Just an Imitation of the Original

Today I was in a conversation that revealed to me a truth that I really should have realized before now. But, sometimes we’re just blind to the obvious things right in front of us, until God says it’s time. It’s kind of like walking into a glass door, you know it’s there and you should have looked up, but you were just too preoccupied.

Here’s what I realized today.

As Christians, we all have those time where it seems the devil just keeps dragging our old sins right back to our doorstep for us to see, one more time. We feel bad all over again and we even feel like, “Well, maybe I didn’t pray it through.” Or, “Am I desiring those things again?”, or how about this one, “Oh no, I’ve committed the same sin again.”.

It’s the devil’s business to try to beat us down with depression and accusations of sinful hungers of the flesh. He knows we’re exactly that, just flesh, and we have natural desires within us that cannot be taken away. So, he uses that to tear down the confidence we have in our walk with God.

Some days it seems he finds the darkest sin we ever committed and drags it right back up to our door, just like a dog will with yesterday’s catch. He’ll drag that nasty thing right up to our feet right when we’re feeling like we’re on cloud nine, all for the intended purpose of dragging us down again. He’ll stand by and watch and tell us how bad and nasty we are and how God can’t love us with all of that trash following us around. And most times, it works.

But let me introduce you to the truth. That nasty thing he’s brought up and dropped at your feet, is nothing more than an imitation of the original. He can’t bring up the sin from your past because God has removed it from you.

Psalms 103:12 says, “As far as the East is from the West, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.”

On top of that, God has put them under the blood, and that’s one place the devil isn’t allowed to go. The devil doesn’t even know where your sins are let alone have the ability to grab them and drag them back to your feet. The only thing he can do is try and create an imitation and all that imitation is, is a cheap reflection of something that used to be. It has no authority to condemn you. It holds no restrictions over your head.

However, there is one thing his cheap imitation does have the power to do, it has the power to remind you of God’s grace and mercy. It has the power to remind you of the endless love God has for you.

When God washed away your sins and applied his blood to your life he made you a promise and it is this……………..

 

Jeremiah 29:11

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not evil, to give you an expected end.”

 

Just remember this, behind the blood of Jesus Christ, no cheap imitations are allowed.

Going To Hell In Sight Of The Altar

I have times in my daily musings where my mind is taken to the time of Adam and Eve. I often find myself pondering their predicament upon eviction from the garden of Eden. How did they cope with the things we see as trivial today? How did they feel during their first cold night? I imagine Eve telling Adam, “You’re the man, find a way to keep me warm.” How long did it take him to figure out how to make a fire, I wonder? Or, how long before they figured out that sheep’s wool had some pretty cool uses.

My mind follows them along the journey of learning how to sustain themselves in everything. Learning how to build a house, Eve learning to sew… and cook, Adam learning how to make tools. How long did it take him to realize that every plant has a seed and if properly harvested, could be replanted? By his experience, everything in the garden was replenished by God, but now, he has to plant things for food. Or, is that something he already knew from tending the Garden?

My mind comes up with all kinds of questions about Adam and Eve’s experiences and, I believe they had a more difficult time than any of us ever have in life. They sinned before God and because of it, their world was turned upside down. They were thrown into a life where they had no idea what to expect with the next sunrise.

As I think of these things, my mind also paints a picture of another point in Adam’s life. The scriptures tell us that Adam and Eve had sons, Cain and Able. They also tell us of the tragic ending of Able’s life, all because of a more excellent sacrifice. Cain labored over his sacrifice, tilling the ground and tending the plants, as they grew. But Able, loved and nurtured his flock, keeping them safe from harm through the heat and the cold and all things wild.

I can see the blood-stained altar, and the ground. I can even picture him kneeling before it as he talks to God and prepares his sacrifice.

But here’s the thing that’s most touching. In my mind, it’s as if I am seeing this unfold from a long distance away, like I’m witnessing it as it happens. But then the picture changes from me seeing this happen to, my view drawing back even farther until I am standing behind a man watching the same thing. It’s then I begin to wonder, did Adam stand at a distance and watch this take place? How did he feel about the altar after Able was taken from him? Did he ever return to that hill overlooking the altar? I believe so.

