Category Archives: Encouragement

Errant Blind Souls

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If I could train my foolish brain to recognize people as errant blind souls wandering in a suit of flesh, I believe forgiveness would flow like a river.  Though there is forgiveness as I live in Christ, it is often by compulsion.  It’s rarely the first thought.

I think about the reason for this inability to perceive correctly and consistently.  I think it has something to do with the deluge of trinkets and baubles which mask the true Man. 

Perhaps it was slightly easier in early Christianity, where there were less objects of affection to be had.  I can’t possibly know, and I don’t think anyone will ever be able to say for sure.  Only God truly knows.

Pride certainly holds a relevant kingship when it comes to masking the true soul of a man.  And doesn’t pride come in such a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and intensity?  But Pride’s robe is made up of all the things a man may amass to declare his kingship over his own soul.  To get to the heart of a man you have to slice through the garbage.  Undoubtedly, recognizing people as blind errant souls gets far more difficult as the abundance of wealth gathers to hide them.

And I think it’s appropriate here to mention that the abundance of things that hide a soul need not necessarily be costly items.  There is the wealth of social alienation.  This alienation relies chiefly on violence as its display.  From ignoring to  physical violence, such a man says, without speaking, “Get past this if you can”.

Regardless all these things, it is to the Christian’s benefit to perceive his fellow Man as an errant blind soul (just like himself).  Certainly something worth thinking on.

From my own perspective, here is a small list of shills people use.

Politics
Religion
Social position
Tradition
Jokes
Rude behavior
Foul language
A pleasant countenance
Apathy
Social intelligence
Clothing
Makeup
Race
Creed
Exclusive clubs
Deviant behavior
Drugs and alcohol
All manner of things that can be bought

All these things mask the true Man.  Who is capable of perceiving past these things on a consistent basis?

15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.” (John 8)

My memory is renewed to consider that God in Christ alone is able to reach any soul.

Indelible, Unavoidable, Undeniable

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Though we clean the windshield, the Yellow Jacket is still drawn to the smell of death that remains.

Though we conveniently forget the things we have done, the stench of our sins accompanies us to the Glorious Throne of God.

We will all stand without excuse to give account of ourselves for the things we have done here in this body.  And it doesn’t matter whether you believe these things or not.

I don’t say this to frighten anyone.  Let it simply be a fire of encouragement. 

Righteous wisdom radiates from the Living God.  He gives freely to anyone who will believe.  Make no mistake, the righteous wisdom which God gives freely directs the soul to Christ Jesus His Righteous and Holy Son.

We either prepare ourselves to learn and do, or we are prepared beyond our volition to appear and give account.

Let sobriety be the banner of our days.

Rejected or Accepted

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So much is made of self esteem in this world. 

If you were accepted by the one who made you, you would have no need for self esteem boosters.

To the Journey

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We have a tendency to trivialize everything.  But we come to own this tendency with good reason.  Absolutely everything we know deteriorates.  Even the compassion of Man is in a state of flux; needs come and go, the sick get better or die, poverty evaporates at the end of its work, hatred goes to sleep when it is tired of destroying.  So even Man’s compassion (what is considered the best Man can offer) rests from its work.

We strive hard, but at the end of the day everything we know is trivial.  Everything we know is in a constant state of repair or deterioration.  Isn’t that why we sleep?

Most people, including myself, tend to apply this trivial mindset to the gospel of Christ.  We can’t help it, it’s in our nature to perceive things as if they are passing.  And without the constant help of the eternal Living God’s Holy Son we would never perceive the gospel as eternal.  It would remain in a mode of choice.  And isn’t that what we see when we look at those who call themselves Christians; constantly making the choice to do (or not to do) Christ-like things.

We need to be reminded that his promises last forever and never change.  That’s why we read the Bible often; to renew our decaying mind.  That’s why we pray, with whatever earnest soul we can muster.  Isn’t that why we are told to encourage one another?

Connected to this is an understanding that has come again to me this morning.  Everything we do is manufactured.  It’s in a constant state of repair.  But a love for righteousness cannot be in a state of repair.  For whatever constantly needs repair is also constantly deteriorating.  Love does not deteriorate, and eternal Righteousness does not fall into the realm of choice.  Let’s be honest, we either love righteousness or we don’t. 

What an amazing place God has created; it is not a place of deterioration, it is a place of potential eternal life.  There can be no better testing of a man’s heart than the state of affairs I have spoken of here.  On top of that, God knows the difference between a manufactured love of righteousness and one that is ingrained and sincere.

This is the nature of salvation.  It is not something that will be.  It is something that IS.  Christ has come, as the great power of God, to redeem the humble of heart.  He has come to teach us eternity.  Imagine that!  The sum of what we know about eternity is the simple word itself.  And without the presence of God, that’s where our knowledge remains.

Every man is encouraged to begin the journey of truth.  The journey is called Christianity.

When the Sun Rises

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Many who think themselves to be firm Christians are compromised.  This is not suspicion or an attempt at slander, this is the way it is.  While they embrace many things of Christ they also embrace many things of the world.  We are told that such lives will suffer loss.

On the day when Christ rises to judge his people, many will realize for the first time that they had compromised their lives.  Sucked into the lure of unholy depravity, many perceive the things of this world to be beautiful.  Will that perception remain when the loss they are to suffer is presented to them personally?

As we keep our mind focused on eternity, that is being in the presence of the Most High God’s Holy Son, the glitz of this world tends to lose its pull.  Isn’t it written that we should not be deceived, but that a man will reap what he sows?

Worthless Parents

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Sin is born of chaos and ignorance.  Chaos is the careless mother who dropped her child on the way.  And ignorance is the worthless father who does as he pleases regardless the needs of his children.

Every man is born of these.  But Christ offers adoption into a Holy, righteous, faithful, loving, and eternal family.  Within this family there is opportunity to learn what is true.  Within this family there is forgiveness and grace to accomplish Life.

Are you tired of your sick and worthless old mother?  Are you weary of wondering where your father is?

Chaos and ignorance have nothing to offer anyone.  They simply produce and abandon.  But if you want salvation from worthlessness, cry out to the Living God in the name of Christ Jesus.