Tag Archives: Evangelism

Nail it Down Now. Don’t Add to Regrets.

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Screw the deck boards in

Image by mathowie via Flickr

The deck out back wasn’t built very well.  The uprights aren’t spaced evenly.  And there aren’t enough of them to steady the weight from wiggling laterally.  It’s old.  And the nails they used are beginning to loosen.  I’ve hammered them back in a few times.   But they come loose again each year.   The frost, rain, and heat do their work to loosen what was done.  So I’m putting deck screws into the joints to help the deck last a few years longer.

While I’m doing this, I’m looking for similarities between my Christian walk and the deck I’m working on.  (No. It never stops with me.)  Then it dawned on me.  I consider the shoddy work done at the beginning of building.  And I’m here doing work to make that bad work last longer.  It will either come down on its own some day, or it will need to be torn down and rebuilt.  Either way, it won’t last as long as it might have done if the work in the beginning had been done well.

Consider your Christian life.  If you have had a rather shaky start, or allowed the world to mingle with your Christianity while you were forming the foundations of your faith, you’ll be fixing it till your last day on earth.  If you’ve begun a strong foundation to your Christianity, you’re likely going to be able to support more weighty problems.  And you’re less likely to be swayed by the winds of wickedness that the world will throw at you.

If you’ve had a shaky start, get in there and strengthen what remains.  Isn’t that what the Lord told us to do?  Keep what you have.  There’s no sense in tearing down what remains.  Refine your faith in the Lord.  Nail down those weak questionable choices you keep making.  Solidify your understanding in the Lord and learn what the Lord’s will is for you.  

Why am I out there sweating like a water faucet today?  I’m out there working on the deck because it needs to be done if I expect it to endure another winter or two.  What about you?   How long do you expect to have to endure this world’s assaults?  1 year?  30 years?  You’d do well to start strengthening yourself now.  The Christian walk either gets harder or easier come the end of your life.  Either you’ve planned and learned well to obey the Lord, or you’ve begun to forget the foundational teachings because you’re letting the world influence your choices.

By His Grace.

“I have said, ‘You are gods.'”

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Sculpture - head of Jesus Christ

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Who are we?  Why did the Glorious God of all create us?  We are a jewel in His Majestic Glory.  We are the work of His hand.  Yet the wicked abound.  Even the wicked are created to become sons of the Most High God.  They spurn His rule over them.  They are men of His creation.  But they desire their own desires.  He would have us all desire to serve Him.  And in His service there is no shame nor burden.   With His Word, he proclaims “I have said you are gods.  Yet you will die like mere men.” 

He has set us to live that we might learn from Him.  We are led by the Mighty Hand of God’s desire and Glory.  We are placed in a tent of flesh that we might learn humility and obedience.  Yet men by millions hate His guidance.  They build for themselves every pleasure they imagine.  And the Lord has allowed that they should have their day.   I have heard a man say “Read the books of those who hate the Most High God and His people.  It’s only fair that you read the books of my longing, if you expect me to read and understand the Book of yours.”  And what was the reply of the Lord within me to this man?  “I do not seek to be fair.  I seek the truth of God in Christ Jesus.” 

We are set apart to glorify the Lord of our Calling!  We do not strive under the same dementia as do those who throw away the very One who gave them minds to consider the world around them.  They are lost in a place of testing and can give no answer for their lives.

The Lord will have His day and He will not be put off.   Every man will answer to His Majestic Righteousness.  He has been patient with those who are now His enemies.  He has given every opportunity for them to consider His ways and to humble themselves under His Beautiful Will.  Refuse, you hated of the Lord’s Glory.  For you turn from His pleasure to seek your own.  Refuse and die.  Or choose to accept His gift in Jesus, His Christ, and live.  He offers, with open hand, a peace between you and His Glory. 

May the Lord of Life forever be glorified for the work of His powerful hand in the works of His people.  May His people know who they are and become pleasing to the Lord.  Rise up and dress yourselves with the Glory of God!  You are His sheep.  He has set you to wander in this Place of Testing, that you might learn of His ways.  Jesus has gone before us that we might perceive both the punishment of the wicked, and the reward of the Most High God for those who desire His ways.

By His Grace.

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He Will Do it All.

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In the King James Version there is Refrence to...

