Tag Archives: death

What’s it Take?

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I watched out the upstairs window, at a Blue Jay and a Robin.  “How cute.” I mused.  “They are waiting their turn with a piece of bread.”

But a piece of bread does not flutter when a bird lifts its head from pecking.  It was the Robin’s baby!

For a moment, she took her eyes off her love.  The Blue Jay took opportunity.  Now the baby languishes toward death, while the mother watches from a small distance.  Helpless to hope.  Lacking in size and talent to fight back.  Unable to morn.  Yet unable to look away.

I looked immediately for relevance to humanity, Christianity, and the nature of Spiritual reality.  “How does this apply to us?”

I remembered my thoughts in the shower.  “diligence gives life.  Slothfulness invites death.

Men love to play, rest, relax and be slothful.  Every man either fights against it, or he gives in rather often.  “What’s the matter with just hangin out?”  Everything is wrong with just hangin out!

A buzzard is a fright filled animal.  He loves peace and tranquility.  Yet when hunger comes, he must embrace a certain elevated level of stress.  He hates it.  But it’s a necessity.

Demons are much the same.  They hate righteousness.  They love peace and tranquility.  They are sloth amplified.  So when they come across someone just hangin out, they look with intense interest.  “Is he dead to God?  Or is there still some faith left.  Will he agree with my wicked and unholy desires?  Or will he balk at suggestions?”  If you agree with their enticements, they will consume you.

In my 60 years, I’ve learned that diligence produces peace and tranquility.  When things are in order and finished, there is a time to hang out.  But you won’t find diligent people hanging out to play games till sun up.  They will be tired and ready for rest.

Yet they will take the time to pray; that precious sacrifice of “last hour of strength”.  They will have busied themselves all day with things that matter, taking care of the charge before them.  They will not have even caught the eye of demons.  And, when their day is done, they will ask the Lord of Life to watch over their unconscious mind.  They are diligent to the core.  And they will LIVE.

Rest, peace, play and slothfulness will murder you.  Those who love you will watch with mute horror, as you are devoured by wicked behavior.  Your house will become a trash heap of useless dribble.  And life will elude you all your days.

Anxious Eyes

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I look to the sky that I may see clouds rising over the sea. 

There is a drought upon the land; a vast unholy drought.

The souls of men are shriveled up with the dryness of sin, yet they do not perceive.

I look to the horizon, and my ears strain against the breeze.  Will I see the water of life give life to what is dead?

Will men fall on their shriveled knees to beg for the mercy of God?  They already stand proudly, defiantly, dead.

Where is the blazing glory of God among all men?  Where is his name first among the words of men?  Where is the boldness of life?

I look toward the rising sun. 

I watch to where it sets. 

I peer with failing eyes at where the moon will rise.

With anxious heart I wait.

The Limits of Can

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The list of limits, which restrain the life of man, is long.  He is bound up and constrained by the Holy dictates of God’s great Wisdom.  The list of “can” is shorter, yet no less sure.  The first constrains rebellion.  The second unleashes holy righteousness with the unlimited power of God himself.

Man presses against the limits of restraint.  They invent machines to push into those limits, and succeeds.  There will be no glory from God for such pernicious strivings.  How can rebellious desire be rewarded?

But who, among men, reaches to the limit of “can”?   It is written for all to read, “With God all things are possible”.   In the way of obedience, this was said.  In the way of salvation to obedience, this was said.  Who, among men, reaches to the fullness of God’s Holy words?

There are the limits of this world.  The final limit, among men, is reached at the point of death; the release of the soul from the constraints of flesh.  All men will surely reach this limit and pass through.

Many will reach the next impenetrable limit of condemnation; they will go no farther.  No rebellious striving will produce success.  But who will reach beyond that finality to the unspeakable limits of eternity?

God is a God of order.  He has placed limits for all creatures.  In this age, he has constrained.  So it will be in the next age.  In this age he constrains rebellion.  In the next he will constrain Holy order.  Yet who, among men, reaches to the limit of “can”?

Jesus offers righteousness to man now.  Jesus is the righteousness of man forever.  Yet what shall be said of the fullness of possibility in this place of testing?  Who has reached the fullness of God’s willingness to give?  Who, among men, reaches deep to become what God is willing to give?

The House of Lies

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There are millions of lies we are taught to believe in this world.  All of them have their basis in deserving. 

We deserve freedom.    We deserve to be wealthy.  We deserve healthy children.  We deserve to retire and enjoy our old age.  We deserve to be accepted by God when we die, after all he make us.  And among the most damaging is this:  We deserve to die peacefully, in our own bed and in our old age.

So when death comes unexpectedly the people are outraged.  Why are they upset?  Bereavement is expected.  But pointing blame on someone else, particularly at God, finds its roots at a lack of understanding and believing in lies.

Instead of wasting precious time and energy trying to stave off death, men would do far better to prepare.  Accidents happen.  Hearts stop beating.  Illness takes anyone it pleases.  And the murderous nature of man does not ask permission.

You would think men would give this serious consideration.  You would think they would turn to God in their youth and in their health.  But this is rarely the case.

More often people use their youth and their health to prepare for great wealth and longevity of life.  If they think of death it is because it happens to someone else.  Isn’t this ironic?

God takes souls when it pleases him.  I have never heard of a case where he appeared to someone and asked permission.  When our turn comes it is often swift and utterly devastating.

