Amazement Thus Beckoning


I will speak of myself, for it is impossible for me to know the heart of anyone who might read this.  I do not want to give confidence where it is not warranted.  But I find desire within me to encourage those things that warrant encouragement.  And I desire to share a mutual amazement.

When I ponder the Glory of Christ within me, I am astounded.  That I should contain the Gospel of the Glorious and Eternal God!  That I should not be tossed about by all the rumors regarding him.  But that I should know the Holy and Living God in Christ Jesus his Righteous and Holy Son.

When I think of the billions who have died without this knowledge, I am amazed that this man should understand.  I say “knowledge”, knowing that it is only in small portion.  And the same is true of the word “understand”.  But that there is a seed in me is undeniably true.  And the joy of this knowledge goes far beyond words to express.

There are many who hold what they say is the Gospel, yet are thoroughly hard-pressed to give account of themselves.  This too, adds to my amazement.  Not that they are at all amiss, but that I should know the truth.  In this great joy there is no room for judgment or comparison!  Oh that I could live this way all my days!

For the glory of Christ!  Again, for the Glory of Christ!  These words are placed prominently for the Glory of my Lord. 

Let all the world hear.  Let all the world be told.  I will not shrink back into the sea of men.  I cannot, for he sustains me in “The Way”.  No enticement shall bind me!  No tears of beckoning shall sway me.  Such things have no hope of any Life.  They are like the useless tapping of bird’s feet on my roof.

Can you agree with these things?  Do you find proof in your soul that the Living God has come to you with all his Glorious Promises?  Then say “Amen” full of thanks, for the willingness to obey which lives in you with endless strength.

I do not need to perceive your agreement.  Who am I that I should demand any such thing from any man?  But render your agreement and thanks to the Living God in his Holy Son.  And let what is unseen receive what is rightfully his.

Let us all go to the Holiest Holy of Holies.  Let us spread our soul before the Light and Life of all creation!  There, in that place, let us render to God what is God’s.  There, in that place, we shall be as one.  There, in that place, we shall be at peace and unity.

He has spoken, there are far fewer of his people than those who are destined to destruction.  But do not think I say such a thing with malice, or boasting.  For I have not received this joy because I am a righteous man.  It is God’s mercy to teach us these things, and to cause us to become his children.  And anyone who desires this place I have described, is welcome to come share in the things of joy.

Are you a filthy person?  That need not remain your case.  All you need to do is believe that God’s Holy Son is Glorified in the very presence of the Most High God. 

But in the beginning of your transformation, do not believe the weakness of lies; those words which tell you that belief is the end of your responsibility.  There are many who have gone out of Christianity.  They spout such a weak expectation.  And sadly they have destroyed millions.

If you are to receive this joy, it will require you to agree with the Holy Lord in all that he commands you to do.  You cannot be his, and remain bound by the things for which you are now ashamed.  He will grant you release but you must receive it.  If you are to attain this joy you must become his disciple.

But indeed come, all who will!  Come and share with us in this scourging from men!  See how they hate you, they do not love you!  They only love the things they can take from you.  They only love you in that they may debase you and use you for no good purpose.  Why would you willingly submit to such things?

See how boldly his children proclaim their love for him.  See how fearless they are.  Yet you can see how full of fear your soul remains.  Why would you not desire freedom?

By His Grace

The Coming War


Restrained in its place, the enemy of Christ is restrained in its place.  All the while they are allowed to thrive and grow.  Violence covers them as if brilliant red robes of blood.  For now is their day of training.

There will be a war of all wars.  For now they grow as if mighty oaks of men.  For they will face the Mighty Oak of God.

All men will play a part in this war of wars.  No one will stay at home in peace.  And even now the dividing lines are being drawn.

Blood will flow like a torrent.  Horror like a mighty wind.  They will conquer as He allows, when the time is right.  Then the Christ of God will rise to put an end to all violence and rebellion.

Did you think that things would continue as they are?  Did you think you would live in peace forever in this wicked and adulterous place?  Such thoughts have filled you with ignorance.

You thought because your ears could not hear the Living God’s commands, that he did not perceive your wickedness: that judgment was not being readied.  You thought because your eyes did not perceive his Blazing Glory, that he was not ruler of all.  Such blindness has kept you in a false sense of secure peace.  See how the players of this coming war are restrained in their proper place.

Best to rise up now my friend.  Best to humble yourself before the Christ of the Living God.  For the lines of demarcation are being drawn even as you read these words.  Beyond your hearing, beyond your sight, the preparation of war is in full swing.

Those who belong to Christ have already been redeemed, as if peacemakers on the bloody battlefield.  Splattered with the blood of Christ they stand ready to be caught up.  Splattered with the blood of men they fear nothing.  Join them or die a useless death.

By His Grace

Work


They go to Church.  They read their Bible.  They give to the poor.  They have prayed some kind of prayer.  They might even have spoken openly about the Holy Son of God.  Have they done the will of God?

If they read these words, the answer must remain, “no”.  For the will of the Living God is a Living Will.  And if they can still read these words, then they are still in the place of “Working”.  The work of God has no place of completion.  It is a continual doing.

Is this splitting hairs?  Absolutely not.  When Jesus spoke, “It is finished”, He did not consider Himself to have completed the Living Will of His Holy Father.  He perceived that the most severe possible test of his continuance was completed.  But men hold their deeds as if they are completions in themselves.

