I believe this is part of what is meant when said “Walk in Christ” or Walk in the Spirit”.  Knowing who we are and, knowing the word of God as well as whom our advocate is, is foundational.  So who are we?  If you have believed in Christ as your savior you are saved, and Christ is in you.  Saved, sanctified and covered by His blood.  He died for our sins!  Look at what it says in Romans 6: 5-11.

If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6.For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin–7.because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9.For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.10.The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11. in the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  

There it is!  A description of what Christ did for us and what we can claim to be true according to His word we are dead to sin but alive to Christ Jesus!!!  Hallelujah!!!  What is on my heart to say are two things.  One, when the seductive spirits come around we have the word of God to use.  We just need to speak it out!  “Satan away from me! I am dead to sin and your ways and alive to Christ Jesus who is in me!  Watch him run!!! Hallelujah!!!  

The other thing I want to encourage you with is our confession.  I used to be an alcoholic and attended alcoholics anonymous and in those meetings if you were going to speak you started by saying “Hi, my name is Matt and I’m and alcoholic”.  Every time I said that ,I made this confession that I was still in bondage to alcohol,  and the truth is I was delivered from alcohol before I attended the meetings.  I was in the meetings because of a court order but God had already delivered me!   I don’t make that confession anymore.  My confession is that I’m saved, set free, sanctified, delivered, and covered by the blood of Jesus Christ!

So I encourage you.  We don’t have to make it our confession that we struggle in this area of lusts, or giving into those seductive spirits.  We are dead to it, and that needs to be our confession!  Not because I say so but because of what Christ did for you and me!  Give Him glory, walk in what he has done for us ,and make that our confession, Amen! 

I know there are many more scriptures to confirm what is being said here.  Dig into the word and ask God to confirm and reveal His word of truth to you.  He will be faithful!

Glory to God!

6. Thus he (Potiphar) left all that he had in Joseph’s hand, and he did not know what he had except for the bread which he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.  7. And it came to pass after these things that his master’s wife cast longing eyes on Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.”  8.But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has committed all that he has to my hand.  9.There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife. How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?”  10. So it was, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not heed her, to lie with her or to be with her. 11. But it happened about this time, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, 12.that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside

Men, we are faced daily with sensuous, seductive, and lustful spirits that tempt us to look, entertain, or in some cases act in ungodly ways giving in to these spirits.  Every time you turn on the TV or even the internet there are pictures of half dressed women in seductive ads.  Even greater is the ability to click on the right web page and get all you want to see!  The enemy knows this is a great weakness among men and leads the charge to put it in front of us. 

Men we have to be Joseph when these temptations come upon us!  We must flee and run as he did!  Joseph was a man of God.  Are we men of God?  Jesus says in Matthew 5:27-28 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 

Easton’s bible dictionary defines adultery as: Conjugal infidelity or marital infidelity.  Who is it that we commit adultery or marital infidelity against?  We commit this adultery against the Lord and if we are married against our wives.  We’ve all seen, or maybe even experienced the destruction that takes place when adulterous relationships occur.  But how many of us take the “looking at a woman in lustful ways” as Jesus says, as serious as the act in itself? Jesus is saying if we lust for her with our eyes we have had marital infidelity with her in our heart.  These are strong words of warning from the Lord.

1Corinthians 6: 17-19.But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18. Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19.Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Now, be encouraged men!  I underlined the Holy Spirit who is in you above because this is truth we must walk in. The Holy Spirit is in us! When the lustful temptation comes, or begins to come, the Holy Spirit will be there to warn us and we need to listen and be obedient!  Another truth we must remember is in Colossians 2:6 As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, Galatians 5:16 says I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh(my emphasis on the words “shall not”). Men, have we received Christ as our Lord?  If so than these truths exist in us and we can freely walk in them.

The reality is that some of us may fall, I have, and the enemy wants to condemn us for this and cause us to live under condemnation.  If we fall as the word says we must confess our sins before God.  Go to Him immediately and repent, and remember “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,* who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

So brothers, Walk in Christ Jesus, Walk in the Holy Spirit, and follow Joseph’s example, FLEE AND RUN!

