Category Archives: Encouragement

Not From Man

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Let it be known that the Gospel of Jesus Christ belongs to God.  In his Holy wisdom God has disseminated the Gospel unto men, for all men are of the same language of flesh.  But the entirety of the Gospel belongs to God.

The world looks about them and complains,  “How can there be purity and the Gospel?   Everything man touches comes to nothing”.

There can be purity and the Gospel, and surely is, because it did not originate among men.  The entirety of the Gospel is from God and belongs to God.  It cannot be touched or destroyed by any man.  And the Gospel is sustained among men by the power of the Holy Son of God.

If the Lord has given the Gospel to one man, and that man destroys it, the Gospel itself is not touched.  God will seek another man and give the Gospel to him.  By the strength of the Holy Living God,  the Gospel will not cease from among men until the last day.

This proclamation is true and faultless.  How it is received is not up to me.  What is in my care is to uphold what has come to me from God.  And even this the Gospel says, is not of my own it is a gift of God, lest any man should boast.

The world is correct.   Everything it touches becomes destroyed.  But the message of God moves through men untouched and unchanged.  If a man waters it down and destroys it, then the judgment comes upon him alone.  But if he keeps the Gospel that is given to him, then he becomes a pleasure to the Most High God and is given more.

This should be taken as a warning to all who are in Christ.  But it is also a vast encouragement.  Christ Jesus will lose none of those the Holy Father has placed in his hands.  But let us live with great caution in our soul, for the charge we have been given is Holy.

By His Grace

Judging Others

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“Do you know?”

“Yes.”

“How do you know?”

“Because I’ve seen it before and the outcome is always the same.”

“Where have you seen it before?”

“It happens a lot of times in a lot of people.?”

“Does it happen in you?”

“I guess it does sometimes.   Yes.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know exactly.”

“Do you think he does that all the time?”

“Probably not.  It would likely kill him.”

“So you only caught him in one of your own moments?”

“That’s probably the case.   Yes.”

“So then why did you judge him so harshly?”

“I’m not sure.”

By His Grace

Whose Heart?

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Raised in the desert, they were taught to eat sparsely.  Water would come when it did.  The sand has a way of making flesh tough.  Strict adherence to strict laws forms a mind of steel.  They were ready.

They watch their parents die.  They knew they were the ones.  An entire race of strong men were headed toward the test.  All but one.

The Miscretin traitor.  A hold over from that gaggle of greedy dead men.  Because of him about 36 strong godly men lay dead in the promised land.  Good godly hopes of 36 families crushed by the greed of one man. 

How did thousands “get it” yet this one didn’t?  He kept is father’s faithless,  stone cold, lying heart.  He should have left it in the carcass, as it lay in the desert to rot.

40 years he took them by the hand.  40 years he fed them.  40 years not a stitch of clothing wore out.  40 years he gave them shelter.  He performed marvelous deeds to keep them safe.  They lacked nothing but the heart he offered.

And what was it Joshua said?  . . . . .  Oh yeah.

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

Whose heart do you have?

By His Grace

Love Him?

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Mary Magdalene loved the Lord, because she had nothing left to lose.  The Apostle John loved the Lord, because he had everything to gain.

Why do you love the Lord Jesus?  Or do you?

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

By His Grace

What if?

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Pick a town of moderate size.  Let’s suggest that the town has 45 Christian churches in it.  Just for giggles  let’s say the average attendance is 80 people.  That’s 3600 fictional characters.

What would that town be like if all 3600 of its Christian citizens turn to God with full obedience?

I’m not talking about tithing.  I’m not talking about reading the Bible.  I’m not talking about prayer or good works.  I’m talking about a complete abandon to do the will of the Living God in Christ Jesus.

We hear an awful lot of excuses being handed out for the sake of drawing people in.  One I’ve seen recently says, “No perfect people allowed”.  I understand the premise, but it’s also an open door to a lack of devotion.

But I’ll just throw this idea out there.  And suggest a little more Bible reading.  What happened to Israel when David stepped up?  What happened to Israel when Samuel took his place?  And what of Gideon, and all the rest who took their rightful place before the Most High God.

If an entire nation can be turned around by one faithful servant, what might happen with 3600 of them?  What might happen with 3?  Look at what has happened because of 11.

I better hurry and post this before the Lord returns, or we will never find out.

By His Grace

How to Start Your Soul

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A few years ago they gave me a tractor to drive that was rather odd.  In order to start it, you had to push two unmarked switches simultaneously while turning the key to start the engine. 

Anyone who was not trained how to start the tractor, could not possibly steal it (unless of course they towed it away).  Fortunately for me, the company wanted me to drive the tractor so they explain the process.

I know a man who is convinced that God has lied.  The man has a certain tendency toward sin.  He has heard what others have said.  They speak about freedom in Christ.  They speak about forgiveness and the power to overcome.  But in his search this man did not find either.  So he assumed that Jesus has lied.

God wants us to live a life of overcoming and freedom.  And he has written a manual as to how we can accomplish that.  But the man I spoke of does not read the manual.  How then can he know?

He refuses to believe the testimony of others.  He refuses to believe there’s something he doesn’t understand.  He cannot start his soul.  So he blames the one who made it.

Now, the way I explained it doesn’t sound reasonable at all.  But it makes perfect sense to this man.  And I will say he is not alone. 

There are millions who have not been able to grasp the freedom of forgiveness and strength to overcome.  Perhaps they are not as bold as this man, in that they do not call God a liar.

But if God has promised the freedom of forgiveness and the strength to overcome, their actions speak louder than their lips.  For they have ceased struggling for what is expected of them.  And they quietly wait their turn to be judged by God.  I really can’t imagine what they’ll tell him.

Let’s sum this article up with what is simple and obvious.  If you want the freedom of forgiveness and the strength to overcome sin, all you have to do is read the Bible and pray.  Yep.  It’s that easy.  (Did I mention you have to believe?  Yes those two unmarked buttons work just like they said they would.)

By His Grace