Leaving Beyond – Grounded In Scripture

Written by: April J. Buchanan

Lift high the name of Jesus. Oh, but pilgrims, come and hear, come and see, and come and rejoice together. For the world has no such pleasure in holy things. The man of dead men’s bones, inwardly dead though outwardly dressed in wealthy robed garments of the finest of all the world, declaring himself righteous, shares not your joy and knows not your contentment, your joy, your peace. Go and see. Go and hear. Let those heavenly words made manifest to your soul be life and joy and peace evermore. Oh, what your soul has come to know of life and peace, no man of temporal delights and delusions of heaven’s gates opened wide has any understanding of your hope and joy. He is your joy. He is your peace. He is your waking joy and restful delight.

Delude yourself not as other men with heavenly fantasies while pursuing earthly pleasures a stench and offense to the Majesty on High. Sit not in delight among the enemies of the Master and delight yourself in their base and wicked entertainments. For your Master is aware of all such things as would be a snare to you and has made your way of escape. To sit among the sinners is a necessary thing. Do so and in honor to your King. Take every opportunity to well represent him and know your weakness and be faithful.

For enemies, in their own minds, are dressed in the finest of all men have to offer. Thinking themselves to at some time to sit in the presence of the King. They take no pleasure in hearing truth and so they have no mirror of which reveals how filthy their rags. They will have no part in being clothed in the righteousness of Another and they clean themselves making their appearance worse than before. An offense to holiness.

The robes of yours surpass them, they are the robes of the King, the Master, the Lord. By grace you have heard and seen yourself rightly before such holiness and by grace you have been bought and clothed in the righteousness of Another. Whatever meager wages you are sustained in this world, or if the benefits of vast wealth, you know that which exceeds it all. The beggar satisfied and content, the wealthy acknowledging that to amass it all cannot compare to Him.

Oh, to such riches men seek to bring down from heaven, of which their delusions and wicked hearts claim for themselves now as their testimony, their own unregenerate hearts knowing in some part that they shall never enjoy those true riches in Christ either here nor there. They love Him not, and they rob souls while robbing widows’ houses. That their joy and delight, for it is all they shall ever know of it.

Oh, most miserable is that soul which thinks himself to someday dwell in the presence of the Lord who took no pleasure in Him and had no desire for Him or His precious saints. Oh, what poor wretches are they who boast of their blessings and intimacy with the God in whom they think delights much in them, and of which they know not, worse, that He knows them not. Oh, what wicked souls who think themselves humble, showing no confidence in the mercy and grace of God to save, but to cast doubt upon His sovereign grace by thinking they must contribute in some way to perfection.

His Word, a better Word. Oh, to that saint, no other word can compare. He has no ear for the man who will flatter him or sell him poison dressed as honey, claiming all he would desire now and that it is the desire of Christ for him to have it. He has no such delusions of himself, and he has no such low visions of God. He has heard the voice of his Lord, and no other shall he entertain.

Christ! Christ! For no other Name surpasses that of the Incarnate, the Holy, the Preeminent, the Second Person of the Trinity, the Savior, Redeemer, Lord, Sustainer, the Faithful and True, the Prince of Peace. Oh, come and see. Oh, come and hear.

Gather with the saints. Together make a joyful noise unto the Lord. For you have been bought. You have been redeemed. You have been adopted. Heirs. Co-heirs with Christ. You who were dead, alive. You who once loved darkness, walk in the light. You who were once enemies, now reconciled to God in Christ.

Rejoice!

He who has purchased you, redeemed you, clothed you in His righteousness, paid the penalty for your debt that you could not afford, is risen, alive, and He will return to consummate His kingdom.

Sing, oh you saints. Rejoice! Let your praise be heard throughout all the earth. Prepare yourself for Him. He is returning! We know not when, for if we knew, we could only be so foolish as others until the last. The not knowing sets the heart with anticipation, readiness, and longing. Oh, faint-hearted saint, revive your longing and remember your Lord. Go now. Prepare yourself. Walk worthy. Live as one whose Master may return at any hour. For He shall. Let peace be a sweet companion in all your doing, for He has reconciled you and He is faithful to preserve you.

Go now, saint, and be faithful in whatever He has set you to do. Set your mind aright, for it is prone to drift. Set your heart faithful, for it is prone to wander. Don’t you know it? Be careful you do, for how else may you not be led astray by it but rather discipline it. Oh, saint, hear the words of life. Sing with exceeding joy, for those words are true. Praise Him. He is worthy! And dear saint, every Word He has spoken is true. Rejoice. Be at peace. For someday soon your faith shall become sight. What a day that shall be, and all the more for he to whom it is not a sudden shock, having not made himself ready, but to him who has ever trained his heart and mind in the truth and rejoiced in them, to him it shall be inexpressible joy.

Come, oh saint, and hear. Go forth in obedience. Go forth in grace and truth. Worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Many are they who worship another. Be found faithful.

Wait not for mass revival. Go now and worship your Lord. Be content to be found faithful. Be ever in His Word, that it may do its work in you so that you may persevere unto the end.

Faithful!