Essential elements of today’s code of chivalry

There was no such thing as a “uniform” code of chivalry in the Middle Ages. Many people — from successful knights to contemplative philosophers — compiled lists of virtuous qualities, called the “knightly virtues,” which they felt defined chivalry. No two were exactly the same.

There were, however, several common themes found in these lists of knightly virtues. By combining these, we have created what we consider to be the seven knightly virtues of the modern code of chivalry:

Courage

More than bravado or bluster, today’s knight in shining armor must have the courage of the heart necessary to undertake tasks which are difficult, tedious or unglamorous, and to graciously accept the sacrifices involved.

Justice

A knight in shining armor holds him- or herself to the highest standard of behavior, and knows that “fudging” on the little rules weakens the fabric of society for everyone.

Mercy

Words and attitudes can be painful weapons in the modern world, which is why a knight in shining armor exercises mercy in his or her dealings with others, creating a sense of peace and community, rather than engendering hostility and antagonism.

Generosity

Sharing what’s valuable in life means not just giving away material goods, but also time, attention, wisdom and energy — the things that create a strong, rich and diverse community.

Faith

In the code of chivalry, “faith” means trust and integrity, and a knight in shining armor is always faithful to his or her promises, no matter how big or small they may be.

Nobility

Although this word is sometimes confused with “entitlement” or “snobbishness,” in the code of chivalry it conveys the importance of upholding one’s convictions at all times, especially when no one else is watching.

Hope

More than just a safety net in times of tragedy, hope is present every day in a modern knight’s positive outlook and cheerful demeanor — the shining armor that shields him or her, and inspires people all around.

Each of these concepts is important in itself, and every one of these virtues is an admirable quality, but when all of them blend together in one person, we discover the value, and power, of chivalry today. Modern-day knights should strive to keep these virtues alive in their own hearts, but, perhaps more importantly, they should work to bring these wonderful qualities out in the people they see every day — at home, in the office, at school or on the street corner. A person who lives
by the code of chivalry in today’s world allows everyone to see their best qualities reflected in his or her shining armor.

But we really must consider how we got there in the first place because if we don’t, then we will make those same mistakes.

One of the common causes of financial hardship is poor financial stewardship. People spend more money than they have to buy stuff they don’t need, and then, they can’t pay it back. If you look back over your financial history and see a pattern of excessive spending and buying on credit with no income to pay it back - you might just have a problem.

You may think one of the great aspects of wealth is how much money you have. It’s not. The great aspect of wealth is how you use money. You may have heard if you take money from a rich person, he’ll be poor, but if you take money from a wealthy person, he’ll just make more. But consider this. If you give money to a rich person, he’ll spend it. He’ll have more stuff and the same amount of money. If you give money to a wealthy person, he will figure out how to invest it to make more money.

Stewardship is the key. You cannot put money into the hands of someone whose habit is to spend it without first developing the habit for good stewardship.

The Great Society was a government program that was supposed to take our poorest neighborhoods, tear down the old, run down houses, and replace them with new homes. The thought was that if these poor people had nicer homes and something to be proud of, they would take better care of them and property values would rise. What happened was the opposite. Within a few years, the new homes were in the same shape as the ones they replaced. Why? Because money was poured into giving people who had no idea of stewardship something to which the had to be good stewards of.

If you cannot be a good steward, you will never be able to maintain wealth, a home, a relationship, or anything else.

John 1:14

So the Word became flesh and lived here on earth among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his Glory, the Glory of the only Son of the Father.

I remember back to when I was 9 yrs old back in Puerto Rico seeing my Dad every morning at the kitchen table with his cup of coffee and what to me seemed like the world’s largest black leather Bible.

I also remember the great sense of peace it gave me to see my Father reading that book. Just a couple of years prior, my Father was a different man and, to his own acknowledgment, had destroyed his marriage to my mother. Yet that book brought about a drastic change in him. He became a new Man.

Now at 35, whenever I speak of my father I refer to him as with book and without. In my own life I purposely put myself in places where my daughter can see me sitting with that Book and hope she sees what I saw in my Father. She will only ever know me as Papa with book.