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Glorious Father of Life.  It is Your way which is Right.  No man can know Your Way on his own.  And obedience, pure obedience, to You cannot be contrived.  You have set the boundaries of understanding for man.  And You said, “This far you shall come and no more”.   In Your eternal wisdom You have caused a place where man must seek Your Holy Face if he is to do the will of God.  And You did this to reduce the pride of man to nothing.  It is Your hand which redeems.  And no man can manufacture Your salvation on his own.

You will be Glorified forever by Your Great Name and hand.  Your people will praise Your wisdom in salvation forever.  May You receive the fruit of Your hand.  May Your people provide bountiful fruit.  You have raised up a people for Yourself.  And no man was consulted regarding what is Pure.

 

By His Grace.

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Walnuts.

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Juglans regia (the Common walnut or Persian wa...

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Look at the Glory of God revealed in the world.  Consider that no man has ever built a walnut tree.  This is the work of God given to man that man might consider the Glory of He who cannot lie.  He provides for man.  Man does not provide for himself.  Consider the animals He has given us for food.  Consider the plants He provided for our health and strength.  Consider the air He has provided for the lungs He created.  Look at how continually God provides regardless the sins of man committed in His Holy Sight.  Look at how He has caused the ocean to obey His limits.  Consider how He has commanded that man should perceive His Glory in the works of God’s hand.  The miracles of God’s Glory surround us.  And only the disobedient will consider the works of their hands as more important than worship of God.  He has made the way clear to man.  Worship the Lord God Almighty only.  And turn away from all boasting and sin before His Holy Throne.  How can we worship in truth if we remain outside His Glorious provision of Jesus as our sacrifice for our sins?  Will you refuse Him who calls from Heaven?   And do not mistake the “calling” of God toward holiness.  We are created to worship the Lord of Life.   We are not created to seek the works of our own hands.

By His Grace.

The Altar of Jesus.

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Jesus Christ!

Image by wormwould via Flickr

He who lives by law will also die by that same law.  For no man can obey the Law of God.  And God will not accept those who break His Law.  God will never accept the boasting of man.  For the pride of man is rebellion and an abomination before Him.  He has set His method of salvation before man clearly.  He demands that all men come to His Throne of Holy Fire by the blood of Jesus His son.  There will never be another way to the Father extended to man.

No man who lives by the law of Moses, or the law of muslims, or the law of any other “religion” will ever enter the presence of the Most High God void of his guilt.  For guilt remains on all who stubbornly refuse the sacrifice of His Son.  Such men will retain their failings before God the Father.

I did not choose to make this understanding from the imagination of my mind.  It will forever remain the work of God on behalf of man.  Boasting and the work of man’s hands will never receive the praise of God.  For all men are born of sin and will die in sin.  It is the Father’s blessed will that all men receive the work of His hand alone.

You praise a man.  And you think this will please the Lord God Almighty.  But God will be praised only.  He has done what man cannot do.  He has opened the door to life.  Accept the sinless and accepted sacrifice of Jesus and live.   Bow to the Lord of eternity and accept Him that He might give you the Spirit of God.  It is through this Spirit that we become sealed by the hand of God.  And only through the Holy Spirit of God is man able to do the works of He who remains invisible.  Humble yourselves before the Most High and cease rebellion born of the works of your own hand.

Become an altar built by no man.  For God will not accept the sacrifices of man any longer.  He has built an altar which no man has seen, this altar is Jesus His Son.  He has been raised to Lord of all Heaven and earth.  “This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Listen to Him.”, the Father spoke.  He has, and never will, say such a thing of any man.  God has made the choice to redeem man under His own hand.

By His Grace.

Gold Stars and Gold Braids

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When I was young, they would reward my good efforts by giving me little gold stars.  Then I entered places where they might adorn my shirt with a button or a little trinket of “glory” as I moved from success to success.  I entered the military.  I received medals for certain accomplishments.  And now I receive rewards from men for doing what they wish me to do according to their standards.

The Lord is the same way.  Though we might or might not perceive it, He allows us to become adorned with certain Glory as we move from learning to learning.  We enter new places of obedience and usefulness as we spend time with Him.  And He is a generous God!  His mercy will be poured out on anyone who earnestly and actively turns from sin and rebellion toward obedience.

He will be praised forever because He is merciful and loving.  It will not be the notches of death He has had to render to the disobedient which will be His acclaim forever.  It will be the loving way He holds His people close to His wonderful heart that will be spoken for eternity.

Subject yourself to His wisdom and learn.  You will move within Him from place to place; from worst to better, and on to best.  Submit and learn to Love in Christ Jesus.

By His Grace.