Tag Archives: desire

Life Happens

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If the Lord is willing, I will get in my car and drive to the place I intend to go.  You might say, “He is there”, before I even leave.  If I begin to prepare a good meal for the family, you might say, “They have eaten and are full and satisfied.”

We all know there are things that need to happen in between the desire and completion.  But if all things go well, we can expect to be able to refer to our tasks as if they have already happened.  In a perfect world this would be the case, wouldn’t it?

Well, there is a perfect world, my friends.  And the One who dwells there is faultless.  Bad things never happen to His plans.  When He says something will happen, it absolutely will.  When we consider His promises we can refer to them as if they have already come true.

The promises of man are not like this.  They are but hopes.  They are assurances of intent.  And the one who lives as if his desires can be so reliable as to consider them complete before they have begun will suffer.  He is like the one spoken of in Isaiah 44, “Such a person feeds on ashes; a deluded heart misleads him; he cannot save himself. . .”

Place no trust in man’s promises.  Understand that he intends to do good.  But his intent has no strength of surety.  Place all your trust in the Living God’s words.  His words are life.  When He speaks, life happens.

The Ark

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In the building of a task there is a beginning and an end.  No one who builds according to a specific plan keeps building after the plan is accomplished.  A house has a place where it can be called “finished”.  You walk to the park, and there is a time and place where you can say you arrived.

Noah was told to build an Ark for the coming flood.  And it wouldn’t take a scholar to recognize that the building of an Ark did not go on for the entirety of Noah’s life.  There was a final peg pounded into the gopher wood.  There was a final animal which entered the doorway.  There was a final word spoken among them as the Ark lifted from its mounting.  And there were final things done as they left the Ark.  In short, the building of the Ark was a one time task the Lord told Noah to do. 

This blog has reached that point.  The Lord has made it plain to me that I have arrived at the place where His work is completed here.  Through me, He has created what is now refered to as a “bag of seeds”.  It will remain available for His work.  This place is a tool in the tool box of the Lord.  He will direct people here as He sees fit.  I may add to it from time to time.  But the consuming fire to build is over. 

The building of this place of testimony has been an absolutely consuming fire within me.  And I know it was of His doing.  Even as I read back through some of the posts, I’m amazed at the depth of ideas and words.  These words were not mine.  They were given to me that I might leave a place where the Father is Glorified through Jesus, my Lord.  All glory belongs to God!

As you read through these things it is important that you know these are not the words of a man alone.  I know that I interpreted what I saw sometimes.  But the vast majority of the writings are eternal.  And it important to note that these things are not to be considered Scripture.  There is, already, Scripture.  I have no desire to replace them.  It is through the Bible that you too will find inspiration to testify.  But itis  the Living God who continually provokes glorious testimony from His people.

I encourage everyone to write and speak the glory of God within them.  What are we if we don’t contribute to the salvation of men?  And what are we if we do not fight with all we have for the Glory of God? 

With this post I conclude what was begun in me.  I will now live my life as if I had never typed one letter of this blog.  Not that I abandon the Lord and His will.  But this task is finished. 

Father, I ask Your Holy hand to guard this place.  To keep Your work separate from me.  And to Glorify Yourself in Your work.  This has been a magnificent blessing that You have given this poor man to accomplish!  And I am honored to have served you in the building of this “bag of seeds”.  May the peace You had before the creation of the world return to You and Your people.  In the Glorious name of Jesus, I present you this place as it rightfully belongs to You.    Amen.

By His Grace.

Vain Superstitions

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We are not called to frolic in the guestimations of the world regarding the Holiness of God.  We are called to join with Him in implementing His will among men.  While men make guesses regarding end times, the “Way”, the nature of Jesus’ salvation and glorification, God remains steady and sure.  He does not shift or change according to the limited understanding of man’s wicked contrivings regarding Holy.  God is.  And it is enough for us to live by the faith He gives each one of us.

Cease your constant wandering and rest.  It is God who works His will in His people.  Do not be swayed by all kinds of foolish words with which man builds his kingdoms.  They speculate about what is true.  It is God’s domain to KNOW what is true.  The one who follows Jesus will lay aside all this foolishness and pick up what is absolute.  God is willing to share wisdom to anyone who will ask.  And He will share this vast resource without judgment of any man’s history or bend toward wickedness.  Only, let us not give in to believing all the short sighted superstitions the world begs us to endure.  Hold firmly to Jesus and the truth He reveals.

