interrupted, we must remain committed to our need to pray! (Fact is, we probably rarely realize how deep our need to pray is!)

In discerning those He would call into apostolic ministry, Jesus prayed ALL NIGHT LONG (Luke 6:12-16). We all face big decisions, and we'd be wise to withdraw and pray, seek the Father, and ask for discernment.

In Matthew 26:26-44, Jesus knew He was facing the cross; He withdrew to pray on multiple occasions over the course of the entire night, AND recruited others to pray as well. None of us face dying for the sins of mankind by crucifixion, but all of us face bearing our cross. In going to the cross, Jesus also knew for the first / only time that He would have fellowship with the Father broken, so He prayed all night. In the prospects of bearing our own cross, or at the risk -- which is daily -- of fellowship being broken with our heavenly Father, we NEED to pray!

For every important reason, Jesus prayed. He didn't always withdraw, but at many times and for many reasons, He did. There's a lesson in this for us! Even when Jesus did not withdraw, His prayer life was active, vibrant and constant.

Our life necessitates prayer! Prayer is our opportunity and our privilege! Whatever you're facing, withdraw and pray.

Hey, Misfit, God loves you through and through...

Here are some facts your heart needs to remember this morning... 

God made you. In your mom's womb, God personally knitted you together. He likes the way you look. Your hair and eyes are beautiful to Him. Your cheek bones and your nose and your skinny/fat/long/short feet were fashioned in His heart and created by His hand. He breathed life into you. He made you to please Himself. You ARE fearfully and wonderfully made. 

Now, you may feel like a misfit toy. 

You may BE a misfit toy. Lord knows, I've felt like a misfit toy most of my life. I reckon the feelings are founded.

Sometimes, we're different because circumstances beyond our control have affected us in ways even we cannot quite explain. 

Sometimes, we're different because we are warped by our own sin.

Sometimes, we're different because God fashioned that difference into us. 

He's working on and out the circumstances. We need to turn to Him about the sin, own it and seek healing. We need to embrace the way we're different. Don't confuse the way we're made and our sin; where we're different because of sin, that's on us. Still, God sees that and desires to work in that, too!

Either way, God loves you. He loves you, not in the romantic sense, but in the sense of action and mercy and grace and benevolent concern over His creation. He has ACTED in love for us...over and over and over...sustaining creation, NOT striking us dead as our sin deserves...and...no, AND, in giving the precious blood of Jesus to pay the penalty of our sin.

Whenever you wonder if God loves you, remember...

• He personally made you
• He IS exercising grace and mercy right now; today ('cause you're breathing!)
• He sustains creation to support you
• He gave Jesus to win you
• He is revealing Himself to you (How? you might ask...even right now, He is showing you Himself through these reminders -- or, for some, they may be revelations)

Sure, many of us feel like misfit toys, rejected by the "normal" folk. Sure, many of us feel broken. Well, actually, all of us ARE broken. But, today is a good day to heed the voice of the Lord. Today is a good day to call out to Father God, Lord Jesus and Helper Spirit...come over me, we might pray, make me new...be near me...I see [remember] Your goodness to me in Christ Jesus...I need You...I confess, I am broken...I am a misfit...I need You, Lord! More than ever, today, I need You. 

I love the precious words of Jesus, calling to even mine own heart today: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28 ESV)

Unlike people, God sees you. He knows you. AND, He loves you through and through.

Will Reagan and United Pursuit do well to musically remind us of God's beautiful, all-knowing, yet loving understanding of us...

In the children's special Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer, King Moonracer has to give Rudolph and his friends special permission to stay on the Island of Misfit Toys. King Moonracer's provision is simple; Rudolph can stay one night, but they must go tell Santa about the island so Santa will help find these toys special, loving places to live.

God's story for me and you is a little different. In Jesus, the Father accepts us and never casts us out. In Jesus, we are home. In Jesus, there is room for every misfit toy. In Jesus, we have family. In Jesus, we have mission; we can tell all the toys -- misfit or not -- they too can have a home where they are loved!

