Tag Archives: Christ Jesus

Follow Up to Article on Isolation and Greed

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First page of the Gospel of Mark, by Sargis Pi...

First page of the Gospel of Mark, by Sargis Pitsak, a Medieval Armenian scribe and miniaturist (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Behold! A rather lengthy preface:

I wrote an article about isolation and greed.  And I am sure it is of value.  But I had added what follows.  The Lord showed me that what you are about to read should not accompany that article about desire.  This addition is harsh.  I will warn you of that.  Being a man, however, I feel it necessary to post this.  There is jail for criminals.  And the court system necessary to put them there is not kind and cuddly.  In this same fashion I present this for those who would ridicule the message about greed and desire.  I am obviously compelled to agree with the Lord in His wisdom.  It is His perfect right to divide what belongs among men from what is God’s.  Men are allowed to have words among themselves about what is right.

I say what follows as a man who will stand judgment just like the rest of you.  It is meant to shock. It is meant as an alarm to a heavy sleeper.  It is loud and does not pull any punches in the war against foolishness.  It is a very concentrated warning to the proud.  In my mind (perhaps the only valid place for such a message) it mirrors the messages which brought America to its knees in the early part of last century.  Truth is often so very unwelcome among us.  And this rings more true among the proud.

This message is not the kind, loving, and cuddly message that a father might give his dear child.  It is more like that message a judge might give just before rendering the sentence to a criminal.  I am not any man’s judge.  But I do feel compelled to offer this helpful tool in the rehabilitation of those who think they are beyond the Gospel’s reach.  That is to say, those who think they are better than everyone else and who do not need to learn about the restraint of greed or desire.

I suppose the Lord decided to leave this message apart from the other because such foolish men would not likely read it anyway.  And there is no need to shrink the heart’s faith of those who are striving to obey the Gospel of Christ Jesus.  On that note, it is likely a waste of time to post this.  But I feel the urge to scratch an itch.  Maybe that’s all this is.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, the real ending to the post about greed:

Now, I know, there are some seriously hard-nosed people who will laugh at this message.  They will mock its author because they will say, “He just gives up because he can’t compete in the real world.”  Do you who laugh really think there is no message for you in this?  Do you think words can’t be produced and strung together so as to penetrate your hardened heart?  Do you think I had finished the message without considering what applies to you?  Prepare yourself and I will have a word presented for your sake:

Look at you.  Take a good look at who you really are.  You are like a driver on the interstate who wants to be first.  Look at how utterly foolish that concept is.  Were you the first one to ever drive on the finished road?  And you want to be first at what?  The construction crews even beat you to your perceived proper place in society.   You destroy the desires of others because you consider yourself to be more important.  You foolish man or woman!  You live in a world, which you call the “real world”, as one who travels where millions have gone before you, all the while thinking you are the only one who has ever gone this way.  Look at how foolish and wickedly stupid that idea is.  Yet you mock me because I say that being first is an utterly worthless and destructive endeavor, it is less than nothing.  Look at yourself for a change.  It will be like a fire if you have the guts to do it.  That fire already consumes you and you do not notice.  You rot like a dead pig in the hot sun.  And you can’t smell the stench of your ways.  Yet you mock what is true.

I am harsh with you because, if you inhabit that mocking attitude, you deserve harsh treatment.  The “REAL WORLD” is in eternity.  And eternity is now, as it has already been established in this message.  Yet you mock.  If stupid needs to be defined, I just did.  I would wager such people think that God will gladly receive them because they were strong enough to endure anything that stood against their desire.  Foolishness!  You endure against the Holy God of all eternity for the sake of your sinful and selfish desires!  And, rest assured, He will call you to account for that attitude and those actions.

