One gets wrinkly and prepares to go home. Even while another is born with a skin of rubber preparing to run the race.
By His Grace.
Monthly Archives: January 2011
Repent and Believe. How?
When I walked through this world, and was full of sin and rebellion, I came upon some people who did not walk in sin and rebellion. They did what was right by the Lord’s commands. And they encouraged others to do the same. I joined myself to their cause. But I was not transformed to be like them.
What they did came from the strength and promise of He who can not lie. What I did in mimic of them was from my own understanding, strength, and struggle with my sins. I wanted what they had. But I didn’t know how to get it.
In short, I was practising their faith through my own religion (Religion being man’s ways of pleasing his version of God). As was inevitable, it all fell apart when I was removed from their presence. Many practise the religion of a “good life”, while they remain locked in their sins. What they do won’t last. For they pursue their righteousness on their own strength.
What has turned the corner for me? Two things have transformed me. Which came first I can’t say. 1. I began to distance myself from the sins I loved so dearly. In Bible talk that would be “I repented of my sins”. 2. I received the gift of forgiveness from Jesus, and learned from Him.
I, then, repented and believed. The punishment pending for the wicked caused me to repent of my sin. The love of Christ Jesus caused me to believe. But it was not a one time event. Repent and believe is a pattern of life as a Christian. If you’re sincerely on the path of Jesus’ people you will find something interesting and identifiable. Repenting and believing are a moment by moment thing. Every action comes under an awareness of His presence. Every thought is put under the microscope of Holiness. Repent and believe at 3 am. Repent and believe at noon. Repent and believe at 4 pm. And so it goes. It is the power of Jesus in my very soul that gives the energy and direction we lack without Him.
By His Grace.
The Lofty Cockroach.
I stepped out in the early morning dawn to take in the morning air. I had just replaced the automatic lights over the garage. Though it was daylight, the light came on when I turned the corner. Without thinking I backed around the corner to be out of the light just a bit. Now why did I do that?
Pondering my action, I thought of the cockroach. When the lights come on their little legs get into that blur of motion toward the darkness. Kind of like what I did. Then I remembered the Lord’s words: “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
Man is given to rule over his domain (this world). And consider how we look down on the lowly cockroach. Yet how is what he does different from what the lofty wicked do with the One who Rules over us? And aren’t the wicked considered as vile betrayers of righteousness? And if the end of any roach which doesn’t scurry into darkness is crushed. What will be the end of those who hate the Word of God?
By His Grace.
The “New Age” Lie.
In my usual day, I rarely come into contact with the “new age” belief structures. For those of you who are like me, this might need a moment of explanation. New age belief structures praise the natural things. By natural things I mean everything that man can see, hear, touch, taste, smell and consider. There is a powerful pull to follow after their ways because what they worship is larger than any individual man. Not to mention that the evil of man has corrupted the natural world by his wickedness. So, not only does their object of worship have a larger place than man, it also has an enemy that they can identify.
But there is One who is higher. In the new age religion peace among all men and nature is the objective. Tolerance is the vehicle of their objective. And wickedness is only something we can correct on our own. There are many things to say against the religion of this age. But these three are enough to build a case against the worship of the created.
Peace among men is a useless desire. We want peace from a selfish point of view. We want peace because we want to pursue our own interests. And though we cloak our desire for peace by saying that we want peace for all men, we are not addressing the peace of God in our search and work. Peace cannot be accomplished by selfishness. They are at odds with each other and will never produce eternal peace. I want what is right for me. But by wanting that peace which is right for me, I consume, or take away, from someone else something they want. Given full rein, this work of establishing peace will only end in a war over something trivial.
Tolerance cannot be the vehicle to that which is pure. We tolerate everyone regardless of their actions, thoughts, desires, and ability. But we cannot do that in order to establish purity and eternal happiness. For in the toleration of many things we are upholding sin. Wickedness is sin. And there is no wickedness or sin which will remain eternally. Those who willingly accept this idea that tolerance will produce eternal peace are fooled. And those people are only willing to accept something less that perfection.
Many stories which come from these people portray an age where everyone gets along. Even though their dreams depend on technology to bolster their manufactured peace, they don’t see that this is not the way into eternity. They don’t desire to be rid of their weakness, they support or hide it by use of their own hands. They imagine that they can invent a machine which can transform a criminal’s mind into a righteous man’s mind. What they believe is false. It will never happen. They are trying to create what God has said cannot be. All men are corrupt and are in need of a transformation that can only come from God.
And finally, the only great success this new age belief accomplishes is that they rid themselves of an awareness of God and His Holy demands of all men. He has created us. It is not the other way around. They worship what He has created as though it is worthy of eternity. But God says this place of testing will one day be rolled up like a scroll to make way for the eternal. To you who practise this new age religion in it’s many forms I have this to say to you. You can do anything you wish for now. You can believe and say that anything is true. It’s been given to you to pursue any lie you want for now.
But you make one grave mistake. You mistake this life you now live as an end to itself. God has given this life in this place as a testing ground. He is watching and will judge every action and thought of the heart. A day is coming when what we see will be evaporated. Right now you look at what is created, even your children, and see something “good”. You balk at my words of warning and say to yourself, “It is not right to think of destruction of all this around us”. You look at yourself as special and worthy of God’s approval. But you have not sought the One who made you. Rather, you turn to the work of your own hands to supply what you call holy. You have no idea at all of the Holiness of the One who made you.
