Temptation a force to be harnessed.

Our featured author became a monk in an Augustinian monastery at 19 and died there at age 91. A grand age for anyone, but particularly notable in the 15th century. In life, his days were not especially eventful but Thomas a Kempis lived a deep and rich spiritual life. He is best known for his editing of Gerhard Groote's diary The Imitation of Christ.

Our topic this week looks at the temptations in our life. His opening comment is "our life on earth is warfare" acknowledging Job, but establishing a lens through which he wishes to offer as a framework. I really love this because it is a perspective that is not often preached these days but is so valid. We do have an enemy who is out kill and destroy us, but in a corporate sense we largely ignore that fact. It comes back to ourselves at the simplest level. The lowest common denominator in God's army is the individual and how you and I walk our lives. Thomas acknowledges that no one is so holy that they do not have to deal with temptation. His question is, is  that a bad thing? He suggests not!

The lowest private in this army to the greatest general will be beset with temptation it will probably be different but it is still there. Is this bad .......not necessarily, but it is painful and difficult ..................... probably. This temptation can teach us, it can cleanse us and it will humble us! This is all part of the journey as we fight against our inborn "fallen nature" in the journey towards becoming more like Jesus Christ.

Our temptations reveal who we are whether we like it or not. They reveal the lack of stability in our thought life and how much or little trust in God. This gives us a reality that is useful if we can harness it to go forward and win our little battles "one day at a time" as the name of this blog series suggests. As one challenge is overcome another will take its place, but you are stronger and smarter each time. As you win and the things that were your weaknesses now become your strengths. Your liabilities now become your opportunities to take ground for the Kingdom of God.

In an age where ease is sort after...........anything that is faster, is easier, or  saves time.  In our instant world Thomas's type of thinking is not popular truth. Thomas would suggest as you and I withdraw from the world and overcome the lower delights of worldly things the more spiritual consolation you will be given. I was  talking to a person I know, when he said something quite profound to me and a few others. He said this is part of our problem is that we talk  of be made of body, soul and spirit and that is the way think and do life. In reality we need to look at this as Spirit, soul and body because what we put first is most important. We will not live eternally as body or soul ................................we will be spirit. We must begin to operate eternally!! In the spirit!!

From this we can see that temptation is to allow us to bring our body and soul under the authority of the spirit. That is the only way to win the war is to be in the spirit as Paul urges  us. We do not war against flesh and blood, but (spiritual) principalities and powers. If we stay with body and soul, we tie our hands behind our back and expect to win against temptation. Paul urges us to do what? Pray in the spirit at all times. We must start to operate as spiritual being. I have strayed a distance from what Thomas a Kempis wrote. but I believe this is key if we wish to survive the battleground we are on, let alone win on it. We must untie our hands and fight as God intended in the spirit, and with HIS Spirit. 

Temptation as Thomas points out is a good indicator of where we are. BUT IT IS NOT THE FINAL WORD! No matter where you are today, you plus the Spirit of God is a majority. You can overcome your besetting temptation with the weapons (Check out Ephesians 6) he has provided and other members of his army who are in the trench next to you. Help is near as your phone ask another brother or sister in your platoon to join you in you struggle.

See you on the battlefront next week!
Paul

 

Who is Benedict - A general for the 21st century?

Monte Cassino today (Rebuilt after WW2)

Benedict of Nursia ( 480-543) is the founder of the first Benedictine monastery between Naples and Rome called Monte Cassino. This weeks reading comes from his famous writing  The Rule. This provides clear, direct and effective disciplines for living a holy life. The Rule was to form the basis of how future Benedictine orders were to run for hundreds of years. The Benedictines still exist today and largely adhere to the principles of The Rule. Such has been the lasting impact of St Benedict.


This particular passage dealt with humility based on the metaphor of "Jacob's Ladder". There are 12 steps to the development of humility.
We each have a call to ascend the ladder of humility based on "he who humbles himself will be exalted." The way of ascending Jacob's ladder is humility.

