Tag Archives: vanity

America the “Beautiful”

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Who am I but a small man; obscure and lost among the crowd.  I am no one, that you should listen to me.  And if you saw me you would even think less of my value.

I am not a smart man in the way the world counts intelligence.  I am not a rich man that you should come to me to borrow.  And I am no philosopher that you should give me the robe and regal cap to wear.

But I was born in America.  In America I suffered greatly under the hands of vicious bullies all my days of youth.  And so my perception is keen to watch for such things.

I see that the pride of life secretly  gives birth to violence.  A man perceives he is greater than the weaker.  So he plots to destroy, that the plunder may increase.  Yes America, I know you.

You have many who restrain their desire, but the desire remains even as weeds in their garden.  You gloss over your wickedness and say, “I am only human.”  And so you disguise the terror you wield.

You say, We must do something about the iniquity among our people.”  And what is the something you do?  You create new laws of man.  All the while the violence increases.  You would say, “We can do nothing it seems to be out of hand!”   Yet you turn to more enforcement.

Bloodied children fill your streets.  The week cry out with no one to rescue them.  But you have conspired to make better laws.  And this is the answer you will continue to give.

Yes I have lived in America and I have seen these things.  Your pride is in what you will do.  But your own doing only makes matters worse.

Why don’t you humble yourself before God?  Why don’t you leaders, who make these ridiculous laws, fall on your knees on the floor of Congress and pray?  Remain there until the Holy One comes to give you wisdom.

Why will you not cease to rely on your own laws?  It is because you have made laws that bully you into agreeing with the liar.  You have forfeited your own freedom.

They say “We will do as we please.  No one stands against us and we will take what we can lay our hands on.  We will make more laws, and force America to become a place of plunder.”

You do not remember that God sees everything.  He is quiet, and so you think you have his blessing.  You think you can move with impunity and gain whatever you desire.  All the while your streets become more and more violent.

I fear you are past the place of waking.  I fear a coma of ignorance has covered you in the darkness.  For the love of money and power you have forsaken your own children.  And their cries testify against you.

God will not stay silent forever.  He will rise up and you will be utterly destroyed.

If the path you were on led to prosperity, there would be peace in your streets.  But how can peace come, when you yourself instigate war within your own house? 

If it is at all possible, you are urged to wake!  If you have gone too far, prepare to be destroyed. 

What you have taught your children will rise up and destroy you.  The riches with which you have spoiled them, will rot before your very eyes.  There will be nothing left to plunder.  All you will be left with, is an empty banquet table, from which you can eat nothing.

The War of Necessities

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I am nothing and I am no one.  I have seen clearly the wickedness that is within me.  But for the hope of Christ Jesus I remain worthless, anonymous and wicked forever.

I have seen the way of men.  By means of simple necessity, they are forced into slavery.  They must eat.  They must provide shelter.  And they must belong.  So they become victims of the greed of others.

On top of that, as if a poisonous frosting on a cake, men have devised ways to take advantage of the necessity of others.  They have conceived in their heart, “I will rise above at the expense of my brother”.

So they give profitable work, and social belonging, to those of lesser ability.  In the interest of profit for all, so they say, they quickly demand too much.  A man is placed where he does not belong by the engine of greed and vanity.

Fear races across this world that we may perform the things for which we have no resource.  Hundreds of thousands become taskmasters, while millions become slaves.  And the slaves say, “If I do not perform a task as is required, or do as they say, I will lose my place”.

With smiles, rewards and contrived encouragement, (“I care for you!”) the taskmasters provoke to produce.  And production is made, at the expense of your freedom.

So it has been from the beginning.  So it is now.  Fear breeds defensiveness.  Every man builds a fortress.  And regardless the face they wear, every man is enemy to another.  The friend against a friend.  A father against his son.  A son against his father.  A mother against her daughter.  A daughter against her mother.  Siblings tear at one another. And all are in the process of dying a needless death.

The battle is encouraged by necessity.  As long as there is want there will be war.  There is war between the nations.  There is war between the countries.  There is war within the cities, towns and villages of this world.  There is war within groups of men.  And there is war within the families.

All of this to ask a simple question.  Is there remedy?  The answer is yes.

The world will continue in this futile, ceaseless and horrific war.  But each man can cease a war like life.

You do not have to fend for yourself.  You do not have to wake every morning preparing for battle.  You do not need to endure sleepless and fitful sleep.  You do not have to put on hatred as if clothing.  And you wear selfishness for no reason.

The answer is not a method.  A method would require too much of you to perform.  You would have to study a method.  You would have to learn by practicing a method.    None of which the the world gives you time or resources to do.

The answer is the kingdom of God in Jesus, the Holy One of God.  You may ask, “Is it really that simple?”   The answer again is yes. 

He is not religion, organized or individual.  He is the Son of the Living God.  He is willing and able to release you from this war of necessities.  He is willing and able to release you from your own guilt and greed.

The world has told you that God is in heaven.  The world has told you that God cannot and does not help man in his basic necessities.  Or that if he does, it is in the small measure.  Yet you cry out when you have need.

I testify to you as one who has been released from the war.  I do not speak to you as one who does not know.  He provides everything I need.  And he never fails. 

He is called Emmanuel.  Perhaps you have heard the name.  The name means “God with us”.  The world has lied so that you will not understand.  For if you understand their grip is torn away.  So they continue to entice you with lies and promise of worthless reward.

Those who are in the kingdom of God find themselves progressively released from the war of necessities.  Though the burdens of this world are placed upon them they find they have strength where before they did not.

He provides for those who are hungry for provision.  He provides for those who have come to understand they have no strength. 

Are you hungry?  Do you recognize your weakness?  Are you courageous enough to call out in faith?  Has the world reduced your pride so that you can look up for help?

His promise is to provide.  It is impossible for God to lie.  He will keep his promise.  And those to search for him in truth will find him true.

But do not think he will provide for you what the world calls necessity.   He will appear to provide what you need.  He will not appear to provide what you want.  Greed and vanity have no place in the kingdom of God.  He has give you life.  He will also provide everything you need.

Those who ask for the trinkets of this world will be turned away.  The world may give you such things.  But it will also demand an accounting.

Have you truly had enough of this war?  Are you ready to receive the things that God is willing to give?  Then simply humble yourself and ask.  Place yourself at his mercy.  When the time is right he will give you strength.

By continuance in faith you will receive the freedom he promises. 

All day long men and women are entering into the kingdom of freedom in Christ.  They are finding the freedom to live.  All the while you suffer needlessly.

It has been so since the days of John the Baptist.  And it will continue until the Lord returns.  But cowards and the faithless will never enter the kingdom of God; they will never taste the freedom of Christ.

Has the world reduced your pride?  Have you reached a place of hopelessness so that all is this is left is for you to call out to God?  Are you strong enough, courageous enough, of faith enough. to call out to the Holy One of Israel?  If so, you will find him pleasantly willing.