Category Archives: Encouragement

Give Me Knowledge

by

0


Tell me you don’t believe that you are saved by faith alone.  Tell me your faith has produced a doing.

Give me solace in this place of testing.  Confirm your viable Christianity.

Tell me you do not rely on association for the hope of your salvation.  Tell me you do not attend church because you think that will save you.

But display the Living Faith in the Living God and His Christ.  Let the overflow of Life giving water be evident.

Do not cheat me of hope for you.  Do not rob me of joy.

Do not make me guess about the end of your days.  Do not make your loved ones cry hopeless tears of sorrow.

May the brotherhood of Christ praise the God who has saved you.  May your name find association with holy doing.

Otherwise you are only a noise.  Otherwise you are only a dispelled shadow.

By His Grace

Righteousness = Success?

by

0


The stubborn teen, who has all the toys and friends anyone could want.  The successful college grad, who knows how to meld into any social event.  The proud man of middle age, who can prove his successfulness by the things he has acquired.  The dutiful housewife who is adored by so many in her community.  The angry old man or woman, who causes children to avoid that certain portion of sidewalk.

All these, and such an endless variety more, think they have it all, because they have what they want, and know how to get more.  To them, righteousness is what they are in the process of becoming.

The worker, bent over from working hard for a living.  The champion beer drinker, who works hard at some company where he has become important.  The young woman who knows how to get what she wants.  The rebellious young man, who hates everything and everyone.

All these, and such an endless variety more, think they have it all, because they have what they want and know how to get more.  To them, righteousness is what they are in the process of becoming.

But not before God!  Before the Holy Throne of God is only One Righteous individual.  There will never be more.  His name is Holy.  His name is Jesus, the Christ.

You think you’re a righteous person?  Then you don’t know anything about what righteousness is.  Study the nature of the Christ, as found in the New Testament.  Compare His Holy devotion to truth to yours.  You’ll soon find out what righteousness really is.

Rampant Poverty

by

0


It is true that in this world there are the poor.  It is also true that the world makes much commotion about this.  They fire one another up to eradicate poverty.  But no headway is ever accomplished.  As soon as they release one into productivity, five more take his place.

Unfortunately what is true in the world is also true in the church.  There is a poverty  that cannot be solved with the resources of this world.  And it does not dress itself in visible rags.

Those who are rich in the forgiveness of Christ often seal up their wealth as if it can be stolen.  And I find myself unable to speak of the power of God absent from display in my brothers.

While the world walks about destitute and ragged, many Christians live happy peaceful lives.  While the resources of the world are gobbled up by greed, the resources of Christ are often hidden from the masses by fear.

Does this make sense to anyone?

The world carries on great campaigns to solve a problem that will never go away.  But doesn’t the “Modern” church find itself doing the same thing?

It has become a virtually impossible task to tell the difference between the “good people” of this world and the “Modern” Christian Church.  No wonder the poverty of soul is so widely spread.

A simple question, addressed to every Christian:  “Are those who know you even aware that you are a Christian?”

I guess there is one place of solace.  Both horrific forms of poverty will find their conclusion at the Holy throne of God.

1 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3)

By His Grace

Dressed Robes of Procurement

by

0


What is the disparity between nothing and something?  The starving man knows the difference between what is food and what is hunger.  The man who is freezing to death knows the difference between frozen wood and a blazing flame.  The one who lay on a sweaty bed of hopeless sickness knows the difference between health and approaching death.

But what is the disparity between what is Holy and what is unholy?  What is the disparity between a doing of the Holy will of God, and a life that remains subject to all that is not?

Let the starving man eat, and understanding of that disparity blazes clearly in his mind.  Let the one who is freezing to death be taken toward life-giving warmth, and he will testify of what is “good”.  And let the hopelessly sick be healed.  They will proclaim the wonders of health and ability.

We have received the promise of the Holy One.  We know He who is of the Righteous Father.  The starving, the ones who are freezing, and the hopelessly sick, know of the vague promises of life.  How should we who know the Holy Promises of the Living God, LACK?

He said to us, “You can do nothing without me”.  But isn’t the knowledge of that statement like the hopelessness of the dying, if indeed we do nothing to procure that Holy Something?

Today comes to us, dressed in the doings of those who went before us.  There are very few who became living testimony of the Life God stands ready to dispense.  Will tomorrow see the same lack of dedicated souls?  Isn’t it our responsibility to procure?