You are the ones who wake in the morning, carry out your day, and plot on your bed, so that you will be “first” in your “real world”.  You consider anyone who defies your stupidity as a fool.  All the more then, you add to your self-made plight.  Selfishness is pure vanity.  Vanity is less than nothing; it is destructive, completely worthless; a drought of value.  It is worthless dribble from the slobbering mouth of a man who cannot tell the truth from a lie.  Harshness is what you deal to yourself.  I am only like a bird in a tree, chirping, singing what is true regardless the perception of the receiver.  You do not hear truth because your ears are filled with the song of “ME”.  And you chide this man for telling you the truth!  So be it.  Either listen to what has been spoken or continue in your way.  What is that to me?  It will be something to you.

What is spoken in the message about greed stands firm.  All your railing will not change one iota of truth.  I have some serious advice for you.  Perhaps I should say God has a message of advice for you.  Shut your slobbering mouth for a while.  Straighten your lips from a smile to a look of serious consideration.  Allow your ears to stop the song of “Me”.  Look around you and consider that you were born when you were.  You were never first!  And you will never be the last!  Nothing is available to you in which you can claim any ownership of “first”.  You will be lumped together with all humanity when God judges us.  And you will stand in that crowd of billions all alone, waiting your turn to give account of yourself.  Even in that place you will not be first.  All your strivings will amount to horror as you realize what you have done with the life God gave you, and now demands an accounting of.  And you laugh at me?

Do you still laugh?  Then have your fill.  Laugh and mock at these things.  Laugh till you vomit.  Enjoy yourself with the trash you hold so dear.  Again, what is that to me?  You have been warned (If, indeed, you had just enough unselfishness to read to this point).

The Way

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Iceland - The End.

Iceland - The End. (Photo credit: alicethewhale)

I perceive a powerful meaning today.  I see that “The Way” of Christ Jesus among men is impossible to walk by the will of man alone.  For my brothers and sisters this is understood.  But for those who do not know these things I relay this truth.

For a man to be consumed with purity before the Most High God, and to love his fellow man willingly and quickly, without reservation, is far too much to ask.  On the one hand, a man will become consumed with self as he strives with all his might to obey what is pure and true.  On the same hand, he will be asked to render complete forgiveness to others and that without judging; a sacrifice of self for the sake of others.  What an odd and perplexing difficulty.  Only the “God man” can accomplish this (that man who has surrendered to the will of God and has accepted God’s “terms of peace”).  Only those who have received power from God can make this happen.  A simply religious man will not gain “The Way”.  The Spirit alone gives the strength, wisdom, understanding, and forgiveness from Christ, to accomplish “The Way”.

The world is quite keen to point out these things to Christians.  “You judge me”, they will say to us.  And they count it unfair, even illegal for us to do so.  By this accusation they prove that they know they are condemned.  But they do not understand the difficulty presented to God’s people.  They only respond by virtue of the knife which is thrust through their soul by remarks made against wickedness.

Now I am not advocating that “The Way” is too hard.  Though no man can walk this way by his own power, God has granted the understanding and means to accomplish this.  The primary accusation against God was that He asked too much of His creation.  I am convinced that the primary accusation is the very reason for the entire universe, up to , and including, the death of His Holy Son on a Cross.  And we should never join in that bitter song of accusation against our God.  Instead, we testify that it is entirely possible to walk according to the law of God.  And this appears within us because He has made it possible by the Holy Spirit He has freely given us.

I am pointing this out for the sake of my weaker brothers and sisters.  This article admits that “The Way” is difficult to attain and remain.  This is a testimony from man’s perspective.  It is not God’s perspective.  His expectations upon us are quite clear.  “Attain release from sin by My Son’s sacrifice.  And hold no ill will against those who hate My ways and you”, God could be said to say.

There is a truce to strike between God and man, terms of peace to comprehend.  There is a building to build which cannot be built by our own will.  And anyone who sets out to accuse “The Way” of being too difficult remains in a blind state.  They remain in the state of utter destruction.  It is given to those who have struck a truce between themselves and The Holy God, through Jesus, to live their lives in a manner pleasing to Him.  Those who do not receive the terms of peace remain in death.

