The Fix


William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) - The F...

William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905) – The Flagellation of Our Lord Jesus Christ (1880) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Curb the animal within your tainted heart.  Oh, I see that can’t be done.  Sorry to have bothered you.”

_________________________
I wake to find myself amazed.

The plight of man surges up like a wild rogue wave.

against a determined crew.

Mindlessly, endlessly, remorselessly, we search

for what is secure in our own little berth.

Attacking, defending, accusing, for what?

_________________________

Hideous folly attends our earth bound thoughts. And in our frustration we reach for the most firm item in our rotting little minds.  Wielding it like a mob of mad men, we thrash at one another.

Some one of us has a lucid moment and yells “STOP!”  All the crazed people cease in mid-swing.  Spit, blood and dust flutter to the ground.  A wicked silence ensues.  And they all listen to words spoken, too late and untimely.

“This is religion we’re swingin around!

Just look at the blood that covers the ground!

Is this truly the best we can do;

to kill one another with He who is true?”

The ceasing remains for a couple more breaths.

Then back comes the hitting, the gouging and stabbing of chest.

________________________

Hopelessly man is locked in minds of singular thought.  We make our way through a morass of unknown futures.  And we, too reliably, resort to violence of every form to do what we call survive.  Worse than that, we justify ourselves by calling down “TRUTH FROM HEAVEN”.

There are but two repairs to this seemingly endless dance of stupidity.  Each repair is useful only to the individual.  One is sure yet not recommended by any.  The other is sure yet few give it full application.

The least profitable repair is death.  If you wait patiently it will come to you on its own.  But likely as not some one will be willing to go fetch it for you.

Death brings silence and a sort of peace.  But it fails to deliver release from the central problem of “a valueless life”.  And once applied it cannot be undone.  (Sticky lil bugger, ain’t it.)

The best is to die to self.  We will find this in its full when we surrender to the Lord Jesus.  We will continue in this place of folly, but we will come to know how to stop bashing others.  Only in Him can this madness cease.  Yet His repair is not designed to cover the masses.  One by one we lay down our desires.  And the culmination of His work appears in an entirely different place.  There, a great throng of mentally vibrant folk will live out eternity void of the familiar bashing.

I wrote as the one who called attention to the childish nature of our filthy mob.  I do not think it will have the effect of stopping more than two, let alone the world.  Still, I have written what my mind saw.  We will see what comes.

By His Grace.

Strivings of the Ungodly


How carefully you plot to remove the Most High God from this world;

Strip Him of His Glory and replace His words with lies.

In secret rooms you whisper the words of plans so deep.

“We’ll take this first. And then the next. Then bit by bit He’ll shrivel in our midst.”

Secret Passage #3And as your plot unveils, you marvel at the ease.

It seems there’s no one to stand against those thoughts that begged for release.

There is a day when you will dance.

That hidden glee will celebrate openly.

And on that day utter horror awaits.

For when you think you have won the Lord Himself will appear.

Send your presents to one another, and dance that dance of joy.

All your work goes with you, as you stand before the Lord.

You didn’t want Him here. He won’t want you there.

And here you have a year or two.

There, eternity will move suddenly without you.

I applaud your striving.

It’s obvious you’re strong.

But what strength will you have when all your hope is gone?

Take what’s not yours.

Please take all you will.

We must make sure that all you have fills up unholy hell.

Through or Into the Flames We Go.


fire

Image by matthewvenn via Flickr

Making a choice regarding religion is not like buying a new car.  Though there are a myriad of religions and a gaggle of new cars to choose from, there is only one God.  So how can we decide what’s right?  There are a few items for thought regarding religions.  And we will prove ourselves wise if we consider them.

1. God is the creator.  So what is made is not the creator Himself.  We can expect then that any religion which holds creation as greater than God is false.

2. Man is sinful and wicked to the core.  Look at how many times you’ve lied in the last 24 hours.  Either you lied because you wanted something and thought it would be the best way around, or you lied because you weren’t completely up to speed with reality.  But you lied.  Consider how many times you looked at your speedometer and found you were going to fast for the speed zone.  Isn’t this breaking the law?  And don’t all people know that breaking the law is to be imperfect?  Bottom line, you’re not potentially perfect.  You’re full to over flowing with sin.  God does not lie.  So any religion which brings man to the place of potential perfection is false.

3. If God is true and every man a liar.  And if He says that all men will die eternally because of their wickedness.  And if Christianity provides a sacrifice for our sins in Jesus (which it does).  Then the choices get very limited very quickly.

 

You’re not going to find a religion, regardless what they say, which offers the hope of the Lord Jesus.  Cults abound.  False hope is as plentiful as corn dogs at the state fair.  But there is One who is true.  And He has marked out the way in the Bible.  Spurn the Lord Jesus and you will reap a whirlwind of horror.  Embrace Him and you will find the power to hope and live.  We have been given one life.  It’s this one you’re using right now to read this.  There is no other chance to get it right.  The Bible holds the Gospel (good news).  Don’t listen to all the trash in this world.  Go straight to the source.

