Who is Jesus? He is Lord and King and Master of his kingdom.
What is his kingdom? It is the doings of his Father.
He never sleeps. His eyes are fixed intently to accomplish his Father’s will.
He will rightly demand and accounting from all his people. To whom do you belong? On what are your eyes fixed?
What does it look like when someone trusts Jesus? What does it look like when they put all their confidence in the power of Christ to save?
Polycarp was burned at the stake. But when he was encouraged to run and hide from his captors, instead he invited them to a dinner in his home. Later he said, “80 and 6 years he has served me well why should I deny him now”.
Legend has it that Peter was crucified upside down, hardly feeling worthy to suffer as his master did. But readily willing to suffer for the one he loved.
Apparently the Apostle John was boiled in oil before he was banished to the Isle of Patmos. In that place he told us in writing about the beauty of the living God’s Holy Son.
There is a story of a mother and her two daughters who were captured by the Romans. On the journey to Rome, understanding that they were beautiful women, the mother fained a desire to bathe before entrance to Rome. A raging Creek was near, so the Romans let them go and bathe. At the side of the torrent she grabbed her two daughters and through all of them into the raging river, choosing to drown rather than be molested by vulgar men (and this for the sake of purity in regard to the name of Jesus).
If I had time I could fill up far more than 100 thick volumes of testimonies. Even today there are stories of people who are suffering brutally because they trust Jesus. Beheadings, burnings, stabbings, and on and on.
I knew at least one faithful loving Christian, who up into his eighties, loved the Lord more than anything else in the world. Even to his death bed he waved us away lest we interfere with his communion.
“If you love me you will obey my commands.”
“Never will I leave you or forsake you.”
Such a short few years we are asked to trust him like this.
Then FREEDOM!
Division is made between the politics of man, which people say is a necessary evil, and the Holy commands of God. One sides with this because he says it is expedient, another sides with that for the same reason. Really? Is that really the best we can do?
I hear from God that the judgement is coming for just such things.
Shall it be necessary for God to say to anyone of us, “You did not stand apart from them. You did not warn them. You did not speak of the murderous things men do”.
All for the sake of the mighty dollar. You cannot serve both God money. Didn’t he say this? Why don’t we believe Him?
As a servant of the Most High God in Christ should I pity man because he does these things? Should I give men quarter and say, “Oh but it is necessary”? Or is it right to stand with eternity to proclaim the will of God without fear and without compromise?
I am nothing. I am no one. But the living God is God of all!
Wait a minute! He’s going to tell her the last one to die is the plastic flower that never lived? Hmmmmmmmm.. I smell a rat.
Wow Paul! Don’t you trust anybody?
Um. Well. Not so much. The heart is deceitful above all things. Besides, I’ve seen what anybody can do.
Toledo Municipal Court Judge C. Allen McConnell issued a statement Wednesday on his refusal to perform marry a same-sex couple earlier this week.
McConnel says he declined to perform the marriage based on his “personal and christian beliefs.”
Christians have rights too. Isn’t it curious how it always ends up costing the Christian everything, while the world gets just what they want.
No matter. We have every confidence that God will reward accordingly. In the meantime, I’m proud of my brother.
Curiosity has touched me. I tried to hide among the bushes, but he found me out none the less. I thought I could rely on understanding. But understanding is like a loosely built fence, which through the cracks between, I can receive a glimpse of heaven. And it is while I stand along that fence, in the shadow of obscurity, that curiosity comes to greet me.
I know the answer to the question, but that there should even be a question marvels me. The question covers three topics. By necessity, I can’t figure out how to make it short. But the answer is supported by the legs of the three topics. At the top of the “Table of answer”, I lay my conclusion.
Leg 1. Why is constant and enduring self-discipline necessary for the things of God?
Leg 2. Why must man be encouraged, and even sometimes forced, to pray?
Leg 3. To where do the words of the Bible disappear after we have read them?
Human beings are so amazingly capable of learning, doing and retaining. The volume of technology is proof of this. There are those who have mastered virtually the complete volume of Technology ( Make no mistake, the word volume is misleading. How many books are written on various subjects by various masters of their own trade?). And the list of those who aspire to join them in this accomplishment is very long.
Self discipline, zeal, and retention, do not lack among men. What I find mysterious is the lack of understanding of those three “legs” in the things of God.
I know there is a distinction between what is flesh and what is Spirit. But even a man who contains the Holy Spirit of God finds himself being dragged back to the flesh from time to time. Today he remembers and does. Tomorrow he forgets and stumbles.
Obviously, dedication to God’s things is not accomplished by a momentary decision; as if one flips the switch in the room and the light comes on. Now he can go about the room and do as he pleases, forgetting the switch. No, it is more like the man must rise from his chair to switch it on again. For the switch tends to move down to the off position, as if it were a being in itself. (Please don’t become paranoid, and find yourself watching the switch. It’s just an analogy.)
The answer to this mystery, is that God has made these things so that he may test the fullness of a man’s heart. Laziness in the things of God is not an option. It requires a constant straining toward the things of heaven. Relax, and you will surely suffer loss.
A man may study technology, then take a vacation without loss. But the man of God who does this, will find himself horribly lacking. The information of God does not arrive without direct connection to the Spirit of God. And it cannot be reliably retained by the flesh. And dissipates rather quickly with non-use. But where does it go?
I have found the Lord Jesus to be incredibly humble. He does not force himself on anyone. Neither does he help us unless we ask. Agreed, there are circumstances beyond our knowledge in which he must help us. Rest assured, he does and is. But the volume of what is Holy belongs to him. If by derilection, we push him away, the things that are Holy go with him. That my friend, is where the words of the Bible go.
I am warned afresh. Yet in this I also find a great promise. The Lord has promised us, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”. And he has taught us, “Without me you can do nothing”. But I am struck by the reality of his promises as they play out in our daily life.
This is not hidden knowledge. It is not only available in the Bible, but all his people testify of these things everyday. Perhaps what is more amazing, is that there are still Church going folk who do not know these things. For I perceive how often the Pastor must encourage the flock to read the Bible, to pray, and to do the things of Christ.
Indeed, the mystery of godliness is great!
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