Category Archives: the gospel

Luke 14: 16-24

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The lesson I am learning today:  Sometimes any choice is no choice at all.

“A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22 “ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”  (Luke 14)

By His Grace

Sitting to be Sent

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There was a day when men would seek out those who “knew”.  At their feet they would listen intently.  Even if they could not believe, they believed in that “something More”.

Is that day like today?  Everyone is forced to say no.

The worldly mind praises the accomplishments of Man.  The religious man praises the accomplishments of god-ward thoughts and traditions.  The sinner praises his bold rebellion.  But who seeks the fullness of God within His Holy Christ?

Many have come.  Many have returned to the world.  Who remains?  Who seeks to become the intent of God?  Who sits at the feet of those who know?  Who remains in belief and listens intently?

What have we learned, in regard to this world?  Yet what have we desired to learn of the things of Heaven?

God knows those who are His.  His eye is intently set on their souls.  God is not like limited man.  God sees with penetrating understanding; what man can conceal from man cannot be concealed from God.  You may fool me for a while, but the Spirit of God quickly points to the truth we can expect from those who belong to Him.

7 “Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God.  You will always harvest what you plant.  8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature.  But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.” (Galatians 6, the living translation)  There will be a noticeable DIFFERENCE.

Isn’t the door of understanding from the Living God’s Christ wide open?  Who is willing to enter?  Who will bend their will toward all that is Holy?  Those who do so will be sent.

Isn’t the world in dire need of truth?   Who will “go”, that they may be sent?

An Extremely Hard Truth

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If we don’t want any part of God, we don’t hurt his feelings.  We will find him in complete agreement.  Isn’t that why he created hell?

Right now the door to his love is wide open.  If you don’t want to go in, God is not particularly offended.  He left us with a choice for a reason.

Take a look at the tags for this post.

By His Grace

Broad vs Narrow

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It is easier to set a man against the entire world than to set him in opposition against himself.  (Paraphrase from Matthew Henry’s commentary regarding the narrow way)

The social, religious, and political activist finds it easy to point his finger at the nature of things around him.  All the while the truth of Christ points its finger at the nature of things within the man.

This is the difference between living our life in the broad way which leads to hell and destruction, and the narrow way which leads to life. 

The only one who has a right to speak against the nature of wickedness, is the one who is enduring a holy chastening of his own.  As the Lord makes the man accomplish, he also endows the man with rights and expectations.

How few are willing to endure the Holy Judgment of God’s expectations daily?  How many simply ignore God’s direction without examination?

Endure the Holy Fire of God now, or endure it forever then.  That’s our choice isn’t it?  Join the vast crowd and die unchanged.  Or submit yourself to the Eternal Holiness of the Eternal Living God.  Remain free to make your own choices, or submit all your choices to the One who lives forever.

Matthew 7: 13, 14

By His Grace

Unworthy

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A car with a bad engine is unworthy of your money, unless you have the means to fix it.  And if your car behaves poorly, you begin to search for ways to repair it or to get another one.

If a road is closed because there is no bridge, only the true idiot continues undeterred.  The tiniest  modicum of wisdom forces people to find another route.

You can read the signs your car gives you, you can read the signs on the road.  How is it that so many do not read the signs of warning in their dilapidated soul?

The philosopher Plato said, “The unexamined life is not worth living”.  Isn’t it true, the one who ignores signs of warning encourages a bad day.

Your life is broken.  If you don’t know that, you haven’t examined it very closely.  Even according to the man Plato, your life then is not worth living.  What’s your response to all this?

If a mechanic pulls up to a stop sign next to you and tells you he is willing to fix your falling car for free, wouldn’t he get your interest?  Well I’ve pulled up next to you in the body of this message.  I know the one who can fix your broken life.  His name is Jesus.

By His Grace

Chance and Possibilities

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The universe exists as we find it.  The world in which we live offers us accommodating elements.  Perhaps it could have been otherwise.  Being a man who believes that God has created all things, I don’t suggest that there was an alternative outcome.  But, for the sake of those who believe in evolution, I offer the possibility.

The reasoning I just applied to the universe, can also be applied to righteousness.  Why isn’t it okay to murder your neighbor?  Why is lying considered an evil thing?  Why does immorality know any bounds at all?  And if there is nothing after death, why bother to live at all?

One might respond to me, “There are limitations for the sake of the profit of the specie”.  But if life is truly futile, in that every man who dies becomes nothing, why should you care about the profit of this specie?

You will respond to me, “It is proper to show love your neighbor and give respect for what life they do have”.  Who told you that love even exists?  If there is no accountability after death, why should it matter whether we love or not?  And if the only reason you live is that someone will remember your name, what value is it when those who remember you are dead?

Do you see how futile, and ridiculously ignorant, a life lived on the foundation of evolution is? 

If life among men is no more than a glorified animal, then where does the knowledge of perfection come from?  Where does the concept of love originate?  Animals don’t think to provide some eternal testimony of their life.  No, we are not just glorified animals.  We are vastly more.

For the sake of Man’s lack of patience, I will end this writing by simply pointing to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  There you will find these questions.  There you will find the answers.

Every man knows these questions exist.  But how many are willing to search out the answers?  Instead of searching, I find men drawing opinions from their imagination.  What will you do?

By His Grace