He does see us. He does know us. And, He loves us through and through. God will take us as we are, but, praise Him, He does not leave us there. Are you the train with the square wheels? Are you the spotted elephant? Are you the red nosed reindeer? God will use your difference or heal it...whatever is required for you and whatever is good for His glory!

Let's talk about church / Church...

Words...let's deal with one today... 

"Church"...huh? What exactly is that? 

The Word used the word -- that is Jesus said "church" -- and The Word used the word: ekklēsia, which means, "a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly." (see more in link) Here's one example where Jesus used the word where He talks about the forming of the Body of Believers who would be the ekklēsia: "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18 ESV)

Here's another case where Jesus is telling someone how to function inside a Body He already envisions being formed: "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector." (Matthew 18:15-17 ESV)

Peter used the same word. So did Paul, Luke and John and whoever wrote Hebrews. 

So, the "church" are those called out to assemble together; we might call the "church" the "called out ones." It's no doubt that all the individuals are called out from something individual into some corporate. The church is often called the "body of Christ" (sōma Christos), which we might explain by saying, "the church is those ones called out of their lives to become one together, hidden in Christ and filled by Him with Himself." (Note: no "Lone Ranger" images here! There are NO images of being "in Christ" all by yourself! Whatever the church is -- messed up and everything -- we are corporate!)

The true "public assembly" is not the weekly meeting of this group or that, though it's important those meetings mirror the true "public assembly." The real and true "public assembly" is the Body of Christ called out to live in missional community together wherever they are. In other words, wherever believers are in the world -- whatever town or community -- we're called from our own lives and goals to live the life of Jesus together in our area. We are assembled to be public; we are to be Christ on display! 

The Church, then, is a living organism that defies walls and organizations. However, and here's where we are simply going to deal with words, we often call the building the church, and the activities the church, and the weekly gathering the church, and our denomination, or lack thereof, the church...in other words, we call a lot of stuff church! 

Let's just own that...we use the word that's supposed to describe the reality and life of the living organism known as the "church" for a lot of stuff. We use the word for the living organism to describe the often very dead organization. Let's just embrace it! 

However, if we are not part of the living organism, then the works of the organization mean nothing. That's heavy, but it's fact.

And, this is huge, if we think we can exist alone, out of the community of the assembly, we are simply mistaken. NONE of us are called to do our own thing. We all called to be in Christ together, and His goal is to make us individually AND corporately like Himself. 

So, non-living-organism people can do organization stuff. What I mean to say is that people who aren't actually in the church can do church stuff. They can go to church (the meeting) or go to church (the building) or do stuff with a church (denomination or location) or join the church (the organization) without ever being made alive as part of the organism. Now, we are getting some where! That's where the confusion often is! 

There is danger in the church (organization) doing stuff that's not the life of the Church (organism). That's what confuses us so many times! We see a dead organization doing stuff that is not what the living organism is called to do! 

That is no excuse for the living to ignore the calling of being what God calls us to be...

It's no excuse for the dead to stay dead when Christ calls any who will receive Him to life...

The Church is the worldwide Body of Christ called out by Him to be filled by Him with Himself to do the works He desires to do. If the organization is not doing that, ask for revival and work for reform. If YOU aren't doing the works of Christ and growing in the character of Christ, it's possible you are going to church but are not being the Church. 

Let's not let words be an excuse or a roadblock. Jesus is calling. He is inviting. Don't let what the church has done to disappoint you make you miss this Jesus calling you into the Church (and the church...wink / smile). The dead organization does not produce the good works of the living organism. It is like God to call us into both, that both may be full of life.

And, church, don't think because we are going to the building, joining the organization, attending the meeting and doing some activity within a local group or denomination that we are BEING who God has called us to be! Reform and revival! Reform sets the sails while revival brings the wind; I want both!

Think on this... 

"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: 'The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you.'" (Revelation 3:1-3 ESV)

Go to church AND be the Church...
Go to the church AND be the Church...
Join the church AND be the Church... 

