Tag Archives: faithfulness

Are You Aware?

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This note is not to those who are not under the leadership of Jesus.  This is put to those who have recognized the rule of Christ Jesus in their lives. 

Are you aware of the war that goes on all around you?  Do you hear everything through the strainer of truth?  When your friends mention the name of Jesus as if it were a word equal to surprise, do you hear it as they meant it?  When you see a yellow light, do you listen to the flesh and speed up?  Or are you listening to the truth of God to obey authority and make plans to stop?  When there is something you know needs doing and you’ve acknowledged it in your heart, do you respond by the flesh and say to yourself, “Oh I got my priorities mixed up.  I’ll do such and such first”?  Or do you listen to what is true and go get it done?

When you feel that urge, that familiar urge toward that sin which debases you before the Most High God, do you realize that you’re being urged by both your flesh and the enemy whispering behind your head?  You strive to become holy and devoted to God, but when you’re tempted you give in.  Why?  Hasn’t Jesus set us free from the law of sin and death?  So, where is that devotion to Him?  How has He asked us to suffer beyond what the world encounters?  There are millions who run into the same problems you have, yet they seem to be able to handle the situation pretty well.  What is it about believers that we stumble so?  Where is our strength to defend and create a worthy testimony to the Lord of Life?

There is a war.  Those under the control of  the lord of flies are rarely hit as hard with “whispering temptation” as the believer.  The reason is that they pose no threat to his kingdom.  We, on the other hand, do pose a great threat if we ever get wind of being manipulated.  We are the players in this war who receive the greatest blows.  And this is as it should be. 

I became aware of his whispering one day.  I can’t remember how I knew it wasn’t me.  But I clearly recognized how out of place the thought was.  It was then and there that I started to listen carefully to my thought patterns.  I began to pay careful attention to what entered and what was produced by that entrance. 

Ponder what I’ve brought to the table here and consider His demand for Holiness on our part.  “Be Holy, even as your Father in Heaven is Holy”.  What cha gonna do bud?  grovel like a little child all your life?  You gonna let him bully you around?  Or are you gonna take charge with the power of the Holy Spirit God gave you?

By His Grace.

RISE UP AND LIVE IN HIS HOLY NAME!

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God!  To God we send our service.  The world serves themselves so that they might eat from their bountiful table of waste.  Yet the servants of the Lord Most High will eat of what He gives.  We struggle through this place as a people foreign and forgotten.  But we are not aliens to the floor of God’s Holy Throne room.  And we are remembered by He who cannot lie. 

How should His people walk in this great blackness?  Should our feet not find each step with a sure boldness?  We stand by the strength of the One who stands forever.  He enables as He sees fit.  And we are not left as orphans. 

Beware, all you who stand against the Holy Will of God.  You stand amiss.  He is about to close the door on all that is wicked.  For He has promised that His Spirit will not contend with the wickedness of man forever.  Be wise and consider your ways.  It is God who will judge.  You do not stand beneath the judgment of men, even the men of Christ.  You will be judged by your own standards, and that against the perfection of the Holy One of Israel.

Strength!  Be strong, you people who call upon the name of Jesus, the Christ of God!  We are entering into His rest.  Watch!  Watch with eyes of an eagle.  For He calls us to Holy service for His Glory.  Speak to one another with Holy words.  Speak to your heart of the peace He gives.  Remember your calling to become His people.  We do not serve any but He who never ends.  Rise up and LIVE!

By His Grace.

Scarlet is the Color of Extreme Sin.

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I posted a passage from Isaiah this morning regarding the nature of God’s expectations for men.  In the passage, God speaks of our sins.  He says, “Though your sins are as scarlet . . . “.  So why is God referring to extreme sins as a deep shade of red?

We think of good and bad in shades of light.  Horrible is marked by utter darkness; absolutely no light.  And Purity is marked by light; a great brilliance.  So why is God referring to extreme sin as a deep shade of red?

I thought, “Perhaps I don’t even know what scarlet is”.  So I did a google search for the color.  Then I went to image search to find the color depicted.  Ya know what popped up?  Porn.  “Oh!”  “Now I remember the ‘scarlet letter’ given to prostitutes and the sexually immoral.”  “Oh!”  “Now I remember how God often refers to His people as prostitutes; those who sell what is good for what is evil.  Oh.

In God’s eyes we are not shades of black and white.  We are labeled, either as those who chase after the things of the flesh, or those who chase after the things of God.  Which are you?  Which am I? 

By His Grace.

Who Are We?

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“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
   says the LORD.

This statement comes from the first chapter of Isaiah.  God is speaking of how His people have fallen.  And He speaks to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah (that would be all people).  What are we that God would say to us, “Come now, let us settle the matter”?  Such a statement is not made to a chair.  We don’t speak like that to anything that cannot respond through free will.  We speak like that to each other, don’t we?  We have a demand that’s not being met by someone who is able to meet the demand but refuses to do so.  Who are we that God should have such expectations? 

