The downhearted must find grace to help in time of need. — a lash or rope to frap a floating boat to a secure dock. Boats can be carried by wind or current and so the soul of man. Hebrews 4:16 speaks of a grace to help “let us retain our acknowledgement.” — of what? Of our permanent attachment to our High Priest and our God. Hebrews 4:14 teaches. How? By realizing the nature of our High Priest, and what He has done. He is of sympathy with our feebleness — He knows our form of conception, He remembers us as “dust.” He was pierced — thrust into our abject human sphere to taste all, including death; and so identifying in utter compassion, with our broken souls. Our time of need aligns itself not just with failures, lapses, or sin. No, it can mean for us a daily essential, a coming…
Healing at the Cross Posts
We saw the body of Christ — standing, singing, moving, walking — and yes, praying. We went on the prayer walk at the D.C. Mall. The question came up to me at the onset of the march; would we walk and observe or would we pray? There was prayer, much prayer. Tears welled up in my eyes as our Vice President spoke and prayed to start us off. We were instructed to connect on our cell phones with the March leaders. For our little group, however, it did not seem to work. We were on our own with God and each other. He was enough. Along the 1.9 mile course, which became 3.8 miles because of zig-zagging, hundreds of small groups stopped, circled and prayed together, sometimes raising holy hands and praying out loud. Here was a group from a certain church, their Pastor was leading them, then a group…
We must be clean to be wise, so says James 3:13. We must be clean to love, 1Timothy 1:5. David washed his hands in innocency, and so compassed the altar of God. Jesus washed the disciples feet, He declared them “clean every whit” in John 13:10, “clean” in John 15:3. “Clean” is a state of grace, a state designed by mercy, a purged state washed by the blood of Christ and entering our soul by the Word of God. Because of the radical nature of “clean” Old Testament Lot is declared righteous in 2 Peter 2:7-8. Yes, the same Lot who pitched his tent toward Sodom, Genesis 13:12, who refused to leave Sodom at it’s judgement, Genesis 19:18, and committed incest with his daughters, in Genesis 19:36, Peter declares righteous. Saul had the kingdom torn away from him in 1 Samuel 15:23. as Samuel announces “…he hath also rejected thee from…
Jean Valjean, a vagabond in the classic “Les Miserables” was a just released prisoner in midlife. “Nineteen years in French prison have left him rough and fearless. He walked for four days in the Alpine chill of nineteenth century southeastern France, only to find that no inn will take him, no tavern will feed him.” Max Lucado tells the story in “Grace.” “Finally he knocks on the door of a bishop’s house. Monseigneur Myriel is seventy five years old. Like Valjean he has lost much. The revolution took all the valuables from his family, except some silverware, a soup ladle, and two candlesticks.” “Valjean expects the religious man to turn him away. “ “But the Bishop is kind. He asks the visitor to sit near a fire.” “He explains, ‘This is not my house, but the house of Jesus Christ.’””… They dine on soup and bread, figs, and cheese with…
On this years Labor Day, I can only think of one laborer; our Merciful Savior. He came in the volume of the book to do the will of His Father. He finished the work that was set before Him, and faced a bloody cross and death. Do any of our “works” compare with His? His was “vicarious.” “performed or suffered by one person as a substitute for another or to the benefit or advantage of another.” Not like working for our families, friends, or government which deserves commendation when we do it, but He stood-in as a substitute for a deeper need, the redemption of our fallen souls. Without His work, a sacrifice which led to His death, all of our works would merit little — a few dollars and perhaps a good night’s rest. Yes, a few hours of peaceful mind often appears inviting, as life offers little rest.…
“Sin does not overcome the blood; it is the blood that overcomes sin.” Lewis Sperry Chafer Sin comes touting a broad range of particulars, all originating from the ugly self-life of man’s cursed nature. Sin weighs in as big, monstrous, hideous, shocking, diabolical, subtle, sleazy, rebellious, or a thousand other dank and dark labels. Go ahead, name them all. Sin abounded.(pleonizo). It increased as the law stealthily came along side to do it’s magnifying function, blowing up the picture of dread for all to see — sin just got uglier, filthier, more and more “unforgivable.” Friends, every self-righteous bone in every human body has just gone into “judge em” mode; fully, violently, quickly! Off with their heads, they deserve to die! Then weighing-in, we see the precious shed blood of Christ; big, great, strong ?– excelling in power ? No, Jesus was “crucified in weakness.” He despised the shame. The “rich”…
A part of our lives that requires humility comes when we must reconcile — with God, with our friend, our spouse, a neighbor. “I’m sorry”– that I took liberties in my self-righteousness. I’m sorry for hurtful words, for hurtful acts which broke your heart. Friends, the anti-Christ spirit of the age touts “big-boy” clothing, promotes the world of fighting rage, laughs at the “second-rate” people who dare to say, “I’m sorry.” These are labeled “weak” and despised. These weakened ones cannot play in “man” games of slander and character defamation without remorse — they surmise. These lack the courage to threaten others, to harass, to justify hatred, to blame — they decide. These cannot converse behind the backs of colleagues, separate friends, perfect the two-faced sagacity, conspire to maim — they figure. The “big adult people” view sincere love as an Achilles heal, a flaw to be exploited. They escalate…
“Nevertheless, the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his.” “And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19 “O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.” Psalm 139:1-5 Have you ever thought of it? God knows your name. He knows who you are. He knows you in all of your bodily postures. He knows your neural-pathways, your thought processes, your places of repose, and…
When Christ came into my life, He gave me a purpose for living. Let me explain: Before I met Christ I had some purposes, but I didn’t have the faculty to discern my true purpose, and I settled for purposes of my best understanding. Most of my problems stemmed from just not understanding the design of the playing field (of life). Then, I had not a clue as to what equipment was available and necessary for the “game” on that field. So, to run with this illustration, I had no hash marks, no out of bounds lines, and most of all, no goal line. There were no “first down markers” to measure my progress, no scoreboard to keep track of my accomplishments, no referees to monitor correct conduct required for this contest. Back then, before I met my Savior, every person and purpose wore the same color on their…
We scarcely know all that we have been delivered from, fellow believers. James Masterson lists ten “capacities” of the self life, in his book,”The Personality Disorders.” Among these we find the capacity for: spontaneity, one for entitlement: to appropriate experiences of mastery and pleasure and the entitlement to environmental support for these. the power for maintaining self-image, the power for commitment, the power for intimacy, the power for creativity. Masterson sees these as inherent in every man and also there are more listed. The problem that we have with these “capacities” lies in the truth which places them in that part of man which was crucified with Christ. The self. Dr. Stevens teaches in his booklet called, “A Living Faith,” “we may very well have an orthodox faith but not a correct faith. We may have the words of faith but a faith without the tune of grace. We may…