Monthly Archives: March 2014

To never leave

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Many Christians struggle desperately against sin.  One day, perhaps one week, they are fine.  They cling to righteous behavior and find their prayer life normal.  Then a small miss step occurs and the tumble begins.

With their consciences blackened, they bow before the Lord in prayer only once or twice a week.  And when on their knees before the Most High God they can only mutter a few words and then must run.  Perhaps some canned prayer is all they can lay their hearts to.

But the problem is not the first missed step.  It’s all the steps that lead to it.  Jesus tells us, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.” 

The opposite of that is also true.  “Cursed to continue in sin are those who do not desire righteousness with a burning heart.”  You won’t find that in the scripture.  But you will certainly find that on the lives of those who constantly tumble.

What would your life look like if you never left the Lord again?  What confidence and joy would you have if your prayer life spiraled up to heaven itself?  How would your understanding and witness be transformed? 

All this trouble can be so easily avoided. And all you have to do is fan your desire for God into flame. The Lord Jesus is watching and waiting. A continual crying out for mercy and righteousness will certainly bring a powerful response.

By His Grace

Adorable Dispair, Abject Fear

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I’ve observed that the world adores despair.  They would certainly tell you differently.  But nearly everything created by man is in response to despair.  We live in a defensive mode all our lives.   Thus the reason for all man’s “advancements”.

I don’t think they would know what to do with true freedom from fear.  I saw a woman sitting in a small restaurant by herself this morning.  All the while she sat there she was absorbed in her cell phone.  In days past she would have been seen sitting there with nothing to do.  Perhaps she would read a book.  Maybe, just maybe, she would interact with others who were sitting there.  But our need for freedom from despair and fear has brought us to a place where we strive with all our being to escape.  Horror fills every moment we live without God.

God offers escape from fear.  But they won’t take that because they don’t respect God’s Holy Son.  And you can’t have God by rejecting His Son.   Even if they consider Jesus, the Son of God, they might end up dismissing God because of the heavy load of eternal law.  But full freedom embraces the reality of God’s eternal law and the offer of “learning” which comes from Jesus.

God the Father is perfect eternal law.  He must be pure of anything else in order to keep eternity intact.  That’s why nothing wicked or evil will ever enter the presence of the Most High God.  The laws of God are not done away with in Christianity.  We are instead entered into a friendship because of the Work of God the Father in His Holy Son.  He is our “go-between” or buffer between God the Father and our wicked up bringing.  It’s the Father’s will that we should learn the eternal laws of God.

Nothing I’ve said here will help the world cope with despair.  They’re doing pretty good in that realm anyway.  But these things are posted in the hope that some will filter into those who need to find release from fear.  I encourage those folk to look into these things.  You’ll find all this and plenty more in the Bible.  (I know, its been a very long time since you opened one.)

May the Lord open your eyes and draw you to His Holy Son.  May you find the release you aren’t seeking now.

 

Whack a mole!

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A dear brother from soulsupply.com, has brought to the surface a very useful topic that is often overlooked.  He rightly points out that a Christian may be diligent in all things of Christ yet fall short because of pride.

Though he may not lose a place in eternity for his shortcomings, he will likely lose some measure of reward. Not desiring that any of my brothers should lose. And since it is our duty to sharpen one another, for the sake of our service to our Lord Jesus. I thought it might be useful to post a little more information in regard to what brother Taylor has exposed.

I will start by confessing that there are two games I really don’t mind losing.  One is called “Whack a Mole”.  It is impossible for a man to win at that game.  But there’s a good deal of joy to be had in losing.

If you’ve never played the game, you stand in front of a bench with holes in it. In your hand is a soft mallet. Little mole heads pop up one at a time in one or another hole. It would be amusing enough just to watch it played.

One by one little mole heads pop up.  And it is your delightful duty to smash them back down with the hammer.  As you get better it gets faster.  At some point you get the joy of hearing the mole say, “Now I’m really angry!”

I don’t get much fun at wack’n the mole heads.  If that were all there is to the game I wouldn’t play it.  That’s too much work for too little gain.  But to hear the defenseless little mole get angry, is a belly full of laughs. The imagination sets fire to wonder what he will do while he’s angry.

