Tag Archives: Christ

Want Friends? Don’t Share the Gospel.

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Paul, 1410s (Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow)

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Speaking the Gospel will not be well received by most.  But we are compelled to speak what is true regardless the response.  Though we couch our words in mercy, we should not couch them in the honey of this world’s folly.  Millions have died because of God’s message through His Holy Son.  Should we not join them?  Do not allow yourself to become a pleaser of men.  They will hound you to coat your message with softness.  They will say to you, “It is too harsh for us.  You speak a word that is not welcome in this age.”  What age was the message of God welcome?  Find one.  Point it out.  Among men, without a love or reverence toward God, God was never acceptable.  He is still shunned this day.

The Apostle Paul spoke of this truth.  And we know he lived during the time of the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice.  If it was true then, it’s true now.  Speaking the truth of God’s message will never gain you friends in this world.  But you may save others by allowing yourself to become hated.  The truth is the truth.  And the soul of man knows when it hears what is true.

” 6I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

10For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”  (Galatians 1)

Behold! I am to Blame

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Finger pointing

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“Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.”  I believe this.  I know this puts all the burden on us to obey.  But God’s grace covers us while we struggle with our failings.  He calls us to a life free from sin.  But covers us while we accomplish.  He is not unjust in His judgment of us.  We are indeed the ones at fault.  But look at His love to lift us from death to life.  I can’t blame anyone or anything for who and what I am, or was.  Accepting this is fundamental to salvation through Jesus.

Today’s teachings in the world speak of us as victims.  God does not look at His people like that.  He rightly judges us guilty.  Yet He offers a way out.  Jesus never taught that we were victims.  He taught that we were sinners from birth.  How often he told us to repent of our sins and live a life pleasing to His Father in Heaven.  Today, we hear that we can’t hope to rid ourselves of this burden of foolishness.  It was not so in Jesus’ teachings.

I am the one to blame for all my sins.  Jesus is the One who forgives them.  Forgiving them does not mean they didn’t happen.  And forgiveness doesn’t mean that I am innocent, or that I am a victim of things beyond my control.  “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed.”  Live with that truth or suffer as a victim.  Fight against what does not please the Father, or suffer the life of a sinner.  He gives us everything we need to over come.

By His Grace.

A Dream

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English: At work in the metal shop making engi...

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I had a dream that the Lord Jesus came to a place on earth in my time.  He came to a place where men worked with metal.  Other than that, I don’t remember a whole lot about the dream.  But I am struck by something important.

The Lord was very intent on doing whatever He came here to do.  He didn’t come to sign autographs on pictures or baubles and trinkets.  He didn’t come to be lauded as the Lord of Life.  He came to accomplish something the Father had sent Him to do.  He had little to say to anyone.

I am struck (once again) by the single-mindedness of the Lord Jesus.  He lives forever to do the will of the Father in heaven.  We are told that He is not a respecter of men.  Which means that the Lord Jesus will never consider the will of anyone as more important than the will of the Father.  It is to our advantage to remember that with a great clarity.  It is not we who manipulate the Lord.  It is our duty to obey in all things.  We are the ones created.

I believe it will be the unity of the Father, Son, and Spirit that will amaze us on the day we see Him face to face.  The Lord is Holy.  That is to say, He is set apart for the purposes eternal.  Though He works with us in our daily lives, He is completely focused on what is perfect and will last forever.

For now we see people dividing the Scriptures as they please.  They pray and speak as if they have some special in-road to the Lord Most High.  In a sense, the Lord laughs at those who make such claims.  For the desires of God are not like the desires of man.

By His Grace.

What’s that Light???

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Star symbol; full star.

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I step out this morning.  It’s cold and a bit breezy.  I should have worn a coat.  But it’s ok.  I won’t be out here for long.

I look up at the sky.  The morning sun is making a difference in the appearance of the stars.  And it occurs to me how the stars dim as the massive ball of fire called our sun comes into view.  Not one of those stars actually dims.  It is the brightness of the Sun to us that causes them to fade from view.

So it is with Jesus.  We do our work under His Glorious rule.  And we continue to work as He allows and directs.  But as we are working, the Lord appears in the midst of our work.  Without our knowing or will, the Lord becomes MORE than we.  This is a sign to us of what will happen when eternity breaks through time.  So, it is wise for us to remember that it is the Lord Jesus who will Blaze with Glory.  We are nothing more than servants of righteousness.  Yes, we have His promise that we will be given more on that day.  But we are simply men.  We are blessed to know His Holy Name.  And we are blessed to serve as we do.  But the one receiving the blessing is always lesser than He who gives it.

By His Grace.

Remembering Who We Are.

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Srikanta Datta Narasimharaja Wodeyar, Scion of...

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Two things come to mind this morning that bear posting:

The first is that it is God who raises up leaders of nations to accomplish His will among the world’s people.  And what that man or woman does is a direct reflection of God’s will among us.  This is a hard thing to understand as we see what we have known being undermined or destroyed.  But consider this:

There was a people who lived in America before the “white” man came ashore.  Their culture, religion, and economy were destroyed.  This has been so throughout history.  Those who took over lands and peoples always felt God was “for” them.  The people subjected to a different rule always felt like God had abandoned them.  It appears to be our turn to experience a certain defeat.  But God is still God!  And it is His Holy Wisdom that will rule into eternity.  This is why we are instructed to pray for them, to do good to all men (including our perceived enemies), and to allow ourselves to become subjects of the rulling peoples.  It is pleasing to God that we should live as He does.  What does that mean in this instance?  Remember how He sends rain on the just and the unjust?  Remember how Jesus submitted to the rule of His own people, as well as the oppression of the Roman machine.

And the second thought is to do with Martin Luther King.  I notice how he is being set up as a glorious man.  The people of this world rally together under his name.  How is this?  Shouldn’t the name of Jesus be first on our tongues?  Wasn’t it Jesus who Martin worshiped?  Yet they make all kinds of beautiful noises at the mention of a man.  Figures!

The Lord Jesus will receive His rightful due in time.  But for now, we do not see Him being presented as the Rightful Ruler of all men.  Take heart, this will not last forever.  And those who glorify men will be ashamed when they see Him as He truly is.  Speak!  Go ahead and speak of man as if he is something.  It is God who will divide our words, intentions, and actions.  And it is God who will divide His people’s words, intentions, and actions.  Let us be sober then.  To live as God’s people in a world of chaos and rebellion.  Chaos, because they who do not have God do not have direction or understanding of eternity.  Rebellion, because they deny the name of the One who has made this place of testing.

By His Grace.

How to Escape Condemnation by God.

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Gatorade Rain bottles lined up on a supermarke...

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These are the top 10 excuses God will happily allow for not letting the Lord Jesus be your King.

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And in case any of those don’t work, try using this effective excuse:

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