Monthly Archives: August 2014

Unspeakably Different (repost)

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(I am on a mobile device and could not repost this automatically.  This was written December 1st 2013)

Man invented paints so he could capture his own image and make it last for centuries.  God has clothed eternity with his own majesty which never fails or fades.  Vibrant colors with living shades adorn all of heaven.  While man perfected acrylic on some gravity ridden surface.

Man works to invent robots.  All the while the living God is surrounded by creatures too beautiful for words.  Man has learned to mutate sounds so that his ear might hear things never heard before.  While the voice of God is like the sound of many rushing rivers.

Man worries himself nearly to death over fighting diseases and sickness of every kind.  His boasting can be heard from sea to shining sea for every grain of progress he makes.

Meanwhile, all of heaven is inhabited by creatures whose bodies have never even known decay.  And if boasting is ever heard it is to boast of the glory of the God who made them.

What should you expect to gain, you who try to bring down God to your level.  How is God like us?  He is all together unlike us.  Yet men rail against him all day long; making jokes in endless stream.

You will receive your proper do on the day when he brings you before his throne.  There you will give account for every idle word you have ever spoken.  Every evil thought you possess is like fuel for the fire that will consume you.

We are all deserving of eternal punishment because we have treated the Holy One with disdain.  We have been violent and have hated him for no reason.  Look how he has even prepared salvation for us, his enemy.  We have taunted  him by using his Holy Son’s name in vain.  But the living God intends a different meaning to that name.

Come away from the stench that is man.  Approach the living God with confidence for this is the day of salvation.  Confess your evil before him and accept His loving forgiveness. 

Provocation

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From the beginning of this blog until now, I have always spoken of things much higher then are easily attained.  Many would look at me and say, “He is surely a hypocrite.  No one can attain to these things he writes.”

I have written that Christians have a command to judge rightly.  So I cannot fault my brothers for such an assessment.  It is right that we should test every spirit, and not be willing to embrace every man who comes along and says he is in the name of Christ.

But I will say two things in this regard.  I do not search to defend myself, there is one who knows.  But I desire to enhance our Christian walk for the glory of the one who knows.  I perceive that the family of God has squandered many things for far too long.

1.  I ask you not to judge me as a man.  That would be of no benefit for anyone.  For you will surely find fault.  I am still in flesh and I am among you even as you are.  Rather I ask you to judge what is here by its content. 

Does it prod and provoke faithfulness to the Holy One of God?  Does it compromise and equivocate to the things of this world?  Or does it point at man and say he is shameful, while standing in the shadow of the Holy One?

2.  Yes I have been a hypocrite against the things I have written.  There are times when such things have been too high for me to reach.

But should this place represent the things that are easily grasped?  Would that not be to be as others who write only of the sweet things?

I have been cut to the heart many times by the things the Lord has provoked me to write.  And thus this place is tested, even by the one who has written it.
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I have been severely challenged by the Holy One in all these things and more.  I, like you, am in the process of becoming.  I have in my mind to overcome.  I do not think it proper to honor him with anything less.  And in the same way, I present these things to my brothers.

If there are five of us left, should we be less than his desire?  And if there are 10 million of us left should this be true?

The earth is not shaken by mediocrity.  It is less by the sin that covers its surface.  If God’s people will aspire to what is best, what can be accomplished?

And so I pray and live and write toward the things that are best.  I refuse to back down!  I purpose to strive for the very best.  He is honorable in all things!  And it is right to bring him what is best.

Let the judgment of man be pointed toward me, I am not hindered.  I will aspire to rise, by His Holy Grace!

The Holy One holds in his hand such magnificent gifts.  Not only is his promise true for the place we are promised to inhabit,  but he has spoken his desire that we should have the fullness of His glory, to man, even now.

It is written “To perfection there is a limit.”  Yet which one of us can say he has attained?  I refuse to believe that the perfection God grants, in his holy wisdom to men, cannot be reached.  He does not ask too much of us, and he provides all that is necessary to attain!  And I have every intention of seeing how high, on his holy mountain, a man is allowed to climb.

May God have glory through all his people and this through Christ Jesus His holy and Righteous Son!  Let us say “enough” to mediocrity!  Why should we not rise to the things of Stephan, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Gideon, the Apostle John and the like?

Thrice Holy is the Soverign Lord who bought us!  How should we linger and languish as only religious men?

Lesson Learned

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Do I know how?
Yes I do.
I’ve done it before.
But now I refuse.

For the praise of men is given to those who praise them in return.

And I would rather have their scorn, than hard holy lessons to learn.

Do I know how?
Yes I do.
I’ve done it before.
But now I refuse.

Man is Good at Heart?