I’m not highlighting anything new here.  Contrary to popular belief, death has been around for a long long time.  It is really good at what it does.  And it never says, “I’m sorry”.

Those who died unreconciled to God, remain that way for eternity.  Now you may think that’s rather pompous of me, to exclude so many worldly ideals.  What does it matter what you think?

God has sent His Son.  That very message has been around for a long long time.  You’ve likely heard of it.  And you’ve likely covered your ears. 

Do you really think your ignorance of the will of God in Christ will nullify your condemnation for eternity?  “I didn’t know!”  Yes you did.  You simply chose not to acknowledge.  Pleasure seemed to be far more fun.

The loan

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A man came up with a magnificent idea to make himself a fortune.  The potential of his idea was $500 million in 3 years.  What he planned to do was a sure thing.  There was no such item on the market.  All he needed was 1 million dollars to get started.

His credit was good.  And he had plenty of collateral.  So he gathered his papers and headed to the bank.

The banker ushered him into his office.  It was a plush office but was in need of some janitorial services.

The man presented his request to the banker and showed him the papers.  To his pleasure, the banker smiled and seemed very interested.  After about 20 minutes of study the banker looked up and gave him a broad smile.

“I need to go and take care of something but I’ll be right back.”  Said the banker.  “In the meantime, could you do me a favor and dust my office.I feel bad asking such a man as yourself to do such meanial work.  But as you can tell there is no one here to do these things for me.  I would greatly appreciate your help.  And what I must go do will take about 15 minutes.”  With that, the banker simply left his office.

The man had smiled and said yes, just before the banker left.  He thought to himself that such and gracious work would surely secure the loan.  So he grabbed the duster and went about a quick business.

The banker came back in and took a very short look around before he sat down.  “How is your wife and children?”  The banker asked.  “I would like to come in see them if I can.”

The man was taken back by the request.  But he replied it would be good to have dinner together.  So without making a judgement on the loan the banker shook his hand and they set a time.

At the appropriate time the banker showed up for the dinner.  He took note of how the yard was kept.  He noticed the disrepair of the house.  And when invited in he took very careful note of the state of the interior.

After a pleasant dinner and a chat with some rather rebellious children, the banker thanked the family for the meal, set a date and time to meet again regarding the loan, and when his way.

The man was perfectly pleased thinking he had done the very best possible that he could.  He told his wife and children they would soon be rich.  And they all went joyously to sleep.

At the time of meeting,  the banker handed the man a folder.  The first page shook the man’s nerves to the bone.  The loan was stamped “DENIED”.

Visibly shaken, the man asked the banker why.  “I have done everything you’ve asked!  I cleaned your office for you!  I even invited you to my home and gave you a wonderful meal!  But you have denied me and I need to know why.”

The banker held up his hand and calmed the man down.

“Let me reason with you for a moment.  Look around you.  Do you see the streaks of dust you missed?  When I came to your house your yard was quite unkept.  Your house is in dire need of repair.

The meal itself was good and I thank you for it.  Your wife is a generous and good cook.  But your children are unruly.  And you make no attempt to control them.

I am about to loan you a million dollars plus interest.  Don’t you think I have a right to know the caliber of a man before I give him such a large amount?”

The man had nothing to say.  After exchanging pleasantries and a handshake he simply left with half a tear in his eye.  On the way home he had plenty of time to ponder how he would break this news to his family.

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If a man is not in control of his own wealth, who will give him more?  If he is not diligent with the wealth of others, who will grant him a wealth of his own?

The body is our gift from God.  This is a wealth granted to us to display our intent for eternity.  If we do not use it for holy purposes, how can we expect God to grant us wonderous things?

As a man dies so is he sealed.  The greedy and the unholy cannot expect a warm welcome. 

Let us encourage one another to do far more and better.  We do not approach a banker for a mere million dollars.  We ask for royalty for eternity.  And God does not come over for dinner.  He clearly sees the disrepair of our life without invitation.

The few

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When men reach the end of their days; when their time in this place to testing is done, they will find that everything the Lord’s people have said to them is true.  They will leave this place only to enter the most hideous of circumstances.

I do not say this to laugh at them.  I say this as another means to wake a few. 

I know that most men will receive what is hideous, because the Lord Himself has testified so.  He himself has said that the way to destruction is broad and many go in there by.  And he has said the way to eternal life is narrow and few there are who find it.

Will you listen?  Will you let your ears hear these words?  For the sake of your own life will you give a moment of consideration?  Or you will you continue in the broad way to respond as most will?

All things in this world are either a warning of curse or a test for those who will live.  Which camp do you desire to enter eternity belonging to?

Certainly you want to live.  Even the most wicked among us desires life.  Have you asked yourself, “Why then don’t I take it?”  Or have you walked through time oblivious to all these things?

The Lord’s people stand still and testify day and night.  Who will hear and cease scoffing?  Who will eat at the Lord’s people’s table?  Who will remain?  Who will feast with us and find strength to live?

If there are few who understand and enter in, who are they?  If the majority of men do not consider these things and die in hideous shame, who are they?

You are urged to ask.  You are urged to separate yourself from those who die.  We are dead in our sins, even as we live with the majority.  It is by the prevail of holy struggle that we live eternally.

I did not write this to those who will die.  I wrote this to those who will hear, understand, grasp and do.  Is that you?

Will you humble yourself and receive?  Or will you retain your pride and die in hideous shame?  The door of salvation stands wide open to those who will enter in.  But it remains concealed and eternally locked to those who refuse.