The Cross is the main thing

"When we walk without the Cross, when we build without the Cross, and when we profess Christ without the Cross, we are not disciples of the Lord. We are worldly. I would like that all of us, after these days of grace, might have the courage - the courage - to walk in the presence of the Lord, with the Cross of the Lord: to build the Church on the Blood of the Lord, which is shed on the Cross, and to profess the one glory, Christ Crucified. In this way, the Church will go forward." ~ Pope Francis I

I am a "Protestant".  That is, i am not a Catholic.  I am not anti-Catholic, i just do not agree with a lot of the views of the Catholic church as a whole, so, this will NOT be a denominational bashing post.  If this is what is what you, dear reader, are seeking, please continue on, as it will not be found here.

This was a quote i found, just after Pope Francis I was made the Pope of the Catholic church.  While there are things i disagree with the Catholic church on, this quote by the current Pope shows that there are a lot of things that align most of the denominations of the Christian church.

The cross is THE focus of Christ's ministry on the earth.  His birth brought Him from Heaven.  His life paved the way to make His crucifixion relevant.  Hos death paid the penalty.  His resurrection defeated death.  His testimony and ascension back to Heaven showed His true home.  Everything the Christian does is in response to the cross.  There is nothing a Christian can do to earn what Christ has done.  Nothing that a Christian can do to add to what Christ has done.  There is nothing that the world can do that can take away what Christ has down.  The cross is the very foundation open which our faith is built. 

Preach Christ crucified.  Proclaim WHY He was.  Do not withhold, or soften, or... take away from sharing these things.  It will not always be accepted... even by those of us who profess Christ, in our daily lives... but, just because the truth is not accepted... does not make it any less truth.

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The beginning of a new millennial set of posts - Blog entry # 1001

It has taken me 8 years, 2 months and 14 days to reach this 'milestone'.  On January 6th, in the year of our Lord 2006, "Samurai's Dojo" was 'born'.  I have had ups and downs, long periods of not posting, and days on end of continuous posts, but since, as i stated way back then, these posts are more for me to just "think out loud" (paraphrasing) i am OK with it having taken me over 8 years to get to this point.  My readership has never been more than a couple of handfuls.  At one time i even had a "following".  But, now, i do have some posts that continue to get Google search and browsing.  In the end, this is still mostly for me to sort things out, and hopefully, the lord can use a few words here and there, to reach out through the 'matrix' to reach a few people.  Tulip has been by far the most faithful reader and encourager, but i have enjoyed 'meeting' everyone who has posted a reply, and to those who have stopped by, but not replied, you are welcome here as well.

Over the years, and across the many a blog post, i have been quite varied in what i write about.  There have been some consistency, as evidenced by the labels (scroll all the way down to see the list).  Those that are small have been mentioned less frequently, and the larger ones, most frequently.  In any event, my posts are pretty random... whatever comes to my mind... sometimes several things.  And, often when i read back over some of the posts, it seems in mid-thought too.

In any event, if you stopped by, i hope you found the post(s) at least remotely interesting.

Too many mind... be of "no mind"

"Forget your sadness, anger, grudges, and hatred. Let them pass like smoke caught in the breeze. You should not deviate from the path of righteousness; you should lead a life worthy of a man. Don't be possessed by greed, luxury, or your ego. You should accept sorrows, sadness and hatred as they are, and consider them a chance for trial given to you by the powers... a blessing given by nature. Have both your mind and your time fully engaged in budō (1), and have your mind deeply set on bujutsu (2)." ~ Masaaki Hatsumi

(1) Budō: is a Japanese term describing Japanese martial arts. Literally translated it means the "Martial Way", and may be thought of as the "Way of War".
(2) Bujutsu: In modern usage, bujutsu, meaning martial/military art/science, is typified by its practical application of technique to real-world or battlefield situations.

