The Grant


Let the man who perceives his poverty go to the rich man.  Let the pauper ask for a grant.  If the rich man is truly rich, he will accent.

But let the pauper stay a while to gain wisdom in dispensing this wealth.  For he did not know how to tend to his own.  How will he now tend to that which is freely given?  Won’t he become a pauper again?

Let regret stay a long distance from your door, O’ Pauper.  Stay and learn from he who knows how to retain.

______________

I have millions of regrets for things I’ve done.  But I cannot allow a singular item to become an item of regret.

I have received a luxurious grant from the Lord, through the wisdom and diligence of an elderly man.

Many years ago, I became a Christian.  When that happened, the Lord brought a wonderful example of Christianity to me.

I learned volumes, regarding the diligence necessary to retain what I had been granted.

Regret came decades later when I realized I left that wonderful man far too soon.  I did end up squandering that wealth, to some degree.
And I paid a heavy price for about 10 years.

________________

So let it be that a man who perceives his poverty should go to He who is rich beyond measure.  Let him ask.  He will receive.

But let that beggar stay a while.  Let him sit at the feet of a God sent mentor.  Let come what may, secure diligence!

Pure Water


He lifts the veil, and a man sees.  His hand glides through sin to lift it from the man’s face.  Forgiveness comes with strength in hand.  Compassion is the clothing of the Great Physician.

Pride rests strong on the eyelids of the wicked.  Though they try to perceive the holy things of God, their eyes are too heavy to open.  Sealed, as if with the dust of sleep, their eyes are stuck shut.  But even this their pride cannot perceive.

What does God require of man, that he may open the eyes?  Believe.  God simply requires that we cast away our own knowledge.  He requires that we be willing to learn.

A proud man sees the ways of this world and thinks he knows.  In his folly he can produces reason for the things that are.  But he cannot produce proof as to why.  The sleep of pride restrains his strength.  He is blind and cannot walk without stumbling.

But let belief grow.  Let a man read the Holy words of God and believe.  God reveals in wise measure, according to a man’s willingness.  A revealing does come.

God watches the response.  Does tiny wisdom retain pride?  Or does it produce humility?  When the latter is true, roots are set into the soil of eternity that the man may begin to grow.

In his compassion God restrains the unveiling,  lest the winds of temptation destroy what is built.  As a man sees, he is accountable.  As a man knows he must do.

Believe to the fullest you can.  Humble yourself as far as you will.  You will see a receiving come to you. 

Let your roots seek the pure water.  Dig and thrust through the water you have found.  There is purity to be had.  What is pure among men is full of fault before God.

Do you see?  Give thanks and search for more.  Praise God with your actions.  For out the mouth of man comes many beautiful things, even while he himself is full of abhorrent behavior.

He is able to teach and to console.  He is able to raise from the dead even while you think you live.  And when life comes, he shows us the difference.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

By His Grace

The Fly


A twist on an old poem.

The Lord in His wisdom created the fly.

And then in his wisdom,
made us to wonder why.

By His Grace

The Trauma of Human Tranquility


I have heard so many say that they just wish all this drama would go away.  What they usually mean is the turmoil between people.  And they’ve even made cutesy names for those who can’t seem to be at peace; names such as “Drama Queen”.

I will thoroughly agree that it would be good if the trivial anxieties were put a side for what is real and true.  But I have to differ with the majority of the populace who look for peace and tranquility in this place.

Think of all the money that is spent trying to find peace and tranquility.  Think of all the productivity that is lost because men try to escape the reality of life.

Their brother did “this”.  Their sister did “such”.  Their enemy pursues them, and they’ll tell you about it.  Men talk behind their back, but don’t they do it too?

The rich go on vacations, and buy expensive toys.  The poor get drunk or turn to drugs, or violence or more. 

So the rich are known as righteous, because they afford all the things the others cannot afford.  See how division grows like mold.

Why then do men strive so hard to find tranquility and peace?  Every day and night the rich and the poor are pestered by a drama they choose to ignore.  If they thought they had trouble in this place, they are destined to encounter more.

The Holy Spirit of the Living God calls out to the minds of men.  “Come gain eternal wisdom, and leave these things behind.  Come worship the living God in Christ.  In there, is peace for your mind.”

But in our worship of the Living God, another drama appears.  Our sins go with us, and we find ourselves full of holy fear.  Isn’t this where men turn back, refusing to come near.

