Tag Archives: Hatred

The Power of the Powerless

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It is easy for men to divide themselves from those who are wicked.  All it takes are codes of behavior in society, enough money to build fine neighborhoods, and lawful force to deter.  Division is made, and the wicked are forced to live in squalor. 

At their choosing, they can move one of their righteous to the squalor of the wicked.  Or they can elevate a wicked man to a place of prominence.  Why just look at the power they can wield!

But there is an abhorrent  behavior (among men) which they have no power against.  And oh how it galls both the righteous and the wicked to be so powerless. 

They entice with money, but it does no good.  They coerce with position, but it does not end well.  They threaten with squalor, but the victim only smiles. 

They are powerless against the Spirit of God in a man. 

When a man’s soul is set on fire by God, silence is not an option.  Money has no strength against the desire to glorify the Lord Jesus.  And from the fire of God within, the wickedness of man is to profuce to ignore!

They may offer such a man a position among them.  But they will quickly withdraw the offer when they see it has not accomplished the “beautiful” destruction.

They are not allowed to imprison him because of his words (Not today, anyway.)  They are not allowed to beat him into submission.  (As if that were possible.)  They are not allowed to murder him.  All they can do is hope God will take his servant home soon.

By His Grace

A Righteous Rebellion

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In the utter darkness of this world, this man will not remove his cloak to toss it over the Light of God.  Though I perceive the wickedness of men with clarity, I will raise up the Lantern of hope.

I refuse to be ashamed.  I refuse to hide the Gospel of Christ Jesus.  I refuse to lower the Lantern.  I refuse to fear as I walk among the angry dead.  And I refuse to obey Man; “Take this filthy name away from us!  We have no desire to hear it spoken again.  If you continue, so will we.  The punishment of obscurity is in our hand to deliver.”

I will not cease to speak the only hope you have.  There is no hope among you but the message of Christ Jesus, the Holy Son of God!  In Him alone, is the forgiveness of your sins.  In Him alone, is the majestic power to raise you from the dead. 

From the living grave of rebellion you gnash your teeth at his Holy name.  Therefore proof lives among you that you need his eternal sacrifice.

I do not write this as a declaration of war.  I do not stand defiantly against you.  Though I defy your order to cease, I do so that you may learn to live.

I will not hide the Light of Life.  I will ascend to whatever prominent place among you I can.  And I will speak and live among you that you may know there is hope.

The declaration of war is impressed upon your heart from the day you are born.  And how gladly and easily you obey the rebellious one.  You are bent toward sin like the trees along the coastline.  But God is able to straighten your crooked trunk. 

He will cause you to chase the Sun like a sunflower.  Malleable bark will cover your stiff frame.  He will cause righteousness to blossom on your limbs.  Instead of the fruit of rebellion, you will produce the fruit of Godly love.

God will come and eat the fruit of righteousness you will offer.  He will promise you, on oath, a portion in his Garden of Eden.  He will walk among you with pleasure instead of eternal threats.  And joy will be yours forever.

You call his name filthy because you do not know him.  You are blind and ignorant to the definition of love.  And for this reason I will hold high the Gospel of Christ Jesus.

By His Grace

The Grand Reception

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There is a love that is readily perceived as hatred and selfish ambition.  And there is a hatred that is readily perceived as love, but is full of hatred and selfish ambition.

There was a time when one man turned an entire city to God.  For in that day people cared about what is true.  The love of God for the people was sent in the body of a reluctant man, and the fruit of that love was blatantly obvious.

Today no such thing can be done.  Jonah caused Nineveh such great anguish that they fell to their knees in repentance and prayer.  Such words today are ignored as if they are full of hatred and selfish ambition.

But preach to the people what they want to hear, and you will amass to yourself millions.  Your words will be full of hatred for the Living God and full of selfish ambition, but the people will perceive that you love them.

Do not be surprised in this day if the preaching of the true Gospel receives such a tiny welcome.  This is not the day of Nineveh.  This is not the day of Babel.  It is not the day of the great Egyptian empire.  Nor even that of Rome.

This generation is special unto itself.  For these are the last days.  This is the day which gives birth to the generation who celebrates at the death of the prophets; sending gifts to one another, for they despise the Word so greatly.

Take heart if you are cast aside and vastly unpopular.  So mankind has treated God’s prophets from the beginning.  And from here on, it becomes even more so.

And if you are a teacher who receives great welcome in this world for the words you speak, it would do well for you to consider the truth.  For if the world loves your words. . .

By His Grace

Obey?

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The ignorance of man is astounding!  I say that knowing that I am a man.  And that I am ignorant of many things.  But there is a difference between not knowing something, and knowing it for the sake of abuse.

How dearly humanity loves the law of God.  But we do not love it so that we might obey it, for we know that is impossible.  Men love the law of God because it is a tool with which they can readily hate their brother.

But this is so absolutely contrary to the nature of the law of God. 