I have more to say about these words, but let's start with this.  




http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G1577&t=KJV

Not a condiment...

A Ministry Report...

One of the great mistakes in Christendom is to think we can simply add Jesus to our life. No. I fear many who take that approach will hear the Father say "depart from Me" on judgment day. No, we don't add Jesus to our life. Jesus gives life to our death. If we don't get spiritual life in the place of our natural state of spiritual death we remain lost, unredeemed, undone and damned.

Consider some of Paul's counsel to the church at Ephesus...

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV, emphasis mine)

Too often, too, we make salvation a thing of knowledge, rather than a thing of Christ's life. We think salvation is some things we learn rather than someone we know. Even today, recognizing this reality, David Paul Tripp tweeted, "No one gets smart and gets saved. Blind and dead, we were all saved by sight-giving, life-giving grace alone." We're all blind and dead until we are quickened by the Spirit of God and given life in Christ Jesus.

Now, I say all this to tell you about a couple of meetings I had yesterday. I am privileged to enjoy regular discipleship meetings with young people. Let me say this, within the process of discipleship there is both evangelization of the unredeemed and edification of the redeemed; so, whether I am dealing with a "Christian kid" or a "lost" kid, it's the same process, and I push on pushing them to love God through Jesus.

We take God at His word, that Jesus is enough, and we lovingly, share that message with the world and beg the Spirit to provoke them to recognize the sufficiency of Christ, believe Him and receive Him.

Then, in community, I think all of us live a life time of figuring this out, and much of our discipling others should be helping each other understand this life from God and walk in it.

One young man I was meeting with yesterday came to the conclusion that he had no objection to believe the things of God, but that he had not received life from God. That was his own conclusion. "What holds you back from receiving life in Christ?" ----- long pause ------ he was thinking, weighing. "Is it being afraid of what you think you'll lose? Is it worry of what God will change?" I asked. ---- more thinking --- Finally, he said, "Man, I don't know what holds me back."

Do you know where that conversation started? I simply asked him to define several Christian words; for example, I asked him what it meant to be a Christian and what does it mean to be saved, etc. You see, after weeks and weeks of meeting with this young man, after weeks and weeks of listening to his story, after weeks and weeks of learning about his life, it was time to press in. He'd told me on more than one occasion he'd been a Christian "all my life" (as he put it). No one is a Christian all their life. We are born lost, born spiritually dead, born in need of redemption. But, I didn't press in until I knew where to press. I'm not even saying the young man isn't a Christian; I'm saying he keeps saying he is a Christian but doesn't seem to have Christ's life in him. Jesus, at best, is a conversation piece to him; at best, Jesus is a historical figure.

If the young man is a Christian, I want him to grow into a person who enjoys abiding in Christ and seeks to bring God glory. If he is a Christian, I want him to recognize his own conversion and learn to walk in it.

Do I believe this young man is "saved"? It doesn't matter what I believe...I am praying he comes to cast all on Christ day by day.

The other discipleship meeting I wanted to highlight came with a young man I'd spent many meetings with. I'd explained to him over and over again things like condemnation, justification, sanctification and glorification. I'd explained to him what it means to believe and receive Jesus, how trusting and believing are connected and many other things. Then, one day, this young man believed on the name of Jesus and asked to receive life from God through Jesus. Now, I'm just trying to help him learn what happened to him at conversion. Yesterday, we synchronized our mobile phones to a You Version Bible and devotion reading plan so that he and I can be in the word together each day for the next few days, even when we're not together.

There is a rich, beautiful, dynamic, flowing life that comes to those who have life from God in Christ Jesus. That's what I want from young people! I don't want anyone to think Jesus is a condiment; you know, something they sprinkle on certain portions of their lifestyle. No, Jesus is life, and if we don't receive His life, we have missed His salvation.

I get Bruce Springsteen's heart...

A Prayer Appeal...


