Category Archives: Hope

The War of Necessities

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I am nothing and I am no one.  I have seen clearly the wickedness that is within me.  But for the hope of Christ Jesus I remain worthless, anonymous and wicked forever.

I have seen the way of men.  By means of simple necessity, they are forced into slavery.  They must eat.  They must provide shelter.  And they must belong.  So they become victims of the greed of others.

On top of that, as if a poisonous frosting on a cake, men have devised ways to take advantage of the necessity of others.  They have conceived in their heart, “I will rise above at the expense of my brother”.

So they give profitable work, and social belonging, to those of lesser ability.  In the interest of profit for all, so they say, they quickly demand too much.  A man is placed where he does not belong by the engine of greed and vanity.

Fear races across this world that we may perform the things for which we have no resource.  Hundreds of thousands become taskmasters, while millions become slaves.  And the slaves say, “If I do not perform a task as is required, or do as they say, I will lose my place”.

With smiles, rewards and contrived encouragement, (“I care for you!”) the taskmasters provoke to produce.  And production is made, at the expense of your freedom.

So it has been from the beginning.  So it is now.  Fear breeds defensiveness.  Every man builds a fortress.  And regardless the face they wear, every man is enemy to another.  The friend against a friend.  A father against his son.  A son against his father.  A mother against her daughter.  A daughter against her mother.  Siblings tear at one another. And all are in the process of dying a needless death.

The battle is encouraged by necessity.  As long as there is want there will be war.  There is war between the nations.  There is war between the countries.  There is war within the cities, towns and villages of this world.  There is war within groups of men.  And there is war within the families.

All of this to ask a simple question.  Is there remedy?  The answer is yes.

The world will continue in this futile, ceaseless and horrific war.  But each man can cease a war like life.

You do not have to fend for yourself.  You do not have to wake every morning preparing for battle.  You do not need to endure sleepless and fitful sleep.  You do not have to put on hatred as if clothing.  And you wear selfishness for no reason.

The answer is not a method.  A method would require too much of you to perform.  You would have to study a method.  You would have to learn by practicing a method.    None of which the the world gives you time or resources to do.

The answer is the kingdom of God in Jesus, the Holy One of God.  You may ask, “Is it really that simple?”   The answer again is yes. 

He is not religion, organized or individual.  He is the Son of the Living God.  He is willing and able to release you from this war of necessities.  He is willing and able to release you from your own guilt and greed.

The world has told you that God is in heaven.  The world has told you that God cannot and does not help man in his basic necessities.  Or that if he does, it is in the small measure.  Yet you cry out when you have need.

I testify to you as one who has been released from the war.  I do not speak to you as one who does not know.  He provides everything I need.  And he never fails. 

He is called Emmanuel.  Perhaps you have heard the name.  The name means “God with us”.  The world has lied so that you will not understand.  For if you understand their grip is torn away.  So they continue to entice you with lies and promise of worthless reward.

Those who are in the kingdom of God find themselves progressively released from the war of necessities.  Though the burdens of this world are placed upon them they find they have strength where before they did not.

He provides for those who are hungry for provision.  He provides for those who have come to understand they have no strength. 

Are you hungry?  Do you recognize your weakness?  Are you courageous enough to call out in faith?  Has the world reduced your pride so that you can look up for help?

His promise is to provide.  It is impossible for God to lie.  He will keep his promise.  And those to search for him in truth will find him true.

But do not think he will provide for you what the world calls necessity.   He will appear to provide what you need.  He will not appear to provide what you want.  Greed and vanity have no place in the kingdom of God.  He has give you life.  He will also provide everything you need.

Those who ask for the trinkets of this world will be turned away.  The world may give you such things.  But it will also demand an accounting.

Have you truly had enough of this war?  Are you ready to receive the things that God is willing to give?  Then simply humble yourself and ask.  Place yourself at his mercy.  When the time is right he will give you strength.

By continuance in faith you will receive the freedom he promises. 

All day long men and women are entering into the kingdom of freedom in Christ.  They are finding the freedom to live.  All the while you suffer needlessly.

