This will be very brief, most likely. So much going on. My computer has been (largely) out of commission for nearly three months. Other means of connecting have not been conducive to visiting here--not enough quiet or difficulty typing or whatever other at-that-moment reason sufficed to deter.
Regardless, there's been such a flurry of activity and distraction that the Lord has not turned thoughts and heart here apart from remembering times of reflecting upon Him and what He's been teaching (in this space, the reflections) with some amount of longing.
There are so many things over the course of my tenure in this space which haven't been broached, of the weightier matters taking place. And what bits of the weightier and more grievous or provoking experiences there has been discussion regarding, the disclosure has still generally been fairly non-forthright. Apart from flagrantly expressed distress regarding "Word of Faith" and "Prosperity Gospel"-teachings, granted.
Or...at least it feels this way, so much of the time. As though the parts of this battle which are most arduous and painful are too difficult being borne to bear display, openly, apart from to Christ, Himself. Oftentimes without words, for the sheer brunt of grief, dismay, perturbation, befuddlement, or whatever else likewise, as is the case while being utterly overwhelmed in the battle.
But that seems appropriate, all in all--not to disclose the specifics, often.
As much as this place has been a venue for discussing some particular matters fairly openly, the point is to discuss what the Lord has done to preserve, have mercy upon, or deliver me. This is a place for testimony, in terms of what I've come to understand of Him and His Word, and whatsoever else related. And to a lesser extent be about discussing myself.
There's no profit in knowing me, is the point. The profit to us all is in knowing Christ. And coming to know Him more deeply, and understanding Him more plainly, and to see what is the grace of God toward us in Christ Jesus. That we would be steadfast and rejoice in Him in the midst of all adversity--whether physical, mental, financial, social, economical (socially), or howsoever else we find ourselves struggling against the temptation to despair rather than to remain steadfastly fixed upon our Hope and Redeemer (and fixed upon the opportunity to share of Him with others--both believing and unbelieving, as we all need continual exposure to the Truth to redeem our souls, lives, hearts, minds, and time).
In the midst of decrying that which is a snare (or a potential snare), especially, there comes a point of fixation which turns more toward philosophizing and justification of ideology to a degree which increasingly exhibits a lack of utmost focus upon Christ, Himself, and the work He has done and is doing.
Self-exaltation is very nefarious, insidious, and pervasive, in other words. Coming in under the guise of exalting truth, even. Same as any of the snares which Paul warned of in the epistles. And Jesus, Himself, also disclosed that many would be deceived--even the elect, if it were possible--in end days. Which...we've been in the end times since Christ came incarnate, crucified, and resurrected.
There are just a couple of "gospels" which have been disturbing, recently--gospel of social justice (which apparently has been addressed publicly in a couple of places, within recent time), and gospel of self (empowerment or improvement, especially).
Jesus came to save the lost--sinners like you and me. He came to draw us to Himself, that we would be redeemed through Him upon some realization of the wrath which rightly rests upon us apart from Him. This primarily then, is between God and man. Not man and man. So, though social justice is something He would certainly direct us to pursue--this, still, with realization that the cause of injustice is departure from God, which can only be truly addressed by a redirection to God unto reconciliation. The Gospel of Christ. Not of works.
He'll lead where we do need to intervene. But if we are to look to Christ Jesus, Himself, and His apostles for some indication of how we are to interact with this broken world, we can clearly see that speaking truth in love--presenting the gospel of mankind's damnation, God's mercy, and our redemption through Christ's incarnation, atoning death, and evidentiary resurrection and ascension. This isn't just going around a saying, "This belief which you have about the lives of others is wrong and shouldn't be perpetuated, and the harm being done to others must stop." No, it's starting at the point of discussing each and everyone one of our standing in the presence of an omnipresent and omniscient, Holy God who is our Creator, King, and Judge. Fear of God is the beginning of knowledge. And of wisdom.
Likewise, of the idea that "self-betterment" or "self-fulfillment" or "self-empowerment" or "self-whatever" somehow is what our need happens to be. The Scriptures are replete with discussions of what will come for those who do indeed have "their best life now," rather than in eternity. It's a fearsome and terrible thing to fall into the hands of a living God. So every bit as much as we know that we've each been knit lovingly together--each part of our personality know and indicated--by a Creator who has invested Himself in granting us mercy to the extent of having borne our deserved retributions as that we would not have to so long as we humble ourselves in honest appraisal of our need for mercy, turning to Him to thus receive the mercy extended through the death and life of the Son of God... ...every bit as much as we know that this very One is He who loves us and knows us intimately, then too, if we are honest with ourselves about what His Word indicates about the truth of our fallen state..? We know our need isn't to be built up in ourselves but just as with John the Baptist, we may know our need to increasingly decrease that Christ would increase--in us and through us. This isn't self-building. It's death to self. Self-mortification. On the cross we take up when we follow Jesus.
I fail at this. We all do, apart from His Spirit. All the more need to cry out for mercies, anew, and to rest in grateful remembrance at His feet, daily remembering and walking in the light of His faithfulness.
These are a couple the things, of late.
But again, as not terribly long ago discussed--there are some matters which seem so innocuous and superficially even beneficial that except for truly considering each point in the reflection of the light of the grace of God in the face of Christ Jesus, who came and died for us--giving Himself as a sacrifice to atone for our sins. And that as we come to Him, we may be even given life eternal. Lesser things all pale when considered truly in context of the Gospel of Christ.
May we ever be reminded of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.
Soon again, Lord willing, here.