You are familiar with God's command to the Hebrews in Babylonian captivity: "But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." (Jeremiah 29:7 ESV)

If we believers have no other motivation to work in our community than the sense made by Jeremiah to the Exiles, then that alone would be enough. Seek the welfare of the city you are in -- want good for it, work for good in it, pray for good, strive for peace, strive for success. Why? If our city is doing well, it will be good for us, too. 

I drove around our city and county yesterday. As I drove around, Bruce Springsteen's song came to my mind. Springsteen sings: 

The church doors blown open 

I can hear the organ's song 

But the congregation's gone 

My city of ruins 

My city of ruins 

Springsteen sings quite literally of Asbury Park, New Jersey. Springsteen wrote the song as part of an effort to revitalize what was once a premier resort area (it's been working, too...since 2000, the Asbury Park has experienced an amazing turn around). However, the song grips my heart in a different way. My city grips my heart in a different way.

We don't have urban blight. Sure, there are plenty of empty buildings, and most of that is bad stewardship, not urban blight. What we have is spiritual ruin. The church doors are open, but the congregations are gone. 

I am praying for revival. But, like Springsteen, I'm oft left with a question... "Now tell me how do I begin again?"  

Easy...I get it...I already knew it...I just needed to remember it...
Get to work. That's the answer. Get to work. Build the Kingdom. Be intentional. Be sacrificial. Truly, seek the welfare of my city by Kingdom building. Put MY hands in the work. Encourage, exhort and enable others to put their hands in the work. 

Springsteen sang...

Now with these hands 

I pray Lord 

with these hands 

for the strength Lord 

with these hands 

for the faith Lord 

with these hands 

I pray Lord 

with these hands 

for the strength Lord 

with these hands 

for the faith Lord 

with these hands 

Pray. Work. Pray. Evangelize. Pray. Edify. Pray. Encourage. Pray. Build. Pray. Restore. Pray. And, with me, sing... 

Come on rise up! 

Come on rise up! 

Rise up

Truth be told, we've got much better and bigger reasons to seek the welfare of our communities than wanting a life of prosperity and ease. God's called us to make disciples, build the Kingdom, live in love, stand in truth and so much more. God has called us to rise up and walk with Jesus. He's called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. He's made us alive, quickened out of spiritual death and into life. 

Shouldn't we, in the very minimum, want the same for every other person breathing on this globe? 

Now, Andrew Liggitt's song is pulsing through my heart. Yes, God is working on my heart. He's giving me a new care for the welfare of our city. We need a revival. And, it must begin in me... 

I pray you feel the same.
Pray for our city...
Pray God revives the spiritual ruin...
Pray for revival, and pray it begins with the man and woman who is willing to say "Amen"...

Witness reflection August 20, 2014

No tricks, no gimmicks, letting it say what it says to who it says what it says...

It's not just an American temptation, but we seem to have perfected it; we want things to be slick. We want to be famous. We want to be known. We want to be original. 

Listen, you are original. You don't have to prove it. You are it. You were designed in the mind of God, created by the power of God, loved in the heart of God and brought forth by the hand of God. You don't have to work to be an original; you ARE original. 

With that in mind, don't use or receive slick approaches to the Word of God. Just open it. Read it. Meditate. Get quiet and listen for God to speak to you. 

Be the student who listens to non-slick, solid teachers...
Be the witness who uses non-slick, loving methods...

"But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God." (2 Corinthians 4:2 ESV)

Mary O. Blige

Phase one: be totally terrified...

When an angel appeared to Mary, she was afraid. It was a message from God and a messenger from God and the message, simply put, was that God was going to do something wildly amazing and completely life altering in Mary. Hear that? Life altering. Mary should have been terrified. She was.

But, though Mary was "greatly troubled," she didn't run from the situation. She did not ask God to change HIS plan. She did not ask God to pick someone else. Mary, instead, tried to discern what God was saying and doing. The Bible says, "But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be." (Luke 1:29 ESV)

Phase two: agree with God...

Though Mary was working to understand what God was saying and doing, she was not refusing it. As a matter of fact, she was receiving it. She said, " And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38a ESV)

God will do as God will do, but we don't always receive it. Mary did. She gives us a POWERFUL example to follow.

