Tag Archives: the gospel

The Gambler

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You sit at a slot machine.  You have invested your money in the hopes that you will get a great return.  Even the greatest fool hopes he will gain something.  Doesn’t such a man dream of Millions?

The Holy Lord Jesus has set us down at a feast of Eternal Truth, with all hope that he will receive a vast bounty from his expenditure.  He knows he has laid his valuables in the hands of Chaos.  But with all Eternal hope he looks with longing to see a WIN.

What does it feel like to lose at a slot machine?  Multiply that disappointment by eternity.  What does it feel like to lose potential?

Gate Guard

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“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”  (Hebrews 12: 14)

How easily we accept peace among the people, but disregard the holiness.

We pray that God will help us in our lives.  Are we then a blessing to God?  Or do we love Man and despise the Living Gods Holy command?

Is it possible we think we will be well received for these things? 

Fine, we love those we choose to love.  But how quick we are to hate.  With that in mind, how can I say more and expect these words to be received. 

Doesn’t pride stand guard over the gate of every man’s house?

The Engine of Peace

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I look at what Man has accomplished.  How he has established law, regulation, procedure, and expectations, to force love upon the people for one another.  What I see is that punishment is the motivator.  Look with truth and you will see it also.

If you do what is evil the law will come and take from you.  If you contribute according to the law of the land you will reap what they say is great benefit.

I see how they encourage one another to do good works.  But again, the motivator is gain or severe loss.

Every day, every man wakes knowing that if he does not do what is expected he will lose horribly.  This is not the gospel of Christ.  It is the so-called good news of Man.

This good news of Man is dependent on the resources available.  There’s only so much money in the world.  There’s only so much food.  Politics restrains the gain for all.  And the vast majority find themselves suffering loss as the sun goes down on each day.  Even the so-called winners are exhausted from their efforts.  And there’s no need to itemize the broken families the come from the so-called good news.

In this good news of Man greed must be honed to a fine edge.  Look at the advent of training and implements that has been made available to help.  In all these things, the motivation for adherence comes from outside the man.

You know what’s funny?  With all this trust toward the ability of Man to create peace, the world is no better off. 

What does God say?  “14 . . . if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”  (2 chronicles 7)   This Promise of God does not present itself as a manipulation.  It’s the offer of free and complete help.

Take note of how God strips the strength of greed.  In its place he only requires humility.

This is no empty promise.  But who will take up the mantle and respond?

An Example?

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How many people are there who are wishing they could find someone with bold faith?   Inside them is a Christian just wanting to break out.  But all they’ve seen around them is timidity.  They know they should be publicly bold with their faith in Christ.  But, like it or not, they’re waiting for an example. 

A small spark in a dry field will catch the entire acreage into a blaze.  How dry does our society need to be before we notice imminent catastrophe?

Will the Godly Stand Up?

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A little boy was murdered by his mother.  She beat him  for hours until he died.

And so the talk around the coffee table will begin.  I’m going to put my 2 cents here.
…………………………

Many will say I have my head in the wrong place.  Many will say I have my mind is in a useless place among Man.  “So Heavenly minded that he is no earthly good”.

Define the word GOOD.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153436229222751&id=38342932750

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Remember these two indelible items:

“Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

“Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

Response to tragedy:

Does the ground care that it soaks up the blood of so many?  Do the walls and rocks care that they witness such great violence?  When the deed is done, silence rules as king.  What is left to do?

Mop up the blood.
Incarcerate the perpetrator.
Sentence from Justice. 

What sentence of Man can mop up the regret of a life lived in violence?  What punitive action drives away the sorrow of having been an animal?  We throw them in jail.  We offer some meager counseling.  But nothing cleans the heart.

If they are released, have we done them any favors?  If they are put to death for their crimes, have we release them from guilt?

God Alone can clean the conscience.  I stand as one to testify that this is so.  Yes we live as prisoners because of the things we have done.  And isn’t Justice required for every man’s life?  (“As you sow, so shall you reap.”)  But the freedom to love comes from a Love that gives freedom.

Whoever has been forgiven much, loves much.  “But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”  

I’m not asking us to disband prisons.  I’m asking us to have mercy.  If you can’t hug the murders, the least you can do is appeal to the One who can.  What kind of people do we say we are? 

Is this too hard for us?  Of course it is!  But it is a simple matter for the Christ we say lives in us.

A question for us all:  who stands to gain more, the violent ones or the righteous?

Let us make proper assessments.  But let us be restrained from taking God’s rightful place of judgement.  “Do” the Gospel.

(Is the Gospel of Christ only reserved for those who do what is good?)

THINK ETERNITY

Too Much, Too Many

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Look how much has been written about the glory of God and Christ.   A 30 some year display of pure obedience and love for his Father.   Just 30 some years out of the history of Man.

The great abundance of Man’s history is filled with rebelion and chaos.  If the accusations God has against Man were to be written in books, how many volumes with that be?   But for the Lord Jesus, the volumes of accusations against me might easily well up to over 3000 books.

But look how great the wisdom of God is, he wrote all that is necessary in one single book, an amazing book of tragedy and release.