Manifest God


The fabric of heaven, his hands obediently made.
Every angel created by the love of God made manifest in Jesus.

Every act of building, from eternity to eternity;
The love of God made manifest in Jesus.

Every particle of the universe came to be by His Holy hands of obedience.
The love of God made manifest in Jesus.

Driven from the Glory of God, the father of lies succumbed.
The love of God made manifest in Jesus.

“Let us make man in our image.”
The love of God made manifest in Jesus.

Rebellion found its match, and infinitely more.
The love of God made manifest in Jesus.

So it has been, so it will ever be.
The love of God made manifest in Jesus.

And yet to come, the salvation of We!
The love of God made manifest in Jesus!

By His Grace

Please, Mister Preacher


pulpitPlease, Mister Preacher, don’t preach from your own heart.  When you stand in the pulpit tomorrow, preach from the Heart of God.

What Man thinks is useless opinion.  Let us hear from the Mouth of God’s Holy Son.

Please, Mister Preacher, spend time in prayer.  Please don’t strive to remember what you were taught about the structure of a sermon.  Throw away all that tripe.

Come to us, as if you are transported by the very hair of your head.  Let God bring you among us with Glorious Power.

Please, Mister Preacher, please bring us to God.

Thankful Children


10,000,000 people are told the Gospel, only a thousand believe and receive eternal life.  Perhaps thousands more understood it.  But only a handful have believed with all their heart.

The message of God goes out freely and like a flood.  Many souls are washed by the message, but so few love their new cleanliness.  In the Gospel we read that there were ten who were cleansed of leprosy.  But only one returned to give thanks.

It is so simple a child can do it, and frankly folks, that’s exactly what it takes.  The mind of an adult only wants more; he has been spoiled by pride and greed.  But the heart of a child is elated at the smallest token of love.

Let me ask the Christians, “Where is the proof of your thanks?”  I am not insinuating that you are thankless.  I’m simply asking where the proof of your thankfulness lays.

Perception, that’s what it is.  That’s what steals the bold testimony of Christians to the world.  “God promises me eternal life, but if I tell this to others they will hate me.”   Is the promise of God so ineffective?  Is the promise of eternal life really such a trivial matter?

With all the strength my mind can muster, I cannot understand why Christians are ashamed to share the Gospel.  I surmise that the answer must be found in the perception of God’s promise.  “Thank you Lord for giving me eternal life.  Please excuse me now while I go join the world in its celebration of futility.”

I sat here this morning for nearly an hour, frustrated that I could not reach more people with the message of God.  That’s all that consumes me!  It’s no pat on my back, the blessing of God is that great!

And I am only speaking of the reality of eternal life.  I have not yet begun to speak of the beautiful things he has rescued me from.  And I’ve made no mention at all so far, about the billions who never heard the testimony from a Christian.

Nine of the lepers simply disappeared into society.  But one came back with a full expression of shameless thankfulness.  Did the nine ever speak again of their former shame, and how God had released them?  Who knows, there is no written record of their testimony.  But I think the story might have ended differently, if all ten had returned with shameless thanks.

But of the one who returned, we can surmise, he could not shut his mouth.  Where is the Christian who cannot conceal the Gospel of Christ?  Where is the one who is not ashamed of the love that God has given him?  It’s easy enough to find 10000 who have decided to keep it to themselves.  All the while, the world spirals out of control.

By His Grace

Construct of World Change


The world will use the Gospel of Christ as a rule of righteousness and social change.  The people of the Lord Jesus know better.

God does not save his people to be instruments of world change.  God saves his people that they may become instruments of Heaven.  The changes that are made, because of the Christian’s presence in this world, are simply a byproduct.  As we are transformed to serve the Living God in Christ, our thoughts, words, and actions necessarily influence those around us.

If you want to be a change agent in the world, for the sake of the world, then obey the constructs the world has already established.  If you want to be an ambassador of Christ to the world, you need to submit your life completely to him.

There is a distinct difference.  The world cannot see it.  But God’s people know it, very clearly.

