Tag Archives: domesticated

Two Lions

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The forgiveness of Christ is the ultimate power for life.  If a man’s sins are forgiven, his conscience is cleaned.  Where then is regret?
Where then is fear? 
Where then is strength to live? 
What kind of joy should this one own? 
What kind of man should he be able to become?

Are you willing to dissect this truth with me?  Are you willing to be free of regret?
Are you willing to become fearless?
Are you willing to become endlessly strong?
Are you willing to be full of joy?
Are you willing to become a child of the Living God?

It may be that you have said yes to all these.  But if these are not a part of your life, have you asked why?  And if you asked, were you able to endure the answer?

These things are true for the one who is forgiven.  Why then are they not true for you?

I don’t mean to attack you or to judge.  I simply asked the question that everyone in Christ is asking.  “If the forgiveness of Christ is real, then why do I struggle so?”

You believe the things of the gospel.  But the problem is application to you.  At your best moment, and full of generosity, you perceive that forgiveness is available to every man.  But in your personal practice, that application comes and goes.  It gives you strength and leaves.  Why does it leave?  If it leaves, have you pondered why it even comes at all?

If Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, why not you?  Why can’t you have that familiar strength all the time?

The answer, whether we like it or not, is diligence.  When we are strong in Christ, by His forgiveness, it is because we have taken time to assess our situation.  It is because we fail to sit quietly and make assessment, that we falter and lose our strength.  Isn’t this so?

Then it takes a strong man to receive the things of Christ.  It takes one who is dedicated purely to living the truth.  As a man is lazy in the things of Christ, so his faith will lack.  We could call such a soul, a sluggard.  Couldn’t we?

Proverbs 26 addresses this very clearly.
13. A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”

Yes there’s a lion roaming the streets.  And for this the sluggard keeps his door shut.

But hear this truth!  There is also a lion in your own house.

The Lion of Judah roams the streets seeking earnest hearts.  While the lion who devours, lives among your things.  The One is fearsome and free.  The other is domesticated and emaciated.

As you can understand, let me say this:  Get off your couch, open the door, and walk in the streets.  If you have faith, prove it to yourself.  Become diligent.

The domesticated one will not go with you, he will remain emaciated and sleeping on the couch. 

But you!  Go out into the street and call for Him.  The Lion of Judah is free and full of fire.  Yet you know you do not fear him.  You fear your own weakness.

You know he can take away your weakness and give you strength.  You know he can decimate your regret.  You know he can make you fearless.  You know he can give you the fullness of life.

Then the choice is yours.  Remain with your pet domesticated and emaciated lion,  or go out in the street and live.

If I say to you, “I live in the street”, I would be a liar.  For I wake in my house just like you.  But he teaches me to walk past the couch and go outside.  As honestly as I can, I tell you, this takes great strength.

But my brothers and sisters, it is so sincerely worth it!  In my past, laziness has destroyed me.  But as I listen to him, I retain diligence.  This truth he teaches me, is the same for all men.

By His Grace

The Fearless and the Ordinary

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Fearless, and ordinary passion for Christ will come face to face with the stubborn ignorance of this world.  But ordinary passion will lose the battle before it is begun.

Stubborn ignorance knows the difference.  When confronting ordinary passion, stubborn ignorance is allowed to use a variety of excuses.  For ordinary passion has only answers for himself.  His lamp is set for use in the house.  It is not built for travel in the streets.

But when stubborn ignorance comes face to face with fearless passion, calculated and decisive strikes will lower his guard.  The lamp of fearless passion is a blazing light that penetrates to the deepest parts of every man.  No matter how the armor of ignorance is turned, the gaps in its protection are pierced.

Fearless passion has a twinge of warrior.  But ordinary passion is a brother to self satisfaction.  This is a harsh saying, but it finds its truth in fruit.

Fearless passion is of the family of godly humility.  But ordinary passion is of the family of man.  Another harsh saying.  War requires a fearless heart.  While the ordinary its content with the domestic.

Fearless passion goes hunting for the transformation of men, regardless the threats to himself.  But ordinary passion has received his desire and finds himself satisfied; full of the gain he hoped to find.

Both passions recognize the holy fire of God (afterall, they are passions).  But the fearless enter in, allowing themselves to be burned by the work of God.  While the ordinary perceive God’s holy fire simply as protection and forgiveness of sins.

The Fearless desire to be sent.  The ordinary are content to stay at home.  By compulsion their message to the world will differ radically.  One perceives the gospel as a choice in lifestyle.   The other perceives the great weeping and gnashing of teeth that will surely come.

Fearless passion will enter into the war for souls.   He will not consider his life of any value, but that he should serve the Sovereign God in Christ.  With abandon, he counts his life as nothing.  He seeks to save the souls of others, and stands before the Lord, willing and daily, to be sent.

Ordinary passion respects the Lord’s love, but fails to make the connection between his own need for salvation and that of others.  Except where he is invited, he keeps the gospel to himself.  This is the proof of fruit that a man may easily see for himself.

Both passions will serve the living God.  But the domains, in which they serve, are radically different.  One is built to willingly embrace death and threat.  The other is built on the gladness of life.

Both will be received by the Holy Lord.  Both are a ligament response to the sacrifice of Christ.  But one seeks understanding (to the “doing), while the other is content to receive and become.

Personally I perceive that the fearless are the intent of the gospel.  But I will not shake the faith of the ordinary.  Still, I cannot help wondering what this world would be like if every Christian were fearless.

By His Grace