PORTERVILLE POST | The Right News at the Right Time

| Loose Ends
The Right Word^© - Feb 23, 2025
with Brother Scott : scott@portervillepost.com

Have you ever pulled on a string on a shirt or blouse or on a strand of yarn on a sweater or a knitted cap or a comforter?

If you have, you know what can happen—either it doesn’t let go but pulls an unsightly snag into the item or worse, it begins an unraveling of that sweater or comforter.

Such a result left unrepaired can cause the thing to continue to come undone and eventually be damaged perhaps beyond help.

Loose ends need to be tended to or they will one day cause at least regret.

Actually, I have found the best way to deal with such a loose end is not to ignore it, or pull it—but to cut-it-off.

Am I speaking about your sweater or knitted beanie or comforter or am I talking about the issues of your life involving relationships and your spiritual progress.

A Loose End: A Loose end is something that is left hanging loose. Things that still need to be done or explained. An unresolved problem or difficulty, often a final detail needed to complete something. Something that is unsettled, unexplained or still incomplete. [A loose end in one’s life tends to hang around and will not really go away unless properly handled.]

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† Mark 10:17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? 18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. 19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. 20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. 21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. 22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

This man was sincere in asking about inheriting eternal life, which was something new he had heard about (the Jews commonly presumed that when life was over the grave was final). And although apparently this man was raised in a respectable Jewish home under the teachings and practice of the Torah, there was something in his life that was for him a loose end in his life before God. In his case, his “great possessions” would likely hinder him from becoming a genuine and dedicated follower of Jesus and dissuade him from the strait gate and narrow pathway to eternal life.

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† Mark 10: [continues] 23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 24 And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

† Luke 13:23 Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.

† Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

As to our Christian walk, our following Jesus (if we indeed are), with regard to our discipleship practices, and how far we have come since we were born again from above, there just might be no one alive today that doesn’t have spiritual loose ends dangling in their lives, including in my life.
In fact, my observation is that many professing to be believers not only have loose ends but are also pretty frayed around the edges, so worn and emotionally tattered that they are in danger of falling apart when the proverbial “last straw on the camel’s back” of trouble comes their way.
Such a spiritual “nervous breakdown” (in a fashion) should never happen but often does in the lives of those that in the good times thought they were doing just fine—but when pressures mount up against them, they find that they cannot cope with them as they should because they had too many areas weak at the seams or the edges of their lives—where most loose ends are found.

I am reminded of a sign we have hanging in our home that says this:
(“A Bible that’s falling apart often belongs to someone who isn’t.”)

What are some examples of a Christian’s loose ends?

• Not knowing what God’s Word says on your behalf when you need to know it, • Being taught the good Word but not acting on it (like the church at Sardis), • Not having been baptized in the Holy Spirit and staying filled, • Not having grown to love God more that all others in your life and also loving your neighbor as yourself, • Having a weak and untested faith (which strong faith teaches us to both look to God first and then to trust Him), • The practice of repentance and forgiveness of others is not habitual (holding a grudge and bitterness is a dangerous loose end), • Generally poor discipleship habits (if any exist at all), • Worry and fears, Not learning to give generously and cheerfully, • Failing at obedience in some area that affects others (husbands/wives, parents), • Holding onto some bad or unclean habit or favorite sin, • Many other things that give you at least a tinge of guilt by the doing or not doing of them. • Broadly stated - a loose end is anything or anyone in your life that you recognize or come to recognize is stopping or slowing you down in having a healthy and vibrant spiritual life and a growing relationship with God.

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† Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? ... 31 ... take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

† Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

† 1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

† Revelation 3:15 [Jesus says to many today:] I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

By His love for you and me the Lord brings such things into focus for us in order that you and I will allow Him to help us resolve those things that remain undone and often displease Him; and we will either respond to the conviction of the Holy Spirit about such things by choosing the easy way, or by default we choose the hard way and do nothing about them.
As the fallen human nature is, we usually push aside the Lord’s promptings about something He wants to fix in us if we will be humble and cooperate with Him—so [by our pushing His help aside] He therefore must arrange for uncomfortable, inconvenient or embarrassing circumstances to force us to address that which for righteousness and holiness in our lives is a problem—and that way is often called “the hard way of doing things”. I’ve never known anyone that likes doing things the hard way!
Some of the problems with loose ends in our lives as Christians are these:
The most serious is that some that are unattended to and never resolved could lead to the failing of one’s faith in God one day, perhaps your faith! Unresolved issues involving others in our lives, especially of our own family, might mean they never become Christians or they fail in their faith and will be lost in eternity.
Loose ends are an obstacle for the believer and can prevent the fulfillment of his or her call of God upon their lives. The hindrances such unattended issues cause will cost the believer immeasurable regrets in the next life, which forfeited rewards and benefits may never be recoverable—not to mention those things that failed to come about in the lives of others because we turned our back on a task in our life that needed to be addressed.

To Personalize What Peter Wrote
† 2 Peter 3:10-14 The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night [for each believer] and [all] the works [of the flesh] shall be burned up [and only genuine spiritual works shall survive and be rewarded for, if there were any]. Seeing then that all these things [of our personal lives] shall be [evaluated and judged], what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy living and godliness? [And so,] according to his promise, [let us all] look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. [And so,] beloved, seeing that you look for such things [if ye will], be diligent that [when without notice you stand before Jesus] you may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless [having been freed of those detrimental loose ends that would have caused you regret].
As we conclude this discussion today, what are some things that the Lord brought into focus for the members of the churches written to in † Revelation chapters two and three?

What can we learn from their warnings?

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† Revelation 2:2 [Ephesus—some good things but:] I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil ... 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent...

[Smyrna—some good things and this:] 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life...

[Pergamos—some good things but:] 14 ...I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 15 So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent...

[Thyatira—some good things but:] 20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. 22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.

† Revelation 3:1 [Sardis—the only positive thing mentioned was they had been taught but have not been diligent to practice:] …I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee…

[Laodicea—nothing good to say except that He loved them ] 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Why do we let loose ends continue in our lives?

The short answer is that it involves some form or level of cost or suffering on our part—and we like neither. Some loose ends are sinful ways that we don’t think we can live without or refuse to.
Some works are yet incomplete because they are just too uncomfortable to do, such as asking for forgiveness or making things right with another (an issue of damnable pride).
Deficiencies in our discipleship walk and devotional practices just take too much time from our busy days and so we put up with a lot of frayed-edges in our lives. We are just too invested in our worldly human life and in keeping the flesh comfortable to care to have anything changed by a meaningful spiritual life. And these things can be deadly!

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† Romans 8:12 …brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

† Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

Are You Aware of Any Loose Ends in Your Life ???
We all have some, of this you can be sure. If you will sincerely ask the Lord about this, He will help you recognize what is loose and dangling and frayed that is His concern, and then if you are willing to receive it, He will help you do the right thing about them—the easier way.