Escaping Danger and Destruction

"The other two also came to the foot of the Hill; but when they saw that the Hill was steep and high, and that there was two other ways to go; and supposing also that these two ways might meet again with that up which Christian went, on the other side of the Hill; therefore they were resolved to go in those ways. Now the name of one of those ways was Danger, and the name of the other Destruction. So the one took the way which is called Danger, which led him into a great Wood; and the other took directly up the way to Destruction, which led him into a wide field, full of dark Mountains, where he stumbled and fell, and rose no more.

 Shall they who wrong begin yet rightly end?
Shall they at all have Safety for their friend?
No, no; in headstrong manner they set out,
And headlong will they fall at last no doubt. "

John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Christian, met these two men on his way to the City. He was on the Way and saw these two climb over the wall. They thought they were safe, since they were where he was. There was a major difference. Christian had been called to the Way. He had been shown how to get to the gate. He had been allowed entrance to the gate. The other two, had gained entrance by their own works. Christian warned them, but they were deaf.

There are those who think they are safe from danger and destruction. Maybe they feel they are safe, because they have been kind and compassionate. Maybe, they think they are safe, because they have attended church and been baptized. That is how the enemy works. He wants us to seek to be good and not to be holy. Only by grace and mercy can we be holy. Only by sharing in Christ's death and resurrection can we conquer death. Cry out for that mercy to be saved!

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

The Way is Narrow!

"I beheld then, that they all went on till they came to the foot of the hill called Difficulty, at the bottom of which was a spring. There was also in the same place two other ways besides that which came straight from the Gate; one turned to the left hand and the other to the right, at the bottom of the hill; but the narrow way lay right up the Hill. Christian now went to the spring, and drank to refresh himself, and then began to go up the hill, saying,

	The Hill, tho’ high, I covet to ascend,
	The difficulty will not me offend;
	For I perceive the way to life lies here:
	Come, pluck up, Heart, let’s neither faint nor fear;
	Better, tho’ difficult, the right way to go,
	Than wrong, though easy, where the end is woe." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress Christian, has met two men who have gained access to the Way by climbing over a wall. They believe they are safe, because they are in the same place as Christian. Christian gained access by being invited. This was grace and grace alone. The two men gained access by their own actions. As the three walk, they are met with three roads. One goes straight, one goes left, and the other goes right. Christian, chooses to stay on the straight and narrow path that leads straight. "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:25-27 There are many roads to take today. Most of these ways have people that promote these roads as the best way. Some of these roads have church leaders as a guide. We are chastised by being too straight and too narrow. The problem is the Way is very straight and extremely narrow. The Ways is so narrow, there is no room for self, for sin, for pride. Those must be left behind. Another problem is that there is a host of people who are stuck at the fork in the road. They are neither choosing the left, right, or straight. They are deluded if they think that no decision will save them. Destruction is coming up from behind him. They have seat down and proclaimed all ways are correct and there is no danger. They are deceived! "The one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do." James 1:7-8  Any questions, stay on the straight and narrow path. Still have questions? "If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all  without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt," James 1:5-6

It is by Grace and Grace alone

"Christian: By laws and ordinances you will not be saved, since you came not in by the door. And as for this coat that is on my back, it was given to me by the Lord of the place where I go; and that, as you say, to cover my nakedness. I take it as a token of his kindness to me, for I had nothing but rags before. It comforts me as I go: Surely, when I come to the gate of the City, the Lord thereof will know me, since I have this coat on my back; a coat that he gave me freely in the day that he striped me of my rags. I have moreover a mark on my forehead, of which perhaps you have taken no notice, which one of my Lord’s most intimate associates fixed there in the day that my burden fell off my shoulders. I will tell you moreover, that I had then given me a roll sealed, to comfort me by reading as I go in the way; I was also told to give it upon my arrival at the Cœlestial Gate, in token of my certain going in after it; all which things I doubt you want, and want them because you came not in at the Gate.
To these things they gave him no answer; only they looked upon each other and laughed. Then I saw that they went on all, save that Christian kept to himself, and that sometimes sighingly, and sometimes comfortably; also he would be often reading in the roll that one of the Shining Ones gave him, by which he was refreshed."

John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Christian, is talking with two men who have crawled over the wall in a self-effort to gain entrance to the Way. These two men have been mocking Christian and have told Christian that it really doesn't matter how you gain entrance, just as long as you gain entrance.

Christian, though patiently tried to warn them that climbing over the wall would turn out bad for them. To gain access to the Way, one has to be invited by the Lord of the Way. Self-effort gains nothing, but sweat. I do not know anyone following the law as the Sadducees nor Pharisees and they were chastised by Christ. He came that we may be free, not under the law. Christ is interested in your heart!

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others. 


You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. 


Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness."  Matthew 23:23-25


We cannot change our own motives. No matter how hard we try our motives is who we are. It is only when Christ comes into our lives through Holy Spirit, that our motives are reveled and dealt with. This is by grace and grace alone!