I don’t want to make this a long post.  But there is something key to understanding the law of God, that I have never heard men speak of: how all of heaven embraces the law of God without question, yet man turns it into a tool of death.  Enough apology.  Let’s get at it.

When the law of God was delivered to Moses for the people, at a certain point they begged that no further word be spoken.  Realization struck them and fear overwhelmed them.  Yes they wanted God but they knew they could not have him.  The inability of men to obey the Holy law of God was blatantly obvious.

But still God commands us to be holy, and to obey His law.  How can this be?  Does he demand too much?  Is the devil’s accusation against him valid; You demand too much and you do not give the resources to obey?

Isn’t this what men say?  Isn’t this what every single one of us finds our soul believing at one point or another?  But we know that cannot possibly be true. 

We know we will die and we know that God never will.  He obeys his great Holy Law with the most perfect ease.  And so do all the other creatures in heaven!  And the Christ of God has walked among us, fulfilling the law completely, again with the greatest of ease!  How can this possibly be?

Because the creatures of heaven, and the Christ himself, love the Father more than anything in all creation.  Never once does rebellion cross their mind.  Eternity is sustained by this love.  It is not sustained by obedience to a set of rules.  Yet this is the perspective of man!

We raise the Ten Commandments and scream at our brother!  “Do these or you will die!”  But we know they cannot.  And even the one who is screaming knows he cannot obey these laws!  And so we divide and hate one another by the very law that brings unity in heaven.  By the very law that is the foundation of eternity.

There.  That’s what I wanted to say.  But I don’t find myself feeling any better for having written it.  For I know it will not be received or understood.

We will all nod our heads in agreement.  But we will turn right back around and hate our brother.  We will read the Ten Commandments as if there might be something we missed.  But we will not find it.

Let’s add one more key to this proclamation that will devastate the heart of the one who considers it. 

What is the first and greatest commandment?  Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22: 38)

There’s the key to obedience.  Love.  But when we read the Ten Commandments we don’t hear love do we?  All we hear is fear. 

Fear gives birth to rebellion and hatred.  Fear reads the law of God and despises it.  Fear turns away from God with a great willing heart.  And fear will eventually lead to complete obliteration.

You ask perhaps, how can I love God?  There is only one way.  Look to Jesus the Christ of God.

Without him you will never love God.  Without him you will only obey according to your understanding; you’ll find your obedience is nothing more than a mental exercise.  It never finds its way to your fingers or feet.  Not to mention her filthy mouth.

I do not need to say more than this.  Because if you will not turn to Jesus, you will not believe these words anyway.  Yet if you do turn to Jesus you will find yourself in complete agreement, and I will be rightly pushed to nothing.  That is my proper place.  I am only a messenger of he who lives forever.

May God bless this testimony to the very door of eternity.  Amen.

By His Grace

Marking

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I went down to feed our outside dog.  He is an amiable, lovable creature.  The big galoot wags his massive tail, and smiles with open jaw, exposing his sharp teeth.  Woe to the one he despises.

I poured the food to the ground.  Why not?  It is his plate.  Why waste time to put it on a platter, as if I would feed a man.  He will not clean it and put it away for me.  It will only blow around in the wind.

So I go upstairs and look out the window to watch him enjoy his meal.  He has finished eating before I arrived at the window. 

He was not hungry enough to finish the entire meal.  And what I see him doing reminds me of Man.  He is happily urinating on his food.

“This is mine!”   He proclaims with vulgarity.  “Come eat what I have if you will, but you will not like the taste.”

I see it in the streets.  I see it as they’re shopping.  I see it in their homes, even among those they say they love.  And I have been witness to it in the best of possible places for man; The Church.

By His Grace

The Demands of Man Exposed

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The message of Man to God:  “We will dictate to you our desire and you will succumb.  We will play in our filthy way until we have had enough, and sleep.  And you will receive us because you are love!

Your people walk among us and demand too much.  They accuse us of wanton behavior.  We are sick of their meddling words!   We only do what is natural, and you unjustly accuse us.

We have attained freedom from your so called holy ways.  Now we revel in the filthy streets as pleases us to do.  We will not come in and be properly dressed!  Send your people out that they may revel with us in this filthy place.

You have commanded us, and we have had enough.  And now as you can see, we put our feet firmly in the filth and command you!  Now be the love you say you are, and send them out to play with us!”

So you have said in all your unholy and ungodly way.  You do the things that are filthy.  And with your unholy mouth you command the Sovereign God.

It will not go well with you when the Lord rises.  He will surely rise and all you rebellious youth will be destroyed from his Holy House.  He will rise up and expose your filthy ways. 

As you are defiant now, so you will be on that day of His Rising.  The Holy One has spoken, “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth”.

Who are the wise among you?  Who will perceive that these words are true?  Who will approach the porch of the Holy house of God and beg entrance and cleanliness?  For he has also spoken, that those who do so with earnest heart, will be cleansed and well fed.  Forgiveness demands repentance.

See how it remains before you; the choice between life and death.  Respond now and live.  Remain in your rebellious filth and you will surely die.

By His Grace