Monthly Archives: October 2012

Yet to See His Face

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Jerusalem

Jerusalem (Photo credit: swallroth)

I miss what I never had.

Nor can I venture to that place.

The road to Emmaus lay broken.

The walls of Jerusalem broken down.

To sit on the grass and reach my hand,

Into the basked to retrieve;

A fish and a loaf in endless supply.

To enter the water at the care of a rough hand.

To rise above it to see the face of John the Baptist.

To hear the footsteps of Romans coming to take me to the lions.

To see the shadow of Peter heal a cripple who dared to believe.

I miss what I never had.

How could this be?

But I am sure what I never had is held in the hand of He who lives forever.

The nail scared hands of love will bear them for eternity.

What I miss I will enter.

I will yet see the face of He who loved me and gave His life for me.

I miss Jesus!

The One I have not yet seen but believe with all my soul.

“I Want to See Jesus”

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First page of the Gospel of Mark, by Sargis Pi...

First page of the Gospel of Mark, by Sargis Pitsak, a Medieval Armenian scribe and miniaturist (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Gordon rose from prayer.  He had been asking Jesus to appear to him.  He so desired to see the Lord, or perhaps even a manifestation of His presence.  But nothing happened.

Gordon looked through his soul seeking any sin that might be hindering his relationship with Jesus.  He was sure there was nothing.  And the Scripture was remembered:  “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”

With a heavy sigh, Gordon resigned himself to quit asking for an appearance.  With his head down he shuffled to the couch and sat down.  Hanging his head for a moment, and closing his eyes, he simply let his soul rest in the peace of The Faith.

After a few minutes Gordon raised his head slowly and let his eyelids raise at the same speed.  And there, before his eyes, was the Bible on the coffee table.  Then it came to him more fresh than ever before: “All Scripture is God breathed.” “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me?”  “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

It wasn’t a voice he heard.  It was a string of understandings that flashed in his mind.  Now he felt foolish for even asking.  And with a renewed effort, Gordon picked up the Bible and began to “see” his Lord and Savior.

Church History, a Reflection of Today?

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Christian fis symbol

Christian fis symbol (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Blogs are a direct representation of each blogger’s personality, attitude, desires, past deeds, and who is their hero.  This blog is no different.

Listening to Eusibius’ Church History (listening while I drive for hours), I am struck by the quality of men, women and children of the early Church.  They did not have central heating, electricity, cars, planes and trains.  Yet the character of men was little different from today.

Perhaps the only difference that can be perceived is social law.  I live in America.  So the social law I perceive is a burning ember of hatred for God’s things.  There are other countries where hatred for God’s things is a raging bonfire.  Since America is on the decline from relaxation of its own laws (or a proliferation of nullifying laws and regulations), I can’t believe that it is far in the future when the physical violence we see against Christians disembarks onto our shores.

With this in mind I have been considering what I know about America’s dedication to the Holiness of God.  There are striking differences between now and the age of the early Christian Church.  There are many differences.  But one difference stands out quite starkly.

The Christian Church today (this includes Catholics) is rather inclusive.  All you have to do to be counted as a Christian within their walls is speak a few words and show up on time and often.  With that you are “automatically” considered one of them.  The early Church would have considered this level of commitment to Christianity as youthful, elementary, basic and catechismic (as if the person in question is just beginning to learn the basics of the Christian faith).

This was not the case in the early Church.  Each one was required to give all they had to the service of the Lord Jesus.  They were required to repent (stop doing) from sinful ways.  They were required to pray earnestly and often.  They were required to learn the Scriptures as if their life depended on it.  And I am struck with a certain awe when I listen to the members of the early Church beg for salvation from the Lord.  They did not consider salvation to be an automatic warm fuzzy.

The Church today opens its doors to all.  And it certainly should.  But it requires very little from those who begin to profess faith in Christ Jesus.  While there is teaching regarding the Gospel there is little display of The Faith even among the more senior members.

