Tag Archives: hopeless

At the Door

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If you leave me like I am, I’ll be filthy, naked and poor.

The fear of that assails me, so I lay me at your door.

Oh wretched me!  Oh Glorious you!  The rumors MUST be true!

Or I will die a dreadful death; forsaken by even you.

Now I will to cause my hands to bleed by knocking on your door.

What great surprise comes to my eyes you demand not such a war.

“Stand tall my child, and enter in.  My body was torn for you.

Come taste and see that I AM good; my promises are true.”

Oh sweet One!  Now I find that rest my soul has so long for.

For all you ask is a broken heart, as we lay at your door.

By His Grace

Ethics 101

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We all see it happen all day long.  Relatively decent people making wicked choices.  But let’s face facts.  Wicked choices are expected among the population of this world.

If you don’t strive to be first, your counted as insignificant and stupid. 

If you don’t break the law, just a little, you’re just not an intelligent person.  After all, they won’t throw you in jail for small infractions.

If you don’t lie a little bit, you will be hated by everyone who knows you.  No one confides in the man who tells the truth.  Curiously, such a man is utterly untrustworthy in this world.

In light of all this, I thought to myself, I would like to teach a class whereby men are taught ethics.  But within a fraction of a second, I changed my mind.

Though they would all nod with agreement while they were in class, by the time they got out the door they would forget everything they learned. 

So I thought, the fix, then, is to create a fast search chart.  Let the men hold it while they do all the things they normally do.  But who would be stupid enough to do that?

It was then that the comparison ignited in my mind.  This is what the Holy Spirit does for those who believe in Christ Jesus.  He is the living educator.  And he lives in the soul of those who trust in the Son of the Living God.

What is the summation of all this?  The summation is that those without the Holy Spirit have no hope of doing righteousness.  They are locked in a battle to see who can be the most wicked and get away with it.

They are not free men, regardless what society says.  They are bound to wickedness as surely as the moon is bound to the earth.

As the Apostle John wrote, “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous . . .”  (1 John 3: 7)   And surely, the one who does what is wicked is a wicked man.

No man can hope to do what is right without the Spirit of God leading him constantly.  No one can hear the Holy Spirit accept that God gives him spiritual ears.  Man is completely hopeless without the sacrifice of Christ.

It is important to note that the word “practice” is often used in conjunction with righteousness.  He who practices righteousness will eventually do it habitually.  We already know how to be wicked.

There, I just held ethics 101.  You don’t need a cheat sheet.  You simply need to fall to your knees and ask God for help.  Or you can remain just like you are.  The choice is right there before you.

By His Grace

Love of self

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Man does not have to love God.  You’re more than welcome to consume the things of this world that he has created for your benefit.  And no one can force you to thank him. 

You’re more than welcome to live your entire life without thinking about him and pondering eternity.  You can choose to live in the deepest of wicked behavior, or the greatest of social graces.  You are not forced to consider your life before his Holy eyes.

You don’t even have to think about your own death and what will happen after.  There is an eternity.  But you don’t have to ponder that.  It will come and take you when the time is right.

But if you hate him now, what will you do after this life?  Have you scoped out heaven and found yourself a place to live where God is not?  Perhaps you plan to purchase a piece of land on the edge of heaven, far away from his throne.  Have you thought that there may not be such a place?

For now you can ignore him.  You can thrive just fine with what he supplies, for he sends rain upon the just and the unjust.  But what will you do when the entirety of heaven and eternity contains the vibrant, glorious and radiant beauty of God?

Everyone you will meet will be singing beautiful songs about the God they love.  But you would hate them.  The song of selfishness you sing now is the song you want to hear.  But no one there will understand your words.  And the melody would be like a squeaking hinge or fingernails on a blackboard.

It’s okay, don’t worry.  God has reserved a place for those who hate him.  But the provision is made up of things you now despise.  No delicate banquet for you to attend.  No fine clothing to attract attention.  No loving family to support you in your folly.  No beautiful parties to attend.  No entertainment to distract you from your hours. And no possible hope of release.

You don’t have to love God now.  But that won’t change when you die.  If you don’t love him now you won’t love him then.

