Esther 9:1 – 10:3

December 09, 2010

I've just been struck again about God's perfect timing. I was thinking about this throughout the night. God has a plan and His timing is perfect down to the moment Haman walks in to see the king. Moment! Not year—not day—BUT moment! When you think about all the things that had to transpire before that moment—I just stand amazed. God knew evil was planned for His people and His plan was in place long before they even knew they were in danger, down to specific moments! Amazing.

On the very day that Haman had set aside as the day to destroy the Jews, on that very day, "... the tables were turned" (NIV), and those that sought the destruction of the Jews were instead destroyed themselves. No one was strong enough to stand and fight against them. And even though the Israelites had been given the authority to take the property of their enemies, they did not. Three times in this chapter (Esther 9:10;15; and 16) it says, "But they did not take their belongings." They protected themselves and got rid of their enemies, but they did not take their belongings.

Haman had devised (Psalm 140:2 - NIV says "scheme") an evil plan in his heart and he had chosen a day to ruin and destroy the Israelites. BUT! NCV - "the evil plans would be used against him" KJV - "return upon his own head." NIV - "should come back on his own head." Psalm 140:9 - "Let the heads of those who surround me be covered with the troubles their lips have caused."

God knows. God has plan. And on that day, at the very moment, those who have devised evil plans in their hearts for the ruin and destruction of God's people WILL be held accountable, and the tables will be turned and the ruin and destruction they planned for others will happen to them instead. God is always faithful to His people. Always! When you understand this you can live in peace, contentment, confidence, hope, assurance, and joy (even in the midst of "the storm") BECAUSE He is faithful!

In Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) KJV Bible there is a slip of paper listing verses she wrote for a trip she was taking. It is dated 5/17/97.  "My assurance for the trip." I found it in Esther 9. This is how she has it written.

Psalm 2:12 - Blessed are they who put their trust in Him.
Proverbs 3:5–6 - Trust in ...
Isaiah 26:3–4 - Trust - Trust
Isaiah 40:31 - Wait upon the LORD

God's Response:
Isaiah 41:10 - (So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.)
Isaiah 41:13 - I hold thy right hand - fear not I will help.
Isaiah 41:20 - (so that many people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of the LORD has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.)

Addendum: 8/31/14 ~ The Israelites were to hold a celebration every year to commemorate the time their sadness was turned to joy and their enemies were defeated. These celebrations were to be, "days of joyful feasting and as a time for giving food to each other and presents to the poor." What a great model. When "the storm" is over there will be celebrations. There will be joyful remembrances. But it will be more than that. This journey we have been on isn't about us. It is all about HIM. As we celebrate and remember, we will reach out and share with others what the LORD has given to us.  


Next Entry: Ezra 7:1 – 8:36

Esther 7:1 – 8:17

December 08, 2010

What are you asking for? What is it you want? This is the second time the king has asked Esther what she wants. Esther's request? "Let me live. Let my people live. This is what I want." Esther didn't ask for things (half of his kingdom). She didn't ask for life plus things (wealth, power, and control). She simply asked for life. She tells the king that she and her people have been sold to be destroyed, to be killed, and completely wiped out! King Xerxes asks, "Who has done this? Who is he?" KJV - "Who has presumed in his heart to do so?" Psalm 140:1-2 - "Rescue me, O Lord, from evil men; protect me from men of violence, who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day."

When the king found out it was Haman he was so angry he left the room. When he comes back in the room he sees Haman begging Esther for help. This angers the king even more. One of the king's servants says, "Look, a seventy-five foot platform stands near Haman's house. This is the one Haman had prepared for Mordecai." The king replied, "Hang Haman on it." So Haman was hung on the very platform he had prepared for Mordecai. The consuming anger and revenge he felt for Mordecai destroyed him, not Mordecai. His anger did not destroy the person he was angry with. It instead destroyed him.

That very same day the king gave Esther everything Haman had left when he died. And Mordecai was given the king's signet ring that the king had taken back from Haman. Esther put Mordecai in charge of all that Haman owned. Esther 8:7 - "Because Haman was against the Jewish people, I have given his things to Esther, and my soldiers have hanged him." Accountability happens. The world calls it Karma. All throughout scripture there are examples of the evil that someone else devises in their heart against an innocent person being exactly what happens to them. Haman reaped what he tried to sow, all because Mordecai wouldn't bow down. Haman's anger grew from just wanting to kill Mordecai, to killing all Jews, to possessing (taking from them) everything they owned. And what happened?  Haman's "head was covered with the trouble his lips have caused" and he lost his life, eventually his son's life, and everything he owned.

Haman had already sent out the decree that all Jews should be killed on a specific day. It was sealed with the king's signet ring and it could not be repealed. The king gave his ring to Mordecai and told him to do what he needed to do. Mordecai wrote a new decree, sealed it with the king's ring and sent it throughout the land. "The Jewish people in every city have the right to destroy, kill, and completely wipe out those who attacked them." They also had the right to take by force the property of their enemies. They had the right to strike back at their enemies. Notice that they were not the aggressors, but they had every right to vigorously defend the attacks of their enemies who wanted to "kill, destroy, and take everything they owned."


Next Entry: Esther 9:1 – 10:3

Esther 5:1 – 6:14

December 07, 2010

Esther goes into the king. She didn't just walk into the king blindly. She sought direction from God and He gave her a plan. She asks the king and Haman to come to a banquet she has prepared.

(9/2/14 - Esther followed God's plan. She prepared the banquet BEFORE there was proof that the king would accept her coming into his room without permission and BEFORE she knew whether the king would let her live or not. She was taking each step by faith.  Faith requires Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead) BEFORE there is proof that God will fulfill His promises.)  