I’m not trying to tear at the fabric of the Church today.  I’m simply pointing out a drastic difference between what we were in the first 300 years, and what we have become today.  And I will take note that there is exceedingly little persecution pressing on the members of the Church in America today.   It is possible that this can change in the blink of an eye.  Especially with the current trends of compromise between the leaders of our country and the islamics.

We will see what happens.  But I urge my brothers and sisters to dig into the history of the Church and take a look at who we were from the beginning.  What we are not is like a man who never ventures into the sunshine; pale, listless, over weight, and sullen.  Please give this serious consideration.  The time to prepare for service is not at the moment of calling.  Practise brings the servant to his toes when called.

By His Grace.

Church is for Weaklings

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Grass Seed

Grass Seed (Photo credit: public-sector-lists.com | gov audience delivery)

I remember how I was so easily manipulated into sin when I was young.  I knew a man who was encased in every form of evil a man might think of.  And I remember how I was shamed into participating by simple words.  He would refer to me as  “hay seed”.  And I was ashamed that I didn’t have the “man-up” to do what he did.  So I chased after the same things for years.

You might think of me as a lesser man for doing such things.  And I would readily agree.  But there is a sort of “man-up” happening all day long that never gets any notice.  It doesn’t have much to do with drugs, sexual immorality, or theft and such.  It has much more to do with ignorance regarding the things of God.  Are you being threatened with words like “man-up” and “hay seed”?  Are you threatened because you don’t revel in the same flood of dissipation as the world around you?

 

Eternal Vote

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English: Ballot Box showing preferential voting

English: Ballot Box showing preferential voting (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The call of the day is to abandon all the work of the liberals and support conservative ideals.  And millions are making plans, through educating themselves, to do just that come November 6th.  “Millions”, I say.  Millions!  People who have never voted before are now registered and prepared to take a stand for the sake of their freedom.  Wow!  The nation is divided as never before over the issues of the day.  I almost have to laugh at the response.  Threaten to take away freedom and the nation wakes up.  There will likely be more years of voting to come.  And we will see what happens this year.  But the rousing response to liberalism is impressive.

We get to vote our mind once, twice, three times and more.  It’s kind or like a restart when elections come along.  We get to keep chosing what kind of leadership we want.  But there is an election that many of those millions are missing.

Threaten America with a loss of freedom to do anything they want and they come out swinging.  Yet few pay attention to the on going, second by second election regarding the eternal freedom.  They select leaders over the “stuff” of life in the body.  But what about the election of who is Lord of their eternity?

What would America look like if the people were as worried about voting for satan or Jesus?  Satan (I had to capitalize the name cause it was the first word in the sentence, sorry)  is the king of lies, rebellion, corruption and eternal stupidity.  Jesus is King of eternal righteousness and life.  All men everywhere are required to vote for one or the other.  The voting booth is your  heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.

With so much at stake in this American election I can see why people are a bit concerned.  But with eternity at stake I would think people would be more concerned with the eternal election also.  The real question at hand is not liberal or conservative, democrat or republican.  The real question is Life or death.

Choose Jesus!

Application

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ISKCON desire tree - Quote Struggle Poster 09

ISKCON desire tree – Quote Struggle Poster 09 (Photo credit: ISKCON desire tree)

Please understand I mean you no harm.

But as farmers divide the sheep on the farm.

I struggle to keep all that is good.

While tossing away the things that I should.

I hear what you say when you chide me to care.

And you hear from my mouth “I will let loose and dare”.

Contentious am I against all man’s restraints.

Yet I’m bound as all men with fleshly constraints.

What then shall this striving produce?

With what focus will the general be reduced?

Will I set forth a desire which celebrates my demise?

Or set forth horror by willingness to compromise.

There is turmoil in this debate within.

But there is no doubt the desire to win.

Jesus is among all men to raise “the few” up.

Raise up I will if He lets me drink the cup.

I’m sorry, for now, that I’m misunderstood.

My hope is, His Day will say “Yes he could.”