"For it is by his grace that we have been saved through faith, and this faith was not from you, but it is the gift of God," Ephesians 2:8

Don't Judge Me

"Christian: I walk by the rule of my Master; you walk by the rude working of your own fancies. You are counted thieves already, by the Lord of the Way; therefore I doubt you will not be found true at the end of the Way. You came in by yourselves, without His direction; and will go out by yourselves, without His mercy. To this they gave him but little answer; only they told him look to himself. Then I saw that they continued walking without much conference with each other; but that these two men told Christian, that they were as good as he; therefore, said they, we don't see any difference from you and us but by only the coat that is on your back, which was, as we think, given to you by some of your neighbors, to hide the shame of your nakedness." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Christian has run into two men who have climbed over the wall to gain access to the Way. By their self effort they think think they should be accept at the end of the journey as well as Christian will be. Christian was invited and directed to the path that he is on. It was by mercy and grace that he is where he is. The men did not want to hear any negative responses from Christian. They pretty much told him to take care of himself and they would worry about themselves.

"Judge not, that you be not judged." Matthew 7:1 


Does this mean we are not to make a judgement on anyone? Are we to accept everyone and anyone, no matter what they may do or believe? Is this what God wants His children to do?


"For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brothers eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" Matthew 7:2-5


I believe it is the attitude that God is interesting in. Are you judging or correcting. Are you knocking someone else and forgetting your situation? Are you seeking reconciliation or division? 

"If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." Matthew 18:15-17 


Another example is seeking to defend the defenseless. We must be careful that we don't pickup someone else offense, but there are examples of Godly defense. 


"Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabbath." James 5


What have we learned? God is to do the judging. We are to share and help convince what is right and wrong. We are to admonish, reprove, rebuke. We are to encourage others to be better, nudge, prod, and exhort. The differences is what is in the heart. Is there love and humility?


"I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." II Timothy 4:1-2


"Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins." James 5:20 

The Way

"Christian: But will it not be counted trespassing against the Lord of the City who we are bound, to violate his revealed will?
Formalist: and Hypocrisy: They told Christian, That as for that, he needed not to trouble his head; for what they did they had precedence; and could produce, if need be, testimony that it had been done for more than a thousand years.
Christian:  But, said Christian, will your precedence stand at trial?
Formalist: and Hypocrisy: They told him, That custom, being longer than a thousand years, would doubtless now be admitted as legal by an impartial Judge; and besides, said they, if we get into the way, who cares which way we get in? If we are in, we are in; you are on the way, who came in at the Gate; and we are also on the way, though we came tumbling over the wall; how is your condition better than ours?" John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Christian is on the path to Celestial City. He has run into two men, who have gained entrance to the path by climbing over the wall. They have not responded to Evangelist. They were not greeted at the gate by Good-Will. They have gained access by their own actions. When Christian questions whether the Lord of the City would welcome them, they respond that they don't know, but that the action of self effort had been done by many for over one thousand years.

Our services are full of people who have never been saved by Christ. They may have walked down the aisle. They may have shaken a pastors hand or prayed a magic prayer, but they have not been saved. What is the answer? What do we do?

"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? " 

II Corinthians 13:5

Are you a new creature? Do you love the things of God? Have you been set free? Many pray the prayer, but how many believe what they pray? Is your heart saying what your mouth proclaimed?

"But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation." Romans 10:8-10

This isn't works, because only God can give us the grace to believe. We can voice a prayer, but only God can give us the faith to believe. This is the difference between those who come through the gate and those who climb over the wall.

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life."I Timothy 1:12-16

No Trespassing!

"As he was troubling about the three men he spotted two men come tumbling over the Wall, on the left hand of the narrow way; and they quickly caught up to him. The name of one was Formalist, and the name of the other Hypocrisy. So, as I said, they drew up unto him, Christian began a discussion.
Christian: Gentlemen, Where did you come from, and where are you going?
Formalist and Hypocrisy: We were born in the land of Vainglory, and are going for praise to Mount Sion.
Christian: Why didn't you come through the Gate which stands at the beginning of the Way? Don't you know that it is written, That he that comes not in by the Door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber?
Formalist and Hypocrisy: They said, That to go to the Gate for an entrance was thought by all their countrymen too far; and that therefore their usual way was to make a short cut of it, and to climb over the wall, as they had done." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress
Many have their own interpretations of getting to heaven. There is only one way and that way is Christ. There are many that try to make it easier for themselves. They may come to church. They may give to charities. They may 'pay it forward'. All of these are nice, but they are not the way to salvation. The only way is through the gate called Christ.

"Very truly I tell you Pharisees, anyone who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber." John 10:1

“But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Matthew 14:11-14

Formalist is man that places rituals, repetition, and ceremonies above having a relationship with Christ. He is into observances rather than having his life affected by the meaning of those events. His prayers are meaningless replicated utterances. He goes on babbling like the Pagans do. He thinks his prayers will be heard, not by their sincerity, but by their many words. Matthew 6:7

"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men."
Matthew 15:8-9

Hypocrisy looks the part. He says all the right things. He appears to be perfect. A person we may all want to be like. There is one large problem. He is a fake. He is like a plastic rose, beautiful with no marks. Yet try to take a whiff and you will find there is no fragrance. Hypocrisy is an actor. He has a mask called holiness on. Take it off and his true self is exposed. He is on the stage when people are around.

"Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, "Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat." He answered them, "And why do you transgress the Commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die.' But you say, 'If any one tells his father or his mother, What you would have gained from me is given to God, he need not honor his father.' So, for the sake of your tradition, you have made void the word of God. You actors! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: 'This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'" Matthew 15:1-9

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you actors! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean." Matthew 23:27

Only you can know where you are or who you are. Have you been faking it? Putting on a show? You don't have to. Christ is asking you to stop. Die to your self effort. Tell the truth to God, He knows it anyway. He will welcome you and walk you to the gate of Salvation.

The Three Stooges

"I saw then in my dream that Christian went on until he came to the bottom of a hill, where he saw, a little out of the way, three men fast asleep. All three men had irons upon their feet. The name of the one was Simple, another Sloth, and the third Presumption.
Christian then seeing them sleeping in this way, went up to them to warn them. He awakened them, and cried, 'You are like them that sleep on the top of a mast and the storming Dead Sea is under you, a gulf that hath no bottom. Awake now and come away; be willing also, and I will help you loosen your Irons.' He also told them, 'If he that goes about like a roaring lion comes by, you will certainly become a prey to his teeth.' With that they looked at him, and began to reply to him: Simple said, 'I see no danger'; Sloth said, 'Yet a little more sleep'; and Presumption said, 'Every boat must stand upon his own bottom'. And so they lay down to sleep again and Christian went on his way." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Christian continues on his journey. He spots three men asleep. These men we note are off the path, not much, but still off the path. They are bound by irons. They are there for different reasons. Christian appears to tell them though that they all have had a little too much to drink.

Your eyes will see strange sights, and your mind will imagine confusing things. You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, lying on top of the rigging.“They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt! They beat me, but I don’t feel it! When will I wake up so I can find another drink?”  Proverbs 23:33-35

Simple, completely misses that he is in irons and vulnerable. He is a gullible, ignorant, and unaffected by what is happening around him. He refuses to recognize his situation. No matter how clear the danger is, he refuses to see the situation. He believes whatever the world tells him. "The gullible believe anything they're told; the prudent sift and weigh every word." Proverbs 14:15

Sloth, is a sleeper. He would rather close his eyes and let the world pass him by. He is a lazy slow moving slacker. "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man."  Proverbs 24:33-34

Then there is Presumption. He is arrogant and assuming. He thinks all is going to be ok. He assumes he has done enough to be out of danger. "Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." James 4:13

Christian, warns them of the danger to come. He offers to give them help that will free them from their bondage. There responses are quick and then they roll over and fall asleep. That is the Christian's only obligation. We need to ask ourselves though, are we Simple, Sloth, or Presumption? If so, do not make the same mistake. Do not go back to sleep. There is danger ahead. "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." I Peter 5:8 Jesus is the answer. He will rescue you. Call upon Him. 

 

The Easter Bunny Goes to Church

I have taken a day off of covering Pilgrim's Progress to discuss something that has been on my mind. As I write this, Resurrection Sunday is nearing. A local church is going to have a huge helicopter egg drop. This is my take.

It is becoming common for churches to experiment with some uncommon ideas to bring in more people to their services. They hold picnics, carnivals, and tattoos. yes, tattoos! The parlor is called “Serenity Tattoo” and is located in “The Bridge”, a church in Flint Township, Michigan. This church also holds iron cage wrestling matches.

As we near Resurrection Sunday, we hear about 50,000 egg drops from helicopters. Some of these churches will have face paintings, games, and the Easter Bunny. Some of the eggs hold tickets that can be redeemed for an iPad, Nintendo Wii, American Girl Doll, bikes, and televisions. Some churches have the Easter Bunny appear around town the week before in a church t-shirt.

It is well known that Resurrection Sunday and Christmas are the two largest church attended Sundays on the calendar, so why have churches turned to this extreme project? One word, competition. Churches are in competition with each other. If a church is having a 5,000 egg hunt, another has to have a 10,000 egg hunt, and the most daring will have an egg drop.

As a child we had Easter egg hunts around the yard, but never was it associated with the church. The church was when we heard why we were in church, it was Resurrection Sunday! Christ has risen! He has risen indeed! Easter and the Christian church had no association.

The name "Easter" originated with the names of an ancient Goddess and God. Of Baeda, (672-735 CE.) a Christian scholar, and writer of 'Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation' by which Of Baeda earned the title 'Father of English History', first asserted in his book 'De Ratione Temporum' that Easter was named after Eostre or Eastre. She was the Great Mother Goddess of the Saxon people in Northern Europe. Similarly, the Teutonic dawn goddess of fertility was known variously as Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Eostra, Eostre, Eostur, Eastra, Eastur, Austron and Ausos." Her name was derived from the ancient word for spring: "eastre."

Do you know how the date of Easter is selected each year? Easter is to occur on the first Sunday following the full moon after the first day of the Spring Equinox . All of the Solstices and Equinoxes are extremely important to pagans.

If you say,"I don't worship this Goddess". That is fine, but the eggs and bunny are quite clear. They are symbols of fertility. So we have now welcomed the Easter Bunny to church. Who is next; the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus, or Jesus? You see where this can lead?

