Tag Archives: friends

Dogs or Brothers

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The dog is an amazing creature.  No better friend on earth can be had than a faithful and obedient canine.   They are a great source of joy and comfort to their owner.  A well trained dog will do anything to please its master.

But a dog is a dog.  It will eat it’s own vomit.  Often the dog will even eat its own feces. 

It cannot be trusted to make business deals. 

It has no concept of a clean the floor or carpet.  You will never see a dog naturally wipe its feet before it comes in the house.

Its welfare must be constantly maintained.  And it requires a rather watchful eye over its habits. 

Once it has developed a taste for blood, the dog is either to be destroyed or heavily restrained for the rest of its life. 

Stray dogs are no companion for the children.  They are unpredictable and dangerous.

Most dogs have a hard time understanding friend or foe in regard to those who come to visit its master.

The dog will understand certain commands.  But it does not fully understand the language of man.  It might pick up on our habits, but it doesn’t understand the reason for them.

A dog will be loyal to its own detriment.  It can love with a fully open heart.  It’s always glad to see its master.  And the only time it makes any judgment regarding its master, is in the matter of food.

Think of all the things that dogs are by their very nature.  Then consider Man.

Look at all the things that men do.  Unless we are specifically trained by God, we have no stability or faithfulness within us.  Take all the things I have said about dogs and apply them to Man.

Some dogs must be killed because they are a threat.  Some dogs are fit only to be restrained outside.  Some dogs are companions on the couch.  But they are still dogs.

Christ has come to transform us from potential pets to brothers. 

A brother understands the language of his father and siblings.  He is able to differentiate between the things of carnal behavior and those of responsibilities in the family.

It’s good to consider the following.  Have we allowed ourselves to become good and restrained pets?  Or have we sought the full transformation into the family of God as brothers of Christ?

Are we busily over coming sin by the power of Christ presence?  Or are we seeking release from the triggers that give temptation its strength?  Isn’t the latter like being placed on a leash?

I did not write this to shake the faith of anyone.  But consider what it would be if, instead of trying to be rid of temptation, we were to embrace the power of Christ to overcome it.  There’s a distinct difference between the brothers of the household and the pets.

There’s a great deal more to say about this.  What I’ve written is a good start.

Rejected or Accepted

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So much is made of self esteem in this world. 

If you were accepted by the one who made you, you would have no need for self esteem boosters.

Friends

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If a man is a friend of God in Christ Jesus, he will receive from the world the same things God receives.

Count the cost.

3 Day Old Mashed Potatoes

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A man may follow some horrible passion that lands him in jail, yet there are always people who are willing to embrace him as a brother of flesh when he gets out.  He may commit some social taboo, in which he loses all his friends.  Yet there will be many who are willing to embrace him as a brother of flesh.

But the one who desires to have only conversations regarding God and his Holy Son, will find himself cast away like three day old mashed potatoes.  Those who are willing to embrace him, are exceedingly far between and few.

With a distinct lack of interest for the things of this world, the one who speaks of God is of no earthly value.

That’s not just conjecture.  That’s personal testimony.

But I will also testify that the friendship of Christ Jesus is more than sufficient for the one who is cast away because of his Holy name.

By His Grace

“Getting There”

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One afternoon, I turned a corner on the sidewalk.  I saw a great commotion.  The flavor of the people was excited and happy.  Curious, I ventured to the crowd.  I could see parts of a beautifully shiny convertible car sitting in the middle of the crowd.  Bold, as was my demeanor at the moment, I went through the crowd and asked the driver what all the hub bub was all about.  “I’m going to heaven!”  He answered.

It was a fast car, yes.  But tires need road.  In my perception, arrival in heaven needs more than a road and tires.  So I was curious about his means.  I didn’t say anything more.  I just stepped back to watch.

The driver waved at the crowd and started the engine.  The car purred with obvious power.  At the signal of his hand, eight strong men came toward the car.  Each one put his hands under the sides of the body and lifted the car.  They all turned their head toward the front of the car and began to carry the car!  All the while, the driver revved the engine up and down.  Everyone in the crowd was shouting with joy.  Applause went up from them like cracks from a large fire.

