Tag Archives: gospel

A Necessary Bad Idea

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Never taunt an angry drunk.  Especially, don’t taunt a very large, angry drunk.  You will become his target.  And the violence he had done in the past will become a storm of hatred.  He will become like every vicious animal.  And you will regret it.

The world is angry because it can’t have what it wants.  And some, if not many, are drunk with desire.  Unless you are willing to die, it is not wise to taunt them.  Yet, isn’t it the effect the Gospel has on the world? 

The Gospel speaks of the wickedness of man as leading to certain death.  And it speaks of the glories that await those who obey the Lord Jesus.  The combination presented to those drunk with desire for the things of the world will certainly rouse their anger.

Look at the situation in America, Egypt, Lybia, Grease, and others.  See how desire for riches, power, and world strength have killed so many already.  And I am confident that when they have attained enough power and riches they will turn to God’s people. 

Yet I will taunt them.  I will speak of the Love of God displayed in His Gospel.  I will present myself for their salvation, if they will have it.  But I will also brace myself for what surely comes of that.  I remember how some were treated before I knew the Gospel.  I remember how they were cast out of friendships.  I remember how the whispers about them were abundant.  And I remember how they lost what was dear to them as they served the Lord.

Bring a Bible into the home of a happy couple.  Allow that one of them will believe the message.  That one will start to pull away from the world’s ways.  While the other will hate this change.  There will be tension.  There will be a falling out.  And, if one remains in unbelief while the other grows in Christ Jesus, there will be an explosion between them. 

It will be the same for everyone who believes the Gospel in this world.  Though they were once married to a hatred of God, now they learn to love Him.  As their love grows, so do the tensions.  And at some point, His people are cast out.  If you think this isn’t true, then I ask you, “Why are so many who think they are Christians keep their mouth shut?”  It is because they fear what they know is certain to happen. 

But I will proclaim!  I am not afraid of being cast out.  The Lord has allowed that I should be cast out all my life.  And it has become my advantage now.  You have nothing I want, world.  The Lord’s ways and promises are my desire, and this by His Grace.  I urge you to come and consider this strength.  You think it is strong to remain in the world.  But the world is a coward before the Most High God.  He will appear.  And all who put their trust in the things of this world will be utterly ashamed.

By His Grace.

It bears saying the following:

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A cropped version of Ecce homo (Behold the Man...

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I know that the wicked are blind to the Lord’s commands.  Though they hear them, they cannot do them.  Where is the power to overcome the one who now lords over them?  They have not known the power of Jesus’ sacrifice.  So they give up and return to their sin.  Yet the Lord will judge them rightly.  Though they deny what is rightfully God’s, He alone is their judge. 

But do they not know?  Surely the Lord has left His mark in their soul.  They know that they are not clean before a Holy God.  How do I know this?  Because I am from that stock of wicked men.  I once walked in the shoes of blind obedience to every pleasure I could lay my hands on.  I once spurned wisdom and righteousness as if it were a lie.  Self was my god.  And, oh how I served him with vigor!

He has entered in and caused me to bow low before Him.  Even these words were spoken to me on a night when He came to visit a fool: “Go ahead and kill yourself and come to my Throne.  For I have much to say concerning you.”  What a GREAT fool I was!  To think that the grave could shield me from the One who made me.  Now that I begin to understand the Holiness of God I gladly receive His teaching.  Though I stumble before His commands, I find my every rebellion exposed.  And this exposing is now the breath of life He gives me.  The wicked will deny Him His rightful due, only to find His judgment before their very eyes.  Life without God is unspeakably futile.  But life with His teaching is joyous and rich; for we dance with joy at the mention of His Holy Name.  And His rebuke is like cool water to a parched throat.  The wicked would not like to abandon their ways.  On the other hand, because of His Glory, I will never leave the blessing of His presence!  Hear what has been said here.  Fear God and live!

 

The Two Fold Message

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The Gospel is a two fold message of promises from God, through Christ Jesus, to all men.  On one hand, and first, is the message of sure death.  This is to be delivered to the world with all wisdom and courage.  It is the message of God to those who are already judged because they have not believed in the One and Only True God through Jesus’ sacrifice.  They will hate this message.  And they will desire to destroy anyone who brings it to their ears.

The other side of the message of God is that of mercy and tenderness.  And this is to be delivered to everyone who humbles themselves under the Mighty hand of God.  In this message are rebukes, for the heart of man is desperately wicked and must be caused to submit to the Holy Will of God.  But even in the rebukes we find the Mercy that flows from the Throne of He who is forever.

Do not listen to those who say God is love and He will accept every man.  Only that which is God will enter eternal life.  And to the measure that you have accepted God’s rule in your life, that measure of you will be allowed to enter His presence.  Nothing unholy will ever stand before the Lord of Life.  Only what God has built will last.  Submit yourselves to God and learn from Him.  The more you delay the less time you have left. 

