Broad vs Narrow


It is easier to set a man against the entire world than to set him in opposition against himself.  (Paraphrase from Matthew Henry’s commentary regarding the narrow way)

The social, religious, and political activist finds it easy to point his finger at the nature of things around him.  All the while the truth of Christ points its finger at the nature of things within the man.

This is the difference between living our life in the broad way which leads to hell and destruction, and the narrow way which leads to life. 

The only one who has a right to speak against the nature of wickedness, is the one who is enduring a holy chastening of his own.  As the Lord makes the man accomplish, he also endows the man with rights and expectations.

How few are willing to endure the Holy Judgment of God’s expectations daily?  How many simply ignore God’s direction without examination?

Endure the Holy Fire of God now, or endure it forever then.  That’s our choice isn’t it?  Join the vast crowd and die unchanged.  Or submit yourself to the Eternal Holiness of the Eternal Living God.  Remain free to make your own choices, or submit all your choices to the One who lives forever.

Matthew 7: 13, 14

By His Grace

More


No matter how deep the wickedness within you, Christ is willing to receive you.  No matter how you struggle, Christ is willing to be your strength.

No matter how deep into Christianity you have progressed, I tell you there is more.  More joy, more strength, more holiness more love, more joy, more of everything that is good!

Simply believe.  Pray with all you have and he will show you the way.

By His Grace

Beyond Perception


Do you ever feel alone in Christ, as if there is no one who sees, no one who hears, and no one who understands?  As if every man is running headlong to hell, screaming at the top of his lungs lest he hear a righteous word.  When the moment of blackened clouds obscures the hope of evangelism, strive to remember the following:

It is impossible that the Son of the Living God should not gather a vast crowd to himself.  What is set on fire with Life cannot possibly die.  And his great abundant joy will surely find a great sharing!

Rejoice in obscurity.  A precious garden of joyful souls is growing, as if in secret, beyond the eyes of men.

By His Grace

A Word of Sobriety


To those who think they can do as they please while they bear the name of Christ.

The Living God will enter your sinful place.  His messengers will come among your putrid house of defiance.  The Lord will know what the people do, and he will surely reward with justice.

Have you listened to the lie?  Have you preferred disobedience over righteous humility?  Then do not be surprised when your house becomes desolate.  For the Lord will surely make an end of rebellion.

But to the diligent who resolve to love him and obey His Holy commands.

Do not fear.  The Lord has seen your heart.  It is for joy that He has given salvation.  Nothing that belongs to the Living God’s Holy Christ can taste destruction.  As the grave itself was not able to hold him, so destruction will not touch those who belong to him.

But the Lord will make a distinction.  He will surely divide the people one from another.  Be wise.  Honor His Holy Name and live.  Remain foolish, and you will surely taste his wrath.

Yes Christ Jesus is the Love of God!  But the love of God is directed to what is righteous and true, faultless and clean.  To this he draws us out of sin, and will accept no other engine.

Be wise and live, remain in sin and die.

1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”  (Luke 13)

By His Grace

Upheaval


“Stir the pot”, a mundane saying that is more volatile then a nuclear weapon.  The saying has a malicious use.  There are many people who stir the pot of humanity simply for the joy of watching the chaos it produces.  But it also has the sweetest of intent when used properly.

How can I stir the pot of godly things within my soul?  And how can I stir the pot for my brothers of flesh to do the same?  I don’t desire to raise anger to the surface.  I’m trying to lift desire for God from the bottom of the pot to the surface.

As my soul is stired, one of the things that comes floating to the surface is called eternity.  In that nugget of absolutes lays enough concern to consume my entire life.  And as I look at my own unwillingness to obey, I naturally have fear for the sake of my brothers.

For that reason alone, I cannot be silent.  The Living God has spoken, death is the inheritance of every man outside of his Holy Son’s rule.  It is imperative that I let this understanding consume me.  It is imperative that every man do the same.

The day of flesh is quickly coming to an end.  I will not allow it to be said that I did not warn my brothers. 

By His Grace

God Provides the Way Out


We are not well-intentioned beings.  Even a lot of Christians believe that Man is simply misguided.  “If you explain his misbehavior to him, the wayward soul will rectify his life.”  That’s what the leaders of humanism will tell you.  That’s what the atheist would love to believe, if he had any proof.  Isn’t that the reason for the popular saying, “LIVE UNITED“?

The teaching that we are simply misguided by lack of knowledge, is simply and thoroughly untrue.  If it were true that man was simply a misguided and under educated being, there would have been many communes filled with really nice people  that still exist today.  But that’s not the case is it?

Even Christianity, that religion which is supposed to have the guidance of the Most High God’s Holy Son, is filled with turmoil and unholy behavior.  If man could be successful at establishing a beautiful populous, it would have happened within the first century after the birth of Christianity, and you would be able to find it today.

The problem is, God’s Word is true: even the best of our well-intentioned righteousness is no better than filthy rags.  We not only obey as if under duress for the threat of death or punishment, we invent wicked pleasures from our imagination.  And we do it all the time.

That is why the majority of the things I have written, by His grace, are pointed at the wickedness of Man.  God did not send his Holy Son to pat the righteous people on the back.  The Holy Father sent His only Son to mankind to deliver three messages.
1. Every man is already condemned to destruction before the Lord God Almighty.  All that’s left is to arrive on the Judgment Day to receive the condemnation.

2. The Holy Father has sent his Son as The Teacher of holiness.  He taught as many as would listen when he was here in bodily form.  And he teaches those who believe in Him through the Holy Spirit even today.

3. God caused his beautiful Son to become a Living Sacrifice for any who will claim his strength instead of their own.  For those who are willing to believe this message, God has loved us beyond words.  He has loved us to the very death of his only Holy Son.  And that at the very hands of those the Lord Jesus was sent to help.

If you can’t believe this message, your status before the Most High God does not change.  God the Father has offered up his only Son for your benefit, what more do you expect him to do?

Do you expect him to recieve you just like you are?  Well isn’t that the message I just wrote above?  Do you expect him to receive you because you are a righteous and good hearted person?  How does that stack up to what I just told you?

God has sent His Son to redeem the wicked depravity that is every single man’s filthy soul.  All you have to do is humble yourself and pray.  If you are willing to listen to him, he will transform your life from depravity to holiness.  Jesus is able and willing to offer eternal life to any who will trust him.

A man once said to me, “l don’t need Jesus.  I’ll take my chances at the judgment”.  The problem is, Sir, there is no such thing as “chances” on the Judgment Day.

By His Grace