Category Archives: warnings

I Hope He’s With God Now.

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Groom, Texas

Image via Wikipedia

This thought has been posted before.  I can’t remember where or how long ago.  But it’s a thought which bears repeating a thousand times anyway.

It is not appropriate for us to leave doubt in the minds of people as to our salvation.  When someone dies, we often will hear, “I hope he’s in heaven now”.  I am constantly struck by the importance of our witness in this regard.  Wouldn’t it be better for everyone who knew you to be able to say, “I know he’s with the Lord now.  Because everything about that man dripped Jesus.”

What shall be our witness?  Consider what the Lord said in regard to this: “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.” (Luke 13:24)  Salvation is not simply asking God to save you through Jesus.  If that were so we would see Christians and churches filled to over flowing with horrible examples of the transforming power of Christ.  Oh.  Wait, isn’t this the current state of affairs in America?  Sorry to have offended the majority.

Strive to leave a legacy of God’s work in you.  Of all the things you can leave behind, holy living should be our utmost concern.

By His Grace.

Gruesome!

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The Martyrium of the Hippolyt by Dieric Bouts,...

Image via Wikipedia

A woman woke one morning happy with her day.  Considering herself and her life, she was pleased.  By the evening news time, her life was over.  She had become a victim of a hedious crime.  The violent criminal had abused her and dismembered her body.  This crime is gruesome, to say the least.  She did not consider that she would be in the news that night.  To her, all her days lay before her unhindered and full of potential.

Look at the ungodly.  How they consider their days full of potential.  But this ungodly life is gruesome, as was the morning of that woman.  Little do they consider their fate.  For they do not see what lay beyond the grave.  Their plight will be like this woman; happy one minute, then face to face with their nightmare.  Yet the evening news will not cover their plight.  They will appear before the Most High God and become dismembered from His Love forever.  They say, “ignorance is bliss”.  But their way will be shown as false.  And their name will be blotted out of eternity.

Fear God and be wise.  Remain godless and rebellious to His Holy ways, and your end will be gruesome.

By His Grace.

The Mocking Bird.

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via Flickr”]Hokey Pokey Mocking Bird

“Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you.”  So it is promised by The Lord of Truth and Life.  So it is, and forever will be, true.  Does that mean we should never speak the truth to those who mock the Lord’s ways?  No.  It simply states that you will be hated for speaking what is true.

To rebuke those who hate God and deny His Lordship is much like speaking to a brick wall saying, “You are in my way.  Move aside.”  The bricks will give you the same regard as those who hate God’s ways.  I encourage Christians to stand and speak against foolishness spoken by those who are blind.  It is possible that the Lord will open their eyes some day.  And when that happens, they will remember your words and be ashamed.

Jesus is the redeemer of hearts and souls.  For now they stand before Him as a snake in it’s hole; neither lovable nor promising.  But I once stood as such also.  And now I do see and understand the Honor of God.  He is Holy.  They, for now, are unholy and godless.  Continue to hold out the words of life without shame or fear.  This is how the Lord walked among us.  And isn’t it our privilege to walk in the same world God was crucified in?

Cowards and the trembling are not useful in the redemption of souls.  It is those who will stand without shame who will allow the Lord to venture into the hearts of the ungodly.  They will remember your words come that day of God’s appearing.  So stand without fear.  Speak with the power given the people of God.  And do not fear their hatred.  They already hate you because you are His.  Is it that you fear the appearance of their hatred and mocking?  They have no fear or shame before the Most High God now.  But the day will come when they will hate their own lips.

Speak and act as those who are not a part of this world’s hatred of God.  “Fearlessness is a definite sign of your victory.”  (http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/walking-in-a-fearless-life-style-jeff-budzinski-sermon-on-bible-influence-103382.asp)  So be filled with the courage of your hope.  And do not allow shame to cover the work of the Holy Spirit within you.  Stand and speak with full assurance that the words of truth hold the power you have professed.  The world will mock you.  The world will hate you.  Why is that something to be afraid of?  Isn’t that what was promised by the Lord Jesus?  “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:13)

By His Grace.

Hey! That’s Not Fair!

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I hear complaints in the world that the wicked think it unfair that God’s people should suppose to enjoy peace while they are consigned to torment.  To this I find only one answer:

“Fair” stops with God!

By His Grace.

