Sun, Nov 30th - 9:38PM

Ten Years in the Canaan Land

And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.  Ex. 6:4

I [am] the LORD your God, which brought you forth out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, [and] to be your God.  Lev. 25:38

          Canaan is a symbol much used in the Christian experience.  Often it carries the connotation of a victorious life, other times it means a triumphant entry into heaven after a successful struggle against sin in this life.  For me, Canaan is the place of abundance, of knowledgeable and successful Christian living with struggles that can have successful outcomes.  Canaan is where I live now.  My former existence as a professing believer in  Christ was fraught with confusion, inconsistency and defeat.  That period could rightly be called my wilderness wanderings.  I had been delivered from the bondage of sin, which to the Old Testament Israelites was their time in Egypt.  The blood sprinkled on the door posts of their dwellings as they departed was of a lamb slain and eaten before their hurried departure, a picture of the Lamb of God slain for sin, both theirs, and mine today.  I wandered in confusion and unbelief for many years, as they did for forty years subsequent to that departure from Egypt.  Then, finally I was brought to the Jordan River, the very brink of the Promised Land, just as they were.

          Whether every Christian goes through this process in his pilgrimage, and in what degrees, I know not.  I only know what has been my experience, and would attempt to describe it here.  I suppose I have gone through a phase of disillusionment with God, which was based upon an unrealistic expectation of what the Christian experience would and should be.  If the analogy of the Jews of old holds true for the New Testament believer today, then the Scriptures tell me that my time in the desert could have been greatly shortened by a sincere appropriation of faith.  This was not the case, and I, like my O.T. counterparts spent an enormously long and fruitless time in my wanderings there.  But God, who is rich in mercy eventually brought me out of that miserable period, and here into a place where I am able to appropriate all of the good resources available to me through Christ.  Therefore, Canaan is not the end of struggle for me, but rather the beginning of a meaningful struggle with the promise of victory here and now.

          Ten years ago, almost to the day I was released from the Colorado prison system and settled here in Colorado Springs.  This is therefore, the location of Canaan for me.  As with the Israelites, the land is before me waiting to be conquered.  In the past ten years I have had much victory and a lot of defeat, while all along gaining a steady progress in growth of my inner character.  By the teachings of some quarters of the Church, I should have obtained a great deal of success in business and finances by now.  Actually, I have attained a significant measure of success in these areas, though not to the accumulation of the wealth which some might expect.  I am healthy, and wanting in nothing necessary for my life.  More so, I have and am like the apostle Paul, finding contentment in whatsoever state I am in.  For, truly “godliness with contentment is great gain.”  Without a doubt the greatest blessing I consider myself to have gotten is an accurate understanding of what it truly is to be a disciple of Jesus, and a child of God in a very practical sense.  The way of the cross is not something commonly taught, nor consistently exemplified in the many churches of our present day.  While be relatively poor and despised in my ministry to the body of Christ, I count it an honor to have been granted this knowledge along with its outworking in me.  To have a greater measure of success in this life, and in ministry endeavor would very likely spoil the treasure I have so painfully labored to achieve.  Truly the life of a disciple is one of outward defeat in the eyes of the world and the worldly church, but one of inward advance into the glorious kingdom of God.

          Should, or could I then boast of all my achievements in these past ten years?  Nay, rather it is my failings in which I boast, because in these I have found joy that cannot taken from me, and which cannot fade with the seasons of life.

And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;  And patience, experience; and experience, hope:  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.  Rom. 5:3-5

I must confess with all the saints who have gone before me, and who now share my experience, that I am happy with my lot in this life, and see it as great opportunity to give glory to my Maker.  Is there a message in my life, in my mind and on my tongue?  Then let it be this: that I know Christ in the power of His resurrection, and in the fellowship of His sufferings; and that I am being made conformable to His death, that I may ultimately be a partaker of His glorious resurrection.  What more is there to be had in this present life?  Many have conquered great realms, even the entire world, and have not gotten what I now possess.  Praise God!  I am safe in the everlasting arms, never to be plucked out and abandoned.  May the remaining few years or even days allotted to me be lived in a manner worthy of this calling!

