Tag Archives: joy

Helpless?

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To the liberal politician. The poor man should say:

“you label me poor. You say I am helpless. You tell me, your education, your wealth, your social prominence, and your vast intelligence are what I need but will never own.  


You tell me you are willing to be my mother, father, and caretaker. You say you will provide everything I need.  


Well, due to your high IQ and obvious power, I’m embarrassed to have to tell you this. I don’t want any of what you offer.  


This may shock you, but I’m prepared to back it up. I’m happy with my cup of coffee in the morning. I’m happy with my friends and position in society. I’m happy to choose my own way. And what I’m learning about life you will never know. 


I have faith in my God, which I know baffles you. It’s a faith you can’t have, because you rely on all your own strength.  


Close your mouth. Keep your placating to yourself. Don’t bother to think that I don’t know you make a lot of money off of me and my friends. No, I won’t vote for you. I would rather vote for the man or woman who gives me the freedom I need to be the man I am.”      

What Lives?

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There is Beautiful.  

There is justice.  

There is purity.  

There is utter righteousness.  

It is not in religion; those things a man does because Beautiful is.  

It is at the table of the Living God.  

The place where millions come every morning and every night.  

Do not be ashamed of what you eat there.  

Of all the things you hold so dear, the meal prepared for you is an invitation to every man.  

Invite, speak well, encourage, offer the humility you have received.  

His name is Jesus.  

Come to him and live.  

Reality 

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Side with one political group, you’ll be happy for a little while.  

Gather certain friends around you, they’ll give you comfort for a little while.  

Bank on staying young all your life, you’ll be delusional for a few years.  

Things change.  Disappointments come.  The next guy gets his chance to be happy for a little while.  

Happiness in this world is like a crazy Bluejay.  He flies from one branch to another, blessing the place he stays for a little while.  But then he gets hungry for something “other”.  The branch where he was, springs back to its original position; empty and waiting for another bird.  

But in Jesus, you’ll find the potential to be at peace forever.  The winds of change can’t destroy his faithfulness.   And those who place their full trust in him are never put to shame or brought to ruin.  

It all depends on what you want, doesn’t it.  You want all the temporary chaos?  Graced by occasional happiness, like icing on a muffin.    Or are you looking for something endlessly permanent.  

Don’t just, “try Jesus”.  Put all your trust in him and you’ll see that what I’m saying is true.  

You always have the option to fail and be miserable; you can always go back to living a useless life.    You will not always have the option to take the beautiful life he offers so freely.  

Think about it.  

What Kind of Legacy

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We all want to leave a good legacy for our children. There is no better legacy to leave them than that our land should be filled with godly love.  

But godly love comes from God alone.  


What better work could we do than to seek God’s face with earnest boldness, willing to receive and sacrifice for his great glory? To purify ourselves by the reading of Scripture and diligent prayer. God will inhabit such people. Godly love will sprout like a healthy crop in spring. And the best legacy possible will be left to our children.  


Could there possibly be a better time?

ATM’s, Modern Idols

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I know I’m not a good writer.  And if I can’t write well about simple things, how can I possibly expect to write well about the best of things.  But I’ve given this a reasonable shot (as meager as my tiny mind seems to be).   I can only hope that the reader will think it through for himself.  

Yes, that was an apology.  Have mercy on yourself.  I’m just a gate.  Walk through me and see if what I write about is true.  If it’s not, you’ve wasted no time at all.  You would’ve spent that time investigating something else that’s just as fruitless.  But what if I write about the best of possible worlds? Then if you don’t investigate, you’ve lost absolutely everything.  

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Standing in front of an ATM, asking it to have mercy, then expecting it to pump out $400 for you, is rather ridiculous. You’re going to walk away confused and broke.  

There are people who have figured it out: Read the directions. Get a job. Start an account. Deposit your money. Ask the bank for a debit card. Then ask how to use the ATM.   Relatively simple.  I’m sure the bank is eager to help you.  


Isn’t false religion and superstition just that ridiculous, when the Lord’s people are so eager to help anyone learn. Not to mention that the Bible is so easy to understand. The Gospel is preached in every corner of the world. And the Lord Jesus himself promises to guide his people into understanding and profitability.  


But don’t be like those people who read the directions on the ATM alone. If you simply stand in front of the bank, you still can’t get what you want. Success requires continual and faithful work,  a face-to-face encounter, and a live agreement.   


Most people think they will wait to the last minute. Somehow they believe all their sins will be forgiven and they will become glorious creatures. How misguided and sad. There’s a life to be led. There are gifts from God to receive. There is glory to be generated for the Lord of Mercy.  


“Without me you can do nothing.”


The Lord may very well have mercy on deathbed confessions, or awareness instilled by imminent death. But think about all the days that are lost in worthlessness forever. Selfishness may gain you what you want. But it gains the Lord nothing. If your life is not fruitful for God, you have nothing, and are nothing.  


“Many are called but few are chosen.”

Freedom or Chains

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I wanted to be careful about how I wrote this. But then the Lord reminded me, “Every word of God can be misused”. So I’ll just write what I saw and let be what will be.  

It is not the size of our sin that condemns us to hell. It is the size of our faith to receive his desired gift of forgiveness.  


We were dead in our trespasses. We can’t possibly know the grandeur of that death. Likewise, with his forgiveness we are offered eternal life. We can’t possibly know the grandeur of what he holds in his hand.  


But what if someone holds onto remorse and shame, thus spitting into the hand who offers life? Hiding in the shadows, not daring to draw near.  


Do you believe? Then take his joy. Take his strength. Take his fearless abandon. Take his dedication. Take his wisdom. Take his godly and never ending love.  


Aren’t those the things that are spawned by the forgiveness he offers? For by those things we approach the throne of the living God with confidence. There we learn things we did not know. There we are strengthened by the touch of his hand or the smile on his face. But without forgiveness, God remains no more than a religion. And the shadow of death is our closest friend.