Real Think Inc.

Do we see Israel, God’s people, threatened – not in unity over religious thought – back-slidden; challenged again with extinction?

Or do we see Israel as being chastened and pruned: God’s workmanship?

Throughout a reading of the prophets to Israel, a new day is coming that will eclipse anything Israel has ever known. Abraham’s promise is soon to be happening and Israel’s enemies are soon to receive the fate they wish on others.

What about the church – its members in particular – loved and therefore being chastened: bearing little fruit but being groomed: pruned for the harvest that has to come. Both are God’s workmanship. We will have failed – not completely – but Jesus never!

He can wait. He is waiting perhaps for you dear reader. In love, He is longsuffering, not wanting any to perish, adding daily to the church those who are willing: honest enough to turn to Him.

The enemy will say, “I never saw it coming.” But he should have, could have – wouldn’t, but not couldn’t: blind by choice. Evil, already beyond the reach of mercy: completely evil. Guilty but not interested: the hypocrite who sees not the filth of his own heart: the “mote in his own eye: another Accuser.

What about that we all sin, his fault? Accusing others – perhaps thinking to make himself look good if he can look down his nose at them – not considering the consequence of his own sin. He misses the vast mercy of God. He is not himself merciful. He doesn’t care – literally and honestly – he does not care.

The accuser cries about injustice; taxes others to deal with it, criticizes, —solves nothing, and is all for programs for helping but denies the power of God’s personal salvation. He hates the term: being saved; says it is hypocrisy, nonsense.

He is boastful, selfish, self – centered and thinks himself — self-sufficient. And what about death and beyond? He is willing to take his risks; after all, his view of himself is exalted above his brother.

God’s workmanship does not look like this. His are those with “a broken and contrite heart” of whom Jesus says, He “will not turn away.

He speaks of “those who mourn that (by Him) they will be comforted.
He speaks of “those who hunger for righteousness” and promises, “they shall be filled.”

He speaks to those who are so accused by so many, telling them “Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Are you heavy laden? Are you burdened down with care? Is your burden heavy? Do you suffer with despair?

Do you feel defeated? Do you think that no one cares? Dear friend please do listen to those lies. Your God is very near.

Listen to His message. It is not that you are wrong. He will in no way leave you: turn to Him who for you long.

Come to me, He tells you. I will take your wrong on ME. Tenderly I love you, let me carry you.

Then I said dear Jesus, I’ve no right to come to you. But won’t you please come help me: so much has gone so wrong.

Now I sing His praises. He means so much to me. He reached right down and touched me: His love has set me free,

There has been seen two: The arrogant critic and the humble believer. God’s workmanship has always been visible on earth; His help has always been promised to us. Yes, we have all sinned; but some of us have been saved from our sin.

“Name Him Jesus,” the angel told both Mary and Joseph, “For He will save my people from their sins.” This is the truth.

“His people” are His workmanship. Oh how He loves you and me.

Buddy.

God is always monitoring and making adjustments according to His good pleasure. It is not His will that any would perish; however, some people will not let themselves be monitored – governed by Him. So, come to all of us the storms aroused by sin all over the world.

Confidence, whether in storm or calm, is the hallmark of people of faith. This is the constant message in the Old Testament and in the New. These, we are taught, are our examples of how to live our lives – – – through and by — faith.

In a free country faith in faith can seem to work for us and is frequently met with financial success. In America opportunity abounds. Ever hear there’s a sucker born every day that can be sold a bill of goods? That is, an aggressive positive minded person might be selling worthless goods. Maybe; maybe not: the car salesman, the timeshare sales people. Are they caring about us, or just incentivized by big bucks?

The best sales people know that a buyer is facing a need and trying to make a wise selection: selling should be helping. And. more so, if selling -sharing our faith with another.