It has been so since the days of John the Baptist.  And it will continue until the Lord returns.  But cowards and the faithless will never enter the kingdom of God; they will never taste the freedom of Christ.

Has the world reduced your pride?  Have you reached a place of hopelessness so that all is this is left is for you to call out to God?  Are you strong enough, courageous enough, of faith enough. to call out to the Holy One of Israel?  If so, you will find him pleasantly willing.

End of ages

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The question has been asked, “What is man that you are mindful of him, the Son of man that you care for him?  Truly a ponderous question.

Who are we that God has created such a place as this?  And who is Christ Jesus that he should be sent to fulfill a new covenant between man and God?  He was even required to seal this new covenant with His blood.

We are witness to how creation moans and groans for a place of fulfillment.  And we ourselves look for a hope, indicating that we have not yet received that for which we hope.  Our hope finds fulfillment in the end of this age; and that by the beautiful sacrifice of he who was sent, even Christ Jesus.

But the writer of Hebrews tells us something marvelous.  Christ Jesus has come at the end of all ages in regard to creation.  “But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.”  ( Hebrews 9: 26)

We take note of the fullness of Christ’s sacrifice.  That he has, once and for all,  offered himself.  In his work for the Father creation finds fulfillment.  At the end of this age then, creation becomes complete.

From our moment of Transfiguration we enter into the perfect rest of God.  Who then are we that we should be considered?  We become the fulfillment of God’s creation as we are dressed completely in what is perfect and true.  We are the Bride of Christ for the sake of his glory.  Our Transfiguration will become final act of creation.

This adds purpose to the gospel.  All the more urgent is our need to witness and testify.  We speak of death.  But the sacrifice of Christ speaks of life, the eternal peace of God, and the end of creation; the work of establishing eternity.

There will not be another opportunity to secure your place among the people of God. There is destruction. There is no purgatory. What you do now is what you will be forever. Those who worship Christ Jesus, learn from him what is holy, and obey according to the father’s will, these alone will enter his time of rest at the end of all these creation ages.

Adorable Dispair, Abject Fear

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I’ve observed that the world adores despair.  They would certainly tell you differently.  But nearly everything created by man is in response to despair.  We live in a defensive mode all our lives.   Thus the reason for all man’s “advancements”.

I don’t think they would know what to do with true freedom from fear.  I saw a woman sitting in a small restaurant by herself this morning.  All the while she sat there she was absorbed in her cell phone.  In days past she would have been seen sitting there with nothing to do.  Perhaps she would read a book.  Maybe, just maybe, she would interact with others who were sitting there.  But our need for freedom from despair and fear has brought us to a place where we strive with all our being to escape.  Horror fills every moment we live without God.

God offers escape from fear.  But they won’t take that because they don’t respect God’s Holy Son.  And you can’t have God by rejecting His Son.   Even if they consider Jesus, the Son of God, they might end up dismissing God because of the heavy load of eternal law.  But full freedom embraces the reality of God’s eternal law and the offer of “learning” which comes from Jesus.

God the Father is perfect eternal law.  He must be pure of anything else in order to keep eternity intact.  That’s why nothing wicked or evil will ever enter the presence of the Most High God.  The laws of God are not done away with in Christianity.  We are instead entered into a friendship because of the Work of God the Father in His Holy Son.  He is our “go-between” or buffer between God the Father and our wicked up bringing.  It’s the Father’s will that we should learn the eternal laws of God.

Nothing I’ve said here will help the world cope with despair.  They’re doing pretty good in that realm anyway.  But these things are posted in the hope that some will filter into those who need to find release from fear.  I encourage those folk to look into these things.  You’ll find all this and plenty more in the Bible.  (I know, its been a very long time since you opened one.)

May the Lord open your eyes and draw you to His Holy Son.  May you find the release you aren’t seeking now.

 

Whack a mole!

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A dear brother from soulsupply.com, has brought to the surface a very useful topic that is often overlooked.  He rightly points out that a Christian may be diligent in all things of Christ yet fall short because of pride.

Though he may not lose a place in eternity for his shortcomings, he will likely lose some measure of reward. Not desiring that any of my brothers should lose. And since it is our duty to sharpen one another, for the sake of our service to our Lord Jesus. I thought it might be useful to post a little more information in regard to what brother Taylor has exposed.

