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Wednesday, June
18, 2008
A Dung Deal
Philippians 3:7-9 But what things were
gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. (8) Yea doubtless, and I count
all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my
Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them
but dung, that I may win Christ, (9) And be found in him, not having mine
own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith
of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: (KJV)
Paul gives an interesting account of his
life before Christ, when he himself was caught up in the letter of the law
and not the Spirit. I can relate to what is being said as well knowing my
life was dung before the Lord, even though I attended religious
organizations that in reality were dead and lifeless. Are you willing to
suffer loss even though the fact that what is being given up in the
physical realm will be replaced with a deeper understanding of the Lord?
This is where many hit a snag in their walk; they allow the enemy to tell
them that what they are walking away from is more important than what they
are walking into, which is a deeper more intimate relationship with the
Lord. The loss you may suffer through is only for a short time or season so
that you can keep the lines of communication open with the Lord, which is
what the word faith means, your ability to hear the message of Christ and
know that what you are following is of Him. Again, keep in mind that when
it comes time to let go of things that the Lord says is hindering our walk
the payoff is a more excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, who
Himself was willing to die for our sake so that we could live.
Philippians 3:10-14 That I may know him,
and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings,
being made conformable unto his death; (11) If by any means I might attain
unto the resurrection of the dead. (12) Not as though I had already
attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may
apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. (13)
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those
things which are before, (14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (KJV)
You know, before you can get to heaven
you have to die first; are you dying to get there? In order to walk in the
Spirit one needs to leave old things and old thoughts at the door before
entering in and being seated with Christ. Like with airports these days,
one has to go through metal detectors in order to gain access to their
flight. The same holds true when entering the kingdom of God; one needs to
discard any foreign object at the gate, something that may be deadly and
harmful, in order to take off. Remember how our Lord died? Before the
resurrection there was a crucifixion; well the same holds true with each
and every believer today, we too are made conformable unto his death so
that a new man can resurrect within us as well. Are you willing by any
means to attain this resurrection or are you still holding the baggage of
this fallen world, baggage Paul described as dung?
Romans 6:1-3 What shall we say then? Shall
we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (2) God forbid. How shall we,
that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? (3) Know ye not, that so
many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
(KJV)
When you are baptized into Christ you get
the whole package, which means He in turn expects a whole hearted effort.
When you become baptized into the family of God it is like a company or any
organization, you become initiated into their set of rules and regulations
which then identifies you as one of them. The spiritual meaning of baptism
is so much deeper than just getting water poured over you and having a
bunch of watered down people jumping up and down and getting excited.
Carnal people only have a carnal view of the true meaning of the word of
God, and those that hold to water baptisms are holding to nothing more than
watered down empty doctrines of man. I wish it was that easy folks, just
pour some water over my head and then I could go merrily on my way, but
that is nowhere near the answer to what Paul is truly describing. Keep in
mind also that the grace of God is not a ticket to justify sin but rather
His love and longsuffering that allows us to overcome the hindrances of our
lower fallen natures so that we can partake of His new one in Christ. Are
you dying daily, taking up your own spiritual cross and crucifying the
flesh with its desires and lusts or are you dying daily in the letter of
the old law, still stuck in carnal dead end rituals which were done away in
Christ?
1 Corinthians 10:1-5 Moreover, brethren,
I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under
the cloud, and all passed through the sea; (2) And were all baptized unto
Moses in the cloud and in the sea; (3) And did all eat the same spiritual
meat; (4) And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of
that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (5) But
with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the
wilderness. (KJV)
You know folks, not much has changed over
the years with people that claim they are God’s people. The children of
Israel moaned and groaned for hundreds of years seeking deliverance from
the Egyptians. So along comes Moses and introduces the people to their deliverance,
baptizing, or introducing them into the things of God and how He operates
only to have them complain and wish to go back to the old. Those that
should have been walking in new life to a promised land ended up perishing
and displeasing God because He didn’t operate the way they thought He
should. Many people today are being overthrown in the wilderness also,
because rather than follow the path of life the Lord had laid out for them
they end up off course and perish because of a lack of provisions. The Lord
has laid out a path of escape for you also and supplied all your need
before the foundation of the world. Are you on course today or are you
following your own, you know that one Paul described as dung?
Luke 12:49-50 I am come to send fire on
the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? (50) But I have a
baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be
accomplished! (KJV)
John baptized with water because he was
still under the old law and limited to that realm. While our Lord clearly
points out that there is a baptism He wishes His people would partake of,
one He was living in Himself. Is there a fire in you today; one that is a
burning desire to serve the Lord or have you doused it with man’s watered
down doctrines that are stuck in dead end rituals that look good to the
outward but do nothing for the inward man? Are you baptized and immersed in
the living spiritual waters, one that will bring life to a spiritual seed
which is Christ or is your life a dung deal, something stinking to the high
heavens?
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