Tag Archives: hope

Majestic Glory of Christ

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26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then “ ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23)

I picked up my guitar this morning.  Bruce Carroll’s song, “Driving Nails” was before me.  I tried to sing the song.  But sorrow came to the top.  I tried again.  But a tear issued forth.

I left the song unsung for a while.  But I tried again later.

The sorrow of Mary’s plight struck me with intense reality.  May God grant me strength to sing that song with hope.

See the Majesty of Christ!  Perceive His Holy strength!  At the very prospect of ravaging nails, he turns to encourage.  He turns to instruct.  The Mercy of God walks that dusty path to obedient death.

The “Cat of Nine Tails” has torn his flesh.  Fists of his Father’s enemies have pummeled his faithful face.  Spit from vile mouths mingles with his own blood.  Though he walks to certain death at the hands of a godless horde, he continues in the Holy will of His Righteous Father.

Perceive His Majesty!  Consider His Holy Faithfulness.  What man can be like the Master?  Yet isn’t His strength offered to all?  Because of Him, there is Stephen.  Because of Him, overcoming is born.  Because of Him, Hope Endures!

Driving Nails

Bruce Carroll

Since that blessed night in a manger, she watched her baby grow, It seems Like yesterday He was in her arms, where did the time go?, He learned His Fathers trade, as she marveled at It all, The sweat dropped from her Little Carpenter as He made the timbers fall,
(Chorus) She can hear the driving nails upon the Hillside, and she prays that His spirit will not fail, she watches as a young man undertakes His Fathers Will, as she stands and listens to the driving nails
In the streets of Jerusalem a child can disappear , She was frantic as She looked for Him, Until She began to hear, the hammers up at the temple, she called Him as she ran, surprised she found Him teaching like no ordinary man
(Chorus)
Darkness covered all the land in the middle of the day, she began to tremble as the earth began to quake, Hammers, Nails & Timbers of The Carpenters Trade, made the sound that pierced her soul as the Cross was being raised (Chorus) And She cries and Listens To the Driving Nails

 

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Blue Christmas

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Throughout the night, the last song I heard playing continues to echo in my mind.  Exhausted as I was, I slept well.  But the power of the song continues.  Even all my dreams were touched by endless sorrow.

I wake with a heavy heart.  For the things I have done in my life will not leave me alone.  This is a picture of the life I lead for decades.  It is a haunting echo of the man I was.

With desperation I realize I need a friend.  I need someone who is not like me.  I need someone whose resources are endless.  I need someone near me who can care.  This is, of course, the Living God in Christ Jesus.

I hide from men as a loner, because I do not want to teach them the things I have done.  If I speak to them face to face, the testimony of myself comes to the surface.

I push the Lord forward before me, between they and I, that they will not assume a wicked life can have any righteousness.

The song is “Blue Christmas”.  I am void of explanation that I should have any joy at all.  The things I have done in my life are death.  My value is to die, and to die, and to die.  If it had not been for the mercy of God, I would be dead already.

This is my testimony before all men, according to the things I have done. 

I know I am not alone.  Everyone of you can testify the same.  If every man is honest with his history, death is all he ever was.  And without the life that God offers, no man has hope.

But isn’t this the reason why I testify so vigorously?  Because the One with endless resource has offered his bloody hands to me.  He teaches me to receive.  He promises me a new song. 

I cannot live in my past, for it is nothing but death.  I cannot live in my present, for memories drown me in sorrow.  And if it were not for the Living God, to come and touch me with compassion, my future is nothing but darkness of death’s promise.

This is what this blog of testimony is all about.  I write that many may have life.  I speak as loudly as I can about the endless resources of God to love you.  I speak as loudly as I can, to educate every man regarding his own worthless life.  Let them perceive the disparity and yearn for health.

God is mercy.  He holds out his hands all day long to every man, woman and child.  “Come, let us reason together.  Though your sins are as scarlet they shall become white as wool”.

Hope!  Precious and vibrant hope!  This is what the Lord offers!  Yet with a heavy sigh, I wonder who can take it.

Who is willing to lay down their precious death?  Who is willing to abandon their regretful memories; their only solace in the dark?  The compensation of man for the nature of what he is.

Yes Christianity requires much.  There is holiness to attain.  But in this work there is life.  We are death.  We are headed to death, and all we have is death. 

All the while God stands.  Life, promise and pure integrity, is held out for any who come and take it.  To die is easy.  For that is what we are.  To live, simply requires laying down death.