How many times did he long to hold his son and tell him he loved him, but all he had was the memory of an altar? How many times did he stand on that same hill with the wind in his hair, staring down at that old pile of stones, and question God? As a father myself, I have to believe he went there often. A father’s heart sometimes longs for the embrace of his sons, so they have a tendency to hold on to the last memory they shared together. I believe this was the memory Adam held close.

But as this picture in my mind plays, I often wonder, did God speak to Adam while he stood looking toward the altar? Did he invite Adam to use that same pile of stones to mend their relationship? I can almost hear God speaking to Adam, “Bring me a lamb, my son.” But I feel a pain from Adam, with tear stained cheeks he says, “I can’t,… I love them too much.”

With God beckoning Adam from the altar, and Adam crying from a distance, Adam turns away unwilling and unable to bring God what he wants.

The bible never does tell us about Adam repenting and turning back to God, so we know he died in his sins.

This is the same situation where a lot of people that leave the church and walk away from God find themselves. God allows their lives to bring them back to a place where they remember the altar, and He calls to them one more time. He pulls on their heart trying to get them to come back to Him and his mercy. But sadly, too many feel the sacrifice is too great and can’t pay the price for repentance.

Sadly, they too will die in their sins. Dear friend if you are one of these, God wants you to know that is Mercy is greater than anything in your life. He will restore you and take you to greater heights in Him than you’ve ever experienced. Don’t ignore that still small voice calling your name from the altar.

Gates of Grace

The other day I was driving to work when out of the blue, I begin to think about Heaven and the size of its gates. Revelations says, “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl”. I spent the next couple of days with this rolling over and over in mind so with that, I sat down to do a little research on how a pearl is created.

I found that the accepted explanation of a pearls beginning is that a grain of sand enters the shell of an oyster and the oyster then turns it into a pearl. However, this is rarely the case, it does happen but very rarely. Studies have found that a pearl is formed when an irritant, usually a parasite enters the oyster’s shell and begins to irritate the oyster. The oyster begins to coat the parasite with a fluid called ‘nacre’ until a beautiful pearl is formed. The thing that stood out to me was that an unwelcomed organism is the source of the irritation. An uninvited stranger.

As I looked a little further, I found an oyster isn’t able to begin this process until it’s three years old and then, it takes another three years to fully complete the process. I found it interesting that the oyster could potentially have to live with this irritation for up to three years before it could begin to do something to change its situation. Then, it still has to suffer another three years with this uninvited guest until it’s no longer the aggravator in the oyster’s shell.

Considering this, I was reminded of the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 7-9 where he said, “…There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, …” 8 “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness….”

Was Paul our proverbial oyster? Was the messenger of Satan his proverbial parasite? Was the Lord telling him to coat his thorn in the flesh with the ‘nacre’ of his grace?

I can’t help but wonder after the symbol of Heaven’s gates of pearl. Is this another sign from God saying, “Enter in through the gates of My Grace”?

Lord, help me to accept the thorns you have for me that I may enter your gates of Grace.

Don’t Call Me Belteshazzar

Daniel 1:3,7

3 “And the king spake unto Ashepenaz the master of the eunuchs, that he should bring certain of the children of Israel, and of the kings seed, and of the princes;

7 “Unto whom the prince of the eunuchs gave names: for he gave unto Daniel the name of Belteshazzar; and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abed-nego.”

 

I was reading this passage and something suddenly stuck out to me. I started to think about the eunuch, and how he gave new names to four men whom he really didn’t know anything about. He didn’t know their personal lives, their habits, their desires, or their God. Here’s a man who’s destiny had been taken from him, his future was destroyed, and yet he changes their names to suit his master.

The bible gives us all kinds of types and shadows of who God is and His plan of salvation for us. We take comfort in these passages as a confirmation of our trust in Him. We praise him for his many wonders and acts. The many miracles He performed throughout the ages cause us to glorify Him. Time does not permit us to talk about all the things he’s done for his people, so often times we consider his greatness and tremble at His awesomeness.

