Tag Archives: Jesus

Another Religion?

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Why do Christians preach to man?  What right do we have to firmly believe that we have the answers? Men will say to us, “You are just like us.  We see your sins.  We perceive your faults.  There are plenty of religions among us.  What need do we have for yours?  By some reason, you think what you believe belongs in the belly of everyone.  You are no different from any other cultish behavior of any other obnoxious religion.”

We are just like you.  Therefore we know the extent of man’s rebellion against God.  We too are sinners with plenty of faults among us.  And what we preach presents itself faultlessly as the final answer to all man’s troubles.  From without, you cannot understand what we say.  But if you would enter Christianity the Lord would prove His words to you.

However, your problem is that once you enter you will find yourself compelled to stay.  By your questions you prove you are not ready or willing.  But neither were we.  We do not preach fables.  We do not believe as we do because a man has told us.  We believe because the Heavenly Father has drawn us to His Holy Son.

Because of the rebellion of man against the Holy One, there are plenty of religions, indeed!  But we have found that man’s need is not satisfied by opinion.  We have found that Christ Jesus fulfills every need of every religion.  He leaves no stone unturned.  He is Holy Truth embodied.  For this reason (That the Lord Jesus is the embodiment of truth) we are obnoxious to you even as the Lord Jesus was once obnoxious to us.

The pride of man will refuse to believe that he is nothing.  The pride of man builds his own answers, as if a man can say he has seen the Holy Living God.  But as we believe, the Lord strips that rebellious spirit from us.  Humility comes to understand.  Humility fears the Living God.  Humility is the necessary first step in understanding what is Holy and Good.

Jesus proves to His people that He has every right to claim the singular title of “Son of God”.  We are not tossed about, as are other religions, by every desire and fabrication of man’s mind.  Yes there are many who claim to be Christians yet offer a seriously blemished testimony of God’s perfect commands.  And the best of us will falter from time to time.  But Christ Jesus remains the same in His Holy command to, “Be holy, even as your Father in Heaven is holy”.   And He teaches His people to understand these things.

You may find fault with us.  But you will also find absolute truth within us.  Ask.  Provoke the testimony within us.  Keep asking questions.  The Lord will testify from within His people.  We willingly confess our lack before all who ask.  But you will not find fault with the Son of God.

You will say, “How can you be sure that what you believe connects with Heaven?”  We know it by the living words of the Bible.  And it is confirmed within us by the Holy Spirit He gives; the Spirit which is sent from the Living Lord Jesus Himself.  Though it is by faith, this faith is not like that faith a man holds in things unseen.   The faith we have is given to us from the Heavenly Father. He confirms His Lovely Son’s position before Him.   There is a leading from the Lord.  There is a “proof”, which over time, confirms without doubt those things we preach to the world.

Mr. “No-Name” (Who’s that?)

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Imagine living your life without any name.  It might be impossible to us to imagine that.  For we are named from our birth.  And even at our death, out name is placed on our grave.

But unless you receive the Mercy of God in Christ Jesus His Holy Son, your name will be utterly blotted out of eternity.  You will not be mentioned or thought of ever again.  You will cease to be of any importance at all.

For now a man might be important by causing trouble.  If he is incapable of any righteous behavior, at least he can be known for wickedness.  How many wicked men have bragged that others will remember them by their violent behavior?  But that “name” will be taken away.  Even your opinion will not be honored with thought at all.

This is the promise of God toward the unholy, unrighteous, rebellious, those who love false religion, those who love pleasure of the world more than the Righteousness of God, and those who worship anything other than the Living God.

Perhaps you have not considered this.  It is likely.  For it is impossible to imagine living our entire life without a name.

You may say, “I don’t believe any of what you’ve written here.  You’re simply a self-righteous bigot who hates the freedom of man.”  What is such boasting to me?  If you continue in that way, your name will cease.  You will find your end.  You won’t cease because I have told you these things.  The Holy Lord will establish His eternity.  No wicked thing will be allowed to continue past that point.  A new “age” of righteous men made perfect will appear.  And all who have despised the Lord will simply vanish.  “You will look for them but they will not be found.”