“My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” (John 5:17)  There is a place of rest.  But even in that place there is a sustaining.

What’s the point of this post?  Don’t consider that your work for Him will ever find an “end”.  Take a vacation from the “work of men”.  But don’t consider that you can do the same from the “Work of God”.

Faithful Perceptions


So many things to touch and see.

So many things lay out of reach.

The fingers of men will grasp and twist.

But they can never touch what’s His.

Why do you fear, O little flock?

Do you fear the hands of men?

Where are your treasures laid up in stock?

On earth or bound in heaven?

By His Grace

Even Me


Reflection from today’s Bible reading:

Yes, even the one who writes this.  Even he will be brought low.  The evil that is in Him will be purged; a consuming fire will burn it away, from the present and from eternity.

Pride will be crushed.  There will be no foothold for it to climb the Holy Mountain of God.  The narrow mindedness of unholy desire will be set on fire.  And what remains will undergo refinement.

Even the one who writes this, will succumb to the Glory of the Sovereign God.  For God’s judgment is against all wickedness in all men.  And he will bring Man’s state of affairs to an abrupt end.

There will be no further place where the Word of God is wedged between brothers for the sake of gain.  For even now many use the word of God to subject their brothers to shame.  Secretly in their hearts they keep count of their victims.  Trophies of battle, line the shelves of their halls.  They have converted what is Holy to what is obscene.  And the Most High God is witness to it all.

Divide, divide, cutaway at one another.  There is a place of judgment.  And even the one who writes this will be purified.  God is no respecter of man.

The pride of life enters into a man’s things, like fine dust in an unkempt house.  Who is he that is diligent to clean?  Who is he who opens the drapes that the light of Righteousness might expose his filth?  Who is he who cleans his house so that the consuming fire will have less to consume?  For everyone will be bathed in the Holy Fire of God’s righteous judgment.

No religion will shield you.  For not one man does the Holy laws he holds up for others to see.  Woe to all men for the sake of their pride.  Blessings and peace belong exclusively to those who do the will of God in Christ Jesus, His holy and Righteous Son.  Yet every man will be cleansed in regard to what remains.

The motivation of the heart will be exposed.  The secret desires spilled out.  It will come upon the righteous.  It will envelop the most wicked.  And all those in between will be dealt with in truth and righteousness.  Yes, even upon the one who writes this.

By His Grace

The Nature of Heaven


As I drove along in the dark last night, I let my thoughts drift to the nature of heaven.  With whatever my imagination could provide, I thought about peace, living creatures, a safe and inviting environment, and a people that will never again know any sin.

I tried to think of heaven millions of years passed the day of judgement.  I thought of a place where what is here is never mentioned.  They do not remember the wicked greed of man.  They do not remember sickness and death.  And for eternity this will be their life.

As I woke up this morning I tried to consider my thoughts about heaven.  I recognize that they are only based on what I can perceive here.  And then I found myself amazed at how little God has revealed about eternity.

His message to man does not contain the indescribable beauties of his heaven.  God and all his creatures have lived in splendor for millions of millions of years.  But exceedingly little information has been given to man.

Partly, the restraint has to do with our language.  And partly the restraint has to do with the frailty of this creation.  But more so, the restraint has to do with God’s will toward Man.

God is not interested in making us happy here.  The entirety of this place is designed to cause us to hate it.  Nothing is stable.  There is no secure place.  Nothing is friendly unless it is manipulated.  And the strength of our bones wears out so that we can no longer manipulate.

The entirety of this place is designed for faith.  We have hope in faith alone.  We are to put our trust in the Living God and His Holy Son Christ Jesus.  Even the very character of our mind is full of unrest and unpredictable behavior. 

God did not desire that we should live at peace here.  It is God’s desire that we desire his peace.  So instead of describing what is his, he tells us that he is firm and true, peace, safety, strength, purity, and that his promises are fully reliable.

The nature of this place is designed to test the heart of every man.  The question hangs in the sky over the head of every man here:

“Do you desire what you have; this place full of chaos and unpredictable things?  Or will you open your heart to honesty; looking about you and confessing the true nature of this place of testing.  And that you yourself are not able to do one right thing.”

If we will turn to God out of despair, for the sake of the things we can see that are wrong, he is willing to embrace us.  But if we want to dig in our feet, and live in this place of lies, full of rebellion, full of unbelief, full of hatred for our fellow man and for God, we will suffer unto death then be cast away as unprofitable.

If you want to know the glories of heaven, listen to the righteous words of God and do them.  Allow yourself to believe in the Holy Son of God, do not harden your heart with restraint.

Read his Holy words that HAVE been sent us.  Believe them and stop second guessing the Holy Word of the Living God.  Listen to your conscience and confess your sins to him.  Ask him to strengthen you in the things that are pure and right.  Then do what you are told to do.

All of these things can be gained in Christ Jesus.  He has promised, and is reliable, overcoming this place of chaos is possible. Heaven can be attained if we listen to him.  Then we will know the nature of the eternal heaven of the Living God.  Then our language will be like his, for the place of our perception will be an eternal place.

So many like me desired to know what is in heaven.  What a perfect example of wasted time.  A better deployment of the minutes is to teach myself godly restraint, and this according to His Holy Word and the prompting of His Holy Spirit.

May God have mercy to grant understanding to those who read these words.  Those who desire will hear.  Those who hate God will stop up their ears.

In Christ Jesus, the Righteous and Holy Son of God, I pray.  Amen.

By His Grace