Tag Archives: Grace

The Lion Will Devour.

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Lion

Image by fatedsnowfox via Flickr

Take a lesson from the Lion and its prey.

The Lion stalks close, having spotted it’s dinner from afar.  Silently and with the wind in his favor he closes in to dine.  The prey sips lovingly at the water and listens with all its might.  But there is no sound of warning. 

The Lion charges.  And two leaps are taken before the prey notices death approach.  Too late!  Now it is too late. 

The Lion devours without mercy.  There is a hunger which compels his jaws.  And his belly will cease its frantic message.

 

So it will be for those caught unaware.  As they sip from the river of greed and selfishness they will be put upon.  Though they listen with all they have, there will be no hope of escape.  The Lion of Judah will satisfy the judgment of God against all the ungodly.  Why then, would you put off what could happily avoid your certain death?

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.

Of Lions and Ostriches

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Ostrich

Image via Wikipedia

People are beginning to increase in number who are saying that islam is coming to America.  They are saying, more and more, that islam is going to impress itself on the world like a signet ring on warm wax.  And ………………………………………… THEY ARE RIGHT!  And if it isn’t islam who will appear as the rulers of this world, someone worse than they surely will.

Many people will give you a ton of ways to cope with this new development in the world.  Some say, “Just join them.  You don’t have to become part of islam to be accepted.  Just don’t stand against them.  Can’t you see how sure their progress is?  There’s no doubt of what is happening.  I advocate, join them in their rising.  Besides, this sherea law thingy is just for them.  They won’t impose that on us.”

Some say we should resist them and make their progress obvious to all.  After all, when you turn on the light the rats scatter.   We will use our rule of law in America to thwart their plans to take over.  …………………….  Uh… ok.  Let’s see now.  Have you lost that precious brick that finished your load?  What did that guy say about words and guns?  One is better, but one always wins the argument.  I just can’t remember which one.  Man!  I hate lost memory…………  And ain’t just like memory to leave us just when we need it most?

Some will just bury their heads into something that interests them.  They will refuse to look at the situation.   After all, if you don’t look at it, the lion won’t eat you, right?  I can’t really help you there.  I’ve never been threatened by a hungry lion.  So I can’t tell you that not looking at it will help.  But somehow, I don’t think he’s looking into our eyes.  After a small bite is far less fulfilling than a large bite.  And your assessment of what’s coming doesn’t give the enemy the slightest twitch of regret.

Then there is the complete response and solution.  Turn to their enemy and live.  Turn to Jesus and receive His protection and strength to endure what is surely coming.  You will have no power to resist if you don’t turn to Him.  I say that with all seriousness and truth.  The Lord alone can give the means necessary to walk away from this coming battle unscathed. 

Haven’t you read that God’s enemies will rule the whole world?  Haven’t you read about the mark of the beast?  Haven’t you heard that they will meet together in a place, where they will make war against God’s Son?  And, I don’t mean to cast aspersions, but haven’t you read the end of the story?

Don’t be fooled by fools.  Joining them is to give up all hope of redemption by He who is already declared the winner.  To fight them with tools of death or mere words of man stands against God’s commands in various ways; those who live by the sword will die by the sword.  And those who speak the rules of man to turn back a sure onslaught will suffer defeat.  The words of God alone are sufficient to deter evil.  And to simply deny that the trouble is coming is more foolish than can human lips can speak.  Even God, when speaking to Job about the ostrich said He did not endow that bird with common sense.  You stick your head in the sand.   But…… is sticking out.  These are the same people who give birth to their young and leave the learning to the children.  After all, truth is relative.  Isn’t it?

Think about it.

P. S. No harm was done to lions or ostriches in the making of this post.  And I can’t verify that any harm was or wasn’t done to certain people who simply refuse to acknowledge the truth of their world under the Mighty hand of God.  The intent of harmlessness was our motto in the production of this post.  Shrug.  Shrug.  I just posted this post script for the sake of PETA.

By His Grace.

 

A Vision of Great Value

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Print by Gustave Doré illustrating the parable...

Image via Wikipedia

As I sat before the Lord and spoke of many things, a picture came to me.  I saw a man sitting on a hill, just short of the crest.  Behind Him was Glory that I could not see.  It was too wonderful for my mind to conceive.  And it stretched out above the man from behind.  As this Glory extended beyond the man and over him, it faded into darkness.  And in that darkness was a place of torment.  Suddenly, I realized it was Abraham sitting there with Lazarus laying against him.  Abraham was calmly observing the souls in torment.  All the while the Glory of God was at his back.

Then I understood something I hadn’t even thought to ask before.  Why was Abraham sitting on that hill in the first place?  And why was Lazarus laying against him?  Why wasn’t Abraham enjoying the Glory of God behind him?  What was he doing to sit there and watch the horror unfold before him?

Abraham was remembering who he was.  And Lazarus was busy loving his friend.  Perhaps Abraham had brought Lazarus with him to survey the end result of certain behaviors.  Perhaps, having met and listened to Lazarus’ story of salvation from certain death, Abraham wanted to revisit the end of Lazarus’ story.   The story doesn’t tell us why he was there in the first place.  But what was Abraham learning, or remembering, as he sat there with Lazarus?