The Lord has prepared a staggeringly beautiful place for all who love Him.  Do you seriously think you will be of any importance at all when His people enter the place the Lord has prepared for those who love Him?  No.

You will know your own death.  You will cease to be.  What will that be to those who serve the Living God forever?  Why would you point your finger at such as me?  Why would you chose to blame others for the unholy faults you now embrace?

 

Arrant Chads of Wicked Men.

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“He rebukes them in his anger
    and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 ‘I have installed my king
    on Zion, my holy mountain.’” (Psalm 2)

They hate the Lord and perceive Him as a wicked task master because their ways are wicked and arrant.  They are blown about by every wind of desire that enters their wicked mind.  They do not know His Holy commands.  They do not know His salvation in Jesus.  Therefore they cannot obey.

God dresses the humble in righteous desire.  But His opposition is forward at the proud.  He steadfastly denies hope to all who lift their chin in rebellion.

Let them humble their hearts.  Let them consider their sins. Let then admit that they have not known the Path of God in this “Place of Testing”.   Let them come to know that the Lord is Good, by fear of God.  Let the terror of punishment fill their hearts to over flowing.

Then the Lord will show kindness.  Then, and only then, will they perceive rightly the beauty that is God the Father.  And if they continue in that manner, perhaps the Father will draw them to His Holy Son.  By continuance in the humble posture of heart the wicked learn that loving God is proper.  And their continuance provokes the Mercy of the Most High God.

The greatest possible

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It is impossible that a man should find himself standing anywhere other than where he puts his feet.  What he has done and what he is doing is where he is.

All the while the man has traveled to be where he was he was always where he found himself.  Whether he traveled in righteousness or wickedness, there he traveled.

All the while the Holy Lord has remained where He is.  It is man’s to wander and to do.  And everywhere he has wandered the Holy Lord has been aware.

According to a man’s faith, according to what he believes is true, the Holy Lord has either been the greatest of possible friends or the greatest of possible enemies.

The sovereign God does not move between wickedness and righteousness.  This belongs to men.  Either we embrace the Holy Lord and all His righteousness, or by measure upon measure we remain wicked.

Jesus has been sent to draw us to what is righteous.  He has been sent to cause us to cease our wandering.  He has been sent to bring righteousness to where we stand.  So that when we perceive our location we find a friend in the Holy Lord.

When and where will a man submit?  When will he stop and find himself at peace with the Most High God?  He will find himself arriving when he learns to listen to and obey the Son of God.

Either the living God is your greatest of possible friends, or he is your greatest of possible enemies.  Jesus has appeared at the will of the Father to bring us into friendship.  We began as enemies.  By His grace we end as friends.

By His Grace

“But I love sin!”

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A man may say to me, “God cannot save me.  I am too vulgar.  I am too grounded in the things that are wicked.  I adore the pleasure of the body.  And though I would like to be saved, I cannot imagine why God would want me.  I cannot imagine that he would even want to try.”

My friend, by what you say I see two things.  The first is that you know God is Holy, and that he expects holiness from his people.  And the second is that you do not understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

You understand well enough that you are sinful and hopeless as you live the way you do.  Good.  Then begin where you are.  That awareness is the very first step a man must take.

In regard to the holiness of God we will say these things.  Holiness does not only have to do with righteousness; as if we speak only of judgement.  The holiness of God has first to do with love. 

The love of God is not defiled by opinion.  Nor is it subject to a change in attitude. He is the very definition of all that is pure and lovely. 

If you admire those who are able to love the unlovable, this ability finds its unceasing fulfillment in the love of God.  He loves without ceasing.

Along with this love comes judgement righteousness patience and mercy.  The love of God is what sustains all life for eternity.  If there is the slightest lack in the love of God eternity will cease.  So we are able to trust without fear.  God is love and he is eternal.

In regard to the gospel we will say these things.  What you lack is what you desire.  What you desire has come to us long before you were born.

Jesus is the perfect representation of the love of God.  God’s love compels him to be merciful.  Just as surely as his love compels him to protect eternity from wickedness.

God has sent His Son to be the sacrifice for all who desire life.  Those who run to him will be transformed.  God’s love has so desired you that He has given his son over to death for your sake.  How precious then are you?