Bow Shots to the Fleet!

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USS Enterprise leads ships of the Enterprise C...

Image by Official U.S. Navy Imagery via Flickr

I listened to two men on a radio show.  They were presenting themselves as financial advisors.  One of them went off on his soap box a while.  He was recalling the oil spill in the gulf and mentioned the situation in Greece.  He pointed out how the media was trying to lead us into a belief that the world was going to end.  His point was that though bad things happen, all is well on the western front (so to speak).

I felt there was something wrong with what he was saying.  I pondered the point he made in my soul and came away with this:

 A fleet of ships has been given the task of venturing across the ocean to a far shore.  They were sent on a specific task to a specific place, a pin point location thousands of miles away.  On either side of the fleet are waters teaming with pirates, hidden projections in the waters, storms which tend to draw or push the fleet off course, and many other hazards.  Their navigator, on the lead ship, is the son of the father of the owner.  So the sailors aren’t willing to disrobe him of his duties, though he sucks at his job.  There are friendly ships guarding the fleet on the right and left.  So when the ships tend to drift off course these friendly ships shoot across the bow of the fleet’s lead ship.  This lead ship sends back messages that everyone is to correct their course.  Having corrected their course, the Captain and officers of the lead ship again turn to the stupidity of the navigator.

This is how it is for the world.  They drift into sin and forget who’s in charge and the orders they have from Him.  Yet, in His mercy, He directs troubles to threaten our way.  In fear men turn back to what is right.  But when calm comes again to their path, they begin to drift back into sin.  What will God eventually do to those who act this way?  He does not desire to have people who must be led by a ring in their nose.  He is looking for willing participants in His ways.

By His Grace.

got love?

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As I sought to worship with the Lord one morning, I had a most wonderful experience.  A feeling of acceptance began to roll over me.  It started as a peace and ended up in great tears.  Beautiful, wonderful, peaceful, pure, and full, are words which begin to describe the experience.  The Lord had come near. 

Still marveling at the experience, I hooked my trailer and began to drive my route.  As I drove through town I noticed people walking.  And for the first time in my life I saw them as the Lord sees them.  There are a number of radical differences between how we see people and how He sees them.  There was no judgment against them.  He considers no fault at their door.  He knows their plight and desires to relieve them from their burdens.  He doesn’t notice their appearance.  Yet He knows the very grains of dirt their feet crush as they walk.  He knows where we are at all times.  He would help them do what they are doing (if, indeed, what they are doing is struggling to do what is good).  Forgiveness and an embrace of love is waiting right at the end of their nose, if they would just reach out and take it.  In short, He desires to Love all of us. 

Many see the Lord through the eyes of do and don’t.  In this perspective Love cannot flurish.  But a few, who have been touched by this Great Love come to understand Him from an entirely different perspective.  All of a sudden, nothing I encounter matters.  This is how those who Love Him can endure such horrible beatings.  His love swamps them with marvel as their captors engage them with impliments of torture.  This is how His children can endure the loss of anything and still echo back to God’s Holy Throne, “Thank you Lord, for all Your Holy Love”.

There is a horrible story in the book of Matthew.  I’d never seen the impact of this story like I do today.  You’ll find it in Matthew 22: 1 – 14.

 1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

   4“Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

   5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

   8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

   11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

   13“Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

   14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Take note of verse 11 and 12.  Who is this man?  He is one who understands the Lord is love and that the invitation is open to attend.  But he does not love the Lord.  His purpose in attending is to escape the estrangement from the Lord of Life and Love.  He’s there because he is cheating.  Though he understands the nature of God, he did not dress himself in this Love which he knows God offers and demands from His people here on earth.  Where are his clothes?  And how did he think he would go unnoticed among all those others who shine so brightly?

I testify that the Lord is Love.  But He reserves the right to limit enterence into Heaven according to His wisdom.  No wickedness will enter eternity.  On the other hand, He is offering you that beautiful gift right now.  Are you ready to work with Him to transform your heart and mind?  Are you willing or even able to put down your tools of sin and war?  If you take an inventory of your willingness and realize you’re not able to join Him in this Holy war of transformation, reach your heart toward Him and beg for His gorgeous wisdom and mercy.  Now is the day of transformation.  If you wait for heaven to do the will of God, you will become like that one who was not dressed for the wedding.

By His Grace.