The Engine of Peace


I look at what Man has accomplished.  How he has established law, regulation, procedure, and expectations, to force love upon the people for one another.  What I see is that punishment is the motivator.  Look with truth and you will see it also.

If you do what is evil the law will come and take from you.  If you contribute according to the law of the land you will reap what they say is great benefit.

I see how they encourage one another to do good works.  But again, the motivator is gain or severe loss.

Every day, every man wakes knowing that if he does not do what is expected he will lose horribly.  This is not the gospel of Christ.  It is the so-called good news of Man.

This good news of Man is dependent on the resources available.  There’s only so much money in the world.  There’s only so much food.  Politics restrains the gain for all.  And the vast majority find themselves suffering loss as the sun goes down on each day.  Even the so-called winners are exhausted from their efforts.  And there’s no need to itemize the broken families the come from the so-called good news.

In this good news of Man greed must be honed to a fine edge.  Look at the advent of training and implements that has been made available to help.  In all these things, the motivation for adherence comes from outside the man.

You know what’s funny?  With all this trust toward the ability of Man to create peace, the world is no better off. 

What does God say?  “14 . . . if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  (2 chronicles 7)   This Promise of God does not present itself as a manipulation.  It’s the offer of free and complete help.

Take note of how God strips the strength of greed.  In its place he only requires humility.

This is no empty promise.  But who will take up the mantle and respond?

Let it Do Its Work


People pay all kinds of money to attend concerts.  They endure all manner of inconvenience to go to the movies.  And it used to be, that people would trudge miles just to attend an hour or two speech by someone important.

But the sweetest rendering of a song, is played in the memory.  The visual effects of a movie come to life in the imagination.  And the words of a great orator are best heard when they combine with personal experiences, unique to each one who heard, and delivered in their proper time.

As it is with the life among men, so it is with the things of Heaven.  We should not fall to manipulation as we hand out the words of life.  It is better to let the one who hears stew as the heat of his soul allows.  If there is a boiling over to occur, it is best to be done by a direct source of heat.  We don’t put the pot near the burner.  We carefully place it centered above the heat.  Then, we leave it alone to do its work.

All things in creation tell the story of Christ Jesus.  Even the sins of a man speak the testimony of the Christ.  Let the Glory of God do its work.  Deliver the Gospel, and then step aside;  as if all we do is turn on the switch to the burner.  Show me a man who keeps his hand on the knob while the food cooks, and I’ll show you someone who lacks any reasonable judgment.

The death of souls


Alright here we go!

Squirrel up your tongue; get it nice and limber.  Pat the soft skin under your chin until it’s nice and loose.  Roll your neck side to side until you hear vertebrae snap.  Now you’re ready.

With your best bad guy accent say the following:  “I’m going to make you believe what I want you to believe.  I’m going to make you believe it so well you’ll think it was your thought.”  Now you have to give that typical bad guy laugh.  “Mmmmwaaaahhhhhh!”

That’s over the top isn’t it?   I mean, that kind of bad guy monologue is only in the movies right?  Not really.  It happens to you several times a day.  Reach over and turn off the music and I’ll tell you what I mean.

Go into the grocery store and what do you hear?  Go into the shoe store.  What do you hear?  As you drove there or from there what did you listen to?  If you work on a factory floor the chances are you hear it all day long.  And you go home singing the last song you heard.  When was the last day you didn’t listen to a single song?

“So what?”  You ask me.  “That’s nothing like the bad guy monologue!”  Are you sure?

What’s in the lyrics you’re listening to?  Most people will tell you they don’t know, they just like the song.  It makes them happy to listen to it.  Really now.  With something so attractive and so unknown, how much room is left for abuse or manipulation?

Considered the basic lines of lyrics today.  You cheated on me but it’s okay I cheated on you.  I know you’re married but I want to go to bed with you.  Divorce sucks.  Divorce is great, as long as you don’t have to pay for it.  Your body is sexy, and so is mine,  I hate you.  

And on they go with violent or wicked behavior being profiled inside music you love so much.  All the while,  most people couldn’t tell you what a song is trying to say.  But your brain has heard it quite clearly.  And your life is a reflection of what you’re told to believe.

Godlessness, hatred, envy, lies, divorce, murder, drug abuse and drunkenness, and every other kind of wicked behavior is praised in the lyrics of today’s music.  Even little children are running around singing immoral songs.  And few people even think about it.

I’m not going to bother to talk about what happens in the evening when you get home and turn on the television.  Let’s just say you wake in the morning to sin.  You go to bed at night having been immersed in sin.  How are you supposed to break free?

Listen to the lyrics.  Think about what they’re telling you to believe.  Don’t take my word for it, prove it yourself.  As you watch television think about what they’re trying to make you believe is true.  Think for yourself for a change!

If you really want to prove you’re being manipulated, go on a music and television fast.  It occurs to me that you might not know what a fast is.  It simply means ,do without. 

You will feel horribly uncomfortable.  But why?  You’re not sick.  No one is beating you.  What you’re feeling is the lack of someone telling you what to believe.

By His Grace