"The LORD your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates." Deuteronomy 12:28-31

Think I'm full of it? Check out this Wiccan site. http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/ostarathespringequinox/p/OstaraAltar.htm

The Groom is Coming

"Now as Christian, stood looking and weeping, behold three Shining Ones came to him and saluted him with 'Peace be to thee;' so the first said to him, 'Thy sins be forgiven': the second stripped him of his Rags, and clothed him with Change of Raiment; the third also placed a mark on his forehead, and gave Christian, a Roll with a Seal upon it, which he encouraged him to look at as he ran, and that he should give upon his arrival at the Cœlestial Gate. So they went their way." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

This is a wedding ceremony. The bride has met her groom. She has been dressed in virgin white. She has taken on a new name, the name of her beloved. She will live with her lover forever more.

"All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of my God, and they will be citizens in the city of my God--the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God. And I will also write on them my new name." Revelation 3:12

"My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” Song of Solomon 2:10-13

It is extremely important that we realize that we are preparing ourselves for a wedding with our groom. The groom is preparing to come. Will Jesus find his bride in bed with another? When someone is in love they always talk about that person. The phone is always pinging with texts from that person as they can't stand not to be in some form of contact with their love. There is no thought of another.

Matthew 16 refers to a wicked and adulterous generation that will need signs. Christ is looking for his bride to love Him. Do you love Him? Can you not bear to be separated? Do you find yourself constantly calling Him or texting Him or are you in bed with another?

"But I have this one thing against you. You do not love Me as you did at first (first love)." Revelation 2:4

Return to your groom. Renew your love. Read His love letters to you. It is not too late.

You've Lost That Loving Feeling:

The Righteous Brothers:

You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips.
And there's no tenderness like before in your fingertips.
You're trying hard not to show it, (baby).
But baby, baby I know it...

You've lost that lovin' feeling,
Whoa, that lovin' feeling,
You've lost that lovin' feeling,
Now it's gone...gone...gone...wooooooh.

Now there's no welcome look in your eyes
when I reach for you.
And now your're starting to critisize little things I do.
It makes me just feel like crying, (baby).
'Cause baby, something in you is dying.

You lost that lovin' feeling,
Whoa, that lovin' feeling,
You've lost that lovin' feeling,
Now it's gone...gone...gone...woooooah

An Almost Christian

"Then was Christian glad and lightsome, and said with a merry heart, He hath given me rest by his sorrow, and life by his death. Then he stood still awhile to look and wonder; for it was very surprising to him, that the sight of the Cross should thus ease him of his Burden. He looked therefore, and continued to look, even till the springs that were in his head sent the waters down his cheeks." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

It is quite obvious that Christian is very emotional as he gazes at the Cross. He realizes all that was done for him by Christ. In 2004 The Passion of the Christ came to theaters. It brought in $367 million and is one of the largest watched movies of all-time. It is a story that covers the last hours of Jesus on Earth. The movie is extremely graphic and many people became sick and cried openly. Yet there was no great awakening. Many were moved, but few were changed.

Today, in our churches are many that are fond of the form of Christ that is preached, yet they know that they have not been regenerated. They have been shown the cross, but they have not embraced it. They live in a Christian nation, attend a Christian church, yet are not following Christ.

These people know a lot about Christianity, especially how to act. They have become good actors. They say the right words, sing the right songs, read the right books, but their unseen hearts would betray them.

"But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people." II Timothy 3: 1-5

Are you such a person? Plead to Christ to give you a desire to be set free. Throw yourself upon the Cross, the instrument of death. Say along with Paul, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

The Cross

"Now I saw in my Dream, that the highway up which Christian was to go, was fenced on either side with a Wall, and that Wall is called Salvation. Up this way therefore did burdened Christian run, but not without great difficulty, because of the burden on his back.
He ran thus till he came at a place somewhat ascending, and upon that place stood a Cross, and a little below in the bottom, a tomb. So I saw in my Dream, that just as Christian came up to the Cross, his burden loosed from off his shoulders, and fell from off his back, and began to tumble, and so continued to do, till it came to the mouth of the tomb, where it fell in, and I saw it no more." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress


It was the darkest place on earth. The sky was torn asunder by holy anger. Death reigned of a moment and his throne was made of the wood of the cross. Affliction rejoiced loudly and Misery danced wildly. The hill was named Galgatha, the Place of the Skull. It was death row. A place of anguish. It was here I met my savior. 

I was brought before the cross because my debt was great. I was a horrible worm of a sinner. I was bankrupt and any good I displayed was deceitful and superficial. Therefore I was brought there in chains and my fate was death.

There He was upon the cross. I knew that the man on the cross saw right through me. I bent over sick as I fully saw my sinful life. He looked down on me with love and acceptance. He was the only one to ever see me for what I was and yet he loved me so. He told me it was finished and it was then my burden of sin fell away.