This quote speaks volumes to me.  Both as a soldier, and as a Christian.  As a soldier, rarely is there time for the luxury of holding a grudge, of allowing anger or hatred to cloud your judgement.  While i have never experienced actual combat where the lead density was reaching unhealthy levels, i have had to train, and was graded under "high intensity" situations (never did master 'break from contact'

- also, i would never equate what i went through in training, with what those who have actually seen combat and have had to go through).  One has to be able to focus on the tasks at hand and what needs to be done.  It is not a time for self indulgence.

As for the Christian part, several verses come to mind.  "Forget your sadness, anger, grudges, and hatred. Let them pass like smoke caught in the breeze." God's Word tells us, "You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." (Matthew 5:38-39, ESV)  Ultimately our security, our redeemer, our protector, is God Himself.

"You should not deviate from the path of righteousness; you should lead a life worthy of a man." Jesus says, "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (Matthew 7:13-14, ESV)  In our case, we are followers of Christ.  We are NOT worthy to be called followers of God, but because of Christ's completed work on the cross, we are being transformed into the image of Christ.  Romans tells us, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:28-29, ESV)

"Don't be possessed by greed, luxury, or your ego."  This one the Jesus spoke directly to the first two points, "And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”" (Matthew 19:23-24, ESV), as for the third, "Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24, ESV)  The role of a Sergeant is "to serve", the role of the samurai is "to serve", we are to serve the Lord in each and every breath, for He is our Lord, our God.

"You should accept sorrows, sadness and hatred as they are, and consider them a chance for trial given to you by the powers... a blessing given by nature."  The sorrows... the sadness and hatred, these are a result of man's fall from grace in the garden; "And to Adam he said,“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”" (Genesis 3:17-19, ESV)  To me, this suffering is a blessing.  It shows me the need for me to turn back to my God, it shows the penalties of sin (in but a glimpse).  It is indeed a blessing and a mercy by God.  Like learning that when i touch a hot stove (despite a parental warning), and i get burned.  The wound will heal, but the memory will last.

"Have both your mind and your time fully engaged in budō, and have your mind deeply set on bujutsu." For us, the followers of Christ, our "way of the sword" does not lie in Kendo, or Aikido, or any of the other recognizable 'martial arts'.  Our Way lies in the path of Christ, the way of our Lord.  Our 'katana' is the very word of God.  Some of us are 'warriors' in the traditional sense, armed in the defense of others, but every follow of Christ should train themselves in the way of God and follow Him and His Word - His entire Word.  Each of us are called to serve where we are, and to where He takes us.  This is not a call to arms, a call to fight, this is a call to serve in whatever capacity He calls you to."Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.  Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained." (Philippians 3:8-16, ESV)

Guard your mind

I know it has been many a moon since my last post.  I blame myself.  Mostly for not being sure what to post, a phobia from actually hitting my 1Kth post, life getting too busy, whatever.  One thing i did learn early on in the Army was that, "the maximum effective range of an excuse is zero meters".  So, i shall not try and excuse my absence, rather, i will endeavor to find things to post about... and actually force myself to put some fingers to keyboard more frequently.

A couple of weeks back, by way of random exploration, i found a new book titled, "Warrior Wisdom:  Ageless Wisdom for the Modern Warrior".  While the author is apparently not a Christian (i do not know him personally, and i am not seeing anything come through in what i have read that would tell me otherwise), and i have thus far NOT found any biblical references or quotes via the Facebook page, there is some biblical wisdom to be found.  Remember, i am a Christian first and foremost - and thus i view and analyze via this 'filter' if you will.  That is not to say that i do not think, "outside of the box" from time to time, but when i come to share something here, it will always be from this view point - and as a "samurai" in service to my Lord Jesus Christ.

Anyway - before i would recommend such a book for general "consumption" here, i would want to read it through.  But, some tidbits, i would like to share here.  Two for today.  One is a picture the Facebook page shared, and the other is a symbol, which to many, is a symbol of Eastern Mysticism.