Even Christians are tempted to fall into your belief. Yet it is He who corrects our understanding and continually urges us to submit to His Holiness. In that way we do not worship what is created and keep our focus on Him. He is willing to teach all men how to worship and follow Him. But you must lay down your own religion. If you earnestly seek Him you will find Him. But if, along the path of your search, you settle for something built by man you will stumble.
Jesus is His name. You will find the account of Him in the Bible. From the first page to the last, Jesus is the name. Anything less will not survive what is coming from the Most High God.
By His Grace.
The Old Man.
In a simple land a young man grew up. All his life he had heard whispers of a man. It was said this man sat on a hill and held secrets to something better. But no one of the young man’s people could or would tell him more. They rarely spoke of the man on the hill. But when they did speak of him it was with hushed tones and wide eyes. Then all who heard would laugh that nervous laugh and turn the subject to things that “mattered” here.
One day, while the young man was working in his field, he thought of the whispers and nervous laughs. He pondered that this man on a hill should shake his people so. He looked to the surrounding hills and wondered if the stories were true. Then, he threw down his rake and turned to go into the village.
When he arrived in the village he looked up the elders. They were gathered in the coffee shop, as was their usual place of the day. He drew up a chair near to them, for it is right to give respect to the knowledge and standing of such men. One of the elders asked, “What can we do for you today”? “I’ve come to ask you about the man on the hill”, the young man said with a reverant voice. “Can you tell me where this hill can be found?” The elders looked at each other and gave a knowing smile. Then, the elder who had addressed the young man spoke.
“Why do you want to know about such fables?” The young man simply replied, “I was pondering the hushed tones we use when we speak of him. I wondered if there was any truth to the story”. “There is some indication of truth to the story of the old man on the hill”, the elder admitted. “I hear the hill is south and 21 days walk”. The young man looked at the floor and gave it a thought for a moment. Then looking up at his admiration, he said, “I thank you for your time. You have helped me to think of these things rightly. 21 days is a long time to venture after something that might not even be true.” “You’re welcome. You have a great day now. We’re a bit busy with the village’s problems. So if you’ll excuse us, we’ll be about our business.”
The young man went home and packed a large supply of food and clothing. He had determined to seek out this fable. At least when he had searched more than others he would be able to make a wise statement regarding this fable. When he was packed, he set out.
21 days of stumbling, searching, recovering his tracks only to recover again were past. There before him was a sharp hill. And on the hill sat an old man all alone. Joy filled the young man’s heart. “Is this the man they speak of? It must be! There is truth to our fable after all!”
He ascended the hill and approached the old man. The eyes of age had watched the young man clamor with his load. And now he stood before a fable. “Good evening”, said the old man. “What brings you here”? With a dry tongue, the young man said, “I was told you held secrets that could help us live better in our conditions”. Now what the young man expected is hard to say. Even his own mind couldn’t form sense of his expectations. But what he heard did not fit what he thought he’d hear.
He saw the old man think. He watched him sit silently. So the young man sat at the old man’s feet and waited. As the old man was looking down, he began to speak. “Why do you sit at my feet and ask of things like this? You came all this way to ask of me what I do not have.” Void, is the best description of what was going through the young man’s mind when he heard that. “I came all this way and found what was whispered, only to hear he has nothing to offer?”
Then the old man continued with a soft voice. “You sit at my feet as if I have something to give you. I am just like you. Yet there is something.” The old man made a gesture round about with his hand. “It’s right there.” The old man whispered. He picked up a blade of grass and pointed to the blade. “It’s right there”. He pointed to the sky. “It’s right there”. He struck the ground with speed and finality. “It’s right there”. Then, with a bony finger, the old man poked the chest of the young man. “It’s right there.” Then, as if to conclude, the old man spoke with an astounding force. “You came to me to find what I do not have. It is not given to men to own what you’re looking for. You’re looking for help to make better the world around you and to profit by what you think I hold. Now listen to me and leave my presence, for you seek help from a mere man.” Then with even a louder voice he yelled, “His name is Jesus!” Call on what you can not see. Speak with He who is more than all! It is He you were hearing about all these years! Go! I have told you all you need to know!” Surprised at the force of the old man, the young man jumped to his feet and scurried down the hill.
We seek as men. We ponder what is greater. We look to men for that’s all we know. Many will venture to ask of men that they might find guidance toward heaven and what is better. And foolish men will presume to be the doorway to that which is better. Yet a wise man, an old man, will point with great force to the One who is best.
By His Grace.
Holiness and The Unholy.
To those of you who say you love Jesus:
It would be wise of you to empty your life of all other “religions” and their trappings, as well as the sins the world around you is committing every second of every day. We are told a truth by He who cannot lie, nothing unholy will enter eternity. If you wish to be welcomed by Jesus and His Father, it would be wise to commit to Him alone. At the throne you will not be welcomed because you held lies close to your heart. The welcome you desire will increase as you separate yourself from wickedness. GET SEPARATE FROM HER (this wickedness that blankets the world around you)!
Since “holy” is not a word used in today’s culture I’ll define it here. Let there be no mistake, what Jesus said regarding holiness stands for all generations and every man woman and child. “Without holiness, no one will see the Lord”. Holiness is a purity of the heart, undefiled, separate from sin, and dedicated to the service of the Living God. As in regard to this generations worship of tolerance, how does embracing other religions and lies fit into being holy? Not that I should mention the love of money, fame, self, sex, or anything else that is not godly.
By His Grace.
Words From There 