Message of the Month

                                                          1/1/10

There are many highways in the world. There is the autobahn, I-5, I-90, I-95, and thousands of others. Billions of dollars are spent on building and the upkeep of these highways. Highways are continually revised and upgraded in an effort to keep the travelers safe. During Christ’s time Rome was known for it’s highways. Rome was able to keep control of its vast empire by connecting it all with cobblestone highways. There was a saying that all roads led to Rome. That was true during its glory years. Yet man with all his vast engineering and building has been outdone by God.

God has built the greatest highway of them all. God has a path for His children to follow. Today I would like to look at that path. Isaiah describes that path for us. Isaiah says that it is a hallowed path, a harmless way, and a home way.

It shall be called the way of holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it. (Isaiah 35:8) As we travel through life, we have a choice. We can choose God’s way or we can choose Satan’s way. Those are the only two choices we have. If we choose our own, way we have chosen Satan’s way because we have rejected God. We are the only ones that can make that choice for us. Our parents can’t choose for us; our pastor can’t choose for us; no one can make that choice but us. You have already made that choice and may not know it. We could call it the highway or the low way.

There is a way that seems right unto man, but its end is the way of death. (Proverbs 14:12) Many are they that walk on it. We can look around us and see evidence of that everywhere. It is a sensual, self-seeking way. It is a way full of greed, pride, and self-exaltation. We see this at every turn. Isaiah says that the unclean shall not pass over God’s way. We see uncleanness all around us: the drug addict, the murderer, the molester, etc. We say, “Boy are they unclean:” yet there are many sitting in our churches of every denomination who are unclean. Uncleanliness is not only a worldly problem. We, as Christians are not exempt from it. We are full of pride, self-centeredness, and sin. We become smug and careless. We rub elbows with the world and become of the world. We become spotted and wrinkled.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. (Eph. 5:25-27) Christ is coming for you, and He wants you to be without spot or wrinkle. Spots come from the outside. If we Christians are not careful, or as we rub elbows with the world we will become spotted. We many tell or laugh at a dirty joke to belong. We may keep the extra change the cashier gave us. We may read, watch, or speak filth thinking no one will know. We are so foolish. We live like the world during the week and then try to set it aside to come into God’s presence and be blessed Sunday morning. We come before God spotted by the world and say, “ That’s okay God. Bless me anyway.” Then we don’t understand why He doesn’t bless us.

Spots are from the outside, but wrinkles are from the inside. Spots sooner or later penetrate and begin internal decay. Wrinkles are from spiritual decay. We begin to drift away from God and don’t even realize it. We skip church, we stop reading God’s word, and we never pray. It is a gradual rotting process.

Isaiah says that God’s way is a highway of holiness, yet we as Christians have set aside the holy life. It is too hard. We might stand out, and people will think we are radical. They might talk about us. We may become labeled as a rightwing fanatic. We have become the Church of Laodicea. I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold not hot, I will spew you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. (Rev 3:15-17) Yes, it is a way of holiness, and we need to heed that and return to striving to live a holy life.

Not only is it a way of holiness, but Isaiah also tells us it is a hallowed way. It is a way of truth. It is a way of peace. It is not a way of compromise and political correctness. The church of today seems to be changing to fit society so they can be “relevant”. Instead of conforming to the image of Christ, we are conforming to the image of society and then conforming our image of Christ to that. However, we cannot walk on God’s way and carry the world’s baggage with us. Only those totally committing their lives to Christ can walk on God’s highway. Only those enabled by the Holy Spirit can walk this way. Yes, there is a price to pay to travel God’s highway. There is a price of criticism by the world and even those you may love. There is the price of striving to purify your life with the help of the Holy Spirit. There is the price of shunning evil at all times, not just when it is convenient. There is the price of turning your back on the world and its pleasures. Yes, there is a price to pay, but it is worth it.

No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast go upon it; it shall not be found there. (Isaiah 35:9) It shall also be a harmless way. Danger shall not travel this highway. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith.( I Peter 5:8-9a) If we live a holy life, we give him no foothold to devour us. Paul tells us to put on the whole armor of God. Why does he say the whole armor? It is because we tend to only put on part of it and feel that that is enough. We then wonder why Satan gets a foothold in our lives. If we walk the holy way, then we will find it is a harmless way. James in 4:7 tells us that we should submit to God and then when we resist the devil, he will flee from us. We seem to overlook the first part of that verse. We try to resist when we are not submitted and wonder why the devil still sticks around. We must submit our lives, our all, to God. We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus. Satan is defeated, and yet he screams and roars and scares us so we cower. If we are walking the holy way, we need not fear because it is a harmless way. Yes, it is true that the blood of Christ cleanses us from all unrighteousness, but we must keep ourselves from wallowing in the muck and mire again. We cannot lean against rot and filth and expect it not to spread to us. We must be vigilant and continually strive to maintain a holy walk. Then the Holy Spirit will do the rest.

