Category Archives: parable

Spiritual Fashion

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The old man sits on his porch dressed, and covered with a white blanket draped around his body.  While it was yet dark he appeared.  No one saw him emerge. 

It is his habit to go to God early.  And the blanket has become this spiritual fashion of choice.

Cigar in hand, he ponders the things that man, rarely knows or senses.  So on the front porch, he sits as light begins to dawn.

Lost in a world invisible to men, he is not aware of approach.  Feet carry another; perceptions cross as two paths conjoin. 

One sees truth.  The other is lost in lie.  Nothing is spoken, yet God hears:

“Teach me ‘Great Sovereign One’ what is true, that I might serve You with faithfulness.  I beg You, let me become your desire.”

“What an odd excuse for a man.  May my future have mercy on me, that I may not become as he.”

As time moves quickly, they part present company.  Never again opportunity.  One has won.  The other has loss.

Call to War

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Many pawns, millions and billions, call them up to war.  The blind, the lame. the Deaf, the mute, call them just the same. 

Supply them all with black uniforms, and cover for their face.  Pass out the weapons, and be generous.  Quicken your steady pace.  Arm them freely, as even you have received.  Overload them with the royalty of their king.

Even now you approach the sound of battle.  The ranks are drunk with feverish loyalty.  They have been well fed on the things they love to ingest.

Two men will appear.  Two men will die.  You will praise the one who has kept you slave; sending gifts to one another with great thanks.

Soon, men of the world, you will be visited by your foes.  They will speak with great authority.  You will be tormented and hate them with vicious hatred.

They will unleash horrible torment upon you.  And you will all agree their death is warranted.  They disturb your peaceful sleep.  They rob you of the pride of life. 

They speak against your ways with venomous tongues.  Your men and women and children will fear what is next to come.  “Yes!”  You will say.  “These two must die!”

Prepare for war!  Then be prepared to be astonished.

You will give them no honor, even in their death.  But the Living God will honor them with life.

Truancy

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Society is less when a child refuses to go to school.  What he may have become is stunted by rebellion.  There may be extenuating circumstances, but there is loss just the same.

A man is commissioned to go and find such children.  It is his sworn duty to send them on their way, back to where they belong.

He discharges his duties according to the rules of all men.  It is not his duty to consider the reasons why child is not where he belongs.

Thus it is with those who proclaim the Gospel.  Men are not where they belong, and must be sent back.  It is our rightful duty to proclaim.  And so we discharge with faithfulness and boldness.

We are sent by the Great Teacher.  To turn back, or to be timid in our duties, is treason.  And so we continue despite the grumbling of the truant children of God.

Heaven is less by their truancy.  What they may have become, what good they could do, and what joy they may own as true citizens, is squandered in their rebellion.  There may be extenuating circumstances, but there is loss nonetheless.

Turn yourselves in.  Go and confess your responsibility for the loss you have caused.  Then be prepared to sit and learn.  It is your rightful duty to do so.

There is a law from the Holy One.  Those who disregarded will pay a serious price.

There is a desire from God, written in the very blood of His Holy Son.  He desires to include all men in eternity.  But those who remain steadfast in their rebellion, will most assuredly be cut off.

I speak these things to send you back.  My duty is accomplished.  From here the duty is yours.  Discontinue your truancy before the Most High God or die.

The Holy Predator

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I am caused to be a predator.  I create the trap.  I wait patiently to devour.  I am hungry, with constant hunger.

Stealth attends my every movement.  Great and ceaseless strength attends my wiles.

I build the trap where feet trod unsuspecting.  They walk without knowledge of my presence.

I am a predator of life.  I create the trap of life.  I wait patiently to devour with the Love of God.  I am ever hungry for salvation to appear among my fellow men of flesh.

Faith attends my every moment.  Great and ceaseless faith attends my holy wiles.  Wisdom from God, granted with abundance, flows within my blood.

I present the Gospel in the very place where the feet of men trod, unsuspecting, unsearching, and without awareness of knowledge.

Come!  Pass me by.  Sneak up upon me with the stealth you own.  Surprise awaits you.  Life is yearning to violently embrace your soul.

Sin will die!  Holiness will appear!  You will die to the things of this world, that you may life for the things of God!

Come!  Indeed, come!

Fantasy is Fallacy

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If we want butter we are forced to go to the cow for its milk.

If we want metal we are forced to dig at the ground.

If we want rain we are forced to wait for the clouds.

If we yearn for day, in the darkness of night, we are forced to wait for the rising Sun.

