Category Archives: Service

In the Draft From Eternity

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A truck passed me doing nearly 70 miles an hour.  I watched a little bird swoop down behind his trailer, and fly in the draft of air behind the trailer.  I didn’t know they could fly so fast.  I didn’t know they could be so bold.  I didn’t know they were wise enough to choose their toys.  But now I do.

I can be more than a man.  I can be bold.  I can be wise enough to choose my Master.  For I will follow behind him in his blazing train; caught up in His Majesty, which he leaves along “The Way”.

The truck went by with good speed.  So Christ Jesus walked by John the Baptist in the same way.  Then we see John play in the Holiness of Christ like the bird in the draft of the trailer.

“This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.'”

Let us too be wise.

By His Grace

Able to Drink the Cup

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The profitable things of God are not given to the weak and unstable.  But let them repair their habits, as they are able, and God will provide the next element.

Let them prove, by their doing, that they have a desire for God.  God is merciful.  He will not give what is Holy to he who cannot even find the will to get up out of bed. 

Were God cruel, he would give great gifts to the weak and infirm of will, and even to the young pride filled heart.  His rightful expectations would crush the man.

Be careful not to listen to the advice of man.  Do not be unwise, asking God for the great things of his Holy Kingdom that you are not willing or able to sustain.   For if you receive, you will be held accountable.  And there are many who run about thinking they have received, but have not.

And I have seen an act of “love” among us that should be considered an abomination.

In this day a man must go to college.  At least that is the common understanding.  And many parents who think themselves godly, desire to send their child to a Christian college.

But is the child prepared to receive the things that are Holy?  Take the time to look into it, the loss of faith among the young who go to Christian colleges is astounding.

It would be better to send them to a trade school.  Let them learn the discipline of hard study and work, while you maintain a tight bond with them to teach them the things of God.

It would be better to see Christian colleges populated with people in their forties, fifties and even perhaps sixties.  But what an incredibly unpopular message this is.  There is a lot of money to be made by the exploitation of foolish parents.

The vision of holiness is becoming and incredibly rare animal.  The expectations of parents toward the teachers in Christian colleges has no reasonable foundation.   The bar of Christian maturity has been lowered nearly to the ground.

Having been caught up in the things of this world and an emaciated church, the parents think their next duty is to hand their child over to those who know.  But they themselves have not looked into the things of the Holy Lord God Almighty.   So they pay good money to men who wear the appropriate title.

How foolish to put our reliance on the unstable things of man.  How foolish to think that money can buy what Godly wisdom alone provides.

Men will do what they do, until catastrophic change appears.  They will not listen to this message.  They will attend emaciated churches.  They will be emaciated Christians.  They will teach their children emaciated things of God.  And their children will rise up emaciated.  What hope is there for the future of the church, as it is left in the hands of those who desire nothing!

When will you look out your window into the street?  Have you noticed the chaos that runs about unchecked?  Have you taken a close look at the children who graduate from Christian colleges?  Are you willing to perceive their unexpected lack?  Then, are you willing to do something about it?

By His Grace

Purposefully Single!

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The choir sings, while one sings alone.

The preacher preaches to hundreds,  while one bows in the dust alone.

So many are witness to each others worshiping soul.

While the single one grapples with truth before the master of it all.

“16 At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen”  (2nd Timothy 4)

By His Grace

Love Doesn’t Hyde (pun intended)

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The gospel of Christ Jesus is far more than to simply say, “God is love”.  The proverbial “Kum-by-ya” stuff isn’t the whole story. The gospel of Christ Jesus requires us to prove it.

In case I’m misunderstood, which is highly likely, let me take a minute to explain please.

How many people do you know have said, “God is love”, but there’s no apparent change in their life?   And whatever change there might be lacks the rich and bold testimony of words.

If you examine their testimony, you would believe that the gospel asks nothing more of us than to admit that God is love.  But we know that isn’t true.

The cynic will point out their failure to believe.  He would accuse such people of being traitors to the cross.  Many times the cynic is not wrong.

But there’s another reason why people don’t “do” the gospel.  For the other reason, I gotta set it up.

No matter which way I turn I’m going to offend somebody.  After all this is a problem here, so there is then a fault.   So if this other reason offends somebody, that’s just going to have to be too bad.

