Tag Archives: Religion and Spirituality

Acknowledge His Ownership.

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KJV Bible

Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness so that you will earn praise or even anger from men.  But in all ways please the Lord who made you.  And do not refrain from speaking out in regard to the sinfulness of man.  We are put in a serious condition by these words:  ” “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”  (Matt. 10:32)

What is it to acknowledge?  Accept or admit the existence or truth of.  And what is it to disown?  Refuse to acknowledge or maintain any connection with.

We either stand with the Lord in this “Place of Testing”, or we stand against Him.  Speak without shame.  For you are bought with the price of the Blood of God’s Son.  Recount your excuses on paper.  Look at them and consider rendering them to the Lord when you meet Him face to face.  And consider that while you’re telling Him why you didn’t speak up, you’ll be noticing the scars on his hands and feet and the hole in His side.

by His Grace.

Any Loss is Still a Loss.

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The Argument Sketch

Image via Wikipedia

I was pondering the last post about those who tear down everything about Christianity.  And the following understanding came to me:

As we argue over the Lord Jesus, everyone loses.  No one wins as we are in the phase of debate and argument.  Because while the Christian is eternally solid, there is a reminder of the fate reserved for the godless and sinner.  And while the godless and sinner argue their points which support their life choices, they lose time which could have been gained in the service of the Lord.

As necessary as these arguments and debates are, they present a period of loss for both sides.  The gain comes when we are living out the Christian life at the “cutting edge” of our faith and understanding.  Anything less can be considered, to some degree, a loss.

 

By His Grace.

To Judge or Assess?

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Scale_of_justice

Image by TaranRampersad via Flickr

I witnessed an old man having trouble with the lock on the back of his trailer.  Now, I’d jump out and help.  But only one key opens the lock.  And only one set of fingers at a time can turn that key.  And what advice can I possibly give to help? “Try to turn it this way.”  Yeah.

I was waiting behind him to pull into my door.  And there was nothing more to do but sit and watch.  After a while he gave up and waddled back to my truck.  Was he going to ask for help?  Maybe he thought I carried a bolt cutter or an oxy acetylene torch.  Nah, that’s not reasonable to expect.

He got near my truck and I jumped out to meet him.  He began to talk and my soul was startled.  Anger and cursing flowed from his mouth like a river of fast moving mud.  I didn’t expect that.  He didn’t look like someone who carried that kind of heart.  But there’s not much a person can tell about another by simply looking at them.

This experience brings me to ponder “judging”.  We are instructed (commanded actually) not to judge.  But what would this world be like if we didn’t access our fellow humans? How would we sort out danger or friendly?  Would we allow the enemies of truth to come live in our house?  Perhaps, but not without making some measure of prevention.  So what is this judging thing?

Judging, as we’re commanded to refrain from, is more likely having to do with settling on a conviction that someone is a certain way and  without redemption.  Perhaps it’s like being a judge at a trial and rendering a sentence on the person in question.  I can see how this would be a source of major damage.  There would be no hope of that person ever overcoming their history.  And such judging would preclude any possibility of change.  So they would be locked out of our sphere of acceptance and hope.

Judging, as is necessary, might be more like assessment.  We consider the other person according to what knowledge of truth we contain.  And we allow for learning on both parts.  I allow myself room to learn something more about the person, while I continue to consider that person with reserved guard.  And I allow that other person room toward possible clarification of their personality.

Refrain from condemning others to the life they now present to you.  But be careful not to allow enemies to get too close.  A curious mix of understanding is needed here.  But doesn’t this just show how small and unwise we really are?  Who can know what is right without the Lord giving understanding?  How many people have been killed, through the ages, because others judged them unfit.  Even the righteous have become victim of this kind of judging.

In the end, perhaps it would be better to identify two words we can use.  We are allowed to access a person’s intend and tendencies.  And do so with understanding that we might well be wrong.  We’re allowed to protect what is precious in our world.   But we’re commanded not to condemn others before we have all the facts.  And even when all the “facts” are presented, can we truly judge them on an eternal scale?   “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

And what would have happened if Jesus had met the “man of the tombs” and simply turned around and left?  After all, wasn’t the entire village afraid of this man?  Wasn’t he a horrible person?  But look what happened when Jesus drove the evil spirits out of him.  The villagers found that man “in his right mind and sitting at the feet of Jesus”.  (Mark 5: 1-10)  See also:  http://timglass.wordpress.com/2008/10/04/a-man-from-the-tombs-mark-51-10/

At the same time I’m put in remembrance of the 7 sons of sceva:

13 “Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. ”  (Acts 9)

Again, we are told to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

By His Grace.

