Which Way Are You Going?

In this life, we are either going forward or going backward, but we never stay in the same place. Some processes, like time, move us relentlessly in a single direction Apart from science fiction, no one can go back in time and rewrite history, and no one gets any younger.

Progress, or regress, but don’t think you can coast and remain where you are. The influence of this world is like a river, continually pulling us downstream. As we can see just by glancing at a newspaper, downstream in this world is neither a safe nor a pleasant place to be.

Engaging in the Christian walk (Romans 8:1,4; Galatians 5:16), running the race Christ has set before us (Hebrews 12:1), and fighting the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7) is like paddling upstream. Every moment of every day is a battle (Ephesians 6:12) in which we must crucify the flesh (Romans 8:13), resist the devil (James 4:7), and separate ourselves from the world that wants to conform us to its image (Romans 12:2).

Only in this way can we advance, not through our own power, but through the Holy Spirit Who lives within every believer from the moment we are saved (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13). In our own strength we can do nothing (John 15:5), but His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9), and with Him, all things are possible (Matthew 19:26). 

Once Christians are born again (John 3:3-8) by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we are assured of eternal life (John 3:16). We can never lose this most precious gift, for we have done nothing to earn it (Ephesians 2:8-9), and it is the shed blood of Christ that has paid in full for all our sins, past, present and future (Romans 3:25).

In thanksgiving and joy over what He has done, we should want to devote our life to serving Him (James 2:14-26) and following His perfect plan for our life (Jeremiah 29:11-13; 33:3), which is the best blessing we could ever receive. We become a new creation at the moment of salvation (2 Corinthians 5:17), and when Christ returns for His children at the Rapture, we will receive a glorified body that will never age, sin, die, or experience pain or sorrow (1 Corinthians 15:35-58). In that blissful and perfect state we will live with Him and with our loved ones in Christ forever.

In the meantime, during that all too brief period between salvation and Rapture or going home to be forever with Him, is our Christian walk. Ideally, this is a time of progressive sanctification in which we become continually molded into the image of Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:10; Isaiah 64:8). God accomplishes that, if we allow Him to, through trials that strengthen our faith in and closeness to Him; through prayer in which we ask the Spirit to reveal His will; and through instruction and meditation in God’s Word.

Yet so many times we see Christians who, once being saved, rejoice briefly in their salvation, yet are then content to drift along the river of life. The problem is that drifting does not allow us to hold our ground, as Charles Stanley said in a sermon on this topic. It can be so pleasant to float in a raft on a mountain stream, enjoying the scenery and the warm sun. But if we are not careful to chart our course and to pay attention to warning signs, we may soon find ourselves in whitewater or even about to tumble down steep falls to our sure death.

Drifting begins slowly – perhaps a casual glance at something we should not be admiring, “social” drinking, or going somewhere we shouldn’t go because we don’t want to seem too prudish to our “friends” (Proverbs 1:10-19). Once we give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27), he can establish a stronghold (2 Corinthians 10:3-5) in our life, and we may start backsliding into sin and away from God (Proverbs 14:14; Jeremiah 2:19).

Before we realize what has happened, we can get caught up in the undercurrent pulling us inexorably to where dangerous rocks threaten the safety of our raft. The temptations of today’s world are pervasive, ubiquitous, and addictive, whether they involve pornography, gambling, alcoholism or other substance abuse.

If we keep our wits about us while in the raft, we may become aware of the warning signs that we are headed for destruction – drifting into unfamiliar, choppy waters; increase in speed headed the wrong way; and even the constantly increasing roar of the falls nearby. But if we’re not careful, it will be too late, and we will plunge over the edge, losing not only our self-control and our blessings, but our life itself.

As Christians who have asked Jesus to be Lord of our life, we cannot lose our eternal life (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:35-39). But if we continue to drift away from Him and ignore the Holy Spirit’s warnings (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30) to get back on course, we may lose privileges including our testimony, ministries, material blessings, health, and family. All these corrections, which God allows as part of His chastening process (Hebrews 12:6), can be the direct consequences of sin. We can even lose the joy of our salvation (Psalm 35:9; 51:12) and the peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

Ultimately, if we continue to rebel, even if passively by allowing the world to draw us under, God may allow Satan to end our earthly life, destroying our flesh before we dishonor Him any further (1 Corinthians 5:5). A Christian in that situation will still go to Heaven, but will suffer the loss of rewards he could have had by following God’s perfect plan for His life (1 Corinthians 3:11-15). As our former (late) pastor used to say, sometimes God gets more glory from a Christian’s death than He does from His life.

What a sad commentary and what a waste of the awesome privileges we have been given! Once we are saved, we are not only God’s children, but we are His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) and fellow workers (1 Corinthians 3:9) with Christ! May we not through our own carelessness be relegated to the shelf or be a castaway (1 Corinthians 9:27), separated from opportunities for service. May we daily yield to the Holy Spirit’s direction, listen for His still small voice (1 Kings 19:12), pray, study His Word, and diligently paddle upstream, against the wicked undercurrent of this world to heavenly places (Ephesians 1:3; 2:6) with Him! 

