Weekly Thoughts

12/2/06 – Angst and Fear of Future

Hi all,

During this time of year I turn my thoughts inward in an annual end-of-the-year sizing up of where I am spiritually, emotionally, and physically that continues into the early part of the new year.

However, I do not turn introspective without constantly balancing those inward thoughts with the realities of what I have in Christ, and that balance brings me to this week's "Thoughts".

So much of the Christian population is filled with angst that is disproportionate to the riches we have in Christ. Healthy self-examination is good for the soul, but only when each dark discovery in our inner man is brought to the light of the cross and power of God.

The word 'angst' is a Dutch/German word that means severe emotional turmoil and strife, and it would seem that many Christians are in just such a state about their 'condition'.

Let me say that because we as Christians have a unique insight into the plight of the soul of man due to our walk with Christ and the Father, we should be 'specialists' in the spiritual and emotional conditions of mankind, thus a variety of Christian teachings and remedies are needed (and out there).

However, we are partakers of the light and the glory and as such, should reflect this Life first in us and then out to our world. My thoughts this week therefore go to those Christians who, instead of being Christ focused, are instead inwardly focused on themselves.

It seems there are Christian conferences and courses and retreats and conventions for every problem under the sun - from those who were abused while young to those with a poor self image to those wanting to "activate" some gift to eating disorders to marriage (or single) events - and overcoming all issues with God.

Many of them cover up the real issues with flowery religious sounding language that requires a person to be 'on the inside' to know what they are talking about and relegating those on the outside to be less informed or experienced in these matters...thus setting up an arrogance within certain circles or streams in Christianity. 

I applaud the efforts to make people whole, even if some movements are a bit off balance, their heart is right for the most part, but to gauge whether we are in balance as a larger body I start thinking about what is missing in these topics.

I listen to sermon topics on TV and in the local church scene, and I see similar issues raised, (but a lot about money as well).

I've come away thinking that the body of Christ is entirely too focused on itself when in fact we have been given the riches of all spiritual blessings in the heavenly places (Eph 1:3; 2:6).

How is it we can see the riches of Christ and turn away not convinced that provision is far greater than any issue(s) we may have? (Do we actually have a revelation about what we have?)

Where are sermons and conferences and retreats on becoming more Christ like? Where are the topics that teach people how to apply ungodly thoughts and emotions to the Word of God and see those ungodly thoughts and emotions submit to the power of God? Where are the messages that discuss sin and temptation with practical talk about living (as much as possible) sin free in a sin filled world?

Where are the sermons that tell the truth - in this world we will have trouble - it's a fact of life, but rejoice for Jesus has overcome the world. Why is it we seem to have a rapture mentality when instead we read Psalm 23 that says the Lord will walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death - not rapture us out, or lay hands on us to make it all go away or take us back in time when we first entered the valley to picture Jesus (now) with us?

He walks with us through the valley, showing us pitfalls to avoid along the way, and using the valley to grow us into more Christ-like character.

Why does everyone want the easy 'microwave approach' to Christianity - cast it out, lay hands on me, prophesy over me - "and I'll have my breakthrough" mentality?

Again...there are legitimate and much needed conventions and teachings and such about all these things, but my "thoughts" are a call for balance, and to open our eyes to the riches of Life in Christ, and a call to be consumed with that!

I could go down a list of things within myself that I don't like about myself. For instance, though I'm now 48 1/2 years old, I still struggle with my emotions concerning my dad who left my mom and us 4 kids when I was 11 1/2 years old. I still long for a relationship with him that I know I will never have. (at least on this side). 37 years have passed but I still miss him.

I still love food way too much - dark chocolate in particular, but large portions in general. 

I have trouble disciplining myself to walk the 5 miles a day I did when it was sunny and warm at 7am - now it's dark and cold at 7am. My body says stay inside and I don't have the backbone to tell it to shut up and take it for a walk in the cold and dark anyway.

Those are just a couple things, but there are deeper things - not a lingering secret life or anything like that, just stuff that I don't like about myself and I feel needs to be dealt with, some of them on a daily basis.