Phase three: tell others...

Mary went to visit her kin. She shared what God was doing. Her cousin, Elizabeth, gave a wonderful affirmation, saying, "And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord." (Luke 1:45 ESV)

Did you see that, dear friends? Elizabeth understood what a blessing it is to believe what God says.

Phase four: sing praise unto the Lord...
"And Mary said,

'My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.'" (Luke 1:46-55 ESV)

For what God is doing, seek discernment.
For what God is saying, live agreement.
For what God is bringing to pass, share it.
For how God is bringing glory to Himself, praise Him.

Heretics abound

Don't be fooled, lest your faith be foiled...

You'll always be able to identify a heretic; that is, if you want to test the spirits. They circumvent or supplant the sufficiency of Christ Jesus in some way. Some appear as those who tell you that you have to be a better person, meaning you don't necessarily need Jesus; you just need to do better or do good. Some will make themselves apparent by telling you that you need to add to Jesus (you know, Jesus plus _________ = righteousness); not true...Jesus alone is anyone's only hope of righteousness; if we are not hidden in Christ alone, we are not safe. Some will give a false view of Jesus; they'll make it seem just enough like Jesus that a person is fooled. Solo Christo. In Christ alone. That's it. Heretics appear quite often as liberalists who say there is no need to go so far as to come to Jesus. Heretics appear quite often as legalists who say, "Great, you have Jesus, but you also need ____________."

Don't be confused! Don't be fooled! We must have faith, but that faith must be directed at the right object! When Abram believed God, God counted Abram's belief was counted as righteousness (see Genesis 15). In like manner, our faith MUST be in Jesus, and in Jesus alone!

Study John 5. Find out what causes Jesus to condemn the religious, and, frankly, the non-religious. Read it for yourself. Jesus's condemnation boils down to the fact that people did not want the glory of God because they wanted glory from each other see John 5, vss. 40 and 44 in particular). Jesus's conclusion is that we want to create a savior of our own liking rather than receiving Him as THE Savior; we want to make a messiah in our likeness rather than becoming the likeness of the Messiah the Father sent. What I mean to say clearly is that we either receive the real Jesus and thus real salvation or we receive an imitation and have imitation salvation, which saves no person.

True, true, true it is to say IF we have Jesus there will be certain things natural to His filling us. True. What are those things? I'd say start basic by starting with what Jesus said are those things that would prove a person is a disciple of His (check John 8:31-32, 13:34-35 and 15:8). I'd next look to things that are HIS CHARACTER and NATURE more than I'd look to our gifting (see Romans 8:28-29 and Galatians 5:22-25). Jesus is always going to work IN us His character, and that will be more of His priority than working through us His work. It is natural for one who is seeking to BE like Christ to DO like Christ. Sometimes, people do their version of the work of Christ while being devoid of the Spirit of Christ, and to those, one day, Jesus will say, "Depart from me, I don't know you." (see Matthew 7)

Don't be fooled, lest your faith be foiled!

We cannot be good enough. Don't fall for liberalism.
Every path is not equal. Don't fall for relativism.
The answer is not in us. Don't fall for humanism.
To add to Jesus is to make a false Jesus. Don't fall for legalism.
God is real. Don't fall for atheism.
He can be known in many ways, and experienced in Christ Jesus. Don't fall for agnosticism.
Don't think God is in all things. Don't fall for pantheism.

Believe the Gospel. Believe on Jesus.
Live the Gospel. Live the dying of the old life and receiving of new life.
Obey Jesus. Let His life come up through your very on life; let your muscles and bones and tongue be His!

Believe the Gospel! Don't believe A Gospel, but THE Gospel of Jesus, the Christ.

The Apostle Paul would say, "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough." (Galatians 1:8 and 2 Corinthians 11:4 ESV)

What? There's a war going on?

Are you a constant casualty in an unknown war? 

