Faith From Death Alone - 2014-07-27 21:08

What can he say if he decides to testify?  Will he say, "Jesus saves", while he dabbles deeply in sin?  What proof does he have that his words are true?  And though a man may believe his words, in three days time no proof will appear.

The hearer may prosper in time, but the testimony of the weakened one will prove to be a block and a wall; a hindrance rather than a help.

I do not say this to shame my weaker brother.  Rather I say this to spur him on.  And I do not say these things without knowledge.  For I lived that fruitless and pathetic life for 20 years or more.

Do you really want to conquer sin?  Do you really want to become profitable for the Holy Lord of life?  Are you willing to confess that being a victim is a very comfortable way to live?  Despite your tears, which only oil your next slide to hell.

The victim rises up toward righteousness then falls back quickly for, "It is too hard."  So he squanders hours and days filling himself with pleasure.  "I will repent soon and the Lord will take me back."

Such behavior only produces a kind of faith that raises this one from the dead, over and over and over.  Why do you spend your faith on such a trivial life?  When, if such a faith were applied toward righteousness and obedience, it would conquer the very sin you love so much.

This is what I have found.  This key unlocks the chains of death and folly.  Using my faith to bring Him glory instead of pleasure for me.

There is no excuse for the man who lives swinging precariously between life and death.  For what we practice so we are.  He who practices failure is a failure!  While he who practices righteousness, even to the death, is righteous.

"Salvation belongs to our God and to the lamb!"  Have you read the lyrics to the new song in Revelation?   And have you heard that there is no one righteous but God alone?  Have you read and understood that the Lord Jesus came as the willing proof of God's desire to save his creation?

Did he come to save us that we may squander our life in pathetic dangling between heaven and hell?  Did he not warn us that those who gamble their eternity in unrighteous, ungodly, unholy, wicked and perverse behavior, will certainly not enter the kingdom of God?

All the while you suffer and struggle, your heavenly Father desires to give you righteousness.  But by the confession of your habits you say he is powerless to save you.  Thus your testimony is worthless.  Your prayers are ineffective and infrequent.  Your faith waxes dead more than alive.  And you have gained no ground worthy of mention.

When you could have so very much, if you simply asked, with earnest and truth filled heart, your hands are thoroughly empty of gifts for the crowned King of glory.

You do not pray for release, you simply pray for a calm in the enticements.  You pray for forgiveness while you secretly plot for your next adventure to wickedness. 

Just how long do you expect the Holy Lord of life to display his patience kindness to you?  Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, your neat little trick of rising from the dead will no longer have any effect.

Pray for wisdom and do not cease.  Pray for understanding and cease your desire to lie to God.  Ask for desire toward righteousness.  Beg him that you may learn to abhor your sins.

Turn from your endless wandering.  Let him open your eyes to see the hideous nature of what you have loved to embrace.

I testify to you that there is such a thing as overcoming sin.  You may say you know that but where is your proof?

Those who humble themselves before God seeking what is absolute and true, and turn from their wicked ways, these find favor with God and receive His righteousness upon them even now! 

To say otherwise makes God out to be a liar.  And it pronounces the victory of Christ as if it is of no effect at all!

Answer yourself for yourself:  who has been the liar and of no effect at all?





Join Me - 2014-07-28 10:49

The world loves chaos.  For in the darkness of confusion a lie can go unseen.  There is gain to be had at the expense of another's life.  And men abound who are drooling at the mouth to take advantage.

These men are not wise.  There is no need to fear them.  They only plot to take away the things of this world. 

Though they plot to overtake, they have no wisdom on which their plot will stand.  They are like dumb animals who simply stare into the woods and wait for prey to appear.  Do not fear them.  Though their plots should even to take your life, have faith!

In the midst of noise and confusion they watch and wait.  This is the epitome of their wisdom.  They bang their drum and flash their lights. They reach to all their tools of wickedness, and with all great expectation of hope.  They are sure they will overcome and destroy.

Let them have their day.  There is one who lies in wait for such.  His tools, to which he reaches for their sake, are Eternal and Holy.  He watches the thicket of men with great knowledge.  Let them have their day.  There is a still small voice which cannot be disturbed by the chaos of men, "Let them have their day."

Let them stack up their deeds unto heaven!  Let them build and contrive, destroy and consume.  Though they are vigorous and youthful now, they will be not but a puff of dust before the Holy One.  Let them have their day.

Their greedy hand reaches out, and I will spit on it with contempt.  Take what you will from what I have; that which your greedy eye desires.  I have treasures eternal which you know nothing about.  Things you have not seen nor even pondered.

I have seen it myself; how the wicked are destroyed in their way, even as they take the next stride.  I have witnessed judgement fall on them like the darkest of night.  Shame covered them and they had no answer for their lack.  I have seen it even here.

From where does the boldness come that I speak in this place with such surety?  I have seen the folly of man!

The living God, in Christ Jesus His Holy Son, has taught us what is true.  I for one will take these teachings with great abandon.  Join me.

As the Lord lothes those who are faithless, for they do not obey His Word, so I will let the holy hatred of evil rise up in me.  I will count their vigor as the greatest of stench.  And what I have loved before will be replaced by what will last forever.  I will embrace what is Holy.  I will search to follow he who lives forever.