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing. (Isaiah 35:10a) The highway that Isaiah describes is also a home way. Some roads are steep, and some roads are rough, but if they lead to Zion, they are worth it. We see many saints traveling a steep path. It may be illness, it may be sorrow, but they travel it one step at a time with their eyes upon Jesus. All we have to do is put our hand in the hand of Jesus, and He will lead us through. All roads travel over the mountain tops and through the valleys. We may have loved ones turn from God. We may have lost a spouse or a child. We may get weary. But if we have our hand in the hand of Jesus, we know that we will make it because Jesus has walked that way before, and He knows the way through the wilderness. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compare with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)

They shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sadness shall flee away. (Isaiah 35:10b) The way Isaiah sees is also a joyful way. It is said that you can’t buy happiness, but you can. Happiness is an emotion, but it is short lived. Many seek it in sinful pleasures and can find a type of temporary happiness. Joy, on the other hand, is a way of life. We should desire happiness but seek joy. Walking the Highway of God results in joy, a joy that the world cannot take away. If we put our faith in ourselves or things or other people, we will be robbed of true joy. Not that things, or others, or our job is bad, but it will rob us of joy if we do not have our steadfast faith in the true and living God. Paul found that he could be content in whatever state he found himself. His joy was not found in his things, or even his ministry. He had found a deeper joy that his situation could not seal from him.

Paul was not worried about his state. He knew that worry is the main thief of joy. Worry is nothing more than fear, fear that God won’t take care of you. Satan keeps whispering in your ear, “I am bigger than God.” Soon you begin to listen and fear sets in. As I have said in previous messages, fear is a spirit. (I Tim. 1:7) Spirits only come from two places: God or Satan. Paul says that God didn’t give us the spirit of fear, so it can only come from Satan. When we doubt God, that gives a foothold to Satan. That is when fear sets in. Fear and anxiety rob us of joy when we don’t walk God’s highway in His holiness.

Isaiah also tells us that sorrow and sighing shall flee away. We will have peace. It will be a peace and joy that the world cannot give nor understand. It is a peace that only comes from God. So many of us run from one thing to another to find peace, but we fail. Peace can only come from security: security in your here and now and security in your future. Security is a sure knowledge that you are taken care of and will be taken care of in the future. Money or a good job cannot guarantee that future. Only a bank account with God can give real peace. True peace can only come from the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. The Bible calls it a rest. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. (Hebrews 4:9-10) God has prepared it for you and for me. He wants us to enter in. If we walk His highway in His holiness, we will have peace. We will have no doubt about our future. Not that we will not have trials or problems, but we will have a peace in our soul knowing that God has our future in His hands. We can rest on God. We know He will keep us in perfect peace if our minds are stayed upon Him. If we read of Him, if we seek Him, and if we worship Him, we will enter into His rest. For He alone can give us that peace that passes all understanding.

What highway are you walking today? Are you walking your highway, or are you walking God’s highway? Are you walking the holy way? Are you standing firm for God, or do you compromise now and then? Do you tell a dirty joke or two to fit in? Will you tolerate filth in a book or movie because the story is good? Do you tolerate sin in your family to avoid confrontation with your children. Do you let them watch what they shouldn’t, buy a game that they shouldn’t, Go places they shouldn’t, have friends they shouldn’t, so you will not create a seen?

Sometimes the holy way is hard. It’s not always easy to stand up for what is right and holy in the face of your friends and family, but it is necessary. And when He had called the people to Him, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34) As the song says, “There is a cross for each to bear, and there’s a burden for each to share. There’s a place in heaven waiting me. He bought it through His death on Calvary.” Yes, there’s a price to pay, but it’s worth it, for it is a harmless way. When you are in God’s hands, no man can harm your spirit. We will not be anxious or live in fear. If we walk God’s highway, Satan will not have a place in our lives. Satan will not be able to touch us. We will have a rest in God, a place of perfect peace free from fear. It is waiting for you today.

As you begin the new year, purpose in your heart to walk God’s highway, and the Holy Spirit will enable you to do so.