1. Our first step to humility is reverence to God. Constant reverence as the way to stay away from hell. So let us live in faith with God. Much as Peter walking on water, we must keep our eye upon Jesus and act appropriately. This is so basic, but so overlooked.
2. The second step is doing God's will: As disciples of Jesus Christ this would seem obvious, because as followers of Jesus we would seek to emulate him. Jesus said "I only do what I see the Father do." If we let our "self will" run riot we will be in trouble long term!!
3. The next step  is obedience to others. This is a really interesting concept in the 21st century as we tend too not like the concept of obedience. We value our independence not dependence, we prefer to do our own thinking and decision making, However in a spiritual sense being under authority of those above is essential to being able to utilise all that God has to offer, so this makes perfect sense.To understand authority we must be under authority.
4. Enduring affliction: accepting the hardships of the commandments and enduring with patience the injuries and afflictions that we face. In an age that worships comfort and the easy way this would seem an anathema, quite contrary to our surrounding culture. To a culture that values the fast way, enduring and patience would seem to be over the top. Yet that is what scripture calls us to. 
5. Humility is confession. We are to keep no secrets from to one to whom we confess! Wow that makes a big assumption in this day and age, that we actually have anybody including God that we confess to at all! Confession is not often preached in my experienced and probably less often experienced. Yet to me this is such an important part of the Christian experience, so who actually knows you inside and out? this is a level of intimacy that cannot be developed or experienced any other way. Somebody who knows you and loves you "warts and all". Do you have like that someone in your life? It may be a challenge to think about. We are as authentic as we are transparent!
6. This sixth step is Contentment: Now from a Benedictine perspective he speaks of being content with the meanest and worst of everything. We would have to mindful of our own lowliness, considering ourselves lowly and meek. This is certainly not a particularly 21st century Christian concept. However if we transpose this towards being content and thankful for what we have. I think we are able to utilise something very powerful in our Christian walk releasing the power of thanksgiving in our lives through being content! The next of the six steps are probably more directed at the Benedictine order as a Monk would interpret it, so I have just listed them.
7. Humility through self reproach.
8. Humility through obeying the Common Rule.
9. Humility of Silence - while undoubtedly a spiritual discipline, I feel this is part of the Common Rule in this case.
10. Humility through seriousness
11. Humility through simple speech.
12. Humble through appearance.

The first six of these steps I believe are actually fundamental to our Christian faith, whether popular or not. Developing humility as away of life would bring many things to our faith. Firstly it would make our general Christian walk better on a daily basis. Secondly it would mean as Jesus and Benedict intended that we could effectively function as a community, interdependent not independent. Last and certainly not least from my perspective it would equip the Church for war. Placing us on the warfare footing we so desperately need in the 21st century. As the enemy comes against us we would stand our ground on the outworked truth of God.

And you know what, we would WIN!

Until  next time.

Paul 

Greatness and wretchedness - two sides of the same coin.

Blaise Pascal ( 1623-62) is best remembered for his genius in mathematics. Yet on November 23rd 1654 he had  profound experience with God in a religious community in Port Royal. So profound that he spent the next six years there. He wrote down his rather random thoughts and notions of God.  Upon is early death aged 39 they were collated together in a now famous book Pensees.

Pascal believes God created us for glory, innocence and perfection but because like Adam and Eve we choose to go our own way. We fall into self centredness and independence from God causing us to  fall into pride and lust. Pride causes us to be distant from God and Lust binds us to the carnal things of the earth not heaven. Pascal studied all the religions of his time as he noted how man attempts to meet with God while trying to retain control. His encounter with Jesus led him to see that only through was giving away control and following him. Could we let go of all that held us back ,the pride and the lust? Because we in ourselves can do little of eternal value without the second Adam..... Jesus Christ.

Hence we have this dual capacity to walk in greatness with God and fall into wretchedness in our desire for control and self satisfaction. When we look at ourselves the dual capacity is so close to us. We flip and flop in and out of both of those states in the same day, in the same hour. To me that is what make our journey so amazing, it maybe slow but if we stick at it God, he will work wonders that will make the greatness side stronger and more often as we seek him.

It reminds me of the often quoted scripture Jeremiah 29:11

Jeremiah 29:11-13New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This is the promise of a journey to greatness, But as we add the conditions in scripture in Jeremiah 29:12 and 13, we begin to understand how Pascal saw us overcoming our wretchedness little by little, day by day. Our Father working in small but important miracles in us on a regular basis. This allows you and me to look at our wretchedness at our worst and know there is HOPE! There is always grace to try again!

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

May you find HOPE as you walk your journey this week.

 

And the motive makes all the difference

The are many ways to live a life of virtue these days. You can support good causes; feed the poor, become involved in social justice issues e.g. the sex trade or standing up for the down trodden. They may help many and achieve great things, however in John Calvin's (1509-1564) eyes  unless these are done to the glory and worship of God.......... they are about ego. The spirit of the age, the all present "I". Yes great things can be done, but if in fact it is all about what "I do" how "I feel" then they are of no eternal value.

For Calvin it is not so much what we do as why we do it. If it brings attention and praise to us as its primary then it is vanity. However if we do those same acts out of obedience and with the instruction of the Lord Jesus Christ it is vastly different. We can do all sorts of things in the name of God but it is what is going on our heart that matters. Are we acting in  harmony with the Spirit of God to see his will fulfilled or to make ourselves feel good, valued, important or virtuous.

The enactment of the will of God becomes the essence of our life in line with scripture.

Romans 12:1-2New International Version (NIV)

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Looking at how we do life as an act of worship is both humbling and difficult. It is truly not about us in an eternal paradigm. When you and I can truly grasp that we can at last become effective in the spiritual realm in a way that will truly rattle the gates of hell. 

Until Next time

Paul