Let those who will chase after vain knowledge; knowledge that is puffed up by the mind and wicked heart of man.  It is not the lot of Christians to cave to the foolish of the world around them who do not know the Lord of Glory.

By His Grace.

Allowing Time for Change.

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We all have someone in our life who we would love to see grow in maturity, or experience the freedom found in Christ Jesus, or take responsibility for their own actions, or even forgive an offence.    This desire to see positive growth in that loved one is a good thing.  No doubt, in that desire is found everything “good”.  There are even places in each one of us which might draw that same desire for ourselves.  “Oh, I so wish I could just…………….”. 

Will you permit me to ask a really hard question?   What serious change, or radical change, has ever come upon anyone over night?  Oh, there might be realizations that change our direction.  But the really concrete change (so as to never go back) happens slowly.  First we realize we have a problem.  Then we try on different fixes like a child tries on daddy’s shoes.  And finally we find what we know will solve the problem.  But it’s at the last point where we realize how absolutely huge and difficult change is going to be.

Even coming to Jesus with a problem we find the same three increments: realize, try variations, come to grip with the real fix.  Our lives are slow, yet hopefully sure, steps toward what we know is “good”.  I post this because I see a whole lot of people kind of stuck in a mire of doubt and inability.  I absolutely know that Jesus is the answer to any problem you might have going on.  But there’s an element of natural progress that must be embraced.

When we see someone we want to change toward what is “good”, what are we expecting?  If we expect them to just “Get with the program”, we’re bound to be disappointed.  Look at yourself.  What are you expecting?  Since even we can’t change over night, why do we expect it from others?  And what might the first signs of change look like?  The person we are focusing on, whether someone else or ourselves, is already dysfunctional in some manner.  Do we expect the first signs of wellness to appear void of this dysfunctional behavior?

This is what forgiveness is all about.  Openning the door to the sickness. so that when we see change we are willing to embrace it.   And this is why it is said that Jesus offers the fix to our problem.  His forgiveness and teaching are sure, real, and effective.  Let yourself receive forgiveness from Him.  Let yourself receive forgiveness from yourself.  Offer that same forgiveness to others.  This is the beginning of healing for everyone, even YOU.  Put on patience and love as if you were going to a stately dinner.  Wear patience for yourself.  Love without regard to who needs it.  This is the key to healing from wounds too deep to touch.

By His Grace.

Dear World

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Dear World:

I see that you are becoming upset at the current state of your ways.  You witness happenings around you that you consider negative toward your desires.  One might even say that you are pondering your current plight with perplexity.  You want your way with all things as you have always wanted them.  And you have been duped by the witness of your ancestors.  They have handed down to you a testimony of greed, corruption, idolatry, immorality, drunkenness, lies, murder, and a seeking after every form of pleasure.  I know you’re worried about being able to continue this legacy.  And I know that in your heart you have a deep desire to pass this “freedom” down to your great grand children.

I have bad news for you.  What you are witnessing is real.  Slowly, your ways (as itemized above) are stripping your future from your hands.  You will lose everything you have sought to gain and keep.  And you will shed great tears as your desires are taken from you.  Yet, not all is lost.

I have good news for you.  Jesus stands ready to receive your repentant and contrite heart as you lose your precious sin.  He offers you eternally good things to replace the toys you have invented for yourself.  You will lose all those toys.  But what He offers you will never lose, if you take Him up on His offer.

You are the creation of God.  He has given you a body and soul.  He provided a place for you to live that you might seek Him and find Him and return worship to His Holy Name.  But you chose to desire the work of your own hand.  The door is closing on you now.  I know you can hear the squeek of massive hinges as the Wind of God slowly closes your world around you.  Turn and be healed.   Continue to rebel and die.

By His Grace.

Needless Death, Yours.

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For those who harbor hatred and an unforgiving spirit toward anyone.  We are told that if we don’t forgive we will not be forgiven.  And in the way of hatred toward others, God has demanded that everyone lay down hatred as if it were a branding iron in an unshielded hand.   But you might say, “You don’t know what was done to me”.   I would respond, “You don’t know what you’ve done to God”.  In God’s eyes, there is no such thing as an innocent victim.  We might have been victimized by someone else.  But we’ve done our own brand of damage to what is Holy and eternal.

Since our eternal home is dependent on these two terms, wouldn’t it be wise to consider the outcome of selfishness?   Jesus will offer forgiveness till your last breath.  After that you will be held accountable for your own actions.  Accepting His gift now will avoid a needless death; yours.

By His Grace.