Laying it on the Altar

You may be wondering, photography or God, which is it. You're oscillating back and forth. Well, your right. As my relationship with God oscillates, unfortunately this blog did as well. 

Have you ever had a wilderness experience? I've had several over my years as a Christian and trust me they are no fun. Like the Israelites in the wilderness, it becomes a time of wandering, suffering, disobedience, trials and ultimately, redemption. Some call it a trial of faith or a trial of fire but the process is the same. It's meant to purge the unwanted parts of us out. Like the Israelites, no one over 40 was allowed to enter the promised land. So those that left Egypt, never made it due to their rebellious nature.

This principle is still at work in us today. As we are being changed, called out of Egyptian slavery, which is a type of people not saved, we go through stages of purging. 

The slavery in Egypt is like our slavery to sin before coming to Jesus. Then, like Moses, the Holy Spirit becons us to flee from our sins and slavery and go to the promised land, which is the kingdom of God. Like the Israelites we are required to be full of faith. We no longer get our food or water to feed our desires from Egypt/the world but we are supposed to feed and drink upon Jesus. He said eat and drink of me, this is a reference to the rock bringing forth water or manna appearing on the ground each morning. Jesus is the rock that brings forth a spring of water in us so we thirst no more and He is our food that nourishes us.

However, like the Israelites, we tend to be disobedient and lose sight of the promise. They became dissatisfied and complained. So too did I. I lost sight, became complacent and for it, I've been wandering. 

The distinct difference however between them and us is Jesus. They screwed up, they died, we screw up and the blood is there to cover us. Although, God still wants us to purge out the old life and claim the new so a type of death still takes place. The apostle Paul put it, I die daily. If we are covered, then why do we need or what needs to die? Good question, we have two parts in us. One part is our human nature. Desires of the flesh work in that nature. Lust, greed, and all the bad stuff work in that nature. Then there's God's nature which we receive at the time of our conversion, when we accept Jesus. 

Once we receive Jesus, the Holy Spirit enters us and begins cleaning house. Things we once found desirable, we find repulsive. However, in some cases, God wants us to lay something down of our own volition. Like the offerings of sacrifice, we are to repent or turn away from something that is in our human nature. Which shows our commitment to Him. It's like when Jesus was taken to the wilderness to be tempted. He just received the Holy Spirit and would now be tempted to see if the human nature in Him would respond or if He'd laid it on the altar to be burned.

It's no different with us, trials and temptations are a part of the purging process. We must have our faith tried or it isn't faith. If we go through and come out on the other side, then we have been transformed into a person that has more of the kingdom of God in them. The wilderness is an effective place for reflection and purging. It won't let you go back to Egypt or to the promised land, it is meant for death. The death of the old life so we can walk into the new life.

So, I've been wandering and am now dying to the old. Once the dying is done, I'll walk into the promise. Until then, I die daily.

Photography or God?

Photography was my distraction from death. All Christians must die, spiritually speaking. We all must have the Holy Spirit identify in us, what needs to die. Whether it's a problem with not forgiving or an issue with drinking or any possible issue God finds offensive, it must die.

For me photography was a distraction from what I needed to do. It was my denial. Instead of facing the issue head on, I found a distraction. Mind you, I've not given up photography, it's just not my crutch anymore.

Dieing daily is about denying self, denying that human nature in us all. In the end of self, is God. He's waiting, watching and rooting for us and like Jesus at the end of His temptations, we will be ministered too, uplifted and have a greater relationship with Them.

To God be the Glory!