"The Narrow Road": Blogs By Shane Kastler

God's Not Done With You Yet

By Shane Kastler

If you can read these words, then rest assured...God is not done with you yet.  He still has work for you to do.  If God were finished with you, then you would be dead.  But you're not. So He isn't.
    Moses thought God was done with him.  When Moses was forty years old he went to the children of Israel with the intent of delivering them from Egyptian bondage.  The Bible says: “He supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.” (Acts 7:25)  Not only did the Hebrews refuse to submit to Moses's leadership, they flat out rejected him.  He had to flee for his life into the land of Midian, where he lived forty years as a shepherd.
    At the age of eighty, God spoke to Moses through a burning bush and told him that he was to go back to Egypt and deliverer the children of Israel.  By this point, Moses no longer wanted to go.  Undoubtedly he saw himself as a tired old man.  And he probably assumed he was near death.  Moses himself wrote in Psalm 90 that man should expect no more than seventy years on the earth. Or if perhaps due to strength, eighty years (Psalm 90:10).  Moses thought he was done.  But God was not done with Moses.
    The last forty years of Moses's life were the most productive.  Though they were very frustrating at times, Moses walked with God in a way that no one else did.  He saw glimpses of God's glory and he experienced things others didn't get to experience.  He led the children of Israel for forty years and got them to the edge of the promised land.  Then God took Moses home.  Moses didn't get to enter the earthly promised land because God took him to a much better one.  God took him to Heaven.
    If you're still alive, then God isn't done with you yet.  Your greatest days may still lie ahead.  Seek the Lord while He may be found.  Submit to Christ and follow Him.  Don't tell God what He should or shouldn't do with your life.  For your life belongs to Him.  Live it for His glory and love Him with every minute you have left on earth.  God wasn't done with Moses.  And God isn't done with you.

When Someday Comes

By Shane Kastler

As the Apostle Paul traveled from city to city proclaiming the gospel, he faced many near-death situations. Frequently beaten and imprisoned, there were times in which he wasn't certain if he would live or die. He wrote to the Corinthians of a time when he “despaired even of life” and had the “sentence of death” upon him (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). But in spite of this, the Lord delivered him. At least on that occasion. Paul also wrote to the Philippians from a prison cell, declaring that he might be executed. Once again, the Lord delivered him. While God spared Paul's life repeatedly, Paul was aware of this fact: Someday, he would in fact die.

This is also true for you and me. Death is typically something we think will happen to others today and to us “someday.” We have a tendency to put our own demise out of our thoughts because the prospect of suffering and the fear of the unknown might overwhelm us. Yet, if we are “in Christ” we need not fear death. While we have never experienced death, Christ did. And arose victorious over it. For the believer, death is nothing more than a means of leaving this temporal world and entering into eternal glory. Regardless of whether or not you want it, death will come to you someday.

That “someday” even came for Paul eventually. Once again finding himself in a prison cell, Paul wrote to his protege Timothy, saying:“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:6-7 NASB) While you might be prone to read those words with sadness, I don't think Paul wrote them that way. To the contrary, I think Paul was overjoyed at the prospect of imminent death. It was undoubtedly with victorious proclamation that Paul declared “I have fought the good fight!” Paul wasn't longing for physical deliverance. He was longing to depart and be with the Lord.

Can you echo Paul's sentiment today? Is your prize in the “here and now”? Or have you stored up your “treasure in Heaven”? Make no mistake, if your greatest love isn't Christ, then your future home isn't Heaven. Paul longed for death so he could be with Jesus. Do you have such a longing to know the Lord and to be with Him forever? If not, ask the Lord to change your heart. Plead with Him to give you a heart that loves Him supremely. Someday you will die. Someday you will stand before Him and give an account of your life. Someday might seem like a long time away. But eventually, even for you, “someday” will come. Will you be ready?

To Die is Gain

By Shane Kastler

It doesn't sound normal to speak of death in glowing terms. Typically death is something we fear greatly and avoid profoundly. Yet the Christian can have a very different posture toward death. For the Christian, death means grace. For the Christian, death means glory. For the Christian death means gain. This might seem odd to the world. But Christians have always seemed odd to the world.

The Apostle Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.” (Philippians 1:21-24 NASB)

The “hard pressed” situation that Paul refers to here is the prospect of either living or dying. He's genuinely torn as he contemplates these two potential realities. Of course he prefers one, but will accept the other if need be. For most of us in this situation we would prefer to live, but will accept death if we have no other choice. But Paul is the exact opposite. He prefers death but will accept continued life if he has no other choice. What a radical and counter-cultural way to live!

How could Paul think, much less say such a thing? Paul's “death wish” was not rooted in suicidal tendencies, nor in a hatred and misery found in his earthly life. To the contrary, in this very same letter Paul speaks frequently of his joy. His excitement at the prospect of death is rooted in his love for Christ. And he knows that if he dies he will be in Jesus's very presence. Death isn't preferred just to avoid suffering. Death is preferred because it will usher him into the presence of Christ and this is “very much better.”

Are these the types of thoughts you have as you contemplate your own potential death? Do you long to depart and be with Christ? Or does this whole notion strike you as odd? If so, then it's probably clear evidence that you are not a Christian. Perhaps you adhere to some Christian principles or attend a Christian church or have partaken in some Christian practices. But that's not the same as being a Christian. A Christian loves Christ. And a Christian longs to be with Christ. While most people (including Christians) don't get giddy over the thought of dying; a Christian does get ecstatic about what awaits them just beyond death. Are you ready to meet Jesus? Do you want to see Jesus? Do you want to be with Jesus? If not, then pray for the Lord to change your heart. This world is temporal and fleeting; eternity is coming and it lasts forever. Where will you spend it?

Live So As To Be Hated

By Shane Kastler

Christians should be the most gracious, loving, kind-hearted, and sweet-spirited people in the world. And the world should hate them for it. I know that might sound odd; but it is true nonetheless. Even though Christians should exhibit such positive traits; they should also be courageous, bold, steadfast, and honest. Some of these traits might irritate people some of the time. But all of the traits displayed in the same individual is sure to attract the hatred of the world.

Jesus told his disciples, “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19 NASB) The world, in some sense, will hate Christians because Christians are different than they are. Rather than living a life devoted to sinful pleasures, Christians are devoted to Christ. Rather than worldliness, Christians are devoted to holiness. Rather than possessions, Christians are devoted to eternal blessings. Rather than money, Christians look forward to a reward in Heaven better than silver or gold. The world doesn't understand this way of thinking. And oftentimes, the world hates the Christian for their convictions.

There's an old expression that says “Live so as to be missed.” For Christians, in an ironic twist, we are also called to, “Live so as to be hated.” By loving, following, and imitating Christ; we know that the world, at times, will be at odds with us. Christians should know that this is normal, and it always has been. Historically, Christians have been persecuted (at times unto death) for their faith. We worship and follow our Lord who was Himself crucified by the world forces who hated Him. And we are to be like Him.

So Christian, don't worry so much about whether or not everyone likes you. They aren't supposed to like you. Make sure that their hatred isn't caused by any arrogance, self-righteousness, or rudeness on your part. Be loving, gracious, kind, honest, bold, courageous; and in so doing.... be hated. It's much better to be loved by the Lord and rejected by the world. Than to be loved by the world and rejected by the Lord. A person cannot serve two masters. You can only have one master, and it won't be you. It's Jesus or it's the world. What King do you serve?