It seems to me unfair that in this life we can restart a failed task. For once we are born it cannot be taken back or done again. And once we die from this place we can never return.
It’s odd, that the two absolutes of our life are the beginning and end of so many restarts. It’s almost like everything in between is nothing but smoke and mirrors to obscure the inevitable.
By this the test is real. Will we love what is absolute and true, or will we succumb to the temporary lie?
We have a tendency to trivialize everything. But we come to own this tendency with good reason. Absolutely everything we know deteriorates. Even the compassion of Man is in a state of flux; needs come and go, the sick get better or die, poverty evaporates at the end of its work, hatred goes to sleep when it is tired of destroying. So even Man’s compassion (what is considered the best Man can offer) rests from its work.
We strive hard, but at the end of the day everything we know is trivial. Everything we know is in a constant state of repair or deterioration. Isn’t that why we sleep?
Most people, including myself, tend to apply this trivial mindset to the gospel of Christ. We can’t help it, it’s in our nature to perceive things as if they are passing. And without the constant help of the eternal Living God’s Holy Son we would never perceive the gospel as eternal. It would remain in a mode of choice. And isn’t that what we see when we look at those who call themselves Christians; constantly making the choice to do (or not to do) Christ-like things.
We need to be reminded that his promises last forever and never change. That’s why we read the Bible often; to renew our decaying mind. That’s why we pray, with whatever earnest soul we can muster. Isn’t that why we are told to encourage one another?
Connected to this is an understanding that has come again to me this morning. Everything we do is manufactured. It’s in a constant state of repair. But a love for righteousness cannot be in a state of repair. For whatever constantly needs repair is also constantly deteriorating. Love does not deteriorate, and eternal Righteousness does not fall into the realm of choice. Let’s be honest, we either love righteousness or we don’t.
What an amazing place God has created; it is not a place of deterioration, it is a place of potential eternal life. There can be no better testing of a man’s heart than the state of affairs I have spoken of here. On top of that, God knows the difference between a manufactured love of righteousness and one that is ingrained and sincere.
This is the nature of salvation. It is not something that will be. It is something that IS. Christ has come, as the great power of God, to redeem the humble of heart. He has come to teach us eternity. Imagine that! The sum of what we know about eternity is the simple word itself. And without the presence of God, that’s where our knowledge remains.
Every man is encouraged to begin the journey of truth. The journey is called Christianity.
40 “And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, ‘If you will, you can make me clean.’ 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, ‘I will; be clean.'” (Mark 1)
Man has a problem. He kneals before Jesus. He asks if God is willing to help him. The answer comes: “I am willing”, and healing appears.
.The unjust judge.
.The neighbor in bed.
.”Do not worry little flock. Your heavenly father knows you need these things.”
.”Jesus had pity on them.”
How many times do we read that God is willing? How many times do we ask? Still healing does not come. Still suffering attends our everyday. Still we ask. Yet we do not see the hand of God move.
Shall we give up? Shall we conclude that the power of God is not among us? Shall we stop being Christians? Shall we leave “The Faith”, and turn to empty religious worship?
Perhaps instead of asking for healing we got to ask to be taught how to ask. And if still no healing comes, nor understanding to ask, perhaps it is our lot to endure. Then let us ask for endurance!
In all things God is good! Believe this, and you move from death to life. Just don’t stop asking! Just don’t stop believing!
I have come to refer to this world as a place of testing. This is true. God will test every heart that lives. Therefore allow yourself to be tested and approved; that you may bring glory to the Holy One.
By His Grace
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“to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.” (Psalm 18:26)
How we perceive God and what is good, depends on the state of our heart. Each man receives the value of his heart. A little child’s innocence will allow it to hold a worm with wonder and joy. But one who is older and jaded will regard that worm as ugly, hideous, and worthless.
Purify your heart from wickedness and you will begin to see the purity of God’s creation. We say, for instance, that we forgive someone for what they’ve done. But for most these are just words. A little later and they will find themselves hashing the incident over again with hatred. The forgiveness God demands does not come from a wicked heart.
A godly man will wake in the morning to the sound of peace in his heart. He knows he has entered into a place where he can accept the will of God regardless the circumstances. A wicked man will wake to consider the hatred he harbored the day before. He counts all the offences against himself and others. He looks for this same hatred in everyone else, for it resides so deeply in himself. While a godly man will see beyond the actions of others to the reasons why they might do what they do.
The righteous man will consider death and suffering a task the Lord has presented for him to endure. And will gladly accept the task, for he knows the Lord is pure and loving. A wicked man will consider the same two tasks as hideous and revolting. He will desire to be rid of both. And will accuse the Lord of being too harsh.
We encounter life according to our own level of love or hatred. A wise man will hear these words and consider his own heart. The day is coming when our hearts will be shown for what they really are. There will be no place to hide and no excuse to use. Today is the day of testing. You are tested by the world around you. Are you shown as a man of God? You are tested by your own actions. Are you a man of God? You are tested by the Lord. Are you a man of God?
By His Grace.
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There is a place where we can rest in testings. Our loyalty will be tested by the Father and Jesus. And in this testing we are not judged under the law; forgiveness and acceptance is the order of these proceedings. But there is another testing which has neither forgiveness nor acceptance. When we are tested by man, we are thrown to the wolves. The testing of man is a sliding scale of hatred. We will find ourselves tested if we let it slip that we consider Jesus first in our appreciation of life. Then we are tested again as we testify to this appreciation. But a sliding scale is not proportionate to a steady growth. It’s more like we enter into differing shades of man’s hatred. It’s not a 1, 2, 3 thing. It’s more like :
1. we don’t like what you’re believing. But as long as you don’t voice your belief, we can tolerate you.
2. You’ve voiced your belief in our hearing and we will now push you aside from our “fun”.
3. You’ve continued to, not only voice your belief, but act on your belief in our presence. We will now try to destroy you because of the testimony you exhibit.
4. You’ve continued to stand against our social order. And nothing we have done has caused you to hesitate in the slightest. It’s apparent you intend to continue down this path of “difference”. So, as soon as we can find legal means, we will work toward your death.
This “test” of man will be allowed to continue until the Lord returns to establish Peace on this world under His direct control. This “testing” is allowed because it tests and refines the heart of those who call on the Lord for true life. Don’t be surprised at the things which encase you now. But allow yourself to be surprised if you don’t see this progression of hatred coming upon you. It is an indication that you are not yet where you should be in Christ. For the Lord has promised that if they hated Him, they will hate you. And if they desired to kill Him, they will desire to kill His people also.
By His Grace.
We: Live, Die, Face Judgment. Jesus or die twice.
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