If a man of God will say, “I found no more strength than I did from Him”.  If he will say that, he says what is true.  But looking at the volume of those blazing testifiers, I am appalled.  Can we gather together as one to determine to look into these things?  What will it take to produce a powerful people of “today”?

I will not rise into crescendo for the sake of inspiration.  I have appealed with what is true.  Let the crescendo appear because each one who reads this determines in his soul to do his part.  No man can make another do what is right.  Prisons keep turning out wicked men.  Few who endure the force of men take hold of what is proper.  How has Christianity proven to be any different?

No, the force to do and become, continues to lay squarely on the will of each of God’s people.  Singly, we stand here.  Singly, we will appear before Him.  And singly, we will see redemption appear from the mass of men.  If a rekindling of determination to be a holy people appears, it will be because we turned, one by one, toward what is Good.

Worthy Servants

by

0


We present what we are given, and in a manner we have received.  As a man combs his hair, because that is how his hair roots were formed, so we are bent to deliver what we have received.

Should a servant go out and attack his master’s enemies?  How should that servant know the subtle knowledge of his master?   A servant is confined to his service.  He is not privy to the upbringing of his master.  He is sent from the room when conversation of importance are held.  How should he know the full wisdom of his master’s business among men?

Wouldn’t it be better if such a servant were to ask his master, “My lord, is there something I might do to help you against your enemies?  Forgive me, but I perceive that they attack your estate with malicious intent.  I owe you my life, for the sake of what you provide for me.  You have my lowly place at your disposal.”

Such a servant will be respected for the sake of his love and dedication.  That servant may never use a sword against the enemies of his master.  But he will certainly be remembered as one who is prepared to render “good” service.

In the same way, should we give counsel to the Most High God?  Shall we determine to attack and devour His unholy enemies?  Such servants of God will find themselves being counseled by Holy Words.  They presume to know what they cannot possibly know.

Each man of God should speak according to the faith he has received.  But let him take counsel as to his position.  Let him draw a distinction between his lowly and restrained state of affairs, and the Eternity that is the counsel of God’s Holy Wisdom to act among men.

Can I make this clearer?  I must ask, and have asked, myself: “What has the Christ of God allowed you to do for His Holy Kingdom?”  I find that this place of testimony is the pinnacle of my service to the world.  But I must also recognize the value of a life lived as a servant to all men.  Even as the Holy Lord Himself is a servant to all creation.

This is the message given to me personally this morning.  “Remember the place you retain.  Take a good look at where you have been summoned to perform.  Be wary of presumption.  Remember what brought you to the place you inhabit in My Grace.”

I share this with you because I am no different from any man.  The temptation to move beyond the Lord’s blessing comes to every one of His servants, sooner or later.  It is good to avoid the tears of regret that will surely come to the servant who presumes to know his Master’s business.  It is best to revel with great joy that we have done the tiny things He has allowed us to do.

Holy Becoming

by

0


Two teams of men accomplished the securing of position yesterday.  The glory of man has become theirs.  Oregon and Ohio, have established the sum of their training.  Accolades are given.  Hopes of many rise to tumult.  And a place of decision waits to see the victor appear.

But there is an accomplishing that transcends any glory of man.  There is a “sum of training” that waits to be revealed.  Accolades for such as worship the Holy Son of God await.  But it is not a tumult of pride for those who endure into “The Faith”.  It is a Holy Noise of praise for the One who bought them.  It is a life of Holy power to become His.

The victory has been secured.  The world knows nothing of it.  They worship the accomplishments of their own hands.  But we wait for the New and Holy Song to appear from within our secured souls.

Let us train now!  Let us believe, listen, obey and become today!  Why can’t we overcome and glorify the Living God with the sum of our training?  Isn’t it because we have balked at the expectations and willingness of His Holy giving?

The victory has been secured.  What is this victory?  That the Living God cannot lie.  If He has proclaimed us as belonging to His Holy Son, then we can rightly receive His proclamation.

Rise up today!  Become, for the sake of His Glorious and Holy Name!  Then the testimony of His Righteous Son will shine within us.  Then we have no shame.  Then we have no fear.  Then we witness profusely and without ceasing.  Then we do not struggle for words.  Rather, we become His Holy Word.

Encourage yourself.  We only fail to stand because we have not believed.