Tag Archives: Sin

The greatest possible

by

0


It is impossible that a man should find himself standing anywhere other than where he puts his feet.  What he has done and what he is doing is where he is.

All the while the man has traveled to be where he was he was always where he found himself.  Whether he traveled in righteousness or wickedness, there he traveled.

All the while the Holy Lord has remained where He is.  It is man’s to wander and to do.  And everywhere he has wandered the Holy Lord has been aware.

According to a man’s faith, according to what he believes is true, the Holy Lord has either been the greatest of possible friends or the greatest of possible enemies.

The sovereign God does not move between wickedness and righteousness.  This belongs to men.  Either we embrace the Holy Lord and all His righteousness, or by measure upon measure we remain wicked.

Jesus has been sent to draw us to what is righteous.  He has been sent to cause us to cease our wandering.  He has been sent to bring righteousness to where we stand.  So that when we perceive our location we find a friend in the Holy Lord.

When and where will a man submit?  When will he stop and find himself at peace with the Most High God?  He will find himself arriving when he learns to listen to and obey the Son of God.

Either the living God is your greatest of possible friends, or he is your greatest of possible enemies.  Jesus has appeared at the will of the Father to bring us into friendship.  We began as enemies.  By His grace we end as friends.

By His Grace

“But I love sin!”

by

0


A man may say to me, “God cannot save me.  I am too vulgar.  I am too grounded in the things that are wicked.  I adore the pleasure of the body.  And though I would like to be saved, I cannot imagine why God would want me.  I cannot imagine that he would even want to try.”

My friend, by what you say I see two things.  The first is that you know God is Holy, and that he expects holiness from his people.  And the second is that you do not understand the gospel of Jesus Christ.

You understand well enough that you are sinful and hopeless as you live the way you do.  Good.  Then begin where you are.  That awareness is the very first step a man must take.

In regard to the holiness of God we will say these things.  Holiness does not only have to do with righteousness; as if we speak only of judgement.  The holiness of God has first to do with love. 

The love of God is not defiled by opinion.  Nor is it subject to a change in attitude. He is the very definition of all that is pure and lovely. 

If you admire those who are able to love the unlovable, this ability finds its unceasing fulfillment in the love of God.  He loves without ceasing.

Along with this love comes judgement righteousness patience and mercy.  The love of God is what sustains all life for eternity.  If there is the slightest lack in the love of God eternity will cease.  So we are able to trust without fear.  God is love and he is eternal.

In regard to the gospel we will say these things.  What you lack is what you desire.  What you desire has come to us long before you were born.

Jesus is the perfect representation of the love of God.  God’s love compels him to be merciful.  Just as surely as his love compels him to protect eternity from wickedness.

God has sent His Son to be the sacrifice for all who desire life.  Those who run to him will be transformed.  God’s love has so desired you that He has given his son over to death for your sake.  How precious then are you?

For now, you perceive the love of God as law and judgment.  But if you are willing, he is willing to show you differently.  This is why it is written, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled.”  That it’s all God requires from you.

He has heard your confession of sin.  He knows that you love wickedness more than life.  And his love has already provided you what you need.

Approach him with these truths that you have told me.  Do not be so ashamed of your ailment that you refuse to go to the doctor. 

He has it in his hand to be able to heal you and cause you to become a righteous man.  He is willing and able to teach you how to live so that your life is pleasing to God the Father.

The wise will understand what has been written here.  Reach deep within yourself and find strength.  Do not look for strength to be a righteous man.  Simply look for the strength to fall to your knees in prayer. 

For now you stand with pride.  That is the strength that will lead to death.  But a humble acknowledgment of these things will lead you to life.

He is waiting for you.  He is not waiting to judge you.  He is waiting to help you. 

I will add this.  You see that I write these things.  You consider that I am a godly man.  But you do not know who I was.  If any man was evil I was his equal, quite likely even more so.  What I have described here is the very path I have taken.  And over the years this is what I have come to be.

Not one ounce of my strength was spent to arrive in this place.  The only model I have fun is to retain a desire for righteousness.  Everything good that I have has been given by Jesus the Son of God. 

If you will only trust him you will rise far above the place where I stand.  This is the firm and trustworthy promise of the Most High God in His Son Jesus his Christ.

By His Grace

To never leave

by

0


Many Christians struggle desperately against sin.  One day, perhaps one week, they are fine.  They cling to righteous behavior and find their prayer life normal.  Then a small miss step occurs and the tumble begins.

With their consciences blackened, they bow before the Lord in prayer only once or twice a week.  And when on their knees before the Most High God they can only mutter a few words and then must run.  Perhaps some canned prayer is all they can lay their hearts to.

But the problem is not the first missed step.  It’s all the steps that lead to it.  Jesus tells us, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be filled.” 

The opposite of that is also true.  “Cursed to continue in sin are those who do not desire righteousness with a burning heart.”  You won’t find that in the scripture.  But you will certainly find that on the lives of those who constantly tumble.

What would your life look like if you never left the Lord again?  What confidence and joy would you have if your prayer life spiraled up to heaven itself?  How would your understanding and witness be transformed? 

All this trouble can be so easily avoided. And all you have to do is fan your desire for God into flame. The Lord Jesus is watching and waiting. A continual crying out for mercy and righteousness will certainly bring a powerful response.

By His Grace

The necessity of the Gospel

by

0


It is comparatively easy to convince a man of his sin.  It travels with us moment by moment.  Guilt is a majority of our spiritual make up.  And it is the substance that leaks out into our fleshly day.  And by that “awakening” a man becomes aware of a need to cleanse himself.  So, by that means, it is also comparatively easy to convince a man that Jesus is a necessary aspect of this cleansing.

We read and hear of people saying that they need the Lord all day long.  Just a cursory look into the Christian announcement by His people will provide a rather overwhelming view of our sense of need.  And how can that be a fault?  All men know of their guilt.  It is a natural outcome that others should hear us speaking of our need for the Lord’s blood in decimating our sins.

But something less vocal comes up from the horizon of the Christian experience.  We strive all day long to convince ourselves and others that this “something more” is just as essential as the preliminary acknowledgement of our need for salvation.

It is essential that we recognize that we are not just saved to make us  happy folk.   We are saved that we might enter into His suffering.    We are saved that we might become brothers in the Lord’s testing.  We live in the same place He was tested.  He was found to be without sin.  He was found agreeing with His Father in Heaven.  And He was rewarded because of His faithful heart.

We too are living in that same place of testing.  And when we are set free of that pernicious guilt, we are then called to walk as He did.  We have become bonded to His character.  This seems to be a very difficult matter to convey to all who are learning to love the Lord of Love.

As we walk in this place we learn to carry our soul to Him at every turn.  It is in this learning that we recognize that we are far more than just man.  Here we learn that we are to share in His duties here.  Not only do we learn to speak His language.  We also learn to mimic His activity.  Prayer, a certain striving against sin toward holiness, and service to every creature.  These things are far more important than that initial saving knowledge.  Yet few are willing to enter in.

It seems enough for most that they accept the Lord as their Master so that their sins are forgiven.  But to serve that Master seems a bit of a

English: Baptism of Christ

English: Baptism of Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

stretch to them.  Yet it is the essential part of our walk.  To begin to walk in the matter of salvation is not the entirety of the message.  To walk and suffer as He walked and suffered is the predominant theme of Christianity.

And so, I wrote this post with the matter that matters most.  I can’t make anyone come to grips with this concept.  Preaching is done across the entire world, every day and night regarding this subject.  So few hear it.  So few accept it.  So few do it.   Why?  Because salvation from guilt and sin is a natural desire of the human mind.  But the walk of Jesus comes from the Holy Spirit.  As we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit, we find ourselves compelled to agree with the Father in Heaven.  Thus we begin to understand the necessity to live as the Lord Jesus lived.  He became a servant, though He is the Son of God.  We too are called to become servants, though we are sons of the same God.

By His Grace.

Fashion wear worry

by

0


Worry is fashionable.  The proof is found in laughter.  “He worries all the time about everything.”  And those who hear it chuckle.

Man is wicked beyond his redemption.  It is impossible that his own hand should save him.  For even in the case of worry we have sinned against the Most High God.

We have heard Him say He will take care of us.  But we have made it fashionable, even humorous, to disobey and called him a liar. 

Look how your eyes widen as you hear me speak these words.  As quickly as your mind can possibly work you search for defense.  To a man you may defend yourself.   But how shall a you rally defense against these words?

Do not worry for the Lord is Lord of all.  When we admit our worry the world gets to see that he is not the Lord of us.  So we not only call him a liar we drag him through the mud before all men.

Where is your strength of faith?   It is better to be prepared to lose then to be so focused on gains that we worry the Lord will not provide.  Show me if you can where Jesus was caught worrying.  He did not call His father a liar nor did He drag The Holy One’s fame through the mud before men.  The Lord Jesus was willing to trust even to the point of exceedingly great beating and death on a cross. 

Mission impossible

by

0


10 Glasses of Water a Day

10 Glasses of Water a Day (Photo credit: vanhookc)

Trying to stamp out sin in this world is like trying to lower the tide using a water glass.  But does that mean we shouldn’t try?

And what should we say if we find it we ourselves are sinners?  Does that mean we have no right to speak?

We strive with all our might that we may save even one.  Even if the one we save is us.