Tag Archives: the kingdom of God

Peace, of God!

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Man is not ashamed of his greed.  He is only fearful of being exposed. 

The zealots of false religion do not hide their zeal.  They are only fearful that their lies are exposed or denounced. 

The timid are not ashamed of their fear.  They are dressed in false peace.  They are only fearful that someone may rightfully ask “too much” of them.

Man pursues what he desires.  And with all his strength he is zealous to gain or retain.  But make no mistake, so is God! 

Why should God’s people not be zealous for the things of their master?  It is like man to be zealous for all He desires.  Why can’t that zeal be reigned in for the Son of the Most High God? 

What right do we have to fear?  Where is it written that God’s people will fear?  Is there such a thing as cowering in the Kingdom of the Most High God’s Holy Son?  Isn’t it true that he has spoken exactly the opposite?

Men desire what they want, and with all their strength they pursue it day and night.  All God’s people are purchased from man.  How is it that when a man becomes a Christian he loses his desire to pursue?  Before we belonged to Christ we fought tooth and nail to keep what we desired. 

Who told us that the Peace of God rips desire from our heart?  Capture such who say these things and put them to open shame!  For the fruit of their false words diminishes the Army of our God.  Our brothers fight with less strength, because the liars turn away their fellow warriors from the battle between righteousness and ungodly wickedness!

There is a war that has been since before you were born.  This war will continue until God says “Enough”!  Do you desire to take part?  Then by all means, with what is left of your ability, move yourself to the fracas!

If you are an able Christian, with healthy arms and legs, run to the battlefield.  If you were wounded and nearly dead, grab hold of rocks and grass, and slither yourself to the field of blood.  Let your soul stand for Christ!

Let us endure the “holy pain”, for the sake of the glorious Lord Jesus.  Let us put our selves in a conspicuous place.  Let us swallow fear.  Let us fight for Christ!

This place of testing is nearly finished.  Will we be caught as desirous of “peace”?  When the Son of man returns will he find us amiable and willingly among the ungodly and the wicked?  Will he find us embroiled in friendship with the world?  Or will he find us being ripped to shreds on the battlefield of godly intent?

By His Grace

Holy Violence

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The Gospel of Christ Jesus cannot be sweet, unless it has been allowed to be violent.  The pride of man must be shattered.  Humiliation of our wickedness must be endured.  Our wickedness must be exposed.  And Truth must be exalted.

The Righteousness of God is firm and will cut through the things of men with eternal violence.  Those who can say, with great asuredness, that the Gospel is sweet, have stood up before the Most High God that He may cut them to shreds.

Those who live forever in the Kingdom of the Most High God’s Christ must be purified.  The wickedness and pride of man is pleasurable to him.  But God demands purity righteousness and holiness.  Nothing wicked will never enter God’s presence.

“From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11: 12)

9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”
11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”
13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

14 I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
will shelter them with his presence.
16 ‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’” (Revelation 7)

We are all forced to answer a question.  Has the Gospel of Christ Jesus become sweet to us?  And another, as God’s righteousness become peace to us?

By His Grace

Preferring the Child

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Any master of a trade will tell you, it is better to train up an ignorant young man as your apprentice, then to expect obedience from a man who thinks he has already accomplished your trade.

Why has God chosen the weak, the outcast, the wicked, and the sinful to become a part of his Holy Kingdom?  Because they will not put themselves first.  They will never spit in the face of his teaching.  And they will love him with a blazing heart of faith.

It isn’t any more complicated than that.  If you want to serve the Sovereign God in Christ, you have to become like a child.

By His Grace

Ya is where ya is

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In heaven, we are told, there are the least and there are the greatest among us.  There are certainly thrones for the greatest to inhabit.  And of the lesser places the Lord has said nothing, at least to my knowledge.

But every time the Lord addresses the positions in heaven, we hear him speak of the great things a man of God must be.  And why would he not do this in an attempt to provoke us to the best possible servant.

But what if a man takes a look at himself and sees a distinct lack before the Lord?  What if that man, with sorrow, realizes he cannot make the greatest distance?  He takes stock of what he has, and confesses to the Lord that he is of the lesser.

Isn’t it like man to give up if he cannot have all he wants?  But I have come to understand of valuable lesson in these things.

As the Kingdom of Heaven moves forward in this place of testing, isn’t there enough work for even the least to be involved?  It’s good to shoot for the good stuff.  But not many have the wherewithal to make that distance. What then, is a “poor boy” to do?

We will all take our place in the Kingdom of Heaven according to the wisdom of God in Christ.  And what man can say what that is?  As C. S. Lewis had once said, “There will be surprises”.

So rather than to dwell on the things we cannot accomplish, perhaps we would better spend our time seeking out the fullness for our current place.  There is work to be done.  There are gifts of God to receive.  And wallowing in self-awareness is not a wise use of our potential.

You might not raise the dead.  You might not preach a sermon, whether good or bad.  Right now you might be praying like a man with his mouth stuffed full of nuts.  Ok fine.  “Where ya find yaseff is where ya is.”

Up and at it boys!  Daylight’s a-burnin.  Somebody’s gotta run the ranch.  Somebody’s gotta go punch the Cows (Not literally of course) .  Somebody has to mend the fences.  There’s cookin, and cleanin, and tendin to do.  So come on.  Get out of here!   Let’s get busy!

By His Grace

The Same

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In the eyes of my mind, I perceive humanity as a whole.  I do not divide them according to the trappings of any one generation.  Whatever toys or tools a man may hold, God sees the man.  Any man who lived 2000 years before Christ is equal in God’s sight to the baby born today.

Yet I am of this generation.  And I perceive that the kingdom of God is no different between any generation.  What was expected of men is still expected.  What is offered today is the same as was offered then.  And the outcome of the righteous and the wicked remains firmly established.

And the nature of man has not changed simply because he can fashion dirt into different objects than his ancestor imagined.  He is still as wicked.  He is still a liar.  His righteousness is still nothing but a shadow.

Two things remain throughout every generation of man.  The kingdom of God thrives among the wicked, he chooses those he will, in his eternal wisdom.  And man is totally helpless to save himself.

Do not be fooled by the proclamations today.  They are saying we are on the verge of greatness.  But they lie.  If they tell the truth, it is only that they show their pride and arrogance.

Let he who has eyes, see.  Let he who has ears, hear.  Let he who understands, proclaim.

By His Grace

The Chasm of Difference

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John the Baptist (poverty-stricken, feared and faithful) :

“Repent from your sinful ways or die!  Seek God’s kingdom and live.”

Silk tongued preachers  (wealthy in the things of this world, beloved and accepted, and full of abomination):

“Jesus loves you.  Do as you will.  He will save you in the end.”

Notice any difference?  Take note of the kind of people they are, who pay attention to the message of each.

The kingdom of God is real, so is hell.  What God’s people say to the world matters.