Tag Archives: Understanding

Able to Drink the Cup

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The profitable things of God are not given to the weak and unstable.  But let them repair their habits, as they are able, and God will provide the next element.

Let them prove, by their doing, that they have a desire for God.  God is merciful.  He will not give what is Holy to he who cannot even find the will to get up out of bed. 

Were God cruel, he would give great gifts to the weak and infirm of will, and even to the young pride filled heart.  His rightful expectations would crush the man.

Be careful not to listen to the advice of man.  Do not be unwise, asking God for the great things of his Holy Kingdom that you are not willing or able to sustain.   For if you receive, you will be held accountable.  And there are many who run about thinking they have received, but have not.

And I have seen an act of “love” among us that should be considered an abomination.

In this day a man must go to college.  At least that is the common understanding.  And many parents who think themselves godly, desire to send their child to a Christian college.

But is the child prepared to receive the things that are Holy?  Take the time to look into it, the loss of faith among the young who go to Christian colleges is astounding.

It would be better to send them to a trade school.  Let them learn the discipline of hard study and work, while you maintain a tight bond with them to teach them the things of God.

It would be better to see Christian colleges populated with people in their forties, fifties and even perhaps sixties.  But what an incredibly unpopular message this is.  There is a lot of money to be made by the exploitation of foolish parents.

The vision of holiness is becoming and incredibly rare animal.  The expectations of parents toward the teachers in Christian colleges has no reasonable foundation.   The bar of Christian maturity has been lowered nearly to the ground.

Having been caught up in the things of this world and an emaciated church, the parents think their next duty is to hand their child over to those who know.  But they themselves have not looked into the things of the Holy Lord God Almighty.   So they pay good money to men who wear the appropriate title.

How foolish to put our reliance on the unstable things of man.  How foolish to think that money can buy what Godly wisdom alone provides.

Men will do what they do, until catastrophic change appears.  They will not listen to this message.  They will attend emaciated churches.  They will be emaciated Christians.  They will teach their children emaciated things of God.  And their children will rise up emaciated.  What hope is there for the future of the church, as it is left in the hands of those who desire nothing!

When will you look out your window into the street?  Have you noticed the chaos that runs about unchecked?  Have you taken a close look at the children who graduate from Christian colleges?  Are you willing to perceive their unexpected lack?  Then, are you willing to do something about it?

By His Grace

Worth It All

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Those who know me, know that in my past I have been an agent for destruction.  Everywhere I went, I destroyed lives.  Selfishness was all I knew.  I had no respect for anyone else’s life, or prosperity.  Only God knows how much of that man is dead.

But a new man has risen from the carcass.  This one is thoroughly ashamed of such behavior.  He strives to let people be more than himself.  But again, only God knows how much.

I did the things I did out of habit.  One might say out of compulsion.  And I don’t know how many of those habits or how much selfish compulsion to be destructive still lives in my mind.  All I know is that I strive everyday, all day, to be a different man.

Prayer has become often and earnest.  With a great abandon, I have thought the truth of God through and through.  To the point that what you see written in this blog is likely less than 1/8 the volume.  And with all my might I strive to do the things I learn.

I’m not trying to praise myself.  And it would be ridiculous to look for pity.  For justice remembers that I had no pity on others.

I write this for the sake of those who are like I was.  I write this that you may know there is a way out.  And the exit door has a name, Jesus the Christ of God.  But I also wrote this as a testimony to what you can expect.

You can expect to remember what you’ve done.  You can expect the Lord Jesus to forgive your sins.  You can expect God to teach you how to put selfishness away.  You can expect him to teach you the real meaning of love.  You can even expect to become quite trustworthy.

But you cannot expect those who knew the man you were, to trust you.  Just as you will not forget the man you were, they remember all the more. 

But doesn’t that painful experience give you a magnificent opportunity to be humble, forgiving, patient and understanding?  And aren’t those four attributes foundations for love?

You can expect that becoming the new man will be a horribly painful experience.  But I have determined, it is about time I tasted my own medicine.  And the Lord Jesus reassures me that the pain will be worth it all.

By His Grace

Understood or Only Perceived

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A man is given a job.  What is expected of him is taught.  In many cases the expectations are written down thoroughly.  The man is tested to be sure he has grasped what is essential.  Still the question remains, has he understood.

The man who understands is rare.  Yet the one who understands will learn to do what is expected of him. Most people do their job to their best.  But there is always some lack of full understanding.  By this mistakes are made and the employer suffers loss.

Only the seriously diligent will truly understand what is expected of them.  In truth, at best, most of us can only say we have perceived the expectations.  Understanding is an entirely different animal.

The more complicated the expectations, the less the possibility that the man will understand.  Yet, as he is taught, his perception becomes more clear.  At some point, if he applies himself, he becomes a reliable representative, and perhaps one who can teach.

If this is true among the things of men, how much more so the things of God? 
Shall we stand and proclaim that we understand the Gospel?  Is not very likely that understanding has come.  If it is true that few believe the Gospel, how much more rare are those who understand?

If a man is able to do what the Gospel demands, then he may be able to say he has understood.  But more likely, truth will say he has only perceived very well.  Even in the best of us failures come and go.

The Lord has told us what is expected of us.  Do we find ourselves willing to listen?  “It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master.”