“Who Respects a Fool?”

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Transferred from en.wikipedia.org http://en.wi...

Image via Wikipedia

The farmer plows his field.  He sets his implements together.  He checks all the connections.  He drives over to the field.  Getting the plow into the field, he lowers the blades.  After putting the tractor in gear, he looks forward and picks a place to use as his guide for a straight line.  Letting out the clutch, he starts another year.

At the end of the row, he lifts the plow and turns around.  He sets his sights on the barn.  And, with plow up, he puts the tractor in “fast” and heads home.  In his mind, he’s done his work.  What?  He’s got 300 acres!  Anyone would think the farmer has flipped his gourd if he really thinks he’s done enough.

Many people have set themselves apart.  They have understood the message of the Gospel and taken it to heart.  Sadly, many who have a confidence in themselves have not understood the message however.  They think, like the farmer, that simply doing the minimum will satisfy the Lord of Righteousness.  But the Christian life is not a one word experience.  It is a life of dedication to growth.  Those who think they can simply attend church or speak nice words are sadly mistaken.  What of sin in your life?  Another row to plow.  What of the movies you watch?  Another row to plow.  What of your prayer life?   Another row to plow.  What of forgiving others?  Another row to plow.  What of reading the Bible on a regular basis?  Another row to plow.  What of learning from God to do everything He tells us to do?  Another row to plow.

57As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

59He said to another man, “Follow me.”

But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”

62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”  (Luke 9)

 

News Flash

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Elephant in the St. Louis Zoo

Image via Wikipedia

An Elephant woke one morning to see a convoy of trucks passing by.  His tiny brain got an idea.  With smiling eyes, he lumbered over to one of the trucks.  His deft trunk reached into the truck and plucked the driver out of his seat.  Then, to the double amazement of the driver, the elephant began to try to get into the driver’s seat.

This is to all men, women and children.  You can imagine yourself as anything you want.  But the nature of our condition determines who we are.  You can call yourself a Pilot.  But unless you actually can and do fly a plane, you’re just fooling yourself.  You can imagine you’re a Chicken, if you wish.  But unless you’re really that small, feathered, beaked, and stupid, you’re still a human.

You can call yourself a Christian.  But unless the Lord causes you to be one, you’re just making noise with your lips.

“Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” (Psalms 127:1)

“11For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  12Now if any man builds on the foundation with
gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13each man’s work will become evident; for the day  will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself  will test the quality of each man’s work. 14If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. 15If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” (1 Corinthians)

“Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spiritgives birth to spirit.” (John 3: 6)

Go ahead.  Go to church.  And, as is your custom, continue in sin when you leave that place.  You think the sign you hang over your head causes you to be something you’re not?  Remember the Elephant and the Chicken, and the Pilot.  God is deadly serious about His Holy demands for mankind.  Only the wise will continually reach up to Him for that transformation He demands.  No man will find himself justified by his own desire.  Justification and eternal life are from the hand of the Lord.  Open your hard heart.  Drop your pride of life.  Listen to what the Lord has said.  The verdict on all men has already been rendered.  There is no life other than that which the Spirit of God builds in man.  And there will not be one shred of man’s accomplishments which will enter Heaven.  Unless the Lord has accomplished it in you and through you, you have accomplished nothing.  Pride of man is an ememy of God.  The name you give yourself is less than nothing in the eyes of God.

By His Grace.

Response to Hopelessness

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Dark Snow in the Rockies

Image by dj @ oxherder arts via Flickr

I sat beside a river of blood.

There! Look at that!

That’s who I was.

Fair? What’s fair?

There’s nothing left to do.

Whisper filtered through the trees,

“I care about you”.

Too tired to move, my ears searched around.

While dimming eyes stared at the ground.

Touch on my shoulder.

Who could this be?

That even one creature could care about me?

His Name is Jesus; who’s touch I now feel.

This stream before me was all I held as real.

“I have more for you to enter in.”

His heart was heard to say.

“Your life will not be taken.

I have use for you this day”.

He made me as He wanted.

And did not discuss His plans.

And now I walk undaunted.

This dark place is His land!

“Come, I’ll show you what to do”.

“Behold. I make all things new”.

“No man has seen the plans I have for you”.

“Today, you’re mine!

For I have purchased you”.

By His Grace.