Monthly Archives: July 2015

When?

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I have nothing to write this morning.  I came here to speak a word of encouragement or two.  But nothing, among my thoughts stands out.  No thought glows with that beautiful holy glow.  Yet, there is one idea that will not dispel as I try to write.  It is the thought of “foundation”.

It was with me in prayer this morning.  It was the “verse of the day” on Bible Gateways app.  It is the sum of understanding when it comes to salvation.  And the permanence of it is astounding as I look back at what I was.

Bible Gateways “verse of the day” is, “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus”.

I see so many lack faith in that.  I see so many disbelieve.  I see them worry without ceasing.  I see them move about, frantically trying to restrain the destruction that is obviously their lives.  I try to calm them down.  But to no apparent effect.

The next time I see them, they are again consumed with frantic worry.  I am astounded at this plight of man.  Why will “we” not believe?  Why do we prefer to worry, struggle fruitlessly, hate and be hated in return, all the while we say, “God will save me”.    Why?

Does God lie?  Is God able to cause the entire fabric of heaven and earth to remain, being sustained by his sheer Holy will, yet he can’t help a single person with the things that bite at them like hungry mosquitos?  Are you kidding me?  Is this what Christ means to us?

If Jesus is not sufficient to all our needs now, can someone tell me when He will “become” sufficient?  If we refuse to rest in belief now, can someone tell me when that will happen?  Just when will God be “enough” for us?  Name the time, mark the calendar, set the hour, post it everywhere.  When the moment comes, will you believe then?  If you do not believe now, you are not likely to believe then.

How shameful is the way of man to consider the offer of God’s help as if it were some future truth, or (at worst) a lie!

The Fire of Emotion

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From the Blues of Johnny Winter to the sweet song of Mommy with a nursery rhyme.  The function of music is to embrace emotion.

I watched Johnny Winter play.  Getting past his looks, his involvement in his music is kind of scary.  I can’t help but wonder whose emotion is he embracing?

There are only two spirits in this world.  One is of love, the other is of abandon.  Whose spirit embraces the music you listen to?

“The Faith”

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“The Faith”

Teaches what is Holy;
What is unknown,
How to understand,
How to endure,
How to “become”.

Temptation must come;
In the form of ailment,
In the form of beckoning toward sin,
In the form of fear,
With the threat of destruction,
Yet with the opportunity to glorify the Living God’s Holy Son.

Do we understand these things?  Of course we have.  The question to us all is this:
Why do we not apply what we know we understand?

The Cost

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Toledo Municipal Court Judge C. Allen McConnell issued a statement Wednesday on his refusal to perform marry a same-sex couple earlier this week.
McConnel says he declined to perform the marriage based on his “personal and christian beliefs.”

Christians have rights too.  Isn’t it curious how it always ends up costing the Christian everything, while the world gets just what they want.

No matter.  We have every confidence that God will reward accordingly.  In the meantime, I’m proud of my brother.

Marked?

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Do we see what we are?  Or is our brain stuck in religion?  Do we hope for the best while we live in the worst?  Or do we actively search for release?

God will give glory to that which is glorious.  How can we possibly let ourselves be deceived?

Kelly Willard sang a song about willingness, “If you don’t have a willing heart ask him to give you one”.  It is wise to answer now.  Do we even ask for help?

The lumps are coming.  Will you take yours today or receive them in full measure at the coming day of revealing?  If we are covered with shame now, it does no good to ignore it.

Decades ago I read a story of a thief who was caught.  When they put the handcuffs on, he asked the sheriff how he knew.  The sheriff gave him a very odd look.  “Son, you have a birthmark that covers half your face!”

Let’s try hard to find a mirror.

Entertaining Them to Death

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It would be very pleasant if this post were to reach a certain set of ears.  But I’m not stupid.  The ears that need to hear this aren’t listening.  I’m writing this post because I passed by a church put a small rodeo on its property.

There is a rather popular belief in today’s church.  It is a belief that says, “If we provide entertainment the people will at least have an opportunity to listen”.  So these churches provide all kinds of entertainment for the masses.

I could go on and on about how ridiculous this approach is.  But for the sake of bland truth, I’ll just make the following statements.

All day long, everyday, every night, everywhere without ceasing, entertainment is king of this world.  How deeply and irrevocable is the desire of the flesh to be entertained.  But the desire of the Spirit of God is to bring men to understanding in the things that are not of the flesh.  It is God’s desire to reveal the grandness of His Majesty.

We do men no favor by giving them what they want.  In fact we harm them.  What is it about the Living God that is similar to Man’s ways?  What right does man have, to throw the mud of men’s filth on the body of Christ?  Isn’t the revelation of the Living God’s Christ stupendous enough in its own right?  And isn’t that simple laziness to revert to entertainment.

I guess we have to ask the question, are we lovers of men or lovers of the Most High God’s Holy Son.  The answer is quite personal, for we will be commanded to give a personal accounting.