Tag Archives: Holy Spirit

The Altar of Jesus.

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Jesus Christ!

Image by wormwould via Flickr

He who lives by law will also die by that same law.  For no man can obey the Law of God.  And God will not accept those who break His Law.  God will never accept the boasting of man.  For the pride of man is rebellion and an abomination before Him.  He has set His method of salvation before man clearly.  He demands that all men come to His Throne of Holy Fire by the blood of Jesus His son.  There will never be another way to the Father extended to man.

No man who lives by the law of Moses, or the law of muslims, or the law of any other “religion” will ever enter the presence of the Most High God void of his guilt.  For guilt remains on all who stubbornly refuse the sacrifice of His Son.  Such men will retain their failings before God the Father.

I did not choose to make this understanding from the imagination of my mind.  It will forever remain the work of God on behalf of man.  Boasting and the work of man’s hands will never receive the praise of God.  For all men are born of sin and will die in sin.  It is the Father’s blessed will that all men receive the work of His hand alone.

You praise a man.  And you think this will please the Lord God Almighty.  But God will be praised only.  He has done what man cannot do.  He has opened the door to life.  Accept the sinless and accepted sacrifice of Jesus and live.   Bow to the Lord of eternity and accept Him that He might give you the Spirit of God.  It is through this Spirit that we become sealed by the hand of God.  And only through the Holy Spirit of God is man able to do the works of He who remains invisible.  Humble yourselves before the Most High and cease rebellion born of the works of your own hand.

Become an altar built by no man.  For God will not accept the sacrifices of man any longer.  He has built an altar which no man has seen, this altar is Jesus His Son.  He has been raised to Lord of all Heaven and earth.  “This is my Son, in whom I am well pleased.  Listen to Him.”, the Father spoke.  He has, and never will, say such a thing of any man.  God has made the choice to redeem man under His own hand.

By His Grace.

Gold Stars and Gold Braids

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When I was young, they would reward my good efforts by giving me little gold stars.  Then I entered places where they might adorn my shirt with a button or a little trinket of “glory” as I moved from success to success.  I entered the military.  I received medals for certain accomplishments.  And now I receive rewards from men for doing what they wish me to do according to their standards.

The Lord is the same way.  Though we might or might not perceive it, He allows us to become adorned with certain Glory as we move from learning to learning.  We enter new places of obedience and usefulness as we spend time with Him.  And He is a generous God!  His mercy will be poured out on anyone who earnestly and actively turns from sin and rebellion toward obedience.

He will be praised forever because He is merciful and loving.  It will not be the notches of death He has had to render to the disobedient which will be His acclaim forever.  It will be the loving way He holds His people close to His wonderful heart that will be spoken for eternity.

Subject yourself to His wisdom and learn.  You will move within Him from place to place; from worst to better, and on to best.  Submit and learn to Love in Christ Jesus.

By His Grace.

“Blessed is the man . . .”

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Psalm 1, Verse 1 and 2 in Biblia Hebraica Stut...

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I used to think that a man could consider himself blessed by God if he did certain things which pleased God.  I equated “blessed” with God being thankful for our work/s.  And to a small (very small) extent this might be true.  But I remember that nothing we do actually pleases the Lord.  “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.”  (Isa. 64:6)  So I am forced to reconsider what blessed means from God’s point of view.

Psalm one says, “Blessed is the man who . . .”.  And the psalm goes on to describe what this man’s blessing will manifest itself as.  The blessing is not a future promise as much as it is a present and real way of life.  The Lord causes a man to become what He desires.  Man did not know to do good.  It was the Lord who caused the man to do good.  There will be no boasting before the Most High God that a man has done a good thing.  God prompts us to desire Him.  We react with some action, according to our personality.  He rewards that reaction with another prompt.  And so it goes as we develop the fruit He desires to produce on us.  Eventually we are to become holy, even as our heavenly Father is Holy.

If you do not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the mockers, then the Lord has caused you to be like this.  Perhaps you thought or think that you choose to do these things.  But you are blessed by God to bear His desired fruit.  So praise Him, for this is your function.  Humble yourself to worship Him.  For He has been kind to you.  He has allowed that you should not be a fool in your actions.  He has blessed you.  You have not become a righteous man on your own.  You did not desire to serve Him or read His word on your own.  It was His Spirit which has brought you to this place you now live.  So render to God what is His due.

By His Grace.

Hidden Messages All Afoot.

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February 25, 2010 - Walking Feet

Image by nerdcoregirl via Flickr

I see the people moving with no noise of their condition.  Concealed beneath the flesh they wear is the condition of their soul.

I wish that they would speak what their heart is holding tight.  At least then I would know just what my lips might say.

“God bless you”.  “Prepare to meet the God you think doesn’t exist”.  That sin you harbor with delicate wanting is wanting to destroy you”.  “Yes!  Jesus is Lord of Lords!  And you are my brother or sister!”  “You didn’t mean to do what you did.  Why are you holding on to your guilt so hard?”

What are you feeling, you people of flesh?

Refinement? Not Likely.

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Cross on Week Down to the southeast of Chagfor...