I was inspired to share this picture because it immediately reminded me of the Casting Crowns song, Slow Fade (click the link to see the video on YouTube), which Tulip shared with me... a year or so ago.

Now, this is a quote from Lao Tzu, but there is Biblical truth in it, even if the author had no idea of who God is, and that is one of the most amazing things about God to me.  Everything cries out His glory, even those who may, or may not, oppose Him.

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." ~ Philippians 4:4-9, ESV (emphasis mine)

We as followers of Christ, whether we be 'artisans', merchants, or farmers, we are to bring every thought under control.

"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,..." ~ 2 Corinthians 10:5, ESV (emphasis mine)

I say this because it is obvious that God sees the heart, and not just the outward actions.

"And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”" ~ Mark 7:14-23, ESV (emphasis mine)

BUT, even in every effort we exert, we should endeavor to bring our thoughts into captivity. It is important however, to remember that without the work of the Holy Spirit, our efforts would be in vain.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." ~ Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV

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The second item i would like to talk about what is commonly referred to as the YinYang symbol. 

Back before i had realized that God was revealing Himself to me, i had joined the Maryland Army National Guard, the historical 29th Infantry Division.  (I will not divert into the history of this unit, but i encourage anyone so inclined, to click on the link above.)  I will, however, discuss the unit's iconic symbol.  When the division was first organized, just prior the United States' full commitment into World War I, it was formed from the National Guard organizations of Maryland and Virginia.  The memories of the American Civil War were still firsthand of many at the time.  The Maryland and Virginia units symbolized the re-establishment of the Union from both sides of the conflict (despite Maryland being firmly South of the Mason-Dixon line, but i digress...), AND a representation of the only American Military Unit, the 1st Maryland. to have met it self on the field of battle, on opposing sides (again, a tale for another time), thus the colors of the Blue and the Grey (with the field of blue to always be closest to the bearer's heart). While the Yin Yang symbol originally represented the 'eternal struggle' between good and evil. the unit patch is a symbol of America's own struggles, but also, within the Christian, it is a symbol (to me) of the struggle we continue to wage between good and evil in our flesh, for we are not completely reborn until we are raised again with our new bodies and our eternal fellowship with Christ.  The complete symbol incorporates two smaller circles within.

These circles are always (or are supposed to be) of the opposite field of color.  This represents the "evil within the good, and the good within the evil".  Important note here - this dichotomy ONLY occurs within man, and NOT within God, for He is completely Holy and good.

The "evil within the good" represents (to me) the stain of the sin of man.  Within the complete holiness of God, once man has stepped within even the "smallest" of sins, he is forever tainted.

"Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." ~ 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, ESV

The "good within the evil" represents (again, to me), that no matter my circumstances, no matter how bad things are, He is at work in me.  He is transforming me into the image of His Son, my Savior, Jesus Christ.

"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified." ~ Romans 8:26-30, ESV

For me, this symbol, is a symbol of hope, and not one of eastern mysticism. I think what i am trying to say is, God is everywhere, and at work in everything... even in the things we think of as evil.  And while evil does exist in the world, and for whatever reason, He is allowing it, it ALL to work together for the good.  If you ever doubt, or say, "How could God allow this?!?", i would highly encourage you to read The Book of Job, and take comfort in it.

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV

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I know i am but what are you?

It has been a really, really, REALLY long time since i last blogged.  Life has just sort of shifted gears and my free time is even more limited than usual... not sure how frequent i will be able to post in the near future, but i wanted to post something to say that i have not completely given up on this little endeavor.  If there are any return readers out there... thank you for your patience.

Ok, this is sort of an impromptu meme.  The problem is... i do not really have a whole lot of questions to ask... or maybe it would be more accurate to say, i am not sure how to form them into good questions... which i think is the true appeal of meme's but.... anyway... if you participate please place a comment here for myself and others to see what you have to say about yourself, and feel free to tag up to five of your friends.

