Engaging the Truth

Press In

This past week I was thinking through the subject of "having victory": and "being victorious" and the thought occurred to me that in-order to be victorious, there must  be some kind of a conflict or a battle.  For example, if I am looking to win a 5k race, I must compete in the race and even risk losing the race and being defeated if I will ever have the chance of winning the race.  I must engage myself in the battle in order to have victory in the battle.  The more that I marinated on this, the more it became apparent to me in my own life that my flesh will rear it's ugly head at times and crave victory in situations, yet I do not want to endure and go through the battles that are necessary in order to achieve genuine victory.  

I believe that many times God uses our struggles and challenges as "points of victory" to remind us how much we truly do need and depend on Him for every step of every day. As God provides, heals, opens doors, closes doors, strengthen relationships, and shows His grace in unexplainable ways each and every day, these are great reminders of how sovereign He really is, and how He is in total and complete control.

In today's audio sermon, we learn from 1 Peter 1:6-7  that we should greatly rejoice in difficulties and hold high and precious our faith that is more valuable than gold. Because genuine faith is grounded and rooted in The Hope - Jesus The Christ, we can lean on Him to carry us through the obstacle course of life as He leads and we obediently follow.

Are you in the midst of the battle as we speak? Do not lose heart. Press into God and the peace that only He can give.

Be encouraged, and be Engaged in the Truth.

Psalm 115:1

Pressing on toward His calling,
Jon

Focus

Having focus is not just a good thing, it is paramount requirement as we journey through this life.  Being focused helps us to accomplish our goals and objectives, as well as to "stay on task" as we pursue those same goals and objectives. 

However, before we begin to dial it in and become that laser beam with blinders on, we need to pause and ask the critical question, "What am I focused on?"    If we are focused on what we want and what we desire, we can miss-out on the blessings of the mission that He has planned for each one of us that genuinely give our hearts to Him.  Yet, if we strive to focus on God things (God and His will for our lives), then we can press forward with peace and contentment as He leads and we do the  following.

In today's audio message, Paul is reminding the church in Phillipi that there are people who are enemies of the cross because they are focusing on earthly things.  These people have selfish motives and desires at their core and unfortunately, they will reap what they sow.  Colossians 3:2 is a great reminder on this subject matter to, "Set our mind on things above, not on things of the earth."   Easier said than done, right?   The battle that you and I encounter daily is a struggle not of flesh and blood, but is truly spiritual warfare.  We cannot win this battle - it is too intense for any of us.  We must cling to the fact that the battle belongs to the Lord (1 Samuel 17:47) and as we set our gaze and focus solely on Him, He will bring about transformation in our hearts and lives that will be for our good and for His glory.

Be encouraged, and be Engaged in The Truth.

Psalm 115:1

Pressing on toward His calling,
Jon

Heroes

Who are your heroes? You may be thinking,  "Wait a minute, I'm not a child - why would I have heroes?"  However, if we are honest and transparent, we all have hero's.  We may not refer to them using the specific term "heroes", but we all have people that because of how they live their lives, we look up to them and desire to pattern and model our lives after their lives.

The obvious person that we should hold in high esteem as our ultimate hero is Jesus the Christ.  However, should we have godly people on this earth that we look to as a source to imitate?   Absolutely. In today's audio message from Philippians 3:17 - 18, Paul exhorts the church in Philippi and us as well to be imitators of himself and others who are genuinely in pursuit of the goal of being Christ-like.  Paul is not encouraging us to worship him, but rather to imitate him and those who are running the race and standing true to the Faith in the midst of the struggle.

As I think of my heroes, it is a short-list of godly people who in the world's and religious people's eyes, these individuals are viewed as flops and failures because they have not "succeeded" in the eyes of man. Yet, when I compare my hero list to the ultimate benchmark - The Word of God, these people line up perfectly.  No, they are not perfect nor without sin, but they are in passionate pursuit of the One who is.

Who are your heroes?

Be encouraged and be Engaged In The Truth.

Psalm 115:1

Pressing on toward His calling,
Jon

He is Risen!

