Ascenders

 

This week, Michael writes that despite the chaos and the confusion in the world around us, Jesus Christ sits at the right hand of the throne of God to intercede on behalf of Believers who pray in His name according to the will of God. Although death and destruction is all around us, greater is He [Jesus] that is in you than he [the devil] that is in this world. When we cast our care upon Him, He cares for us. As people of faith, God has called us to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ has set us free, not to be entangled in the yoke of the bondage of this world and the Old Testament Law that convicted all mankind of sin and death. The liberty that we have in Christ is in the Spirit of Christ in us, the hope of glory to love God above all, and to serve one another from a heart of love.

As the old hymn of Martin Luther says, “did we in our own strength confide, our battle would be losing, were not the right man on our side, the man of God’s own choosing. Doth ask whom that may be? Christ Jesus it is he... and he must win the battle. To scale the highest mountain peaks, mountain climbers need to be prepared. They have to have the right equipment and safety lines. They need to bring their own oxygen and weather conditions need to be favorable. Climbers are connected to a safety line by devices called “ascenders” that allow them to ascend but not retreat. If they slip and lose their footing the ascender will keep them from falling. They ascend together with a team of climbers. The analogy of mountain climbing is an example of the Christian walk ... of each individual pilgrim’s progress upon the pilgrimage of this earthly life. 

 

Hebrews 10:23 says, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”. God is faithful to His word. The origin of the Aramaic word “Amen” means, “God said it ... so shall it be done.” Regardless of circumstances, situations, and the unbelief of mankind, God’s Word shall come to pass. Why? Because God honors the integrity of His Word. Jesus said, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” Jesus Christ is the Word of God made manifest ... He said, “I always do my Father’s will.” The Word of God is the Will of God. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ is to be a disciplined follower of the Word of God. The next verse in Hebrews 10 says, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:”. The team of mountain climbers cannot ascend to the peak unless they climb together and encourage one another. Hebrews 10:25 says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

Jesus Christ is our lifeline. What happens if we get disconnected from the line? Without the support of our brothers and sisters in Christ, the devil will have his way with us. His purpose is to steal, to kill and to destroy. Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for he hath not another to help him up.” That is why Jude 1:21 says, maintain yourselves in the love of God. One wife complained to her pastor, “My husband just pushes all of my buttons.” His response: “Just get rid of your buttons.” The old saying goes: there is nothing wrong with my spouse that God can’t fix in me. The love of God thinks no evil. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs done. It gives others grace and mercy from the heart of the love of God. The Apostle Paul said in Romans 13:8, “owe no man anything but to love one another, for he that loveth another fulfills the law.” 

 

Jude 1:23 says, Save others by snatching them out of the fire. The late Pastor Chuck Smith said, God will deliver us through the fire, in the fire, or by the fire. The fire of tribulation and trials reveal God’s character in us. For tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience (proven character), and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us. Jesus Christ is our lifeline who keeps us from falling. Therefore, give diligence with urgency to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things you shall never fall. What are these things? According to 1 Peter 2, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness the love of God.

It’s easy to become discouraged about current world events and the sins of the world (and our own hearts) that so easily beset us. However, to run with patience and press toward the mark of the upward calling of God in Christ Jesus, we ascend to new heights as we pursue our Lord along with others who chase after Christ. Jude 1:24 says, Now unto him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless in the presence of his glory with exceeding joy... to the only wise God be glory and majesty and honor and glory both now and forever that we may as ascenders live to the praise of the glory of His grace!  Amen and Amen

Your brother in Christ, Michael