Guilty Pleasures

Well its been three months or so since my last post.  The things that keep me from posting here have been numerous and one of those things leads me to the topic at hand.  I was thinking this morning (I do that on occasion) and it struck me how every now and then a believer will use the term "guilty pleasure".  I think I heard it in Sunday school recently and it stirred in me this thought of how often do what we allow our guilty pleaures to get in the way of our whole hearted devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ.  If you are not a follower of the Lord then this sounds silly to you and you may even be thinking thats one good reason I won't follow.  Because it seems hypocritical to say I follow Christ who calls us to a full, wholehearted surrender and yet love to take part in "worldly" things.  "Take up your cross and follow me" is one thing He tells His followers.  Yet, how often do I and so many other believers take up our cross only to set it down in those moments of adhering to those guilty pleasures we choose to take part in.  Now don't be mistaken I am as guilty as anyone and more besides of taking time to indulge myself in those things I love that I don't need.  I read once that Jonathan Edwards a great father of faith spent an average of 13 hours a day in the Word of God and in prayer as he walked with the Father.  That doesn't leave much time for "guilty pleasure".  I read also that he would spend the rest of his waking time then with his children and family.  I do good to spend that many hours a week sometimes in the Word and prayer.  Lord I pray that the next time I indulge in a pleasure that it is you in which I indulge.  For in indulging myself in Him I will find much more peace than can be found in the television, internet, or any other "guilty pleasure" I may desire.  In Christ there is no guilt and indulging in Him there is only pleasure.  God bless

In Christ,
Phillip James Gilmore

Never more of a man

Its been a while since I've posted. I guess once I got the credit for the course I lost a bit of motivation though life has been worth writing on at times.  Today I came to an point where I learned something that I feel would benefit some.  Particularly those "men" who consider themselves so on account of certain "manly" traits that define them.  What am I talking about?  I am in particular refering to the concept that a real man doesn't cry.  I am sure that there has been no shortage of articles or books written with reference to this topic, but today I experienced a moment where I realized that I had indeed shed more than a tear.  Let me explain.  I get the opportunity to pray at my local church and it entails going into a designated room with a book laid out on a small table that has in it quite a few requests that have been called in over the weeks and months up to the very day.  Also there is a phone that may ring on which they call in thier specific requests.  Perhaps you don't care one lick about prayer or God well by all means stop reading, but you may still benefit from finishing. I took down four new messages and I did so without the eyes watering but as I began reading the requests I was hit by life upon life of hurt, pain, loss, and destitution because of economic downturn.  Poor were losing homes, mothers were in need of prayer for thier addicted sons, young men and women dying or already gone.  Cancer and heart problems were leaving families seeking hope here in this small room where I come to spend an hour once a week on their behalf to a God they may or may not acknowledge otherwise.  It was at this moment that I cried.  I think how very often I complain and whine whether verbally or not about some miniscule detail in my life that is not going the way I had hoped.  Now make no mistake about it I have lived a tough life and have suffered loss that breaks me to my core to think about it, but how easy it is to forget that many suffer pain of which my present circumstances do not hold  candle to.  I realized in that moment of recongnition of my hard heart, that at the point of tears that I had come to, I had never been more of a man than I was today at that moment.  The moment where I realized that whether we can explain God's purposes in the pain He allows in the lives of men and women I will never meet, one thing is for sure.  That my heart breaks for them and when I get there in my heart and allow myself a 29 year old man to let it touch me at a heart level, well Praise be to God that in that moment I promise you the hurting on my heart and mind at that moment got a prayer heard by God Almighty.  And they also got more than a few tears shed to God on their behalf for I am blessed more than I deserve.  I wish with all my heart I could trade in my blessings to see those hurting recieve peace and comfort that would lead to the more than peace, but to the salvation of their very souls.  For in salvation, whether life gets better or not one thing is assured.  That is the guarantee of spending eternal life with the Creator of the universe.  God doesn't need more "men" that our culture defines as men, He would very much like to see more Gody men who are willing to set aside the idea that loving others with tears and genuine heartfelt compassion is for women and adopt an attitude that a real man would not, and should not be without the ability to cry with and for others in their need.  (God teach us to love like you love, to cry like you cry, to learn from Jesus and you that it is ok to be a man and cry for those we love) AMEN.

IN Christ,
Phillip James Gilmore

Why?