As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus The Christ, I am reminded that to some people even good church going people -  Easter is just another holiday on the calendar.    Bunnies, chocolate candy, and colored eggs saturate stores, television commercials, and permeate our thinking this time of year.    Even good things such as getting together with family and friends to partake of great food and fellowship can cloud our thinking and become "the main thing" of this Easter day.

Is it possible that Easter - like Christmas - was originated as a day to honor Christ the King, and yet if we are honest, it is a day that has been hijacked by consumer Christianity and our fleshly desire to not get too close to the cross and empty tomb of Christ? Unfortunately, I believe so. Our secular and even church culture has become so desensitized that the importance of what we celebrate through the Easter event has many times lost it's real meaning. Why is this? We've lost our focus, we've lost our way.   We've lost The Way.

If the estimate is correct and that in the North American population of 350 million, 250 million are estimated to not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, how can we afford to not tell a lost and dying world about the cross and the empty tomb of Christ? If the empty tomb is the second bookend of the most pivotal equation ever formulated (Christmas being the first bookend) that will truly set the captives free from the bondage of sin and condemnation, how can we not proclaim and herald the timeless message of the empty tomb so that the whole word hears that the power of death and sin has been conquered and defeated?

In today's audio message from Luke 24: 5-6. Luke tells us of the glorious resurrection of Jesus and we are challenged to not seek the Living among the dead because He is risen!

Be encouraged and be Engaged in The Truth.

Psalm 115:1

Pressing on toward His calling,
Jon

It is Finished

As I was preparing for today's audio message from John 19:30 entitled "It is Finished!", I was reminded and further educated about the horrific brutality that Christ endured on the cruel Roman cross.

The Roman crucifixion was more than a crucifixion - it was an execution that was designed and carried out with slow torture. At times the prisoner to be crucified would die not on the cross, but rather at the pre-cross scourging called "The Post".  39 lashes from a leather whip that had bone and metal fragment tied at the end of the device would leave a trail of blood and flesh that is too gruesome to describe in detail. The mocking, being spit upon, then having railroad sized spikes driven in the wrists and near the feet.  Can you imagine the intense, excruciating, and unbearable pain?

Since the crucifixion was so brutal, why did Jesus go through with this?  It wasn't like He wasn't aware of what He was about to endure. Why would He voluntarily walk this treacherous road?  Simple. In order to being obedient to the Father, the mission had to be carried out as planned from eternity past. Anything less than then Jesus the Christ fulfilling this task and saying "It is Finished!" would have fallen short of the goal and objective of the greatest mission to have ever been undertaken in the history of mankind.

Regardless of what you are going through today, if you are a genuine believer in Jesus, take heart in that the mission of the cross was not incomplete in any way, but rather it was completed in it's entirety as what Christ did for you and me was paid in full.

Be encouraged and be Engaged in The Truth.

Psalm 115:1

Pressing on toward His calling,
Jon

Walk by this Same Rule

As of late, I have heard of several friends and acquaintances who are battling various struggles in this life.   Financial challenges, relationship issues, cancer, and the like.  It seems like everywhere I turn, people are in the midst of one battle or another.  Just today I found out that a friend of mine who's wife has been recently diagnosed with cancer.  These are challenging days where our faith is being tested and purified by the Refiner's fire.

I look at my own challenges and when I am honest, they pale in comparison to others who are enduring life and death battles.  Whether our current challenges are great or small, I was reminded today of how David ran toward the giant - Goliath (1 Samuel 17:48) as he embraced the challenge in front of him and that he confidently stated that "the battle belongs to the Lord" (1 Samuel 17:47).These words of Scripture are a great reminder for me - a sinful man who needs to be reminded that The God of the universe is on His throne and is in complete control.   Nothing takes Him by surprise.

In today's audio message, Paul instructs us to focus on pressing forward toward being Christlike as together we "walk by this same rule" (Philippians 3:15-16). Great counsel as we cling to The Hope as we persevere in the midst of the struggle.

Be encouraged and be Engaged in the Truth.

Psalm 115:1

Pressing on toward His calling,
Jon

Superior

Remember when we were kids and the excitement and anticipation of winning a prize at a fair, carnival, or some other event?  Your heart was racing with adrenaline and you almost could not contain yourself as the winning name was about to be announced. Remember that feeling?  Why was there some much elation to receive the prize?

