Tag Archives: Christianity

“I Want to See Jesus”

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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)

Gordon rose from prayer.  He had been asking Jesus to appear to him.  He so desired to see the Lord, or perhaps even a manifestation of His presence.  But nothing happened.

Gordon looked through his soul seeking any sin that might be hindering his relationship with Jesus.  He was sure there was nothing.  And the Scripture was remembered:  “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight.”

With a heavy sigh, Gordon resigned himself to quit asking for an appearance.  With his head down he shuffled to the couch and sat down.  Hanging his head for a moment, and closing his eyes, he simply let his soul rest in the peace of The Faith.

After a few minutes Gordon raised his head slowly and let his eyelids raise at the same speed.  And there, before his eyes, was the Bible on the coffee table.  Then it came to him more fresh than ever before: “All Scripture is God breathed.” “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me?”  “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

It wasn’t a voice he heard.  It was a string of understandings that flashed in his mind.  Now he felt foolish for even asking.  And with a renewed effort, Gordon picked up the Bible and began to “see” his Lord and Savior.

Church History, a Reflection of Today?

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Christian fis symbol

Christian fis symbol (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Blogs are a direct representation of each blogger’s personality, attitude, desires, past deeds, and who is their hero.  This blog is no different.

Listening to Eusibius’ Church History (listening while I drive for hours), I am struck by the quality of men, women and children of the early Church.  They did not have central heating, electricity, cars, planes and trains.  Yet the character of men was little different from today.

Perhaps the only difference that can be perceived is social law.  I live in America.  So the social law I perceive is a burning ember of hatred for God’s things.  There are other countries where hatred for God’s things is a raging bonfire.  Since America is on the decline from relaxation of its own laws (or a proliferation of nullifying laws and regulations), I can’t believe that it is far in the future when the physical violence we see against Christians disembarks onto our shores.

With this in mind I have been considering what I know about America’s dedication to the Holiness of God.  There are striking differences between now and the age of the early Christian Church.  There are many differences.  But one difference stands out quite starkly.

The Christian Church today (this includes Catholics) is rather inclusive.  All you have to do to be counted as a Christian within their walls is speak a few words and show up on time and often.  With that you are “automatically” considered one of them.  The early Church would have considered this level of commitment to Christianity as youthful, elementary, basic and catechismic (as if the person in question is just beginning to learn the basics of the Christian faith).

This was not the case in the early Church.  Each one was required to give all they had to the service of the Lord Jesus.  They were required to repent (stop doing) from sinful ways.  They were required to pray earnestly and often.  They were required to learn the Scriptures as if their life depended on it.  And I am struck with a certain awe when I listen to the members of the early Church beg for salvation from the Lord.  They did not consider salvation to be an automatic warm fuzzy.

The Church today opens its doors to all.  And it certainly should.  But it requires very little from those who begin to profess faith in Christ Jesus.  While there is teaching regarding the Gospel there is little display of The Faith even among the more senior members.

I’m not trying to tear at the fabric of the Church today.  I’m simply pointing out a drastic difference between what we were in the first 300 years, and what we have become today.  And I will take note that there is exceedingly little persecution pressing on the members of the Church in America today.   It is possible that this can change in the blink of an eye.  Especially with the current trends of compromise between the leaders of our country and the islamics.

We will see what happens.  But I urge my brothers and sisters to dig into the history of the Church and take a look at who we were from the beginning.  What we are not is like a man who never ventures into the sunshine; pale, listless, over weight, and sullen.  Please give this serious consideration.  The time to prepare for service is not at the moment of calling.  Practise brings the servant to his toes when called.

By His Grace.

Application

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ISKCON desire tree - Quote Struggle Poster 09

ISKCON desire tree – Quote Struggle Poster 09 (Photo credit: ISKCON desire tree)

Please understand I mean you no harm.

But as farmers divide the sheep on the farm.

I struggle to keep all that is good.

While tossing away the things that I should.

I hear what you say when you chide me to care.

And you hear from my mouth “I will let loose and dare”.

Contentious am I against all man’s restraints.

Yet I’m bound as all men with fleshly constraints.

What then shall this striving produce?

With what focus will the general be reduced?

Will I set forth a desire which celebrates my demise?

Or set forth horror by willingness to compromise.

There is turmoil in this debate within.

But there is no doubt the desire to win.

Jesus is among all men to raise “the few” up.

Raise up I will if He lets me drink the cup.

I’m sorry, for now, that I’m misunderstood.

My hope is, His Day will say “Yes he could.”

 

A Holy Disorder

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A scene from Disorder in the Court.

A scene from Disorder in the Court. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Get educated and you will become useful.

Ok.  I did that and found myself useless.

Get popular and you will find happiness.

I did that and had to hide, popular apparently has a negative side.

Fit in and you will find peace.

But I saw where the masses are headed, who wants to plunge off the cliff?

What have I become with all that advise?

I am one who stands against all but Jesus.

Where I find Him I intend to remain.

And this is not of myself nor of the advise of others.

This is a gift of God, through given faith, lest any man should boast.

A Holy disorder has gripped me.

A rebellion to the ways of man.

May God’s mercy attack me.

So, when heaven appears I may remain.

 

By His Grace.

 

Endlessly Less

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Less is More?

Less is More? (Photo credit: leosaumurejr)

A man speaks, “There is no God.”

Yet the man “spoke words.”

A ball says, “I am not flying.”

While it unwittingly obeys the desire of he who threw it.

Another man says, “I will obey truth according to my own will.”

While “according” holds its own definition.

Better to accept that we are “less”.

That is to believe that there is “endlessly More.”

Worse to hope that our less is sufficient.

Death comes to all; decay appears regardless our words.

Why not embrace what does not fade?

Why not seek the help to hope for what we do not perceive?

The Humiliation of Doubt

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Ghost fear

Ghost fear (Photo credit: @Doug88888)

C. S. Lewis, in his book “The Problem of Pain”, speaks of the difference between a fear of fleshly harm and that of spiritual harm.  If there were a tiger about to attack us we would feel a certain fear.  But if we were told there was a ghost about to harm us we would feel a different fear; that of dread.  The fear of  bodily injury is not the same as spiritual injury.  One is tangible.  The other is “other worldly”.

All Christians must deal with this concept in one vain if they are to be successful in their worship of the Most High God through the sacrifice of Jesus.  We must believe that God is good despite the appearance of harm and evil that surrounds and attacks us.  Isn’t this the very point of contention between faith and worldly thoughts?  The athiest ignores the concepts we promote based on this barrier between good and evil.  It should not be so with those who say they believe.

Some have told me that it is ok to doubt from time to time.  “It’s just a natural response to the unknown.”  Or so they told me.  However, after a few decades of following Jesus, I find this far too simplistic to hold with any serious intent.  I look back at when I doubted and count those weeks, months, or years as utter failure.  We are not encouraged to put up with doubt.  We are commanded to believe.

I don’t blame anyone for my own failures.  But I wonder what it would have been like for me to continue in belief through out my entire experience with Jesus.  I am caused to wonder, though useless trivia now, who and where I might be now if I had continued steadfast in my trust.

We are all of this place of testing.  And we all have a similar story about doubt.  It is the point of this post to encourage a hatred of doubt and a love of trusting faith.  Regardless our present experience, there is coming a place where we will regret not trusting.  We would be wise then to wear a trusting faith more and more.  We dress the body for the sake of the moment.  Shouldn’t we also learn to stop walking around spiritually naked?