VOICES (in the desert) part 2

So I have been back home for a few weeks now. Home is often a hard place for people to come back to. At least for me it represents a lot of the hard or dark times in my life. It is back here in Edmonton that I rebelled and strayed from Gods direction. So coming back here, I am taunted to return back to the old ways. Voices of depression, loneliness, drunkenness, and sexual lust assault me and push me to sin.

The good news is that God has not left me alone. In my weakness and hurt, I call out to Him. I am reminded often that I am His son. He will not leave me and forsake me. His voice calls me forward to take new steps of obedience into purity and kingdom lifestyle. Part of that means I am severed from the old lifestyle I lived and the false comfort it afforded. Getting drunk or whatever may have giving a temporary escape from my unhappiness but the true Joy is given by the Father.

I read "The Cost of Discipleship" recently and one of the main points of discipleship made in the book is this, Discipleship is neither cheap grace or legalism; it is a wholehearted submissive and obedient lifestyle. It all comes back to pursuing Christ and His ways. Salvation may have been a free gift, but I also gave away everything I have and am at the Cross. The Old Josiah is dead, and now I am infant in a host of adopted sons (and daughters) of God. We are the NEW MEN. A race new and alien to this world. I cleave to God in these times of trial and temptation. With faithfulness comes reward. Like the servants of Matthew 25 as we stay faithful to Him will increase what we are givin, we will also be promoted, and most importantly dwell in a deeper level of relationship with Him. He is our true reward, and discipleship is a joy really. We get to spend the rest of our lives (and eternity) with Him.

VOICES (in the desert)

This week has been one of transitions for me. I finished a third year of university, and have travelled back home from Langley BC. Coming home has been more then just a transition of Geography, it has also in the way I use my time. First of all, I will be spending a majority of my time working. There also some steps of obedience, that the Father has led me too for this summer. Its going to be tough, because He has asked me to give up some stuff that was really a source of comfort and amusement. Ultimately though these things have been idols in my life that I have chosen over serving and loving God.

It was really cool, coming home though because I started to read my Bible. The passage I came to was in Matthew 3 when Jesus is led to Desert for 40 days of fasting after being baptized. The declaration the Father made over Him was that that Jesus was His Son, in whom He is well pleased. It really interesting because when the devil tempts Christ in the desert, he always mentions or tests His Sonship. Its likes He challenging Jesus if He is really God's Son.

The encouragement/direction I got from this was, that through times of trial and test the enemy will go after my identity as a small s son of God. Its my Faith in Him and His connection to me that can hold me from the voices that tempt me to deviate from His path. Even when we feel alone and weak, we can still trust that God is present with us, and will give us the strength to face these sort of challenges.

Just some thoughts

Josiah