Jesus Christ is the exact representation of the Holy Father.  And He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  What was expected of the servants of God from the beginning still remains as an expectation of His servants today.  Man has watered down this message.  But God remains the same. 

By His Grace.

The Peace of God is Given to Those Who Love Him.

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Peace

Be careful with your words.   Do not proclaim peace to those who have no peace with God!  The Lord did not come to bring peace to the wicked.  He came to bring peace to those who obey the calling.  He offers hope to the hopeless.  And those who take His Great gift with gladness and joy; those who render themselves to the Holy Will and Majesty of God through Jesus receive the inheritance of peace. 

But to those who remain in rebellion and curse the name of the Lord Jesus remain in destruction.  Do not proclaim “Peace. Peace.” To those who hate the Lord God of Life!  Proclaim destruction for the enemies of God.  This is their lot.  And this is their choice.  What God offers is not the peace to do as you please.  He offers the gift of teaching, leading, and life to those who turn to Him and away from their sin.

The rebellious continue toward death.   Do not be fooled by the proclamation of peace to the wicked.  Be wise and consider the Holiness of God.  “And all who call upon the Name of the Lord must turn away from evil”.  The promise of God has two sides, peace and destruction. 

It is the false prophets who proclaim peace where there is not peace.  Do not be of their number!  Count your days and be wise.  The Lord searches the whole world and hears every word of man.  He listens to the whispers in the inner room.  And He takes note of those who proclaim His truth.  Be wise.  Learn His Truth and live!

You say, “They will not hear such a message.”  Why should that surprise you?  Haven’t you read the Scripture and learned how they rebel and accuse against those who speak that word?  Do you count the mercy of God so lightly that you would allow them to utter lies through your own lips?  To the wicked is destruction, not mercy! 

Have respect for the Lord!  Have a trembling love toward the Lord who has proclaimed death to the wicked.  He Himself has proclaimed this.  How should His servants speak what are not the words of the Lord they serve?  Do not fear them.  Fear God.  Speak what is true and do not listen to the lies of this world.  Listen to what they say, “God will forgive us through Jesus, for this is what His servants are saying.  Though we remain in our sins, the forgiveness of God will be shed upon us with great joy.  I am a fool and I revel in my foolishness, for God will save me despite my ways.”  And with a slight of hand they turn the truth of God into a hideous lie! 

Lies and Lies are being broadcast today, as they were from times gone past.  Do not stand with them.  Separate your message to the world.   Destruction walks in this world without equal or hindrance.  Do not be like them.

I will say what the world has come together to call a joke:  “The end of things is nearer now than when we first believed.”  Be wise.  Wake from the sleep of world peace.  Consider the Holy God’s promises.  And do not allow your lips to join in the song which brings death.  STAND!  We will be judged for every idle word we speak.  Why would you allow your troubles to grow?  We are either of He who Lives and is True, or we are of he who will writhe in pain for eternity.  Choose your destiny.  It is the Lord or it is death. 

You who are timid are not firm in your understanding regarding the Gospel.  Fortify yourself!  Isn’t the Bible before you?  Isn’t prayer within you?  Didn’t your ears hear?  Then where are your lips?  Learn to reach deep.  Speak with the boldness, the promises of He who cannot lie.  The rewards remain; death to the wicked and hope to those who obey. 

By His Grace.

What is Man That You Are Mindful of Him?

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solor system creation

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This message is to those who call themselves Christians.  It would make no sense to speak this word to those who do not believe.  Yet, even those who do not believe and read this with a desire to believe can benefit.

A man stands in a valley and feels the tiny breeze float across the valley floor.  The day is hot and the breeze is a welcome addition to the evening heat.  Where the breeze came from, where it will go after it touches the man, and how long it will last, are under the Mighty hand of The Lord of Life.  The man is happy to receive, and that is all he can be.  He did not create the valley.  He did not create the mountains from which the coolness of the breeze appeared.  He did not create himself, nor choose the place where he now stands. 

So it is with the Love of God in our faith and belief.  We are the product of His Glorious Will.  He desired to create this place of testing according to His endless wisdom.  And we are only the product of an Endless and Beautiful Love which is our God.    We are of those who receive and become blessed by His Lovely touch.  And from our perspective, this is where we find our end.  We are receivers.  We are not providers or creators.  This realm belongs to He Who Is.  And, with great joy, those who are aged in His wise counsel, will appear as understanding such things.

