I’m bothered by what I hear in the Christian media and talk shows lately. I know we have political chaos today. And I know there is only one fix to the problem, that is to get rid of corruption in government. But how that gets done is something curious. Where do I find myself used and useful in the deletion of sin in those who lead America?

In order to begin the search of the conclusion to this matter I have to look back to history. It is possible that we live in the worst times ever to have taken stage in this world. But what we experience is not that much removed from the experience of those who went before us. Even in the best possible of times in history, corruption and confusion was the order of the day politically and socially. If we look back we are less likely to repeat the faults of humanity. And if we look back we are less likely to see our problems as larger than life. What worked before in the supression of corruption in a nation?

Here’s the question: How much of what we can do as man is useful and expedient in restoring righteousness in a nation? And how much of what God does becomes useful and expedient in restoring righteousness in a nation?

Man can point out that something is wrong. But we find ourselves limited to that role only. And there were many times in history when man thought everything was just fine, yet God pointed out that something was wrong. What do we know as to the “why” of the state of our nation? A man has a bad habit of smoking. Most people would look at that and tell him it’s bad. But can anyone tell him why he smokes? Perhaps we can use science to provied him some direction in identifying that smoking is wrong. But can science really point to the moment when his personality adopted a tendency toward bad behavior? Likely not. In the same way, we might be able to point to corruption and say it’s wrong. But do we know the reasons why these people in leadership chose to do the wrong things? Likely not.

We know corruption is sin. But only God knows the heart. Restoring righteous leadership in America then must demand a reliance on God’s work and will. So why are the Christian media pointing at the voters and saying that we can change the landscape of our current government? Perhaps they would do better to serve the Lord’s people with a steady diet of God’s will for His people. Perhaps by drawing us back to the level path of reliance on our Holy God’s powerful hand we might enable His people to follow the reconstructive path.

We have heard it said that the “Day of the Lord” will be a horrible experience for all ungodly. We have heard it said that the “Earth groans under the oppression of the wicked”. And we have heard that there is a place where a Holy God will act against wickedness. A man of Jesus will put this precept into it’s proper perspective.

The ungodly will say this is not fair. We do what we do by nature and there is no justice in the punishment of all peoples who do not know the Holiness of God. “We’re just doing what we know to do.” The answer to that foolishness is simple and clear: “Have you not known?” Isn’t it plain to every man, woman and child that God is more than the mind of man? He has set everything in motion by His powerful and perfect peace. God is Love. But not the love of man. God is just. But not the justice of man. As God is eternal and man is but a few years, so the wisdom of God’s love and peace extend beyond man’s ability to comprehend.

What do we see at the end of this world? Is it a God venting His Great Wrath with a frown on His face? No. This is not the way The Lord of Glory will proceed with His final “wrath”. It will be with that continual face of love and peace. We read that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And if Jesus is the exact representation of God, we will see God’s wrath as a stable individual.

When I had to spank my children, one day, I adopted the wisdom of God in the process. I told them what they had done to disobey my rule. I told reminded them that I had spoken the rule and told them of the punishment coming if they did not accomplish what I had laid out for them to do. I told them I found no pleasure in this punishment. And that I would much rather they had obeyed the rule. Then I told them I was going to deliver 5 spanks to their bottom as punishment for breaking the covenant we had established before. With tears in our eyes we moved into the next stage. We all three understood the situation and the necessity. No one was angry and no one was sad. It had become a matter of fact.

I believe we can see the nature of God in that example. The punishment has been spoken since the moment of the sin. God has warned us all of what we can expect for disobedience. Those who disobey will die. God is not unjust in the creation of hell. And we will find something else from this: In the death of the wicked, there will be billions who will be protected for eternity. It is as though a family is in the wilderness and a great bear threatens to maul them. I can tell you without a second thought, that if dad has a gun, that bear is dead. Dad won’t kill the bear with malace. There will be no anger in pulling the trigger. There will be love for his family in his finger and eye. The sights will align on the bear with a great steadiness. The explosion from the end of the rifle will be delivered in love. It will not be love for the bear. It will be love for the protection of his family and their future.