The living God has come among us!  Walk in His Holy way.   Amen!

Shall we command the Sun to fall from heaven and rest in the palm of our hand?  Would they then believe and do? 

Shall we order the moon to retreat from the world?  Would they repent of their sins and walk in holy steps?

If they will not believe the law of Moses and the faith of Abraham, they will not believe even if the dead should rise before their very eyes.

Will someone please close the door on the ways of this world.  Some foolish men have opened it wide.  The power of the Spirit of God is not first among the things to which the men of God reach.  They reach for the trinkets and baubles which the world loves so dearly.

Entertainment and emotion are the only aspects of men to which they plead.  They have perceived, with wickedness, that this will guide the church, increase its numbers, and solidify salvation for those who attend.

They have allowed themselves to be duped into stupendous loss.  Though their numbers increase, the holiness of God runs absent.  The fire of holy words has been replaced by kind and politically correct.

Naked and shameful they think they are dressed in glory.  They spout great speech, while their members are no different than the world.  Abandonment of the work of men's hands, is no longer a command.  It is only a pleasant suggestion.  And the members nod with great glee.

"We have torn down the barriers of holiness!  We have destroyed the old ways of faith!  We have overcome the division between the world and God.  We have become what they could not!  Praise to our efforts for we have done what no one else dared do.  We will surely move from this place into great glory!"

So you say.  So you languish.  So you are weak, destitute, naked, and vulnerable to the judgment of God.  What you build will be washed away.

What will it take?





Truancy - 2014-07-29 08:36

Society is less when a child refuses to go to school.  What he may have become is stunted by rebellion.  There may be extenuating circumstances, but there is loss just the same.

A man is commissioned to go and find such children.  It is his sworn duty to send them on their way, back to where they belong.

He discharges his duties according to the rules of all men.  It is not his duty to consider the reasons why child is not where he belongs.

Thus it is with those who proclaim the Gospel.  Men are not where they belong, and must be sent back.  It is our rightful duty to proclaim.  And so we discharge with faithfulness and boldness.

We are sent by the Great Teacher.  To turn back, or to be timid in our duties, is treason.  And so we continue despite the grumbling of the truant children of God.

Heaven is less by their truancy.  What they may have become, what good they could do, and what joy they may own as true citizens, is squandered in their rebellion.  There may be extenuating circumstances, but there is loss nonetheless.

Turn yourselves in.  Go and confess your responsibility for the loss you have caused.  Then be prepared to sit and learn.  It is your rightful duty to do so.

There is a law from the Holy One.  Those who disregarded will pay a serious price.

There is a desire from God, written in the very blood of His Holy Son.  He desires to include all men in eternity.  But those who remain steadfast in their rebellion, will most assuredly be cut off.

I speak these things to send you back.  My duty is accomplished.  From here the duty is yours.  Discontinue your truancy before the Most High God or die.

This tabernacle is placed; built by the Holy Lord Himself, upon the very street where men pass by.  These men, who pass by, go to do their doings; to yearn and follow after the things of sin.

Their passing is a temptation; they pass by without consideration of what lay beyond the Holy door.

Let their passing escape my eyes.  Do not let the sound of their feet reach my ears.  Restrain my eyes from the windows, let them be stained with the exquisite blood of my Lord.

Restrain me, O' Lord of Life!  Place my back to the door.  Present Your Holiness to me.  I will be overcome with awe.  My knees will buckle and I will bow with a sudden falling.

Let the Gold of your Holy Temple instruct my desire.  Let me crave the fullness you have promised.

I speak many words before you.  But they are not many because I doubt you hear me.  They are many as I encounter your Holy Law.

I am not void, for I am here in your Holy Place.  But hunger, thirst and ceaseless praise attends my heart.

By Your Holy Grace I seek your precious face.  By Your Holy Grace I reach to you.

"My Grace is sufficient for you.  For in your weakness my strength is made perfect."

You are God.  You are the Living God.  You are established from ages past, even to forever.  You will never cease, yet I must die to join you where you are.

By the Holy and complete Sacrifice of Your Holy Son, I speak these things from within the tabernacle You yourself have built.  You have done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

Amen, Amen, and Amen!

Attain.  Remain.  Send honor to the Holy One.

He is true and of excellent wisdom, even to the fullness of the term.

He has sent His Grace abroad; filling all manner of trees of men.

He has set the bounds, perfectly set and firmly.

One will reach to the heavens.  Another is but like a shrub.

The Trees in His Holy Garden of Grace abound.  They are trimmed by the Holy Will of the Living God.

Let a man accept his place.  Yet let him reach toward what is higher.

What tree seeks to grow toward its roots?  Does it not grow to its fullness toward the Sun?

Let a man know his place.  Yet let him give honor to what is full.

Aspire!  Greatly aspire to what is best.

Humility is found in the knowledge of restriction.

The proud seek what they cannot have.  But the humble see, with clear vision, what is theirs to own.

God alone is true, faultless, power beyond the perfected.

He is sovereign, and thrice Holy.

By His Holy Grace we live.  By His Holy Wisdom we own.  By His boundless strength we serve; each in his proper place.

Attain!  Retain!  Send Honor to the Holy One, the Living God and His Holy Word The Christ.

Salvation is a richly variegated garden of souls.

May His Holy Will be done forever!

Amen.