How Are You Failing to Die?

“How are you failing to die?” My friend Eva was so frustrated when the Siri on her phone texted that message instead of “How are you feeling?” to a friend who had just been in a hit a run accident. In real life we have plenty of opportunities to die but God in His great mercy has numbered our days and so death narrowly misses us.

But when I heard those words it got me to thinking about the words of the apostles in the New Testament:

1 Peter 2:24 He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.

Colossians 3:10-17 Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you will also appear with Him in glory. Put to death therefore whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these things in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator … but Christ is all and is in all. Therefore as God’s chosen people holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love … let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts … you were called to peace and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in your richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom and as you sing psalms, hymns, spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Do all … in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

So I ask myself … “How are you failing to die?” or rather, in view of God’s great mercies “Why are you failing to die? Are God’s kindnesses not good enough for you? Was His death for you not enough? Is the life you have in Him not exciting enough? Do you really need your old self? When you reach the end of your days will you be happy with what you’ve done? Will you be satisfied with the words and actions you kept and the ones you gave away?”

Oh God, please forgive me. Make me aware of the areas in my life where I’m not dying to myself; where I’m not living for you. Purify my heart, make it ever true; purify my heart may I be like You! Oh grant that the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart would be acceptable and pleasing to You, O God, my Lord and my Redeemer. Help me to NOT fail to die!

TUNE YOUR EARS

by Barbara Chadwick

“I've found that listening to my drill instructors has given me a unique angle to look at following Christ. Just as I need to tune my ears to hear MY drill instructor's voice out of a crowd of yelling D.I.'s and obey him, we must listen for Christ's voice and learn to tune our ears to hear the Master - out of a host of voices blathering for our attention.” Kenneth Ryan Chadwick US Marine wrote to his parents during his Boot Camp training.

 Jesus said, My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. John 10:27

 The phone rang and when I answered a voice said,

“Hi, Grandma.” 
“Hello, How are you?”
“Well, I’m not doing so good right now.”
“Which grandson is this?”
“Michael.”
“What’s up?”
“I need your help.”
“I don’t know if you knew but I’m on vacation down here in Mexico, and some of us went out for a few drinks last night and we ended up in jail and I need your help.”
“Hold on I’m going to have you talk to your grandfather.”
As I handed the phone to my husband I said, “It’s Michael but it doesn’t sound like him.”
So my husband, Kenneth, took the phone.
“Hello.”
The person repeated his story.
Kenneth said, “What is your name?”
“Michael.”
“What is your full name?”
“Michael Chadwick.”
“You’re not my grandson.”
“What?”
“You’re not my grandson.” And Kenneth hung up.

 You see, he didn’t know Michael’s full name. He didn’t know that Michael doesn’t drink and He didn’t know that we, the grandparents, take a dim view of drinking.  He didn’t know that Michael loves his wife and wouldn’t go on vacation without her. And a biggie – he didn’t realize that we know the sound of Michael’s voice. We talk to him often.

“How can we know whether we’re hearing the voice of God?”

·         Scripture  All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the man of God may thoroughly equipped for every good work.  II Timothy 3:16-17

·         The Holy Spirit speaking to our heart  This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. Hebrews 8:10

·         The Prophetic (Word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom, Personal Prophecy) Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. I Thessalonians 5:19-21

·         Godly Counsel   For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.  Proverbs 11:14

·         Confirmation  But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’  Matthew 18:16

·         The Peace of God  Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  Colossians 3:15

·         Circumstance/Timing   After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them and because he was a tentmaker, as they were, he stayed and worked with them.  Acts 18:1-3 (This relationship between Paul, Aquila and Priscilla - which happened as a result of circumstances – became one of the most important strategic partnerships in the book of Acts.)”

(from Craig von Buseck, Ministries Director for CBN.com)

 

So talk to God often. (i.e. Pray) Read His word often. Know His teachings. And let us,  “tune our ears to hear the Master - out of a host of voices blathering for our attention.”