Category Archives: Encouragement

The Circus Has Come to Town

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A big brick building partially complete.  I saw it across the street at an intersection.  Brightly colored banners advertised the coming sensation.  This great wonder of the world would be ready for open doors in the fall of 2016!  OH BOY!

Fun, education, community, love, entertainment and activities.  Are you ready for this folks?  It’s going to be what they’ll call a church.

No more need to be ashamed of Jesus.  A place where you’ll be proud to bring your friends.  They might even supply a pool hall in the basement (Maybe, possibly, likely).

No need to suffer for the name of Christ.  Lots of food.  Lots of laughter.  Beautiful people everywhere.  Amazing music.  Dazzling light show during the sermon.  Lots of pictures to look at.  No doubt they’ll be recruiting actors.  (Understand the meaning of the word actor)

As I saw it, and thought about it, I realized that somewhere in the world someone was being beheaded for Christ.  A church building was still smoldering.  Someone was being driven out of the city because they were Christian.  Someone was beaten nearly to death for their love of Christ.  Someone was starving in a putrid cell.  Someone was crying wrenching tears because their child had been taken from them.  And all this for the name of Jesus.

And you want to build an entertainment center?

The still small Voice reminded me that such men will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those Christians of the first-century.  They will need to explain why they turned the blood of their Christian Brothers into a circus.

And you want to entertain them into Christ?  Is that right?

“There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.” (Hebrews chapter 11)

If I Could Tell the Truth

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If I could tell the truth, people just might see who I really am, not who I have to be.
I get so darn tired of playing by the rules.
Afraid of what I’d lose, if I could tell the truth.

Nobody wants to listen when it comes down to this.
We’d rather take the truth and twist it, than to tell it like it is.
I don’t know how we got here, there’s really no excuse.
I do it to get by, but I wouldn’t live this lie, if I could tell the truth.

If I could tell the truth, girl, we’d end up in a fight.
And I would still be wrong, and you would still be right.
We could stay right here another year or two.
But I’m already gone, if I could tell the truth.

Nobody wants to listen when it comes down to this.
We’d rather take the truth and twist it, than to tell it like it is.
I don’t know how we got here, there’s really no excuse.
I do it to get by, but I wouldn’t live this lie, if I could tell the truth.

I do it to get by, but I wouldn’t live this lie, if I could tell the truth.

The Rocks Will Cry Out

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I wake to consider the things of the Living God’s Holy Son.  No matter where I look among the things of God’s Holy wisdom, I find no fault.  Yet why should this amaze me?

To the things of man I look, and I find no righteous faithfulness.  And isn’t this the cause of my amazement?

Consistency abides in the Living God, toward life and all things good.  Consistency abides in the camp of Man’s horror, toward rebellion and all things wicked.

What has God done but we should despise him so?  What has Man accomplished that we should revere him in fear? 

How is it that the people who call themselves Christians suppress the beauty of the One who offers them life; those who give God praise in secret yet seal their mouth when they walk among the dead.

“I have riches”, they say.  The faithfulness of God in his promise is that sure, yes.  But don’t the rocks along the Way of Glory also have the blessing of God to lay unmolested?  There they are lay, prepared to do his will. And surely if the people had not given praise to the Living God’s Holy Son, the rocks themselves would have cried out the words.  Are we no better than rocks strewn along the path of life?  Are we like rocks which adorn a valley of death, fruitless and simply a nuisance ( dressings which mark the barren land).

“If God will touch us, we will serve him.  If God will drive back the wicked we will speak and walk among them.  If he will drive them back beyond a stone’s throw, we will proclaim the words of life.  As long as there is no threat we will be brave.  Yet if he will not cause the wicked to recede, we will continue to praise him in secret.  I will leave the fearsome work to those who desire to die.”  Is this what we say by our actions?  Will not God protect those the march ahead in faith?

But clean yourself.  Primp and prune your feathers.  Lining every hair in its proper place.  let every thread of clothing be presentable and immaculate.  Let your life be dressed with all the things that cause Man to nod in appreciation.  If you hide the Light of Christ,  you are no different than the rocks along the Way. 

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Is it too much to ask? 

Is it unjust to require us to join Jesus in his suffering?

Is the shame of righteousness too much to bear? 

Is the Cross of Christ too heavy to share? 

Then what can possibly be our lot? 

When we appear before He by whose Blood we are bought?

Socially Acceptable Murder

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So many think it is admirable to wield a good argument.  Just as many more think it is wise to shut your mouth and offer no good advice.  What they are saying by these things boils down to this: “Either kill them or let them die”.

What’s that mean to you?

Seeing and Hearing

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I said to a man, “I have prayed often that the Lord would cause you to see and to hear”.  What is his best response?  “I see just fine.”

I know the man meant to be truthful.  And I don’t doubt that he does see.  For he was asking me questions in regard to the Living God.  But what does he see?

Earlier he referred to me as a religious man.  He does not yet make the distinction between religion and faith, lawful and holy.  He does not yet see any differently than any man who ever lived.

We have spoken together about the things of Christ hundreds of times before.  But he has not heard my words.  He still thinks he is a religious man.  He has not yet comprehend it the Eternal meaning of righteous.

Jesus heard the Father clearly, for he is the very Word of the Living God.  And he saw all things from the perspective of Eternity.  For he was sent from eternity into time.  There never was a man who could be said to have accomplished that in his life. 

What locks us in such a place that our eyes and ears can only see and hear the things of man?  Simply put, it is the pride of man; that somehow he is able to save himself.  Perhaps we estimate by percentage; “I am more good than evil.  I am as compassionate as I can be.  And I give to others what I think I can afford.  I strive hard to restrict judgement of others within myself.  All of this because I know God is watching”.

Is that how we find ourselves perceiving the things of salvation?   Is that how we see and hear?

Mutual Tears?

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The warnings for sin have gone out since man was first made.  Sin is death.  When you have committed sin there will be consequences to follow.

Such consequences as Sin rears up will often charge you with horrifying and utterly devastating sadness.  Eventually, hopefully in this life, you will cry great tears of sadness for the things you have done.

But when you cry because you have broken life’s rule, do not expect others to give you a loving embrace.  You have no right to expect them to cry with you.  Those tears belong to you.  They are not tears of suffering for the name of Christ.  They are not tears a man may cry when unjustly persecuted.  They are tears that you have brought death upon yourself.

Face reality.  Seek strength.  Strive to understand.  All the while, get up on your shaky legs and start walking.

The Lord loves mercy, yes.  But mercy comes in a variety of forms.  Our need may not be as we perceive it.