Make No Bones About It

Make No Bones About It Essence of Salvation Offered by Doug Blair, Kitchener ON, 2021 The New Birth

Not a pleasant option A revolution, Friend When seen the dregs of Adams pride And wanting such to end.

1

Yes, me a sinner lost in self With no way to reform.

When seeing Love in Calvary’s pain And longing for twice-born.

Yes, given views at Spirit’s choice Of how that Evil runs.

And turning from the Serpent’s voice The Christ-like Way has come.

The Christ-like Man caught In the spin of Trinity’s Design With prayer, obedience, Holy thirst A dweller in Divine.

Re-Creation (Ezekiel 37)

The bones are off the tendons All strewn upon the field And Israel lies in shambles Their unbelief, this yield 2

But I have heard the whisper Above these graves of men 'Oh Son of Man please tell me Can these bones live again?

Can these bones clutch the sinew And flesh as once before And re-create my warriors To fight a different war?

Can they again stand hardy Can breath infuse the cause Can they again be holy And faithful to my laws?'

This Son of Man stands baffled But you God, have no peer And yours the precious Spirit To draw each warrior near So let the breeze indwell them With new life from the dead And let this Israel battle

By Gospel love instead.

3

The Simple Goods

God gave Moses the laws. Jews tried to keep them meticulously. The penalties were severe, if not fatal, for non-compliance. The triune Godhead knew that the Old Testament culture would be a flop. (any rule-keeping group will flop). The New Testament culture was not meant to be choice# 2, but rather phase # 2.

4

Then God instituted the program of Grace by Faith. The only perfectly obedient Jew would be Jesus. Never sinning, but tempted often like other mortals. When He died He would stand as the blameless sin-offering Lamb. There was to be no fracture or blemish ; otherwise Holiness would not be appeased.

But Holiness already had the plan. Christ would die. His resurrection would corroborate that He was Messiah. Now, we do not say "do this, and do not do that". Rather we say that it has already been DONE for us voluntarily - the suffering and the dying and the "fine paying".

It's as if the Judge has called you up on the carpet and said "You gotta be guilty. But here's a piece of Good News. My Son is down at the fines wicket with buckets of money. Simply believe this and go down and ask Him to do it for you. Then go free; and oh, by the way, I adopt you and give you the same privileges and honour as the firstborn. I see Him now in you. I expect to receive the loving respect of a Father. My Spirit will help you in all of this."

We can't countenance this . We are more used to rule-keeping. Gotta have something to do to prove ourselves. But not with God. He's the Giver. On His terms. And blood-letting is involved.

This is not harsh. This is free. Simple enough for a child. Repentance gains admission. But it cost that charismatic teacher/healer of Galilee so very much. He was up for it. For a family. And the mourning did not go on for too long. He is risen! Presently seated at the right hand of God the

5

Father. Now who gets the privilege of sitting at the right hand of a king?

His equal. His Son.

Many will hear all of this and retort, "It is too full of guilt, too full of bloodshed; people don't behave this way. I can't be all that bad."

Sorry, God sets the rules. He has also presented this way, this single way, for mercy to triumph over judgment, 'for righteousness and peace to kiss each other'.

Enter through this door. Receive increasing measures of the Holy Spirit.

See how the lights turn on. He is love. His Son has embodied it for us...all the way. at January 04, 2012 Labels: Simple Grace

Through the Tunnel

6

I matter, I matter Yes, I matter.

In this sordid mess That never should have come.

I matter And I grumble At misfortune.

And I question God, Allowing in this mix A dreadful sum. …I wonder, I wonder Yes, I wonder, Could the One Who moved The sea now let me drown?

I wonder As I ponder All our history.

And I know that He

7

Has purpose in this pain Ere help comes down. …I conquer, I conquer Yes, I conquer.

As I push aside Sad self who blocks the way.

I conquer In surrender To a Father Who Employs the night-time And its settling dews Before the Day.

Labels: Fretful talking stopped, weaning the will

8

9