Is Jesus calling you, today? Do you hear His loving voice? 'For he says, "In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." II Corinthians 6:2


Turn your new life over to Christ. Ask Him to live His life through you. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

Be Thankful

"Then said the Interpreter to Christian, Have you considered all the things you have seen?
Christian: Yes, and they put me in hope and fear.
Interpreter: Well, keep all of them in your mind so that they may be as a prod to your sides, to prick you forward in the way you must go.
Then Christian began to gird up his loins, and ready himself for his Journey. Then said the Interpreter, The Comforter will always be with you, good Christian, to guide you in the way that leads to the City. So Christian went on his way saying,

'Here I have seen things rare and profitable;
Things pleasant, dreadful, things to make me stable
In what I have begun to take in hand;
Then let me think on them, and understand
Wherefore they showed me was, and let me be thankful,
O good Interpreter, to thee.'" John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Christian, has learned much while in the company of the Interpreter. He has been challenged to be more than he is capable of being. The good news is that it isn't dependent on Christian. Interpreter has told him that Comforter will always be with him.

Christian, prays that he will not forget what he has seen and that he will fully understand all of it. This shows his humility before God. I need your help, Father. Please do not let me forget all that you have shown me and please let me fully understand all that you desire for me!

Christian, also prays that God will allow him to be fully thankful. This goes hand in hand with the first part, not forgetting what God has done and understanding all that God has done. It is easy to remember the bad and forget the good. That is a characteristic of sin. We pay attention to the negatives in our lives. We forget all that God has done in our lives and do not fully understand what He is doing in our lives. Christian, does not want to forget where he was before he was set on this journey and he wants to remember all that has been done for him during this journey.

Take time to be thankful. Remember where you were before God called you to Him self or where you could be now except grace was shown to you. Be thankful everyday for the common everyday blessings God bestows on you.

"give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 

I Thessalonians 5:18

The Day of Judgement

"So Interpreter took Christian by the hand again, and led him into a Chamber, where there was one rising out of bed; and as be put on his robe, he shook and trembled. Then said Christian, Why doth this man thus tremble? The Interpreter then encouraged the man to tell Christian the reason. So he began and said, This night, as I was in my sleep, I dreamed, and behold the Heavens grew exceeding black; also it thundred and lightned in the most fearful way, that it put me into an agony; so I looked up in my Dream, and saw the Clouds move at an unusual rate, upon which I heard a great sound of a Trumpet, and saw a Man sit upon a Cloud, attended with the thousands of Heaven; they were all in flaming fire, as was the Heavens. I heard then a Voice saying, Arise ye dead, and come to Judgment; and with that the Tombs broke, the Graves opened, and the Dead that were therein came forth. Some of them were exceeding glad, and looked upward; and others sought to hide themselves under the Mountains. Then I saw the Man that sat upon the Cloud open the Book, and bid the World draw near. Yet there was, by reason of a fierce flame which issued out and came from before him, a convenient distance between him and them, as between the Judge and the Prisoners at the bar. I heard it also proclaimed to them that attended on the Man that sat on the Cloud, "Gather together the Tares, the Chaff, and Stubble, and cast them into the burning Lake." And with that, the bottomless pit opened, just where I stood; out of the mouth of which there came in an abundant manner, smoke and coals of fire, with hideous noises. It was also said to the same persons, "Gather my Wheat into the Garner." And with that I saw many catch’d up and carried away into the Clouds, but I was left behind. I also sought to hide myself, but I could not, for the Man that sat upon the Cloud still kept his eye upon me: my sins also came into my mind; and my Conscience did accuse me on every side. Upon this I awakened from my sleep. 
Christian: But what was it that made you so afraid of this sight?
Man. Why, I thought that the day of Judgment was come, and that I was not ready for it: but this frighted me most, that the Angels gathered up several, and left me behind; also the pit of Hell opened her mouth just where I stood: my Conscience too afflicted me; and as I thought, the Judge had always his eye upon me, showing indignation in his countenance."
John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Interpreter has given Christian a marvelous view of the Day of Judgement. On that day the dead and alive will all be called together to be judged by the Father. As Christian saw, there will be those that will rejoice mightily that the day has finally come. There will also be those that will realize that all that they gambled on was wrong and they will try to hide, but fail.

For those that will rejoice, it will not be because they did anything better than those who will hide. They did not do more good than bad. It was because of grace! No one will be able to boast on that day. They were shown mercy. It was that Jesus died for the sins of those that He called unto Himself.

"God made Jesus who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Jesus we might become the righteousness of God." II Corinthians 5:21

For the others, they will be subject to a fiery judgement. We do not see it, but the reality is, we are all in the hands of the Father. Below us is judgement. We all deserve for God to let us slip from His fingers into the fire and brimstone that is reserved for sinners. Hell is open up! Its hungry mouth is ready to swallow us whole. Soon there will be no time for excuses or pity. Demons will leap on the poor souls as they have been carving to do for centuries. There, for eternity they will scream and suffer, but there be no relief.

"Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire." Revelation 20:11-15

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent. ’“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-31

If God has removed the blinds from your eyes, and you have heard what is being said, seek Him now! Cry out, today. Don't wait. Beg for God's mercy and grace. Seek the sacrificial blood of Christ. Call upon the mighty name of Jesus! Plead for God to free you from your sinful life that you may turn from your wicked ways. Cry out to your creator to show you the way out. Do not allow the enemy to snatch this moment away. Mercy! Mercy! Mercy!