The king offers to give her half of his kingdom. She asks the king and Haman to come to a banquet again the next day, and then she will tell them what she wants. 

Haman thinks everything is going great. He has been promoted to a high position. He's been invited to one private luncheon and is now invited to another. He is part of the "inner circle." But when he goes to leave the palace to go home—there sits Mordecai—and he doesn't bow down to Haman. Haman hides his anger, but he is seething inside. He is so consumed with anger and revenge and indignation at the audacity of someone not bowing down to him that he is literally consumed by anger. Haman goes home and called together his friends and wife. He proceeds to tell them how wealthy he was; how many sons he had; how he was honored by the king; and how he was more important than the royal officers and other important men, etc. He goes on to tell them he was the only person the Queen invited to the banquet and he was to be her guest tomorrow. "But all of this does not really make me happy" because of Mordecai. KJV - "All of this means nothing." NIV - "But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see...Mordecai."

Everything appeared to be going great for Haman. He had wealth, power, prestige, and honor... but he was consumed by the desire to "get" Mordecai. And not just Mordecai, but all Jews, so they could take and possess everything they owned. And he was willing to pay money in order to do it. Haman's wife and friends rise up in indignation with him. How dare Mordecai! They told Haman to build a 75' tower (Overkill don't you think? Does it really take a 75' tower to hang someone?), to go to the king, ask the king to hang Mordecai, and "then go the banquet with the king and be happy." Amazing. Orchestrate the destruction of someone, and then go to a feast, eat, drink, and be merry. So Haman has the platform built. 

That night the king couldn't sleep. It just so happened—the king asked for the daily court records to be read. The part about Mordecai warning the king of a plot to kill him was read. The king asks what was done to honor Mordecai and the response was—nothing. It just so happened—that Haman shows up in the courtyard and the king asks for suggestions of what to do for someone he wants to honor. Of course Haman, being the pompous arrogant person he is, thinks the king is wanting to honor him. So, he comes up with this elaborate plan of dressing this person in a royal robe and have him be taken throughout the town on a royal horse with a crown on its head with the person leading the horse announcing, "This is what is done for the man whom the King wants to honor."

The kings says—GREAT! Now go do that for Mordecai. And Haman had to put the robe on Mordecai and he had to lead the royal horse with a crown through the streets announcing, "This is what is done for the man whom the King wants to honor."

After the ride through the city streets, Mordecai returned to the king's gate, but Haman went to his house embarrassed, ashamed, and humiliated. His family and friends told him he was starting to lose power to Mordecai. Esther 6:13 - "Since he is a Jew, you cannot win against him. You will surely be ruined." While they were still talking the king's men came to get Haman for the banquet Esther had prepared.

It just so happened—   

God's timing is perfect. He is in control. Nothing surprises him. His will—WILL be done.

Psalms 140:9 - "Let the heads of those who surround me be covered with the trouble their lips have caused."

Haman unwittingly orchestrated his own downfall and death. Esther was taking a huge risk, yet she calmly and discretely followed God's direction. Haman on the other hand was consumed by anger and acted out of reckless conceit.


Next Entry: Esther 7:1 – 8:17

Esther 3:1 – 4:17

December 06, 2010
 
Haman plans to destroy the Jewish people. Haman was given a new rank, a higher position than the other important people, and he used that position to bring glory and honor to himself. All the people were to bow down before Haman. All did, except Mordecai. He refused. This made Haman angry and he set out to destroy Mordecai. Esther 3:6-7 - "He thought himself as too important to try and kill only Mordecai... so he looked for a way to destroy all of Mordecai's people." It wasn't enough to make just Mordecai pay. He wanted revenge. He wanted destruction. He wanted all. 

So Haman comes up with a plan and offers to pay the king money in order to accomplish it. The order was to kill every Jew. Esther 3:13 - "And they (the people doing the killing) could take everything the Jewish people owned."

When Mordecai perceived (KJV), learned (NIV), heard (NCV), "about all that had been done," he tore his clothes, wept loudly, and put on rough cloth and ashes. Esther hears about Mordecai and sends a messenger to find out why he is upset. Mordecai tells her what Haman has done and what he thinks Esther should do. Esther is in a tough spot. If you go into the king uninvited you can lose your life. But even though no one inside the palace knew it, Esther was a Jew. Mordecai tells Esther not to think she will escape this order just because she is queen. Esther 4:14 - "If you keep quiet at this time, someone else will help and save the Jewish people, but you and your father's family will all die. And who knows, you may have been chose queen for such a time as this."

I love Mordecai's response. Look—God's will WILL be done. If you don't do it someone else will. Mordecai's faith is strong. He's upset, but he is not panicked. He totally gets that God is in control. He wants Esther to choose to do the right thing—for Esther's sake—because God is going to do it either way. Esther chose to do the right thing. She asked all the Jews to fast and pray for three days and then she will go to the king even though it was against all common sense thinking. Esther 4:16 - "And if I die, I die." She was going to do the right thing no matter what!

"You can't stop God's purpose. God's purpose is greater than you are and if you are God's child, nothing is going to slow down God's purpose for you life." ~ From the Inspirational Bible. 

Nothing! God is not shocked by circumstances. He doesn't react "to." He already knows. His plan is in place. Nothing can or will destroy His plan. His plan is for "such a time as this."


Next Entry: Esther 5:1 – 6:14 

Esther 1:1 – 2:23

December 03, 2010

God's name never appears in the book of Esther. Not even once. Even though His name never appears, His Hand is apparent in all that happens. God's will is God's will and His plan will prevail. There are no "accidents" or "mistakes." God cares for His people. He knows the hearts and evil plans of others. Nothing catches Him by surprise. And often, unbeknownst to the players in the drama, God is the director of the situation and actions of all involved so that HIS WILL—will be accomplished.