This is the new song he gave me, as I sat with heavy heart.  He reminded me of the new song that waits to be sung.  The compassion of God is not a fable.  It is in fact, the endless resource for life.

By His Grace

The Holy Thief

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Dressed in ragged raiment, the beggar stood up to speak.

Upon his face was a beaming smile, like summer breeze against your cheek.

What he spoke amazed the crowd for they counted him as dim.

But as words flowed out the crowd could see blazing light within.
                      ~
“I have approached the Most High God.

I’ve taken what belongs to him.

Not so much as a sinner might do.

But absconding with remedy for sin.

He lays it in an open place outside his holy throne.

Any man may walk up there and take it quickly to his home.

He holds no man accountable for taking these things he owns.

But he lets them come and take what’s his to heal their ragged bones.

Even here you see a sliver of golden life from there

I found it in that open space.  I present it for your ears.

It does not take a hardy thief to take from the Most High God.

It only takes one who truly believes.  I’m really not that odd.

Wisdom is given freely; lacking judgment on the part of God.

Specific for the purpose of life, that his name we all might laud.”
                       ~
With completion of delivery, the loner turned and left.

The crowd was stunned to silence.  He’d delivered more than their best.

What happened next, the jury rests, for only time will tell,

How they will treat this special gold he delivered oh so well.

By His Grace

Proper Living Praise

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Oh, Holy Living God!  What thanks belongs to You.  What praise comes from those You have set free by the Holy Blood of Your Holy Son!

What words will man summon that correctly and fully give You praise?  His mouth is full of failing, even such men of faith.  The words we know cannot fully allow proper praise to become.  It is required.  It is given; this life of the Living God.  Only by the doing of Your Holy Living Will, are our words profitable before Your Holy Face.

By our ignorance we have spoken those things which should never be spoken.  But You have secured that living hope.  You direct, to salvation and restoration, that which has been broken; even Your Holy Law among men.

I will praise You with words and doings, directed by Your Holy Spirit.  Then You will have what is rightfully Yours.  Then alone will Your Holy Son be Glorified among Your people.

We wake from sleep, both that of body and that of darkness of soul.  To come to You and confess, that we might receive the joy extended from Your Holy Living Love.

Be Glorified among Your people, O’ God of Life!  Raise us up for Your Holy Name.  Raise us up for Your Holy Love.  Raise us up in the Holy Joy that belongs to You alone, Lord, Master, Giver of Life.  Let Your Holy Son consume us with desire, that desire that causes us profit.  You alone are Profit.

May Your Holy will live among Your people in great strength and continuance.

The day will come when we are filled without seam or relenting.  Let us taste what this means, even now.  Let us become, that You might have the sweet odor of obedience to life among Your people.

Praise the Lord!  Give Him praise with fullness, those who have seen what is Holy from the day of their creation.  Let all God’s people worship the Living God’s Holy Son with abandon born of His Holy gifts.  He has never asked too much.  He has always given what is sufficient to accomplish His Holy will.  He will never cease to give in this manner.  He alone is Holy, Holy, and Holy!  He alone is LIFE!

“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty.  Who was, is, and is yet to come.  Salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb.  For He has secured joy eternal for all who will be willing to listen and become!  Glory to our God forever, and this through His Holy Son.

In Jesus, the Christ of God, these words are brought together.  In Jesus His Holy Son, praise of life issues from His people.  Words of praise flow.  Doings of obedience for the sake of Love flow out.  Mighty, among men, are those who are purchased by the Blood of the Holy Lamb of God!

Amen, Amen and Amen.

 

Profits

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The prophet of God is valuable.  Who then are they who disagree?

There is profit in the words of the prophet of God.  Who then are they who disbelieve?

It is intriguing that men prefer to ignore the messengers of God, when profit and loss are household concepts.  By this we can say that men are, by their very nature, lousy accountants.

For this they run the business of their life as if to fail.  Yet in business, they will kill to succeed.  Why does this tiny wisdom escape them?

It is impossible to correctly speak of the poverty of man.  Just as it is impossible to speak of the riches of God.

When we see Him face to face, we will understand.  Until then, profit comes by faith.  All the while poverty abides in flesh.

Do not be fooled, a man is what he believes.  Profit or loss, which do you choose?

By His Grace

How Much?

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If you want to live forever, seek out Jesus the Christ of God.

If you want to serve Him faithfully, seek out Jesus the Christ of God.

What is the fullness that God is willing to give to man?  Seek out Jesus the Christ of God.  Only then can you begin to know.

If you think you “have”, seek out Jesus the Christ of God.

By His Grace