The Man in the Iron Cage

"Now, said Christian, let me go away from this place. No, stay, said the Interpreter, till I have showed you a little more, and after that you shall go on your way. So he took him by the hand again, and led him into a very dark room, where there sat a man in an Iron Cage. Now the Man, when you looked at him, seemed extremely downcast; he sat with his eyes looking down to the ground, his hands folded together; and he sighed as if his heart was broken in two. Then said Christian, What means this? At which the Interpreter encouraged him to talk with the man. Then said Christian to the Man, What are you? The Man answered, I am now what I wasn't. 
Chr. What were you? 
Man. The Man said, I was once a fair and flourishing Professor, both in mine own eyes, and also in the eyes of others; I once was, as I thought, headed for the Celestial City, and had then even joy at the thoughts that I might get there. 
Chr. Well, but what are you now?
Man. I am now a man of Despair, and am shut up in it, as in this Iron Cage. I cannot get out; O how I cannot!
Chr. But how did you come to be in this condition?
Man. I stopped watching and being sober; I laid the reins upon the horse called Lusts; I sinned against the light of the Word and the goodness of God; I have grieved the Spirit, and He is gone; I tempted the Devil, and he has come to me; I have provoked God to anger, and He has left me; I have so hardened my heart, that I cannot turn back.
Then said Christian to the Interpreter, But are there no hopes for such a man as this? Ask him, said the Interpreter.
Chr. Then said Christian, Is there no hope, must you be kept in the Iron Cage of Despair?
Man. No, none at all.
Chr. Why? The Son of the Blessed is very pitiful.
Man. I have crucified Him to myself afresh, I have despised His Person, I have despised His Righteousness, I have counted His Blood an unholy thing; I have despised the Spirit of Grace. Therefore I have shut myself out of all the Promises, and there now remains to me nothing but threatnings, dreadful threatnings, fearful threatenings of certain Judgment and fiery Indignation, which shall devour me as an Adversary.
Chr. For why did you bring yourself into this condition?
Man. For the Lusts, Pleasures, and Profits of this World; in the enjoyment of which I did then promise myself much delight; but now everyone of those things also bite me, and gnaw at me like a burning worm.
Chr. But can't you not now repent and turn?
Man. God has denied me repentance: his Word gives me no encouragement to believe; yea, it was Himself that shut me up in this Iron Cage; nor can all the men in the world let me out. O Eternity! Eternity! how shall I grapple with the misery that I must meet with in Eternity!
Inter. Then said the Interpreter to Christian, Let this man’s misery be remembred by you, and be an everlasting caution to you.
Chr. Well, said Christian, this is fearful; God help me to be continuing watchful and be sober, and to pray that I may shun the cause of this man’s misery. Sir, is it not time for me to go on my way now?" John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

The Man in the Iron Cage had his shut eyes opened. He had his clogged deaf ears relieved. He was shown the other side. Truth was made visible to him. He had a taste of all that was good. Despite all this grace, he turned his back and fell away.

I do not think he or anyone like him had fully entered into the gate of salvation, but it may have. I believe they were like Christian before the Wicket-Gate. They had seen their wicked ways. They were sent on the path to the gate, but somewhere along the way the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life encouraged them to take another path.

Below are the saddest verses I believe in the Bible. They show that out of such hope can come horrible devastation. I know personally at least one person who ended up on this horrible path. I shared his joys and then also pleaded for him not to take the path he was on. He struggled with it, but gave in. I saw the darkness envelope him. These are warnings, do not dance with the devil.
"See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." Hebrews 3:12-14

"It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace." Hebrews 6:4-6

 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:26-31

"If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them." II Peter 3:17

The Warrior

"Then Interpreter took Christian, and led him up towards the door of the palace; and behold, at the door stood a great company of men, desiring to go in, but could not. There also sat a man at a little distance from the door, at a table, with a notebook and his ink before him, to take the names of them that should enter therein; Christian saw also that in the doorway stood many men in armor, being resolved to do whatever was needed to keep anyone from entering. Now was Christian somewhat amazed. At last, when every man quit for fear of the armed men, Christian saw a man of a very strong confidence come up to the man that sat there to write, saying, "Write my name down, sir;" when the man at the desk was done, Christian saw the determined man draw his sword, put a helmet on his head, and rush towards the door. The armed men attacked him with deadly force; but the man, not at all discouraged, continued to cutting and hacking more fiercely. So after he had received and given many wounds
to those that attempted to keep him out, he cut his way through them all, and pressed forward into the palace; at which there was a pleasant voice heard clearly saying, "Come in, come in, Eternal glory thou shalt win." So the determined man went in, and was clothed with such grand garments as they had. Then Christian smiled, and said, I think I know the meaning of this. John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Interpreter has been showing Christian different rooms. In each room there is a scene that helps him understand the life he now is about to experience. In this particular scene Christian learns that those following Christ should expect attacks.
"From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it." Matthew 11:12

As Christians, we spend a lot of energy fighting people. We spend too much energy fighting political battles, so much so, we are losing our identities. Instead of being known as Christ followers, we are being called religious conservatives. We must remember that we are fighting a spiritual battle.

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so
that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against
flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this
dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your
ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of
truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all
this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of
God." Ephesians 6:10-18

Fire!