Return then, to the drama of your flesh.  Spend all your time and money trying to cover it up.  You will die in drama, and then face the living God.  You will drink from that bitter cup.

There is peace to be had, but its mixed with fear.  For He’s Holy, and Holy, and Holy!  No sin can be brought near.  How then can peace be upon us, when we hold what we call dear?

You fight a losing battle, all of you make your own peace.  There is only one place to find what you seek.  All men will be salted with fire, whether or not they come for release.

His name is Christ Jesus, the Holy Son of God.

By His Grace

Lessons Begun


Things I have begun to understand in the last three days:

Any school boy can understand words, even good words.  But there is a place where good words begin to come alive in a man.  It is the latter which provokes this post.

Lowered eyes that cannot be raised, may be a sign of humility.  (Keyword being “cannot“. Shame can have the same effect.) While eyes that will not lower, often are accompanied by the chin.

________

As a man desires, so he will become.  The man who desires the things of this world, has already attained them.  Even though they are not yet in his hand.  Likewise, with the man who desires the things of Christ Jesus.

________

As a man compares himself to others, godliness leaves him.  While the man who is able to be satisfied with what he has, is capable reaching toward godliness.  The former sins by his comparison.  While the other opens himself to the peace of God.

________

In the matter of godliness: The young man may think he has attained.  But he does not know the extent of what is required.  The old man has begun the journey.  But no man can live long enough to attain all there is to attain.  Continuance for both must be established.

______________________

In summary:  Our dependence on the Holy Righteousness of Christ Jesus does not diminish with our accomplishments.  It only grows stronger the higher we climb on the Mountain of holiness.  Toward the pinnacle, the fall increases.  While at its base, pride remains king.

Woe to those who do not consider these things, for what they lose, no man can count.  And the sadness of their loss will never cease.   For if it is difficult for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?

Yet who can tell where a man may begin?  Those who remain In the Way of Christ may well accomplish great things.  Perhaps the “greatest” has not yet been born; whether of flesh or spirit.

These things have come to me as I have entered 61 years of living.  Why should those of lesser years give up now?  And these things have come to me in a relatively short three years.  What great hope lays, therefore, before my seniors?

It is necessary to encourage one another as the days grow more wicked.  As these things become known, it is not right that we should bottle them up. 

And it is not a righteous thought to believe that others will recognize the truth as they as they see it displayed in us.  Where is the wise word of counsel from those who know?  Laziness and fear are not godly traits.

By His Grace

Wisdom


Wisdom is the application of achieving our desire.  The Fox is called wise.  It is not because of his knowledge of the things of men.  Rather it is because he likes to eat and to survive.  He is exceedingly stealthy and skittish.  For he perceives that there is no one else to provide for him.  So with all his strength, he applies himself to the things of himself.

The wisdom of this world and the wisdom of God are utterly different.  The wisdom of this world is stealthy and skittish.  It is designed to protect against loss.  And in this pathetic way, men call it gain.

But the wisdom of God is gain with no loss.  It is not defensive in nature.  For there is nothing to lose.  God is pure gain, unto eternal stability.

The things of men rust and dissipate quickly.  So, to the extent that a man desires these things, he will join with the world’s definition of wisdom.

The Holy Lord is, and will never cease to be.  All that is his, and that which he offers, can not fade or dissipate.  Therefore, those who desire His things define themselves by the wisdom of God.

The world will kill to attain and retain.  They are wise in defending their noxious desire.  But God freely gives from his endless Reserve.  What he gives is pure life. Those who receive his things fully, find themselves free of the greedy wisdom of this world.

This is central to the reason why men hate the gospel of Jesus Christ.  This is also central in understanding Christians.  To the extent of their belief, you will never move them from their place.

The wisdom of God goes directly against the wisdom of loss.  Worldly people are “hardwired”, if you will, to remain defensive.  So a man of this world can never receive the gospel.

To desire the things of God, a man must find fault with his own way.  Only then does he desire to find what is sure.  God comes to him and shows him the folly of man’s desire.  Now the choice belongs to that man.

Will he abandon, or embrace, what he knows to be folly.  See how his heart is laid bare.  God knows the man’s every thought. 

And so it is with all men.  For the Holy Lord has promised, there will be no excuse.  The wisdom of God still cries out in the very streets men walk to protect against loss.

Wisdom from God is offered to men freely and without judgment.  A man need only to believe that there is a difference between the wisdom of men and the wisdom of God.  Men lie in their wisdom.  God does not.