Heart Tracks - The Coal Mine

"Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.' " John 11:25....."We were not created to exist and survive. We were created to live and thrive." Erwin McManus

What mode of life defines you today? That of existing and surviving, or living and thriving? To give a clear and honest answer demands that we allow the searching of our hearts and the ways of our lives. I think if we will yield to that searching, the majority will fall into the first category. Our flesh may be offended, but let's dare to examine what the fruit of our lives really is.

How much stress, anxiety, worry and fear exists in you? What amount of energy goes into your concerns about money, relationships, jobs, children, and ministry? Where has "the thief" entered in to destroy whatever inner peace you might know? How many mornings have you met with the attitude, often unspoken or unexpressed, that you just hope to make it through another day? How often do you feel like the hamster spinning on the wheel that goes nowhere?

Back in the 60's there was a great song called "Workin' In A Coal Mine," One of its lyrics went, "Workin' in a coal mine, going down, down, down." The song was about the futility of the singers life, and that lyric can describe the day to day living of so many; "goin' down, down, down." We are existing and surviving, and this is not what Christ came for, died for, and rose for. He came, died, and rose, that we might have life, resurrection life, and have it abundantly. He keeps the sheepfold, but we have allowed the thief, satan, to break into the fold. Christ stands at the gate of the fold, but we allow the enemy to come over the wall by way of his fiery darts aimed at our minds, hearts, and spirits. The power of His resurrection life is meant to extinguish every one of them, but we live too much in our own life, and not nearly enough in His. So he is able to steal from us that which Christ gives; peace, hope, joy, strength, and love. And we end up, each day, "workin' in the coal mine."

Christ is risen. The meaning and effect of this truth is infinite. Death and all its effects is conquered in His resurrection. He invited us into the very kind of life He Himself lives in. In the midst of a fallen world, He gives a risen life. Our residency in the coal mine is ended, and our citizenship in the Kingdom is given....if we'll receive it. If we'll believe that such a wonderful life is real. It is real. As real as He is. As real as is His resurrection. To enter into such life is to leave behind forever the survival mode, and enter into the abundant one. Have you ever entered into that life? The risen life is one that brings you ever higher and closer to Him. It's one of ascent, and it has no other direction. Will you come to it now? Will you cease to exist and survive and finally begin to live and thrive? Come out from the coal mine. Enter into the Kingdom. Put to flight the thief. Embrace the King.

Blessings,
Pastor O