Tag Archives: loss

Damaging Judgments of Memory

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There was a fountain in the town square that used to be connected to an underground stream laced with sulfur.  When the fountain had been built the water was clean.  But over time a pocket of sulfur was released by the flow.

The people in the village knew to avoid the water in the fountain, and it’s no surprise they considered it a filthy thing.  It was obvious this was not a place of nourishment.

But for some unexplained reason, one day the water in the fountain ran clean.  For years the people in the village avoided the fountain, not caring that the water was pure.  They couldn’t forget what the fountain used to contain.

Instead of enjoying their newfound convenience, they would walk nearly a quarter mile to the fresh flowing spring outside the village to get their water.  By habit and a memory of insult, they refused to drink the water of the fountain.

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Do we judge the value of a man by what he used to be?  Or are we diligent enough to take a look at what he has become?

By His Grace

An Extremely Hard Truth

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If we don’t want any part of God, we don’t hurt his feelings.  We will find him in complete agreement.  Isn’t that why he created hell?

Right now the door to his love is wide open.  If you don’t want to go in, God is not particularly offended.  He left us with a choice for a reason.

Take a look at the tags for this post.

By His Grace

Two Promises

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Profit and loss.  The entire world is based on these two concepts.  Absolutely everything we do contains things that are considered profitable, and those things that are considered loss.

In every possible way, creation has been subjected to loss.  It takes serious diligence to build and maintain anything.  And if we are slack, we will quickly witness our work returning to “nothing” from which it came.

This is true of material things.  It is true of our relationships with one another.  It is true of all “life”, which is so very abundant in this world,  And it is absolutely true of Spiritual things.

“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3)  We could easily say that all creation was created from what was “not”.  And if left alone, to its origin all things glide.  Creation could easily be perceived as a great splash in an eternal ocean.  The water will reclaim its equality of height, by absolute necessity.

It is the blessing of God to provide Life.  It is the curse of God to restrain His hand.  That’s all it takes for man to experience loss.  Just as we can produce loss by neglect, so it is with God.

He is the Sustainer of all things.  But even the idea that something must be sustained, indicates that it tends to obliteration.

There are two promises from God.  If you will consistently turn to me, I will sustain you.  But as you desire your own strength, you will suffer loss.  The first promise leads to eternal life in Christ Jesus, for God offers no other source of blessing and life.  The second is simply our natural destination; we came from nothing, and to that nothing we will return.  But God offers eternal life to every soul that will turn to His Holy Son in faith.

I know that there is a massive misunderstanding of these things.  Man thinks that he can save himself.  How can you save yourself if your hands are busy trying to hold up your own roof?  What knowledge do you have of eternity?  Isn’t it true that eternity is only a concept within the heart of every man who ever lived?  We are born and die.  That’s not eternity, friends!

What do we know of Holy Sustaining?  We can’t even make it through an entire day without causing some sort of destruction.  We crush a bug as we walk.  We speak an unholy word in casual conversation, or we do not speak what is holy when it should have been spoken.

Proof lies abundant within us, that we can’t sustain anything for very long.  Quickly, the glide to oblivion pushes past our strength to keep things going.  We are, by nature, walking death.  God alone, and this in His Holy and Righteous Son, is LIFE.

Make your own choice.  Consider these things with the utmost diligence, or relegate these promises to obscurity.  Choose death or Life.  The one is a given, we slide through time to the place of obliteration without any effort at all.  But life must be gained from He who is Life, Christ Jesus, the Holy Son of the Living God.

The Price We Pay

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World War II; the black car pulls into the driveway.  Those who live there know what the messenger brings.  Horror slowly dawns; a son will never come home again.

But the messenger did arrive.  Having arrived, he will certainly deliver the message.

You know me.  I am a messenger from the Holy Lord God Almighty.  I have arrived before your face, and you know the reason why.  Horror slowly dawns on your soul; having arrived, I will not fail to deliver the message.  “Repent or die”.

They did not want to see the black car in their driveway.  They did not want to see the impeccable uniform dismount.  But the soldier will not retreat until he has discharged his duty.  This also, those who live there know.

That is the case for those who deliver bad news.  How much more so for those who deliver the Good News?

What barrier is it for the soldier, that they were not ready to receive him?  What barrier is it to me, that you are not ready to receive me?

By His Grace

Golden Stairs

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Doing battle with the man I was;

An exceedingly costly affair.

The cost is high and sure because

I must climb His golden stair.

The steps are made of Molten Gold,

Refining in his Fire.

And every step I take, as bold,

Consumes me all the higher.

The price is high, as men perceive.

But is it worth the cost?

I’ll be there on my bended knee,

Enjoying what was lost.

While others who enjoy their gold

With a coolness that will not burn.

Will kneel in fear, and void of bold;

For these steps I take they’ll yearn.

Oh cross of Christ, that precious place;

That step there at the top!

Reflects to me His Glorious face,

As this journey finally stops.

Do you think it odd a man should lose

Everything you hold so dear?

I think it’s odd that you should choose

To hold on to your fear.

As now the Great Proclaiming’s done,

You settle down in your flesh.

Forsaking all that can be won,

You place your loss as best!

Yes the stairs will torch your hope,

Of a life of peace and ease.

But you climb to Him upon a rope;

Consumed by a Fiery Breeze!

Won’t you please come and place your foot

Upon the liquid step?

Belief in Christ will do you good.

He’ll accomplish all the rest.

But if you do this step ascend,

Do not back down again!

The world perceives us not as friends,

Who will His Stairs ascend.

By His Grace

Two Boxes

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Another day, driven from the possibility of opportunity.  Ripped from our hands by the weakness of humanity.  The seconds, appearing on the day, have exacted their proper respect from unwilling victims.

What was accomplished remains as “was”.  And our failures retain the same name.  The front of a second is full of potential.  Its back is an eternal seal. 

Every second becomes like an impenetrable box.  They appear predictably, yet mysteriously, then vanish from our grasp.  Nothing else in creation is quite like them.  In the language of men, seconds are the building blocks of time.

Forgiveness and glory are stored in the one kind of box.  Sin and regret have a box of their own. 

Yesterday becomes but a wish.  We wish we had done more.  Or we are forced to wish we had not done.

Today is upon you.  Today is upon us all.  What will be in the boxes of tomorrow is in our hands right now.

Millions of people prove that it is entirely possible to leave the box of forgiveness and glory completely empty all their lives.

I am up the firm persuasion that it is equally in our grasp to leave the box of sin and regret empty also.  But for that you need the power of Christ Jesus in you.

The end of every day must see additions to a box.  And each man owns two.

And by the way, this entire concept applies to our thoughts as well.  Just because they refuse to unveil themselves to our perceptions, doesn’t mean they don’t have substance.  If anyone thought they were in trouble because of their doings, they should realize their thoughts are also vulnerable to condemnation.  After all our brain belongs to us.

By His Grace