Queen Vashti disobeys King Xerxes and is removed from her position. Esther (a Jew, but no one knows it) is brought to the palace with many other young women. Esther is chosen by the King to be Queen. Her uncle Mordecai sits by the gate so he can check on Esther's well being. He overhears a plot to kill the king. He passes the information on to Esther and she passes it on to the king. He checks out the report and finds it to be true. The men who plotted to kill the king were hung and the events were recorded in the royal books. There still was no one who knew that Esther was a Jew.

The ground work for God's plan was laid, but no one knew it! They all just thought normal life was happening. But, God knew the hearts of the people. He knew what evil plans were being devised, and God's plan was already in place.

God is never caught off guard and His plan/action is never a sudden spur-of-the-moment reaction to whatever situation or circumstance is surrounding us. For God to have a knee jerk reaction it would require Him to be unaware of what was happening or what was going to happen. He already knows!  God is PRO-active. He has a plan in place.

Addendum:  8/28/14 ~ God was putting the plan in place for such a time as this—for years. YEARS! God's will for HIS people cannot be thwarted. All the intricate details are under HIS control. The key is "HIS people." The promises God has available for us requires OUR obedience. Simple obedience. He does not need our hands meddling and trying to fix things on our own. He only needs our obedience; our complete obedience. When He has it, we are allowed to experience the hand of God at work in our lives and in the lives around us, and we are given the opportunity to see a glimpse of the LORD God-Almighty. What a gift. We become the recipients of a Blessed Event.

Get your hands out of the way! Let the potter work! Surrender your life into HIS hands.


Next Entry: Esther 3:1 – 4:17

Zechariah 9:1 – 14:21

December 2, 2010

"On that day."

 Zechariah 9:16 - "On that day the LORD their God will save them as if his people were sheep. They will shine in his land like jewels in a crown."

Zechariah 9:8 - "No one will hurt my people again, because now I am watching them."

Zechariah 9:9 - "He does what is right, and he saves."

Zechariah 9:12 - "You prisoners who have hope, return to your place of safety. Today I am telling you that I will give you back twice as much as before."

Zechariah 10:1 - "Ask the LORD for ____________..."

Zechariah 10:6 - "I am the LORD their God, and I will answer them."

On that day—I will. From my count there are seventeen mentions of "on that day" in Zechariah 9–14 in the NIV, and the "I wills" are more than you can count. The "I wills" of God are cast in stone. "On that day." God's promises WILL happen on the day they are to happen. Period. Done. Finished. On that day—I will.

Zechariah 13:9 - "The third that is left I will test with fire, purifying them like silver, testing them like gold. Then they will call on me, and I will answer them, I will say, 'You are my people', and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.' "

2020 Update: Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!


Next Entry: Esther 1:1 – 2:23

Zechariah 6:9 – 8:23

December 01, 2010

The prophet Zechariah continues to talk to the people who have returned from 70 years in exile. For 70 years they carried on the "tradition" of fasting and mourning in the 5th and 7th months. Now they are asking Zechariah if they should continue doing so. God replies—What you were doing wasn't for me, it was for yourself! I don't want "tradition." I don't want the "appearance" of good! Why didn't you do what the prophets I sent you told you to do? This is what I want you to do. Zechariah 7:8-10 - "Do what is right and true; be kind and merciful to each other. Don't hurt widows and orphans, foreigners or the poor; don't even think of doing evil to somebody else." 

Zechariah 7:11-13 - "But they refused to pay attention; they were stubborn and did not want to listen anymore. They made their hearts as hard as rock and would not listen to the teachings of the LORD All-Powerful. And they would not hear the words he sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. So, the LORD All-Powerful became very angry. When I called to them, they would not listen. So when they called to me, I would not listen." 

BUT! When you choose to obey His teachings, the LORD is faithful. Zechariah 8:6-15 - "It is not to difficult for me... I will save my people... I will bring them back... they will live... they will be my people... I will be their good and loyal God... work hard... I will save you, you will become a blessing. So don't be afraid; work hard... I am planning to do good... so don't be afraid."  

I have 5/20/08 written beside this passage of God's promises. I also have Jeremiah 29:11 written beside it. What jumps out at me today is Zechariah 8:13 - "...but I will save you, and you will become a blessing. So don't be afraid; work hard." I love the fact that it is forward looking and reaching out, and not past tense and closed in. It doesn't say you are blessed or will be blessed. It says you will become a blessing!! That is my prayer. Use me LORD, however You wish. Make my life a blessing to You and those around me. Enlarge my territory.

Zechariah 8:16-17 - "These are the things you should do: Tell each other the truth. In the courts judge with truth and complete fairness. Do not make plans to hurt your neighbors, and don't love false promises. I hate all these things", says the LORD.  

Psalm 140:2 - "...who devise evil plans in their heart..."

Zechariah 8:17 - "...let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor... these are things I hate."  (KJV)

Zechariah 8:19 - "But you must love truth and peace."

Addendum: 8/26/14 ~ "People from one city will go and say to those from another city, 'We are going to pray to the LORD and to ask the LORD All-Powerful for help. Come and go with us.' Many people and powerful nations will come to worship the LORD All-Powerful in Jerusalem and to pray to the LORD for help." This is what the LORD All-Powerful says: "At that time, ten men from different countries will come and take hold of a Judean by his coat. They will say to him, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.' " Zechariah 8:21-23

Oh Lord, may it be so. May we be that kind of light and witness for you. Enlarge our territory. May YOU receive ALL the honor and glory for the things YOU have done.    