I am well aware of the man I am apart from this book. Call me Old fashioned, but I carry it with me wherever I go. I make room for Christ to speak to me whenever and wherever he chooses. I want all that he has for me!

God’s instruction to Joshua is the same for us meditate on it day and night and then it will make your way successful!

Ecclesiastes 10:10

since a dull ax requires great strength sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.

Ever felt like a hamster on a wheel in someone’s cage? Life can be like that. You run harder and faster and yet it seems like you’re going nowhere. Perhaps at some time you’ve been afforded an opportunity and in your heart of hearts you see yourself failing because the task at hand far exceeds your capacity.

Thank God for teachers, instructors, coaches, and, most of all, pastors. It’s amazing to me how often we devalue such great gifts. Ephesians refers to them as such. Here is someone whose role and purposes is to watch over, instruct, and care for us. So that we grow to become fruitful and productive in every area of life for the benefit of the kingdom.

Yet so many times I have seen people handcuff this relationship and not give access to them as to hurt themselves and their families.

Our western independent upbringing handicaps us from the full counsel of God’s divine order.

CLC has a great Pastor and I consider myself blessed!

Now to most people, that means nothing, and even to myself it is a distant event 1400 miles away, but let me tell you about this forgotten man.

Irving was he brother of my Grandmother, and married Aunty Agnes. My wife and I learned a little about these two when we were invited to dinner at their house once about 7 years ago, and I regret it was the only real conversation we had with them. We rang the doorbell and she answered the door, a lovely hostess, the perfect Jewish/ Italian grandma, pinching cheeks and filling stomachs. Walking into the house it was hard not to laugh; they were in their seventies I think, yet all I can recall is the white sofas and the red heart shaped cushions all over the place- they were still very much in love, and they talked about Jesus constantly.

Agnes told us of how they married right before Irv was sent to the Pacific during world war II, she described with absolute sincerity and emotion the terror of their wedding night, as she was a virgin and had never slept with a man. Tiffany and I laughed at her stories and she did too, a bit, but you could tell she was genuine.

Irving was sent off to war, and in that war experienced some of the most horrific things a man can face. He was one of the marines who invaded the Japanese mainland of Okinawa. He never told us the story, but I have been told that as he and his fellow corpsman lived in a land knee deep in swamp water he fell ill with malaria and was sent to the sick tent to be sick, and probably die. That week, the Japanese air force strafed heir camp, and Japanese soldiers attacked, killing and bayoneting all in the area. Uncle Irv lay in his cot, eyes wide open, feigning death, while the enemy drove their weapons through all those around him. He survived, but from that day forward his hair lost all of its pigment and turned white.

He was the sweetest man you would ever meet, and Aunt Agnes was always under his arm. I didn’t know him well, but he was always happy to see me at family functions, and Aunt Aggie’s love was so sickening you couldn’t resist it. It was that type of family love that you just want to run from because it is so stereotypical, but you just got sucked into it because it was real.

2 years ago aunt Aggie succumbed to cancer, shortly afterwards Uncle Irv became a recluse. He would not allow family members to visit. 2 months ago he was taken from his house by force and placed into a nursing home. The people who dragged him away said that he had not bathed for 2 years, and had never seen a house in such bad shape. Now he is dead. As a memento I have the Marine Bible he carried on Okinawa.

I worked today on a gas rig out here in Wyoming and just stared in awe at the 12 men I was with, lifting 5 tons of steel at a time with cranes, bleeding off gas reserves 2 miles below us with steel, diesel, and our hands, and I realized everyone of these masters of the earth would be dead one day.

My roommate has been out for 36 hours straight, in a valley between the Wind river and Wyoming ranges, burning off 1000 gallons of propane a night to keep water warm. Me and him were out 2 nights ago when a sudden gust blew down our burner box and spewed flames across his upper body. He is OK and as all guys do we laughed and thought he was a man, but he’ll be dead too someday.

I talked to a friend tonight and learned that another man we know, who is a pilot, can’t make ends meet here in the US, so he is going to fly supplies as a contractor in Afghanistan, he gets combat experience, gets to carry an M16 and in all of this, he will be dead too one day.

