Monthly Archives: May 2016

Jacob

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The grandson of Abraham, Jacob.  Just one generation removed, yet so radically unlike his grandfather.

Read the account in Genesis of his life.  He was a bit of a scoundrel.  But he was so even in the womb. 

Say what you want about him.  But consider this, he was designed to raise and teach the 12 tribes of Israel (who would later conspire to murder the Son of God).

How great is the wisdom of God, that he made this place and designed it for something unspeakably glorious.

Salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb.

Our Personal Altar

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I wrote this in 2012.  By his Grace, my wanderings have brought me back to the spectacular.   May The souls of my brothers find cool water here.

Picture borrowed from http://www.westhighlandbaptistchurch.com/
Jesus, my God and King.  I stop here to lay a white stone on the top of my altar of life.  As a child I started this altar with little balls of mud I rolled in my hands as I encountered the truth of Your Holy ways.  Each little ball  represented a firm truth that was only perceived, not yet learned to live out in my ways.  But each one gave you Glory for Your perfect teachings.

Next came the smooth little pebbles I found on the edge of the River of Life which you took me to go see from time to time.  You let me drink from the edge as was wise according to Your endless wisdom.  Then you drove me back to where You found me to have advanced.  In this You watched to see what I would do with what You had given.

Then You drove me to the edges of that vast desert of life among men.  Walking out a half day’s journey, I received what you offered to prove my heart.  Dryness, loneliness, stark reality appeared before me as a living image of the relationships between man and man, and God and man.  Jagged rocks began to be placed on this altar of Glory to You.

You gave me strength I did have.  You gave the strength of Sampson from time to time.  And I placed immense boulders on the altar as You brought me to them in “The Way”.  You did not let me go around them.  Rather You bid me pick them up and stack them for Your Glory.  Amazement and worship filled me as each bolder of trouble was removed and placed on this Holy testimony to Your eternal love.

And now I reach in my pocket and pull out a smooth white stone.  With loving fingers I place it atop the great and growing pile of worship to You.  Through prayer I let it go to see where it will rest.  Little noises come to my ears as it finds its way to rest amid this pile of testimony.  And I watch it disappear into the pile.  As it became Yours, it now is hidden from sight.  Only You know where it now lay.  And all the more is Your Glory.  For You will testify that it has been laid within the altar which can never be torn down.

Glory is Yours!  For You see what we cannot.  Even the understanding You give us finds its place in our heart.  We perceive where You placed it.  Yet, even as we perceive it the understanding disappears into the man You are causing us to become.  Only You know where it lay.  And on the day You cause us to appear before You, You will expose each response to what You have done.  All Glory is Yours.  And this will be so forever.

These words are Yours.  They come from a servant You have blessed with life.  I testify to man.  But You see the testimony that even Your servant cannot perceive.  Thus all Glory is Yours Forever; and that to the Glory of Your Father who Lives in unapproachable light!  You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God, are worthy of every possible good word.  May all who call on Your Holy Name do so with a trembling soul.  For You are given Immense Beauty from the God of all things.  You are worthy!  And Your worth is stamped with the approval of the Father of Life.  Amen!

Dad

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If Jesus was your father would you be proud of him? 

Would it upset you if people hated him? 

Would you be willing to help him in his Great quest to adopt as many children as he can? 

Would it bother you when you hear people use your dad’s name is a cuss word?

“I and the father are one.”

Do It!

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You may say in your heart, “I’m ready to start talking about Jesus every opportunity I get”.  But if you haven’t been doing it, you and I both know the reason.  You’re afraid of what people will say about you.  You’re afraid you’ll lose your job.  You’re afraid you’ll lose your friends and your social position.  You’re afraid your family will suffer. 

Now, for the sake of argument, let’s just say you and I sat down together to discuss this.  In the course of conversation, you made it clear that you think you’re ready.  You’d have to excuse me for not getting all excited.  If you were ready you’d already be doing it.

Count the cost.  Once you begin there’s no turning back.  And I know you’re aware of that.

Count the rewards.  Once you begin,  God will bless you in his work.  He will give you things to say.  He will give you specific things to do.  He will fill your heart with wondrous things, and his blessings will be a natural overflow that you won’t be able to stop.

Let’s say you lose your friends.  If they don’t love God, weren’t they lost already?

Let’s say you lose your job.  Do you really think God can’t provide what you need?  Isn’t that the very reason you say you’re a Christian in the first place?

And you see how my excitement dwindles quickly.  You know, the problem is not that people are afraid.  The problem is who and what they love the most.

What Floats Your Boat?

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People dwell on the things they love.  They are more than willing, they are anxious, to talk about the things that excite them.  What gets you excited?

If an angel was sent by Jesus to test you, to see if you were prepared to give him the gospel, would he find you ready?

How do you know that hasn’t already happened?

People already do a lot of things for others these days.  I don’t find very many willing to do things for Jesus these days.

We don’t seem to be ashamed of good works.  But there seems to be a shadow over the name of Jesus.

Maybe I’m just crazy.
Maybe I’m just Looney.
Maybe I’m just imagining this;
Punching at Straw Men and setting them on fire.
Dunno

FYI

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If you like an article I’ve written, you might be interested to know:
About every article I write gets an audience of two or three people.  Needless to say, I’m not a very popular writer.  It must be my electronic BO or something.

It would be nice to have some help getting some of these things into the minds of others.