In pursuit of Truth (4)

At the end of 2009 I started writing under the topic ‘In pursuit of Truth’, I am struggling to believe that it’s already been three months since! The cliché rings true: “Oh my, how time flies?!” But, wasting no time, I’ll be jumping back into our discussion today!

On the home-front it’s going exceptionally well. Since my wife and I will no longer take part in the Cape Town Argus this year and have decided to enter the races closer to home, we’ve entered the ‘Ride for Sight’ race which will take place on 21 February 2010. It’s a 116km race and since this will be our first time doing it, we’re quite excited about it and looking forward to the new experience! Especially since the race is in aid of the awareness of the loss of sight.

Our three boys are also doing just fine. Ivan has already bowled two games with his broken thumb and all, and is playing amazingly well! His Varsity classes have started and he’s more impressed with all the pretty girls than his new lecturers! Stephen received his first salary as a salesman at our local Golf Pro Shop and (as you all can imagine) is very impressed with himself. Oh, those were the days! Do you remember your first salary – there were no boundaries – in our own eyes, we were stinking rich! Our youngest, Warren Jr., tore his hamstring muscle during his High School orientation and we’re working on having him ready for the first qualifying athletics event in two weeks’ time. This year he started out very promising and we believe that this temporary set-back will work together for the good!

We are very excited about the ministry and our fellowship, I believe that this year is going to be, no, has already started to be the breakthrough year we have all been waiting for so patiently! There’s also much progress in the department of our builing project and it’s become more clear, as the time passes, why we needed to wait until now. God is so awesome! Our heart’s desire is to make a difference in our community; we want people to see and understand the Truth and allow Christ to truly set them free! We dream about transformed lives; people who are healthy in spirit, soul and body. Without wanting to sound religious or over-spiritual, we understand that the only way to really be free and experience life in abundance is through:

John 8:32 And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.
John 8:36 So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.

Just to re-cap what we’ve learnt earlier in our Pursuit of Truth; we’ve seen that the first three chapters of Ephesians is a revelation of our position in Christ. It states that we are seated. We live and move and have our being from this place and this place alone: a place of Rest, His Rest.

The next couple of chapters talk about our walk in this world. Because we are not OF this world, but merely IN it, our walk will be different from that of this world. In the past, we trusted the Law to define this walk, even though our Christian walk is one of faith and not one of law. When we refer to law, we are saying that our walk depends on our own ability and strength to fulfil God’s requirements, whereas Christ came to fulfil this law and gave us a new way of walk; namely in the Spirit. Unfortunately, because we have our law glasses on, we tend to read even the New Testament as a set of rules and regulations that constitute our manual for ‘Le Christian Life’. In this case, we find ourselves, time-and-again at the place of failure; failure to be a good Christian and in be ambassadors for the Kingdom! Ah, when will we learn not to lean on our own insights?!

Ephesians 4:1 AMP I THEREFORE, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the [divine] calling to which you have been called [with behaviour that is a credit to the summons to God's service,
Ephesians 5:8 AMP For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [lead the lives of those native-born to the Light].

Yes, yes, I know… So what now? Practically, how do I live as Children of Light? Do you remember the first couple of chapters of Ephesians? It explained the how! It is when we read Scripture as bits-and-pieces, and not as a whole, that we tend to become confused. The first chapters of Ephesians said: SIT!! So, how will we ever be able to walk a life worthy of the divine calling to which we have been called? By walking in the Rest of God. By living from the place where I see and understand that, I am in Him who is perfection, who is Light. The power of this life lies not within our own strength or sacrifices, it lies within Christ! We are seated in heavenly places, because He is seated in heavenly places and therefore our vantage point is not that of the natural (the flesh, doing right or wrong), but of the Spiritual (that which is Godly inspired and Holy Spirit directed). Therefore, those who sit are those who can walk.

Phillipians 2:13 AMP [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.

We are FOREVER seated in Christ and are constantly walking the Christian walk in the world!

Should you have any questions concerning this principle, please leave a comment or send me and e-mail. I’d love to share with you the precious gems there are in the ‘Christ-life’. Also look me up on Facebook and Twitter under WarrenGraham.

In my next post we will continue on our Pursuit of Truth and remember: In Christ, you are completely forgiven of all sin, you are blessed with all heavenly blessings, you are greatly favoured, and you are unconditionally loved by God! Yes you!