I take a break from writing this, step out into the cold Wyoming night outside of my cabin in the Rockies, grab my tobacco and stand outside, staring at God’s Milky Way. I stand. The coyotes are all around howling and I stand. Large hoofs walk past me in the dark, is it elk, is it moose, and I stand. This is all wonderful, and I will be dead too one day.

In generations to come most of us will be forgotten, whether we like it or not. Yes, a few will have a remembered name in some books, but for the most part we will not be remembered. We all have dreams of greatness of course, Uncle Irv as a Marine in WWII, My father as a fighter pilot, these men on drilling rigs, even George White field. But the greatest accomplishment anyone of us can have is to know Jesus. I leave you with one sincere question to contemplate on for 5 minutes:

Are you content with simply knowing Jesus?

When I reflect on my answer I am ashamed. I have been called a good man, a strong man, a leader, even a proudly defiant heretic at times. But what about throwing away my manhood, leadership, and my convictions. Am I content with Christ.

Please dwell upon this for a day. Is your personal relationship with God more important than winning souls for him? Is truly having intimate communion with Jesus more important than your church, your family, your ability to move hearts?

It is because by man’s transgressions it is made subject unto vanity “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope.” All things are properly diversions from God, from the living God, and there is not a dumb beast, but it is for man’s sake plagued of him, and so made subject unto vanity. – William Guthrie

http://www.truecovenanter.com/guthrie/guth02.html#back1

1 Corinthians 4:20

For the Kingdom of God is not just fancy talk; it is living by God’s power.

Growing up in Chicago during the Michael Jordan Era, I learned a valuable lesson. I was one who played basketball daily, and in the neighborhood I lived, competition was staunch. When you got next, you wanted to win because getting back on the court was not guaranteed. So you tried to pick guys that you know could ball so you could hold the court.

Occasionally it would happen that you’d end up picking some guy who looked the part. You know right shoe’s’ shorts wristband, jersey, could talk the game, only to find out later that kid had no game….Bummer.

The Kingdom of God operates the same way. I don’t want to be caught with the guy who has the T.V and radio Program, the bible seminary degree, but not enough power to blow the fuzz off a peach….

Give me the guy who’s gone through some stuff and is still serving Christ.

I remember sitting in a restaurant once with an older gentlemen, and he was sharing with me how his teenage son who was suffering depression years ago committed suicide and how it forever changed him. He had disciplined his son and sent him to his room only to find him later strangled. It drove him to Christ. Now when he spoke of Christ his mercy and Grace, there was a sense of the Holy Ghost that could convert the hardest of hearts. He came through not bitter but better. That’s the Kingdom I know

Mark 16:20

and the disciples went everywhere and preached and the Lord worked with them, confirming what they said by many miraculous signs.

What a thought! That the Lord of all,would be supporting and backing your efforts. Why? Simply because you put yourself in a position to preach this gospel. They did not wait for a sign in order to begin preaching( Heralding/ proclaiming), but instead they opened their mouths to share and the signs followed.

Have you ever asked yourself why signs don’t manifest in your life? What is coming out of your mouth? Not only in Church or around other Christians for you see it says they went everywhere and preached. In other words their confession was consistent. Not blab and grab! The thought being that what is in you will come out of you!

2009 will be the greatest year of my life to date.

Since October 1, that has been my confession. I am determined to preach everywhere and anywhere. So that it will be said of me the Lord is working with him!

Isaiah 11: 1

Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot- yes’ a new branch bearing fruit from the old root.

I heard the most incredible testimony the other day. A survivor of the senseless atrocity that took place in Rwanda! This women had seen her husband and children killed by a man who had been a neighbor for many years. Now found her self having to move forward and rebuild her life.

She stated that she saw no other way to move forward then through the wonder working power of restoration in forgiveness that she received from her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She organized a Community dinner. Well aware that there would be people from both sides of the spectrum there.

She set the example by forgiving and eating with the man who had taken her family.

How often I have seen Christ take a root that someone would call hopeless dead and worthless and spring forth something all together wonderful.

No matter how bad it seems or how hopeless, Make room for Christ and see the salvation of our Lord!