In the movie “pulp fiction” we saw two mafia hit men acting as though the murder of people were nothing more than an 8 to 5 job. And we marvel at the concept of such a calculated and cool approach to such tragedy. Consider something. A just and loving God can not be, by definition, anything more or less than just and loving. Make no mistake. Hell is prepared and the day is fast approaching. I would recommend that every man, both great and small, seek the Love of God through Christ Jesus. But for all who reject Jesus, the only pity I can find in God is that punishment is necessary. As the tears flowed with myself and my children, so it will be on that day. But, dear people, that day IS coming.

By His Grace.

The men of old understood that the word “holiness” was something different.  The only way to define holiness is to say it is different.  God is not like us that we should be able to understand His holiness.  We make up our definition of the word holiness according to our limited knowledge of what is holy and right and pure.  But we are full, steeped and overflowing with sin.  We are filthy and overwhelmed with wickedness.  How can we understand the nature of holiness? 

There is One who is Holy.  Every place we see testamony of those who encountered the glory of God, we see fear and a terrible awareness of their sin.  Not only their own sinfulness, but the sinfulness of the place in which they reside.  If this is the case of those who were chosen by God to encounter what is holy, what will become of those who live unholy lives?  If there is a beautiful, unspeakably beautiful, place for those who love the Lord.  How unspeakably horrible is the place of those who do not? 

I write this post to challenge my fellow sinners to seek the Lord’s ways.  It is a warning which stands near the Holy warnings of righteous men.  Do not consider that I am a sinner and therefore have no right to judge you.  That would be a foolish response to the intent of this post.  I do not judge as God will judge.  Rather consider the Holiness of God.  Consider your own failings and look toward the day promised when all men are to be judged according to their deeds. 

Consider, please, what death you chose.  Move toward the portal of death that best suits your willingness to serve the eternal God.  Either move toward destruction and everlasting torment.  You will find the mouth of this portal exceedingly wide and easy both to find and enter.  Or you might want to seek that tiny hole in the Mountain of God which leads to the Glory of God.  The light of which appears as a pin hole in the Great Mountain.  You might say to yourself, “I wish to praise the Lord of Light forever.  For He has shown mercy to the undeserving.  He has held His hand from wrath against those who speak against Him.  They speak things which they should not.  And they don’t notice their folly.  Yet, He has held his hand back from destroying them.  In this He has given grace to all.  That those who seek Him might find Him.” 

God in Heaven, I seek your mercy in this place.  I beg that your power be placed on the words here, for the sake of your Great Glory and the frailty of man.  We are but a vapor dispersed by a breeze.  You are eternal, good, pure, powerful and Holy.  Please allow that some will heed what is contained here.  I thank you, Lord of Glory, for Your Son.  That you have made a way for all who desire to find You.  You did not leave us in our filth to die and never to rise again.  You have provided a place of help and hope.  For this You shall receive praise for eternity from those who wash their robes in the Blood of the Lamb. 

All praise to the Father for the mercy he rains down on those who seek His Glorious face.  In the name of Jesus, this place is plowed and sown.  May God grant growth to fruitfulness.

By His Grace.

Considering the basic nature of sin, I find something very interesting. At the foundation of every sin is a re-defining of language. When Eve was tempted, satan re-defined what God had told them. In today’s society (the most completely depraved generation to ever exist) we find something very interesting also. Look at the language of today. “Gay” is no longer happy. “Marriage” is not a man and a woman. “Church” is not the called out ones anymore, it’s a place. Sin is not that which is against God’s will, it’s a personal problem that can be fixed by attending psychologists. And if I look at the vocabulary of the general public I find a frightening problem. Listen to the young and you’ll hear them creating their own language. Slang is becoming the language of the day. Satan has undermined the truth in these last days by corrupting our ability to communicate with each other regarding what is true. Ponderous stuff.

By His Grace.