Abraham was learning and remembering that no man is righteous on his own merit.  He was learning the equitable nature of God’s wisdom.  He was remembering the Glory of God which was displayed behind him.  And he was watching the Glory of God which was displayed before him.  And in his very presence, Abraham’s body felt the warmth of Lazarus who had been rescued from that place of torment.  The lesson was dramatic to Abraham.  And he was busy with learning about the Holiness of the God who is all wise and pure in His judgments.  In a way, Abraham was experiencing a truth we should all learn with diligence.  We either respect the God of all Life, or regret will follow us for eternity.

We say, “But for the Grace of God, there go I”.  And we don’t know the full truth of that saying yet.  But wasn’t this what Abraham was doing there?  He was learning the truth of that saying first hand.  He had understood the value of that statement as he traveled this place of testing.  And now he was seeing the saying play out before his very eyes.  And along with the truth of horror, lay the truth of redemption and joy.  What a startling contrast!  And what an incredible tool for those who are allowed to taste life.

This story about Lazarus and the rich man is a truth we would do well to consider with great depth.  For there is such a place as Abraham was visiting.  And there is an Abraham who sits on that hill from time to time.  And there is a Lazarus who joins him for the sake of love.  And, sadly, there are rich men who inhabit that place of torment. 

Pride has no place in the soul of a man of God.  We are all of those who receive God’s Grace.  And this story of Abraham is a vibrant lesson we would do well to take to heart.  Not one player in that story was God.  But each was receiving what God had apportioned to him.  Be wise and consider the outcome of your life.  That place is not far from any of us.

Father, I am glad at this vision You sent me.  My heart is filled with a glorious joy that You would have the mercy to let me see this.  I present this vision with words.  May all who read this be allowed to see the same picture with a vibrant clarity.  By the Marvelous Name of Your Son Jesus, I give you thanks.

By His Grace.

But You Must Master it.

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Abel

All day long temptation attacks.  Most people give in to their temptations without a thought.  They live as if temptation were something fun.  They encourage one another to accept their weakness with joy.  For their weakness only proves they’re human.  Haven’t you heard someone say this, “It’s ok.  You’re only human.”?  And so we see billions simply floating along as bubbles from a child’s wand.  We neither fight against the currents that carry us about, nor question why we falter so. 

The Lord told Cain, “Why are you angry?  Why is your face downcast?  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 master it.”  (Genesis 4: 6-8)  I have found that the Lord’s word is true when it says that the strength to master sin comes only from God.  Yet how many stop and devote themselves to prayer before a temptation has time to sprout roots?  And what do we see Cain do right after the Lord approached him with this tidbit of perfect words?  He went out in the field and killed his brother.  Is that how you find yourself obeying the word of God?  Is that all God’s wisdom means to you?  Are you tossed about because you simply don’t care?

There is a place where every man and woman will care deeply about how they accept the word of God.  Jesus told us that in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Is that what you want?  I doubt it.  So why not spend the time to look into your soul?  Dig as deep as you possibly can. 

Bottom line, the question will remain, who do you truly desire to serve?  Do you desire pleasure over godliness?  Or do you desire that the Father find Glory in His child?  The power to overcome is present if we turn to Him with all our might and desire.  Yet the temptations remain pervasive in this world.  And they will not be taken out of the way.  Resist and find life or give in and remain in death.  He offers the power to live.  Will you take it?

By His Grace.

The Gathering

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The gathering

Image via Wikipedia

Bob was at a social gathering.  While he talked with three of his friends, the subject of religion came up.  They had been talking about how some people just never seem to get it together.  How there are some who will forever be outcasts from society.  And, of course, the idea that God might be responsible for this was mentioned.  Bob said something about how it’s not proper to blame God for the failings of a few. 

Just as he said “. . . not proper to blame God for the failings of a few”, someone walked by and heard that.  Without knowing what the conversation was about before, the passer-by stopped and lit into Bob.  It seems the interloper was very angry at God and just couldn’t stand to allow anyone to speak such a thing.  Before you knew it Bob was the very center of the entire gathering.  Everyone was watching and listening as the conversation got hot. 

Then, without any real explanation, the interloper stopped and said with a calm voice, “Tell us Bob.  Tell us all what you believe about God.  You seem to have something we don’t.  May be you got a hotline to the Big One.”  The hatred just seemed to rise up like a cloud of steam.

What would you do if you had been Bob?  Was he ready for this?  Did he even have a clue about God’s stuff?  Regardless, here was his time to speak.  Every eye was waiting now.  And he has quite a few choices.   He’s on the spot now.  And the pressure is directly on him to do something.  Will he be afraid of losing his friends or speak the truth about how God is true and every man is a liar. 

What is God to you?  What is your faith worth to you?  Besides the knowledge you might have right now, would you have stopped long enough to pray publicly before you start to answer?  Would you display the God of Glory with the words you’re about to speak?  Or would you just try to get out of the entire thing?

By His Grace.