By His Grace

Peace?


Let it be known, especially to my own flesh, I don’t want peace.  Everyone is speaking “Peace, Peace”!  Haven’t I learned, yes I have, that where the people gather to celebrate, an abhorrent sound of unholy desire is heard.

I want war.  I want to be embroiled in the war against wickedness within me.  I want to bring the smell of battle to every person I meet.  I want to enter the Holy War which stood active and vibrant when the Holy Son of God walked among us.

I don’t want to forget the demons that plague this unholy world’s unholy people.  I don’t want to turn my eyes from the tragedy of neglect, brought on by a useless people.  I don’t want to miss a whisper of hatred the world seethes toward the Living God’s Holy Son.

Let all this propel me into the place He desires.  Let the Holy Wisdom of God set me ablaze with understanding, according to His Holy Will and purpose.  Let the hatred of this place besiege me.  Let this excellence in desire cover me; let it not be a momentary lapse, as if a restraint.  But let me fall into the slice between heaven and earth that is called “ascending”.

I DON’T WANT PEACE!  I WANT GLORY FOR THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD!

Fear Constrains. God Releases to Boldness.


I woke to be with the Lord this morning.  In our time together, he revealed a mystery to me.  I will try to relate it as best I can.

Why are people so reluctant to grasp a fearless doing of the Gospel?  What cuts some apart to boldness, while most live out the Gospel as if in secret?

The answer is simple, they fear.

Fear of man compels most to withdraw from public displays of Holy Truth.  Desire to “profit” among men drives most into a life of subdued worship and expression of God’s Holy Will among men.

They hear what the bold disciples say.  But they also see how such bold men are treated.  They quickly weigh the prospects of shunning, and make the determination that such travail is not worth the effort.  They must make a living.  They must eat.  They must compete in this wicked world.  And a bold proclamation of the Gospel will surely diminish their chances of survival.  Men will certainly hate them and exclude them from “prosperity” among men.

But what makes the difference between those who fearlessly proclaim the Gospel, and those who believe yet hide (to whatever extent)?

Two things play within the bold.  It’s hard for me to describe which one comes first.  Perhaps they come in unison.  One provocation to boldness is the blessing of God in the way of knowledge.  God causes the bold one to understand that the way of God is absolute, true, and sustaining no matter what.   The other provocation is that the bold perceive the wickedness of man as endless chaos.  No matter what they do, man will never protect.  Man is incapable of sustaining.  Man is full, and endlessly so, with lies and empty promises.  And the riches of man, that so called  “profit”, can provide nothing eternally valuable.

It is written, “They hated me for no reason”.  The bold receive the same treatment.  Their brothers and sisters in Christ see this treatment of the bold and withdraw to secrecy.  It’s that simple.

There were only 12 Apostles.  There were only 72 that were sent out.  And of the mass of men, there are (in my personal estimation) less than 1 percent of the population that will give all to God for the sake of His Holy Son’s Honor.  And it’s quite possible that I have over estimated the number of those who are bold for Christ.

I have seen many rise up to boldness.  But I have seen very few remain bold.  Usually, when a man stands up for Christ, the world around them beats them back into submission, and quickly.  They sink back into the “profit” of man and never rise up again.   Let no one misunderstand the power of the world to destroy.  This even happens, often, to men who wear the titles of pastor, preacher, evangelist, and so on!

If you would be bold for Christ, then be bold.  But first it would be wise to learn to hate the ways of man’s “profit”.  For they will surely use it against you to drive you back into their slime.  But if you would be willing to loose all for Christ, then, by all means stand!

Who is willing to die for Christ?  Who is willing to receive the beatings that man is all too ready to dispense?  Is it you?  If not, then ask yourself, “Why do I fear”.

God will sustain the willing heart.  He will feed the wicked, why won’t he feed you?  And if they come and take all you have, what have you lost?  These sayings are readily available among  Christ’s people.  But the key to making the decision to be bold lay in a fearless belief.  Are the promises of God TRUE?