Heart Tracks - Two Horizon's

      Horizon's play quite a role in much of the popular literature and cinema both past and present.  Tales abound of pioneers on both land and sea, who, after long travel, scan the horizon in hope of seeing the destination long sought, and the joy is overwhelming when that which is sought is seen, even if only in a very small part.  Yet hopeless despair is the result when there seems to be nothing on the horizon.  The reality is that there is something awaiting them, but the question that lingers is, what?   All of us, whether we are looking or not, searching or not, are moving towards our own particular horizon, and in matters of eternity, of the soul, there are only two, and everything depends upon which one of the two we are heading towards.

     T. Austin-Sparks said that "Death, spiritual death is Satan's horizon.  Resurrection is God's horizon in Christ.  Resurrection is the answer to death in all of its forms."  So, for you and I, it comes down to, whether we want to believe it or not, that all of us are heading towards one of the two horizon's.  Which is your and mine?  This is a question that must be asked not only as concerns our eternal destination, but our day to day one as well.  Sparks said that "Outside of God, there is no power in the universe so great as death."  Whose power prevails in our lives?  In the day by day, moment by moment working of our lives, what is prevailing, life, His life, or death, the enemy's  death?      In Paul's great prayer in Ephesians 1 :18-20, he says, "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of the inheritance of His saints and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe."  This inheritance comes to us Paul writes through the resurrection of Christ, and through our believing, receiving, and entering into that very life ourselves.  It's not just a mental agreement and belief, but a true entering into the resurrection life of Christ Himself.  It is a life that the Father places before us, the horizon that He has for us, and it is not a horizon we must labor to reach, but is ours, our inheritance, in and through Christ.  Sparks says that it is when you and I begin to "see" with the eyes of our heart that inheritance come into view, that the devil will rise up and seek to do all he can to thwart our entering into it.  If he cannot prevent a soul from coming to and receiving Christ in the first place, then he will gleefully devote his time to preventing that soul from ever knowing the fullness of life that is offered him, that is his inheritance in Christ.  That inheritance is meant for us not just in the future, but now.  Life, full, free, abundant, the very life of Christ Himself, is ours now.  Death has for us no sting or victory.  Not now, not ever.  Not for those whose horizon is Christ.
      Today, and every day, we journey towards the horizon.  The horizon of the Father, or the horizon of the enemy.  Which one is yours?  Which inheritance, the Father's , or the enemy's, is yours?  What works in us today?  The Father's life, or the enemy's death?  These questions cannot go unanswered.  How do we answer?

Blessings,

Pastor O