So here is the catch.  You have to pick twelve (12) words that describe you.  You can do it in less if you get stuck, but no more.  Also, single words only, but then you have to take a few sentences to describe how/why it applies to you because what is red to one person is maroon to another.   Ok, here are mine.....

Christian - I am first and foremost a person who believes in, and follows Jesus Christ.  I am not always a good disciple, i am not always perfect... but in the end it is by His grace, by His life, by His death and His resurrection that i have placed my faith.  We all believe in something that is at the center of who we are, that guides our thoughts/emotions/actions, and for me it is Christ.

Samurai - I know, this one is probably a complete shock to you reader, but i hope that this is a word that does indeed describe me.  I have, from time to time, outlined my thoughts on the matter.  You will find them in the side bar to the right here.  The word samurai is derived from the Japanese verb saburau, meaning “to serve"

Sergeant - When anyone enlists in the military your first line supervisor is always an NCO - a Non Commissioned Officer.  In the Army that is the Sergeant.  Within the ranks officers come and go, they are usually not involved in the day to day interactions with the 'privates/airmen/seaman'.  The one to whom they look up to for direction, for support is their NCO's first.  My first enlistment was the shortest possible stint i could get, but i remember thinking how great it would be, to be a Sergeant.  Somehow, this High School drop out and kid who could not keep a job for more than three months at a time, managed to be promoted to Sergeant just before the end of his first enlistment.  That turned my life around and i re-enlisted for six more years.  I never expected it to last twenety two.  The word sergeant from Old French sergent,  from Latin serviēns,  literally: serving, from servīre  to serve.  Over time my Beloved will ask if i am going to lay down my jacket for someone to cross a street or if we have another name for the Christmas card list.  I am most at peace in my walk with Christ when i am serving someone, or something or group in the church.

Fundamental - In some social circles this is considered a bad thing.  I consider myself a "Fundamentalist" because i believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ - i believe that before the world was formed Christ was and He choose to lay that down and become man. I believe in the inerrancy of scripture - across all available sources of text there is a greater than 95% agreement, better than the works of Plato or even Shakespeare, and that while the translations are not always linear between the modern English translations, they all use the same "baseline" (if you will).  That is why it is important to understand (in my opinion) the translation philosophy of the Bible one reads.  I believe that Christ was born of a virgin - and her name was Mary. I believe that Christ's death on the cross was a propitiation, or payment in full, for my sins past, present, and future. I also believe that He then rose from the dead on the third day and thus defeating death. I believe in the miracles of Christ - I believe he fed the 5,000 and walked on water and healed the Centurion's servant and raised Lazarus from the dead. I believe that Christ will someday return to the earth the same way (but in reverse obviously) he ascended.

Pentecostal - I believe my life is transformed by the Holy Spirit. That i am not the same person i was before the day i accepted Christ into my heart and life, and although i continue to struggle with sin in my life, the Holy Spirit is here with me to help me continue to walk out my ongoing sanctification. I believe that the Bible is the definitive source of authority in my life concerning my faith.

Reformed - This word does not always bring about a good mental image either.  I feel this describes me because i see it as how we should walk out our faith is akin to the early church. We need to live out our "church experience" as a dedicated body of believers, committed to the local church - whether that is the group of believers that meet at the church building on corner, or few families that meet in a basement of a house. We need to live lives that are intertwined with other believers where we can speak into each others lives and help share one another's burdens. I also do not believe that traditions can ever form a basis for my belief, instead the "Word of God" (aka The Bible) is my ultimate source.