11/20/14 ~ When I first wrote this on December 01, 2010, and then added my addendum thoughts and prayers on August 26, 2014, I could have never imagined even in my wildest dreams what God would reveal to me just a few short months later. Why does the Hand of God continue to surprise me?

My prayer was, "Here I am Lord. I am available, ready, and wanting to be used. Lord, may it be so." Why then am I SO shocked when God begins to reveal those plans to me? The answer is obvious. We (as humans) cannot even begin to fathom the magnitude of who God is. We have Him in a box within the comprehension of our human minds and our human minds are so small and limited. Never-in-a-million-years could I have foreseen what God had in store for my life.

The "book" is already written, and I didn't even know it. Very soon the story of Jane (Her Name Was Jane) can and will be told. Amazing. Absolutely amazing.

See:
LORD – What Am I to Do?
The LORD Answers!
I Didn't Know—BUT GOD DID!


Next Entry: Zechariah 9:1 – 14:21

Zechariah 1:1 – 6:8

November 30, 2010

"Return to me and I will return to you."

Those are the words of the LORD as spoken through Zechariah. Years earlier the prophets warned the Israelites to stop their evil ways and evil actions, but they would not listen. Now God is telling them again, return to me and I will return to you. It has to be in that order.

Zechariah had visions that the LORD explained. A couple things stand out to me.

1)  "Whoever touches you hurts what is precious to me." (Zechariah 2:8) The NIV says, "Whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye." God knows what is happening, and He cares.

2)  Satan was standing by Joshua's side to accuse him. The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD says no to you Satan."  atan can only do what God allows him to do. There will come a time when the LORD stands up and says—NO! No more. That's it! (Zechariah 3:1-2)

3)  "You will not succeed by your own strength or power, but by my Spirit; says the LORD All-Powerful." Got a mountain you're trying to climb? Doesn't matter. "Who are you big mountain... you will become like flat land." The key is dependence, total dependence on God. (Zechariah 4:6-7)

4)  "People should not think that small beginnings are unimportant." (Zechariah 4:10) A trip of a thousand miles begins with one step. What is important is to have the courage to take the first step.

5)  The vision of the flying scroll. "One side says every thief will be taken away. The other side says everyone who make false promises will be taken away." The vision goes on to promise destruction to thieves and those who use God's name to make false promises. Zechariah 5:3-4 in Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) Scofield KJV says, "To steal is to set aside our neighbor's rights; to swear is to set aside God's claim to reverence." Accountability will happen. God is not fooled and will not be mocked.  

A special gentleman we met at the nursing home died 2 weeks ago. His memorial service is on Saturday. My husband and I met him at the nursing home we go to every Christmas morning.  We always enjoyed his company. He had no use of his body—nothing. And yet, he would have the nurses prop open his Bible so he could read it. He called us this last June (2010). He wanted to come to our church. (This gentleman went to his home church every Sunday. He paid for a special wheel chair taxi to pick him up. He also had to pay to have a staff member go with him.) We were excited that he wanted to come to our church and we arranged the plans for him. When Sunday came, he (and his helper) arrived and went not only to our church service but went to our small group class with us as well. What a testimony.

This gentleman's life was one of joy even though he was trapped in his body. His example puts to shame those who have a Bible but don't bother to read it and those who could drive to church but don't bother. He was 70 years old when he died.


Next Entry: Zechariah 6:9 – 8:23

Haggai 1:1 – 2:23

November 29, 2010

Chronologically, Haggai and Zechariah were written between chapters 5 and 6 of Ezra. After Ezra 6 came Esther, then after Esther came Ezra 7 – 10,  with Nehemiah and Malachi following that. Jane (Her Name Was Jane) has written in her Bible that 50 years passed between Chapters 6 and 7 of Ezra.

Twenty years passed between the time the Israelites were allowed to leave Babylon and Haggai, and still the temple was not done. They built themselves "fancy homes," but the temple was still in ruins. Their priorities and values were not in the right order. The LORD All-Powerful sent a message to them through the prophet Haggai.

God said, "Consider your ways" (KJV); "Think about what you have done" (NCV); "You work hard, but you have little. You eat, but you don't become full. You drink, but you're still thirsty. You earn money, but then you lose it all as if you had put it into a purse full of holes." Then God said again, "Consider your ways... Think about what you have done." As Dr. Phil would say, "How is this working out for you?"

Consider your ways. Think about what you have done. Your values and priorities are all wrong, and you have been reaping the result of that. Go up to the mountain. Bring back the wood. Build the temple. Do first things first, then you will be blessed. You look for much but you find little. What you do find I destroy. Why? Haggai 1:9 - "Because you all work hard for your own houses while my house is still in ruins." Priorities and values. Psalm 127: 1–2 - "If the LORD doesn't build the house, the builders are working for nothing. If the LORD doesn't guard the city, the guards are watching for nothing. It is no use for you to get up early and stay up late, working for a living." 

Zerubbabel and Joshua (son of Jehozadak) led the people in rebuilding the temple. The LORD says, "I am with you... Be brave... I am with you... Don't be afraid... I will give peace... I will bless you."

Then Haggai gave a teaching. If something is holy and it touches something unclean, will the unclean become holy? No. If something is unclean and it touches the things around it, does everything become unclean? Yes. Consider your ways! Think about it! How's it working out for you? Get your priorities and values straight! We can work and work. But if our hearts are not pure and our hands are unclean it is all for naught. But, if our hearts are pure and our hands are clean, there is no limit to God's blessings in our lives. The choice is ours.