You who accuse us of unfairness and illegal activity know nothing of “The Way”.  You simply fend us off from your selfishness by making accusations unfounded.  And your way is not hidden from the Wisdom of God within us.  Instead of accusing you should accept the terms of peace the Most High God has prepared for all men.  Then you would be able to prove what is true.   And you would no longer be at odds against the Lord of Life, or His people.  If you hold us against the Holy Law of God and find fault in us, what will be said of you?  In this you judge us, even while you accuse us of judging you.  God has plainly said that when we judge our brothers we are judging The God who made them.   You walk your way according to your own desire, accusing, finding fault, and carrying on as if there was no judgment.  Surely you will be proclaimed as an accuser.  What, then, will be your plight?  Join us and live.  Come to see the perplexing difficulty, which is “The Way”, for yourself.  Taste and know that the Lord is good.

28 “For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down first and compute the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish the tower, all who see it will begin to make fun of him. 30 They will say, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish!’ 31 Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down first and determine whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he cannot succeed, he will send a representative while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way therefore not one of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his own possessions.”  (Luke 14)

The Idealist

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Immanuel Kant — transcendental idealism ...

Immanuel Kant — transcendental idealism (chart — Polish-language version). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Like you, I have been mocked because I live in idealism.  The wicked scoff and mock us because we desire what it pure and true.  I am not ashamed of this label of an idealist.  I will defy their laughter and hatred!  I will walk according to the promises of God and not in the way of this world!  God is perfect.  And all His people should strive to live perfectly holy lives before His beautiful face.  This striving requires a mind and heart set in the direction of what is ideal.  And it is this very point which is the reason for this post.

Men say, “Only in a perfect world would such and such be true.”  And in this they are right!  It is to this perfect world we set our hearts.  We walk as those who will inherit the promise of God to all His people.  By faith we are given hearts of flesh to replace that of stone which the world uses to mock us.

Every one of God’s people has owned a heart of stone at one time.  But that is not the case for those who are chosen to walk in the power of Christ Jesus.  And so, we are not cruel to those who still stand in the place from which we were taken.  But we are being taught to obey what is perfect; what is ideal.  We are beckoned to reach for holiness.  And our God will not accept a half-hearted attempt. The expectation God has upon His people is called “The narrow way”.  And He has spoken that few there are who find it.  He is right to demand perfection from us.  Just as a horse is not allowed to go where it desires when it pulls a wagon, so too, we are not allowed to pull or push at the Church of God as we desire. Nor are we allowed to add sin, sloth, ignorance, and unholy disgrace to our lives.  He will separate His people from all men.  He will separate those who have from those who have not.  Be wise and learn.  Be wise in Christ Jesus and make a right judgment of yourself.

We are set upon to do the will of the Father in heaven.  And He will have what He desires.  If we continue to rebel at the commands of our God He will make it perfectly clear that we are not in His favor.  It is up to us to search out what is ideal according to the Lord of Life.  It is in this searching (a turning of the heart to desire the things of God) that we find the strength to do what is good and right according to the Lord.  For the Lord has promised that He will dress His people in a Righteousness that is not theirs.  He, Himself, will teach us to obey.  He will write His Holy laws on our hearts.  Simply turn to Him with all your might.

The men of this world wake to consider a list of good things they might accomplish.  And without God’s hand upon them they run about all day long trying to be worthy of this place of testing where they live.  They consider this world as if it were the end judge of their lives.  They even refer to the rocks of this world as a mother.  They do not consider the judgment of God promised for every soul.  Not making any attempt to please the Lord of Righteousness, they stumble in their own righteousness (What an odd thing to say.  But it is a truth of Holy Fire which marks the line between the righteous of man and the Righteous of God.)  This is the difference between the Church of God and the club of “righteous” men, who do as they please according to their own imagination.   They sit together as men who sit in expensive surroundings to speak of what they consider to be good.  They debate what is good as if it were something to debate.