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Today’s world has:

toasters, ovens without firewood, central air, cars, cellphones, TV, computers, high rise office buildings, asphalt roads, fashionable clothing, industry out the wazoo, and “refined” politics (if that’s not an oxymoron).

The day of Jesus’ visit to His creation had none of these things.  So some have said that the world is a better place.  Some have even gone so far as to say we no longer have need of a God who has become useless and ancient.  And in this foolishness they have dismissed the need for a savior.  For, after all, look at how wonderful man has become.  Fine.

But just mention the Christian faith in any circle today other than a church and you’ll get the same response Jesus and the Apostles got.  Try it, just for kicks and see.  Nothing has changed in the basic nature of man.

I posted a remark recently about how I live among a people who would gladly re-crucify the Lord of Glory.  And if any of these God haters ever read my posts they would balk at that statement.  But I speak the truth in this regard!  You think because you have all these human refinements that you are different people than those who lived in that day?  Ok.  Tell me then.  How do you treat the Lord’s people when they open their lips in public and praise the Most High God for what He has done in Jesus?  And if we are strong enough in His Love to continue to escalate the speech, we would endure beatings and imprisonment.  Death seems to be off the table for now.  Society has moved beyond that implement of hatred for God’s people, for now.

You are the same people!  You hate what is good and cling to what is evil.  As the Lord has said, “Woe to you”.  You attack public displays of prayer with a vengeance.  Some have even pointed out how “un-Christian” that is.  They say we should pray in secret and not parade our faith like that.

Well, I will speak with open heart about the Lord.  I will act according to the knowledge He has allowed me to own.  I will point out your faults before Him.  And I will not stop because you consider me a fool.  You might say that Christianity should not be offensive or a disruption to society.  You stir up rebellion and violence simply by trying to sweep the Living God under your filthy rug of human interest.  You, yourselves, are violence to the Most High God!  For you gladly live in the world He has created without giving Him the worship due His Glorious name.  You are to blame for the death and sickness you now blame God for foisting on man.  And, unless you too repent of all your evil, humble yourselves before the Lord of Life, and accept His singular method of entering life, you too shall die like those who caused the crucifixion of Jesus.

 

By His Grace.

To Judge or Assess?

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Scale_of_justice

Image by TaranRampersad via Flickr

I witnessed an old man having trouble with the lock on the back of his trailer.  Now, I’d jump out and help.  But only one key opens the lock.  And only one set of fingers at a time can turn that key.  And what advice can I possibly give to help? “Try to turn it this way.”  Yeah.

I was waiting behind him to pull into my door.  And there was nothing more to do but sit and watch.  After a while he gave up and waddled back to my truck.  Was he going to ask for help?  Maybe he thought I carried a bolt cutter or an oxy acetylene torch.  Nah, that’s not reasonable to expect.

He got near my truck and I jumped out to meet him.  He began to talk and my soul was startled.  Anger and cursing flowed from his mouth like a river of fast moving mud.  I didn’t expect that.  He didn’t look like someone who carried that kind of heart.  But there’s not much a person can tell about another by simply looking at them.

This experience brings me to ponder “judging”.  We are instructed (commanded actually) not to judge.  But what would this world be like if we didn’t access our fellow humans? How would we sort out danger or friendly?  Would we allow the enemies of truth to come live in our house?  Perhaps, but not without making some measure of prevention.  So what is this judging thing?

Judging, as we’re commanded to refrain from, is more likely having to do with settling on a conviction that someone is a certain way and  without redemption.  Perhaps it’s like being a judge at a trial and rendering a sentence on the person in question.  I can see how this would be a source of major damage.  There would be no hope of that person ever overcoming their history.  And such judging would preclude any possibility of change.  So they would be locked out of our sphere of acceptance and hope.

Judging, as is necessary, might be more like assessment.  We consider the other person according to what knowledge of truth we contain.  And we allow for learning on both parts.  I allow myself room to learn something more about the person, while I continue to consider that person with reserved guard.  And I allow that other person room toward possible clarification of their personality.

Refrain from condemning others to the life they now present to you.  But be careful not to allow enemies to get too close.  A curious mix of understanding is needed here.  But doesn’t this just show how small and unwise we really are?  Who can know what is right without the Lord giving understanding?  How many people have been killed, through the ages, because others judged them unfit.  Even the righteous have become victim of this kind of judging.

In the end, perhaps it would be better to identify two words we can use.  We are allowed to access a person’s intend and tendencies.  And do so with understanding that we might well be wrong.  We’re allowed to protect what is precious in our world.   But we’re commanded not to condemn others before we have all the facts.  And even when all the “facts” are presented, can we truly judge them on an eternal scale?   “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

And what would have happened if Jesus had met the “man of the tombs” and simply turned around and left?  After all, wasn’t the entire village afraid of this man?  Wasn’t he a horrible person?  But look what happened when Jesus drove the evil spirits out of him.  The villagers found that man “in his right mind and sitting at the feet of Jesus”.  (Mark 5: 1-10)  See also:  http://timglass.wordpress.com/2008/10/04/a-man-from-the-tombs-mark-51-10/

At the same time I’m put in remembrance of the 7 sons of sceva:

13 “Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. ”  (Acts 9)

Again, we are told to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

By His Grace.