Tag Archives: holy

Relinquish With Joy

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The world looks on compassion as a weakness.  They consider that a weakened man cannot sustain his hold on the things he has.  So their hideous greed approaches, emboldened.

Let them take the things their eyes see.  For they do not perceive the Christ of God.  But let your precious belongings be those of Christ.  For these things you will keep though you die.

They cannot steal what they cannot perceive.  They will not take those things which are distasteful and worthless to them.

But let the man add to his treasures, those things of Christ Jesus.  Amass the things that are unspeakably beautiful.  Pile up the things that are eternal.  Become a connoisseur of what is Holy. 

No one will touch your riches.  And you will find yourself void of fear to protect.  Sleep will be peaceful.  And you may even encourage the thief to take more.  For the things of this world can only detract from the riches you are amasing.

If the wisdom of our Holy Lord is determined to take from us all that can be held, how does the man of God say no? 

“No” comes from the lips of the one who is not yet complete.  The weakness in him causes him anguish to consider relinquishing what is filthy.  How can it possibly be right that a Christian should do such a thing?

By His Grace

To What End?

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Why do you protect your family?  Why do you work so hard to earn a living?  Why do you go to church?  Why do you read the Bible?  Why do you study devotions?  Why do you pray?  Why do you speak the name of Christ?

Are all these things only for show?  Or are they so that you can become as devoted to the Living God’s Christ as are the Holy Angels?

When you have done these things for years, have they produced a holy man?  Or have you found yourself only becoming a socially acceptable Christian? 

What is the fullness that God desires in all his people?  What does that look like?  Can you point to someone and say, “That is it”?  Can anyone point to you and say the same thing?

It is like men to pursue a dream, only to find a place where they are comfortable.  What about death to all the things in this world?  Does that sound comfortable to you?  What about a beating by the hands of men because you have spoken the Gospel in their presence?  How many friends have abandoned you because you love God?  What about a burning willingness to obey God’s command, regardless the outcome?  Does that apply to you?

I ask this many questions, because you are the only one who can answer them for yourself.  I do not command anyone to do anything.  But I have an obligation to ask my brothers these things.  And they distinctly apply to me also.  And why would anyone not ask his brother at these things?

Who will shake the world for Christ?  Will it be you?  Who will cower in a corner, amassing all kinds of peace and luxury.  Will that be you?

By His Grace

Stick IT!

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I can’t tell people what to do to gain eternal life.  I can point them to the Lord Jesus.  I can mention the expectations of the Most High God regarding His Holy and Righteous Son.  But I can’t tell them how to put all that stuff into practice.

I can tell them to read the Bible.  But it’s up to them to do it.  I can tell them to pray.  But I’m not suppose to be privy to such a holy event, no matter how short.  I can tell them that they will do well to DO what they learn.  But I can’t make em.

So I don’t try much any more.  I tried to stick with em.  But I didn’t have the stick-to-itive-ness necessary to stick-to-em long enough to see em stick-with-it.  I’ll just stick-to-da-road and write about stick-to-itive-ness.

An Unwarranted Suppression

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I do not need bars or scars to mark out the place of my imprisonment for the sake of Christ.  I am constrained by his excellent strength within the place he has set me himself.  And it becomes my great joy to serve Him in this very place of obscurity.

How greatly I desire that all my brothers and sisters should perceive their place in the same fashion.  May zeal consume us to be joyful in our place of holy affliction.  For we have not arrived among the things we own by circumstances of chance.  But it is God in Christ who draws us to this place.

It is God in Christ who will draw us to himself.  And even now the signs of his ownership dress us with glory!  See how our hearts are marked by his indelible seal.  See how Desire desires to consume us.

Do we restrain his will?  Do we restrain the desire of God among us?  This has no Holy right to exist.  But receive this word of urging.   Receive and be strengthened for his Lovely sake.  How should the Gospel of Christ Jesus be suppressed?  How should that which burns within us find any extinguishing?  These things within us, these things of Christ, are delivered to us from eternity to eternity.

It is a childish matter to be able to point out the suppressing of the Glory of God among men.  But among the people of God, it would be right if one had to search far and wide to find such a suppressing.  Yet how my heart sinks to realize, one does not have to search very hard at all.

Does this need to remain among us; this willing restraint of the Holy will of God?  You know the answer is “no”. 

This word of exhortation is complete.

By His Grace

Be Faithful

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No one here can say,

What waits for us after passing “away”.

But come the very day,

We see his face we’ll know!

80 billion years will pass.

What then shall we be?

Tiny creatures rescued at last?

I don’t think that’s very likely.

We don’t work for reward.

That’s true.

But I know we won’t be bored.

How bout you?

Our God creates what pleases him.

And in us there will be no sin!

Perhaps we’ll be creating too!

Does this give you help to follow through?

By His Grace

Able to Drink the Cup

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The profitable things of God are not given to the weak and unstable.  But let them repair their habits, as they are able, and God will provide the next element.

Let them prove, by their doing, that they have a desire for God.  God is merciful.  He will not give what is Holy to he who cannot even find the will to get up out of bed. 

Were God cruel, he would give great gifts to the weak and infirm of will, and even to the young pride filled heart.  His rightful expectations would crush the man.

Be careful not to listen to the advice of man.  Do not be unwise, asking God for the great things of his Holy Kingdom that you are not willing or able to sustain.   For if you receive, you will be held accountable.  And there are many who run about thinking they have received, but have not.

And I have seen an act of “love” among us that should be considered an abomination.

In this day a man must go to college.  At least that is the common understanding.  And many parents who think themselves godly, desire to send their child to a Christian college.

But is the child prepared to receive the things that are Holy?  Take the time to look into it, the loss of faith among the young who go to Christian colleges is astounding.

It would be better to send them to a trade school.  Let them learn the discipline of hard study and work, while you maintain a tight bond with them to teach them the things of God.

It would be better to see Christian colleges populated with people in their forties, fifties and even perhaps sixties.  But what an incredibly unpopular message this is.  There is a lot of money to be made by the exploitation of foolish parents.

The vision of holiness is becoming and incredibly rare animal.  The expectations of parents toward the teachers in Christian colleges has no reasonable foundation.   The bar of Christian maturity has been lowered nearly to the ground.

Having been caught up in the things of this world and an emaciated church, the parents think their next duty is to hand their child over to those who know.  But they themselves have not looked into the things of the Holy Lord God Almighty.   So they pay good money to men who wear the appropriate title.

How foolish to put our reliance on the unstable things of man.  How foolish to think that money can buy what Godly wisdom alone provides.

Men will do what they do, until catastrophic change appears.  They will not listen to this message.  They will attend emaciated churches.  They will be emaciated Christians.  They will teach their children emaciated things of God.  And their children will rise up emaciated.  What hope is there for the future of the church, as it is left in the hands of those who desire nothing!

When will you look out your window into the street?  Have you noticed the chaos that runs about unchecked?  Have you taken a close look at the children who graduate from Christian colleges?  Are you willing to perceive their unexpected lack?  Then, are you willing to do something about it?

By His Grace