But, this setting in Daniel offers us a glimpse into the power our adversary, the devil, has to use against us as we walk with God. As long as we diligently follow after God in all that we do, he has no power over us. He can’t change our destiny. He can’t change our future, he doesn’t have the power. God directs our steps. Psalms 37:26 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.”

Trust in the Helmet of Salvation. Rest knowing that you are redeemed and no longer that person you used to be. Don’t listen when the devil tries to tell you you’re something that you aren’t for he’s nothing but a thief and a liar and an accuser of the bretheren. God is your salvation and redeemer.

So when the enemy comes to accuse you and give you a new name, tell him, Don’t call me Belteshazzar, I’m a child of the King.

The Walk

Rushing out the door and down the steps, I run toward the curb, hoping to get there first, but as always, I’m too late. See, everyday I go for a walk with a friend of mine. It doesn’t matter how hard I try, he always gets to my house first. Sometimes I think he never leaves, just waits outside for the next time we go. We’ve made this kind of like a ritual; we always spend time together in the evenings. We talk about how the day has gone and our hopes for tomorrow. We talk about our children and how they’re doing. We have such a good time.

Lately I’ve felt a change in the mood of our talks. My friend has become more quite than what I’m used too. It’s almost as if he’s holding something from me. Has he been hurt? Is he in pain? I hope it’s not too serious. Finally I can’t stand it any longer I just have to know.

“Are you ok?” I ask. Our feet take silent steps as I wait for him to answer. With bowed head and lowered voice he says “I’ve been watching you lately.” I’m surprised at this, could it be something I’ve said? “Yes” I replied, waiting for him to continue. “You’ve met a new friend”. Excitedly I said “Why, yes I did, he’s a lot of fun too. He tells me of all the things I can do, and all the places I can go. It really sounds like it would be fun.” I said. “Has he told you what it would cost you?” What an interesting question, I think to myself. “How do you mean? He’s said that he would pay for everything, just to have me go with him. He wants to see me enjoy myself”

My friend asks me “How long have we walked together?” “Why, years, you know that.” I felt agitated. “I missed you last night.” I gasped; I had been so caught up with this new friend that I had totally forgotten about our walk. “I waited for you, but you never came to me” he said silently. My mind began to race over the plans that I had been making with this new friend, of all the things we were going to do. My heart began to pound in my ears, what was I doing.

My friend stopped and turned toward me, and with love in his eyes said, “I know this new friend of yours, for I’ve seen him with others I’ve walked with. You see, he will draw a beautiful picture for you of all the things he has to offer. He will pay for you to play all of his games. He will make sure that you have the grandest time of your life. But, listen to me my beloved, when he has you in the middle of his world, he will spring his trap. Once you have taken hold of his attractions, they will consume you and you will not be able to let go. It is a one-way street that he travels. Take my advice my friend and close the door to this deceiver. No longer listen to his tale, but turn away from him and be spared the grief others have found. Meet me in the evening and I will be a friend to you. Let me keep you from harm and despair.

Sobbing I embraced my loving friend “Thank you for warning me. I am sorry for forgetting the importance of our walk. I’ll be more cautious from now on.” “That’s what friends are for” he replied smiling down at me. Turning we continued down this road of life we travel, arm in arm and leaning on each other.

It Was More Than Just A Crucifixion

The story of Christ’s crucifixion is one that moves us all to contemplation when we hear it preached. By all right, we should be moved to reflection of the most important event known to mankind.  Our God, left his heavenly kingdom and wrapped himself in humanly flesh, for us. He came to give himself up as payment against his law, for our sins that we committed. A payment that his law demanded. He set the boundaries that we trespassed, and because of his infinite love, He took our place on the cross.

We see the symbols of the crucifixion everywhere. A cross around some one’s neck or on a bible, but most of all we see it in and on our churches. Quite often we see a display of three crosses on a hill as a symbol in remembrance of that infamous day. These displays remind us of why he died for us and, the gift He gave that day.

