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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 no where 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 dieing daily, taking up your own
spiritual cross and crucifying the flesh with its desires and lusts or are
you dieing 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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