Charismatic - This was a popular group of Christians in the mid to late 80's, but they kind of lost their 'edge' as more and more people came into the 'fold' but never took it beyond the superficial.  I believe that my relationship with God can be experienced in my response to His Word. My emotions can be a valid part (but not THE only part, and they can be manipulated or deceived) of my experience in the worship of Christ. I also believe that the gifts of the Spirit are for today. I acknowledge my agreement with these statements with the following caveat: It must be tested by the Word of God. Finite man can't possibly be the final authority in regards to the relationship with the Infinite. Even though we know our experiences better than any other our flesh is corrupted and we can feign an outward appearance in order to deceive the world... and a lie told often enough will eventually be believed by the liar. The same can be said of the gifts of the Spirit. I think this "label" is the most often rejected by others because it is so easily abused and misused. But how can my emotions not be affected as God reveals His glories to me? How cannot i despair and fear when i see the depravity of my soul without Christ? As for the gifts of the Spirit how can one deny the healing of the sick, or "words of wisdom" spoken by an unknowing commenter that say just the right thing at the right time? But, do not allow these things to be the final authority in your life.

Hedonist - because i feel that the ultimate goal of my life is to glorify Christ. For me John Piper is my hero in this regard. As a human being it is only natural to desire to seek out what is best for me. To seek out things for my best interest. I want comfort, peace, security. I want prosperity and i want what is best for me! As a Christian gets to know Christ you slowly begin to realize that all of these things are ultimately found in Him! If we live our lives for Christ he provides us with everything that is indeed best for us! Therefore it can be said that by dying to ourselves we live in Christ. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. He is our joy, our peace, our security, our prosperity (if you will). The best thing for us, the thing that is in our best interest, is to be found in Him.

Eldar or Elf - For me, the romantic view of the Tolkien Elf is pretty cool. and maybe this is just a 'wishful misplaced longing', but the Elves of Tolkien's vision are good.  They seek to protect and to learn.  They engage themselves in the learning of things and the various dimensions and aspects of what they endeavor to learn. It is a similar sentiment heard in the movie 'The Last Samurai', (as spoken by Algren, the self appointed Western Historian), "They are an intriguing people. From the moment they wake they devote themselves to the perfection of whatever they pursue. I have never seem such discipline." There are so many things (music, writing, history, wood working to name a few) i long to pursue, but our life upon this Earth is way too short.  Sometimes, i think the pursuit of such things can also be a distraction - when they are pursued for selfish reasons, or for the knowledge of whatever in and of itself.  Ultimately i desire, and i truly hope this is a pure desire, to pursue them for the glory of God.  After all, i (all humans) were made in His image, to include desires of His pursuits (which ultimately is the proclamation of His glory and Holiness).  I do not know how we will be praising God through the ages in Heaven, but there is a small part of me that hopes it will be in similar endeavors.  I am sure that no matter what/how... i will be ok with it though.  I love that the original English meaning is a Hebrew first/last name meaning "God resides.  For me that kind of bundles it up nicely.

Nerd/Geek - an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit - n. an earnest student; a hardworking student. (Usually objectionable.) - To be honest, i do tend to be single minded and my tastes do not follow the 'norm'.  Take the game Necromunda, or the music i like - Celtic Folk music.  I do not recall a single time that being "normal" ever really mattered to me.

Redleg - Ok, this is NOT in regards to a term to refer to 'poor white people' in the Caribbean. For me the definition is "Redleg", a US slang terms for artillery personnel. The "redleg" term in the U.S. military comes from the red stripe down the trouser seam of the dress uniforms of US Army artillery types.  The best years of my military career was as a "Redleg".

Panther - Ok, i was desperate to round out the 12th word... i saw a "Blog Thing" question deal.  Where you answer questions and they tell you what color you are, or what kind of girl you should marry or something that silly.  Well, this one was in regards to "Big Cats".  So i did it and it came back as "Panther" - LOL, "You are unemotional and downright stoic. It's hard to ruffle your feathers.  You have an amazing depth to you. You have layers upon layers that no one else has seen.  You are confident about your place in the world, and you've happily carved out your own niche.  You live primarily inside your own mind. You happily spend a lot of time thinking."

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The Way of Walking with Christ - based on a work of Miyamoto Musashi

21) Never Depart from the Way of the Martial Arts.