Paul writes in Philippians 3:14, "I press toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."  As I pondered this text for today's audio message, I asked myself the question, "How excited do I get when I envision the prize of the upward call of of God in Christ Jesus?"    Am I as excited for this ultimate prize as I am for the fleeting prizes that this life offers?   Truth be told, there are times in my life when the prizes of this life generate more fervor in me than the ultimate prize which will never fade away. Thank you Paul for reminding me that the superior prize that is found in no other than Jesus the Christ is simply that... superior.  Nothing, absolutely nothing that this world has to offer will remotely compare to surrendering all that we have and all that we are to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Be encouraged, and be Engaged in The Truth.

Psalm 115:1

Pressing on toward His calling,
Jon

Christ Like

In today's message, we are diving head-first into Paul's teaching to the church in Philippi as we engage and explore Philippians 3:13. In this text, Paul continues to reinforce and remind us that he has not attained nor perfected being completely Christ-like, yet he presses on by narrowing down his focus to one thing. In 1 Timothy 1:15, Paul again let's us know of his humanity when he writes that he is the chief of sinners.

As I have pondered this thought of being Christ-like, I have asked myself the elementary question of, "What does this look like and what does this mean?" A friend of mine recently wrote about being Christ-like and the process that we must endure in-order to strip away and prune the impurities that thwart this endeavor. This is what he says:

"God has a single purpose for every Christian and it is the same for all. He has promised to conform us into the image of His Son, which requires the crucifixion of self. God’s will is not that we discover some unique purpose for our lives so we can be happy, successful and get what we want in this life! We please God by learning to live by faith and becoming obedient as He chips away everything about us that does not look like Jesus. That is what the authentic Christian life is really about. When people see you, who do they see?" - Jim Norman

What a simple, yet powerful and convicting question. When people see me... when people see you, who do they see?

Be encouraged and be Engaged in the The Truth.

Psalm 115:1

Jon

Step Over the Line

In today's message, we learn of a Rwandan man who was faced with this choice:  Renounce the name of Christ, or die.  He willingly died.

The day before he was martyred, this man wrote that he was a member of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed".  As I read what he wrote, you could feel his passion and clearly see that this man was completely sold out to Christ.  All that he was and all that he possessed, he willingly and joyfully placed it on the altar for God to do with as He chose.

In his writing, there were several phrases that this Rwandan communicated that were bold and courageous.  Yet, one statement has captured my heart.  This man writes, "The die has been cast.  I have stepped over the line.  The decision has been made - I am a disciple of His."  Every time I recount this, I take encouragement from this brother in Christ who with confidence from Heaven above, stepped over the line. 

As we explore what the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 3:12, ask yourself the question, "Have I stepped over the line for the call of Christ?"

Psalm 115:1

Be encouraged and Be Engaged in the Truth.

Know Him

What comes to your mind if someone asked you, "Do you 'know' him or her?" This appears to be a straight forward question, right?  However, the more I have pondered this question in relation to "knowing" Christ, the more I realize that there is more complexity that meets the eye.

You may thinking to yourself, "What is this guy talking about?" and this is a valid observation. Yet, think about it. For example, I can say that I know Christ, when in reality, when I peel back the facade of my flesh, maybe my knowing Christ really only amounts to knowing of Christ. When I know of someone, I really only know them from a distance. Our relationship is at best at arms length. I have nothing invested in the relationship. I haven't given anything. I haven't sacrificed anything. I have no skin in  the game. The only thing that I can truly account for is that I know of this person.

When we think of knowing Christ, do we genuinely know Him in a surrendered, faithful, and obedient way as we follow Him wherever He leads?  Or, do we just know of Him as we do all the religious things we are told to do and we do all of the leading as we attempt to have Christ follow us, our plans, and our agendas?

In today's message, Paul says in Philippians 3:10, "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death". Do we just know of Christ, or are we passionately in pursuit of truly knowing Him, regardless of the price we may pay as we willingly surrender to Him?

Be encouraged and be Enagaged in the Truth.

Psalm 115:1

Pressing on toward His calling,
Jon