If we want to learn we are forced to observe the things that are.

Fantasy gives birth to fantasy.  Lies give birth to lies.  Truth gives birth to truth.  And only God can give birth to what is godly.

Why do you look for godly righteousness in places where he is not?  Why do you search in your own heart for the things that God demands?

God is forever, never fails, and will never cease.  This is the nature of the righteousness you seek.  You do not possess it, nor can you create it.  It belongs exclusively to the Most High God in his Holy Son Christ Jesus.

Pride lies to itself and says,  “I will create what I do not have.  Then I will be perfectly acceptable and glorified.”

To the proud I say this:

“Make your own milk that you may have butter. 

Create your own ground that you may make metal. 

Go make your own sky and produce the clouds for rain.

Speak to the black universe and create your own Sun. 

Do these things, and vastly more, and it will be granted that you are righteous; able to save and sustain yourself.

But you observe what God has done and call it your own.  Let foolishness be what foolishness is.

Fantasy gives birth to fantasy. 

Lies give birth to lies. 

Truth gives birth to truth. 

And only God can grant what is God.

Wanna Be a George?

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George was summoned into the office.  Was this to be his last day?  Was poverty about to become his best friend?  A cloud of anxiety formed within him as each step took him closer.  Yet he did not know what to expect.

His boss was a fair man.  He knew that whatever would come must be fairly given.  In his anxiety he thought, “Surely I’ve missed something necessary.  Surely he will drive me out for something I have done but did not realize.”

He knocked.  “Come in George”, the steady and highly intelligent voice said.  George made his way across the spacious carpeted office.  The leather chair gladly received his anxious frame.

“George, I’ve watched you closely; closer than you know.”  A chill went up George’s spine.  “I’ve seen things about you and your life that I know you thought were hidden.  I’m about to change your life sir.”

How should George’s lips freeze shut now?  What defense could he make to such an obscure remark?  “Yep, I’m about to go home to give seriously bad news.”

“George, I know how your family struggles.  I see how tattered your clothing is.  And I know it has to do with things you can’t control.  Money’s tight.  And life demands too much, rather often.”

George just nodded his head on an unstable neck.  Without asking, his eyes began to drop their gaze to the floor.

“George, I want to give you the rest of the day off.”  George’s eyes shot up to look intently into the eyes of the man who held such horrible things in his hand.

“I want you to go down to ‘Fair Deal Motors’.  When you get there, I want you to pick out a car that meets your fancy.  Have David call me, and I’ll pay for it.”

George just stared.

“George, did you hear me?”  A tiny nod was the response.

“Well, away with you then!  Get on your way.  I’ll see you in the morning.”

 

That was it.  That was the extent of the meeting.  After thanking his boss, George was numb as he walked to “Fair Deal Motors”.

When he got to the lot, he asked for David.  David came out with a giant smile pasted on his mouth.  “You’re a very lucky man George!  Come on.  Let’s go out and get your new car picked out.”

It was true!  Now his face brightened.  Shiny colors of shaped steel filled eyes that, just a moment before, had only been able to see gloomy mist.

He walked through the lot.  He saw the luxury.  But he passed it by.  He knew what fit his desire.  And find it, he did.

“Are you sure George?”  Asked David with a twinge of surprise he couldn’t hide.  “Absolutely!  George’s smile said it all.

They went to the office.  Paper work was done.  Keys were given.  And handshake was made.  “Off ya go, friend!  Have a great day!  I’ll call your boss and finalize the deal.”

George drove off in his “new” car.

 

The next day, he went to his boss’s office first thing.  He had in mind to thank him and summon all the gratitude he could muster.  His wife and children had been ecstatic.  The evening was filled with waxing and admiration of both the gift and the giver.  He came in to give all the thanks such an evening deserved.

His boss was glad to see the joy.  But as they sat together, a frown came on the boss’s face.

“George, I am really confused.  With all the beautiful and dependable cars David has there, why did you choose that rust bucket?  You could have had that Lincoln.  It’s only two years old!  It would have lasted you for years.  As it is, I’m not sure how long that can of bolts will skip down the road.  Maybe David didn’t explain clearly enough.  Maybe you just didn’t understand.  But a deal’s a deal.  That’s the car you’ve got.”

Surprise lit up George’s mind.  He hadn’t thought the receiving had no limit.  He had missed the point of the gift entirely.  But a deal’s a deal.  “I chose what I thought I deserved, Sir.”

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“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  Yet how many choose only what they think they are worth?  What a horrible waste of faith.