Is love our motivation? Do we really believe – – – that it is the Lord’s will and desire? This “goodness of God in the land of the living” that we preach? This “All things work together for good” if we will yield our destiny to the Lord in trust? Do we believe He is trust-worthy – always? God forbid that we are trying to build a church: that is what Jesus does. Is our motive as His? “For God so loved the world . . .” do we reach into other’s lives because we care for their best interests?

Do we obey Him and that is why we “Go into the world” and share – preach – teach? Do we touch at least sometimes with healing being the promised results?

Have we even once anointed another with oil because we are told to?

Do we dare to believe that the impossible with man can be accomplished – and will be such that the Lord would say, Because of thy faith? Those examples in the Old and New; they are not stories; they are the history of men who through faith saw miracle happenings.

It is both. God does His good pleasure in bringing many sons to glory: His Son too who surrendered that glory for a season, for Love’s sake.

Study your Bible and you will see often horrific and corrupt leadership – even in Israel – even in the church: yesterday and today; but not forever. There is righteous King Hezekiah standing nearly alone in the world history of Israel. There is his righteous great grandson, King Josiah. There is King David who was a great and righteous leader when he wasn’t a bad one — also. God moves toward the end within it all; but in charge of it all.

Both good and evil serve Him. Consider Pharaoh. God always shines. “He is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.” And His word is a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path.” And darkness cannot put it out. And we can and are told to “walk in the light as He is in the light” . . . and that is our “way” to go “Steady as she goes.”

We lean on Him. We hide ourselves under the cleft in His side. We acknowledge Him; what he has said especially that “He is a present help in time of trouble.” He likes that. He will never let us down.

Positive thinking can’t match faith. It can be – or may not be the truth. “These all died having not seen the promise but believing it afar off.” Until the Rapture, when history reaches its final phases and the dead and alive are gathered in the air with Jesus, every one of us will have yet unseen expectations.

So, brothers and sisters in Christ, if our land becomes over-run with anarchy, God is in it. If we are mocked for our faith, God is in it. Not if – when corruption abounds politically – when claims of government-offered care does not produce cures in our poverty rates, in our education levels, in our defense practicality, in our out-of-control spending and debt – – – God is in it.

Israel was to be known as God’s people through whom peace would come on earth. But corruption seems to have blocked that: ever read about Babylon, about Persia – and Rome? Have we learned that the Jews have been cast out nearly everywhere on earth they have gone. God claims that He orchestrated this: keep watching. It’s not over until the Lord says it is over.

Steady as she goes, friends. Our God is God and He does have us in His grip and He will land us in the Promised Land. Join Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and Joseph who in real-time history believed God and will not be denied.

Join Peter, and Paul, and James and John who believed God, left everything else behind and followed Jesus. Follow Him too. Steady as she goes, friends. See you on yonder shore. Love you. Praise Him whom from all blessing flow.

Buddy

In Genesis 1, God revealed that His doings take our darknesses into His light; our lacks into His plenty —- “The evening and the morning were the first day:” and in our lives we can expect Him to, if we are willing, always change darkness into light.

In Genesis 2, God shows us that we have removed ourselves from the nearly prohibition free Garden of Eden and introduced ourselves to shame and a felt need to hide: a hole in our heart happened to all of us; a hole which He alone can heal.

In Genesis 3, the Lord teaches us by questioning, “Adam, where are you.” How foolishly Adam sought to hide from Him: we are prone to do the same and He is ever asking us to confess that we have gotten off track.

We are here. We will die. We cannot change either. Nor could we change the mind of God: Jesus is coming. Wrong can be made right; but only through mercy and forgiveness. A baby is coming who alone can take away our sins. Into the darkness days on earth that light –“Which lights every man who comes into the world –“ is shining and saying; “Adam, where are you?” and saying, “Come unto me all ye that are burdened and heavy lady. And I will give you rest.”

In Genesis 4, the Lord having warned him; “Sin lies at the door;” to all world conditions these questions, “Adam, where are you?” – “Where is thy brother?” And we see the need on earth that we: “Love God with all thy heart and soul and mind and strength; and thy brother as thyself.”

