Tag Archives: Christ Jesus

A Ruse and a Noise

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I have come to perceive that nothing men do in this place of testing matters. 

They can not sin against me, for I am no standard of excellence, and that the Lord has promised me eternal life.

The only thing that will stand forever is the work of Christ Jesus among men.  This matters greatly!

No, there is nothing men do in this place of testing that matters.  All their wickedness will be covered with an eternal grave.  And too, the sins of those who place their trust in Christ alone will be covered over and obliterated.

No, the things men do in this place of testing are of no consequence.  They do not matter.  They are only a ruse and a noise.

By His Grace

The Same

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In the eyes of my mind, I perceive humanity as a whole.  I do not divide them according to the trappings of any one generation.  Whatever toys or tools a man may hold, God sees the man.  Any man who lived 2000 years before Christ is equal in God’s sight to the baby born today.

Yet I am of this generation.  And I perceive that the kingdom of God is no different between any generation.  What was expected of men is still expected.  What is offered today is the same as was offered then.  And the outcome of the righteous and the wicked remains firmly established.

And the nature of man has not changed simply because he can fashion dirt into different objects than his ancestor imagined.  He is still as wicked.  He is still a liar.  His righteousness is still nothing but a shadow.

Two things remain throughout every generation of man.  The kingdom of God thrives among the wicked, he chooses those he will, in his eternal wisdom.  And man is totally helpless to save himself.

Do not be fooled by the proclamations today.  They are saying we are on the verge of greatness.  But they lie.  If they tell the truth, it is only that they show their pride and arrogance.

Let he who has eyes, see.  Let he who has ears, hear.  Let he who understands, proclaim.

By His Grace

It’s Still “Today”

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They say, “You are only human”.  As if that saying is some consolation.  As if those words remove the spawn of failure called grief.  We have stabbed ourselves through the heart, what can repair such a fatal wound?

In truth they are trying to show mercy.  But it is for the sake of His Mercy that grief has come.  For this reason “being human” is no consolation at all. 

He has loved us with the most inexpressible love.  And the greatest of our good intentions fall flat, like untuned strings on a well made violin, we have no song to sing.  It is impossible for words alone to give us consolation.  We find ourselves in desperate need of what this world cannot deliver.

But doesn’t He come to us very quickly?  Doesn’t he support our slumping frame?  Doesn’t he urge us to continue regardless our shame?

“This is but today my son.  The entirety of your life has not arrived.  I do not give as the world gives.  Let Me be God.  Let Me judge what is true.”  And so, in a variety of form, the Lord speaks lovingly to his children.

Our faith finds no help from being human.  Our faith finds no help in the consolation from men.  Our faith was forged in the bloody beating of the Holy Lord Jesus.  The raging fires of hell only perfected perfection.  Our consolation is delivered with a Holy kiss from life itself.

Christianity is not a religion.  It is an indescribably beautiful relationship with the Holy and Righteous Son of the Living God.  This is why the peace we have cannot be disturbed or even encouraged by man.

GLORY IS HIS ALONE!

By His Grace

That Peculiar Brand of Fear

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Sin has its own distinct pleasures.  There’s no reason to lie about it, sin is fun.  Preferring to live in sin is to live a life full of joy and laughter.  It’s kind of like being drunk with abandon instead of alcohol.

But there’s also no reason to lie about the following.  Sin has its own particular brand of fear. 

The one who lives a life of sin fears everything.  He can’t trust God to watch out for him, so whatever is unknown becomes a potentially destructive enemy.  And the volume of unknowns is endless.

The sinner may say he fears nothing.  He may make great bold statements of his ability to cope.  But as Shakespeare wrote, “Me thinks thou dost protest too much”.  The bold proclamations of a sinner, in regard to his fearlessness, are nothing more than a golden blanket covering the thumb sucking child within.

The sinner knows he stands in a very precarious place.  God has promised to rip him apart at the judgment, and the sinner knows it.  By sheer will and deft ignorance the sinner simply puts it out of his mind.

On top of the coming promise of destruction, is a very curious fear.  They call it bad luck.  It’s also called Murphy’s Law. 

