Tag Archives: hopelessness

The Classroom

by

0


1971.

Carly Simon released her song “That’s the way I’ve always heard it should be”

1971.
I entered the Air Force at 17 years old.

I learned from the music of that decade just like all my peers.  What chance did we have to lead godly lives?

The music of the seventies was built on a foundation of quicksand.  But that was our classroom; a godless religion of self-indulgence.

That was then.  What is the state of affairs for the young people today?

How much longer, oh Holy Lord, until the quicksand swallows all hope?

To the Journey

by

0


We have a tendency to trivialize everything.  But we come to own this tendency with good reason.  Absolutely everything we know deteriorates.  Even the compassion of Man is in a state of flux; needs come and go, the sick get better or die, poverty evaporates at the end of its work, hatred goes to sleep when it is tired of destroying.  So even Man’s compassion (what is considered the best Man can offer) rests from its work.

We strive hard, but at the end of the day everything we know is trivial.  Everything we know is in a constant state of repair or deterioration.  Isn’t that why we sleep?

Most people, including myself, tend to apply this trivial mindset to the gospel of Christ.  We can’t help it, it’s in our nature to perceive things as if they are passing.  And without the constant help of the eternal Living God’s Holy Son we would never perceive the gospel as eternal.  It would remain in a mode of choice.  And isn’t that what we see when we look at those who call themselves Christians; constantly making the choice to do (or not to do) Christ-like things.

We need to be reminded that his promises last forever and never change.  That’s why we read the Bible often; to renew our decaying mind.  That’s why we pray, with whatever earnest soul we can muster.  Isn’t that why we are told to encourage one another?

Connected to this is an understanding that has come again to me this morning.  Everything we do is manufactured.  It’s in a constant state of repair.  But a love for righteousness cannot be in a state of repair.  For whatever constantly needs repair is also constantly deteriorating.  Love does not deteriorate, and eternal Righteousness does not fall into the realm of choice.  Let’s be honest, we either love righteousness or we don’t. 

What an amazing place God has created; it is not a place of deterioration, it is a place of potential eternal life.  There can be no better testing of a man’s heart than the state of affairs I have spoken of here.  On top of that, God knows the difference between a manufactured love of righteousness and one that is ingrained and sincere.

This is the nature of salvation.  It is not something that will be.  It is something that IS.  Christ has come, as the great power of God, to redeem the humble of heart.  He has come to teach us eternity.  Imagine that!  The sum of what we know about eternity is the simple word itself.  And without the presence of God, that’s where our knowledge remains.

Every man is encouraged to begin the journey of truth.  The journey is called Christianity.

Worthless Parents

by

0


Sin is born of chaos and ignorance.  Chaos is the careless mother who dropped her child on the way.  And ignorance is the worthless father who does as he pleases regardless the needs of his children.

Every man is born of these.  But Christ offers adoption into a Holy, righteous, faithful, loving, and eternal family.  Within this family there is opportunity to learn what is true.  Within this family there is forgiveness and grace to accomplish Life.

Are you tired of your sick and worthless old mother?  Are you weary of wondering where your father is?

Chaos and ignorance have nothing to offer anyone.  They simply produce and abandon.  But if you want salvation from worthlessness, cry out to the Living God in the name of Christ Jesus.

What Word?

by

0


Oh!  People of the world; those who despise the Rule of the Holy One.  What do you have to show for all your toil?

Your people melt in the streets from the demands you place upon them.  They rot in their flesh and soul, for the strength of your demands.  What do you have to show for all the chaos of your toil?

Isn’t the Word that can heal among you?  Isn’t the power of Salvation from God extended?

Why will you not take it?  Why will you not ask?  Why will you live like abandoned children?

Why will you honor the unholy gaggle that you yourselves have glorified?  Why will you not humble yourselves in prayer?

Why is the Holy Scripture left untouched, day after day?  Why do you not speak to one another about pure things?  Why are lies vastly more abundant than God’s commands?

See how you falter and fail.  See how you lack the strength to continue.  Yet you continue; as if this continuing is righteously demanded of every one of you.

The leaders of the people die.  They thirst and will not drink.  They hunger, yet waste away like those who fast to death.

The children are not fed, for the parents have no food.  Filth is the delicacy on the table at night.  Precious and good food is kept far from the front door to every house.

What more can be said to a people who desire death and abhor life?  Do you want a sweet word from the Living God’s Holy Son?  How shall He who tells the truth speak a lie?  You have what is true to say.

Amen.

Perfecting Afflictions

by

0


Ramah: In Biblical, the meaning of the name Ramah is: Elevated, sublime.  People with this name have a deep inner desire for love and companionship, and want to work with others to achieve peace and harmony.  (It is not a name given by the mouth of man, so much as it is a name given by the horrors of this place.)

For such people to witness the tragedies that come from sin, it is too much.  And if the horrors associated with sin come home in a personal manner, destruction has a whole new body.

This is what the LORD says: “A voice is heard in Ramah, mourning and great weeping, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”  (Jeremiah 31: 15)

Take away the best of hope from Man, and you will see deep and irreparable mourning.  This is the kind of sorrow that is born in the crucible of war.  But don’t we also find it in our streets?  Isn’t it also in our homes? 

Such sorrow does not choose between male or female.  Money or social position is no barrier for this kind of destruction.  And those who taste this are never the same again.

But this does not mean they cannot have hope.  God is able to open our eyes to a hope that is stronger than death; that death which is the end of Man’s greatest possible desires.

Even while we mourn the loss of what could have been, we rejoice inwardly at his Holy promise.  He has written perfectly in His Holy Blood.  “I stand ready and willing to give you eternal life.  I will wipe away all your tears and sorrow.  I will give you a joy in your heart that cannot be crushed.  And never again will you be disturbed in your place of holy peace and joy.”

Such is the power of the Living God’s promise.  Such is the strength of Righteous Mercy.  Even those souls, blackened with sorrow, can be filled with joy.  They can become useful to Life in this place of death.

I testify that this is true.  For I am one of those who has had exceedingly great loss yet has become useful to the Living God’s Great Mercy.

Take heart and understand.  Seek the face of the One who has tasted even the grave for your sake.  All his servants are broken and shattered in this place of “Perfecting Afflictions”.  Where sin was born to take away, Life has come to restore.

Amen.

Preferred Trophies

by

0


Our list of God given strengths cannot be a list of the things that were.  It is a living list.  Our strengths are no more frozen in time than are we.  Every moment brings a choice; do we wrestle with weakness, or take hold of victory.

The strengths of God are not trophies that we can put on display.  Rather, they are servants waiting to be deployed. 

It is our weaknesses that are dead.  But I see so many put these on display.

Will it be said that we coveted what is not?  Or will it be said that we desired what is?