Tag Archives: Lord

A Vision of Great Value

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Print by Gustave Doré illustrating the parable...

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As I sat before the Lord and spoke of many things, a picture came to me.  I saw a man sitting on a hill, just short of the crest.  Behind Him was Glory that I could not see.  It was too wonderful for my mind to conceive.  And it stretched out above the man from behind.  As this Glory extended beyond the man and over him, it faded into darkness.  And in that darkness was a place of torment.  Suddenly, I realized it was Abraham sitting there with Lazarus laying against him.  Abraham was calmly observing the souls in torment.  All the while the Glory of God was at his back.

Then I understood something I hadn’t even thought to ask before.  Why was Abraham sitting on that hill in the first place?  And why was Lazarus laying against him?  Why wasn’t Abraham enjoying the Glory of God behind him?  What was he doing to sit there and watch the horror unfold before him?

Abraham was remembering who he was.  And Lazarus was busy loving his friend.  Perhaps Abraham had brought Lazarus with him to survey the end result of certain behaviors.  Perhaps, having met and listened to Lazarus’ story of salvation from certain death, Abraham wanted to revisit the end of Lazarus’ story.   The story doesn’t tell us why he was there in the first place.  But what was Abraham learning, or remembering, as he sat there with Lazarus?

Abraham was learning and remembering that no man is righteous on his own merit.  He was learning the equitable nature of God’s wisdom.  He was remembering the Glory of God which was displayed behind him.  And he was watching the Glory of God which was displayed before him.  And in his very presence, Abraham’s body felt the warmth of Lazarus who had been rescued from that place of torment.  The lesson was dramatic to Abraham.  And he was busy with learning about the Holiness of the God who is all wise and pure in His judgments.  In a way, Abraham was experiencing a truth we should all learn with diligence.  We either respect the God of all Life, or regret will follow us for eternity.

We say, “But for the Grace of God, there go I”.  And we don’t know the full truth of that saying yet.  But wasn’t this what Abraham was doing there?  He was learning the truth of that saying first hand.  He had understood the value of that statement as he traveled this place of testing.  And now he was seeing the saying play out before his very eyes.  And along with the truth of horror, lay the truth of redemption and joy.  What a startling contrast!  And what an incredible tool for those who are allowed to taste life.

This story about Lazarus and the rich man is a truth we would do well to consider with great depth.  For there is such a place as Abraham was visiting.  And there is an Abraham who sits on that hill from time to time.  And there is a Lazarus who joins him for the sake of love.  And, sadly, there are rich men who inhabit that place of torment. 

Pride has no place in the soul of a man of God.  We are all of those who receive God’s Grace.  And this story of Abraham is a vibrant lesson we would do well to take to heart.  Not one player in that story was God.  But each was receiving what God had apportioned to him.  Be wise and consider the outcome of your life.  That place is not far from any of us.

Father, I am glad at this vision You sent me.  My heart is filled with a glorious joy that You would have the mercy to let me see this.  I present this vision with words.  May all who read this be allowed to see the same picture with a vibrant clarity.  By the Marvelous Name of Your Son Jesus, I give you thanks.

By His Grace.

But You Must Master it.

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Abel

All day long temptation attacks.  Most people give in to their temptations without a thought.  They live as if temptation were something fun.  They encourage one another to accept their weakness with joy.  For their weakness only proves they’re human.  Haven’t you heard someone say this, “It’s ok.  You’re only human.”?  And so we see billions simply floating along as bubbles from a child’s wand.  We neither fight against the currents that carry us about, nor question why we falter so. 

The Lord told Cain, “Why are you angry?  Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?  But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”  (Genesis 4: 6-8)  I have found that the Lord’s word is true when it says that the strength to master sin comes only from God.  Yet how many stop and devote themselves to prayer before a temptation has time to sprout roots?  And what do we see Cain do right after the Lord approached him with this tidbit of perfect words?  He went out in the field and killed his brother.  Is that how you find yourself obeying the word of God?  Is that all God’s wisdom means to you?  Are you tossed about because you simply don’t care?

There is a place where every man and woman will care deeply about how they accept the word of God.  Jesus told us that in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  Is that what you want?  I doubt it.  So why not spend the time to look into your soul?  Dig as deep as you possibly can. 

Bottom line, the question will remain, who do you truly desire to serve?  Do you desire pleasure over godliness?  Or do you desire that the Father find Glory in His child?  The power to overcome is present if we turn to Him with all our might and desire.  Yet the temptations remain pervasive in this world.  And they will not be taken out of the way.  Resist and find life or give in and remain in death.  He offers the power to live.  Will you take it?

By His Grace.

One Thing Never Sleeps.

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Alternative version of image:Wooden hourglass ...

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Leaves fall from trees, and they appear to sleep for a season.  Roll a ball and there is a place where it stops rolling.  Fill up your gas tank and it will eventually run dry.  A baby is born, one day becomes an old person then dies.  We sit down to a meal at a certain time.  And there also comes a time when the meal is done.

Everything in this world has a beginning and an end.  Well, this is true of almost everything.  There is something that never stops or takes a break.  Fill up an hour-glass with sand.  And turn the full portion to the top.  Watch the grains of sand drop.  And marvel at their exact rate.  Then consider that even if the hour-glass runs out time does not stop.  Wind up a watch and the spring will unwind.  But time doesn’t stop.  Only our measurement of time runs out.  But time does not sleep.  It doesn’t take a vacation. 