When you read the Bible you’ll become afraid.  I promise that.  And you’ll be tempted to put it down in a hurry.  But that fear is a recognition that the Holy Fire of God is present in those words.  You have to walk through that fire to find the Lord Jesus.  Live or die.  It’s your choice.

By His Grace.

Righteous Lame.


broken_foot_2

Image by DaveCube via Flickr

You walk through life and ponder your fate.

By the things that are now in your hand.

And you look round at “yours”, boasting proud of your name.

But have you looked to Heaven’s True land?

“Religion is mine!”  You proclaim with great pomp.

And you boast of your future great fame.

We are sin from the start, and will not mount the stars

Without eating dirt, whence we came.

Consider the Lord and His wonderous fame.

Look long into His Glorious Name!

We are dust from the first.  He is God, so proclaimed.

Render your self “Righteous Lame”.

 

By His Grace.

Glenn Beck and the “Two Witnesses” of Revelation.


Flag of the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem

Image via Wikipedia

(Since this entry was written nothing has come about to warrant its writing.  I will leave this post on my blog.  I see that a lot of people are searching for such things.  But I will remind the reader that prophecy has its place.  All the while, leading a life filled with the Holy Spirit of God is of vastly more importance.  While we search for what is to come, let us remember to live a life worthy of God’s blessing.  Prophecy will do nothing to help us as we stand before the Throne of Christ Jesus.  Obedience, however, will help us immensely.)

I just posted a difference in beliefs between Glenn Beck and the children of the Most High God through Jesus’ sacrifice.  So I feel a bit redundant bringing him back to my blog.  But something is transpiring which demands attention.

Glenn is planning to take his media power to Jerusalem.  It is his belief that he must stand with Israel in the coming days.  I pondered this move in light of the Lord’s plans and wondered how this might fit in.  Though I don’t have direct word from the Lord on this, I’ve come to a realization that might hold some water.

The current media ignores Israel, being quite liberal and ungodly in their approach to the world’s plight.  And we have heard of the two witnesses which will appear to testify to the world’s ungodly behavior.  It’s not likely that the current media would even notice them, given their present bend to sin.  But we are told that these two witnesses will be seen by the entire world.  Is it possible that Glenn’s move to Jerusalem (along with his powerful outreach) is a direct hand of God?  Perhaps the Lord is setting up the stage on which these two men will carry out their appointed tasks.

The following is the account of these two men from the book of Revelation chapter 11.  I present this, not as the direct word of God, as something for all men to ponder and respect.  God will move against the sins of this world.  How He will do it is only in our hands to watch.

1 I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. 2 But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. 3 And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.”  5 If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. 6They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

 7 Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. 8 Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city—which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt—where also their Lord was crucified. 9 For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. 10The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.

 11 But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. 12Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on.

 13 At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

 

May all who seek life from the Lord through Jesus be made to wake.  The time is nearer now than ever before.  Do not get caught sleeping.

As a supplement to this post, I invite you to read Man’s Understanding of Holy Lacks a Bit.   (which is another post on my blog)

By His Grace.

What We Believe Matters.


Political commentator Glenn Beck at the Time 1...

Image via Wikipedia

I respect Glenn Beck‘s “ministry”.  I know that in the world of media he stands out rather loudly for the best man can aspire to under religion.  Glenn will often refer to the doing of good on the part of those who care about what is right.  And I find no direct fault with the world seeking what is good.

But I hear something missing among his words.  Though it is good to pursue righteousness, there is a certain righteousness on this earth which man will rarely aspire to accomplish.  What is “good” among men might not reach to the “Goodness” of God’s perfect will.  Glenn is promoting that “We will be the key” to positive change toward righteousness in this world.  I am forced by the word of God to differ.  Man will never be the key toward the Righteousness of God.  God’s will alone can accomplish the eternal and therefore perfect Righteousness. 

While Glenn will encourage others to reach up toward God for help, it is more on the order of “enlightenment”.  Perhaps it would best be summed up as, “Lord, help me do the right things”.  And in one respect, this is a right request.  If we are asking that we might understand and do the Will of God, we are in the right vein.  But if we are only asking that God bless the work of our own hands we stand slightly amiss.

This difference of belief could be considered subtle by most.  But in the end, only those who do the will of God the Father will be allowed entrance into His peace.  What is the will of God the Father?  To believe on the Son of God, Jesus.  To obey Jesus’ commands to do everything Jesus tells us to do.  We are not set aside to redeem the world.  That is to say we are not saved to retain human implements of freedom on this world.  We are embraced in the blood of Christ Jesus to be implements of the will of God.  It is quite possible that man’s freedom will be dashed by God.  And I find this latter idea holds a great deal more water than manipulating government policies so that we can do anything we please. 

What we believe matters!  Who we obey and serve matters.  Believe in the directing of Jesus and you stand on solid ground.  Believe in the “goodness” of man and you stand amiss.

By His Grace.