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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).

Isolation and Greed

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Isolation (2005 film)

Isolation (2005 film) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Politics has to do with the things of man.  The meaning comes from the Greek word “Polis”, which means city.  For where there is a city there are people.  And where there are people there are the things of people.  Someone has to govern for the sake of survival.  And why do people need a governor?  We need a governor because of our greed.

As an example: We put governors on engines so that the user won’t exceed a certain use of the engine.  And this usually has to do with speed, though the governor on a lawn mower engine is to limit its rpm so that the materials used in building the engine won’t be caused harm from too much friction or vibration.

I hate politics, because I hate greed.  But what am I to do?   There is even politics between one man and God.  He is my governor, if you will.  He limits us all, individually, according to His wisdom so that we won’t destroy ourselves or others because of our greed.  He even limits the ungodly and the sinner, in full sight of God and man.

In considering this today, I came to a startling understanding.  You could punish me by putting me in a crowd of people for 30 years.  Others would be punished by isolation.  But I fear I would thrive there.  Interactions with others, are always filled with greed, no matter how much each of us desires to be rid of it.  One wants this, another wants that.   And, before they are even aware, a friction is born between them.  Greed is going to be a given as long as we have things to own.  And this is why I hate crowds.  The more people gathering in one spot the more possibility for friction between them.

The only way this friction of greed can be limited is if there is no end to the resources and each person has exactly what they want.  Greed cannot exist if there is no desire.  But where, on earth, will you find such a place?  The only place on earth where greed can be killed is by loving isolation and poverty of the things that others desire.  This is why I have come to love isolation. And this is the reason I own very few things.  The more isolation the less friction. The less isolation there is, more is the potential for friction.  In a crowd the potential for friction between people grows exponentially with the number in the crowd.  Why do the police learn riot control?

Most people will read this and think to themselves, “Poor man, he doesn’t know the value of friends and loved ones.”  I will tell you, that’s simply not true.  I do know the value of friends and loved ones.  But the greed born in us, all too often, outweighs the positive potential.  So I have learned that being alone is more to be desired than fame, popularity, or an embrace by those who only love me on the surface.

Is isolation the only answer?  Absolutely not!  Deliverance from greed is the answer.  What we desire is the key.  Do you want to kill greed?  Then allow the Lord to govern your desires.  That’s the ticket out of this mess of a humanity starving for ownership.  Remember what James said about this?

 

“1 Where do the conflicts and where do the quarrels among you come from? Is it not from this, from your passions that battle inside you? 2 You desire and you do not have; you murder and envy and you cannot obtain; you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask; 3 you ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly, so you can spend it on your passions.”   (James 4)

 

Even with me, greed enters in.  For I want isolation from the greed of others.  But this is not pure Christianity.  For the message of the Gospel is delivered to everyone.  And isolation does the purpose of the Gospel no good at all.  So I am compelled to endure the greed of myself, and that of others, for the sake of the Lord who calls us all to unity.  Is this plight of humanity uncomfortable?  Absolutely!  But what shall we do?  The fix is not to gain anything and everything  we want.  The fix is to stop wanting what is “best” for ourselves.  In this we end up desiring what is truly best.

 

But to achieve this we need (without question) the wisdom of God.  What man can know what is truly best for everyone he meets?  Remember what James said about Godly wisdom?  “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”  (James 1: 5-8)  So I endure the nearness of others for the sake of the Lord who calls to me and for the sake of the others the Lord is also calling.

 

Now, surely there is one or two who will desire to help me over come this problem with humanity.  Perhaps they will desire to come along side me and show me what love is all about.  No thanks.  If you want to help me in this, help yourself.  Lay down your desires and turn to the Lord out of a pure heart.  Then you can be of great help to every person you come into contact with.  That is exactly what I am trying to do every day.  And it is exactly this the Lord commands all men to learn so that they do it.

Consider this:  I’m a truck driver.  All day long I witness people shove their desires in the face of others.  And all this is for the simple sake of getting where they want to be.  If where they find themselves were their only desire, there would be no need for their greedy ways on the highway.  I see it the worst in other truckers.  They are compelled to be in a certain place by a certain time or they might lose their job.  And even when they are not compelled by time constraints, they have taught themselves to react to speed and position on the road with an aggressive attitude.

I have learned (or perhaps I should say, “am learning”) to take my place according to what is best for all.  Some need to be taught to wait.  Some need more room because they will actually become enraged if you block them in.  And some simply aren’t paying attention to their surroundings.  Others are in a sincere hurry but are at the top of their game in controlling their desire, reaction to delay, and attitude. The latter few will receive respect from me.  And they are not hard to notice.  People behind the wheel of steel are a curious lot.  If their actions were done in a steelless environment, blood would flow from fists that fly.  And all this is because of greed.  How utterly foolish!

