Category Archives: religion

Zachariah chapter 7

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If you ask The Lord a question, regardless how seemingly legitimate, are you able to understand the answer? If you understand the answer are you willing or able to give it room in your heart?

Does our will lean toward the will of the Living God in Jesus, or have we created our own religion full of self-sacrifice?


Are we then dis-heartened by God’s refusal to answer? Are we surprised that our religion of self-sacrifice is not acceptable before the Living God?


Consider the value of the sacrifice of Christ against anything you can do. Bottom line, who’s sacrifice is saving you?   Consider how far you intend to go.  Consider what your eternity looks like.  Consider what your version of paradise must be.  


Here is a more poignant question: “Who then is your God”?

Tim Linhart

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Has he found a doorway?

By rationale, they say, “We can perceive the eternal things by the work of our own hands. We don’t need Christ Jesus to see God.”

Really now.

Then what is the use of Christ’s sacrifice?   What is the use of God the father elevating his Holy Son to first of all creation?  Why has he said to us, “I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to God but through me.”

If a man can save himself by the work of his own hands why did God bother to suffer for our sake?  If the work of our hands can bring us near to God, then we don’t need Christ!  SUCCESS!  Right?

Tim Linhart is famous for his ice music. A friend of mine says we should go and see this.  So I looked it up.  

I will not go and see it.  The what he has done is interesting and wonderful.  But in his explanation he attributes spiritual aspects he has no right to attribute.  He says that since we are made with melted water we find a connection to spiritual things through the music of ice.  Really?

Is there a door to eternity that a man may pass through by the work of his own hands?  Or is the spiritual emphasis only found in the imagination of a man with some talent to wield sharp objects against ice?  And, if self-salvation can be achieved through ice, why not cow pies too?

Read the Gospel. You determine for yourself what is true and what is imagination.  The entirety of eternity is at stake in such presumably small details.  Either Christ is King or he is of no value.  

ATM’s, Modern Idols

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I know I’m not a good writer.  And if I can’t write well about simple things, how can I possibly expect to write well about the best of things.  But I’ve given this a reasonable shot (as meager as my tiny mind seems to be).   I can only hope that the reader will think it through for himself.  

Yes, that was an apology.  Have mercy on yourself.  I’m just a gate.  Walk through me and see if what I write about is true.  If it’s not, you’ve wasted no time at all.  You would’ve spent that time investigating something else that’s just as fruitless.  But what if I write about the best of possible worlds? Then if you don’t investigate, you’ve lost absolutely everything.  

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Standing in front of an ATM, asking it to have mercy, then expecting it to pump out $400 for you, is rather ridiculous. You’re going to walk away confused and broke.  

There are people who have figured it out: Read the directions. Get a job. Start an account. Deposit your money. Ask the bank for a debit card. Then ask how to use the ATM.   Relatively simple.  I’m sure the bank is eager to help you.  


Isn’t false religion and superstition just that ridiculous, when the Lord’s people are so eager to help anyone learn. Not to mention that the Bible is so easy to understand. The Gospel is preached in every corner of the world. And the Lord Jesus himself promises to guide his people into understanding and profitability.  


But don’t be like those people who read the directions on the ATM alone. If you simply stand in front of the bank, you still can’t get what you want. Success requires continual and faithful work,  a face-to-face encounter, and a live agreement.   


Most people think they will wait to the last minute. Somehow they believe all their sins will be forgiven and they will become glorious creatures. How misguided and sad. There’s a life to be led. There are gifts from God to receive. There is glory to be generated for the Lord of Mercy.  


“Without me you can do nothing.”


The Lord may very well have mercy on deathbed confessions, or awareness instilled by imminent death. But think about all the days that are lost in worthlessness forever. Selfishness may gain you what you want. But it gains the Lord nothing. If your life is not fruitful for God, you have nothing, and are nothing.  


“Many are called but few are chosen.”

Do you hear what I hear?

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“When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart.”

Do you hear what I hear?


“A child, a child, 

shivers in the cold 

let us bring him 

Silver and gold.”


What good is our profit 

When the cross is in sight;


When he strained so hard 

That glorious night?


Let his body be covered 

With bleeding sweat.  


Father’s will to be done!

And yet.


The pageantry of Christmas.  

Some shiny toy, a new dress.  


Does this keep warm 

The Word of God?


Does this help the message

Be cast abroad?


Or is it something deep within;

Someplace that’s hidden

From our sin.  


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Do you hear what I hear,

Whispered in the streets?


The silver and gold 

He desires so

Cannot be carried 

By feet.  

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Believe! Believe!

Deep down in your soul.  


Let the seed of Word

Have a place.  


“Come in, come in.  

Come out of the cold.  


Let me taste 

The meaning of gold.”

The Difference

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The one who loves 
God’s Holy Son, 

Receives 

The glaring 

Difference.  


Accused without,

Accused within,

Accused by doubt,

His strength is in

A Heaven borne  Surety:

The Hope from Him.  


AMEN!


No longer is he dressed 

As those 

From whom he came, 

As is supposed.  


But now his heart sees better things;

A Raging land where Truth is King.  

A land where lies are not allowed.  

Where all old ways are disavowed.  


A Jealous hand has dressed him so. 

Sealed strong with promise, 

“I’ll not let you go”.


And so,


The echo sounds within his soul.  

As better things he’s seen.  

Yet through his loving urging,

He’s only seen as mean.  


As one step leads 

To the next one planted,

From love to love 

His heart is challenged.  


To speak?  

He must. 

To do?

He’s thrust.  

By virtue of 

Grand Love Within.  

No opposition’s 

Strong enough,

To lightly challenge Him!  


“Forgive them,

For they do not know

The damage that they do.  

Though all day long

We sing Your song.  

It’s not us they hate. 

It’s You.”



Heavenly Ultimatum, The Eaternal Litmus Test

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What does this mean do you? How do you interpret it.  

I’m just asking the question. I don’t want to know what the answer is.  


32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.


34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn


“ ‘a man against his father,

    a daughter against her mother,

    a daughter-in-law against her

         mother-in-law—


36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’


37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.


40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”