Coffee With The Lord

I told my experienced hiking friend where I wanted to hike… He told me he had been there several times, but said, “the trail is tricky – You’ll need a detailed map.” He recommended the use of a wonderful phone app, “AllTrails”, that showed me the way. It depended upon the experience of several professional and amateur hikers who had done the trail several times. It not only mapped the trail, it also tracked a hikers progress. It had the ability to lead me to the trail head, chart my progress, and lead me back home… What a relief!

Successfully traversing the Christian life is a bit like that! We have a wonderful Savior! He came all the way from heaven to earth, took on humanity, was “tempted in all points like we are,” lived a sinless life, died for our sin and through His resurrection insured, not only our resurrection, but the power to overcome the challenges of living victoriously over sin in this life!

His life becomes a roadmap to heaven – The Holy Spirit becomes our constant guide and help along the way! He knows and has traversed the trail, all the way from heaven to earth and back to heaven again! He knows, and has successfully overcome every earthly challenge we face (including death) and has overcome it on our behalf. He knows the way! His Spirit is there to empower and guide us!

I thought of that this morning as I read Colossians 3:1-11 in my Bible during “coffee with the Lord!” In fact I jotted these words in the margin of my this morning…

“Go with Him all the way! He identified fully with us! He left heaven and came to earth! He walked the human pathway sinlessly, He faced the cross and conquered the grave! He ascended back to heaven and will one day return to take us there with Him! Go all the way with Him… all the way!!!

Here’s the way Colossians 3:1-11 puts it…

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds 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 also will appear with him in glory! Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature [then it lists a bunch of things people struggle with here on earth that were a part of their old sinful life]… You have taken off your old self with these practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator! Here… Christ is all, and is in all!”

All the way with Jesus, our Savior and Guide… He showed us the way! I’m determined to follow Him and depend on the Holy Spirit to help me! Hey, He knows the way!

A free solo rock climber is climbing a challenging rock face… he slips and falls… Fortunately he lands precariously on a treacherous narrow ledge… The climber cannot go up, and to try to go down means certain death. His only hope is rescue! Those who have observed his climb urgently summon help and a helicopter arrives! What can they do to rescue him? What must the climber do for his life to be saved?

The instructions are given from high up in the helicopter … if the climber follows them explicitly he is saved! …No argument, no debate, no bargaining – simple, direct, explicit obedience is required!!!

Salvation from sin and its deadly eternal consequences works much the same way! This morning I read a passage that precisely makes that point…

“Look on my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law. Defend my cause and redeem me! Preserve my life according to your promise. Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees. Your compassion, Lord, is great; preserve my life according to your laws.” (Psalm 119:153–156 NIV)

The consequences of sin are painful, deadly, and eternal! People are trapped and bound! They cannot save themselves! The only hope is Divine rescue – God’s provision and rescue through Christ! God sent His only Son to rescue them through what He accomplished on their behalf through the cross. The provision is there – the rescue is available! But it requires faith and obedience – confession [acknowledgement] of sin, repentance [turning from the sin to Christ} and explicit, complete trust in Christ to save! No argument, no debate, no bargaining! (Romans 10:9-11; 1 John 1:9)

Ever fail the Lord?  Ever stumble and do something that displeases Him… even more than once – repeatedly?

Here’s a wonderful, God-inspired prayer to pray – sincerely!  (Read it this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord.”)…

“Turn to me and have mercy on me, as You always do to those who love your name!  Direct my footsteps according to your word!  Let no sin rule over me!” (From Psalm 119:132-133)

The Lord will hear that prayer!  He will answer it!  He will forgive and restore!!!  If you doubt that, please read 1 John 1:9-10:  “If we confess [acknowledge and ask for forgiveness] our sins, He is FAITHFUL and JUST and WILL FORGIVE US our sins and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.”