Tag Archives: trouble

From Trauma to Glory

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Birth is no easy experience.  Neither is death to be desired.  Yet once birth has happened, death is inevitable.  In between the two is an innumerable number of choices to be made.  But for what purpose?

Pain calls our name.  Toil and heartache know where we sleep.  Adding to the difficulty of life, the expenses of pleasure call from every corner. 

There is nothing profitable about pleasure.  Everytime we take a break from toil and heartache, we lose something valuable; money, reputation, preparation, and resources.  Yet we justify it by saying, “I just need a little rest.  Then I’ll be stronger”. 

But no sooner do we get back to our toil and heartache and the entire pleasure becomes a forgotten matter.  All we have left is memories, pictures, souvenirs, and wasted time.  Yes, even the pursuit of pleasure is toil in itself.

You might be thinking I’m just a stick in the mud.  But you know that what I’m saying is true.  From front to back, and everywhere in between, life is full of difficulty. 

People do everything they can to remove the rough edges of life.  But even as they rub them smooth, the smoothing quickly breaks loose and sharp edges reappear.

This world has a singular design for humanity.  It is designed to teach God’s people to endure through faith.  The wicked heart will strive to find pleasure here.  But God’s righteous elect will keep their eyes firmly fixed on his Holy promise.

The wicked will have their tumultuous pleasure.  But the people of God will find pleasure in pleasing the Living God’s Christ. 

Christianity recognizes that this place was sufficient to test the Holy Son of God.   And here is where I mention that he is a very example God’s elect must follow.

Did the Lord shrink back from righteousness?  Not once.  Did he seek to use his body for pleasure?  Again, not once.  He did nothing but what his Heavenly Father told him to do. 

Did he take a vacation?  Did he chase after money?  Did he lie or cheat or steal?  He did not seal up his mouth, for fear of Man.  He did not cease to pray.  And if he had any knowledge in this world, it was the entirety of what is called the Old Testament.

There is our example. 

Consider the outcome of his life.  He is now firmly fixed as first in all creation.  Now allow yourself to ponder the outcome of mimicking his life.

Who is man, that God should send His Holy Son as a sacrifice for our sins?  What is it the righteous elect are to inherit?  How can any pleasure in this world compare to what God has in store for those who love him?

Psalm 82:6.  While you’re at it, consider the outcome of satan’s choice.  Ponder the meaning of the differences between Christ Jesus and the one condemned to destruction.

By His Grace

Panacea

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Panacea:
“A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.”

IS

Faith in the Christ of the Living God.

Political, social, personal, bodily, mental, environmental, technical, it doesn’t matter what it is.  Christ Jesus is the panacea for all the ailments of Man.

From aspirin to nucular bombs, from violence to political correctness, from sewers to recycling, from the advancements of wars to the pursuit of world peace, humanity tries everything but Jesus.  Take a good look at the result of Man’s ability.  Go ahead and be ignorant (display stupidity), tell me things are better than they’ve ever been. 

Why would you say such a thing?  Is it because you can watch television?  “Big woop!”  Do you think things are better than they’ve ever been because you have a cell phone?  “Woo hoo!”  Do you really think man has cured everything evil because you get to ride around in a car?  “Wow!  Really, wow?”

Depression runs rampant among you.  Hatred and anger are the call of the day.  Blame is considered the cure for personal mental difficulties.  And unforgiveness, ungodliness, hatred, immorality, laziness, obesity, physical and mental illness of every kind, find a happy home among modern Man.  “Yeeha!”  Not to mention the pre-eminent god of Man, money.

The majority of mankind has thrown Jesus to the refuse pile.  And in doing that, they have sealed their own fate.  I can’t fix the world.  I can’t help even one person.  But unless you give your life to Jesus, in its entirety, you are destined to suffer by your own hand.

Panacea among men is a fairytale.  But look how stupidly they chase after it.  The solution is quite simple.  Trust Jesus with everything you have.  Allow him to show you how to be holy.

To solid Christians, this is obvious.  To the rest of the world, it is an abhorrent  concept.   But does anybody even ask why that’s true?  It’s true because it destroys the pride of Man.  It’s a direct attack against everything Man is.

The Word of God labels every man as a liar.  God has no respect for any man.  God says, “Humble yourself before me!  Remain in that posture, and when my wisdom says the time is right, I will lift you up”.

But people say, “NO!  You will lift me up now.  Everything in this world either does what I want it to, or I throw it away.”  And this is how they have treated the Holy Son of the Most High God.  “You will fix my troubles now, if indeed you are God.”

Ok that’s fine.  Then live among the things of squalor.  Watch your children turn to drugs and sexual immorality.  Watch the concept of marriage become so deluded that priests even marry animals to humans.  Watch the wars intensify.  Watch every sort of wickedness explode in the streets.  And you will be fully helpless to stop it.

Christ Jesus IS the panacea!  And it really doesn’t matter whether you believe these things or not.  Eternity is quite capable of moving on without you.

By His Grace

The Singular Enemy

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I have an enemy who stocks me day and night.  Nothing I do, ever escapes his notice.  He is more agile than any beast of the field, and can do more damage than any lethal weapon of man.

