Filed under: Miscellaneous by JCsZealot [No Comments »]

Every day it begins again, the same old things I wish would end
temptations rear their head to say, “you ain’t different today…”

Enticing me to defy as the tether of the old man knots and binds
from thought to sin I fade away, my soul burns from lines so frayed

The old noose tightens, snared I become, indulging self serving wisdom
the world laughs at my calamity, but my Christ drops a tear for me

He sees my struggle and simply waits, knowing well beyond that state
through the furnace, tested and failed, until I reach for hands once nailed

Try to sever the tightened lead, gripping hands strain and bleed
my soul screams in empty pain, for a respite from my sinful shame

Well into the ebb and flow of things which I should already know
my own efforts fall dead in vain, a broken man to knees again

I’ve been in this place before, where my own will do I abhor
weeping pangs of flesh so weak, in that realm I hear Him speak

He chides me slightly in Him abide, with hands once nailed held out wide
for my savior, like times before, broken flesh left on the floor

Toward His grace I trudge through mire, seeking my soul’s true desire
I fall into Him, battered and torn, but through His grace I’ve been reborn

~JCsZealot

Filed under: Simplifying Faith by JCsZealot [No Comments »]

There are many symbols which portray one’s faith in God, though none more poignant or popular than the cross or a crucifix. Many associate the crucifix with Catholicism while the cross is usually representative of simple Christianity. A cross is usually just that; two pieces of material crossed on the perpendicular, similar to a lower case “t” and representative of what Christ hung upon. Historically, of course, some scholars don’t think it actually looked like that - nevertheless, it’s the popular rendition. A crucifix is the same thing, with one exception - a crucifix has an image of Christ hanging upon it as He was upon His death. If you’ve read anything by me before, then you’ll know that I am pretty headstrong about my faith - as I think we all should be, to a point. Ready to defend our faith, ready to confess Christ in any situation is key to our faith and understanding, right? Well what about the difference between a cross and a crucifix? Is there a difference?

I absolutely, positively know there is a difference between the two, and I challenge you to contemplate it, if only for a moment. The cross, in any form - for the purposes of this train of thought - is a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice, is it not? But was the end (more…)

Filed under: Today's Christians by JCsZealot [1 Comment »]

My life, as of late, can be equated to NASCAR, though I won’t attempt to say I have any love for the sport–or any understanding of anyone else’s love for it either, hehe. Suffice it to say, if you’re anything like me, then the metaphor will serve its purpose. The goal of the NASCAR driver is to win the race in one piece. They know where the finish line is and what they need to do to get there. Along the way, they must adjust their speed, avoid obstacles, take a pit stop here and there and - of course - pay attention to the rest of the field. This is so amazingly similar to the Christian walk that I am tempted to believe that Jesus Christ is a NASCAR fan…then again, there’s a lot of things which can be compared similarly, this I just chose.

I know the end game, I know what my goal is for the kingdom. While its true that many a Christian may never understand God’s plan for them, or their true purpose or calling, we all know what awaits us and what we need to do to get there. Along the way, we need to (more…)

Filed under: Today's Christians by JCsZealot [2 Comments »]

I don’t think it’s a secret, for anyone who tried to truly live a Christian life, that attempting such a feat is very difficult. In many lives, it’s the first time accountability has been an issue, with all of the things one “used to do” coming to light as unacceptable. I’ll have to admit, the idea of it being easy or hard to accomplish (or, make the effort toward) is something I never considered beforehand. However, it has been a creeping hand on my shoulder since I chose Christ. In fact, I am willing to bet that most who’ve known the truth, but then have fallen away, are victims of the same thing, to a point. The realization of the difficulty doesn’t come until the walk is attempted. Sure, we can speak of perseverance and not quitting, but because we hold so much personal possession over our “own life”, those helps won’t do much good once the decision to quit has been made. I will submit; to quit in that manner is worse for the end than someone who has never believed. This is because of the blatant denial which must overpower the belief, a denial which (more…)

Filed under: Lies and Deceit by JCsZealot [1 Comment »]

After a few days off, I have returned - much to the chagrin of those who read this stuff, I’m sure. It was an interesting few days as I was pressed upon with so many things that I have had a hard time trying to sift through them. Nevertheless, one thing that has stuck out in my mind is rebellion. God has dealt with rebellion since time for man began; in the garden it was Adam and Eve, through Noah, through Moses - on and on. Despite the teachings of some questionable doctrine, rebellion is a matter of choice and, not surprisingly, something that every human chooses on a daily basis. No matter the depth of your piety or your lack of interest in the Heavenly Father - everyone rebels, against something. Much like many do with lies, people attempt to justify their rebellion - as if that makes the choice okay. Many will even go so far as to claim; (more…)