You can fill up your life with selfishness.  Its ok.  He has prepared a place for such as you.

Weariness

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Why are you tired?  You are not tired from lack of sleep.  Your soul is weary and longing to belong.

You have spent all you have on enticements.   Yet you hope to find meaning for the next breath you take.

Sleep is what wears you out; that never ending sleep of ignorance.  You do not know the things that give men strength.  So you wear yourself out searching through things that cannot give peace.

What sleep you gain is for the body.  But the soul is near delirium for sleepless days and nights.

Worry consumes you, even though you smile and laugh.  When you cry there is no release; your tears become only futile vapor.  And when you ponder the greatest of things, you find no understanding.

You purpose in your heart: “I will embrace the highest of laws; righteousness shall become my habit.  I will do the things of eternity, then I will find peace.” 

But the work is too great, habits too fleeting.   Soon what was gained is tarnished by weakness.  And no sleep has come to your soul.  You have only added more work to a weary soul.

Where then is rest?  Can any man tell you where it is found?  You search and ask and listen, but you hear no faithful sound.

Hear, my friend, I’ll tell you.  The strength to live each day lives beyond impenetrable Mountains.  A craggy mount no man can climb, bars peaceful rest for your soul.  But he who lives enthroned above, will come to help you stand your ground.

Read the words of centuries past.  Let sobriety fill your ears.  Humility sees what pride cannot.  And gains that  comfort through the years.
__________________
“Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens:
    Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one
    and calls forth each of them by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
    not one of them is missing.
27 Why do you complain, Jacob?
    Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord;
    my cause is disregarded by my God”?
28 Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.”  (Isaiah 40)

Do you remember?

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Do you remember?  Do you remember what hopelessness feels like?  We struggle along the “Way”.  But how can the struggle be compared to endless sins?  Do you remember?

Do you remember when there was no prayer?  We look back now and have forgotten the agony of life.  Like the rest of the world, we called on things of our imagination.  We learned from others what they thought worked.   We did not know God’s Christ.  All we knew was his Holy Law. 

Let a vicious dog stand in my way, and I will find another way around.  Even if the way around takes far too long and robs me of my expectation, it is better to arrive with all my limbs.  Do you remember?

So it is with the world.  Do you remember?  They have nowhere to go but expectation of judgement.  Their soul knows it and they avert their eyes.  Do you remember?

The cold of hopeless sleep.  The necessity for sin as a distraction from what is sure to come.  The chasing after things that do not last, for what lasts does not belong to them.  Do you remember?

They cannot pray and no one prays with them.  So they worship angels and idols.  Prayer to them is the hope of gain.  What little and temporary they can gain with their hands is the sum of their prayer.  Do you remember?

Or have we begun to feel sorry for ourselves?   The way of God can be impossibly arduous if we’ve try to walk it in the flesh.  If such is the case, we have forgotten.  Remember.

The last act

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Ladies and gentlemen!  I want to thank you for patiently attending the pageantry of “Rebellion and Death”.  We do hope you’ve enjoyed the show. 

Our staff has worked tirelessly to bring you the very best in greed, corruption, chaos, rebellion, lewdness, and carnage.  Feel free to give them a hand if you happen to have one empty.

And we are glad to take note that you have purchased all our trinkets.  The commander of the trinket booth has told me that he even had to buy some back to sell to the new customers.  We are exceedingly pleased, not only at your attendance, but also your participation in our schedule and amenities.

The show is almost over.  From here out many of you will find our display a bit unpalatable for children.  Any of you who feels a bit squeamish about holiness and judgment are welcome to leave.  That is. of course. if you can find your way out.

You see this will be our last stage.  The owner of this place has called the lease.   (A lease that is non-renewable, I might add.)  He has sealed all the doors but one.

His guards are stationed there as you can see.  I will advise you that you may leave if you have the right price.  The cost is everything you own.  And frankly, no one leaves without a prepurchased ticket.

However, if you are pathetically poor and naked and blind and wretched like me, you will be sure to enjoy the rest of the show.

We are extremely excited about the last act.  The owner of this place has orchestrated it himself.  Without further adieu shall we proceed.