In case you didn't know, I am a music man. I love most kinds of music barring a few notable genres. All that being said, I have become a songwriter over time. I love raw and honest songwriters who really put it out there. That being said, there is this one song that I cannot get enough of. It is called, Borderland, by John Mark McMillan. There is one part of the song that the lyrics go like this:Help me holy Jesus won't you show me how to liveI've got monsters at my table I've got Bibles bent like shivsHelp me holy Lord I see the light of Heaven's porchbut so many of us are born here outside your chain link fence
These lyrics are raw and to the point. If you listen to the entire song you can reflect on The law of Moses compared to the finishing work of Jesus Christ on the cross for you and me. It is a deep song and it puts things in perspective. Whether we want to believe it or not we have two things working against us as Disciples: 1) Our old self nature and 2) Spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm).
I think the things that we have to realize (to discern) is when temptation comes our way that we have to ask ourselves is if this is warfare or old self coming at us. We have to equip ourselves with other brothers to carry us through these times and troubles. We have to be raw and open and honest with these brothers in order for them to help us carry these burdens in life. Above all, we have to yield to the Holy Spirit who convicts us at times, encourages us and leads us in the way that we should go.
In these times of trials and tribulations, we should pray, "help me holy Jesus and won't you show me how to live" because we do have monsters at our tables and we need to have our bibles bent like shivs (to know the word and to live it gives us a might weapon to defend ourselves).
The song also states this:
Living in a borderlandI don't feel like a boy I don't feel like a manAnd the things I don't understandThings like love. Like the law, the law of the jungle
None of us are perfect nor can we earn our way into Heaven. The law was given to condemn the sinner. Jesus Christ came not to abolish the law, but to fulfill it! Before Jesus came we were called to obey the law and if we were guilty of one of the laws then we were guilty of all of them. Jesus overcame that for us and become our new covenant. His life was perfect and he fulfilled every prophecy about the Messiah - because He is the Messiah!
Because he died, we can live. Because he lives we can die to our old selves and be a new creation in Christ.
Trust and obey, for there is no other way!
Blessings,
Dante
PS - John also wrote, How He loves me (also performed by David Crowder Band)