Patience


English: Handcuffs Handcuffed Handcuff Hinge H...

English: Handcuffs Handcuffed Handcuff Hinge Hinged Back To Back Palms Outwards Rear (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

To endure something is not the same as having godly patience.  I may endure something without my will.  That is to say someone may imprison me for some means.  Because it is not my choice I endure.

But the patience God gives agrees that where ever I find myself is the place where I should be.  Godly patience will consider handcuffs and manacles as if they are jewelry.

In the teaching of the Gospel it is not wise to endure the Great Commission.  But with all godly patience we instruct full of mercy and truth.  Mercy will often ruffle the teachers feathers, while truth will ruffle the student.  Regardless, Godly patience demands that we continue.

Love = Obedience


Felice da Nicosia

Felice da Nicosia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“Do you love me more than these?”

More than sex.  More than Envy.  More than money.  More than fame, profit, ownership,  pride, humility, lawfulness, religion, …

“If you love me you will obey my commands.”  want to stop sinning?  Learn to love the Lord.

His Word is true God cannot lie if we love him we will obey his commands.

Enemies of God


Psalm 34,18

Psalm 34,18 (Photo credit: NEWS OF PEACE)

You who think the Lord is an angry beast of a God:

You do so because you are His enemy.  How does it make logical sense to consider your enemy in a good light?  He desires you to become His friend.   But your pride is holding you back.

Look how you curse His Holy name.  Isn’t that to be expected?   Won’t an enemy curse his foe?  But that is not what God desires.  He sits ready to forgive your unholy, godless, and utterly profane life.

Your enemy is beautiful, lovely, righteous, eternal, endlessly powerful, forgiving, and full of grace.  This is what you hate.  Don’t you think it a bit odd that you should hate what you adore in yourself and others?

Yet, we warn.  Yet we speak on His behalf among men.  Yet we invite as He has taught us to do.  Yet we pour out our words and very lives to convince His enemies to enter His camp as friends.  But who hears?  Who understands?  Who bends their wicked will so that they can peer out at what is Good?

8Taste and see that the Lord is good;

blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

9Fear the Lord, you his holy people,

for those who fear him lack nothing.

10The lions may grow weak and hungry,

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11Come, my children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12Whoever of you loves life

and desires to see many good days,

13keep your tongue from evil

and your lips from telling lies.

14Turn from evil and do good;

seek peace and pursue it.  (Psalm 34)

Give? Give What?


Christian Cross

Christian Cross (Photo credit: freefotouk)

Could I give my all I would still feel inept.  All I have is what has been given.  What should I give that belongs to me?

Ah, I will give my desire.  But I will get hungry soon.  Thirst will come to me.  And what good is it if I die in my desire to give Him what is mine?

I will give Him my words.  Evidently, I have plenty of those.  But He already has The Word.  And one was enough to satisfy the Living God.

How about I just give Him thanks.  And put down any thought that I can offer Him something He doesn’t already own.

How about I give Him my ear.  Let me strive to hear what the Lord has already said.  Then, perhaps, I will be allowed to hear what He is ready to say to me now.

How about I give Him time in prayer.  Yeah.  That’s a good idea.  I’ll make it my desire to sit before Him and lift up my soul to His Holy Throne.  And while I’m there, how about giving Him the troubles of others.

What can I give Him?   I can give Him my very life.  From now to the end of my days in this place of testing.  Isn’t that what He has already told us He desires?

The Hill of God’s Choosing


Holy Father, you do not lie.  And your Holy Son has sealed your promise, to forgive sins, with His Holy blood.  We confess, we have stood in doubt.

I will speak for myself for a moment, Lord.  May the same fruit be found in those who read these words.  But no command can produce the holy fruit You seek.

I ask You to set me apart from this wicked world.  Set me on a hill, that all I am might belong to You.  May the hill You choose be tall and remote, lest my ears hear their wicked celebration of unholy acts.  May my eyes not witness their glorification of fleshly lust from that place You choose.  May my nose not catch drift of the putrid perfumes they use to entice.  Yet, may my heart ache for them to join me there.

You are God!  May Your Holy and Majestic will be done forever!  By the everlasting precious blood of Your Holy Son Jesus, I submit these words.  Amen.

The Way of Humility


LAX Hallway

LAX Hallway (Photo credit: jeffk)

Every man thinks he is something when he does not listen to the words of God. Thus a proud man is formed.

 

How is a humble man produced?

 

Let the proud man read the Good words God has written, and humility approaches with steady gait.

 

Let him cease reading what is good and humility will stop his approach.

 

Let him return to prideful ways and humility returns to God.