Tag Archives: Belief

“Yes!”

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God says, “Yes“.  And he has engraved that Holy Word in the Holy Blood of his Holy Son across all creation!

He says “yes” to our desire to live forever.  He says “yes” to everything that is righteous and good.

If we do not live, as if he has said “yes” to us then, by whatever measure we fall short, we call him a liar.  It is established that God cannot lie.  So then who are we to refuse his answer?

He says “yes“, and so there is sure joy toward the promise of eternity.  He says “yes“, and so we become a righteous people in His Holy Christ.

The first is to believe and be set free from all the things that bring failure and shame.  The second is to “become” and overcome sin and temptation.  The first gives us strength to honor his Holy Name and testify with great boldness, even in the face of hatred and ridicule; even in the face of wicked and unholy doubt. 

The second gives our testimony the strongest possible foundation.  This is the strength to stand with glory; that standing which causes men to wonder and marvel.  We become His “yes” before their very face

God has said “yes” in the very suffering and blood of His Holy Son.  He has said “yes” to the destruction of all who do not believe and remain in the filthy death of unbelief.   He has said “yes” to any man who desires righteousness from his Holy Hand, and looks for it earnestly.

How do we dare say no?  Let us combine our knowledge with faith, and rise up to give Him the glory that is rightfully His! 

Let us not be like those who fell, dead forever, in the desert!  Let us be as the example of Stephen, his holy and righteous servant!

“There is a Line.”

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Susan Ashton sung the song, “There is a Line.”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIGbgZbzvGw  Such exquisite lyrics.  They have played in my mind all night.  The first few lines go like this:

It’s hard to tell just when the night becomes the day

That golden moment when the darkness rolls away

But there is a moment none the less.
In the regions of the heart there is a place

A sacred charter that should not be erased
It is the marrow; the moral core that I can not ignore.

I can’t define that moment in my life with absolute clarity.  But I do know, without the slightest doubt that it happened.  It is a micro moment in which one does not care about the things holy, then one cares.  I don’t think it was a choice I made.  I think the choice to obey His calling came afterward.

Now here’s the point:  Why isn’t this slender silver moment apparent in everyone’s life?  Why do we struggle so to describe it to those who have not had it?  If we all had it we could point to a common understanding.  But it isn’t there.  Why?

Take IT!

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Sarah Trimmer

Sarah Trimmer (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To my brothers and sisters:

A question was posed to me.  And in truth I was asked to answer.  “Have you taken all that the Lord your God is willing to offer you?”  What was proposed is a consideration of His promise.  And the question is raised as an answer to prayer.  This question is poised every time we enter prayer with the God who cannot lie.

What has He promised His people?  Isn’t it true that He has said that all who enter the Kingdom of Heaven will do so without sin?  Isn’t it true that no man will see the face of the Father without holiness?  Isn’t it true that it is God’s will that no man should perish, but that all should find eternal life in His Son?  And isn’t it true that those who believe will know that they have eternal life; that this joy of truth should abide in them so as to cause laughter, joy, love, mercy, wisdom, understanding, and a certain doing that belongs to the holy family of God?

Each of us answers this question with truth, no matter how we lie to ourselves.  God sees all.  God leads His people in power and truth.  We do not serve Him out of a silly religious practise.  Religion is what we do as a result of His blessings.  But we yearn to approach Him with the same dedication to truth that He presents to us.

I urge us all to consider where we stand in our belief.  And I beg that we all consider that we serve the Living God who raises the dead.  Take His promises!  Enjoy forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus.  But let us not leave anything on the table as we march into eternity.  Let us consider what He offers to all His people.  And let us allow Him a great bounty from His patient labors.

Amen

A Test is Waiting for You.

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TEST

Image via Wikipedia

There is a place where we can rest in testings.  Our loyalty will be tested by the Father and Jesus.  And in this testing we are not judged under the law; forgiveness and acceptance is the order of these proceedings.  But there is another testing which has neither forgiveness nor acceptance.  When we are tested by man, we are thrown to the wolves.  The testing of man is a sliding scale of hatred.  We will find ourselves tested if we let it slip that we consider Jesus first in our appreciation of life.  Then we are tested again as we testify to this appreciation.  But a sliding scale is not proportionate to a steady growth.  It’s more like we enter into differing shades of man’s hatred.  It’s not a 1, 2, 3 thing.  It’s more like :

1. we don’t like what you’re believing.  But as long as you don’t voice your belief, we can tolerate you.

2. You’ve voiced your belief in our hearing and we will now push you aside from our “fun”.

3. You’ve continued to, not only voice your belief, but act on your belief in our presence.  We will now try to destroy you because of the testimony you exhibit.

4.  You’ve continued to stand against our social order.  And nothing we have done has caused you to hesitate in the slightest.  It’s apparent you intend to continue down this path of “difference”.  So, as soon as we can find legal means, we will work toward your death.

This “test” of man will be allowed to continue until the Lord returns to establish Peace on this world under His direct control.  This “testing” is allowed because it tests and refines the heart of those who call on the Lord for true life.  Don’t be surprised at the things which encase you now.  But allow yourself to be surprised if you don’t see this progression of hatred coming upon you.  It is an indication that you are not yet where you should be in Christ.  For the Lord has promised that if they hated Him, they will hate you.  And if they desired to kill Him, they will desire to kill His people also.

By His Grace.