Metamorphosis


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The Lord came to his field of flowers on one beautiful spring morning.  There he saw that a thistle had grown up and was about to spread his malicious seed.  So he reached out his will and transformed the thistle to a flower.

No more malicious seeds to cast about, the thistle took note of his changed appearance.  The Lord said to him, “See how I have had mercy on you.  I had no intention to pluck you from the ground.  But I have made you as one of these, that I may have pleasure in your life”.

With his Newfound body the thistle returned his most excellent thanks.  For 3 days he worshipped the Lord who gave him the best of purpose.

On the morning of the fourth day he gathered his mind to look about him.  After his 3 days of thanks, he expected to hear “Amen” from all the flowers about him.  To his astonishment, the flowers simply swayed in the breeze.  They spent their time soaking in the richest God had provided.  But they would only, now and then, whisper a word of thanks.  But how loudly they praised one another for their beauty.

How should the thistle respond to his new-found brothers?

Love Everybody


How many times I’ve heard it and knew there was something wrong.  “Love everybody no matter what they’re doing.”

According to sentimental value I would rate that about a 10.  But as far as truth goes I rate that below zero.

Love does not let you stand at the edge of a cliff and smile while you jump to your death.

Love does not ignore the truth of the Living God for the sake of your injured pride.

Love will gladly take your ridicule and hatred, for don’t you already hate the one who sent us.

Love is for life, eternal life.  Love does not cater to the pleasures of sin.

See the bee sitting on my jugular vein.  Wouldn’t the one who loves me brush it off quickly.  Should I despise him because his slap hurt?

God challenges us to love the sinner enough to sacrifice ourselves so that we may wake them up!  No, we can’t all just get along!

Conquer TIME


People like short and poignant observations.  They make it easy for us to agree and just move on.  They are like delicate carvings on the lid of a golden box.  Ya gotta open it up to see what’s inside.  Don’t be afraid of many words.  Isn’t that what’s in the box?

Reach forward.  Open this box.

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The dashes represent our linear thoughts.  The solid line represents the unforgiving nature of time.

We are pathetic creatures who must reach, every moment, to our memory to add the next thought.  There is no such thing as multitasking.  We are only adding our thoughts together quicker.  Our ability to think more than one thought at a time is nothing more than an illusion.

And we are all aware that time never stops to wait for us.

If you make a mistake, time does not stop and wait for you to catch up.  If you try to think ahead, preparing an ease for your burden, time doesn’t nod with appreciation.  To us, time is a Relentless Beast.

To add to our trouble, our frantic “work” will run out.   All the while time itself will move on.  Struggling from birth to death, our lives end up a useless carcass.  Isn’t this the plight of life in this place?

Isn’t this the reason for Man’s expectations?  Isn’t this the reason for his frustration?  Isn’t this the reason for every act of violence, whether great or small?  In our frustration we lash out with whatever tools are at our disposal.   But time doesn’t even notice.

In all this however, time is not the enemy.  It is only the physical standard by which we measure our weakness.  It is only the physical standard by which we capture some perception of strength.  We are the ones who are weak, my friends.  Time is endlessly and ceaselessly strong.

You need help from beyond the boundaries of time.  You need help from the One who made time.  When do you need His help? 

All the time!

When should you call out to Him? 

All the time!

The Glorious One’s name is Jesus.  Of all the things we study, how important then does the study of God’s Holy Son become to us? 

It is inevitable that we will waste time.  But the measure of that waste belongs to us.  The Bible waits to be read.  God is patiently waiting for your prayers.  His generosity is waiting to gift you with immeasurably great things. 

Stand still.  Let time tick away.  Seek His face with great diligence.  Conquer time.

Well Well Now.


A car was parked in front of the convenience store.  Sitting behind it, was a police car with his lights on.  While the policemen leaned forward to hand the man his ticket, a thief walked into the convenience store.

He robbed the clerk at gunpoint.  Then he took a nice leisurely stroll through the door to leave.  He had hardly cleared the door when the policeman shoved him to the ground. 

From the complaints the robber yelled you would think he was a law-abiding and good citizen.  With a smile upon his face, the policeman carefully and casually stuffed him into the back of his patrol car.

Would you call this thief stupid?  Perhaps there’s a hundred other words you could use.  But isn’t that what the godless are doing as they go about their lives in rebelion?

Public Note to Self


Define purity.

Three men appeared to Abraham.  At that time a marvelous blessing was given to Abram.  And at that time, a horrible declaration was understood (surprisingly quickly).  They were in route to visit Sodom for the sake of Destruction.

As two of the men left to their destination, Abraham detained the One with questions about justice.  And I read these words, “Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening”.

When I read the words I didn’t have a slice of time to wonder.  I knew.  The Majesty of God will never set foot in the place of Destruction.  It is enough that He should hear the reports and send emissaries for the sake of His will. 

If you wonder why Jesus, the very word of God, appeared among us (in our place of destruction), it’s because Jesus was sent as an emissary – for the sake of his Father’s will, and for our salvation.

Do not take these words at face value.  Think as deeply as the Lord’s wisdom will allow.

Consider this, and answer with truth, define purity.

A Favor to Yourself


The face of your existence will change, as it does with every human that has ever been born.  You will walk through the door of death and enter into a place that has always been.  That’s an absolute guarantee.

It doesn’t matter what you gain here.  You will still encounter THE radical change.

If you were to be given 300 million dollars, you could spend the rest of this life doing what you please.  But take a good look at what you please to do.  Does your pleasure involve the things of the place that has forever been?  According to the Lord’s own words, that’s very unlikely.

Perhaps a hundred years.  That’s all we have.  Then, beyond our volition, we are ushered into the place of Eternity.  Whose pleasure we have desired will determine our riches forever.  Or our extreme poverty.

I’m not talking about religion here.  I’m talking about our own will to do God’s desire.

Kelly Willard was right when she said, “If you don’t have a willing heart ask Him to give you one”. 

Count as best you can (the clock is running down), how much time are you sure you have left?  How much of you does Jesus deserve to own?  Your estimation determines God’s bounty.

Now do yourself a favor.  Act on what you know.