We have heard that we are so limited, small, vulnerable, and victimized.  But that statement is not addressed as though we have no choice but to remain as we are.  It speaks of ability not limitation.  What will be the judgment of such a people who refuse to learn of what is holy and good?  If God sees us as able, then His judgment of us will be wrapped around that concept.  “You were able to obey me because I gave you all you needed to learn this obedience”.  Perhaps that is going to be one of the phrases heard by the rebellious.

Consider, people, consider Him!  It will not be long before you stand in His Glorious and Holy presence to receive the just reward of your life.  I tell you a truth: It will be awesome to behold Him.  And it will not go well for the vast majority of mankind.  The rest of that chapter speaks of His expectations and His ability to restore those who desire to rid themselves of rebellion. 

This post is filled, to overflowing, with promise and warning.  I could have just pointed to the scripture and expected you to go read it.  But understanding the times, I know there are very few who read the Bible anymore.  Perhaps you think I speak with too much authority on this matter.  My words are light and carry the weight of a man.  But the words of God are filled with extreme authority.  Regardless what you think, you will die a hideous death of guilt at the hands of the Almighty God if you don’t heed what is posted here. 

Don’t think to yourself that refusing to read the Bible will excuse you from judgment.  “I didn’t know what you said in that book.  So I’m not to be held responsible for what you said there”.  Don’t allow the foolishness of your sinful mind to lure you into death.  You do know what He wants.  And you will be held accountable for all His Holiness on that day.

By His Grace.

Deadly Ground

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The door swung open and the man walked in.  With eyes that have seen blood and terror, he looked around quickly.  Having located those who might pose a problem, he began to speak.  “Which one of you wants to take me on?  Let’s get to it.  He waited.  Those he had assessed as a possible problem proved him right.  Three of them stood up with anger in their faces.  The four of them stood straight and still for a moment.  You could just smell the tension in the room. 

The one who had the most potential for trouble turned to his friends and said, “I say we go across the street and catch the action at Millies”.  With a laugh, the three walked past the man with eyes that never left their target.  The man turned slightly as they left and watched them go.  Then, when they were dedicated to their words, the man turned to those left.  “Good evening folks”, the man said with a great joy in his voice.  “My name is Keith.  I’m the preacher from Tombstone.  I’ve come to hold service with you tonite.  Put down your drinks and lets rearrange the chairs”.  After a moment of shock and gawking to each other they got up and moved all the chairs.  Without any farther dilly dally, the man began his prayer.

“Father in Heaven, I thank you for Your Glorious grace and mercy.  It is good what You have taught me; When you enter a place make sure to shake out those who would stand against My Word.    Now, by Your Majesty, we will begin to share the truth You have given Your servant.  In the Glorious name of Jesus we pray”.  And the people said “AMEN”!

 The message was filled with a beautiful mix of death and life.  With simple words, the preacher laid out the truth.  One of the men sitting near him watched him intently and the preacher began to worry that a snake had remained.  None-the-less, with a sharp corner of his eye keeping watch on the man sitting near, the preacher kept on.  Perhaps he was just very interested in the message and the messenger.

At the end of the message, that man came up to the preacher.  He said, “Mind if I ask ya something?”.  “Shoot”, said the preacher and it made the man smile.  “Where’s your guns?”, the man whispered.  “I didn’t see any sign of em under your top coat.  You got a special place to stash em?”  The preacher laughed.  “Guns!”, he spoke loudly.  “What guns?  I don’t carry any guns on me”.  The man squinted hard at the preacher.  “Maybe he ain’t all there”, he thought to himself.  “You don’t appear to be stupid to me, preacher.  So why call those men out when you walked in?   If they called your bluff, you’d be dead by now”.  The preacher’s face got grim and a scowl crossed his forehead.  He turned and looked the man face to face and eye to eye.  Bending closer, the preacher whispered in a coarse tone, “You don’t get it.  If they plug me through they only send me home.  Though I die in this body I will never die.”    The man squinted back at the preacher.  And he whispered back with the same corse tone, “You just ain’t all there mister”. 

The man turned and left shaking his head.  He had paid no attention to the message given.  He had no eyes to see and no ears to hear.  How about you?

By His Grace.

“Watch Over My Soul Lord. . . . . . please…..”

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We wake and yawn from a nights helpless sleep.

We prayed the night before our souls that He should keep.

And now we see a future pressed out before our eyes.

Another day has dawned.  Yet much to our surprise.

It is no different than the one before; this day of possibilities.

For we have not changed.  We are the same; a mess of liabilities.

We trust You Lord, our lips were heard to say.

“Can I trust You” the answer comes, “With holiness this day?”

How shocked we’ll be when His Dawn fully comes.

That we wasted so much time.

We traded dirt for gold and dross for coins

Yet He remains sublime.

By His Grace.