Next Entry: Zechariah 1:1 – 6:8   

Ezra 5:1 – 6:22

November 27, 2010

After Darius became king the people began rebuilding the temple again. This time the neighboring governors came and asked them who gave them permission to do so. They sent a letter to the king asking him to check the records to see if what the people said was true. Did King Cyrus really tell them to rebuild the temple?

Ezra 5:5  - "God was watching over" them. King Darius discovered what they said was true, and he gave an order. "Stay away from there. Do not bother (them)." Not only did he allow the rebuilding to continue, he made sure all of their costs would be fully paid from the royal treasury. "Do this so the work will not stop. Give those people anything they need." Darius went on to say, "If anyone changes my order" they are to be destroyed and his house made ruin. The temple was finished and everyone celebrated and gave glory to God for "changing the mind of the king of Assyria." God's will WILL be done.

Isaiah 14:13–14 - "You told yourself, "I will go up to heaven, I will put my throne above God's stars. I will sit on the mountains of the gods, on the slopes of the sacred mountain. I will go up above the tops of the clouds. I will be like God most high."

Isaiah 14:24 - "The LORD all powerful has made this promise: 'These things will happen exactly as I planned them; they will happen exactly as I set them up.' "

Isaiah 14:27 - "When the LORD All Powerful makes a plan, no one can stop it. When the LORD raises his hand to punish people, no one can stop it."

Acts 13:10 - "You son of the devil!  You are an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of evil tricks and lies, always trying to change the LORD's truth into lies."

Acts 26:17-18 - "I will keep you safe from your own people and also from the others. I am sending you to them to open their eyes so that they may turn away from darkness to the light, away from the power of Satan and to God. Then their sins can be forgiven, and they can have a place with those people who have been made holy by believing in me."


Next Entry: Haggai 1:1 – 2:23

Ezra 3:1 – 4:24

November 27, 2010

Seven months after the Israelites settled into their homeland, they met together and began to build the altar. Ezra 3:3 - "Even though they were afraid of the people living around them, they built the altar where it had been before." Two years after they arrived they began to rebuild the foundations of the temple. When they finished the foundation, with praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD, "He is good; His love for Israel continues forever."

But then... their enemies heard what they were doing and they showed up under the guise of "helping."

Ezra 4:2 - "Let us help you build, because we are like you and want to worship your God." The people saw through the ruse. They said, "We will build it ourselves." When their enemies first attempt to disrupt them didn't work their enemies tried again, this time using discouragement and fear. Then their enemies tried a third method. They hired others to delay their work. When that wasn't enough they tried the fourth, send a letter to the king. This time their guise was to act like they were only concerned about the king. You should know—the people you freed are rebuilding Jerusalem. You should know—if you allow them to do this they won't pay taxes. We're only writing to tell you this because we are loyal to the government and we don't want to see the king dishonored. Check the records king. You should know—that if you allow this you will be left with nothing. And the king gave the order for them to stop. 


Next Entry: Ezra 5:1 – 6:22

Ezra 1:1 – 2:70

November 26, 2010

"You are free to go." The Israelites have been held captive for 70 years. But now God has directed Cyrus, the king of Persia to set them free. "You are free to go." And "everyone God had caused to want to go made the preparations to go back and rebuild the temple. When the LORD calls He provides the way and the desire. God used King Cyrus, a king of Persia, to restore His people and fulfill the promises spoken by Jeremiah years earlier.

Nothing can thwart God's plan. Nothing. Not Satan—God provided the Cross. Not man—God's will WILL prevail. Nothing is too complex for God to solve.

Genesis 18:14 - "Is anything too hard for the LORD?"
Genesis 20:6 - "I did not allow you to sin against me."
Genesis 50:20 - "You meant to hurt me, but God turned your evil into good to save the lives of many."
Exodus 3:12 - "God said, I will be with you."
Esther 4:13-14 - "You may have been chosen for such a time as this."

Addendum:  8/28/2014 ~ The beginning of Ezra (where I began to journal again after my journals were unexpectedly caught up in "the storm"), begins the exact same way as II Chronicles ends which is where my journey of reading and keeping a journal of the things God taught me while reading through the entire Bible also ended. "You are free to go." A pagan king fulfilled God's promise to Jeremiah which was also Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) last God-given promise to us. One year (to the day) from when Jane told us to read Jeremiah 33, God incredibly freed us from a large financial obligation created by "the storm."

There will come a day when the LORD delivers us from the lawsuit and we hear, "You are free to go." I will admit, it will be nice to hear those words.


Next Entry: Ezra 3:1 – 4:24

The Lost Chapters: Review

August 08–22, 2014

Wow! Where do I begin? You can't make this stuff up. Why am I still so amazed by God's timing and abilities? Maybe that is a good thing. I don't ever want to lose the awe of who God is. The more we get a glimpse of who HE is, the more we realize we don't have even the slightest understanding or beginning knowledge of His amazing Awesomeness.

The Lost/Last Chapters could not have been more relevant or pertinent in content. And, just wait until you hear about the very last verse of the very last chapter recorded on the very last blank page of my last journal. But first, here is the summary of what stood out in the chapters God set aside—for such a time as this.