Before I go to the topic at hand today I wish to apologize to any who may have been waiting for a new post.  I truly meant to keep a more consistent stream of thoughts going.  But the best laid plans of man fail quite often I have noticed and my plans certainly are no different. 
With that said, I come to something that has come to me the past couple of days. I am on Christmas break from school, and as is normal for me to do I go to visit my brothers in Christ, and dear friends at the Haven of Rest in Anderson, SC.  For those who do not know it is a mission in the town I grew up and they offer shelter, and more than that opportunity for men with life controlling issues the chance to grow in Christ and find victory from drugs, alcohol, or any other life controlling sin that prevails. 
Anyway, the thing is those that are not new that are there will often, seeing as I go to a bible school, ask me questions that are theological in nature and usually quite often controversial.  Such as predestination, and does God foreordain all things to the point that every decision we make is already set.  Or wether He creates people for hell and the purpose of prayer. Or the role of the Holy Spirit and the like.
Now, I am not about to give answer to these here and perhaps never here.  I rarely answer these questions in person and not for fear of misrepresenting the Holy Scriptures, but rather I ask why.  Why do any of us desire the answer, or an answer to these questions? So I ask them why?  To what purpose or end to do desire an answer to this/these question(s)?  It is safe to say that 90% of the time they have asked the question to multiple others and read multiple books on it (and not necessarily the Good Book).  The answer is they just want to know.  Confusion as to why I want to know why takes place, and they think I am dodging the issue.  Maybe I am, but I promise I do so for a reason.  My pride is not much different from others. I want to know and all to often I desire to know for the wrong reason, and that is so I might sound as intelligent as possible to my peers and not so that I might glorify my God and Father.  Not often enough do I want to know that I might, as the apostle Peter admonished us, "have an answer for the hope within us".  No, I dare say we all to often when asked why we want to know, is for no better reason than to achieve a theological level of intelligence that may wow our friends and even perhaps our enemies.
Perhaps I am off base and to those who desire to know for that greater purpose of being able to draw closer in love with Him for the sake of His glory well  good for you.  God no doubt will honor your search for He knows the intents and thoughts of the heart Heb 4:12b.
I also will say that I found my way to answering as best as I was able my fellow brothers questions as I believe the Scriptures reveal to me the answers asked, but my intention here as it was then was that each of us should examine our motives and intentions for wanting to know.  If it is not for the purpose of drawing closer to Him then I would dare say pray that the pride of knowledge which puffs up would take a back seat to the greater knowledge of resting in Him as our Sovereign. 
Blessings friends

In Christ,
Phillip James Gilmore

What goes in

"May God be gracious and merciful to us. May He give grace to all new believers that they may start at once to learn how to speak and how to hear so that there may be a straight path before them. It is not unusual to hear God’s children speaking heedlessly, but it is strange that a Christian can speak or hear such heedless words without being conscious that they are sinful and without condemning them." Watchman Nee

The previous excerpt was taken from Watchman Nee and provoked much thought in me this morning.  In Ephesians chapter 4 verse one we read that we are to walk in a manner worthy of our calling.  If you are not a believer reading this today this will not pertain to you yet I encourage you to read on and in faith I pray that you come to know Him as Lord so that this may apply.  Culture and in particular American culture today is full of stuff that we take in.  We see on television and online images, videos, movies, and music things which are abhorrent to our Lord and one would think abhorrent to believers in our Lord.  We are so willing to take in music that degrades woman and relationships.  If your mad do something about it.  I reflect on some music on my I tunes. I have a song that sings about a guy who is being unfaithful to his girlfriend (not wife) with his ex girlfriend.  Why is it there? I will rid myself of it as soon as I am done with this blog.  Yet this is the stuff we fill our minds with.  Romans 12:2 says we need to renew our mind....escape the corruption in the world.  As Christians (born again believers in the risen Christ) how can I, how can we obey this command and yet fill our minds full of the crap that comes out of the speakers and off of the television.  I am the chiefest of sinners in this regard.  I fall into the temptation to listen to abhorrent material more than I would like to admit, yet I admit it now.  "That movie looks so funny", we say and so we watch it.  Then laugh at crude jokes and remarks that demean the person in the film.  Language that we would not dare speak in a church sunday school class we are all to willing to listen to it as we watch this movie, and listen to this song.  It sounds good, they have a good singing voice, and that was such a good movie.  These drive us to justify our sitting through it and listening to it. It isn't enough to say "If Jesus was here would you be watching that movie, or listening to that song".  It is not enough to say "Would Jesus be rocking that song out on His ipod, or jamming to that rap on His home system".  You want to know why, because He is in you and He is the one that dwelletth in you, therefore, He is there where you are if you are a born again believer.  Its not what if Jesus was there, rather it is Jesus is right there and you (myself included) are willingly making the conscious decision to bring Him into your (myself included) abhorrent conversation, music listening, and movie watching.  Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaketh Mt 12:34.  Jesus said that.  Knowing this then ought I continually fill my heart and mind full of this movie or that movie all for the sake of being entertained.  The same question in regard to the music.  I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation to everone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile Romans 1:16.  In that same spirit I will say I am not ashamed to post and say all that I have here.  For me to live is Christ, Paul says.  Fellowship with believers does not have to be in conformity to those things that our culture says if cool, and funny.  I speak this word today so loud to my own ears.  Who am I to judge, who does the same things?  I then to find victory from this only need to say, Not I who can willingly do away with all filth, but Christ.  For when Christ controls my life He will not accept that which I have always done to fill my mind and heart full of worldly entertainment.  Pray for me in this fellow brothers and sisters and I also will pray for you.