© 2016 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Running from Death

Photo by Dr Richard Murray 2008

In this dream, I was walking through the corridors of a hospital, as I had a dreaded appointment to get a medical test result. The dim fluorescent lighting, antiseptic smell, and looks of sadness and worry on the faces of people I passed all added to the dark, heavy feeling of oppression. There were no windows to give any sense of time of day or location. Artificially pleasant voices over the loudspeaker, even when announcing “Code Blue” or other disasters, made me feel as if I were stranded and jet-lagged in an international airport. 

I entered the doctor’s office, a small cubicle lit only by an X-ray viewbox covered in chest films. In the corner sat a forlorn woman dressed plainly in black, hunched over, not lifting her eyes from her gnarled hands twisting nervously in her lap. The doctor, a handsome and distinguished man in an expensive tailored suit, offered me a chair, nodded toward the X-rays and began to explain the apparently dismal situation.

The news was not good, he said with a façade of compassion nearly undermining his professional authority. My heart was doomed to failure. But he had the solution to the problem and the cure for the disease, if I would put my trust in him. The answer was inside myself, and he could help unlock it.

What frightened me most was what he did not say. I wondered what would be the cost of his cure, in terms of time, money, pain and suffering.

Suddenly the woman in the corner sat bolt upright with a shudder. “I feel a very cold chill in this room,” she said.

With that I realized that the “doctor” was actually evil and death; that his “cure” was eternal misery and damnation; and that what he was offering was nothing but lies and hatred disguised as truth and good will.

I scrambled to my feet and ran out of the office as fast as I could, not once looking back. I tore through the tangled maze of dark hallways in search of the light, and as I ran faster, the light grew brighter and more intense. A refreshing breeze chased away the stale odor of sickness, and I felt my lungs expanding more fully and my heart beating stronger with every breath.

As I awoke from the dream I was surprised that I was not in a state of panic, as I had been with other dreams in which I was running away from danger. Instead, I was exhilarated, thrilled to be alive and running the race God had set before me.

Since the fall of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3), every person is born with a terminal heart condition – namely our sin nature. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), and if left to plot its own destiny, it will continually choose sinful thoughts and actions to fulfill lusts of the flesh (Galatians 5:16-17; Ephesians 2:3; 1 Peter 2:11; 4:2). This course of action may seem right to us, for we fail to realize that it leads to death and destruction (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25)

But the devil tries to convince us, with his lies cloaked in a thin veneer of truth, to follow our heart. If it feels right, it must be, he reasons. Why should we thwart desires so intense? Why would a kind, loving God not want us to have what we crave, and even what should be rightfully ours, were He not so demanding?  The devil promises everything – knowledge, happiness, fame, fortune, status – but all he delivers is delusion, sorrow, shame, and poverty of spirit – and ultimately death (John 8:44).

The devil’s way is not worth the cost, for what do we stand to profit if we enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season (Hebrews 11:25). or try to gain the world and lose our soul? (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36)

The only Great Physician is Jesus Christ. He is the Healer of our heart (Psalm 147:3), our balm in Gilead (Jeremiah 8:22). He cleanses our dying heart from its sin sickness and lets the blood of His righteousness course through our veins (Romans 3:23-26).

He alone has defeated death and hell (2 Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 2:14-15), so that we need not fear being separated for long from our loved ones who die in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:54-56). He will never forsake us nor leave us (Hebrews 13:5) in the valley of the shadow of death, but He will safely carry us through death to live with Him forever (Psalm 23:4).

The Light of His Word (Psalm 119:105) shows us the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). Once we turn from our sin and allow Him to enter our heart through our faith in His death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven, He gives us eternal, abundant life (John 3:16; 10:10).

If we keep our eyes fixed on Him (Matthew 14:28-31), and not wandering back to the world of the devil’s temptations (James 4:7; Genesis 13:12-13), He will give us strength, speed and stamina to run the race (1 Corinthians 9:24; Hebrews 12:1). Christ will keep our feet on the right path that leads to high and heavenly places (2 Samuel 22:34; Psalm 18:33), by way of spreading His Gospel of peace (Romans 10:15; Ephesians 6:15). 

His grace is sufficient, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). With each detour and setback our faith grows, for He proves Himself to be faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9: 10:13). 

Our hearts can be filled with joy and peace as we follow the course He has planned for us, knowing that as we cross the finish line, a great cloud of witnesses will be cheering us on (Hebrews 12:1). He Himself will wipe the sweat from our brow and every tear from our eyes (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 7:17; 21:4) as He places the victor’s crown on our heads (James 1:12) and says, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”  (Matthew 25:21-23)

What a day that will be when we truly realize that Jesus has permanently defeated death and that we no longer need to run away from death, for we have run straight into His waiting arms!

© 2012 Laurie Collett 

Reposted from the archives