Tag Archives: the glory of God

The Invisible Bridge

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I have found something interesting, something I have known, but not fully understood.  The elders talk about it.  The Deacons point toward it.  The world denies it with frothing lips.  It remains, however, before every child of God to encounter.

The majority of our walk before Christ Jesus is spent in discovery.  We cannot use excuse, before the Holy One, for our disobedience.  Yet there are reasons why we falter as we do.  Discovering these reasons comes hand in hand with growth toward maturity.

We learn not to blame anyone for our fault.  Yet we recognize that the whole of humanity has caused every sin.  And in this way, the Lord Jesus teaches us to sacrifice blame for personal responsibility.

But what shall a man do when he understands this as fully as his mind is able?  What shall we do when a man finds himself repeating offenses yet finds no one but himself to blame?

Here a man comes face to face with the fullness of the gospel.  No longer perceiving as a child.  Now he perceives as a man.  The fullness of blame rests on the one who has sinned, rests heavily.

From here one can receive the forgiveness of Christ with renewed interest.  From here the glory of God takes a prominence in all his thoughts.  The man no longer tosses about the subject of blame or innocence.  Condemnation becomes exceedingly personal.  Here the glory of God rages even brighter to consume his enemies.  Here the glory of God’s mercy blazes even brighter within the flame.

I have come to discover: the Glory of Christ Jesus is stronger than our sins.  Not only in his teaching, but more so in our learning.

If you continue in the way you will discover this also.  It is the crossing of an invisible bridge.  And I speak of it so that when you yourself encounter this, there will be memory within you.

It is a difficult place to encounter.  For here a man is starkly naked before the Holy One.  But having reached the other side of the bridge I can testify, “Even in this he is able to save”.

It may well be you do not understand what I’m saying.  But the time for every man will appear.  I will try it with one example to express this in understandable terms.

As a man goes to a school of learning, he learns enough to do his trade.  But he has yet to enter the workforce and apply it.  Often the world will scoff at the little bookworm who seems to know all. 

But one day he goes to work and understands why they laughed.  He presupposed his importance.  And difficulties have proved his knowledge insufficient.

Now he grapples with humility.  Now he is faced to join them in their derision of the novice.  Yet even while he makes fun of pretense, he is forced to remember that he once also walked in that way.

What comes from this place I do not know.  It is not as though these things happen among men.  But this has come to me before the Holy One in all its brilliance.  Stark and true, it shines a light within my soul to illuminate every possible miscarriage of righteousness.

May understanding come in due time.  I enter into this place in full view of those who have gone before me.  And I speak of this with the humility that knows others have understood this long before I arrived.  And I have to confess the question, “Do I yet understand as I should?

By His Grace

Line of Sight

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We try to perceive what is.  And if one will carefully follow his lines of thought there is a progression in our perceptions.  Finally we reach fullness of our perception.  “Thus far will come and no farther.”  Says the Lord.

How then can a man say that he knows what is true?  At best, he can only say he knows he who is true; and this to severe limitation.  For the wisdom of God and His glorious nature are hidden from man by his excellent will.

We are forced, by the constraints of his creation, to wear humility instead of pride.  So it is for us, so it was for the Holy Lord Jesus; who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God as something to be grasped.

Where is the pride among men that divides and destroys?  Not only among the men of the world but of the children of God.

But men compare themselves to other men, thus pride lives among them.  What would relationships look like if our comparison were exclusively between ourselves and the living God in Christ Jesus?

Humility would be the rule.  Pride would be the anomaly.  But as we look at the nature of people’s interactions that is not what we find.

Truth is truth.  Who dares to live the promise of eternity today?

God is First!

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I wake in a rest stop.  With stuttering bones I sit in the driver’s seat.  The promise of sunrise already lights my place.  And my eyes drink what is placed before me.

Shadows of colorless shapes fill my eyes.  But a shadow of blazing intensity fills my soul.  The first will pass to history as the brilliant Sun rises to my left.  The second demands my full attention, for it is God who will be first.

