Tag Archives: Religion & Spirituality

Thank You Lord!

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Thank You Trash...

Image by Daniel Slaughter via Flickr

I thank you Lord:

Because I was destined to burn with destruction.  But You told me this was so.

Because I became consumed with my plight.  But You showed me a way out.

Because I couldn’t muster strength to endure Your presence.  But Your love and mercy were so very sweet.

Because I faltered and stumbled, bringing alarm to my soul.  But You gave me tears of repentance.

Because I could not perceive Your forgiveness.  But You cleansed my conscience.

Because I ran about with Great concern for the sins I had held dear.  But You teach me The Better Way.

Thank You Lord God Almighty!  Your Mercy and Wisdom excel!  Thank You, Jesus, for Your hand is powerful enough to save.

By His Grace.

Blessed Turmoil Within.

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Door in a Wall

Image by Irish Typepad via Flickr

20And turning His gaze toward His disciples, He began to say, “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21“Blessed are you who hunger now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. 22“Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. 23“Be glad in that day and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For in the same way their fathers used to treat the prophets. 24“But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. 25“Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. 26“Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way.

 

Woe to all who call good evil and evil good.  Woe to those who mix drinks with abandon.  Woe to those who do not consider the Holiness of God in their daily doings.  Woe to those who live their lives as if there were nothing beyond this place of testing.  Woe to those who consider the testimony of Jesus as a fairy tale.  Woe to those who make no attempt to grasp the meaning of life on this earth.  And woe to those who, after hearing the message of Jesus, turn from it with shrugging shoulders.

Glory and honor, and promise belongs to those who endure for His Name sake.  Blessed is the man who considers the abject horror of his sins.  Blessed is the man who sobs at what he has done contrary to the Word of God.  Blessed is he who hates his life in this world, yet longs for help from He who cannot lie.  Blessed and filled is he who finds the repentance necessary to secure the forgiveness of God in Christ Jesus. 

And Blessed is the Lord for making this place of testing.  He has set the wall between Himself and us with a firm foundation.  There is but one Gate.  And, as the Lord Himself has said, “Few there are who find it.”

By His Grace.

From a Glow to a Blazing Throne.

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Out of Darkness

Holy God of Glorious Light.

How You Shine with Beauty!

You made this place with deft wisdom.

The darkness of man surrounds him.

Impenetrable darkness, no sight to us.

But there is a shaft of light which glows against my pupil.

Dimly I see it glow.

This light leads me to Your will.

And Your Son is beheld!

Holy!  Holy!  Holy, is the Lord God Almighty!

Forever He will be praised by those who have seen this light.

Forever He will hold His children in Love and Power!

You are God!

Blessed, Powerful, Glorious, Eternal, and Hope, is the Name of the Lord!

Here Comes the Next Second in Your Life. Are You Ready?

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The Passage of Time

Image by ToniVC via Flickr

The seconds of a day tick by and we all do as we can, each according to our ability.  Some seconds tick by without fanfare or notice.  Some record a giggle, a tear, a foolish moment, surprise, worry, anxiety, fear, and memories.  Some seconds announce a memorable moment.  These last according to their severity or impact.  Regardless how each second presents itself, time has passed.  And with each passing second we are hurled toward singular moments of enormous importance. 

When someone is shot, there were moments before that led them to that place.  When a car wreck happens, there were moments before.  When we do something really stupid, there were moments before that didn’t announce it was going to happen.  And isn’t that a shame.

And so it goes.  controversy is like that.  We pound our hearts and brains with all we can muster to enter into a contract with each second of our lives.  Struggling to maintain sanity, we live our lives.  Yet time has a way of providing proof that we are not perfect. 

I present this post as a simple notice of something true.  To me it speaks of both my failings and my successes.  But most of all, it speaks of something profound:  The only man to enter life innocent and leave this life the same way was Jesus, the Son of God.  With the Lord Jesus, there is no regret or stumbling.  His performance before His Father was flawless. 

And, by the way, I’m likely about to regret a couple seconds in this very day. 

By His Grace.

Where do I Stand?

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c. 1632

Image via Wikipedia

Many look at the Lord Jesus and say, “That’s nice.”  Most hear of Him and His expectations for His people and turn their heads another direction.  Some hear of the Lord of Glory in Jesus and reach into their pockets to give alms to those who appear to serve Him.  And some study their entire life to learn of His secrets.

But a few will lay down pride and gain in this world to receive the Glory of His promise.  Some have given all they own to be a part of His Testimony.  Some are looking at Jesus and pondering what all this “giving of self” means.  And they are about to cast in all they own to join the Glorious war of God.

Where do I stand?  What have I left that can be thrown down for His sake?  What do I hold dear in this world?  How close am I to being counted as one who threw it all away for His Glorious Name?

To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom.   But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume.   And who is adequate for such a task as this?  (2 Corinthians 2:16 [the Living Bible])

By His Grace.

Waiting in the Wings

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long hallway, possibly to the library

Image by permanently scatterbrained via Flickr

The Lord has tasks waiting in the wings.  He is looking for men and women to accomplish them.  He is watching the sea of man and looking for those who will dedicate themselves to His will.  He’s looking for obedience above and beyond the expectations laid down by the Church.  He is looking for those who are willing to die for His name.  And not just willing to die if someone asks it of us.  But willing to die now, tomorrow, and forever.  Die to our desires within us that war against the Glory of God’s Honor. 

How deep is your desire to serve the Lord God of Eternity?  We were made to serve Him. So isn’t it right to ask each other, “How deep is your desire to serve the God who made us?”  The Lord has tasks waiting in the wings for certain men and women to accomplish.

 

By His Grace.