II Chronicles 11:18 – 15:19 - The danger of PRIDE and becoming self sufficient. It isn't about "I" and what "I" have done, it is that "I can do all things through Christ." Pride → Punishment. There comes a time when God has had enough and He takes His guiding hand out of your life and you are left to fight your own battles by your own devices. God never abandons or leaves us first. When God leaves us to our own devices, it is always in response to our actions of pride, defiance, and our refusal to surrender to Him as Lord of our lives. When you try to do things your own way you are arguing against God and that is an argument you will never win. Stop! Stop what you are doing. Accountability and consequences for our choices WILL happen. You cannot try to circumvent God's will and have success at the same time. It won't work. It can't work. The flip side is when you have surrendered your will and are obedient to the Lord—you can't lose. The size of the army doesn't matter because the battle belongs to the Lord. It is ALL about Him. He is the One who leads the obedient. Victory comes when you obey and depend on the LORD. You can't do it, but God can.  Don't give up. God is in control. Your reward will come.

II Chronicles 16:1 – 19:3 - Be careful. The most dangerous time isn't when you are facing a great crisis. The most dangerous time is when the crisis is over and the victory is won. Success can breed pride, and pride (self-sufficiency) has ruined many people. It becomes easy to forget WHO provided the victory and to instead start believing in your own abilities, strengths, wisdom, skills, etc. It takes intentional desire and effort to follow God; surrendering your will to the LORD's will does not happen automatically or accidentally. You have to want to obey. Where there is obedience there is also the desire to tell others about Him. The Lord protects and blesses those who are obedient to Him. But be careful. Don't purposely align yourself with unbelievers or there will be danger ahead. There is a fine line between loving the sinner and hating the sin. It can become blurred very quickly and we find ourselves compromised in our relationship with God. God calls us to be separate. If we are aligned with those who are pursuing their own agenda instead of God's agenda, we may be in the line of fire when accountability happens. And, accountability WILL happen. Man can make the best laid plans, but God is still in control. What appears to be "by chance" is actually the Hand of God. God protects those who call on Him; He holds accountable those who have turned their backs on Him. We control whether we submit ourselves to the authority of God and obey His teachings. God controls the rest.

II Chronicles 19:4 – 21:3 - Attacks (unexpected storms) from others can come unprovoked. Cry out to the LORD for HIS help. Search HIS Word. Surrender your will to HIS. Believe HIS promises. Follow HIS specific instructions. Keep doing what is right. When you have done all He has asked you to do, you can have complete confidence in His promises. "The battle is not your battle, it is God's." "You won't need to fight in this battle. Just stand strong in your places, and you will see the LORD save you..." Don't be afraid or discouraged. Stand strong. Praise HIS name first and foremost, before, during, and after the battle. It is the LORD who will take over the battle and HE is the One who will secure the victory. (Psalm 140)    

II Chronicles 21:4 – 24:27 - If you find yourself linked with others (business associates, friends, etc.) who are not following God, you must break free and separate yourself. You cannot expect to remain faithful to the LORD while compromising God's authority by not following His commands. God sent prophets to warn His people to turn back to Him, but they were stubborn and refused to listen—and accountability happened. God's promises are true and nothing can destroy or prevent God from fulfilling His promises. We are the ones who mess things up. There are consequences for our life choices. Our decisions bring God's promised results: Blessing—or—Curses. Our relationship with the LORD has to be personal. It isn't enough to start well. We must finish well!!!

II Chronicles 25:1 – 26:23 - When facing a battle, don't put your faith in your own strength or your trust in your ability to "buy" man's help. God has the power to help you OR defeat you. Put your faith and trust in Him. It doesn't matter what you have already spent or lost, walk away from it. God can give you much more! Rely on HIM, and only Him. It is HIS battle. Don't be stubborn. Repent, and turn from your old ways. Let go (of your need to be in control—pride) and "let" God (surrender your will to His). God provides the opportunity. It is up to us how we are going to respond. It is not our abilities, our talents, or our perseverance that brings us success. Our success comes from God's response to our obedience and servant-hood. The secret to success is simple—obey the LORD.

II Chronicles 27:1 – 28:27 - Obey God—and He supplies your needs and gives you success as you follow hard after Him. Disobey God—and He will eventually hand you over to disaster. God does not tolerate continued disobedience. The longer you refuse to surrender your will to HIS will, the harder it becomes to repent.

II Chronicles 29:1 – 32:23 - Break the pattern! Don't follow the godless ways of the past. Don't be stubborn. There is punishment for disobedience. Change your hearts! Repent! Turn! Obey! Serve! Praise! The Lord is kind and merciful. He never turns away an honest seeker. But sadly, few are willing to listen and obey. When you willingly give back to God your tithe and offerings from what HE has blessed you with, HE in return honors your obedience and submission to Him and He blesses you abundantly. Being obedient, faithful, and loyal to HIS commands does not prevent you from being attacked, ridiculed, insulted, and the object of aggression from those who are following after their own desires and agendas. BUT, stand strong. Don't be afraid or worried, because "there is a greater power with us" than with them. Man cannot circumvent God's will. The battle is not yours, it is HIS. HE will fight the battle, and HE will win. HE is the one who saves you, sustains you, and blesses you. God will use for your good what others intended for your harm.  Stand strong. Wait on the LORD. There is a when! Be ready for it! The battle will end and the victory will be won. God's promises are true.  

II Chronicles 32:24 – 33:25 - It is not about what "I" have done, it is ALL about what HE has done. There is much danger ahead when we forget that and become arrogant in our self pride. There is always forgiveness, but how much better to live a life in surrendered peace then to bear the consequences for disobedience. Our actions determines God's response. When we are faithful—He provides protection. When we are unfaithful—His protection is removed. There is forgiveness and hope, but it requires action in each of our lives to accomplish it. God is ready, willing, and waiting. He speaks to us through his Holy Spirit, His Word, and others. He provides the way. We must humble ourselves → pray → seek → and turn. When we do that, HE does the rest. Hope. There is always hope. But there comes a time when time runs out. Don't wait. Change your heart, mind, and ways—TODAY!