Perhaps a man thinks that he will rise up in the morning, ask God for wisdom, inhabit that wisdom all the rest of his days, and never again come to the place where he flounders in his desires (the point of this man’s mind is that he thinks he will never again have to talk to God for what he thinks he needs; selfishness).  This is not the case.  For the wisdom of God is given to man as man encounters a need for it.

We eat when we are hungry so that we can continue to do the things necessary.  And we do not eat the same food over and over.  A new plate of food is required for each eating moment.  How is it that we don’t perceive this in the way of God’s gift of wisdom?  Instead, most men will ask for wisdom and consider that what they have just been given is sufficient for every purpose.  That man is like one who sits at breakfast and considers that his plate of eggs, bacon, toast, and milk will last him until the next morning.  And from my experience, you don’t drink milk in the same way as you ingest a piece of bacon.  God has designed us to require what is good on a moment by moment basis.  And it will not be taken out-of-the-way as long as we inhabit this bag of blood, that bag which is so very full of all kinds of greed.

God has granted us eternity.  Eternity is not yesterday.  And eternity is not tomorrow.  Eternity is now.  The very moment your eyes read this next word is eternity.  Eternity is where God IS.  He has been there for eternity and will be in that same place forever.  He demands that we learn to live in that eternity which belongs to Him.  And in living that eternal present, we learn to overcome the desires of the future as well as the regrets of the past.  Understand this.  Because it is in this very understanding that we find release from desire.  Jesus promises to forgive the past and lead us as the future becomes the now.  Our response to that truth becomes our religion.

Giving Due Where Due is Due

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Perception

Perception (Photo credit: Genna G)

I have often had rather harsh words with atheists.  But I will admit something crucial.  Those who are active atheists are not stupid people.  And though they stand in their life as enemies of the Cross of Christ, they are not my personal enemy.  That is to say, if I met them on the street and we had the kinds of discussions we have here, I can assure you there would be absolutely no physical signs of hatred.  We are enemies of concept, at the least, and of pride, to say the most.

I write this because I know that these men consider what presents itself to their senses.  And they are just as adept at perception of possible lies as I am in the Lord.  The only difference, as the chasm it is, is that they rely on what is seen alone while Christians are able to rely on both the perceived and the invisible.

These men (ok….. and women) are not stupid.  And once they have perceived something worth looking into they will pounce on it like a hungry tiger.  The same vigor they use to fight for the sake of what is perceived is the same strength they will use once they taste a possible truth in the message of Christianity.  And if one of them comes to know the Lord, watch out!  All heaven on earth is about to break loose.

Al, the Christian

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I met a man.  Praise to God!  I met a man of God!  He is not as you would expect.  There is nothing about him that would draw us to him. (doesn’t that sound familiar?)  I mean nothing.  He is not politically, socially, physically, or approachable beauty.  He is not like those the nations clamor after.  Cameras would not do him justice, for they cannot capture the Spirit of God within him.

He is not intelligent as the world counts intelligence.  He is humble, yet he is very sure of himself.  He holds on to absolutely nothing that would appear valuable to those who desire all “new” things.  He is simply a man of God.  And you wanna know something astounding?  He didn’t know it!

I love that man because God is powerfully in him.  He is a brother in every aspect but blood.  I am extremely pleased to have met him and danced that dance of conversation which men of God have together.  He does, thinks, and holds tight to the things we are commanded to accomplish and know in Jesus.

Now, ya wanna know why he doesn’t know he’s a Christian?  You will be astounded at this as was I.  He simply wanted to hear the voice of God.  He has read that scripture, a long time ago, which says that “My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”  He said to me that he was not a professing Christian.  But everything he said was absolutely correct.  When I asked him why he thought he was not a Christian, I was amazed at the answer.

In truth he spoke.  And in utter humility before God, he professed that he was not of Jesus’ sheep because he did not hear the voice of God.  I beg to differ, my friend!  You have heard him very clearly for a very long time!  You just didn’t recognize that the voice of God causes a man to do the will of God!  But it is a small thing he asks, such a very small thing.  I remember when I had asked the same thing from the Lord.  And He granted my request.  So, at the end of our meeting, I prayed for him that the Lord would have mercy to allow Al to hear His voice.  Though we cannot force God to do anything, He is more than willing to grant what has been promised.

We parted.  And, for a season, this will be a sad departure.  I will see him again, for he is my brother in Christ.  But I will miss his blazing Christianity!   I went on my way to earn a living so I can support the life God has given me.  And Al went on his way to gain more highway.   Al has no house, car, job, or loved ones to go home to.  Al is quite homeless, and has been so for a great many years.   Al had a very important appointment to keep.   There was a bridge he had to claim before someone else claimed it.  GAD!  I love that man!