The other game I enjoy losing is the fight with besetting sin.  I know that sounds really odd for a Christian to say. But we must remember that to lose in this world is to gain Christ. So I would rather lose then lose.

I had a besetting sin that would not leave me alone. Just like the little mole, I would no sooner pop my head up and the hammer would come and smash me back down. Yes, there was even a place where I am got really angry.

I tried everything. I tried prayer. I tried filling my days with Scripture. I confessed until I was hoarse. I tried restraint. I tried counseling from a respected fellow Christian. I tried everything I could possibly think of, but to no avail.

The harder I tried the quicker the sin would knock me down. Having no recourse, I struggled as far as I could then relied purely on Grace. It was not the solution I was trying to find. But I had exhausted all other possibilities.

Realizing utter failure, brings an ocean of tears and shame. Then, just when I was contemplating giving up entirely, the Lord came near me. I thought sure I would die the eternal death.

It was about the time for me to pop my head up again. I had walked some distance successfully. He gently put his hand on my shoulder and said, “It’s my turn. Just step back and watch.”

I heard the player say, Now I’m really angry!” the Lord raised his beautiful head up for me. I heard the familiar whistle of the Hammer head as it closed in on its target. But then I heard two sounds I have never heard before.

There was a mighty noise as hardened steel met the immovable. Then the smaller sounds of tingling metal pieces as they scattered on the floor. The player had met his match.

The Lord turned to me, completely unscathed by the impact. “You’ll be fine now son.” I closed my eyes while he kissed my forehead. When I open them again he was gone.

I cautiously poked my head up to see what had happened. I was startled at first to see the player standing with an angry face. But then I took note that he was restrained at arms length. The steel of his hammer covered the floor. I heard him threaten. With spit coming from his mouth he cursed at me. But his restraint would no longer let him attack.

I was free! No more fear. No more shame. No more tears associated with failure! In the place of groveling came a worship of praise and thanks.

I present this story for the sake of my brothers and sisters who suffer so intensely. I encourage you to suffer with diligence! Add to your attempts, standing on your head for three weeks, eat a big whopper from the inside out, count backwards from 10 million, or hold your breath for one hour. Whatever you do keep striving till you are sure you have exhausted all possibilities. The Lord will appear before you are allowed to give up all hope! He will not let you die.

I will add the following to uphold my brother’s message. In his message he warns against pride. Failure to heed his timely and well worded message has consequences.

When the Lord appears to take your place against a hidden or besetting sin, you may well suffer loss. Though at that point you likely won’t care.

If a sheep cannot behave itself in open pasture, surely the Lord will move it to a confined space. His love for his dear one will not change. But the place in which the dear one serves, will. You will find your besetting sin restrained. But you may also find restraints placed upon you.

Consider this as you struggle. Perhaps the love of freedom will give you strength. Or perhaps the thought of losing reward will stir you to more action. Regardless, Christ Jesus is Lord and Master! And he is fully willing and able to save.

I have written this story in first person. I am not ashamed that I have been released. And it gives me great pleasure to glorify our Lord. He will always be our head.

May God bless this post to those who need it most.

You will find the fullness of our brother’s text at this link, http://www.soulsupply.com/blog/n/faith-falling-140318?t=3382

By His Grace

Seeking praise

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If you do the work of God and look for praise you are on very dangerous ground.  The work of God will not receive praise from men in general.  We know this, either because we were told, or because we have experienced the rejection of men for the sake of God.

But it is also not wise to serve the living God and look to him for praise.  I say this knowing there will be a difference of opinion.  God himself knows  the heart of every man, he will give to each according to his great wisdom.  Therefore I am  not stating a categorical.

There is a day of praise we look for rightfully.  “Well done my good and faithful servant.”  It is appropriate to look for that moment.  But we take note, that day is not embraced in flesh.

While we are in flesh we are weakened by the sinful nature’s pride.  And it is usually this weakness that causes us to desire praise from God.

Rather than seeking His praise, for now, we are only to consider our service rendered as expected.  Do not seek praise, instead seek the next task.  If God sees fit to give us praise, that is his choice. 

May it also be mentioned, this applies to men.  If you find yourself serving for the sake of the praise of men, then you stand on a really dangerous ground!  Flattery abounds.  Flattery destroys.