After a few steps, the men put the car back down.   The driver shut off the engine.  And stepped out of the car.  He was greeted with great enthusiasm.  The entire mass of men was full of great joy.

I was at a loss here.  My mind thought it must be some kind of circus act.  But they all looked to sincere.  I had to ask the driver what the deal was.

He looked at me with puzzling eyes.  “How is it that you don’t understand?  No one gets to heaven without friends to help him.   Accountability, boy!  It takes accountability to keep a man on the straight road.  These men carried me into dedication.  This is a sign of my vow to do what is good.  And by their testimony, I will be accounted as one who has faith.”

I just stood there speechless.  He was as serious as a spider bite.

Isn’t this what the social gospel promotes?  “If we just all get along, God will recognize our righteous intent.   If we do good for one another, God will surely praise our hearts.”  Yep.  That’s what it says.

“Wazzam Shazzam!”  We don’t need Jesus!”

It’s just too bad that Jesus was so amazingly mistaken.  He didn’t need to die on a cross to save our souls.  He didn’t need to suffer at the hands of men.  All he needed to do was praise our intentions.

Marginal Christianity 101

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Have you settled for social Christianity?  Do you go to church like a good little boy, because it’s what we’re supposed to do? 

It is socially acceptable to have a painting of Jesus on a wall in your house.  It’s even okay to have a worn out looking Bible on the coffee table.  And if somebody has an emergency it’s okay to pray some kind of helpless prayer.

All the while such people use the Holy Lord’s name in vain.  They keep what they know about the Gospel to themselves.  You may occasionally find them in a Christian book store.  But you’re not likely to find them living a holy life.

Is this what you’ve become?  Is that what Christianity means to you?

I’m not going to browbeat you.  And I didn’t write this to make you feel bad.  But I want to help you examine that kind of Christianity.

Why would anyone be satisfied with some small settlement for eternity, when he could have been a son of God?  Why would anyone do something at the marginal levels, when they have the promise of the Holy One to help them aspire to greatness in the kingdom of God?

You do realize, don’t you, that we’re talking about eternity here.  At 100 billion billion years, you would still be considered a child.  That’s a long time to live with a regret.  For your sake, I’m speaking like a man, in that there might be what can be called marginal Christianity.

Personally I don’t believe there is such a thing as marginal Christianity.  Because I don’t recall a place in the Bible where God says that’s okay.

Instead, I find list after list of description belonging to those who do not receive eternal life.  So that begs this question, why would any sane person want to play games with eternity?

I know what the problems are my friend.  If you start talking about God you lose friends, and fast.  You’ll be forced to give up a lot of pleasures.  You will likely have difficulty with your spouse.  If you have teenagers, they are likely to think you have gone insane.  You may lose your job.  Even your many friends at church may turn their face when they see you coming, just like you do to God’s people now.

But if you want marginal Christianity, have at it.  What am I going to do, tie you to a chair and beat you with a rubber hose?  It’s entirely your choice, isn’t it?

But have you considered what’s at stake?  You may lose everything on this earth.  But you gain an unspeakable joy forever.  You may be driven to the place where you do not have one single friend.  But for eternity you will have a family who will never desert you or accuse you of any wrong.

You will suffer anguish over the things you have done.  That’s what repentance provokes.  That means you lose a lot of sleep.  But isn’t that why you have seared your conscience with a hot iron?   You have cauterized your shameful history, lest it bleed out into your mind.  For you can’t put up with any guilty thoughts.

You don’t look back at the bad things you’ve done, because you can’t take the shame of it.  But if you don’t join with Jesus, God will show you these things himself.  And when he does that, there will be no opportunity for you to make repairs.  And at that point there is no more offer of forgiveness.

But you’re welcome to keep your marginal Christianity.  You will not do harm to eternity if you are not there.  No one in the kingdom of heaven will talk bad about you.  My friend, they won’t even remember your name.

The people who are disobedient to the Gospel, do not have eternal life.  But you can keep your marginal Christianity, while so many strive with all they have to enter in.  Just where did you expect to fit in?

By His Grace