I Will Ascend

So, I bought a motorcycle several years ago. I had a convertible already, which I really enjoy driving, so the motorcycle seemed to always take a back seat if I wanted to go anywhere.

I like the motorcycle, but the convertible is an 8 cylinder with a 12 speaker sound system...safer, powerful, and loud. Yes, it was my first choice. So, after barely using it for two years, I had decided to sell the bike, to free up space in my garage.

Across from us here in Ormond-by-the-Sea is a three story building of condos. Last summer, a guy from NY moved in named Mike. Mike is a rough around the edges New Yorker, who drops F-bombs every other word. He started to hang out with me on my front porch, smoking, drinking, and cussing about any and every topic.

Mike, after buying one of the Condos, so he and his wife could snowbird down here during the winters, got himself a used Harley. He then talked me into waiting to sell my bike until we rode up and down A1A a few times.

A1A is the coastal road right by my house. It runs right through Daytona Beach Boardwalk. After a few rides, I found that riding with another biker was way more fun than riding alone, so I decided to keep my bike.

I am a Christian, a real one. One who talks to God, and understands that my salvation was given by His grace, and I had absolutely nothing to do with it. I, am nowhere near too good to hang out with those who don't understand...for if I did think otherwise, there would be very few in the churches that I could hang out with.

I also drink beer. I like the taste. I like sitting on my porch swing with a beer in the late afternoon. I like going to a pub with friends, and drinking a pint or three. There is absolutely nothing in the scripture to speak against drinking alcohol. Nope, there is nothing there. Drunkenness is not what happens after you drink three bears or ten beers. Drunkenness, like glutenny is when your action is causing a problem physiologically and relationally. It means alcoholic.

Look, we were not made perfect. If Adam and Eve were, they would never have eaten from the tree. God doesn't just "know" we are flawed, He made us that way on purpose. He doesnt make mistakes. He didn't make little gods...He made men.

Drinking a beer or hard liquor is not evil. Yet, putting ourselves first over others is.

If a man gets lost in booze and ruins his life, the evil is in the ruin and what it does to those who care about him. Worse than that is the one, who didn't get lost in booze, using the alcoholic to feel better about himself.

The devil wants us to destroy ourselves, but even better is when he gets us to destroy others in our hearts.

Isaiah 14:12-14

[12] How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!

[13] You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.

[14] I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."

Pride. Pride is the raising of myself above others. This is what true Satanism is. "I will ascend".

To ascend, we must climb. To climb, we must pull down. Satan, wants to pull everything else down to ascend to the highest place. This is the lie he gave to mankind in the garden. The lie they fell for because they were not perfect. Now, man is stuck with this effort to pull others down to feel superior.

Jesus Christ is directly opposed to this. In Phillipians Chapter 2, it is explained marvelously by Paul. God's way is to put others first! Yes, even the guy who is trapped by booze and drugs.

No, that doesn't mean giving them cash, for they would use it to further destroy their lives. That wouldnt be helping them. However, since "love is kind" it does mean you should not look down on them, but be nice. A careful helping hand, is what Jesus Christ would do. Phillipians 2:5 "Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus"

Kindness, friendliness, these show we are Christians. Judgment and distain, show we are not. It burdens me how so many "christians" can't see this, and still pride themselves on their "holiness" a holiness they did not earn, a holiness made solely by the work of Jesus Christ.

Mike came down early this year, so he could go to Daytona Beach Biktoberfest. It started yesterday.

Being retired, I decided to go. Yes, it is nothing but a big party with motorcycles. Yet as a Christian, saved by grace, I can go anywhere and bring the light of Jesus...as long as I am not putting myself first.

Mike wanted to go to a pub called Saints and Sinners, yes, it is ironically appropriate. The place was huge. I'd never seen so many motorcycles in one place. They had food and tents covering the massive parking area for many shops, restaurants, and hotels.

We found a picnic table and shared a pitcher of beer. The band was playing some 90s tunes with gobs of F-bombs and attitude. Yes, there were sinners there...many, many of them. But, what better place for a saint to shine?

His light shines out of us even when we do nothing. It does. Even in a den that is dominated by self indulgence.

After finishing the beer, we went to find some food. While walking toward a bunch of food trucks, I spotted a tent for evangelistic purposes with one guy behind the table. The sign behind him said something about the Sabbath, so I correctly assumed he was with the Seventh Day Adventist organization.

Look, anyone who believes in Jesus is a Christian, all the other unnecessary, but thought necessary doctrines don't change that. It is not the doctrines that show faith in Jesus Christ, it is the kindness that really does.

Feeling a prodding from the Holy Spirit, I left our little group, and went up to the tent to talk to the guy. I had no idea what to say or do. I just trusted God to engage since He wanted me to do it. The guy was an Adventist lay pastor.

Somewhere in the conversation, the topic of man being perfect before the fall came up. I began to point out that God doesn't make mistakes, which the guy agreed, so I explained how the whole Garden thing was in fact, intentional. This topic brought us straight up against the Free-Will doctrine.

The guy, as expected, didn't agree, believing, like most, that God gave us free will, so also did another man who stopped at the tent just minutes after I did. He also expressed himself as a believer, even a Pentecostal one.

As I started to defend my point, the new guy, brushed me off with a wave of his hand and then insulted me regarding the t-shirt I was wearing. He proudly said "because I am a Christian, I would never wear that shirt" (Picture above) then he smugly walked away.

It didn't bother me at the time, and it usually doesn't, as I feel a confidence while acting in response to the Holy Spirits prompting. Yet, as the day wore on, it really started to bug me.

Though the guy claimed to be a believer, his rudeness denied that. He was ascending at my expense. Of course, as a believer, a real one...I let him do it.

What bugged me later was my own sinful desire to ascend. I had begun to wish I had rebuked the guy! My rebuke was unnecessary as it wasn't my job, nor would it have been of any value as the guy clearly thought I was beneath him.

John 13:35

[35] By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Yes, we all struggle with the sin nature, the nature that makes us want to be first, to ascend. It comes from the devil, and we, because of recieved grace, alone have the ability to deny that desire.

So, please, do so.

If you do, it will show who you really are.

It's way better than throwing money at a problem.