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Monthly Archives: March 2015

The Permanent Fix

Just over there, in the realm of the abiders – not disappointment but; encouragement prevails- not shame, rather praise with thankful hearts prevails.

James, the brother of Jesus and author of the book by his name, warns that we are not to be as a ship tossed to and fro. Let not that man think He receives anything of the LORD. At first glance this seems discouraging. (James 1: 6-7)

Let us listen to the simple Gospel; for the Gospel of God is good news to heavy hearts. “Is any among you burdened” asks the LORD Jesus, “let Him come unto me” (Matthew 11:28).

The devil wants us to forget God’s grace so that He can hound after us with accusation. All religion is without grace (unmerited favor).

The reason we love praise and worship is that for a few moments our spirits get to go where we really may abide every moment.

We can, if we like being down in the dumps, stay there. Ironically, feeling condemned, we will be people who judge others which means we think more highly of our selves than we do of them: a position of judgment requires this.

This is the fruitless state of many and is the pathway of strife; of trying to be good – at least good enough, and that means nothing. It is a blind religious journey into the abyss.

The Father knows how to raise His family of believers. We can choose to abide in Him. If we do not, our sorrow will eat us up. To abide in Him is a simple matter. Abiding makes Him alone our expectation.

Ethel Waters, a person of color, lived in what we are taught today was a white man’s world.

She saw the bright hope for all people whose struggle is real:

She won the hearts of millions singing, “His Eye Is on the Sparrow, and I know He watches me.”

This song has helped many to abide in Christ, rather than being bound by one of the many burdens we all face.

“Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”

“I sing because I’m happy,
I sing because I’m free,
For His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.”

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,
And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;
Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”

“Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,
When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,
I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”

He is leading me. The Christian’s permanent fix is Him.

Buddy

Happiness

“Once I . . ., then I will be happy.” Once I get the right job, the right person, the right house, the right, the right, the right, and then I will be happy.

“Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad;” How is it that we need this advice? What is going on?

God created us to be little fountains who pour life into the world; not vacuums that vainly suck, drag, burden, wear down, and exhaust others.

We can be totally awesome critters who are in demand because the Fountain flows within. God designed us to be like Himself. We are meant to have God flowing in our veins, so-to-speak; sounding from our lips, touching through our hands – always “the head and not the tail.”

Satan employs peer pressure, envy, lust, greed, selfishness, fear, anger, hate, dominant cruelty: find hurt and you will have found Satan’s intrusion in the world. “There will be no hurt in my holy mountain,” says God.

Think about this. We don’t really “find” happiness. Trying to chase it can waste an entire life. If we can learn to be who God made us to be, we will be so busy we won’t have time to be unhappy. The world lifts up even higher those who even seem to have found this niche.

But, the world, the author of unhappiness has stolen his way in and will hinder, hurt, ridicule, and impose false – accusing opinions against us. Some of us may seem to have been born: “lucky” probably not anyone reading this. The rest of us must cope with these difficulties.

Wrong choices are those which do not bring true, healthy happiness. We “think” wrong choices are simply mistakes. Really, we make wrong choices sometimes, when we know they’re wrong. Mistakes are only one kind of wrong choice. Our feelings often lead us to make wrong choices. We sometimes interpret other’s actions as meaning cruelty or criticism. We sometimes let a flattering tongue or someone with good rhetorical skills totally mislead us. A true Friend will never mislead us.

Early in the pages of scripture Moses wrote that we may choose life, and live; or death and compounding unhappiness. History bears record that this choice is fundamental and real.

Have we sinned? If we confess to Him He will forgive us. Christians need to keep the slate clean too.

Will we receive Him? Trust to obey Him, and then we will live along the way, and forever.

“Come unto me,” He says to us. “I have come that you may have life, and life abundantly;” said Jesus. Choose Him now and you will find Him coming to you.

Buddy