II Chronicles 34:1–33 - God's Word is a like a detailed map for how we should live our lives. If you refuse to acknowledge God as LORD of your life and refuse to follow the path He has laid out, there will come a day when you realize that what you put your misguided faith and trust in had no earthly or kingdom value. It was merely a waste of time and effort as you pursued what turned out to be worthless dust, a temporary god that offered no lasting satisfaction and no salvation. God's Word is true—period. He will do what He says—period. Accountability for personal actions will happen. There are blessings for those who humble themselves before the LORD; there are curses for those who refuse to surrender their will to His. There is NO excuse for ignorance. There is NO excuse for not taking the time to know what His Word says. There is NO excuse for not immediately obeying His teachings once you become aware of what His Word says. It is up to you/us to seek and search hard after Him. And when you do, He will respond to you and use His Word and His Holy Spirit, to reach out to you, teach you, and guide you on HIS path. He will even use prophets (and in our case a prophetess). Ordinary men and women who are called by God, whose words and actions are initiated by the Holy Spirit to be His messenger and His mouthpiece to His people. All for the purpose of either warning His people to repent, or as a message of hope, promise, encouragement, and guidance to those who are seeking hard after Him. It all comes down to this: two different kinds of people; two different choices; and two very different outcomes. It is the same message that resonates throughout all of scripture. We have a choice. Serve God—OR—Serve self. Follow hard after the LORD—OR—Refuse to obey God's teachings. Blessings—OR—Punishment. It really is that simple. Our choices bring God's promised results.

II Chronicles 35:1 – 36:1 -  Don't try to argue with God. That is one battle you will never win. Don't fool yourself into thinking God will not know or will not find out about the things you think or do. He knows our every thought and action. His promises are absolutely-with-out-a-doubt-true. God never breaks His promises and He never goes back on His word. But receiving His promises is not a guaranteed conclusion or something that we have a right to receive IF we turn our backs on Him and are not following HIS ways. His promises are what is available to us. Whether or not we receive His promise depends on the choices we make. IF—we choose to no longer follow after His ways and we choose to follow after other gods with anything or anyone taking the place in our hearts and lives that should be reserved only for the LORD, THEN—we have broken the agreement and God's available promise is null and void. Only we can break the agreement.

II Chronicles 36:2–23 - Some people just refuse to change and to surrender their will to God's. God provides opportunity after opportunity for change. He sends warnings. He disciplines. He patiently waits. He wants them to change their hearts and minds. But yet, even after all of that, some people still refuse to listen and become "stiff-necked." Instead of repenting, they ridicule and make fun of God's people and they despise God's messages. God is patient, kind, and full of grace. But there comes a time when enough is enough and His anger cannot be stopped. There is no remedy, and the consequences commence. It was because of the Isrealites disobedience, and because of their refusal to listen to His messages, and because they refused to repent, and because they refused to change their hearts, that God brought their enemies against them and God handed them over to captivity. Sometimes innocent people become part of the collateral damage. People who did obey, and did listen to God's messages, and did repent, and did change their hearts, were taken captive as well. But God did not abandon them. He sent a message to His prophet for His people. God's message was this: He promised to hear their prayers; He promised to bring them back out of captivity; and He promised them they would once again enjoy great peace and safety. As a result, all the people would praise HIS name. What the LORD said would happen—happened. God fulfilled HIS promise to free HIS people. He used a most unlikely source. He used a pagan king to fulfill HIS promise. "Now may the LORD your God be with all of you who are his people. You are free to go..." God fulfilled His promise to Jeremiah and He will fulfill His promise to free and restore us.

"You are free to go..."

The Lost/Last Chapters: A step-by-step description that explains why "the storm" began, our thoughts and feelings while battling "the storm"; what we have learned along our journey; the assurance of God's protection; the guaranteed consequences for those who refuse to surrender their will to HIS; and the fulfillment of HIS written-in-stone "I will" promises of protection. 

When I originally read these chapters (during my hiatus from writing in 2010), I did not understand the significance of these chapters and how they related to our journey. I also didn't fully grasp the correlation between the last verse in II Chronicles and Jeremiah 33. God, in HIS Sovereignty, set aside these chapters for such a time as this, so I would realize the importance of them and understand what He was showing me. HE is a promise-keeping God; "The storm" is HIS battle to win; HE is faithful; we need to remain faithful; and HE will free HIS people.

Remarkably, every single one of the God-given chapters Jane (Her Name Was Jane) told us to read are represented in The Lost Chapters.

Psalm 150 - Praise! It's all about Him.
Psalm 140 - A Prayer for Protection
Isaiah 30 - Warnings (to those who are obstinate) and a promise to provide Provision for His people (Isaiah writing about the exact time period recorded in The Lost Chapters.)
Psalm 1 - Two different life Paths and two dramatically different outcomes
Jeremiah 33 - The Promise of freedom and restoration (Jeremiah writing about the exact time period recorded in these chapters).
Psalm 8 - Purpose! It's all about Him.

*****

And that brings us to the end. Seven years after "the storm" began, and five years after I began the journey of reading through the entire Bible while keeping a journal. The Lost/Last Chapters—which God set aside for such a time as this—is the recorded fulfillment of HIS promise to free HIS people. The promise God gave to Jeremiah (while he was still held captive in Jeremiah 33) was also the last God-given promise given to us by Jane. E. Wolfe. Incredibly, seven years after "the storm" began, the very last verse in the very last chapter, is the recorded fulfillment of God's promise sent to the Israelites through Jeremiah. I believe it to be a message to us. The fulfillment of God's promise sent to us through Jane E. Wolfe is coming. There will come a day when we are no longer held captive by a vicious and vile lawsuit.