          So, I thank God Almighty that I have crossed over the Jordan and begun to inherit this land of Canaan!  Egypt and the wilderness are behind me, the corn and wine of Canaan is now mine to lay hold of and to enjoy.  May my hand never falter at the plow, my face never turn back to the past and my sword do mighty exploits for the only King and wise God, whom I now serve in this land of promise!

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.  Jn. 16:33

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  1Jn. 4:4

Wed, Nov 26th - 9:58AM

My Mission

As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.  And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid [their] hands on them, they sent [them] away.  Acts 13:2,3

Somewhere along the way I heard it said that “We are either a missionary or a mission field.”  This statement has stuck in my mind and rung true in my heart as I have moved on the way in my Pilgrimage to God’s Kingdom.  The disciple of Jesus is a missionary wherever he is.  His efforts at attaining personal holiness, his devotion to his God and all of the implications of it that result in change to his own life and the lives of those he encounters amount to a mission in this world.  His goal may not be to convert persons directly, per se, but the living witness of Christ in him, “the hope of glory” is in itself an advance of the Gospel into the darkened corners of this present world.  When that great missionary Paul, the Apostle tells the Philippians of his desire for Christ to be magnified in his body, “whether by life or by death,” he is affirming this very principle. (Phil. 1:20)  Indeed, much of Paul’s writing in the New Testament is of this same tenor.  In the second chapter of this letter he exhorts them to be blameless and harmless so that they might shine as lights in the world.  Phil. 2:14-16  So, we see a dual purpose in the ongoing salvation of which we partake: firstly, that we might be changed inwardly as individuals into the moral likeness of our Saviour, and secondly that this inward change would shine forth in the world around us, giving glory to God.  How manifold and marvelous are His purposes!

          Therefore, I acknowledge my calling to the mission field around me, as does every other true disciple of Christ.  In my case, my field is in the city where I live, Colorado Springs, and to the people thereof.  But, more specifically, there lies a burden on my heart for God’s people in the churches in this community and throughout our country.  Yes, I have a great concern for the lost, the non-professing unbeliever as well.  However, in the day in which we presently live there seems to be a mix of the two, particularly as the churches rapidly become more worldly in their message and ministry in general.  To my perception, and as is obvious to some others, a spirit has infected the body of Christ causing a radical compromise of Gospel truth and its attending grace today.  It is apparent that we are very near, if not already in those difficult times that our Lord spoke of in the 24^th of Matthew and elsewhere, describing them as “the beginning of sorrows.”  I suppose that this could be debated, and that a case could be made for the entire church age being one of tumult, uncertainty, apostasy and deception. 

It matters not on the technicality as to what to label our generation.  The fact is that many are fallen from the true faith, and that much of a diluted Gospel message has captivated the professing churches.  My deepest concern is for the confused and often deluded souls in these “Evangelical” assemblies, and their great need for a true and full understanding of the historic message of the cross.  Yes, Bible truth in varying degrees and shades is being disseminated, and for this I rejoice, as did the apostle.  (Phil. 1:18)  But, as Paul could not rest contented in this, and as he spoke boldly against the various heresies of the church in his day, so must I do, likewise today.  The pervasive complacency I see everywhere in the churches is rooted in a false assurance of salvation for scores of professing believers, who are taught only half the Gospel.  Salvation, in this partial gospel is simplified as a justification from sin, without a corresponding reformed life of true holiness.  The convert is, supposedly gotten in the door to the Kingdom and then given license to essentially, live out his life as he pleases, even to the gratification of the flesh.  Now, this is not expressly taught, but rather, is strongly implied both in the teaching and by the practical example set by leaders and sheep in many of the churches.  Concepts such as practical obedience, total surrender and radical separation from the world are greatly diminished in favor of a “let’s win them by our looseness” model. 

The urgent need of the hour is, therefore to counter this false and distorted gospel, and to proclaim the true Gospel message in its fullness and proper balance of emphasis.  I certainly don’t claim to be the only one alarmed at this trend in our day, nor do I profess to have some exclusive commission from Jesus Christ to straighten out the contemporary church.  But, I see the need and have been providentially positioned in a place here in Colorado Springs, a city of great religious influence throughout our country and the world.  I believe that I possess some gifting in communication ability, and humbly assert that I also possess a fair degree of understanding in Biblical truth, so that I can, by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit call my brethren back in repentance to “the (true) faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3)   My lack of human qualifications and credentials are not a hindrance, but rather a confirmation of this ministry given me.  Some see me as being argumentative for the sake of contention and strife, asserting that I should mind my place in a fellowship with which I mostly agree and support, allowing God to correct His people. 

