April Newsletter

Timothy Nathaneal, a doulos of Jesus the Christ, a fallen saint, rightly sentenced to life to serve the forsaken in prison, by the Holy Spirit. To all my beloved who are outside or behind the wall. Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree.

‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. His response was a question: ‘Where do you want to go?’

‘I don’t know’, answered Alice. ‘Then’, said the cat, ‘It doesn’t matter’”.

Lewis Carroll, Alice in wonderland

For those who claim to be followers of the living Christ, it does matter! This fork in the road has only two road signs: One reads “Higher Highway” and the other sign reads “Wandering Lower Road”. Many “Christians” wish to take the “Higher Highway”, and avoid being seen on the “Wandering Lower Road”. They end up living somewhere in Wonderland, completely missing the mark of the Bible; lost and looking for the answer to life. There are still things on the lower road we don’t want to give up. We hold onto the flesh and all it desires, fooling ourselves into believing we’re not “that bad”. “I’m not as bad as that guy…Did you see what he did? I didn’t do that!” “And that fellow over there, he thinks he’s fooling us…all that Holy living stuff.”

“I do my best; it’s not perfect---no one is perfect. I’m a good person and God knows this. He understands me. We have an understanding. I pray every night and go to church when I can. Jesus is OK with me.”

The question then is: By whose standard are we judging? What standard are we “OK” or being good?” If we came up with any “way” or any “Jesus” that is outside of the Bible, then this is called idolatry and is not how you will be judged. Not by your way, but by His way. Without Jesus we are not good enough…ever! And with Jesus He has set a way to live. There are only two roads: Heaven or Hell. There is no middle ground. He is NEVER OK with sin. We are called in the Bible “over comers”. Are you an over comer or one of the lost in the church, telling God what is right and wrong. Telling God how it’s OK to live.

“If my people (Christians) who are called by my name (Christians) will humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways (path, road), then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14

Can someone out there tell me tell me why we think we can call ourselves Christians, go to church, pray and ask of Him and live a testimony that points anywhere but back to Christ? It’s a daily choice to overcome our willful disobedience and act of will to put on the cloth of Holy living.

Grace of Works by Steve Trotz

Is the battle inside, a battle of pride?

He said if we love Him we will obey; if not that we lied,

Denied the gift He laid before us.

A chance and a way to rise from the dust,

Renew the marriage our forefathers discarded.

He died so we could remarry Him into our heart.

Our obedience to Him is how we’re dearly departed.

From the fleshly ways we have lived for years

Tears, fears and the gnashing of teeth,

Don’t you see He gave us a way to walk in peace?

It takes more than accepting His gift;

It takes a change in our walk or again we will slip.

Not a jot or tittle will pass from His Law.

Yes, yes, yes we have flaws and forever we will!

James said “I’ll show you my faith by my works”.

What works are those, the works of grace

But grace is a gift, one side of His face.

The other is works a side we forsake.

Jesus is the Word, the way, the truth and the life.

So if He is the Word where do we draw the line?

Separate ourselves from His law for all of time

Or allow Him to write His law on our hearts,

So to the ends of the earth we can do our part.

Let’s not add to or do away with any of His Word

From Genesis to Revelation it’s all for His good!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Christianity is not a fast food restaurant where you can have it your way!

As all have come to know, I start off my letter, “Timothy Nathaneal a “doulos” of Christ” which means to be a willing slave of Christ. I have chosen that road that I will travel. I know the cost and have willingly submitted to my King’s demands. As I walk down this path, He shows me how He wishes for me to live. The Bible is my road map. The blessing comes from obedience. Peace comes from obedience. My calling is formed in obedience to His way.

In describing how Christians should live, Paul often resorts to character metaphors. Besides my ‘doulos’, I have come up with 14 others that we can look at. Christians are to be like:

· Soldiers…2 Timothy 2:3…Like a single-minded soldier. We should respond to the orders of our commanding officer, the Lord Jesus, with unquestioning obedience.

· Farmers…2 Timothy 2:6…Farmers labor strenuously and consistently in order to reap a fruit harvest. We also must work hard in serving the Lord.

· Athletes…2 Timothy 2:5…Athletes follow strict training rules so as to avoid being disqualified from their race; we must display a similar measure of self-control.

· Workers…2 Timothy 2:15…Our w0rk is to “rightly divide” or correctly handle God’s word so as to avoid shame.

· Vessels…2Timothy 2:20, 21…We must take care to keep ourselves pure, like a clean dish, so that we will be “’useful for the Master”.

· Fishers (Phishers) of Men…Matthew 4:19…As fishermen, we are called to “catch” men with the Good News of Christ.

· Salt…Matthew 5:13…As salt, we act as a godly preservative in an evil society; more over, we make people thirsty to know their Creator.

· Light…Matthew 5:14-16…As light, we point the way to reconciliation with God, as we reflect God’s character, for He is light (John 1:7).

· Branches…John 15:5…As branches, we bear godly fruit as long as we are attached to the vine, Christ.

· Stewards…I Corinthians 4:1, 2…Like Administrators, we have responsibilities to manage. God will evaluate how we handle the resources He has given us.

· Ambassadors…2 Corinthians 5:20…We are representatives of God’s kingdom to the lost citizens of this world.

· Living Stones…I Peter 2:5…In former days, God dwelt in a physical temple; now He dwells in His people, the Church.

· Priests…I Peter 2:5, 9, 10…Like priests, we have the privilege of approaching near to God, and responsibility of helping others in reconciling themselves to Him.

· Sojourners…I Peter 2:11…As children of God, we do not belong to the world. This world is not our home; we are only “Passing through”.

“One day a Christian came to a fork in the road and saw The One who hung on that tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ Christian asked. ‘Where are you going’? ‘I’m going to live with Jesus’, Christian answered. ‘Then, it doesn’t matter. I am the way, the truth and the life. In my Father’s house are many mansions and no one comes to the Father except through Me’.

Go take the Higher Highway; it’s through the narrow gate. If you love me, keep my commandments and I will pray to the Father and He will give you another Helper---said Jesus.

So, it’s your choice; a cat that is here one moment and gone the next, or Jesus who will never leave you or forsake you.

As for me, I Timothy Nathanael, a doulos of Christ, pray that He will show me a clear path, the light out of this world; the great apostasy.

“The way of the world is self seeking and self shielding. “Spare thyself” is the sum of its philosophy. But the doctrine of Christ is not “save thyself” but “sacrifice thyself”. There is no such thing as belonging to Christ and living to please self. Make no mistake on that point.” A.W. Pink The Cross and Self.

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die…because only the man who is dead to his own will can follow Christ. In fact, every command of Jesus is a call to die, with all our affections and lusts.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer