Tag Archives: Riches

Mr and Mrs pryde

by

0


“I feel bad about Who I am.  There is something lacking in the praises to me.  I am gorgeous and beautiful!  Why then, do all not bow down when I arrive?”

And so the flatterer was born.  His Father was the Most High God.  But those who raised him up were called Mr and Mrs Wrongful and Ignorant Pryde.

What a couple they make!  How righteous and perfect do they first appear.  But spend a moment with them in conversation, and the reality of their hatred fills the air.

Men can come and go from their presence, as they please.  But to be reared in their house is a sentence of death. 

Nothing satisfies the Prydes more than dreams and ambitions of being God himself.  But even if it were possible for God to step aside, would they find the comfort of their thrones pleasant?

If these are your parents, it would be better for you to go live in the streets.  It would be better to die of starvation, than to live in the house of Lies.

Truth and humility live in the place of suffering.  Opulence and plenty fill the house of Mr and Mrs Pryde.  Every day and night they entertain many.  And flattery caps every conversation.

But Truth and Humility make their home in the open spaces.  They carefully teach all their children to endure.  They speak joyously about the things of eternity.  They never cease to praise their Father in heaven.  And holy respect caps every conversation.

They are from the lineage of reality.  Trustworthy and dutiful parents, they are adored by all their children.

Who are your parents?

By His Grace

Relinquish With Joy

by

0


The world looks on compassion as a weakness.  They consider that a weakened man cannot sustain his hold on the things he has.  So their hideous greed approaches, emboldened.

Let them take the things their eyes see.  For they do not perceive the Christ of God.  But let your precious belongings be those of Christ.  For these things you will keep though you die.

They cannot steal what they cannot perceive.  They will not take those things which are distasteful and worthless to them.

But let the man add to his treasures, those things of Christ Jesus.  Amass the things that are unspeakably beautiful.  Pile up the things that are eternal.  Become a connoisseur of what is Holy. 

No one will touch your riches.  And you will find yourself void of fear to protect.  Sleep will be peaceful.  And you may even encourage the thief to take more.  For the things of this world can only detract from the riches you are amasing.

If the wisdom of our Holy Lord is determined to take from us all that can be held, how does the man of God say no? 

“No” comes from the lips of the one who is not yet complete.  The weakness in him causes him anguish to consider relinquishing what is filthy.  How can it possibly be right that a Christian should do such a thing?

By His Grace

BA BA BA BIG! (Trouble)

by

0


Has anyone else noticed the size of shopping mall buildings and movie theaters?  They are absolutely gigantic. 

When did that happen?  When did it become popular to put merchandise into buildings 10 times too big?

I do remember the tiny little stores when I was a child.  But even then, if you went to the big city, you could go to Woolworths five and dime.  And Sears was no small pickens.

When it happened I guess it’s not really that important.  But the fact that stores are larger than church buildings sort of gives me a startle.  I guess it just proves what’s important in America.

Just for fun I’ll share thought.

Imagine if every piece of merchandise was taken out of every large store in America, taken to some remote place, and heaped up in a mound.  Does anybody have any idea how big that mound would be?  I would guess it wouldn’t be fair to call it a mound.  A mountain is more like it.

You could call it idolatry.  You could refer to it as a manifestation of greed.  And if you singled out all the products, I suppose every commandment of God would be broken.  But what good would it do to accuse humanity of something they will never let go of?

But I’m pretty sure this wasn’t God intent when he made Adam and Eve.  Maybe a guy might own a broom, an axe and a shovel.  A knife and hammer would be pretty handy.  The guy might own a bed and a table and chairs.  And all the fixings for farming should be included.  But what about all the other stuff?

Still man has made his temples.  He’s pretty proud of what he’s done.  And no amount of words is gonna to take it away. 

The people are happy.  The rich business owners are happy.  Industry is happy.  And every form of wickedness is happy.  (And it wouldn’t be fair to the world to leave out Christian merchandise.)  0k.  So even the Christians are happy.  Hmmm.

Wow!  We’re all just one big happy family.  The only one that’s a bit disgruntled is God.  But he doesn’t seem to matter much in the larger scheme of things, does he?

Now ain’t that just something to ponder?

Isaiah 2:6-22

By His Grace

Left On the Table

by

0


The man stood there ready to banter and barter.  What kind of creature faced him at this moment?  What kind of thoughts did his opponent allow to run free in his mind?  The question was not looking for weakness.  It was looking for possibilities to grant.

At the end of the session, the man had in his possession, great and wonderous wealth left untapped.  Though his opponent went away, he  lacked for that day.  He had left more unstruck than he gained.

Truth stands to banter and barter with us.  But the master of truth is mercy.

What kind of men are we?

The truth will sure yet see.

He regulates his offering,

According to our heart.

By His Grace

Risk Belongs to the Valliant

by

0


A rich man drove his new BMW to an important meeting.  In the crowded traffic he became stuck in rush hour.

A dirty ragged man came to wash his windshield, at least that’s what the rich man thought.  Instead the bum came over to his driver’s window.

With serious and intelligent eyes, the bum encouraged the man to roll down his window.  With regret, the window move down about 2 inches.

“Give me your shiny car and I will give you all the money in my pocket.”  The bum said.

The rich man smiled.  His eyes lit up, like a hunter who has spotted a trophy.  He opened the door and stepped outside.  He handed the bum his keys and said, “Where can I send you the title”.

With a great loving smile the bum reached in his pockets.  His dirty craggy fingers hauled out five rather large rolls of hundred dollar bills.  “I’ll Drive you to your office and wait for you while you get the title.”

The deal had been struck.  With compassion and abandon for life, the rich man had gained a precious memory. 

The title was exchanged.  When the rich man counted the money, the total came to the price he had paid for the car.

What became of the bum and the car, no one knows.  But what became of the rich man’s heart was easily seen by the life he later chose.  He had been released from the fear of greed.  And all because he was not afraid to take a chance.  He counted compassion as more valuable than money.

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, life is given unto the kingdom of the heavens, and the valiant take hold of it.”  (Matthew 11:12, Jubilee Bible 2000)

By His Grace

Rampant Poverty

by

0


It is true that in this world there are the poor.  It is also true that the world makes much commotion about this.  They fire one another up to eradicate poverty.  But no headway is ever accomplished.  As soon as they release one into productivity, five more take his place.

Unfortunately what is true in the world is also true in the church.  There is a poverty  that cannot be solved with the resources of this world.  And it does not dress itself in visible rags.

Those who are rich in the forgiveness of Christ often seal up their wealth as if it can be stolen.  And I find myself unable to speak of the power of God absent from display in my brothers.

While the world walks about destitute and ragged, many Christians live happy peaceful lives.  While the resources of the world are gobbled up by greed, the resources of Christ are often hidden from the masses by fear.

Does this make sense to anyone?

The world carries on great campaigns to solve a problem that will never go away.  But doesn’t the “Modern” church find itself doing the same thing?

It has become a virtually impossible task to tell the difference between the “good people” of this world and the “Modern” Christian Church.  No wonder the poverty of soul is so widely spread.

A simple question, addressed to every Christian:  “Are those who know you even aware that you are a Christian?”

I guess there is one place of solace.  Both horrific forms of poverty will find their conclusion at the Holy throne of God.

1 “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3)

By His Grace