Though I do the very works of God, he stands ready to destroy.  With the slightest of movement from his vicious hand, he can undo years of accomplishment.  And my only hope of escape from his prying eyes is death itself.

What kind of creature is he?  And what name should I give him?  I am not speaking of the father of lies.  I am speaking of myself.

By His Grace

Happy

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“What makes you happy what do you want to do?”  I have no idea how many hundreds of times that’s been asked of me.

I’ve tried a few times to answer with what’s true.  But that’s not the expected reply.  I assume the questioner thinks I am either arrogant, evasive, a complete social misfit, or just playing stupid.

I. want.  one.   thing!

I want to stop being in trouble!

I say the wrong thing at the wrong time.  Or I don’t speak up when I should.

I’m too overbearing, they say.  I’m too much of a pushover, leaving far too much on the table.

I leave my pen in my pocket when I do her laundry.  So I get in trouble when I try to do something right.

I am completely satisfied to eat a cold can of beans.  So why do people keep asking me what I want for dinner?

No, I don’t want to go out dancing.  Dancing requires a certain measure of joy.  I don’t have it!

On and on the list goes.  Apparently, a never-ending separation from humanity.  And other than the moments of lucid desire for friendship, I’m perfectly happy to remain this way.

What makes me happy?  Let me give the answer that is never understood.  I want to go home.

I want to have the peace of God on me 24 /7.  I want to understand his will so well that I do it without the slightest hesitation, and correctly.  Something I have yet to come close to attaining.

I want to overcome sin in every respect.  That would make me exceedingly happy.  I want to know just what to say to everyone I meet, so that all my speech is seasoned with salt.  That would make me happy.

Am I really such an anomaly?  Is there anyone else out there who feels the same?

I understand why they don’t understand.  I got it.  Let them live as they do.  They will receive no condemnation from me.  May the holy Lord Jesus happily embrace them on that great and horrible day.

All the while I will be, in some measure, unhappy.  I am not who I want to be.  I am not where I want to be.  And this world offers nothing to change my mind.

By His Grace

Justice Removed

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What a tiny cup of bitter drink I drink.

How seemingly base and unfair.

For even while my tongue hands it down to my soul,

It is changed to sweetness beyond compare.

How large is the vat my God drank for me.

How bitter and unavoidable be?

For to death he did drink it;

My sins and all the sea’s.

That my cup, so tiny, should be;

So wonderfully palatable be!.

And what is less balanced

Than the “Justice removed”?

When torment should fill my soul.

Yet, in his great mercy,

I find my cup tiny;

Filled with sweetness

from God so behooved.

What troubles have we?

Can we hope to compare-

With the marvelous wisdom of God?

For he drank of “The Death”,

Yet returns to us joy!

While he is the One most offended.

Each day comes a cup,

Too tiny to hold.

Oh, yet how large it appears to me!

Yet the Lord in His love was immersed in a vat!

God’s promise to you and me.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Praise Him all creatures here below!

Praise him above Ye heavenly host!

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!

Amen!

EEEWWW!

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Have you ever poked a hole in a lemon and sucked the juice out?  Before you read the rest of this you might wanna go give it a try.  It will make you seriously appreciate a strawberry.
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Life is sour.  We can be injured and hundreds of thousands of ways.  And if you let it happen, you can develop a serious distaste for waking up in the morning.

To counteract the natural horror of this place, man has developed a multitude of additives.  If applied correctly, any man may experience a rather pleasant life.

In the end, however, we face the greatest horror of all.  The effectiveness of our additives comes to an abrupt end.  We say we don’t care.  We may wear the additive of “I’m strong enough to deal with it.”  But there will be no dealing with death.

We make plans for a pleasant casket.  Gold handles, mahogany wood, polished stainless steel trim, and fancy white satin, make a real nice last house.  But getting into that sucker is no pleasant task at all.  And once we’re there we have left behind another need for additives.  Nevermind.  You’ll deal with that later.

There is another place where additives are well applied.  And apparently they have some great success in dulling down the sour.  But just as in the rest of life, they do not change reality.  They only change our perception.  And in society, perception is everything.  Just ask Hollywood.

To make sure we’re all on board, please allow me to give you a short tour of some additives.  I don’t have time to write them all, and no one would take the time to read that list.  So I’ll just pick a few at random.

1. Easter has more to do with a bunnies and eggs and candy than the living God raised from the dead.  But it’s not appropriate to talk about such things outside of the church building.

2. If you leave a Bible on conspicuous display people will consider you a good man or woman.  You don’t need to have a clue what’s in it.

3. If you get dressed up real nice, put on a sweet face, talk pleasantly about inconsequential things, and be completely cordial when you go to church, you don’t need to consider the state of your soul or your relationship with the living God.

(I realize that’s a very long sentence.  You can’t see it, but I wear a big sign on my back that says, “Does not play well with others”.)

Water it down.  Water it down!  Water it down, until the gospel has no apparent effect on anyone.  Keep using additives to mask the truth!  We’ll deal with all that when we have gotten into that very tight casket.

Go ahead!  Water down the Lord Jesus Christ!  But the Lord is a consuming fire that no Fire Department in the universe can put out.  But by all means, go ahead and water it down.

By His Grace