The sinner is always looking over his shoulder to see what’s coming to bite him in the butt.  He’s absolutely sure God has it in for him.  In the sinners mind, God is always trying to cause him trouble.  But such thoughts are only a mirror of his own evil heart.

The sinners fear is equal to his pleasure.  All the while he goes about trying to secure his next joy, he worries and frets that he will be assaulted in some peculiar manner.  Perhaps a broken bone, perhaps severe sickness, perhaps he will be caught doing what he should not be doing and end up in jail.

It’s ridiculous the measures people take to avoid thinking about God and the judgment to come.  But even more ridiculous is the ease with which his fearful burden can be lifted.  All it takes is a tiny measure of humility.  But humility isn’t fun, so it’s given no place on the sinners agenda.

God will not despise the humble heart.  And God will teach the humble man how to be fearless. 

Forgiveness from Christ Jesus provides a distinctly different joy.  While apparently the body is cast into sorrow, the forgiven sinners soul is laughing in the language of heaven.  While the sinner’s joy ends when his current preoccupation is taken away, the joy of the forgiven sinner never leaves him.  Little by little that peculiar fearfulness is replaced by a gentle confidence.

Serving God in Christ Jesus is pure and true freedom.  Pursuing sin and joy of the body will always result in slavery to fear.

The forgiveness of Christ Jesus is not just an arbitrary phrase.  When it is received, the soul knows it has been set free.  With forgiveness from God comes peace and hope.  Two things the sinner cannot possibly attain and retain.

By His Grace

ONE

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It is happening all over the world.  In broad view of every man, God is saving souls.

From the meager child who believes that the Bible is true, to the great man of God who displays the works of God by his faith.  The testimony of God blazes clearly.

Who will open his heart to humility that he may understand?  Who will take a long hard look at his own heart and ways and mind?  Who is willing to risk all he has for all there is to gain?

There is but one God, the living God.  There is but one Holy Son, Jesus the Christ.  And there is but one power of truth given to men, the Holy Spirit.

The world will call these things opinion, for they have so many variations of religion.  But the power of eternal life is proven in Christ Jesus, the Holy Son of God.  If you humble yourself in prayer and earnestly seek the face of God, you will know that these words are true.

By His Grace

Curiosity is

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It is not possible to live in Christ without testifying.   If we speak that testimony with words, then good.  But everything we are reflects who we have been willing to become before Him.  It can’t be hidden, not before every creature in heaven, nor every human on earth.

Has this come home to roost in our tree of understanding?   Have we come to place this truth in front of everything we think or do?  How would our life change if we forced ourselves to remember this, as if a “First” habit?

Give a young man a Ferrari for his birthday.  There will come a place where he will certainly test its ability.  Isn’t that the nature of humanity?  And isn’t that why we consider such parents to be foolish?

We are disciples of the Most High God in His Holy Son.  By the power of his endless Holy Spirit we serve Him.  Excuse me for stating the obvious, but how does a Ferrari compare?  Tell me, if you can, why do we suppress our natural tendency to “Give it all its got” when it comes to the promises of God?

Man is not stripped of curiosity when he becomes a Christian, in fact it is enhanced.  Despite the shocking ability of a Ferrari, it has a limit.  It requires a road, gasoline, and a human to drive it.

But what God offers us comes from his Eternal Sovereignty.  Why wouldn’t it be advisable to take some time and consider this?  What does God offer that we are not willing to test?  Why do Christians lay down their curiosity before they enter His Holy Throne?

Curiosity is not of the flesh.  It is a gift from God to our soul, that we may search out his marvelous willingness.  The flesh is only curious about the things it can get away with.  But our soul should be curious about the things we can receive.

If what you want are the Ferraris of this world, then yes, you are living in the flesh.  But if what you desire are the eternal things of God, then apply your curiosity to attain.

He has sealed his willingness to give, with the promise of the Holy Blood of His Holy Son.  How much more proof do we need, that he is willing to give us endlessly more than we can even imagine? 
Let your soul enter.  Strap yourself in with the restraints of faith.  Place your frail foot on the Holy ground.  Prepare your heart for a mind shocking ride. Grip His promises with steel hands, and press your foot down hard. Why should we not try to find out how far God is willing to take us?

By His Grace