Our enemy hates us: God said to Satan, "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring" (Genesis 3:15a). Enmity is hatred. Our enemy hates us. Therefore, we need the strength of one who is stronger than our enemy. 

In Luke 11, Jesus said, "But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." (Luke 11:20-23, ESV)

Do you see that, dear friends? For centuries upon centuries, we have been locked in an epic struggle against an enemy that hates us. This enemy would harass us, oppress us, depress us, and, if possible, possess us with himself and dispossess us of our senses and make us mad (see Ecclesiastes 7:7).

Who's with the enemy? I'll tell you: everyone who is not with the Lord Jesus is with the enemy. Jesus said, "No man can serve two masters..." (Matthew 6:24). If we are not "for Him," then certainly, from Jesus's standpoint, we are "against Him" (Luke 11:23). 

This war is constant. It doesn't let up. There are no sidelines and no timeouts. There is no peace treaty.

Spiritual armor* is not available for unspiritual people, so many are unprotected in a war they don't even know exists. The spiritually blind don't look into a spiritual war, even though we are all spiritual. The spiritual dead are being held captive by the enemy, and all that enemy wants to do is steal, kill and destroy...lie...roam around, being crafty, disguising himself as an angel of light, looking for someone to trick, ensnare and devour (ref. John 10:10, John 8:44, 2 Corinthians 11:3 and 14. 2 Timothy 2:26, 1 Peter 5:8).

Romans 8:31 says "If the Lord is for us, who can be against us?" But, dear friend, that is the catch...we must be hidden in Christ (Colossians 3:3) for the Lord to be for us! 

Many are not even fighting a losing battle; they are suffering a defeated life! Friend, we must have the Strong One on our side! He is willing to fight for us! The Lord Jesus casts none away who humbly come to Him in surrender. He grants life and gives partnership to all who come to Him! If we are not with Him, we are against Him. We already have one enemy, and, unsurrendered to God, we position ourselves against Him as well. That means we'll be defeated in both life and beyond. We need victory! We need Him who has won! We need supernatural, super spiritual strength to defeat our natural predilections and spiritual foe.

Be aware of the war.
Be surrendered to the Savior.
Be victorious!







*Spiritual Armor
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit,with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:10-20, ESV)

I am NOT the captain of my soul

Morgan Freeman is cool. Matt Damon is a decent actor. Rugby rocks. Nelson Mandela was a boss leader. "Invictus" was fun movie. Poem quoting is manly. Okay... all that's covered. I ain't hating on people, 'kay? 

"Invictus," by William Ernest Henley, sounds great, but it points heavily to humanist self-sufficiency for this dude's understanding of the Bible's teaching on the necessity of depending on God. Don't take my word for it; read it here... 

INVICTUS 
William Ernest Henley 

Out of the night that covers me, 
Black as the Pit from pole to pole, 
I thank whatever gods may be 
For my unconquerable soul. 
  
In the fell clutch of circumstance 
I have not winced nor cried aloud. 
Under the bludgeonings of chance 
My head is bloody, but unbowed. 
  
Beyond this place of wrath and tears 
Looms but the Horror of the shade, 
And yet the menace of the years 
Finds and shall find me unafraid. 
  
It matters not how strait the gate, 
How charged with punishments the scroll, 
I am the master of my fate; 
I am the captain of my soul

Now, this cool lady, Dorothea Day, wrote a counter poem. I think it's more in line with my understanding of relating to God and myself. 

MY CAPTAIN 
Dorothea Day 

Out of the night that dazzles me, 
Bright as the sun from pole to pole, 
I thank the God I know to be 
For Christ the conqueror of my soul. 
  
Since His the sway of circumstance, 
I would not wince nor cry aloud. 
Under that rule which men call chance 
My head with joy is humbly bowed. 
  
Beyond this place of sin and tears 
That life with Him! And His the aid, 
Despite the menace of the years, 
Keeps, and shall keep me, unafraid.

I have no fear, though strait the gate, 

He cleared from punishment the scroll. 

Christ is the Master of my fate, 

Christ is the Captain of my soul.