I was driving by one such display and my thoughts were suddenly filled with a picture of Jesus on the cross. I saw him hanging on that tree in all of his agony. I could see the dirt and blood covering his body. The crown of thorns dripping blood from his head. His arms and legs sagging in exhaustion, his chin resting on his chest as he struggles to breath. The backdrop was one of a baron hilltop framed in dark skies and clouds. It was as if the earth itself were in pain.

As my mind soaked up this scene, my emotions were struck with an overwhelming emotion of love for Him. I couldn’t help but say, “God, I love you”, as my heart melted within me. But, through this, my thoughts were brought to something we tend to overlook.

Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

We forget that He not only felt abandoned and alone, but he felt a cold unlike any other he had ever experienced. Already shivering from blood loss and shock, without the sun the wind chilled him to his core. But, he still held the love for us that brought our salvation.

When all hope seems gone, don’t give up. God has been there before and, He knows.  When it feels like you’ve no more strength to walk, take one more step. When you feel so alone that no one could possibly understand. Look up child, for God has already blazed that path before you. There will be an end and He will be your strength. Don’t give up, for God understands the cold.

A Beautiful Contentment

I walked by a picture today and stopped to stare at the beautiful scene it portrayed. Such a serene setting, I couldn’t look away. A comfortable house adorning the luscious green lawn, with children playing and a rocker on the porch. Through the window a woman can be seen smiling. The sky held soft blue clouds, the trees nestled birds in song, and flowers were in full bloom.
But, it held one thing that was strikingly unsettling. A man was portrayed to be standing at the fence as if looking out of the picture, and into the eyes of the beholder. His countenance seemed to hold a question. I pondered this for a long moment putting myself in his place.
I asked myself, “What are you thinking?”. I closed my eyes and let my mind feel the breeze and hear the children. For just a moment I thought I heard the rocker squeak as it rolled. My senses tricked me into smelling the flowers and the sun. My ears caught the voice of the woman as she sang from inside the house. I understood the man’s emotion, but not his question.
He is content in his surroundings but seems to be unhappy about something, unsettled perhaps. I thought, could it be that the artist is trying to express to the viewer that, everything is not as it seems. I realized that the house and its surroundings wasn’t the focal point at all, but the man’s countenance. Is he looking out at me, questioning my setting? Is he curious as to who I am?
I have found that I am the man in the picture. I have found myself looking out from my contented life and into the picture of something altogether different. I find myself looking at an image that God holds before me, to contemplate the mysteries there. And so, I now understand the question. What more could have been? How different would my picture be if I had allowed God to fully paint my life?
The brush strokes that I added cannot be numbered. The times I took the brush from God’s hand to add my touches, turning it into not his work but my own, cannot be numbered. The birth of questions is fault of my own. With a sorrowful heart, I cry, “Make me new in your sight again, Oh God, that I may know thy ways.”.
God’s promise through the prophet Jeremiah ring in my ears.
Jeremiah 29:11-14
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD……

Broken and in pieces, I fall on the rock of my salvation and cry out to him. Lord take this fleshly vessel and do as you please. Renew in me a clean heart, O’ God, and a right spirit within me.

Where Have the Altars Gone

I was scrolling through the internet looking for a picture of an altar to put on my Facebook page and was bothered by what I found. I scrolled through page after page of large ornate pieces of furniture standing in beautiful cathedrals all over the world. Most pieces had figures either carved into them or standing close by in some type of receptive posture as if they were there to receive or maybe give something.

The thing I was looking for was just a simple stone or wooden altar. I wanted something that showed an inviting and pleasant place to meet the Savior. The personal altar in my mind is one that is open to everyone, not one that is guarded by a depiction of some person appointed to sainthood by man. It’s almost as if the world expects us to only come to the place they declare as Holy, to touch the Lord and to do it through who they dictate.

Where have the altars gone? We’re living in an age, it seems, where the world has thrown God aside and put in his place their rules for repentance and salvation. Just a few decades ago families still held God in high esteem and reverenced their personal time with Him. They had a personal space they treated as their private altar. A place they could run to when life got rough. But now we find the personal altar has been treated with disdain and forgotten.