And we are introduced in the writings of Moses to an altogether different answer to human woe. Justice could have condemned every one of us into an endless struggle – that is religion as it was being practiced then – and is practiced since. But the Lord was introducing that His way to turn our caused darkness into His caused day would be through forgiveness, and mercy, and His placing Himself in our place. He would take upon Himself the just penalty for our wrong-doing. Jesus was coming. The anointed One was coming. Messiah was coming.

He was wounded for our transgressions. He was wounded for our iniquities. Surely He bore our sorrows — the Man of Sorrows would soon turn to daylight the darkness we had brought into the world: “Our night was turned to day; and our sins were washed away.”
He who spoke and it was so, has spoken this Gospel: read the Bible.

In Genesis 5: “Enoch walked with God” and in Genesis six: “Noah fond grace in the eyes of the Lord.” God saying “Where are you” and “Have you….” Some with honest reply – some not and fooling no one but themselves.

Genesis 6,7, 8 and 9 and we see our own life destinies: one or the other: darkness changed to light or no. The rest of the Bible is histories of lives lived, choices made, and of divine intervention throughout.

Abraham will be taken out for God’s purpose; as a nation whose God is the only God, his posterity selected for completing God’s self disclosure and for bringing baby Jesus into the world. Then Israel – a people and a nation precariously hated; but called the people of God – not understanding why Jesus spoke as He did, died as He did… nor why death could not hold Him — nor that He was the baby about which Moses wrote – and Isaiah — and so many more… then Israel waits and the Gentiles are given opportunity to become vessels – ambassadors – witnesses: His church.

Then, as with Noah, globally real and true, not believed by many but just as real, saved or lost the same; Noah found grace: “By grace are you saved by faith: it is a gift of God not of works lest we could boast at how religiously good we are.” (my translation)

False religion and futile emerged right away; involved foolish excuses, pitiful practices – even the death of others and other wickedness: dependence on self rather than Savior.

But the Savior was coming: He came; Jesus is coming again: and Israel? Hatred for Israel having the land it was once given will increase in numbers such that only God can save Israel.

The church – mid-messengers of God in whose midst were the real and the imposter – same as was in Israel: remember, “Enoch walked with God.” Moses wrote that. Where Enoch went will have gone the genuine Jew and the genuine Christian: to be with the Lord. God’s “longsuffering” will have served His desire to bring many sons to glory.

Now the final cleanup: He will defend the Jews again. Oh human foolish ones, why do you speak such ignorance? Why do you plunge into hatred of you brother and of God? What do you think you will gain; oh you of short lives on earth?

Genesis is the book of beginnings. In it the end can be seen by those whose eyes are opened. Justice and Judgment stand obviously to us as necessary. This is the main language of religions. Unique; exceptional, extraordinarily wonderful is the Gospel which is really written in the hearts of me but missing in their origins of thoughts. That is the kindness and effectiveness of mercy through forgiveness that is not totally missing on earth. Families sometimes employ it: friends too. But forgiveness must cost someone else justice would be violated. The world and all that is within is run by the law of just recompense. What is sown is reaped. What goes around; comes around.

The Bible explicitly teaches — in the Old; someone is coming— in the new; He came; withdrew granting men opportunity to Aye or Nay, and is coming again at the end. The Bible is explicit in offering — in the Old that we “choose life – or death:” — in the New that we chose whom the Father sent – the Son of His mercy. “He came unto His own” really for ever person for “God so loved the world,” said His Son. First, said to the Jew, then, of course, to the Gentile – to every person.

Adam, where are you? – Where is thy brother? — What is your disposition toward my Son? If we tell Him where we are, we will need to confess our sins. If we explain to Him our treatment of others — do we not see that before creation the Father’s plan was to save us from our sins and to bring us – washed by the blood of His Son — the Old Testament making sense by His New Testament. God’s family, children of God, created and re-created by God: Born again – born from above. Eternally brethren: His Son our Elder Brother: the end for which the beginning was purposed.

Buddy