Tag Archives: gain

The Engine of Peace

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I look at what Man has accomplished.  How he has established law, regulation, procedure, and expectations, to force love upon the people for one another.  What I see is that punishment is the motivator.  Look with truth and you will see it also.

If you do what is evil the law will come and take from you.  If you contribute according to the law of the land you will reap what they say is great benefit.

I see how they encourage one another to do good works.  But again, the motivator is gain or severe loss.

Every day, every man wakes knowing that if he does not do what is expected he will lose horribly.  This is not the gospel of Christ.  It is the so-called good news of Man.

This good news of Man is dependent on the resources available.  There’s only so much money in the world.  There’s only so much food.  Politics restrains the gain for all.  And the vast majority find themselves suffering loss as the sun goes down on each day.  Even the so-called winners are exhausted from their efforts.  And there’s no need to itemize the broken families the come from the so-called good news.

In this good news of Man greed must be honed to a fine edge.  Look at the advent of training and implements that has been made available to help.  In all these things, the motivation for adherence comes from outside the man.

You know what’s funny?  With all this trust toward the ability of Man to create peace, the world is no better off. 

What does God say?  “14 . . . if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  (2 chronicles 7)   This Promise of God does not present itself as a manipulation.  It’s the offer of free and complete help.

Take note of how God strips the strength of greed.  In its place he only requires humility.

This is no empty promise.  But who will take up the mantle and respond?

Spiritual Dynamics

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A politician sat down with his advisors, that they might conspire how to get him reelected next year.  His record was not stellar.  By a considerable margin, he might well lose the next election.

They discussed six or seven alternatives, but none of them were rated very high in probability.  But the last option rang like a new brass church bell.

“If you are reelected”, one of them said.  “You could easily pocket 7 million over the next four years.”   The politicians eyes smiled, but in his soul the word “if” stood out largely.  He turned to look at Fred.  “What’s your point Fred?”

Fred began.  “It takes money to make money Stan.  How would you like to get 7 million for a 10 percent investment?”   He captured Stan’s imagination like a magnet to iron filings.  “Why don’t you make a conspicuous donation to father Briers little Church?   He’s got a tiny little place and a lot of land to build on.  We will make sure it’s leaked to the press that you are a godly man, and can be trusted.  I guarantee it’ll pop your numbers over the top.”

Stan fell in love with the idea.  The next day Stan and six of his Advisors showed up at the little Catholic Church.  After a bit of small talk, Stan handed father Brier a check for $725,000.

Father Brier accepted the check with great joy.  And Stan’s advisors made promises to help advertise the new building.  Soon father Briers Church would be full of people! 

The priest was overjoyed.  The building was completed long before election time.  The people floated in, as promised.  Needless to say, the income of the Church rose dramatically, and Stan got reelected.

The politician had done what politicians do; they often use whatever means is necessary to secure their position.  But the priest had done something he should never have done.  I’m not referring to accepting the money.

The priest considered his building as the Church.  And from that misconception everything else fell flat. 

A man can own a building.  A man can gain a title.  A man can play politics with the things that are in his hand.  But no one can own the Church.  The Church belongs to Jesus, the Christ of God.

No building, no title, and no politics, are able to wrench it out of the Lord’s hands.  Forgetting that the word church refers to “the called out ones”, can be a grave mistake.

The priest may be happy today.  But he has missed the fluid dynamic of the Holy Spirit’s power.  Stop up the flow of a river, and it will eventually turn putrid.

By His Grace

True Profit

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I do not respect the customs of Men.  I have no regard to the differing “customs” of certain groups.  One eats just these things.  Another eats other things.  Certain clothing is appropriate for differing circumstances, relegated to the demands of pomp, pleasure, and expectations of society.  What do I care?  Eat what you will.  Dress as you desire.  What is that to me?

But the things of the soul.  Now these things matter!  Differing languages, differing customs, differing surroundings, differing expectations of society, what are these things?  When it comes to the soul, none of these things have any bearing at all.  For we are all created for the singular purpose of being profitable to the Most High God.

Profit, profit, profit!  That’s all the body desires.  We wake to “do”, that we might gain profit.  To one man profit is pleasure.  To another, profit is to gain, that he might add to his mountain of treasure.  But profit to God is that His Holy and Righteous Son be glorified.

Some call profit for God in various and differing terms, each according to the religion he has been taught.  But God has elevated His Holy Son to the place of First Above All.  And wouldn’t it matter that God has done this for His Righteous Son?  What does it matter if man considers another religion above Christianity?  It is God, alone, who dictates what is Righteous.

But let it be said, Jesus is the King of kings.  He is the Lord of lords.  He is the Mighty One over all!  It is to Jesus that every knee will bow and give Glory to God the Holy Father.

You say, “This is your opinion.  You were raised up under the constraints of Christian teaching.  But we were raised under the constraints of Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Baha’i, Confucianism, Jainism, Shinto, atheism, humanism, [or a million other worthless tripe of human reasoning].  To you, Christianity is singular.  Realize that our faith is singular to us”.