As this age draws closer and closer to the coming of the Lord, the world has become blind to Him. They search for things that are pleasing to the flesh, confused by the hunger in their soul. They seek out things to distract that pull, searching for a satisfaction they can’t describe. The time has come and now is for us to do all we can to reach out them and reveal God to them. Only God can satisfy the soul and He stands waiting.

He gave us feet to run to them. He gave us hands to reach out to them. He gave us eyes to see them in their despair and a heart to feel for them, but most of all, he gave us a mouth to pray for them. Pray we must, and reach we must because we know how to lead them to the altar. We know the altar and the One who stands beside it with healing in His wings.

Knock! Knock!

Wow, it’s been a couple of years since I’ve done anything with my blog. Man it’s been a long road from then till now. There’s been a lot of ups and downs and a lot of pain, physical, emotional and spiritual. Kinda wondered if I was even gonna make it through, even reached a point where that seemed highly doubtful. But, here I am.

I was praying the other night and reflecting on the past few years when I had a thought that I felt, not only fit me, but possibly fits us all at times. I wasn’t really sure if I should write it or not but let me see if I can put it into words.

As children of God we walk this Christian way and he calls us the sheep of his pasture, led by a shepherd called a pastor. But there are times when we go through some things and we begin to feel weak. As the pressure mounts, it’s easy at these times to feel sorry for ourselves and let depression creep into our lives just a little. Then, before we know it we’ve allowed ourselves to get lazy in our walk with God. The next thing you know we’ve slacked off on our prayer time and our dedication to the House of God, increasing our weakness.

Here’s the picture that came to me. As the shepherd leads the flock, the strong ones do their best to stay close to his side, while the weak tend to lag behind and hang out around the edge of the flock. But, it’s when we forget about the adversary that we are in grave danger. The predators in wild always go for the weak ones, the ones easy to take down. The ones they know are easy to grab and kill.

There should be an alarm go off in us when we get to this place, warning us to get back into the flock. Instead, we have times where we ignore even the sounding of the alarm allowing ourselves to become easy prey. I know this place for I’ve been there myself and have been wounded by the enemy. Wounds that without the Master’s hand to rescue me, should have been fatal. But because of His love and mercy, I’m able to say, He is Merciful.

I still love God and am again, refocused on His will in my life. I’m looking forward to what He has in store in the days and weeks ahead. Stay close to the flock.

Stepping Stones

    The last couple of years have brought a lot of unexpected changes in my life. I’ve probably not handled some of them as best as I could have or, like some people would say that I should have but, hind-sight is always better than fore-sight. I’ve not always weathered the storms these changes have brought as best as most but on the backside of it, I’m still here.
I’ve allowed myself to be battered and bruised, even fell down a few times along the way, but I can stand today and say, All is Well. The ship of my life is still in the Master’s hands.
As I look back on the things that have affronted my family and I, I begin to feel as if God is showing me that they’re all just stepping stones. Things placed in my life that as long as I let Him lead me along, everything will be alright.
I can’t say that I’ve always kept the faith nor my eyes on Him, but I can say that I’ve found Him to be faithful anyhow. He’s always been there for me when I needed Him. Every time I’ve cried out, I’ve found that He’s always been right beside me waiting for me to call on His name.
No one that ever walks through this life as a child of God will ever find a time where he abandons them. If we live our lives according to His desire, He’ll never leave us. And, if we should fall, He’ll always be there to pick us up.
Even though we may find ourselves standing at a place in life where we feel as if He’s nowhere to be found, it’s just a stepping stone. He needs to allow us to learn to walk by our own faith and not someone else’s. He has to let us experience failures and successes in life and in our walk with Him.
We have to understand that even though we struggle, He’s only bringing us along on a path of His design. The stepping stones that He puts before us are only for our greater good. We can’t afford to resist the path. We can’t afford to allow our fear to cause us to run from the callings that He has placed in our life.
Live life knowing that His calling is the greatest thing we have in the time he gives us. Don’t resist the stepping stones, covet them and follow them to a greater thing in your future.