By His Grace

God’s will

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Everyone of God’s people want to know His will for them.  Classes are taught.  Spiritual gifts are explored.  Examples from God’s people in the Bible are exploded before our minds.  The teachings of the Apostles are illustrated with all diligence. And personal testimony is given that we might excel.  We search and search.  Still we are all but lost.

I have found, personally, the help of men to be useless in discovering God’s will for me.  Though no aspect of known sound doctrine is useless in itself, there is an end to its usefulness if we do not connect ourselves to the sovereign God.

Though all the things I mentioned are extremely useful and should never be put out of the way, they are like studying the scriptures and believing that by our study we are saved.  But salvation comes from God.

Jesus has taught me over and over again to “Consider what is.”  By this, I look at all possible views of my situation .  By His grace I consider all possible repairs.  Then when I go to prayer I strive hard to listen to my thoughts.  If something appears in my thoughts that is noteworthy, while in prayer, I ask about it.  He has been faithful to clearly point to the answer.

Yet I will mention here that there are times when all possibilities have not arrived.  It is quite possible that we need to go.  Simply move in faith and God sometimes brings completion to our request.  In all things I have been taught to carefully consider what is.

All things are by faith from first to last.  But we should not hold too tightly to the instruction of men.  The best of intentions can sometimes lead us horribly astray. The truth resides in the living God through Christ Jesus. 

I testify that he is willing and able to lead us clearly.  We go to him with everything.  We expect every possible scenario.  We receive what is.  And in that, it is our rightful place to be thankful.

Holy Father, I ask you to bless these words with understanding.  Millions have tried to help in this regard.  I suspect that few have succeeded.  I cannot hope to succeed unless you intervene.  By your grace and mercy then, may your people find direction.

By His Grace

The death of souls

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Alright here we go!

Squirrel up your tongue; get it nice and limber.  Pat the soft skin under your chin until it’s nice and loose.  Roll your neck side to side until you hear vertebrae snap.  Now you’re ready.

With your best bad guy accent say the following:  “I’m going to make you believe what I want you to believe.  I’m going to make you believe it so well you’ll think it was your thought.”  Now you have to give that typical bad guy laugh.  “Mmmmwaaaahhhhhh!”

That’s over the top isn’t it?   I mean, that kind of bad guy monologue is only in the movies right?  Not really.  It happens to you several times a day.  Reach over and turn off the music and I’ll tell you what I mean.

Go into the grocery store and what do you hear?  Go into the shoe store.  What do you hear?  As you drove there or from there what did you listen to?  If you work on a factory floor the chances are you hear it all day long.  And you go home singing the last song you heard.  When was the last day you didn’t listen to a single song?

“So what?”  You ask me.  “That’s nothing like the bad guy monologue!”  Are you sure?

What’s in the lyrics you’re listening to?  Most people will tell you they don’t know, they just like the song.  It makes them happy to listen to it.  Really now.  With something so attractive and so unknown, how much room is left for abuse or manipulation?

Considered the basic lines of lyrics today.  You cheated on me but it’s okay I cheated on you.  I know you’re married but I want to go to bed with you.  Divorce sucks.  Divorce is great, as long as you don’t have to pay for it.  Your body is sexy, and so is mine,  I hate you.  

And on they go with violent or wicked behavior being profiled inside music you love so much.  All the while,  most people couldn’t tell you what a song is trying to say.  But your brain has heard it quite clearly.  And your life is a reflection of what you’re told to believe.

Godlessness, hatred, envy, lies, divorce, murder, drug abuse and drunkenness, and every other kind of wicked behavior is praised in the lyrics of today’s music.  Even little children are running around singing immoral songs.  And few people even think about it.

I’m not going to bother to talk about what happens in the evening when you get home and turn on the television.  Let’s just say you wake in the morning to sin.  You go to bed at night having been immersed in sin.  How are you supposed to break free?

Listen to the lyrics.  Think about what they’re telling you to believe.  Don’t take my word for it, prove it yourself.  As you watch television think about what they’re trying to make you believe is true.  Think for yourself for a change!

If you really want to prove you’re being manipulated, go on a music and television fast.  It occurs to me that you might not know what a fast is.  It simply means ,do without. 

You will feel horribly uncomfortable.  But why?  You’re not sick.  No one is beating you.  What you’re feeling is the lack of someone telling you what to believe.

By His Grace