As I was praying for our nation during my watch on the Fire Wall USA, at about 6:30 a.m. September 9th, Holy Spirit began bringing thoughts to repent for. Forgive us Lord, for working so hard to make our lives easy and to make ourselves comfortable. We have looked toward the world and not You for these things. We have chosen the wide, easy path and not the narrow, rocky one and we are sorry. We want to walk the path of life with You, Jesus, led by Holy Spirit guidance. Lead us into all truth and the path to ever-lasting light. Amen.

Let’s think about this in everyday terms. I’m lying on ‘My Pillow’ on a ‘Perfect Sleeper’ mattress encased in a good mattress cover purchased on Amazon, with microfiber sheets purchased at Ollie’s and ‘just the right’ woven cotton blanket (which was a cast-off from our kids who bought other blankets) perfect for the temperature inside as the evenings get cooler. I’m comforted more by the ‘Hunter’ fan light on our ceiling, which John put up a few months ago during our first days of sequestering, along with a wider, nicer wood door on the bedroom which came from our other home’s remodel. Can you believe we still don’t always sleep well???

Our shelves are stocked with food I’ve canned and staples, the fridge filled with healthy salad makings and all the fixings as well as almond milk, chia seeds, assorted healthy nuts, farm fresh eggs we get from a neighbor, the remnants of last weekend’s rotisserie chicken purchased during our Sams’ Club shopping run, as well as condiments. Don’t forget the ‘pantry drawer’ in the freezer-on-the bottom refrigerator which is filled with a pepperoni stick and shredded whole-milk, part skim mozzarella for our weekly gluten-free pizza as well as pre-cooked bacon and a Mexican cheese blend for John’s fluffy scrambled eggs for breakfast. Most of the food is planned to help with my anti-inflammatory, reduced allergy symptom eating satisfaction. Our freezers are full of assorted venison, lean pork loin chops bought in bulk from Sam’s Club, strawberries and blueberries we picked, green beans, peas, squash, rhubarb from our garden…the list goes on and on. All this food and creature comforts for our ease and for efficient meals.

It is a good thing we love to share our bounty with others, including our family and friends. It’s also fun to have people over to eat with us, but we spend a lot of time deciding what to eat throughout the day and then preparing the food and cleaning up after. I know some people have food delivery services, as the ad says, “We don’t have to cook anymore!” and some eat out a lot. Most of our country runs on our belly’s desires or eating plans developed by many ‘experts’ who all know the ‘best way’ to feed our bodies. What does the Bible say about the way we live? Let’s look at Apostle Paul’s warnings to the Philippian church.

Philippians 3:18 For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ¹⁹ whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.

How should we be living? This being September 11th, we remember the day they awoke us to the realization that our nation is not any safer than the rest of the world. It shook most of us to the core and left us wondering where our faith was at. The Apostle Paul explained how we should be living.

Philippians 3:12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul is encouraging us to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, choosing life over death. Let’s look at what our goal in this life should be to give us hope for our expected end.

Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹ who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

It is not wrong to have creature comforts, but wrong to make them our pursuit and all-consuming focus. Remember, seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things we ‘need’ and want will be added to us. So, let us get back to Heavenly basics. The disciplines of fasting, prayer and meditating on the Word need to come back into style for those of us who claim to be Christ-followers. The early church practiced all these and God provided for all their needs as they turned the world upside down after the Holy Spirit descended on them with fire and power. When this occurred on the first Pentecost, 3,000 souls were saved. We have that same Holy Spirit available and the same power and authority from Jesus Christ, the baptism in holy fire, to do great exploits of miracles, signs, wonders and healings. Let us drop what hinders us and press on toward the goal; the upward call in Christ! That is where our victory lies. It’s where we find the Shalom completeness of God. Fellow followers, join me in this victorious walk on the narrow path that leads to life everlasting!