We have no wisdom but that it comes to us from the Only Wise God.  We have no task we can do which will find a lasting value, but that we are given such things from He who works to cause life in His people.  When we pray we are given words, thoughts, feelings, and attitudes according to the Lord’s leading.  And we are keenly aware that we belong to Him who has No End.  When we speak of the Gospel, we speak with words that are only ours in that they found sound through us.  All things Good belong to He who is Good.  What work, word, attitude, or emotion, which belongs to the Gospel did any of us create?  Without His guiding and loving hand we are nothing.  But with His hand and guiding we are ambassadors of the Living God.  And all that I have just said remains held in the Glory of the One and Only Son, Jesus!

Why is this place?  Have you asked yourself that?  Why are we here?  Why are we set to receive the Glory of our God, Christ Jesus?  What is this place I have come to speak of as a “Place of Testing”?  And what should be our response to the answer if we could but know it?

This place is so that the Glory of God might be proved once and forever.  Why should the perfect and Holy God need to prove His Glory?  Because there was a place where one challenged the Holy Wisdom of God.  There was a place where a lie was born.  Yet it was not as we know lies.  It was a slight variant to God’s perfection.  A challenge was born and presented before the Most High God.  What was the challenge?  It’s not possible for me to know the words nor the time when it happened.  But in my limited understanding of our God, it went something like this.

“You ask too much.  You want perfection from Your creatures.  You demand perfection.  But You ask too much.  What you require of Your servants is not possible for us to endure.  You will ask.  You will demand.  And we will strive to comply.  But You did not give us the strength to endure.”

From what little I know about our God, I do not perceive Him arguing the point with the accuser.  Perhaps there was a word of thanks for the information given.  But the end of the conversation came quickly.  And God ended the conversation quickly as a display of mercy.  For, surely if this one could accuse the Most High God of an imperfection such as this, there was a whole lot more to come.  Why allow this one to fall deeper into rebellion than necessary at the moment?  Immediately, God knew what to do.  And without fail, He began what would be a marvelous reply.

What I perceive happened next was an order given to Jesus, the Word of God.  “Build a black void in this certain place.  Make it of such and such measurement. And place it in this certain place.”  And so it was done by He who is the very Word of God.  “Create lights within this void in these certain places.  Create them of this and make them shine according to my vision.”  And so it went until we come to the scripture announcing God’s crowning end to this creation, “Let us create man in our image”.  The two trees were planted and orders were given as to how they are to be treated.  “Of this one you cannot eat, or you will surely die”.

“And on the 7th day, God rested from His work”.   Now His answer to the accuser was presented as a place of testing.  A place was made where the accusation could play out.  And proof could be known, not spoken as an answer of words, to he who did not believe.

We are presented by the Mighty hand of God as an answer to he who accused.  We are tempted by he who accused.  And we succeed according to He who was accused unjustly.  We are become the answer to an accusation.  How much are we valuable to He who Lives Forever?  We are His spoken word.  We inhabit His will.  And we are His jewels according to His Great Wisdom.  How then should we act?  How then, shall we believe?  How then, should we build our faith in the Holy One of Israel?  And, how then, should we obey what we hear? 

We do not serve out of fear.  For He who made us into His answer is sure in His Holy ways.  If my God desires obedience and all that I have, how shall I muster up a place to say no?  I am His.  I am a part of His answer to an unholy doubt.  How then, should I live with doubt?  I am proof of His Glorious will.  The power of God is within me to obey and to know He is True!  There is no fault within Him!  I will say it again, “There is NO fault within the Most High God!”  Any fault perceived remains within me.  And such things must be crushed into utter destruction.  By this I am provoked to believe to the point that I do.  What is this “doing” He demands from me?  He demands that I receive from His Holy Hand.  He demands that I believe that what He says He is willing and able to accomplish.  And He does not ask too much.  What He demands from His creation He provides the strength to accomplish.  Shall we join with the accuser and say this is not so?  It should never be so!

Set your heart to understand.  Set your soul to receive His gift.  For we are on display according to His Holy and Perfect answer to an accusation.  Remember how the Lord Jesus spoke of that one?  “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here.  I have not come of my own; but he sent me.  Why is my language not clear to you?  Because you are unable to hear what I say.  You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him.  When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!”  (John 8: 42-45)

Stand firm upon this sure and singular truth:  God is true.  And there is no shadow of turning within Him.  Present yourselves as those who believe.  Put down your childish doubt.  Believe that you might do!  Hone your faith so that you might receive His Holy Will.  When we question and doubt we join with the liar.  I will say it once more with all the importance of eternity:  BELIEVE!

By His Grace.

Speak While You Can Speak With Freedom.

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Who will allow the Lord’s word to be heard?  Shall we leave that speaking to those who are trained to speak?  Do you believe in the Word of God?  Speak what you believe.  Are you afraid to speak because you’re not sure you understand it all?  How much “all” are you waiting for?  And what will your lips speak when they are commanded to speak regarding the life He gave you?

By His Grace.