Rise early in the morning, while it is still dark; while the men of this “Club World” sleep.  Appeal to the Lord with a pure heart, one filled with the ideal.  Confess your sins and your own ignorance of what is pure.  Ask His mercy that you might know what is pure, perfect, ideal, and eternal.  And, if you have the stomach for it, ask to DO what is right all the day through.  Be an idealist!  Do not be ashamed of their laughter.  They desire all that is wicked, even to the denial of God’s hand upon them.  They want works that will bring them glory.  But they do not desire to glorify the Lord God who made them and calls them to The Perfect Way.  They eat from His blessings.  They sleep behind locked doors, by His mercy.  And they plot against Him, while He allows their minds to function.  Do not be like them!  Be ashamed of the sin which lives in you as if you were to obey it.  But do not be ashamed to desire perfection, even to the point of ridicule at the mouths and hands of man.

By the Grace of God I have written this letter to my brothers and sisters.  May He bless it with true understanding to all who read it.  Encourage one another, while it is still called “today”.  For we see the end of things approach now.  And we have never been more pressed to do what is Holy and eternally good.  Strengthen one another with all speed.  Light your lamp and be ready with plenty of oil.  For the Bide Groom is about to be dispatched.  He will come to gather His people without the slightest hesitation.  And those who are ready for Him will be ushered into that ideal that they have learned to desire and expect to find.  Those who have not prepared will miss the Glorious “catching up”.  Blessings to all who trim their lamp and hold it high for the Lord and the world to see.

Woe to all who have been lax in preparing for His arrival.  Woe to those who have heard the mocking and said to themselves, “I will mend my ways so that they won’t laugh at me.”  It has been spoken and few respect it:  “You cannot serve two masters!”  Do not let Him catch you sleeping!  Come out from them!  Step quickly as you walk away from their ways.  Do not delay.  The time is ever so very near!  If the Father delays dispatching His Holy Son until after you have tasted “the death of man”, be sure of this:   His coming will appear before your face the split second you have left this place of testing.  Do not allow your flesh to mock this word of urgency.  Listen to the Lord and LIVE!  Allow yourself to become an idealist.

By His Grace.

A War of Reason Against Righteousness

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Atheist symbol

Atheist symbol (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A man came to me to fight a war of reason.  He came to do war with the Gospel of peace in Christ Jesus.  He presented an argument which, at the surface, appears to be a valid questioning.  He asked, “How is it that your God will consign millions of people to hell simply because they worship Him under different names and ways of worship?”  In his question he assumes that those people worship the Living God.  And he assumes that his answer has a perfect right to be asked.  There is a difference between ignorant worship of what is false, and worship filled with understanding by the Holy Spirit of God in Christ Jesus.  And he assumes that their earnest ignorance is equal with innocence.  And he assumes that his lips have a right to be heard, and his ears deserve to hear the answer.

While we talked I found the only answer I could give him was that he was being arrogant, full of pride and pomp.  He did not approach me to understand but to tear down and destroy.   But now with reflection, prayer, and a searching out of the matter, I have come to understand the answer with clarity.

We read Abraham’s words: “Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?”  When God judges a man fit for the kingdom of heaven He does so by His eternal wisdom and understanding. With humility, we leave such judgments of ignorant men to the wisdom and understanding of God.  Who are we to know the answer to a question that should never be asked without humility?  Regardless the answer God might give for any one man of ignorance, we can be sure that there is an innocent ignorance.  And there is also a proud ignorance; that which a man holds dearer than the wisdom of God (arrogance).  Which do you determine will find favor with the Lord of Life?

It is folly which judges the Most High God in His Holy ways.  It is rebellion, hatred, envy, greed, lust, and an unholy madness to call the Lord of Life to judgment by our own limited understanding.  Who are we to know what is right?  God saw fit to present His Son with Greatness.  Man is part of that Glorification for God’s Son, in that God allowed us to kill Jesus.  And should we then judge His decision?

The one who asks such things, for the sake of self-justification, is not looking for what is good or right.  That one is looking to find fault in the God of eternity, and to do harm to God’s people.
Had he been looking for righteousness the question would not have been spoken.  There would have been humility and a willingness to understand what has been given to man to know.  There would have appeared a desire to know the basic things of Jesus.  He would have earnestly desired to know if worshiping Jesus produced that “something better” that the worshipers of false gods could not find.