For the Christian samurai 'The Way' is our walk with Christ.  It is not something entered into casually, nor is it something to discard.  You are either a Christian, or you are not. 

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2, ESV)

For those who are parents, we are admonished to "train up a child in the way he should go; [so] even when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6), the same is true for ourselves.  All soldiers train for battle so our own training should be a daily thing, and in doing so we need to make sure we are evaluating what we are putting into our mind by God's Word.  The Apostle Paul admonishes us...

"O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith." (1 Timothy 6:20-21, ESV)

and again...

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to [1] a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, [2] and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. [3]  Follow the pattern of the sound [4] words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.  By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you. (2 Timothy 1:8-14, ESV)

In closing i would like to encourage those who read these words to stay in God's Word.  Read it, meditate on it.  Keep your heart and mind open to it.  At no time should you interpret it by your own experiences.  Be willing to adjust your own understanding, but always remember that God is Holy, He cannot contradict Himself.  If something about God appears to be contradictory then we must step back and reevaluate our understanding because we are finite, He is Infinite; we are mortal, He is immortal; we are imperfect, He is perfect; we are sinful, He is Holy; we are in need of His grace, He died so that He might shed His grace upon us.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  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.  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.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,  praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.(Ephesians 6:10-18a, ESV)

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The Way of Walking with Christ - based on a work of Miyamoto Musashi

20) Though you give up your life, do not give up your honor.

Meiyo - Honor: A true samurai has only one judge of his honor, and that is himself. Decisions you make and how these decisions are carried out are a reflection of whom you truly are. You cannot hide from yourself.

A main reason many people do not fully turn their lives over to Christ, and why so many people neglect to meet together for times of worship (see Hebrews 10), is because of men and women "of God", especially those in positions of leadership (both in and out of the public eye), have not taken seriously the fact that they are not only representing God to their congregations, but to the world.  They have put themselves (in some form or fashion) ahead of God.  Many are like those described in Titus 1:16: "They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work." (ESV)
 
In the Old Testament God tells His people:

"You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19:14, ESV)

Now, this command is in the midst of several other commandments, but our Lord also has this to say:

"And he said to his disciples, “Temptations to sin [1] are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. [2] Pay attention to yourselves!" (Luke 17:1-3a, ESV)

We as sinful human beings have NO honor in and of ourselves.  Instead of viewing honor in the traditional sense, we must see our selves as ambassadors of our Lord, and while there is nothing that we can do to tarnish His honor (His perfect righteousness and holiness), people adjust their view of God based on what they see in and through us.  As a "Christian samurai" it is not our honor we must concern ourselves with, but the image of Christ we portray to the world.  There are some very good guidelines found in Titus 1; "For an overseer, [4] as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound [5] doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it." (7-9, ESV)

Even though a Christian samurai may not be in a position of leadership within their local church, we should always hold ourselves to the highest standard.

Before i move on from this topic i would like to share this quote from my Pastor,  "It is easier to fall on your sword than to get back up and learn from your mistakes."  Always remember, we are sinners saved by the grace of God.  We must always allow the grace of God to work in and through us.  Our failures are not the end of it, but the beginning - instruments as you were - for growth.  We must not allow them to hinder our pursuit of our service to Him.  Not one sin in our entire lives was unseen by Him.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:6-11, ESV)

I cannot wrap this section up better than quoting these verses:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.  Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.  So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, [2] lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, ESV) 

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The Way of Walking with Christ - based on a work of Miyamoto Musashi

19) Respect the gods and Buddhas, but do not depend on them.

