It was true and I wrote it. Believe it or not, it’s still true.
Observation:
“Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves”
If you’re not wise you’re not going to be harmless.
Category Archives: Encouragement
Chaotic Building Materials
He who would save his life will lose it. Yes, the Lord said that. But did you know there’s an absolutely logical reason for it? The saying is not a threat from God.
Nothing man can build, in the way of a life, can last. The only items he has in his hand to build with, come from chaos.
He gathers and digs, and scrapes together items that form his life. Where did he get these things? He got them from the mass of chaos that is this world.
It can be compared to a man trying to build a house out of rotten and twisted lumber, rusty nails and screws, and a tape measure that was drawn by a child. He tries to build a straight house on a foundation that is crooked and rough. To top it all off he builds in a place prone to storms.
Chaos is chaos, it can’t be anything else. Such a life is bound to explode into futility, and horrible frustration. The one who desires to save this life, will find himself busy in repair forever. So yes, he who desires to save his life will certainly lose it.
But the life that God offers is not built on chaos. God offers a man the things that are built on eternal life. By their very nature, they are perfectly unshakable.
Here’s the rub my friends. All we have ever known is a life of constant repair. We have been duped into believing this is life. Pathetically, we are secure in this belief.
When the offer of life from God arrives, it is perceived as another form of chaos. It threatens to tear down the sweat and blood house we have built. Since a man is already busy, beyond his ability, repairing what he has, there is an automatic rejection of more demands.
Only those people who recognize the futility of their life, receive God’s gift readily. But God is insistent. “I’m trying to give you life. Let go of what you have and you will live a joyous and full life.” So a struggle unto death becomes.
The resulting war is no joke at all. A God born faith is required, as if a man stares down a hungry lion. But the battle will not relent. The only closure to this war, is the grave itself. Sadly, many millions have gone to the grave, embroiled in this battle but never receiving God’s grace.
Not every man perceives these things. Most often the battle is rejected without consideration.
Look at it this way, you will fight a war with something until the day you die. Why not wisely pick your battle?
The Apostle Peter addressed this: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4: 12)
Give up and live. Strive to retain what you have and you will die.
Chaos cannot give birth to life. Life cannot give birth to chaos. The two are forever opposing. Chaos will destroy itself. Life lives forever.
Christ Jesus offers life. But who will take it?
By His Grace
Quench or Stoke
The fireman does not offer the fire the things it loves. Gasoline, kerosene, synthetics ,wood and cloth are kept away from the battlefield. But water, or a smothering foam annihilate his enemy. The greed of destruction is brought to nothing.
There is a raging fire of expectation among the world. How desperately they want to see God’s people fail. Look what glee they display as they devour even their own. Salivating to destroy, they welcome the rumor of failing.
They do not seek out faltering. They are looking for raging sins. The Christian’s refusal to obey is like gasoline to a fire. Even the liberties God has allowed us, are flammable in the eyes of the world.
What are we teaching? What are we doing? Do we wear a sash of compromise on the clothing God has given us? Do we often forget what is holy? Do we forget who we used to be? Do we forget our calling?
Does our testimony fuel the fires of hell? Or does it quench, and restrain by living water? Do we smother the world’s ambition by a display of holy behavior?
By His Grace
Afraid to DEATH
Afraid to testify.
“Oh my!”
Afraid to be rejected.
(Afraid to be included,
By the only One who matters;
Afraid to be singled out,
Afraid of the label of Christian,
Afraid to be introduced to what is
Holy, lasting, pristine.
Afraid to take part with Christ
In this Holy war of will.)
Afraid to lose.
Afraid to win.
Afraid of hell.
Yet afraid to enter in.
SO BE IT!
Do you think you’ll go unnoticed,
When you stand with all the rest;
When God throws away the useless,
And blesses what is best?
May it be done as you have believed.
How much fear do you think you will own,
When your name is not found in the book?
For now you fear their perception.
Don’t you fear God’s contemptuous look?
If fear has held you hostage,
What will that moment be?
For now you fear what Man can do;
Who can only harm your body.
A man belongs to whom he serves.
Dishonor strives to keep what is his;
Not considering the honor of Christ.
Honorable love fears the One who IS.
Understanding that Holy, paid price.
SO BE IT!
Honorable love honors He who IS.
It says, “I will stop my cowering.
I will give myself to what is His”.
“SO BE IT!”
Weeping and gnashing of teeth belong
To the weak and faithless many.
Who hid among the rebellious throng,
Trying to save “life“,
As if pennies.
By His Grace
The Faith of Fullness
What are you doing here?
Do you desire to desire?
Is the Love of God for doing tasks?
Or for drawing all men near?
We do and do but for what purpose, to spread the news or just perform? As I look back on my days of religion, I find a man with the tiniest of faith.
My belief was not worth a mention, for if I tried to voice my faith, it would have amounted to nothing more than an inaudible peep.
And the fruit of my faith was the same. A doing of things for the sake of the Gospel were done. But for what end? Where was the promise of the Holy One in what I did?
Those doings are long gone now. They were done with good intention. But there was no power of God in them. I was like a trained monkey in a lab; doing as I was taught to gain that treat I desired. This was my personal experience in the organized Church.
Where is the Fire borne Faith that Christ Jesus wondered about? “. . .when the Son of Man comes, will he find [the] faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)
There is a vast difference between the faith of a man and The Faith from God. Atheists have faith that there is no God. What good is that to them? Christians may have faith that the words of God are true. But do those words give birth to that “new creation” He promised?
I offer the concept for examination. Each man or woman provides the answer.
Inspection of deeds, desire, and that certain becoming are necessary.
No one can know the severity of lack within, for no one has seen what God has prepared for those who love Him. Comparing the two is necessary for clarity. God alone knows how far short we have attained. Yet who dares ask Him to show, lest they are provoked to do what they are not willing?
On the other hand, if we are willing to be shown, what glories await?
God and His Holy Christ are seamlessly woven together. Isn’t that the desire of God for all His people? Don’t tell me that isn’t possible. Though I haven’t attained such a thing, I refuse to believe in anything less. If I am fallen short of such a life, it is I who remain chained to unbelief. If seamless Christianity is not possible, why did Jesus say this: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
What does the word “full” mean? By our actions we display our interpretation of the definition. Any child can tell you what “full” means. Why can’t adults?
Be a Willing Disappointment
The letter to the Hebrews, in the New Testament, tells us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. Because of the context, we often associate that great crowd with humanity.
Though it is true that no man lives in complete isolation from his brother, it is also true that the great cloud of witnesses comprises far more than the men who live on this planet.
There will be testimony in eternity for what we have done. The Angels witness our actions. The Trinity is personally witness to every single detail. And let us not forget the enemy. Even the demons notice.
Doing what is right is often a severe irritation to humanity. But those we irritate here, are considerably few, in comparison to those who will witness the totality of our life.
Let us therefore consider the majority. If we need a provocation to do what is right, let us live a life of innocent irritation. When they cuss and yell and scream and squirm, let us not understand the reason why. Let us set our focus on the majority of witnesses.
And if you need further provocation to do what is right, let us mention the one who has irritated us.
As we love doing what is right, we are not tempted to do what is wrong. And if we cannot be tempted or averted from our love, we may be sure we are irritating the one who has irritated us. Fine, let us be a willing disappointment!
By His Grace
Words From There 