Tag Archives: forgiveness

And God Swore an Oath, That They Should Never Enter His Rest.

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I woke this morning and saw something in myself that concerns me.  It is a vague something, yet it’s markedly dangerous.  It’s hard to put my finger on what the cause might be.  But I recognize it’s danger from what I read of the people who God swore would never enter His rest.  It is a spirit of discontent. 

This spirit of discontent is the very bend which condemned those who were written of in Hebrews:

 7 So, as the Holy Spirit says:

   “Today, if you hear his voice,
 8 do not harden your hearts
as you did in the rebellion,
   during the time of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your ancestors tested and tried me,
   though for forty years they saw what I did.
10 That is why I was angry with that generation;
   I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray,
   and they have not known my ways.’
11 So I declared on oath in my anger,
   ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ”

I have heard His voice.  I am seeing what He is doing.  And yet this “hardness of heart” is bubbling within me.  The Lord is making me aware of it’s potential.  And I rest assured that He is able to help me crush it before it grows to a problem. 

What shall we say regarding this?  There are a number of items of importance which this subject brings to the forefront.  I’ll line them out and allow them to be displayed.  Often if we shine God’s light on such problems they have a tendency to evaporate before they cause damage.

  1. It is a “hardness of heart” and a symptom of rebellion.  It’s as though we set our feet in the sand and act like a little child who won’t go or do what dad says he must do.
  2. It was what caused Cain to murder Able.  Cain decided that he knew better what was correct.  And the result of this rebellion was murder.  What did God respond to Cain?  ” If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
  3. The potential of this spirit of rebellion is that we are cast away from God for eternity.  Potential is the key word.  Nip it in the bud before it begins to grow.  For this sin is the very essence of death to God’s people.  Through it we begin to allow our hearts to go astray and through it we forget (thus never knowing) His ways.
  4. Once more, and with power, we proclaim that God is able to rectify this spirit of rebellion within those who are being called out.  But we cannot even know it is within us without His leading.  The hideous nature of this sin is that it is so very like our natural state that we hardly recognize it’s growth untill it’s too late.

What shall we do to repair this “glitch” in our walk with God?  Since it was God who showed it to me, it will also be God who will remove it.  Yet He has spoken that our salvation is a mutual work.  He speaks to us regarding our sins and it is up to us to agree.  Yet it is not with our own strength that we will war against these sins. 

I can’t describe what we are able to do about our sinful nature.  It is beyond me to know how to remove such a natural tendency as rebellion against the rule of God in my life.  But I can clearly show what should be done in this matter:  I will turn to Jesus.  It is He who will be glorified in my life.  It is He who will announce to me that there is something needing our attention.  It is He who will cause me to consider the problem.  It is He who will advise the proper understanding regarding sin.  It is He who will send me through the paces necessary to remove the problem.  And it is He who, in the end, will remove it.

It is not our strength or will that receives the certification of God’s Holiness.  It is the very interaction of Jesus, the King of Kings, who brings us to His Father.  It will be Jesus who receives all Glory come that day.  If I build my house on anything else it will not stand.  What do we mean when we say “To God be the Glory, forever”?

I’m going to post this as is.  I am aware it’s not complete.  But it is essential enough to post quickly.  I am struggling at the top of my game to obey.  Yet I know I am not alone in this matter.  There are thousands who reach these points in their walk with Jesus and falter, never to rise again.  I can say, without doubt, that the answer is Jesus.  And I encourage questions, additions, and corrections to this post.  I could have saved it as a draft and worked on it later.  But I know I wouldn’t get back to it in a timely fashion.  I submit this, then, for the building up of the body of Christ.

By His Grace.

Choose! Today is the Day of Testing.

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Unspeakable is the desire that all people would turn to their creator, the Father of Jesus; the Living God.  I look about and see such great wickedness in this world.  I am told of the Day of the Lord, which is surely coming.  My heart aches to lead others to He who is eternal and does not lie.  Yet, as Isaiah said, “Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?” 

Which one of you will join me as the word of “calling” goes out?  Who will stand with the God of Glory and speak that word of warning?  There is no end of increase to the sins of men.  And every day dawns with more and more, wicked and wicked, lifting man instead of his God.  Every day the call goes out to all men to repent and seek righteousness through the forgiveness offered by Christ Jesus.  But so very few even open their ears, let alone turn from wickedness.

Holy God, these words are presented for Your Holy Glory.  You alone know the heart of the one who presents them here.  Yet it is Your heart these words uphold.  It is Your way presented.  Glory, all Glory belongs to the Most High God!  Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty! 

Prepare, world.  Set your feet strong in your way, for the day is soon coming when the very ground on which you set your feet will be shaken and removed.  Set your mind and heart on the things of sin and wickedness.  Pervert the ways of God’s Holy name.  For this is your day.  But remember with sobriety, God’s day is soon coming also.  He sets His Holy feet on the ground of eternity.  And where His feet stand will never be shaken. 

He has spoken and has set a day for all to come before Him.  He has moved among us and His Christ has been revealed.  It is God who will be forever praised because He has done for man what man could not do for himself.  His hand has offered redemption, yet who has ears to hear?  His Holy throne is established and will not fail.  Yet man will falter and fail.  Why would you die?  He has done all He is willing to do by His wisdom.  Turn to your God and live.  Turn to the Holy name of Jesus and find life. 

Oh, World, you speak of “religion” as though it were an answer in many forms.  Yet God himself has set Jesus as His doorway into eternity.  You who speak the name of Jesus and mingle with idols, beware!   It is not idols and false Gods which will save you on that day.  Horrible!  Horrible!  What great horrors await those who reject the Living God!  Joy!  Joy!  What unspeakable joy awaits all who humble themselves under God’s Holy hand and receive His word of life through Jesus.

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.

Self Righteous Trap

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Two scriptures:

 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”   “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.    Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”   “What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

And the other scripture:

“. . . Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: “So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.”

How can men know truth when it is God Himself who has set the limit of man’s understanding?  His purpose in this is that man might consider his limitations and seek the One who has no limit.  So many I’ve seen speak of how they are working toward eternity trying to do good.  And how many have I confronted with the fact that It’s Jesus who will be glorified, not man?  Yet what is their reply?  “Well, what you say is good.  But I’ll take my chances.  Thanks.” 

What is it with human pride?  How curious that even when presented with hell people won’t let go of their own “righteousness”.  It’s kind of like the trap set for monkeys.  A cage or container is set up with an inticing bait inside.  The slats or hole will allow a monkey to reach the hand in and grab the stick.  But they can’t bring a closed fist back out.  They will scream and dance around when approached for harvest.  But they won’t let go.  Death is the next experience these monkeys deal with.  How it will be on that day when we are presented with God’s plan of salvation, Jesus’ sacrifice.  Billions will stand there and expect to be received because they were such good people.  But billions will be horribly saddened when they are shown their selfish intentions.

Accept Jesus’ sacrifice and stop relying on your own ability to please God. 

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.