Had there been a sincere concern for the state of those who do not know the Lord Jesus, he would have been asking for help to come to know the God we serve, so that he too could help them avoid certain death.  Instead, he used the hapless unbelievers to make an accusation toward Jesus.  His folly was perceived, and is now made plain.

He had not grasped the basic concept of The Holy God.  That man did not consider that God has always been active in the affairs of man.  He assumed that invisible is equal to ineffective.  How then would he grasp what follows?  All men are without excuse and steeped in wickedness.  If they did not know this there would be no religions on the face of the earth.  But there is a great variety of religions.  So we see that men know they are full of fault and we see them attempt to right their plight.  The one who accuses is a religion and a god in his own mind.  And he will be shown for what he has allowed himself to become and continue becoming.

All men come from various backgrounds and traditions.  And they are quite able to see the “fruit” of what they are being taught.  And every one of them, if they were honest, could point to a meager harvest from their labors.  It is they who allow themselves to be fooled into a sleep of false religion.  For every man perceives his own short comings.  Even in society and among the things of this world, every man can see the destruction he brings by virtue of what is within him.  There is, bottom line, an awareness is present, that we have not attained a clear conscience.  We perceive that a clean conscience will produce a radically different man.  Yet they continue in their way without considering the end result of false religion.  All their life they cry out to things that do not produce what they are looking for.  But for fear of rejection and comfort they continue in their way.  This is a testing of the heart for all men.  And, rest assured, God is watching to see who will admit their folly and lift their hands in despair.  This is true of every false way, and it is true even of Christians.  It is not just the false religions which will end in utter destruction.  We are told, and it is plain to see, that many who consider themselves Christians walk through their lives as enemies of the Cross of Christ.

You who judge the validity of Jesus’ claims are in a false religion of your own making.  It belongs to you and it is false.  You accuse without knowledge.  You lift up your voice to condemn the God who made you.  And you will certainly answer for your self-made plight of folly.  There is an emptiness of humility in the accuser’s words.  There is a lack of wisdom in his way.  Instead of asking, “What must I do to be saved?”  He accuses Righteousness because he himself is full to over flowing with wicked thoughts and desires.   No accuser will not stand on the day when The Righteous One calls men to account for their lives and words.  For you turn away from every possible help today.  You scoff at God.  You deny His right to judge.  And He will judge all men regardless of their recognition of His Holy Court

I will add this final point.  Today has been given to man to prove his heart to the Living God.  Men have been saying that the coming judgment will divide those who have done “mostly right” from those who have done little or no righteous things.  How absolutely false this is.  None of man’s righteous acts, those things done without the leading of the Spirit of God, will enter into the pleasure of the Most High God.  The pride of man will be crushed.  And only faith in Jesus, born in humility, will be rendered a favorable decision.

If you want to secure a knowledge of safety, do so now by accepting the message of the Gospel of God in Jesus.  He will come to you and show you how to please His Father.  There is no other way to prepare for the coming judgment of all men.  God has spoken it on an oath He took by His own Glory.

Speak with Boldness, Not Timidity!

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Painting of Samuel learning from Eli

Painting of Samuel learning from Eli (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

For those who think we have no right to speak firmly of the folly of Oprah’s teachings about God:

 

We are representatives to the world for the Most High God, through the sacrifice of Jesus.  They count on us to bring God’s message of light to the darkness of the world (though they clearly hate us for it).  If we do not speak out with boldness, against the sins of man, who will?   I ask you to consider the plight of Eli, the priest of God in 1 Samuel.  Because he did not rebuke or restrain his sons, Hophni and Phinehas, to be careful with the things of God, all three were killed.

 

We have an obglation to speak of what is true AND to point out the folly of wicked men (and women).  It is not judging to speak these words.  It is wise to speak of the ways of God with a firm and stern word.  If Oprah were doing these things in a small place, and had not accused the Lord publicly, we would have little to say.  But she puts herself up as the salvation of millions.  And for this we point out her error.  Perhaps some will read and consider what is said concerning her teachings.  Perhaps none will read these words we speak.  Regardless, we will have spoken what is true and avoided Eli’s fate.