What I know is that a hot fire burns within me that I cannot quench or pacify by some outward conformity to man’s compromised and misguided standards.  I have a call and an anointing which I cannot suppress for the sake of personal happiness and safety in this world.  I must speak to my brothers and sisters as God has directed me, in every situation and on every occasion that presents itself.  It certainly is not the favor of men that I seek, but rather it is the approval of God that I desire on the day that I stand before Him.  This is my ministry.  May I be found faithful in it for as long a time as I am yet allotted on this earth! 

Michael Clark,

Colorado Springs, Colorado   November 23, 2008

Sun, Nov 16th - 11:42PM

Prayers Yet Unanswered

Prayers of Pisgah

And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that [is] over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan...And the LORD said unto him, This [is] the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see [it] with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.  Deut. 34:1,4

There is a hill outside of the city of Cripple Creek, here in Colorado that is called Mount Pisgah.  It is fitly named because of its situation above the broad valley which separates the mountains near Colorado Springs and the Sangre de Cristo Range to the south.  On the east end of that valley lies the city of Pueblo, and as proceeding west are Penrose, Florence and Canon City.  Cutting that valley approximately in half is the Arkansas River.  Numerous prisons are located in the valley, as well, making Fremont County, which encompasses most of the valley the most prison populated area on earth.  Much comment could be made concerning this, one of those prisons being my place of residence for about three years some time ago, but that is not my main topic here.

A number of years ago, before my incarceration there in that valley, I discovered Mt. Pisgah, and it became a place for me to go, and seek to gain a vision for my life through prayer, with the inspiring view that is there to the south.  Pisgah was a secret place for me during a period of confusion and yearning in my life while I lived many miles to the north in a suburb of Denver.  In all of the symbolism of mountains in the Old Testament, Pisgah was my holy hill, the place of the altar of my sacrifices of consecration, and petition to the God of Heaven.  Now, sadly Pisgah is forbidden to me and to all the public because of its newer ownership and some kind of leasing arrangement with the county officials for their radio antennae.  The last attempt I made to ascend it I was stopped by a woman who claimed to be some kind of deputy and strictly warned me against trespassing. 

In the past few years as events have followed their course I had fairly forgotten this great mountain that once seemed so special to me.  However, a few days ago I was instantly reminded of all of my former longing prayers on its summit when I spied her from a high drive above Canon City one Sunday evening as the sun was about to set.  I had gone down to Canon from my home in the Springs for a  sing-along that night at the church that I had made my fellowship over one year ago.  As I scanned the view of the mountains to the north, there she was like a little cone standing amongst her fellow peaks.  “Pisgah, you old friend!  O Pisgah I had nearly forgotten you and our times together in my turmoil and loneliness!  The prayers I made on thee, cannot be lost on a brazen sky.  O no!  My covenant God has heard them, and He would not let them go into eternity without gracious answers to my yearning, pilgrim soul.”

          But what about all the symbolism in that name and the likeness of that hill in Colorado to the mountain of Israel’s northeastern border?  Moses’ life ended there with the prohibition by Jehovah that kept him from all of the promises of inheritance beyond the Jordan River.  Has a similar judgment, likewise been imposed upon me, because of my serious failings in past years?  How easy it was that evening for me to despair of God’s goodness to me, the unfailing quality of His promises and faithfulness to this hitherto unfaithful man.  What turmoil has been the character my existence, especially since those sunny and hopeful days spent on Pisgah’s summit, where I dreamed the unimaginable dreams of a poor, confused and yearning soul.  O God, those dreams and prayers are kept in a bottle in your store house, waiting for the time of their fulfillment!  Don’t torment me, Lord with their remembrance, and the loss of hope for them to come to pass!  My time on this side of Jordan has been fraught with evil.  I long for peace in the land of peace!  Don’t crush my hope!  Don’t realize to me my deepest fears!  O my Saviour, pass me not with the full benefits of thy salvation!  Hold me to your bosom of comfort till I see those bright and sunny days on the other shore!

...to be continued