The shadows are there; statues of men lay between the rising Son and my eyes.  The choice is brilliantly clear.  “To prayer with me!  These things of men put God last.  But I must put Him first.”

A love for He is from eternity clears the fog from my mind.  His Holiness appears as a jarring jolt.  And the folly of men recedes.

What love has man for this place of prayer?  He testifies to himself by the statues he has placed in this rest stop, and absence of praise for God who has given him hands.

Along the highway, to arrive at this place, I saw no sign of thanks to God.  I saw only small crosses to glorify the death of a man.  A rich crop of signs has grown up to direct the body.  But where are the signs for God?

There should have been a sign that said, “Praise be to God in His mercy!  We give thanks to you, O’ Holy One, for allowing us to build this highway.”  But there will be no such sign to find.

Man restrains his praise for God, yet elevates himself.  I too am man, and so I confess.  But confession is only the beginning.  Where is the choice within me to elevate God to first?  It must be found, and quickly!  Or prayer will be but words.

Open my eyes O’ Holy One.  Have mercy on this fool!  I see with clarity how all men have treated you as trash; how they relegate you as last.  But you have made me stand in a place where such lies blatantly reek of the pride of man.  If you are not first then I am last forever.

You are of eternity, and your Glory has always been so.  A countless host will proclaim in your favor.  They will turn their face from any man who promotes himself.  So they take their stance.  They have been proven and so they will remain.  Yet man considers that he would be acceptable among their ranks.

The great cloud of witnesses sing, “Holy praise to the Sovereign God.  And to his Holy Son!  For salvation belongs to God alone and to the Lamb.”

This song is to be sung forever.  And the great cloud of witnesses readily agreeds.  All the while man promotes himself.  And refuses a place for His Holy Name in this place of testing. 

What, indeed, is to be the outcome of the pride of men?  It is not what they expect.  For God’s judgment has stood, it will stand, and it will remain forever;  God is first!

Amen, amen, amen!

Yes HE is!

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The Holy Lord, the God of Eternity who has made this place, is risen from the dead!   He has been given all authority over heaven and earth.  He sits at the right hand of the sovereign God of Glory.

If a man accomplishes a great task we can say with confidence he was always able to do it.  And we must admit we were wrong to doubt. 

If the man told us he would do it we were wicked to call him a liar.  And now the proof of our folly stands before us.  Who, in his right mind, would stand before what the man has built and say it does not exist?

From eternity the Lord Jesus was able to attain this Great position.  Doubt and accusation has reduced the evil one to less than he was.  And this was done long before the world was created.  So he went about perverting.

And even when the Great Holy Temple of our Lord Jesus was completed the devil has not ceased his perverting. 

I do not say this to cast accusation against the devil.  I say this to shine a brilliant light on all who would speak evil of the Holy Lord of life.  I say this to all men who observe the holy place in which they live yet cast aspersions on the One who made it.

Am I wrong to call creation a holy place?  Does the Sun rise over millions of years without failing?  Do the seasons cease or become disordered?  Does heat and cold fail to be?  Then how do men assail the Holiness of God who made this place?

The Lord Jesus has risen from the dead as was prophesied by the Holy Lord God Almighty.  Let men doubt as they will.  Let them mock Him with their own parade of wickedness; even on this day of celebration for His glory.

His holy ways are before us day and night.  They are like the fool who stands before the finished building and says it is not there.  They are the ones who have blinded their own eyes because they live in derision, rebellion and lies.

We are born in sin.  Yet all our life we observe what is holy and consistent.  Where is understanding?  How does it evade the fool?  How can man love ignorance,  while the proof rages a torrent against his unbelief?

The Holy Lord Jesus is risen from the dead!  And now the accusations against The Father’s enemies become His.  Let the nations rant and rage against the Holy Lord Jesus!  They are the ones who will suffer.

The Holy Lord Jesus is risen from the dead!