 

There is “judging others”.  And there is firm and stern teaching against all wickedness.  Wisdom draws the line.  And there is no shame in taking the mantel of the Gospel upon our shoulders.  What shall be said between incompetent liars, though they walk in ignorance, and those who speak what is true by the power of Christ Jesus?  There is a line.  And the wisdom of the Gospel has drawn it clearly.

 

There is a folly in today’s watered down gospel (which is no gospel at all).  The folly says we have no right to claim the truths of the Bible.  And the tool used against the Lord is the word “judge”.  We are told we must love everybody.  We must not be intolerant, they tell us.  I, for one, hate that watered down gospel.  It is a lie and must be challenged where ever it is found.  There is judging others, yes.  And often such judging has to do with considering the other as less than yourself.  We do not consider ourselves better than any other.  We point out sin in this world just as I will gladly point out sin in myself.

 

As long as we remain silent, the world spirals into hell all by itself.  This silence has come upon the Church with a black vengeance because others have judged the Gospel of Jesus Christ too harsh for the world to endure.  God is pure.  And what we are doing is warning of that absolute truth.  The meaning of the word “judge” has been taken to the cleaners!  There is a love in Christ Jesus which rebukes with all earnest speed and strength.  Love isn’t always a soft little teddy bear on a clean bed.  It is often necessary for love to rebuke and correct.

 

In Hopes of Helping

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A cardboard box that appears to look shocked a...

A cardboard box that appears to look shocked and unhappy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I will relate what the Lord has done for me.  I hope this is helpful to others.

He came back to get me when He had let me chase after sin for a season.  During the last three years, or so, He has spoken plainly to me regarding what I must do every moment of every day.  Now, if that were the sum of my testimony about what He has done for me it would not be fair to others.  One more thing He has done that needs mentioning:

I had no teacher during those three years.  It was the voice of Jesus alone which guided me toward what was pleasing to His Father.  And as I understood I noticed Him ceasing to speak of certain issues.  And when a new issue came up about my behavior He would instruct me in that also.

Now I have reached a point of understanding that seems to please the Father enough to suffice.  There are many more things to build on, to say the least, but they will become a testimony of what is “more”.  I am not saying I have arrived at a holy life.  I am saying that it was the leading (the direct leading) of Jesus that has brought me to this place.

I mention these things because many of my brothers and sisters struggle against many sins and difficult times.  I want to encourage you to seek His face with all patience and humility.  I know you already do that.  But I urge it all the more.  He has taught me to listen to “what is.”  I mean that He taught me to look for Him in the present, for the present is what eternity is.  He has allowed the memory of what I have done to remain as He has uncovered the reasons for it and shown me the proper way to live my life.  I hear His voice less clearly now.  But there is absolutely no loss.  For He has taught me how to live what His voice was urging me to attain.

Was there a formula I used to get here?  The answer is a yes and no.  These things you have known from the beginning:  Read your Bible, pray, then do what the Bible and answer to prayer says you should do.  If there is a formula that is it.  Seek the will of the Holy Father in Heaven and do not lean on your own understanding.  Don’t rely on man’s version of Christianity (psychology and the watered down gospel of the day).  But seek the pure will of the Lord.  He will show you what is necessary.  And if you do not have a worthy teacher in Christ, Christ Jesus Himself will show you.

He once showed me a vision to give to another:  I saw a box with eyes and arms with its hands folded in prayer.  He commanded me to fold my hands like that and speak.  What my lips spoke I relayed to the man, “Though they are led in darkness, yet will I lead them out.”  So I can say with great confidence, take great heart in the Lord you serve in faith.  He is willing to lead you to the Father.  He is willing to give you the prosperity of eternity.  And He is quite able to accomplish what He has promised He will do.  Only be patient and humble while you wait for Him to arrive in that certain moment of eternity which is called “today”.

By His Grace.