Father, please be with my brother with a love that marks his heart with GREAT joy.  In Jesus name I ask this.  And I am absolutely sure You will honor this prayer, for the glory of Your Holy Love Filled NAME!  Praise to God!  All, All, All, praise to God who grows beautiful flowers in a rot infested land.  Amen!

Trophies and Icons of Prayer

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1 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of the virgins were foolish, and five were wise. 3 When the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra olive oil with them. 4 But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ 9 ‘No,’ they replied. ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then the door was shut. 11 Later, the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’ 12 But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I do not know you!’ 13 Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour.  (Matt. 25)

It is too my shame that I have not understood the meaning of the lamp and the oil.  In years past I have understood a message of urgency and a teaching of truth about how we ought to prepare ourselves for His coming.  But I confess that I did not understand exactly what the lamp or the oil was.  Oh, I knew about the fire of the Holy Spirit.  But because of those who promote speaking in tongues, I was confused as to what that power accomplished.

The Lord showed me clearly this morning what this means.  And I present this here for those who are like I have been; not understand the full meaning of the picture He has painted here.  The lamp is us.  The fire within the lamp is the Holy Spirit.  And the oil is the effect wrought by an habitual appearing before the Lord in prayer.

Many walk their entire lives by simple belief that God will do all things for us on the day when we appear before Him.  I have spoken often about the necessity to “do” something in response to the Gospel.  While I am also at fault, in my days former, for not making prayer a vital part of my daily life.  It has been shown and proven to me that any day without formal personal prayer is a day spent without the filling of oil.  I consider that error and am in awe at my ignorance.  It makes me more grateful to God for His mercy and grace.

Now, may God quicken my mind when I meet a Christian who declares that prayer is not that important in their life.  They might declare that they depend on God to rescue them from troubles.  They might consider spiritual duty as if it were a distasteful task.  Bible reading might well have passed into that which is given to children, yet has no place in the real world of adults.  May He bless me to remember the vital message of the parable.  May He quicken my mind to remember what He has just taught me so that I will do it and not forget!

We all eat to sustain our body.  We know when we are hungry.  I ask myself, “How did you not perceive that you were empty before the Lord of Majesty?”  How is it that I walked as a man who tried to walk across a newly plowed field in the dark, and did not perceive that I stumbled so horribly because I did not obey His Holy call to prayer?

I have lived decades as a fool.  But every encounter with His Holy Truth leaves me even more aware of just how deep that folly is.  And how deep now is the desire to help my brothers and sisters come to the same conclusion.  How I desire to share what is true.  I consider the troubles the Church is embroiled in today.  And see clearly that it is because of this very item that we have faltered so horribly.  We have forgotten the Lord in our wealth.  We have all fattened ourselves on the ways of the world and turned our faces away from the ways of God which matter so very much.

Men attend a service to be counted as those who worship God.  Yet their own lamps are dry and sparkless.  They are even listening to the word of God being spoken by men who are supposed to be FILLED to over flowing with the fire of God.  Yet the message is like a flame which has been submerged in the ocean.  Empty words come out.  The wick sways with the currents of water.  But there is no FIRE upon it and no oil remains to renew it.   Good words of God float to men’s ears without power.  How can it be a surprise when we find those who call themselves Christians living a life void of distinguishing from those of the world?

Oh dear!  Please, let us renew our strength to endure that place of prayer.  The flesh will hate our knees as we bow to Jesus.  But without that bowing we are nothing.  This is what the solid men of God found out and warned us to do.  We revere them for what was accomplished by God through them.  But they are like trophies on our wall, icons of “good” which we happily show all our guests.  All the while, we should become living trophies of God’s work today.  Take down the trophies of others; those icons you hold so dear.  Revere them by becoming like them!  What else needs be said here?

Fasting?

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Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827): Fast Day

Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827): Fast Day (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Make every effort possible to enter into the pleasure of God through Jesus.  This is not the place for fulfilling all your dreams and desires.  It is a place of testing where God judges the actions, attitudes, thoughts and words of man.

I spoke to a man regarding fasting a while ago.  His immediate response, without hearing what I had to say, was that he was not “into” that fasting stuff.  What will be said then?  If the Lord saw fit to fast for 40 days before He entered His ministry, what reason will we give that we could not suffer loss for a short time?  God is Glory.  And He has presented His perfect example for us in Jesus.  If you see Jesus doing something to please His Father, why not endure the same as you are able?

Fasting is a rejection of food, drink, pleasure, desires, dreams, and hopes.  Pick your proper fast and do it.  Do it so that no one will see but God.  Present yourself before Him as one who desires His will over all the things of this world.  See if He won’t extend a hand of help and grace to you.  But if you never taste these things, you will never know the glory God desires to give you.