"Then I saw in my dream that the Interpreter took Christian by the hand, and led him into a place where was a fire burning against a wall, and one standing by it, continually casting large amounts of water upon it, trying to quench it; yet it had the opposite effect. The fire burned higher and hotter.
Then said Christian, What does this mean?
The Interpreter answered, This fire is the work of grace that was started by Holy Spirit in the heart of the believer; the one trying to extinguish the fire, is the Devil. He fails to realize there is a man with a vessel of oil in his hand, of the which he continually feeds into the fire.
Then said Christian, What does this mean?
The Interpreter answered, This is Christ, who continually, with the oil of his grace, maintains the work already begun in the heart.

"Make these into a sacred anointing oil, a fragrant blend, the work of a perfumer. It will be the sacred anointing oil. Then use it to anoint the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law, the table and all its articles, the lampstand and its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, and the basin with its stand. You shall consecrate them so they will be most holy, and whatever touches them will be holy." Exodus 30:25-29


Christ called you to Himself. There is no need to bless the tabernacle anymore. We are now His temple.  He woke you up from your deep slumber and set your feet on solid ground He has been directing your path. Now the enemy is trying to put out your fire. This will not happen!


"In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:4-6


"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:28-31


God is a God of Fire! You know Him, because His word consumed you as it did the sacrifice in I Kings 18. False shepherds have no such force in their words. They may pretend to, with careful chosen words and cadences, but they have no fire. They speak very pleasingly and very flatteringly to their vain congregations. They tell them that nothing will happen bad to them. 

When the Lord spoke through His prophet, Jeremiah, His Word was “like fire.” 
The people were consumed. They felt God's force and power! When the false prophets spoke, like our false shepherds, they would say all manner of kind and pleasing things. But when Jeremiah spoke, in the name of Jehovah, it was like the rock breakers with their sledgehammers. He brought it down with tremendous force. Like the stone that shatters in a thousand pieces,the message of Jeremiah broke their wicked hearts.


“Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? Jeremiah 23:29

Budget Driven Churches

"Now, I saw in my dream that Interpreter again took
Christian by the hand and led him into a very small room in which
there sat two little children, each one in his own chair. The name of
one was Passion and the other Patience. Passion seemed to be
very unhappy while Patience remained calm and quiet. Then
Christian asked, 'What is the reason for Passion’s unrest?'
Interpreter replied, 'The Governor of these children would like
him wait for the best things that are to be bestowed at the
beginning of the next year. But he wants to have his inheritance
now, while Patience is quite willing to wait.'"
John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress


There is a new name for some churches, 'Budget Driven Churches.' These churches; because of building programs, large wages, and programs, have budgets that have become nearly impossible to sustain. They are like the first child. They want everything now. They demand their inheritance and spend it unwisely. The bible tells us that we are to take care of the poor, the needy, the widows, and their children.

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.... “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.........’
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me........’ Matthew 25:31-46


This does not mean we can gain our salvation by acts of charity or good works. This is a parable meant to teach one lesson. The lesson is to show the believer what we are supposed to be doing. We are not commanded to build big churches. We are not supposed to make our pastors rich. We spend millions on buildings and beautiful grounds surrounding them, yet the poor and needy go hungry in the same neighborhood. 


Missions is now nearly extinct in church budgets. As Our Savior was about to ascend to Heaven, He gave His last marching orders. 


“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20


What happened to that Great Commission? Business meetings are filled with how much money will be spent on carpet and sound equipment, when the discussions should be how more missionaries may be sent out. How many churches are mortgaged to the hilt? Preachers need the people to give and thus are forced to make the people happy. The church also is afraid to make the government unhappy. The IRS controls what pastors have to say or they may lose their tax exemption.



We are supposed to busy doing what we were commanded. Pastors can't preach sermons that will challenge the congregation. They cannot preach hell and brimstone, least the people stop coming or giving. So the sermons are feel good sermons. People leave happy and give and all is well, except God. One day these pastors will have to stand before Him and give an account.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

Spring Cleaning

"Then Christian was taken by the hand and led into a very large
living room that was full of dust having never been swept.
Now after he had observed this scene for a little while, Interpreter
called for a man to commence sweeping. As a result, the dust
began to fly about so overwhelmingly that Christian was nearly
choked to death. Interpreter immediately spoke to a gracious lady
standing nearby, “Bring some water here and sprinkle this room.”
The lady having done this, the parlor was then easily swept and
cleansed." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

This is the second room that Interpreter (Holy Spirit) takes Christian. Christian has been sent there by the Gate Keeper (Jesus) so that Christian receive instruction, comfort, and guidance. This room is interesting. Bunyan explains it best.

"CHRISTIAN: What does this mean?
INTERPRETER: This parlor is the heart of a man who has never
been sanctified [regenerated and justified] by the sweet grace of the
Gospel. The dust is his original [Sin he had from birth (Adam's)] sin and inward
corruptions that have thoroughly defiled the whole man. He who
first began to sweep is the Law; but the gracious lady who brought
water and sprinkled the room is the Gospel.
Now while you saw, as soon as the man (Law) began to sweep, that
the dust so swirled about the room that it became even more
difficult to cleanse, and you were near choked to death, this is to
show you that the Law, instead of it effectively cleansing the heart
from sin, does in fact arouse, give greater strength to, and cause sin
to flourish in the soul. And this result is in spite of the fact that
the Law both uncovers and condemns sin, for it does not have the
power to subdue.
Furthermore, as you saw the gracious lady (Gospel) sprinkle the room
with water, at which it was very easily cleansed, this is to show you
that when the Gospel comes with its sweet and precious influences
indwelling the heart, then, just as you saw the lady settle the dust
by sprinkling the floor with water, so is sin vanquished and
subdued, and the heart made clean, through the faith of that soul;
and consequently that same soul is then made a suitable place for
the King of Glory to inhabit." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress

Somehow this reminded me of the Hantavirus. Go into any old abandoned adobe home in the Southwest United States and you will find these cute little deer mice. Clean the floor and you are risking a miserable death. As you sweep up, the broom creates a dust up. You breathing in what was on the floor, including deer mouse dropping. These droppings can carry the Hantavirus.