But God has chosen His Christ.  God has secured salvation by His own Holy Hand.  And this is the message that has no dependence on the customs of man.  For it comes from Heaven.  It is delivered to God’s chosen ones to speak.  And it is secured in their souls by the Holy Spirit’s presence.

Do you want profit of Man?  Or do you want Profit of God?  Seek the Holy Father’s advice regarding this.  Strip your mind of the customs you were taught.  Strip your expectations from your soul.  Seek His Holy Face in Truth.  As we humble ourselves before the Living God, so the Living God responds.  Likewise, as we stand proud in our own understandings, the Living God is shrewd in his response.

Profit comes from humility.  True profit.  The profit of eternity that is dressed in the Glorious Living God’s Holy Son, Jesus the Christ.

Now you take offence at these things.  For I have spoken that Jesus is the singular means to God the Father.  But Christians should take no such stance as you.  We do not take offence at the accusations against Christianity.  We do not defend the Christ.  It is the Christ who defends us.  We have no means to sustain our teachings.  It is God who sustains the teachings of Christ.  We are witnesses, not defenders.  We testify that the Living God has secured our salvation.  We do not defend the Faith He has given us.

Perceive the difference.  Listen to what I am saying.  There is no salvation for anyone outside the Holy Son of the Living God.

Golden Stairs

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Doing battle with the man I was;

An exceedingly costly affair.

The cost is high and sure because

I must climb His golden stair.

The steps are made of Molten Gold,

Refining in his Fire.

And every step I take, as bold,

Consumes me all the higher.

The price is high, as men perceive.

But is it worth the cost?

I’ll be there on my bended knee,

Enjoying what was lost.

While others who enjoy their gold

With a coolness that will not burn.

Will kneel in fear, and void of bold;

For these steps I take they’ll yearn.

Oh cross of Christ, that precious place;

That step there at the top!

Reflects to me His Glorious face,

As this journey finally stops.

Do you think it odd a man should lose

Everything you hold so dear?

I think it’s odd that you should choose

To hold on to your fear.

As now the Great Proclaiming’s done,

You settle down in your flesh.

Forsaking all that can be won,

You place your loss as best!

Yes the stairs will torch your hope,

Of a life of peace and ease.

But you climb to Him upon a rope;

Consumed by a Fiery Breeze!

Won’t you please come and place your foot

Upon the liquid step?

Belief in Christ will do you good.

He’ll accomplish all the rest.

But if you do this step ascend,

Do not back down again!

The world perceives us not as friends,

Who will His Stairs ascend.

By His Grace

Profits

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The prophet of God is valuable.  Who then are they who disagree?

There is profit in the words of the prophet of God.  Who then are they who disbelieve?

It is intriguing that men prefer to ignore the messengers of God, when profit and loss are household concepts.  By this we can say that men are, by their very nature, lousy accountants.

For this they run the business of their life as if to fail.  Yet in business, they will kill to succeed.  Why does this tiny wisdom escape them?

It is impossible to correctly speak of the poverty of man.  Just as it is impossible to speak of the riches of God.

When we see Him face to face, we will understand.  Until then, profit comes by faith.  All the while poverty abides in flesh.

Do not be fooled, a man is what he believes.  Profit or loss, which do you choose?

By His Grace

Humility Wins, Hands Down

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The humble man in Christ Jesus may suffer a great deal of loss.

But the proud man, who fends for himself, suffers no loss at all.

The true Christian will be compensated beyond his wildest imagination.

But the godless man will die with the things which now protect him.

Define loss and gain, as you perceive them.  Consider what is written above.  Then redefine loss and gain.

When you have read this far you have lost that much more time.  How much more time will you squander, o’ godless man of self?  The door to your life has closed a fraction more as you read these words, which you are likely to dismiss.

Dear Christian brothers and sisters:

Entice loss to come up on you, even as our spiritual siblings before, enticed the wild beasts.  Let the glory of our Lord Christ Jesus excel!  He will certainly not withhold his hand from reward.

We suffer but a little while.  Then the glory of the Living God explodes upon our soul, and it will never recede.  How insignificant this time will become; as we have willingly suffered for his Great and Majestic Glory.
         ____________

While you, godless men
and women,  continue in your willing blindness.  The Holy Lord stands ready to give you eyes to see, a mind to understand, and a heart that is willing to obey.  But you will have none of it.

Each man decides for himself.  Will he humble himself and pray, and seek the Lord’s Holy Face, and read his Holy words, and strive with all his mind, strength and soul to learn?  Or will he count all these blessed words as if they are less than trash?

15 “And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24)

Shake the trees with your great in majestic strength, O’ Living God in Christ!  Send your righteousness upon all men.  Inspect them, Father in Heaven,
even as they live dead among the dead.  Rise up and judge your enemy.  Bring a close to this great place of testing. 

Let the righteous remain
righteous.  Let the wicked remain wicked.  Let all who seek Your mercy find it in vast abundance.  But let all who hate you now be put to utter shame on that great day when you stand to judge the world.

In Christ Jesus, the Holy Son of God, amen.

By His Grace