For now, you perceive the love of God as law and judgment.  But if you are willing, he is willing to show you differently.  This is why it is written, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.”  That it’s all God requires from you.

He has heard your confession of sin.  He knows that you love wickedness more than life.  And his love has already provided you what you need.

Approach him with these truths that you have told me.  Do not be so ashamed of your ailment that you refuse to go to the doctor. 

He has it in his hand to be able to heal you and cause you to become a righteous man.  He is willing and able to teach you how to live so that your life is pleasing to God the Father.

The wise will understand what has been written here.  Reach deep within yourself and find strength.  Do not look for strength to be a righteous man.  Simply look for the strength to fall to your knees in prayer. 

For now you stand with pride.  That is the strength that will lead to death.  But a humble acknowledgment of these things will lead you to life.

He is waiting for you.  He is not waiting to judge you.  He is waiting to help you. 

I will add this.  You see that I write these things.  You consider that I am a godly man.  But you do not know who I was.  If any man was evil I was his equal, quite likely even more so.  What I have described here is the very path I have taken.  And over the years this is what I have come to be.

Not one ounce of my strength was spent to arrive in this place.  The only model I have fun is to retain a desire for righteousness.  Everything good that I have has been given by Jesus the Son of God. 

If you will only trust him you will rise far above the place where I stand.  This is the firm and trustworthy promise of the Most High God in His Son Jesus his Christ.

By His Grace

Avert your eyes

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A man wakes one morning to go and give thanks to God for his quickness of mind.  With all he is capable of, the man realizes that everything he has comes from God.  But even in this realization he is caught.  How do you know you have quickness of mind?

Everything among men is comparison.  I don’t know of one man who can speak without it.  To assess one’s mind and find we have a quick mind, is to compare ourselves with those of lesser quickness.  The man even assesses what he has had to make that judgement.  Perhaps it would be better to simply thank God for the moment of clarity he has allowed you to have.

Our words reflect our attitude.  Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.  And I am right to consider this entire article foolish if I think I understand it.  I am attempting to pull in some of the folly that causes so much chaos around us.

When we assess ourselves to have something that others do not, we judge God’s giving.  He has given the living and the dead.  He has given us poisonous plants as well as health giving plants.  He has given places to men that they may live there.  One who lives in the tropic will not do well in the Arctic.  But the place he lives is no less of value.  And men are not to be judged by where they live; whether by mind or by geography.

Where then do we have any right to compare ourselves to others?  Where will bullying find itself before the sovereign God?  Where will the judgment of our brother fall?  How will misguided assessments help us before the Lord and our brother?

Consider the trinkets of man which separate us according to our perceived betterment.  The rich man has, so he thinks himself better.  The poor man enhances his ingenuity, so he thinks himself better.  We say one is mentally retarded.  By that assessment we think we are better.  God has given separation by his wisdom.  Do not consider yourself able to counsel the Most High God.

I will confess that even writing this article I am using comparison between men.  Assessing the situation may not be sinful.  And refraining  from judgement maybe a very fine line.  But the line broadens considerably at some point.  When we recognize the difference let us back away.

Give thanks for what you have.  Practice only that.  If you consider someone else has a need, strive to make sure it is an actual need.  To do otherwise is to place judgement on your brother.

I know this article is difficult.  It seems I have put puzzle pieces together in the wrong place.  But the wisdom of God is greater than man.  And to his understanding we struggle to rise.  Ask the sovereign God by Jesus his Son and he will give you wisdom in these things.

Turn your eyes as you walk by a house at night.  Do not look in their window.  What business is it of yours what another man has or does?  If you must talk with them, go and give them honor by knocking on the door.

In the same way, do not judge another by what you have.  Accept him like he is.  Accept yourself like you are.  Revere God in all your thoughts.  By this you will do well.

I have written this as best I am able.  The Lord has said much better with fewer words.  But this is my house in the night of this world.  I have displayed this in my window.  I know that others look as they walk by.  Knock on my door and ask me and I will try to explain.

What I have written is true.  Perhaps some who read this can do a much better job than I.  But I have done what I am able.  And I thank God for His mercy.

May the God who gives all, also give understanding in these things.

By His Grace