In Christ,
Phillip James Gilmore

Faithful

I was reminded today that we are called to be faithful.  In whatever I do. Let me translate what I mean.  On Monday I had the privilege of leading a time of chapel/discussion at the local shelter in town.  The guys that are there to hear the Word are there for the purpose of recieving a meal ticket that can be used to eat dinner that night.  Going in I was a bit anxious about the fact that I would present the Word to them in a discussion format and yet could not shake the feeling that they would hear what some of them have heard no doubt a thousand times.  I was worried that I would just be another guy coming to tell me about Jesus and it would crack not a stint of thier armor.  Leaving I didn't recieve any feedback that told me it was any different than how I had envisioned it.  They came, they heard, they got a ticket and left.  Minimal discussion but some, and again as I had assumed they usually had it pretty much nailed down.  It is after all the south.  Churches on every corner.  Missions in every major town that to some degree or another offer the same kind of things.  All of this is well and good. Even necessary. I think that a one in one million success rate via what missions have to offer is easily a justifiable expediature.  If one in a billion even was all that came to Christ through the offerings presented the billion at a location such as the one I volunteer at was the only "fruit" then Praise God.  I do believe that despite my worry and anxiety that that is easily a realistic number and more that find life in this way.  That is called being faithful.  After all who am I there for? If it is for college credit hours only then I am being unfaithful to my call.  If it is for a feel good sensation at positive feedback from those in attendance and no more than that I am not being faithful.  If it is in the acknowledgement, however that in me dwells the risen Christ Almighty, and that He will do in me and through me whatever it is that He desires regardless of the "fruit" I may or may not see.  Well that then is being faithful.  And that is also what it means to say Not I but Christ.  Its His Word and the earth is the Lords and all that is in it, so I can only be faithful to proclaim the gospel at all times, in all ways, in all circumstances and look not to being rewarded with visible fruit but rather only being faithful to Him.  He will take care of allllll the rest.

In Christ,
Phillip James Gilmore

What Does that mean?

So first post here will be to answer the question that may arise from the title above.  What does "Not I but Christ" mean?  On that foundation stands the very nature of my existence.  It has not always been so.  I am 29 and suffice it to say the phrase the first 26 years was a bit more like "All me, who needs this Christ anyway" kind of thing.  Let me give you background.  In 1996 I accepted Christ into my heart at church and recieved the free gift of salvation.  It is a free gift offered by the blood of Christ.  Yet within a year to a year and a half I rested on that basis alone and figured I needed no further reliance upon what Jesus or the Father in heaven had to offer me.  I really just wanted to do what ever the heck I wanted to and felt I deserved that right for reasons that will become more clear as my testimony comes out.  Over the course of this blog you will recieve bits of my life pre Christ, that led up to many of my false beliefs about why I made decisions I made from the ages of 17-25.  For now note that I was bitter about my first 15 years of life and felt like I got a bad "rap" growing up.  Used it as an excuse to live life for me and flex my "free will" to live for me.  Anyhow to get back to the question at hand.  What does "Not I but Christ" mean?  Well long answer short it means that I finally came to the realization that when I accepted Christ at 15 the appropriate response was not "Thanks for the pass to heaven, now I can do what I want", but rather "My life is now your life, Jesus and I surrender it to you".  Vague to you still? Well, let me elaborate.  Unfortunately when we "accept" Christ in todays culture often times it is for that "free pass" to heaven, yet we fail to accept Him into our real life.  Just into our spiritual, save me from hell life.  It's like "Hey Jesus, I don't want to go to hell but how about you hook me up with a crib up there in heaven." Then it's "Now, just so you know I still want to have fun down here so I believe in you and all, and I want that house up there somewhere in heaven for when I die, but I want my sex, and parties, and my money, and all these cool things down here.".  That person was me.  I felt like I had a right to do whatever the heck I wanted.  And I wanted to do those things, so I did.  That kind of "Christianity" is a Thanks Christ but I life and what we are really supposed to say is with Paul in Galatians 2:20-"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ live in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me".  So for this verse to be true of me I have to say Not I but Christ.  I surrender EVERYTHING to Him, for Him, and only live to do that which brings Him glory and satisfies His will not mine.  That means whatever I do, wether I eat or drink or whatever I do I do it all for the glory of God.  Not just my soul for redemption from eternal damnation, I surrender my actions, and yes my very existence to serving His purposes and when I do that I do that with a heart that says for this life to be lived out for that greater purpose.  That purpose being His glory.  Since it's His glory and not mine I have to let this be not my life but Christs life.  Because like it or not, when I accepted Jesus into my heart and life I gave Him the authority to be my life every minute of every day, awake of asleep.  That is just a taste of what it means to live a life of "Not I but Christ".