Most people would say I am a fairly consistent person, yet I have stumbled in so many past endeavors that I'd rather put myself in the hall of shame, although I do admit I have learned quite a bit from past errors.
It is however with amazement, that I look at the days and months and years that have gone by since The Lord turned my life around and set me on the path to ministry, to full time Ministry, to be more specific, and this amazement, become yet astounding, as I realized that I am still doing it, that I am holding strong.
Now, we must clearly understand that the reasons why an unbalanced, insecure and unstable guy like me has lasted so long running on the same track, has really nothing to do with me, furthermore, I suffer the fact that I counsel and Minister to so many fellow Christians young and old, who consistently fail to remain faithful, who consistently get sidetracked, distracted, and who often even backslide.
And I am not ignorant of the reasons why these fall backs are so frequent.
For I have lived through struggles, and temptations, and distractions, which constantly lure around us seeking to gain access to the control room of our souls, seeking to set us on a direct path to hell.
And I try hard to teach my friends, and fellow Christians and Disciples, that our struggles are not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12) that our efforts to survive the attacks of the flesh and the world and the demonic forces of the realm of darkness are futile, that it is impossible to counter the constant waves of deception which come our ways, and that we need no bother wrestling with such a mammoth.
Yet while for us is impossible, for God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26) and it is only through Him that we can endure such attacks, it is only through Him that we can resist and overcome.
James 4:7 says Submit yourself then to the Lord, resist the devil and he will flee from you.
However it isn't only the devil who is trying to get us to derail, it's also our own stubborn, lying self defeating flesh, which cannot stop wanting and desiring and craving and lusting for every little thing that surrounds us, and it is the world, which has learned to appeal to those cravings and desires and lusts of the flesh.
Psychologists call it Instant gratification, and.
To paraphrase the media, "if it feels good, do it".
We are constantly bombarded with such slogans, and our minds have slowly been conditioned, brain washed, to act like robots in the presence of such attractions, it's a proclamation of freedom, which truly keep us all in bondage, enslaved to a society designed to keep us spending, wanting, acting; a society purposed on the eradication of morals, with the only goal of creating new markets, with you as the target subjects, a society which has put a leash around your neck, and which pulls you and toss you one way or the other as it wishes, while it sings jingles into your ears telling you to practice freedom.
And Christians have bought into this façade, and setting aside their Christianity, have opted to modernize their faith, through exercising some of that purported freedom.
So now instead of Sunday school there is Sunday shopping, instead of Friday night Bible study, there is Friday night at the café, instead of modesty and humility, there is modernization, and promiscuity.
Our Lord Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 24:12 that in the Last days, because of the increase of wickedness the love of many will grow cold; He teaches us that many will even abandon the faith.
Yet the Bible teaches us that our faith is too valuable to take for granted, and God Himself has given us endurance.
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
(Romans 15:4) it teaches us, furthermore, that it is God who gives us endurance and encouragement to continue United, agonizing together in the faith, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, building an impenetrable shield to keep the world, and the flesh, and Satan and his demons at bay.
Yet only through fellowship, and constant study and prayer can we gain endurance.
That is why is indispensable that we continue to gather together, study together, pray together, and remain faithful together.
For only those who endure will see the Kingdom of heaven.
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had! (v 5) Rev, Jose A.
Luna A Servant of Christ Jesus