If you have not already, I would ask you to begin to deny yourself certain items, certain things that you have come to expect from your daily routine. In part I am requesting this not only for your personal benefit and growth in your spirit towards God, for we are to die to self, (Phil. 1:21) but also because the times we are living in may begin to force these ideas upon us.
The enabled society, as they have been named, are in the position they are in by their own free will, they determined long ago that any effort was too much effort, and many nations, organizations, religious or not, and even other individuals determined that not all should be required to be productive members of society, the lazy should not only be allowed to be lazy, but they should be enabled in it, and those who have determined to live a life of effort and productivity should be made in one way or another not only to provide funds for the lazy, the slothful, but must never offend them in any way by discussing their life choice to remain so.
There is then a three-fold reason why I would request this departure from these items within yourself, the first would be of course because we have been commanded to in the Word of God, but even this can be of no effect toward our growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Peter 3:18) unless they are applied in humble servitude. The second would be so that we do not expect these items, either in their present form, or in the continuation of them. That which we expect, we come to believe we deserve, and this my friends is how so many have become a willing part of the enabled society in the first place. The third is not unlike the first, yet it takes it to the relevant, by denying ourselves, we show our trust in Christ to fulfill the promises that He has given us, to supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory. (Phil. 4:19)
It is expressed in one way by fasting, but this action is a temporary endeavor, for tomorrow you will eat again, what I am referring to is not short term, but lasting. A weaning away, if you will, from something, or perhaps someone, that does not bring glory to God in your walk with Him, but is something you expect. The path of Satan has always been towards man one of separation from the Lord God, attempting to coerce them to believe that they, that we, do not need Him, that we can do it on our own. Recent events again show us this trick to be repeated, for “if we will all pull together, although apart, we can get through this.” The less we desire an item, the less we will miss its departure.
Self-sacrifice is of no value if it is not done for the glory of God, if it is not begun with the belief in faith that He is sufficient for us, that what we need and beyond will be provided for us the entire way to the kingdom. I will give no suggestions, for this is between you and the Lord, but I can give an example. For over half a century I have owned motorcycles, there have been only three of these years that one was not in my possession. I sold my last one, perhaps the finest one I ever owned, just recently, but not for financial reasons, not because it was time to move on, one does not make rash decisions about a fifty year plus desire. I parted with it because I could not see how it was glorifying God in my life, I began to see it as a part of me that was holding outo the world and my part in it.
What we own can quite easily begin to own us, and what we expect in this life we soon begin to believe we deserve. We do not need others to enable us, we are quite proficient in that task ourselves, we hold onto instead of letting go, we desire instead of being satisfied, we search for instead of seeing what we already have. The saying is true, “if I had, then I would do,” instead of believing that what we have is sufficient to the day.
You may choose to do with this letter as you will, but you must be made aware that the day is approaching when what we all have been taking for granted is going to be removed from us. It might be best to prepare for that day today.