Sadly the majority of people grasp the beginnings of the Gospel, but fail to understand the fullness of it.  Like rudimentary students they live their lives lacking understanding.  All the while simplicity rules their life, and they find themselves falling horribly short.

Like the worker who simply shows up to perform some menial task, the manual of expectations is rarely read.  Such a man may be coerced or forced to do what is expected of him.  But he does not have the will to succeed. 

What employer will give promotions to those who are not diligent?  The productivity of the company will surely lack for the sake of laziness and rebellion.  How is the Kingdom of God any less?

The wise go back to the Bible everyday.  They kneel in prayer often.  They watch carefully to the things that come to them, striving to gain understanding.  In such men, loyalty is supreme.

Men will pay us according to our willingness to serve.  Should God treat us any differently?  The answer, in words, is obvious.  Does our performance give those words life?

The key to understanding lays in our loyalty.  Perception obeys like a servant.  Striving to understand obeys like a son.  The difference between them is the quality of love within the heart.

As a man loves the one who gives him the opportunity, the service is more beautiful, and understanding is bound to come.  Equally, as a man loves only himself his service to the one who gives him opportunity will lack.  The one who truly loves the Lord will find himself very prosperous for the Living God. 

Again, the proof of our love will be shown by the things we do.  And the things we do present themselves clearly before us, that we may determine how we love the Lord.

“If you love me, obey my commandments.”

By His Grace

Mystery to Marvel At.

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Oh, Holy Lord, You are full of Truth.

We are of those who receive.

No truth lives in us, but that Your Holy Mercy dresses our hearts.

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I came to eat at the table of the Living God.

Did my rising lie to me?  Did I wake to fill my belly?

Or was I wakened, that I might be filled for the purpose of proclaiming?

“Selfishness remains in bed.  But earnest desire wakes the soul.”

 

Life beckons,

“Come eat of the things that are good.

It is My desire that all should taste truth.

It is sweet to the soul, to breathe the Holy things of My Father.

Wake.  Wake and proclaim.”

 

How powerful is the sacrifice that has been offered on our behalf.  How unable to proclaim, are the words of man.

Do we truly understand the Glory of God in Jesus His Holy Christ?  How can we comprehend the Majesty necessary to accomplish the Holy Will of God the Father?  Yet He has done it!  He has overcome!

Jesus has carved that impossible Way, in this horrible wilderness.  Though this place is void of understanding, The Holy Christ has overcome!

The season is upon us to remember the baby.  But how can the baby be separated from the magnificent man He became; that God Man, The Christ.

I am filled with things I cannot express.  There is a vision of this Holy One which escapes my ability to comprehend.

I have not seen mysteries this morning.  I have been witness to simple truth: Every man is a liar, but God alone is true.  Every man merely receives.  But God alone can give Life.

Man comes to God with desire in his hands.  Though he gives the Living One praise, there is expectation within him.  Purity escapes us.

Which of us understood?  Who, of man, knew to ask God for that Holy Baby?  Yet God gave, despite our darkness of mind and heart.  Who of us understood?  Who could know to ask God that His Holy Son should be crucified?  Yet obedience was produced, through that awesome strength of Love.

Which of us understands?  Who has known to ask what all this means to us today?  Our bend to receive is so powerful.  All we perceive is need.  Even in our praise, we are held captive to need.  But the Free One has given of His endless resource called Love.

Mystery?  You want mystery?  Why?  When the simple Gospel of Christ Jesus is more than a man can eat in his entire lifetime.

Men look to prophecy.  They strive against the hidden things to unveil the “marvelous”.  How futile are such things?  When it is fully time, God will unleash answers.  But the Holy answer to our plight has already been unveiled!  Christ the King has been born among the enemies of God.  And words have been spoken, “It is Finished”!

Marvel at these things.

Wordless Wonder

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Wordlessly my little dog speaks to me of volumes.

The rock on which I stubbed my toe proclaims to me, “I am here!”

Such is the marvelous conversation of creation.

How should we be surprised, that the Living God speaks to us by what is?

By His Grace

Afraid to DEATH

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Afraid to testify.

“Oh my!”

Afraid to be rejected.

(Afraid to be included,

By the only One who matters;

Afraid to be singled out,

Afraid of the label of Christian,

Afraid to be introduced to what is

Holy, lasting, pristine.

Afraid to take part with Christ

In this Holy war of will.)

Afraid to lose.

Afraid to win.

Afraid of hell.

Yet afraid to enter in.

SO BE IT!

Do you think you’ll go unnoticed,

When you stand with all the rest;

When God throws away the useless,

And blesses what is best?

May it be done as you have believed.

How much fear do you think you will own,

When your name is not found in the book?

For now you fear their perception.

Don’t you fear God’s contemptuous look?

If fear has held you hostage,

What will that moment be?

For now you fear what Man can do;

Who can only harm your body.

A man belongs to whom he serves.

Dishonor strives to keep what is his;

Not considering the honor of Christ.

Honorable love fears the One who IS.

Understanding that Holy, paid price.

SO BE IT!

Honorable love honors He who IS.

It says, “I will stop my cowering.

I will give myself to what is His”.

“SO BE IT!”

Weeping and gnashing of teeth belong

To the weak and faithless many.

Who hid among the rebellious throng,

Trying to save “life“,

As if pennies.

By His Grace