Category Archives: Service

What If, What Then?

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Is it possible?  What is the probability?  Does the Church lack fruit and devotion simply due to human ability to process information?

If mentors are placed.  If vision is clearly promoted.  Do the people lack, simply because they are not able to “think it through”?  Is it a situation of inability?  Or is it a lack of willingness, that causes unfruitfulness in the Body of Christ?  And, it can’t be ignored, what is the impact of “rotten apples” among them?

If this is so.  If there is no remedy, for the sake of the human mind, then how much more need we rely on the Grace of God?

If the people are not quite able to grasp the fullness of the Gospel they are offered, then how powerful is the Majesty of Christ to save?  How great is the Grace of God!

There is the least among us, yes.  There is the greatest among us, yes.  And a myriad in between.

But to what extent are we valuable by continually promoting the epitome of Christianity?  Are souls ruined by a consistent deluge of “Get it Right”?  Are our brothers and sisters encouraged to try harder?  Or are they damaged by expectations they’ll never be able to attain?

Well, now.  What a dilemma to rake over the coals.  And I don’t want to waste too many words doing it.

After thinking it through, I fall on the idea that I am not qualified to determine the answer.  But it’s crucial to remember two things.

1. The Church belongs to Christ Jesus.

2. He has seen fit, by Holy Wisdom, to leave the leadership of His people in the hands of men.

What say you?

 

What’s in a Name

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Do you realize there are millions of people who do not know who Isaiah is?  When they see the name Job, they think of employment.  Abel is only what they can do.  Methuselah only hangs around in the English language as an expression of impatience.

Yet these men are with God for eternity.  And every eye will see the one who saved them.  And the willingly ignorant won’t know why.

If you are afraid of men, and keep the gospel to yourself, at least mention such wonderful people.  For without the work of God in them, you would not have the Gospel as you do.

If you find yourself so full of fear that you are too ashamed to speak of Jesus, at least educate.

Men talk about Gandhi, Hitler, Socrates, Plato and other such names.  And there is no offense taken. 

How small is man and how great is Jesus.  Why are we so ashamed of his holy name?

By His Grace

The Summation of Service in Christ

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Among men, mercy is first; over shadowed by the Righteousness of God.

 

 

How should a summation contain more words?

Not a Single One

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They assemble at dawn.  Each one taking his place along the benches provided.  The thickness of the wall dictates how many will assemble.  There is then, a fixed limit.

What do they do?  They pour out wisdom mixed with mercy.  If they preach, it is a quiet whisper.  Let the passing crowd listen as they will.

Let a man stop and ask.  Let him ask for advice or judgment in a matter.  This one has a right to expect truth from these aging men poised to serve.

 

Mercy clothed them as they made their way.  Their own failings accompanied mercy’s making.

The Righteousness of God is ever-present.  Let mercy attend their dispensing of truth.

Which one of them can perform the entire Law of God?  The answer is “not a single one”.

Are those who pass by any more able than those who sit in the city gate?  The answer is “not a single one”.

 

Then let mercy attend those who pass, just as it attends those who sit waiting to serve.

Let justice be dispensed with understanding.  Let wisdom be filtered through a man’s own willingness.

 

The dance of men moves with Grace, to the sound of God’s mercy.

Listen, you wise of God.  Listen to the sound of Love.

Dance with your partner, who strives alongside you in fear.

Learn to restrain your own feet, lest you step on the toes of your brother.

 

Such is the wisdom dispensed in the Gate of the Gospel; “the Good news of Peace from God”.

“Enter in to the store house of Righteousness.  Enter in among the Holy Army of God.

But let it be known that all who enter in will stand.  For the Master is able to make them stand.

Be merciful, my lovely servants; those who dispense the wisdom of God.  Be merciful to those who pass you by.

For they too will, some day, take their place in your well-worn benches.”

God Born Habits Rescue From Dereliction

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I was just thinking of the things that the Lord Jesus has taught me over the years.  Above all other lessons, the lesson of creating habits has been the most useful.

He has caused me to make a habit of doing the things that don’t normally need to be done.  So that when they do need to be done, they are just a natural extension of my normal day. 

By this he has also taught me to notice when things are not right.  If I go about my tasks in a habitual manner I notice when a piece of it is missing.

By this he has taught me to be a somewhat righteous worker.  I mean, the habits he has taught me to employ, are the habits I am told I must use by those who pay my wage.  I make less mistakes.  I don’t cut corners.  And by the habits, I generally make a good use of time.

You may think that man can learn this by himself.  Perhaps.  But that is not the general rule is it?  And why would anyone think that?  Are they trying to avoid a relationship with the living God?  Likely.

There is so much more to say about how the Lord Jesus has rescued me from folly and the insanity of dereliction.  But if a man will approach him, and ask to be taught the things that matter.  The Lord will show him these things.

If you too could have these, why would you not ask him?

By His Grace

The Fearless and the Ordinary

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Fearless, and ordinary passion for Christ will come face to face with the stubborn ignorance of this world.  But ordinary passion will lose the battle before it is begun.

Stubborn ignorance knows the difference.  When confronting ordinary passion, stubborn ignorance is allowed to use a variety of excuses.  For ordinary passion has only answers for himself.  His lamp is set for use in the house.  It is not built for travel in the streets.

But when stubborn ignorance comes face to face with fearless passion, calculated and decisive strikes will lower his guard.  The lamp of fearless passion is a blazing light that penetrates to the deepest parts of every man.  No matter how the armor of ignorance is turned, the gaps in its protection are pierced.

Fearless passion has a twinge of warrior.  But ordinary passion is a brother to self satisfaction.  This is a harsh saying, but it finds its truth in fruit.

Fearless passion is of the family of godly humility.  But ordinary passion is of the family of man.  Another harsh saying.  War requires a fearless heart.  While the ordinary its content with the domestic.

Fearless passion goes hunting for the transformation of men, regardless the threats to himself.  But ordinary passion has received his desire and finds himself satisfied; full of the gain he hoped to find.

Both passions recognize the holy fire of God (afterall, they are passions).  But the fearless enter in, allowing themselves to be burned by the work of God.  While the ordinary perceive God’s holy fire simply as protection and forgiveness of sins.

The Fearless desire to be sent.  The ordinary are content to stay at home.  By compulsion their message to the world will differ radically.  One perceives the gospel as a choice in lifestyle.   The other perceives the great weeping and gnashing of teeth that will surely come.

Fearless passion will enter into the war for souls.   He will not consider his life of any value, but that he should serve the Sovereign God in Christ.  With abandon, he counts his life as nothing.  He seeks to save the souls of others, and stands before the Lord, willing and daily, to be sent.

Ordinary passion respects the Lord’s love, but fails to make the connection between his own need for salvation and that of others.  Except where he is invited, he keeps the gospel to himself.  This is the proof of fruit that a man may easily see for himself.

Both passions will serve the living God.  But the domains, in which they serve, are radically different.  One is built to willingly embrace death and threat.  The other is built on the gladness of life.

Both will be received by the Holy Lord.  Both are a ligament response to the sacrifice of Christ.  But one seeks understanding (to the “doing), while the other is content to receive and become.

Personally I perceive that the fearless are the intent of the gospel.  But I will not shake the faith of the ordinary.  Still, I cannot help wondering what this world would be like if every Christian were fearless.

By His Grace