The main effect is in the blood vessels with most symptoms associated with the lungs. At the beginning there will be shortness of breath and coughing. This will be followed by symptoms similar to the flu (muscle aches, fever and fatigue) and usually show up around 2 to 3 weeks after exposure. This leads to dramatic damage to kidneys. Later the lungs, spleen, and gall bladder are massively affected.

Why did I chase this rabbit? I wanted to point out in this world dramatic damage can be caused by just kicking up dust. In the Spirit world it is just as damaging. We should not just take a broom to our soul and try to clean it up. It is Holy Spirit's task to do this. Self-help programs and  psychology without God have the same affect of deer mouse droppings on our soul and it will lead to our spiritual death. 

The Man of God

"Now Interpreter led the pilgrim into a private room, and there
he ordered his man to open a door. Then did Christian see the
picture of a very serious person hanging against
the wall, and its features were as follows. This man had his eyes
directed up toward Heaven, the best of books in his hand, the law
of truth was written upon his lips, the world was behind his back;
he stood as if he pleaded with men, and a crown of gold hung over
his head." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress


Christian was directed by the Gatekeeper to the Interpreter. The Interpreter is showing Christian all that he needs to continue his journey. He guides and gives comfort to Christian during this time.


The first object Christian is shown is a portrait. It is of a man. The man's countenance is sober and solemn. He is serious. He knows his calling requires his full attention.

"Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care." I Timothy 6:20

His gaze is toward the object of his attention. When you trying to hit something it is best to pin point that object and none other. 


"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12: 1-3 


He holds the best of books is the Bible. It has been translated in part or in whole into over 1200 languages and dialects. 100 million are purchased each year. It is estimated there are currently over 8 billion in circulation.


"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17


The man has placed the world behind him. He has turned from any interest in worldly things and placed all his attention on God. He has come to full knowledge that all the world has to offer is foolish, deceit, and wrath.


Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. I John 2:15-17 


He now pleads for men to turn from their wicked ways. He warns them of the pending doom that they face. He  teaches that death to self is the answer to freedom.


"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 


There is a man that this description brings to my mind. He was a man of God. He was my hero, my mentor, my Abraham. He was everything I hope to be someday. He was my Father-in-law, Eldon Otha Raley. He fit all of these renderings. 


He could joke and brought much laughter, but was dead serious when it came to his walk with God. He let nothing damage that relationship. He made sure to spend every morning in the God's Word before starting the day. His gift was the prophetic and he made sure he told you the truth. Holy Spirit used him to set many men free of sin by telling Eldon how to pray for those men. The world and anything it may have offer could not compete with his Creator. In 2009,  Eldon went to be with Him. The word says that he will be told, "'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' and there he will receive a crown of righteousness.


Prepare now to be such a person. Pray that God will bring such a person into your life to help train you to be one. Let nothing that this world get between you and your Creator.

Christian meets the Interpreter

"THEN he went on till he came to the house of the Interpreter,
where he knocked at the entrance over and over again. At last
someone came to the door and asked, “Who is there?”
CHRISTIAN: Sir, I am a traveler who was advised by an
acquaintance of the good man of this house to call here for my
benefit. Therefore I would like to speak with the master of this
house.
So the man at the door called for the master of the house, who
soon came to Christian and asked him what was the reason for his
visit.
CHRISTIAN: Sir, I am a man who has come from the City of
Destruction and am on my way to Mount Zion. I was told by one
Good-will at the Wicket-gate, the commencement of this narrow
way, that if I called here you would show me excellent things that
would be of help to me in my journey.
INTERPRETER: By all means come in, and I will certainly show
you things that you will find beneficial.
So he commanded his helper to light the candle and then invited
Christian to follow him." John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress


Christian is on the straight and narrow path. He has been sent, by the gatekeeper of the gate of salvation, to the Interpreter. The Interpreter asks Christian why he has come to visit. Once again, Bunyan, shows us that it was common for people to question people to deduce if they were believers instead of just taking it for granted.


The Interpreter hears that Christian realized that he lived in the City of Destruction. He knows his destination is Zion. Christian also tells the Interpreter that he was allowed in at the gate by the gatekeeper and was sent by Him to the Interpreter.


Only after receiving a sufficient answer does the Interpreter invite him in. He tells Christian that he will show him things that will be beneficial to Christian. Then the light is lit and he begins to guide Christian.

"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." 
John 16:13


“When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me." John 15:26


"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26

"The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments,"  I Cor. 2:14-15