Time is the only indication we have of eternity.  The physical manifestation of God’s existence.  None of us can imagine the time of God.  He always was and always will be.  He never sleeps or takes a vacation.  And nothing He does ever finds an end.  What the Lord does only transforms from one thing to another. 

There is death.  And we could say that we cease to be at that moment.  But we would only be speaking from our perspective.  This is not so with God.  For at the moment of death, time does not stop.  And at that very moment we become the end result of our time here. 

There is the Lord’s promise of good and bad in this situation.  Many will taste the place where nothing is beautiful, sweet, peaceful, or pleasant.  But some will taste eternity with an unspeakable joy.  The key to our next experience with time after we die here depends on our relationship with the Most High God.  He will never experience a place where He is not at peace.  For He is God!  But He has promised that if we do not learn to love Him here, we will certainly hate Him there.  And He will not allow anything wicked to enter His presence.

He has allowed us the sacrifice of His Son Jesus that we might enter into that eternal relationship with Him.  But this is the ONLY door to His presence.  Nothing ungodly will enter eternity with joy.  And only what He has built will stand the test of His Holy Fire.  All else will find itself in a place He has created to receive the trash of creation.  I encourage you to seek His peace now.  For time does not stop.  It is merciless as it travels through.  There is no such thing as a “do over” in life.  This is the day you have been given to accomplish the Holy Will of God.  And how can you know what His perfect will is if you don’t accept His Holy Will borne through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus?

By His Grace.

Matthew 6: 24 (The God and Money Passage)

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A Master Lock brand padlock.

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“You cannot serve two masters”, the Lord said.  In this passage He spoke of the comparison between God and money.  But isn’t it true that it’s not money who sat and listened as He poured out this truth?  Wasn’t it people who had the ears to hear?

So the people, being the ones to whom He spoke were to consider their allegiance to God.  When you strive to have something of this world you are striving in the wrong direction.  That’s the point.  Money just happens to be the primary tool men use to grasp at what they want in this world.

We will become a slave to that which has mastered us.  Much like this pad lock bears the name of its maker.  How appropriate.  I could say that the point is, don’t be locked down by a desire for anything in this world.

Frankly, money is not the object of the passage.  God is the focus of Jesus’ words.  As it was with all His ministry, God the Father was the singular reason He appeared before us.  And God will be the focus of Jesus for eternity.  In that focus He was showing us to abandon all ties to this world and seek after His Father’s will.  If money is something the Father decides you need to have to accomplish His will, you will receive it.  But above all seek His will first!

By His Grace.

Being Used as a Warrior

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6Now the number of those who lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was 300 men; but all the rest of the people kneeled to drink water. 7The LORD said to Gideon, “I will deliver you with the 300 men who lapped and will give the Midianites into your hands; so let all the other people go, each man to his home.”(Judges 7)

There are those who will bow to traditions of men in their pursuit of God.  And there are those who will inspect what is known about God with a keen eye.  Though I will refrain from saying that all who rely on hearsay regarding the things known of God can not belong to the Lord, I will gladly say that those who inspect the Lord’s knowledge with a bend to understanding are those who are used mightily by the Lord.

Though God is quite able to affect His will without the use of men, I find that His desire is to accomplish His salvation of men by using men.  Would you be used by the Lord to help Him in this work?  Then present yourself to the Word of God with a keen eye.  Inspect what you read.  Understand your position in the Word.  And listen to Truth. 

We note that the others were sent home.  They were still His people.  But they were not chosen to fight in the coming war.  Want to enter the battle for souls?  Then follow their example.  It was God Himself who acknowledged that those 300 were fit for battle under His Mighty Hand. 

 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22)

If you would be prepared to serve the Lord then position yourself to do what Jesus said.  The more you devote to Him the more you can be used.  Only, prepare yourself with Truth.  And abandon every possible lie.

By His Grace.

Beaten

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Beaten!  His skin ripped open to show what’s beneath.

The shame of rotten lips assailed His ears.

They hung Him exposed.

Then they railed at inaction.

Silent of protest, the Lord endured.

Like a lamb He was led to the slaughter.

The understanding of His Father filled Him.

From the foundation of the world, was this Lamb accused.

For you He endured.

For you He obeyed.

For the Father’s wisdom reaches out into eternity,

And does not flinch from truth.

What is written is written, both scorn and love.

What will you say with your flesh blessed life?

Will you say you can add to this perfect torment?

Will you work to gain what Jesus offers?

What horrible beating will you invent that you might ascend?

Jesus paid the price in full.

“It is FINISHED!”

 

Glory is His Name!

He delivers what cannot be known.

The conscience is quickened.

The heart is reborn.

Good is seen against the bad.

And hope springs up from desperate thrashing.

What is the response from those touched by this hated One?

Shall we fight along side He who was considered too ugly to live?

Shall we washed hogs return to the mud?

Though the answer can be spoken here.

The answer remains in the actions and thoughts of those who receive.

He is Glory!

And He is allowed to judge all.

For He is WORTHY!

By His Grace.