Category Archives: parable

Willing Refinement

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The fire is brought to the field to cleanse it of stubble and blight.  The winds of a hurricane are a pleasure to the man who knows he has built his house well.

For everything a man may make, receives a testing.  To the craftsmen who knows he has done his work well, there is no fear.  For even if his work may suffer loss, he is anxious to apply his learning.  Such a man’s hands quiver with delight at the approach of destruction.

As the racehorse strains against the bit, ready and willing to run, so the man of God looks forward to the testings.  Always looking for refinement, he does not despise destruction of weakness.

It is of man to desire rest in peace from the labor of his hands.  He seeks respite for the weakness of his body and the sparseness of resource.

But the Spirit of of the Holy Lord God Almighty urges toward completion.  Let every one of God’s people be joyful to submit themselves to the fire of God’s Holy expectations.

His love is destruction for all that is unholy.  But this destruction is sent in eternally lovely intent.  The rewards will always outweigh the tears.  Yet is it righteous for us to have tears at all?

Allowing ourselves to be driven, accomplishment draws nearer.  But rest, as the flesh desires, and you will suffer loss.

Every man will appear before the Holy Lord to give account of himself.  The day of judgement will come as the final restraint.  But now is the day of testing.  Now is the day for becoming.

It is the forceful soul who presents himself to the day of judgement now.  “The Faith” in Christ Jesus is the beauty of holy strength.

May God receive the bounty that belongs rightfully to him; the refinement, the willing refinement of his holy people.  His reward is in his hand as he stands to judge all men. 

Let us therefore not despise the destruction of those things the flesh desires.  Rather let us side with God in His Holy judgment against sin.

The servant who whimpers at the commands of his master, is no joy at the dinner table.  Such a one is deservedly given a lower place.

By His Grace

Guilty Restraint

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It is the guilty who over react to the presence of law enforcement.  They have failed to live prepared for judgement.

I see this best when I am driving.  Car passes me doing 5 miles over the speed limit.  Then a police officer’s car comes into view, stopped along the side of the road with his lights flashing.  That same driver who passed me at 5 miles over the speed limit, now does 5 miles under the speed limit.

As I passing by in the right-hand lane I marvel at his form of obedience.  Then it occurs to me: his reaction is of fear.  While I have been obedient and have no fear.

As I see this apply on the road, it also applies to life and to God.  “It is the guilty who over react to the presence of law enforcement.  They have failed to live prepared for judgement.”

The wise prepare, in them there is no fear.  The foolish do as they please, and fear controls them.

By His Grace

Profits

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The prophet of God is valuable.  Who then are they who disagree?

There is profit in the words of the prophet of God.  Who then are they who disbelieve?

It is intriguing that men prefer to ignore the messengers of God, when profit and loss are household concepts.  By this we can say that men are, by their very nature, lousy accountants.

For this they run the business of their life as if to fail.  Yet in business, they will kill to succeed.  Why does this tiny wisdom escape them?

It is impossible to correctly speak of the poverty of man.  Just as it is impossible to speak of the riches of God.

When we see Him face to face, we will understand.  Until then, profit comes by faith.  All the while poverty abides in flesh.

Do not be fooled, a man is what he believes.  Profit or loss, which do you choose?

By His Grace

Success of Enticements

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The world demands that Christians be demure and live in obscurity.  Look how they threaten.  Look how they isolate and murder our brothers.  Look again, and see how effective their tactics are.

As it was in the beginning, so it is to this day.  There are those who profess allegiance to God in their mind,  but their thoughts are peniless, homeless vagabonds.

Offer them a house, and they gladly receive.  For they have no house of their own.

By His Grace

In Pursuit of Blasphemy

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No one testifies of Christ because he loves to testify.  And the ones, whose motive is to testify alone, will fail and fall away.

Those who remain, testify because they are driven.  The power of Christ’s love is that compelling.  The power of the Holy Spirit gives no quarter.

They testify with vigorous soul.  They are not concerned with the popularity of their testimony.  Though no one reads their words, they are convinced that what the Lord has done will not return to Him void.

You cannot make them stop.  They themselves cannot affect a ceasing.  For the Lord has come to dwell within them.

God Himself has determined His messengers!

Oh adulteress world.  Do you really think you can suppress the word of the Living God?  Yes, you certainly do.

You think that if you attack, or ignore, His messengers that they will cease their proclamation.  You think this because you have attacked weak men.  And in your attack they have succumb.

So your folly is bolstered.  Pride fills you as if a valiant victor.  And you are spurred to legislate against Christ.  You are spurred to call His witnesses evil.

Your eyes widen with adrenaline, “I have found the way to rid myself of these noxious words!”

Pursue!
Pursue! 
There were thousands of Egyptian soldiers who did the same as you!

By His Grace

Two Lions

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The forgiveness of Christ is the ultimate power for life.  If a man’s sins are forgiven, his conscience is cleaned.  Where then is regret?
Where then is fear? 
Where then is strength to live? 
What kind of joy should this one own? 
What kind of man should he be able to become?

Are you willing to dissect this truth with me?  Are you willing to be free of regret?
Are you willing to become fearless?
Are you willing to become endlessly strong?
Are you willing to be full of joy?
Are you willing to become a child of the Living God?

It may be that you have said yes to all these.  But if these are not a part of your life, have you asked why?  And if you asked, were you able to endure the answer?

These things are true for the one who is forgiven.  Why then are they not true for you?

I don’t mean to attack you or to judge.  I simply asked the question that everyone in Christ is asking.  “If the forgiveness of Christ is real, then why do I struggle so?”

You believe the things of the gospel.  But the problem is application to you.  At your best moment, and full of generosity, you perceive that forgiveness is available to every man.  But in your personal practice, that application comes and goes.  It gives you strength and leaves.  Why does it leave?  If it leaves, have you pondered why it even comes at all?

If Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, why not you?  Why can’t you have that familiar strength all the time?

The answer, whether we like it or not, is diligence.  When we are strong in Christ, by His forgiveness, it is because we have taken time to assess our situation.  It is because we fail to sit quietly and make assessment, that we falter and lose our strength.  Isn’t this so?

Then it takes a strong man to receive the things of Christ.  It takes one who is dedicated purely to living the truth.  As a man is lazy in the things of Christ, so his faith will lack.  We could call such a soul, a sluggard.  Couldn’t we?

Proverbs 26 addresses this very clearly.
13. A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”

Yes there’s a lion roaming the streets.  And for this the sluggard keeps his door shut.

But hear this truth!  There is also a lion in your own house.

The Lion of Judah roams the streets seeking earnest hearts.  While the lion who devours, lives among your things.  The One is fearsome and free.  The other is domesticated and emaciated.

As you can understand, let me say this:  Get off your couch, open the door, and walk in the streets.  If you have faith, prove it to yourself.  Become diligent.

The domesticated one will not go with you, he will remain emaciated and sleeping on the couch. 

But you!  Go out into the street and call for Him.  The Lion of Judah is free and full of fire.  Yet you know you do not fear him.  You fear your own weakness.

You know he can take away your weakness and give you strength.  You know he can decimate your regret.  You know he can make you fearless.  You know he can give you the fullness of life.

Then the choice is yours.  Remain with your pet domesticated and emaciated lion,  or go out in the street and live.

If I say to you, “I live in the street”, I would be a liar.  For I wake in my house just like you.  But he teaches me to walk past the couch and go outside.  As honestly as I can, I tell you, this takes great strength.

But my brothers and sisters, it is so sincerely worth it!  In my past, laziness has destroyed me.  But as I listen to him, I retain diligence.  This truth he teaches me, is the same for all men.

By His Grace