We say the gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives.  But apparently there’s not enough proof available.  I mean, we’ve got 20 million Christians in America (a number I just pulled out of my hat), and only about 5 million, are head over heels in love with Christ Jesus (another hat number).  So the examples of proof that the gospel changes lives are relatively few.  Not to mention that the changes we do see are somewhat minor.  Many changed Christian lives could be generated by laying on a psychiatrist’s couch. And isn’t that often literally the case?

Now this gets kind of sticky from here on out. 

But there are a lot of marginal Christians.  I don’t mean to say they’re not Christians.  And I don’t mean to say that they are new Christians.  They are Christians who just can’t seem to find the fire to do the whole gospel.

They know what the gospel says.  But apparently they just don’t care.  They only see the gospel as a self changing idealistic notion.  They may live a lot better than they did before they knew the gospel.  But sadly that seems to be enough for them.

What about all the other people that are looking for someone to say, “Hey this works”?  I’m not talking about pastors and preachers and teachers, in that they should say this!  But that the average Joe ought to jump in and provide the proof.

Look, let’s nail this down.  A hero is a hero because he does the stuff the average guy can’t do.  The entire world has a whole basket full of heroes.  That’s proof to me that they want somebody who can do the stuff the average Joe can’t do.

So come on average Joe Christian, why don’t you stop using the gospel for your own selfish interests, and start doing it so that you can be a hero for those who are looking for the truth.

Where is the love of God if we don’t dig in and prove that the gospel works?  How do we love our brother if we hide the efficacy of God’s love?

You know the gospel.  You know the heavy duty demands it has on anyone who calls on the name of Christ.  If you don’t obey God for yourself, do you think you might find the energy to do it for someone else?

You can pass this article around if you’d like to.  Or you could rewrite the concepts in your own words.  It really doesn’t matter.

But the way I see it, if we go on the hunt for a few who will turn into heroes, and find them, Christ wins!  The hungry win.  The world is put to shame.  And the church gets stronger.

How do we know there isn’t some selfish little guy out there, who after reading this becomes the next Spurgeon, Dwight l. moody, CS Lewis, Billy Graham, or (pick your Christian hero)?

By His Grace

Toward Easter

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Much to my surprise, evidently there is conflict over which day of the week Jesus was crucified.  Ok fine.  But the day does not matter as much as what God has done.

Those who should have known him.  Those who should have been able to embrace him.  These became the instrument of His glory.

It is not ours to hold it against them.  I have often been reminded that men will do what they do.

But as it was true and Joseph’s words, so it is true in Christ.  It was meant for evil, but God has used it for good.

By His Grace

Point the Tip Down!

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Inspect me in your presence.  Grill me with questions designed to test.  Make me speak of The Faith, and surely, in all my words, I will stumble.

I may not say anything false.  But one or two words are sure to come unexpectedly.  They will not be aligned as you have been told they should.  And you will surely label me a heretic.

Or love me as a brother in Christ.  Love me as God has commanded us both to love one another.  Show me the mercy that God has shown you. 

Let me speak of Our mutual Lord.  Let me confess that he is risen from the dead.  Let me confess that he is seated at the right hand of his Heavenly Father.  Accept my confession that my sins are forgiven.  Inspect my actions as well as my words.  And let that be enough between us.  Then we will be brothers in Christ.

Perhaps the Lord has revealed to you something “different”.  Perhaps you have revealed to your self.  Perhaps the only revelation you have is what you have been taught, or what you have read.  What is that to me?  And what does my understanding have to do with you?  Only let us display our faith in that we love one another in Christ.

There are differences that cannot be accepted.  But let those who know better, speak correction in love.   Call them in that they may divide between us.

There are wolves in sheep’s clothing.  But let them speak of the Holy Lord we serve.  In a very short time their error will be seen.  But a wolf will not receive correction.  And he will not strive to listen.  His words are bent toward devouring.  When you are sure of his pedigree, be diligent to see him go.  But by all means be sure.

Valiant warriors on a field of blood point down their swords for a moment.  “Let us not be so quick to shed blood, simply because a man has a foreign tongue.  But let wisdom and holy custom dictate our response.

Then we can be brothers in Christ.  Then we can stand with confidence.  Then we can praise our God together, while the smell of victory floats across the field.”

A warrior is not easily be perceived as a docile farmer.  A liar cannot tell the truth.  And it should be established that a Christian can not hate.

Tired arms raised by souls of steel. 

Hearts aflame with love. 

Praise to our God who set us free. 

Praise to our Lord above!

By His Grace