During Miyamoto Musashi's life he learned that he could not depend on the gods of his land., that they would fail him.  We on the other hand serve a God who says in His Word, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say,“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5b-6, ESV)

However, Christianity has plenty of history in regards to those who do not believe as we do.  The Crusades, and the Inquisition are black eyes in the history of our faith.  God judges the heart, and a heart cannot be changed at the end of a sword.  As followers of Jesus Christ we are confident in our faith and belief that He is the Son of God and the only way to eternal life; however, not everyone believes as we do and that we may not be able to bring them around to our point of view.  We should understand that God does not reveal all things to all people, but that does not make the Christian superior to the non-Christian.  Ultimately we should be humbled and driven to our knees in adoration for all that God has done and revealed to us in our lives.  For "...God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8 ESV)

Unfortunately i will not be able to expound on this point as thoroughly as i would like, but i encourage any reader who wants to explore this more to seek out the works of Charles Spurgeon (especially All of Grace), Jonathon Edwards, and organizations such as Together for the Gospel and Desiring God.

Remember, you are never going to convert anyone.  Only the Holy Spirit can do that. Respect where others are coming from, even learn from it.  If your message is rejected this is what Jesus says, "And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town." (Matthew 10:14, ESV)  In the end...

Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;  for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess [2] to God.”  So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. (Romans 14:10-12, ESV)

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The Way of Walking with Christ - based on a work of Miyamoto Musashi

18) Do not be intent on possessing valuables or a fief in old age.

This ties in to the gathering of wealth and possessions.  While God knows the end from the beginning, we do not know all that God has in store.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare [2] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.(Jeremiah (29:11, ESV)

Of the twelve disciples, including Paul, only one lived to be an "old man", and he was exiled to the island of Pátmos.  So what do we have to look forward to, assuming God allows us to see "old age"?

Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?”  Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, [2] when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.  And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold [3] and will inherit eternal life. (Matthew 19:27-29, ESV)

While we will not be sitting on thrones in judgment over the twelve tribes of Israel like the disciples are told in this example, we do have a place to live to live out eternity.

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; [1] believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? [2]  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.  And you know the way to where I am going.” [3]  Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”  Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. [4] From now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:1-7, ESV)

What better promise do we really need?

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The Way of Walking with Christ - based on a work of Miyamoto Musashi

17) While on the Way, do not begrudge death.

The rate of mortality of the human race is 100%.  "For the wages of sin is death...", it says in Romans 6 and "...it is appointed for man to die once..." (Hebrews 9:27).  Only two men have never tasted death, and they were both profits to the Nation of Israel and men who walked closely with God.  Although we are reborn in to eternal life in Christ, this body ~ unless Christ returns first ~ will pass away first.  If we are in the Lord's service our lives are to be expended in our service to Him.  Job says, "Though he slay me, I will hope in him" (Job 13:15).  A perfect example of how we should look at our service to the Lord can be found in an interaction between Jesus and Peter:

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.”  He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.”  He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.  Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”  (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?”  When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?”  Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”  So the saying spread abroad among the brothers [2] that this disciple was not to die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he was not to die, but, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?”(John 21:15-23, ESV)

But the word "begrudge" means: 'To envy the possession, or enjoyment of another.'" We are not only to not concern ourselves about when our time will come, we are not to envy those who have "gone to sleep" to await the Lord's return.  Jesus said "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23, ESV)  To me, the concept of dying to myself and living for Christ is eloquently illustrated by a modern day warrior, Eric Haney:

All day long, I crossed that mountain from one side to the other.... I would arrive exhausted and breathless at one RV (check point) only to be sent to the next back on the other side I had just come from. The mountain was too big to contour around, and the lay of the was such that I could never anything approximating a direct approach or maintain the hard-earned high ground for any length of time. Never getting anywhere, back and forth across the same mountain. It was a masterful torture. But then I had a revelation. What difference could it possibly make if I crossed back and forth over this mountain until doomsday? A mountain is a mountain, time was time, and route selection was route selection. The only that that mattered was speed and ground made good.... The frustration and mental torture I had been suffering were completely of my own making - and completely within my power to disregard. (From Mr. Haney's book Inside Delta Force)

"Though he slay me, I will hope in him"

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