Here's the thing, I take these issues into prayer before the Father. I don't seek some conference or someone to lay hands on me for a quick fix to these issues. I know I have to walk them out daily, finding my salvation daily - surprise- I'm a human being living in enemy territory!

Years ago I discovered a secret to not sinning - when a temptation would come I immediately switched my mind to scan down inside of me and sense the presence of God there - and having done that I would state to myself and the tempter; "Why should I give up the sweet fellowship with the Father and grieve my spirit and the Holy Spirit within for a passing moment of sin?"

When I did that I became focused on the Father and the joy of knowing Him and Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and the temptation faded away. What once loomed large enough to fill my whole field of vision, suddenly shrank into a meaningless pebble along the roadside of life I casually stepped over on my way on the highway of holiness. My goal became being consumed with the Fellowship of God.

In the same way, I take my shortcomings and character issues and flaws to the reality of Paul's words and experience in Philippians 3:8-11 (Living Bible):

"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, I have put aside all else, counting it worth less than nothing, in order that I can have Christ. And become one with Him...Now I have given up everything else - I have found it to be the only way to really know Christ and to experience the mighty power that brought Him back to life again, and to find out what it means to suffer and to die with Him. So, whatever it takes, I will be one who lives in the fresh newness of life..."

Whatever it takes, I will live in life. I get my attention off myself and instead onto the Father and Jesus.

My wife and I once had a friend who had some serious heart and hormonal problems, so much so that her heart actually shrunk in size and she was very weak and sickly. Every time we talked she would go on about what scientific fact about her condition she discovered - what hormone did this, what food helped the condition, what food hurt the condition - or any other fact.

She bought various health food items, natural vitamins and such to take, yet only grew worse.

She was thinking she could help God if she could discover key ingredients of her condition and then she could pray and believe more effectively.

Our counsel, as I gave her a teaching series I have called 'Healing School', was to focus on what Christ has done for her, how she was healed by the whipping Jesus took for her infirmity...to turn away from herself and instead turn to and cling to the work of Jesus, and Him personally. To concentrate on knowing Him rather than on the problem.

She took our counsel, and over the  course of a few month she grew stronger in every way. Today she holds down a full time job and her own household. She is still aware of the physical elements to what was killing her, but she remains focused on God instead of herself.

I've seen people with various issues do the same thing our friend did: focus on themselves instead on the magnificence of knowing Jesus and the Father.

And that brings me to a startling conclusion; our churches aren't giving people a genuine revelation and experience with God. We turn away from the riches of Christ, seeking the latest remedy put forth to us as the Great Key to Life, because we (as a larger body of Christ) have never actually experienced the revelation of God and Who He is!

We enter his gates with Thanksgiving and into his courts with praise, but then it's time to receive the morning offering so we stop in the outer court. Worse than that, outside a Sunday morning service we do not set up a time for 1 on 1 time with the Lord in our own homes, where there is no chance of interruption, that we might go deeper in the Spirit, to come before the throne itself and receive a touch with our Father!

The apostle Paul was so overcome with the reality of Christ that he said everything else he had in life was like a pile of manure. The revelation of the reality of God makes this world and our own issues pale in comparison. Our life in Christ is the answer - yes we need classes and seminars on how to apply Life so that we may overcome issues - but if we have these courses and seminars without the revelation of Life then we are just teaching empty academic truths.

It is a sad truth that I've observed people willing to spend thousands of dollars going to this meeting or that, when for free they could discipline themselves in their own living room and learn how to worship, how to enter into 'the Spirit', how to come before the throne and receive wonderful revelations straight from the throne - but these things are not busy-ness, not glamorous nor spectacular - you only need a quiet room and the discipline to worship from your innermost being.

You will find that most of your miracles will come as a by-product of your intimacy with the Lord.

My thoughts this week, this first week of December as I enter into a personal season of examination, is that as I examine myself I will also spend an equal amount of time before the Father, receiving revelation of his majesty and glory, for therein are revealed the keys to walking out this Life in Christ in the midst of a lost world.

 

Some thoughts this week,

Blessings,
John Fenn
cwowi.org