day no. 16,640: He was hung over our doorways

1 Corinthians 5:7

Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast.

Jesus Christ stands in the gap. His blood covers our threshold. He hung over our doorways so that we might enter into the holy of holies. In Him we are safe and sound. He is our feast. He is the bread of heaven, the poured out wine, and the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world for the sins of it.

Therefore, do not neglect the feast, but keep it. No sacrifice remains except that of thanksgiving and praise.

Hebrews 13:15

By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.

day no. 16,639: dead men turn no tails

“The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you're already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to function as a soldier is supposed to function.” — Band of Brothers

Dead men turn no tails.

Those who aim to save their lives will lose them. Those who've already lost them will save them. Those trying to save their own skin turn tail, while those who've died to themselves ride it out. The sooner you accept the fact that you're already dead, the quicker you can manfully keep to your post. As long as you are attempting to deliver yourself, you are giving yourself over to treachery.  Those who love their lives will demonstrate that ultimate allegiance in betraying all other alliances. Those who are loyal to their own preservation will manifest their commitment in abandoning other commitments.

day no. 16,638: cut to the quick and quickening to the cut

Daniel 10:19

And he said, “You who are treasured, do not be afraid. Peace be to you; take courage and be courageous!” Now as soon as he spoke to me, I felt strengthened and said, “May my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.”

We cannot hear from God. We aren't strong enough to bear it. A single word from His mouth to our ears would undo us. But by His words He is able to strengthen us to hear. He is able to give us ears to hear. He can encourage faint hearts. He can speak boldness into the baffled. He can provide peace where His presence produced terror. The fear was a kind of gift and the relief is another kind. Grace teaches our hearts to huddle and grace our hearts exhorts to run. The words of God are grace and giddy up, they humble the proud and rouse the humbled; they cut to the quick, but quicken the cut.

day no. 16,637: the Masculine made flesh

“The male you could have escaped, for it exists only on the biological level. But the masculine none of us can escape. What is above and beyond all things is so masculine that we are all feminine in relation to it. You had better agree with your adversary quickly.”

“You mean I shall have to become a Christian?” said Jane.

“It looks like it,” said the Director.

-- C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength

You can hide from men, but not from masculinity. You can insulate yourself from mankind, but not from manliness. The hands that hold the world are masculine. The One who made everything is Authoritative. He is all initiative. He is Sovereign and the source of all responsibility.

The hands that hold the world are Christian. They became flesh in order to be pierced. The Masculine made flesh remade the world and all power everywhere is entirely His.

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

We best do what He says and tell others to do the same... and the sooner, the better.

day no. 16,636: love is...

“Love is not blind; that is the last thing that it is. Love is bound; and the more it is bound the less it is blind.” — G.K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy

Love knows no bounds?

Love only knows bounds.

Love is blind?

Love is light. It doesn’t overlook sin. It sees them, and forgives them.

Love is love?

Love is not what you make it. Love is what made you.

Love is free?

Love counts the costs… and pays them… cheerfully.

Love your self?

As though you don't already? It’s like the one thing you’re already good at. You’re a natural… a prodigy.

day no. 16,635: a victory garden

Genesis 3:15 

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

Raising godly seed is not sitting the battle out; it is the battlefield.

1 Timothy 2:13-15

For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing-if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

Being required to raise your kids is not being forbidden to fight; it is being required to fight by raising your kids.

Every Christian home is a victory garden.

day no. 16,634: quiet quitting is gay

Matthew 5:37

Let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No." For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Quiet quitting is gay. 

If you want to quit, then quit. Be a man and say it out loud. Don't imply it through poor output. Put in your resignation. But don’t pretend to work somewhere. Sweat somewhere. Don’t spend your energy trying to look productive. Be fruitful and multiply.

Don’t draw on the benefits of employment while shirking the responsibilities of an employee.

Quiet quitting attempts to enjoy the benefits of obedience without incurring the costs of obeying.

It is all orgasm and no pregnancy, all pleasure seeking and no promise keeping, all show muscle and no real strength, like a marble statue that looks like it could lift a thousand pounds, but weighs a thousand more and doesn't lift a finger to help you move i.

Psalm 98:2

The Lord hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen.

God openly has shown.

No smoke and mirrors.

No pretense.

Colossians 2:15

Having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in [the cross].

Christ was not killed in a dark corner. He wasn’t slaughtered in secret. He triumphed over His enemies in broad daylight and burst forth three days later to eternal sunrise. He then walked about openly, revealing Himself as risen forty days before ascending to the right hand of His Father in Heaven where He is destroying His enemies in broad daylight before returning to demolish death, finally and forever.

Don’t try to look like something you’re not. Play the man. Work hard or walk away, but don’t phone it in for the look of respectability. Be respectable. Don’t cash a good man’s checks for a poor performance. Don’t reap a strong man’s wages for a weak man’s efforts.