I will start by confessing that there are two games I really don’t mind losing.  One is called “Whack a Mole”.  It is impossible for a man to win at that game.  But there’s a good deal of joy to be had in losing.

If you’ve never played the game, you stand in front of a bench with holes in it. In your hand is a soft mallet. Little mole heads pop up one at a time in one or another hole. It would be amusing enough just to watch it played.

One by one little mole heads pop up.  And it is your delightful duty to smash them back down with the hammer.  As you get better it gets faster.  At some point you get the joy of hearing the mole say, “Now I’m really angry!”

I don’t get much fun at wack’n the mole heads.  If that were all there is to the game I wouldn’t play it.  That’s too much work for too little gain.  But to hear the defenseless little mole get angry, is a belly full of laughs. The imagination sets fire to wonder what he will do while he’s angry.

The other game I enjoy losing is the fight with besetting sin.  I know that sounds really odd for a Christian to say. But we must remember that to lose in this world is to gain Christ. So I would rather lose then lose.

I had a besetting sin that would not leave me alone. Just like the little mole, I would no sooner pop my head up and the hammer would come and smash me back down. Yes, there was even a place where I am got really angry.

I tried everything. I tried prayer. I tried filling my days with Scripture. I confessed until I was hoarse. I tried restraint. I tried counseling from a respected fellow Christian. I tried everything I could possibly think of, but to no avail.

The harder I tried the quicker the sin would knock me down. Having no recourse, I struggled as far as I could then relied purely on Grace. It was not the solution I was trying to find. But I had exhausted all other possibilities.

Realizing utter failure, brings an ocean of tears and shame. Then, just when I was contemplating giving up entirely, the Lord came near me. I thought sure I would die the eternal death.

It was about the time for me to pop my head up again. I had walked some distance successfully. He gently put his hand on my shoulder and said, “It’s my turn. Just step back and watch.”

I heard the player say, Now I’m really angry!” the Lord raised his beautiful head up for me. I heard the familiar whistle of the Hammer head as it closed in on its target. But then I heard two sounds I have never heard before.

There was a mighty noise as hardened steel met the immovable. Then the smaller sounds of tingling metal pieces as they scattered on the floor. The player had met his match.

The Lord turned to me, completely unscathed by the impact. “You’ll be fine now son.” I closed my eyes while he kissed my forehead. When I open them again he was gone.

I cautiously poked my head up to see what had happened. I was startled at first to see the player standing with an angry face. But then I took note that he was restrained at arms length. The steel of his hammer covered the floor. I heard him threaten. With spit coming from his mouth he cursed at me. But his restraint would no longer let him attack.

I was free! No more fear. No more shame. No more tears associated with failure! In the place of groveling came a worship of praise and thanks.

I present this story for the sake of my brothers and sisters who suffer so intensely. I encourage you to suffer with diligence! Add to your attempts, standing on your head for three weeks, eat a big whopper from the inside out, count backwards from 10 million, or hold your breath for one hour. Whatever you do keep striving till you are sure you have exhausted all possibilities. The Lord will appear before you are allowed to give up all hope! He will not let you die.

I will add the following to uphold my brother’s message. In his message he warns against pride. Failure to heed his timely and well worded message has consequences.

When the Lord appears to take your place against a hidden or besetting sin, you may well suffer loss. Though at that point you likely won’t care.

If a sheep cannot behave itself in open pasture, surely the Lord will move it to a confined space. His love for his dear one will not change. But the place in which the dear one serves, will. You will find your besetting sin restrained. But you may also find restraints placed upon you.

Consider this as you struggle. Perhaps the love of freedom will give you strength. Or perhaps the thought of losing reward will stir you to more action. Regardless, Christ Jesus is Lord and Master! And he is fully willing and able to save.

I have written this story in first person. I am not ashamed that I have been released. And it gives me great pleasure to glorify our Lord. He will always be our head.

May God bless this post to those who need it most.

You will find the fullness of our brother’s text at this link, http://www.soulsupply.com/blog/n/faith-falling-140318?t=3382

By His Grace