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The words we use mean everything.  Isn’t that their intent?  No one asks someone to turn the light by saying “I think the price of gas is too high”.  I know that is ridiculous, but it’s proof that the words we use matter.

There are far more subtle variations of these ridiculous statements.  And in these subtleties, “ridiculous” is no longer a usable word.  For if I point that word at the things of subtle variation, the pride of man will flare up.  So in striving to right the wrong of our vocabulary, I am forced to capitulate for the sake of understanding.

With that said, let me proceed to the meat of this post.

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?.” (Jeremiah 17:9)

Can it be said, with absolute clarity, that man is really good at heart?  Doesn’t it matter, the words we use?   Doesn’t it matter what we believe?

I don’t need to define the word “deceitful”.  And I can’t do better than to say the phrase, “beyond cure”.  And I realize I have no ability to form words that express the true meaning of “Good”.  For if I could do that, I could describe the very essence of the Most High God.

So when people tell me that man is really good at heart, my soul recoils in aversion.

But I will let mercy reign in me.  I will understand the intent of their meaning.  they mean to be kind and compassionate.  They mean to have hope in a chaotic and desperately deadly world.  But saying “Kumbayah” does not stop the lion from devouring our body.

May God have mercy, that I may relate the things that are true.

If society prospers, men can live in a relative peace.  But let society suffer a great loss, and we begin to see the deceitfulness of men’s hearts.  Greed will take hold of the most refined among men.  Mothers have even eating their babies during times of extreme famine.  And unspeakable wicked things have been done, when society has not been embraced by peace.

So those who believe that people are good at heart, believe what they do because their society is at present and relative peace.

I myself would rather believe the Most High God.  Not only because he has spoken that man is wicked to the core.  But also because I have seen his word play out.  Not only in the lives of utterly wicked men, but also in my own heart as he began to reveal His Holy ways to me.

With saying people are actually good at heart, a great urgency is removed.  Those who hear such things think to themselves, “I do wrong, but I am innocent of trespass.  For under the right circumstances I would choose what is pure and good.”   Therefore they blame others, for surely they are not at fault.

God says this is a lie.  No one is good and pure but God alone.  And as it is written, “Let God be true and every man a liar.”   And if man is truly good, then why was Jesus sent to die as a sacrifice for our sinful nature?

I have spoken with my best.  But there are two limits placed on my testimony here.  One is vocabulary.  The other is the truth revealed from God to my soul. 

I have spoken the things of God, as one man to another.  Therefore I ask the mercy of God, that understanding may come to those who read.

Willing Heart

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I tell you a truth.  I do not worship God because I am a righteous man.  I worship God because he has shown me how to love him. 

The world is mistaken.  They see God as a taskmaster, a demanding and angry Lord.  Even all the divisions in the Christian Church appear because of this. 

But man is horribly in error.  It is written, “Unless the Lord builds a house the builder builds in vain.”   The truth of that comes home when a man understands that the Lord is willing to build His Holy house within him.

I could continue with my own words but to no great advantage.  Let me place here a more beautiful way of saying all these things.

“Once I stumbled in the darkness
doing only as I pleased.

But, I wasn’t really happy,
And, my heart was not at ease.

I just didn’t have the willingness
to follow His commands,

‘Til I layed my heart completely in His hands.

If you don’t have a willing heart,
ask Him to give you one.

If you can’t seem to make a start,
Trust in His power.

For the Lord of Love is watching you,
He sees what you’re going through.

And, He can make a way,
If you want Him to.

Oh, do you want Him to?
… Then, tell Him so.

(Kelly Willard “Willing heart”)

If you want to live, simply ask.

Freedom

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In Christ we are blameless.  Who can lay a charge against us?  Though man may have right to lay a charge, for the sake of the things of man, it is to God they must inevitably go for their justice.

Though God’s people are often worthy of condemnation, it is Christ Himself who justifies. 

Where then is what man calls freedom?  He only desires to do his own will.  And where is the so-called justice of man?  God alone judges with purity, Holy righteousness, and eternal knowledge. 

But let all men come and taste the freedom of Christ Jesus!  Only then does a man begin to understand the fullness of the word.  Abandon your selfish desire and live free.

Freedom is not designed to enjoy the things that rot.  The concept of freedom is eternal at its base.  True freedom is found solely in Christ Jesus; the Son of God and the Son of Man.

This freedom in Christ remains!  From the accusations of men, to even horrific beheading by ungodly religion, those in Christ are utterly free!  At whatever point they think us bound, they are wrong.

Nothing but God will last forever.  So the freedom of those in Christ is not bound.   Not even by the law of man.  Men die, or change their law according to their desire.  But as a man lives in Christ he is truly free!

BELIEVE!