Monthly Archives: March 2014

Sickening tendencies

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From the perspective of Christ within me I look out on the world in which I live.  The name of our God is rarely heard in praise.  No, they use him to curse.  Among the mass of men Jesus is used in every way but Holy.  They call on him in times of trouble, but when they get their way he becomes forgotten.

They eat to their pleasure without thought of its source or thanks.  They advertise, without ceasing, the glory of man.  The news never carries any message from God’s Word.  He is not news.  His word does not sell well.  So they relegate all that is God to fully unimportant.  The very One who made us and sustains us all has become fully unimportant.  And they think this is acceptable.

If they bow down to worship, it is in a place where such activity is socially acceptable.  Therefore their worship verges on useless.  Among them no one asks, “Why do we bother to do this if we are not sincere.”  All the while, the tender Lord pricks their conscience in this regard.

If man understands anything about God he keeps it to himself for fear of rejection.  What possible reception can they expect when they appear before the Most High God?  They will surely receive what is do them in full!

Let us, who are bought by his blood, refine our will to serve the Holy Lord Jesus Christ.  Let us be the inverse of the world.  May God become everything important.  May our bowing before him be an extension of our life before him.  May our worship and life be a holy fire.  May we speak and act of him without cost to those who hear and see.

There is a sickening in me to witness these things in the world.  I am only man, and so I cannot see as God sees.  If this is unpalatable to me what is it to God?  For I understand the gospel in as far as he has taught.  But the Lord Jesus IS the gospel!  How does the rebellion of this world appear before his holy throne even now?

By His Grace

Our right to suffer

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Is it right that we should think to appear before the Lord unscathed?  He was hung as a butcher might hang beef.  In his plight they only laughed and taunted him.  On the way to his glory he was rejected and despised.  Few listened to his words.  Few understood.  Few were willing to believe even though God gave him superior gifts as a sign to all men; the fullness of God’s Holy Spirit was upon him .

We are to be his bride.  Is it right that the bride of the Holy One of God should be less tested?  Jesus is the Holy One sent to be among us .  He is forever the strong husband of a beautiful bride.

Let her be prepared in this place of testing.  Desire him.  Desire the will of the Holy Father.  And you will be purified.

The father has selected you for a great place in eternity.  If the greatest among all has been tested as was Jesus, do we think we should escape a similar persecution?  Bring to mind the testimony of two great Witnesses:

12 “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. . .” And, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

Submit then joyfully.  God is true.  Allow him to bring glory to His Son.  And do not shrink back.

“But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.”

By His Grace

Appropriate desire

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You want to live.  You want to be at peace.  No one wants to die.  We desire life aggressively.  Because we know we will die, we seek to live as much as possible.

Even though life is rarely pleasant, for each day has sufficient trouble, we prefer our trouble over death.  This is not unreasonable.  As the sky is above the earth, so the desire to live drives us.

But what shall we do while we live?  Shall we chase after pleasure?  You can do that if it so pleases you.  But no gained pleasure has any effect on death.

Pleasure is our will.  We want it so that we can be at peace while we wait for death.  But I am not aware of a single pleasure among men that will give us sufficient peace to offset the pain of death.  Mention one and we will discover together the end of its pleasantness.  Man is completely incapable of providing lasting pleasure.

With that said, there is a pleasure which will last.  It is not the pleasure our body seeks.  For the body lusts after things that give it joy; no matter how temporary or small.  To find fulfillment is to find a pleasure that will last for eternity; therefore overriding the sting of death.

Now I introduce to you the Living God.  He is eternal because what pleases him last forever.  Jesus, His Son, has sacrificed Himself so that we may take part in what pleases His Father.  What the Father desires is called his will.  And as much as we take part in the will of God we find pleasure that will not cave to death.  The body will die but the will of God lives forever.

Admittedly the body will argue against the will of God.  For the body will always surmise that it knows better what is good.  Eating is better than fasting.  Being first is better than being last.  Power and pride is better than humility and service.  Riches are immensely better than poverty.  You can see the war that is sure to ensue.

Jesus teaches the exact opposite of what our body desires.  But our body will enter death and cease.  Our soul will continue on.  The pleasure of the body comes to end.  But the pleasure of God lives forever.

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven is forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold it.”

If you want lasting pleasure and peace you must learn to submit yourself to the will of God.  No matter what that means.

You may say you are not prepared.  Perhaps you are not willing to give up the pleasure of the body.  Then by all means die in your pleasure.  The choice is upon every man.

I have laid out, as clearly as possible, the difference between life and death.  I know personally how difficult it is to lay down the desires of the body.  But the peace God gives within my soul is worth every effort, every possible loss, and every possible pleasure.

Believe and submit and you will live.  Continue to trust the body to guide you and you will die.  The choice is obviously yours.

By His Grace

Prepare

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Prepare old world.  Gather together your weapons.  Purify your ranks; let only the haters of God survive.  Sharpen your wits; gather together the wisest among you.

You will face your enemy on the ground he has chosen.  The very ground you use to prepare for battle will be ripped from under your feet.

You will find yourselves as naked souls; prepare to stand before the Most High God.  Lord Jesus, the one you have despised so greatly, will stand before you in all his majestic and blazing splendor.

Prepare to weep.  Prepare to gnash your teeth in violent anger.  You have desired independence for your pleasure.  You have not desired him to be your king.  Prepare to meet your God.

By His Grace

The rocks

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I sit by a mountain stream.  Listen to its voice.  Clear as glass, shimmering like liquid diamonds, the water is entrancing.

Where it is from I cannot tell.  Where it goes is a mystery.  But the water will not leave its banks; by sovereign command it flows deeply entrenched.

The rocks within are not like the rocks on dry land.  The land exposes their nakedness.  But the rocks in the stream are coated with a silver cloak.  What is exposed is useful to man.  What lies beneath is useful to the creatures who inhabit that place.

Behold how the Lord has left us a story.  His people are set apart.  They are willing captives to the water of truth.
Once they are in “The Way”, they are immediately set upon by a singular musical sound.  The voice of God encompasses them.  A soothing and promised embrace is theirs forever.

If the land will not hold them and gives them up to the stream, the water of life will smooth their rough edges.  The water will not toss to them back to where they came.  And they will become dressed in silvery tranquil robe.

By His Grace

Holy respect

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God is no respecter of man.  This is understood to mean he does not respect a man’s position in this world .  But God does not respect the wisdom for works of man either.

Even if a man were to gain respect of all men for his great wisdom and crafty ability, he is not right to expect a warm celebration when he appears at the judgment of God.

God respects only what is true and faultless.  God alone is true and faultless.  Therefore we can conclude that God respects only himself, and rightly so for he is life.

To whatever measure a man contains the righteous truth of God, he can be sure he has the respect of the Sovereign Lord.  Whatever is not of God within a man will be burnt away and utterly destroyed when he appears before the Most High.  What remains cannot be shaken.  For what remains is God.

The Apostle Peter warned us, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 

We have only one life to prepare to meet the Holy Lord.  Therefore we are encouraged by these words to strive all the harder.  Put away from ourselves the filth of this world.  Allow the Lord Jesus to dress you in what is his Father.  Only then can you rightly expect a warm welcome.

By His Grace