Category Archives: Encouragement

Line of Sight

by

0


We try to perceive what is.  And if one will carefully follow his lines of thought there is a progression in our perceptions.  Finally we reach fullness of our perception.  “Thus far will come and no farther.”  Says the Lord.

How then can a man say that he knows what is true?  At best, he can only say he knows he who is true; and this to severe limitation.  For the wisdom of God and His glorious nature are hidden from man by his excellent will.

We are forced, by the constraints of his creation, to wear humility instead of pride.  So it is for us, so it was for the Holy Lord Jesus; who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped.

Where is the pride among men that divides and destroys?  Not only among the men of the world but of the children of God.

But men compare themselves to other men, thus pride lives among them.  What would relationships look like if our comparison were exclusively between ourselves and the living God in Christ Jesus?

Humility would be the rule.  Pride would be the anomaly.  But as we look at the nature of people’s interactions that is not what we find.

Truth is truth.  Who dares to live the promise of eternity today?

Conspicuous Places

by

0


Dear Christians:

Are you aware of your place in eternity even now?  I speak to those who struggle, through violence, to attain those things which Christ holds in his hand.  For we know about a violence that does not leave marks on the body.

You have heard about the great cloud of witnesses.  Are you aware that their number is not fully comprised of holy servants of God?

These unholy witnesses were present at the crucifixion of our Lord.  They incited the crowd to riot at the burning and torture of our brothers and sisters.  And they have caused a maligning of the way throughout history.

You may be sure they watch us even now.  Every Christian’s weakness is well known.  But so is the strength of our Holy Lord.  And now is our day to bring him glory.

As we have been encouraged before, I bring it again to the forefront.  As we serve our Lord with all the faithfulness we can muster, it is good to remember that we walk in highly conspicuous places.

Rise Up!

by

0


In the hand of God most high, through the never ending strength of Christ, there are blessings.  His perfect will is laid out before him and he knows the extent.

To the salvation of men his will is bent.  The blood of his Son has sealed it.

He has called to men by the work of the cross.  Yet who has believed his words?

Who will rise up and use what has been given?  Who is willing to receive the fullness of God’s wise gift of faith?

Who we will be, at the revealing of his Holy Son, is yet to be seen.  But there is testimony among men as to what we can be now.

Who then will take what God offers?  Who will reach to his Holy hand to become?

We say we believe the message of the gospel.  But the weakness within us stops our feet at a certain place.  The darkness before us looms with ominous trouble.  So we cease our search for his will.

We say, “I dare not go further for I do not know the way.”  But has God not promised to lead us?

Each man stands where he does by the sum of what he has been.  But God calls us to be his desire.

This challenge goes out to all.  Who will take what God offers, by Holy wisdom, to all his servants?

Do you fear he will ask too much?  Do you fear he will not provide once you begin?  Of course you don’t.

That was the accusation against God by he who accuses, and you know you are not of his house.

Then be encouraged!  Be greatly encouraged!  For every drop of Holy Blood was the sealed promise of the Most High God!  We have been told, and come to believe, God cannot lie.

Necessities

by

0


The call to arms in my soul this morning was this: “Minimize regret”.

Take care of the things, in Christ, that are given you!  At the time of our appearance before his throne, what is lacking will be violently blatant.

If we fulfill the expectation of Christ today, then becomes fulfilled all the other things.  The dishes get done.  The bed is made.  Our work becomes a joy instead of labor.  Our joys become far more complete.  Our hope becomes more radiant.

Already there are many things that were not done.  If we look back, with intensity, the mountain of regret will consume us.  If that is so now what of our moment of appearance? 

There is no need to continue in that habit!

Minimize regret!

Prayer

by

0


People, by majority, tend to avoid prayer.  To most, prayer is like those little hammers you can buy to smash out your window in case you drive into a lake.  In fact it is so like that little hammer, that most people can’t remember where they put it when they need it the most.  If they remember at all.

But prayer is not exclusively for men.  When you tell people they should pray, they think of themselves as ugly and unworthy therefore afraid of the Most High God.  And they equate God with a holy law they cannot and are not willing to fulfill.  They may say “okay” but they will not.

People think of prayer as something they are expected to do as a righteous ritual.  But prayer is not for us.  Prayer is for God.  He takes delight in seeing his creatures come to him.  So when we don’t pray we rob him of his joy.

I will make a fool of myself by giving this example.  I lay on my bed one day, feeling fully unworthy of his presence.  I spoke a few words to him but did not kneel before Him in prayer.

Then I sensed that familiar loving voice of the Lord Jesus.  “It is not right to keep what belongs to him.”

The understanding was immediately clear.  Humanly speaking, I was hurting God’s feelings.  I was busily robbing him of his joy.  With that understanding, it was very easy to get up and kneel in humility to give him praise and thanks.

When people refuse to pray, they are often correct about their guilt.  But the guilt will not dissipate unless we go to the one who can remove it.  He will remove it if we come to him in humility and earnest intent.

How do I know this?  Because Jesus willingly allowed himself to be murdered so that he may become the mercy of God.   He is the crown jewel in all God’s creation.  No one exalts trivia.  Rather, he gives glory to his greatest prize.  How much more does God?

If we are guilty of sin, that is one thing.  But to be guilty of non-belieg is an entirely different matter.  By refusing to believe we are counting God’s greatest prize as far less valuable.

God was deadly serious about offering his Son as the sacrifice for our sins.  He is deadly serious about how we receive that sacrifice.  (It is not possible to put that more strongly.)  Therefore he is deadly serious about saving us.  Therefore he is deadly serious about his desire to commune with his creation.

There is holy wrath waiting for those who refuse to believe.  But his generosity and mercy are even more potent for those who receive His gift. 

This is true.  It is a faultless saying.   Why then would anyone refuse to give God what is rightfully his?

With the promise of utter annihilation , and the promise of eternal embrace, how can anyone choose the former?  It is not logical.  It makes absolutely no sense.  God refers to such a choice as foolish.

His people, in this place, willingly testify that God is a beautiful loving Father.   Ask and they will tell you how much God loves them. 

(I can only hope that the man you think is a Christian, and approach to ask, is truly in love with God.  Beware, many masquerade by wearing the name.)

With even a summary view of the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, you will get the picture of God in Jesus.  If you approach those books with humility, understanding will come.

There is no safety away from him.  But near him there is all safety and confidence, not to mention a clean conscience.  And by going to him we give him what is his. 

I had a dear old friend you once told me, “It is impossible to out give God.  He has a bigger shovel.”  If you give him what he wants, do you think he will not rightly give you what you need?

Gird Yourself with Strength

by

0


Is the strength of the gospel to be at peace with the world,  or is it to be at odds?

Is the strength of the gospel strength to stand and testify?  Or is it only strength to hide?

There is death to self.  There is death to temptation.  There is the death of the body.  And there is death to the acceptance of the world.

Who will testify with power, who has not testified before?  Who will embrace their fear with a death grip; restrain themselves for the sake of His holy name, and fight like a dog over a bone, mindless of injury to themselves?

The strength of the gospel is a sound mind and fearless heart.  You don’t have to ask for it.  Just take it!  He will generously guide those who step out to fight. 

This is the strength of the gospel you have received.  Do not be deceived by those who drink from the fountain of: “let’s all just get along.”