There is a WHEN—wait for it.

The more I think about the LORD's promise to free His people being fulfilled in the very last verse of the last chapter in my five year journey of reading through the Bible while keeping a journal, the more awestruck and astounded I am. God's timing is impeccable. Seven years after Jane spoke God's first words of promise to us, the very last verse of the very last chapter of my five year journey of reading, reflecting, and recording my thoughts while reading through the Bible, ends with the fulfillment of Jeremiah 33, Jane's last God-given words to us—God's promise to free HIS people. Incredible!! His promises are true. The Israelites were freed from their bondage as the LORD promised. Hold on! Our deliverance is coming.

There will come a day when we see the fulfillment of God's promise to us. We believe with all our hearts that our deliverance from "the storm" and the lawsuit my sister and brother-in-law filed is coming. Someday we will hear the words, "You are free to go."

Blessed be the name of the LORD!

"O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You made him ruler over the works of your hands, and put everything under his feet; all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swims the paths of the sea. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your NAME in all the earth!!" Psalm 8

No mere human words will every be able to adequately express our love, appreciation, gratitude, thankfulness, and praise to our heavenly Father for His compassion, His sacrifice, and His amazing Saving Grace. 


2020 Update: Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!


Next Entry: Ezra 1:1 – 2:70

II Chronicles 36:2–23

July 24, 2014

Jehoahaz becomes king. After only three months, the king of Egypt dethrones him and replaces him with another one of Josiah's son. Jehoahaz was taken to Egypt.

Jehoiakim becomes king. He did what the LORD said was wrong. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacks Judah, captures Jehoiakim, and takes him to Babylon.

Jehoiachin becomes king. He does what the LORD says is wrong. King Nebuchadnezzar removes some of the valuable things from the LORD's temple and puts them in his own palace. Then he makes Jehoiachin's uncle Zedekiah (another son of Josiah and brother to Jehoahaz and Jehoiakim), king.

Zedekiah becomes king. He too does what the LORD said was wrong. Josiah's sons (Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah), and grandson (Jehoiachin) all rejected God's teachings. They all witnessed what happened to their father and grandfather. They witnessed Josiah's love for what was in God's word and how things went well for him. They also witnessed what happened when Josiah stubbornly followed his own ways and things did not go well; but still they rejected the LORD's teachings. God sent the prophet Jeremiah to warn Zedekiah, but he refused to change his heart. The people became more and more wicked. "The LORD had made the temple in Jerusalem holy, but the leaders made it unholy."

The LORD, "sent prophets again and again to warn his people." He had pity on them and he wanted them to change, but they ridiculed and made fun of God's people. They despised God's messages. "They refused to listen to the prophets until, finally, the LORD became so angry with his people that he could not be stopped." (NIV and KJV says until there was "no remedy.")

Because of their disobedience and their refusal to listen to the many messages God sent them, and because they refused to repent and change their hearts, God brought the king of Babylon to attack them and God handed all of them over to King Nebuchadnezzar. They were now totally captive. Nebuchadnezzar completely destroyed the temple and took or destroyed every valuable thing. The people were forced to be his slaves. "And so what the LORD had told Israel through the prophet Jeremiah happened." The country was an empty wasteland for seventy years. (Verse 21)

What the LORD said would happen—happened. God fulfilled HIS promise to free HIS people. 

What happened between II Chronicles 36:21 and II Chronicles 36:23, is the fulfillment of God's promise to Jeremiah recorded in Jeremiah 33. Jeremiah was given the promise of the LORD while he was still locked up in the courtyard of the guards. The LORD tells Jeremiah for the second time, "These are the words of the LORD, who made the earth, shaped it, and gave it order, whose name is the LORD: pray to me, and I will answer you. I will tell you important secrets you never heard before... I will bring them back from captivity... they will enjoy great peace and safety." It looks hopeless, but I the LORD am going to do it. Then the people will say: "Praise the LORD All-Powerful, because the LORD is good! His love continues forever."

The country is in ruins—just as Jeremiah said. The people are captive—just as Jeremiah warned. Then what the LORD said would happen in Jeremiah 33—happened. The last two verses in the last chapter of "The Lost Chapters" records it.

"In the first year Cyrus was king of Persia, the LORD had Cyrus send an announcement to his whole kingdom. This happened so the LORD's message spoken by Jeremiah would come true. He wrote:

This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has appointed me to build a Temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Now may the LORD your God be with all of you who are his people. You are free to go to Jerusalem."

Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) last God-given message to us (given in April of 2008) was Jeremiah 33—God's promise of freedom and restoration. When Jeremiah received the promise from God, he was still locked up in the courtyard of the guards. This was the second time God promised him freedom and restoration. We received Jane's last God-given promise of Jeremiah 33, while we were still locked up in "the storm." Jeremiah 33 is also the second time we received God's promise of protection. Jane's first God-given message to us (given in July of 2007) was Psalm 140—God's promise of His protection. How amazing is that? God fulfilled His promise to Jeremiah and He will fulfill His promise to free and restore us. LORD, SO BE IT. Your word is true. Praise the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth, for HIS great faithfulness.

From the Life Lesson: God used the exile to cause the people to repent, and He used a pagan king to rebuild Jerusalem's Temple.

"They were pushed to the edge of existence where they thought they were hanging on by the skin of their teeth, and they found out that in fact, they had been pushed to the center, where God was. They experienced not bare survival but abundant life... Exile is the worst that reveals the best... disaster seems to be good for people. When the superfluous is stripped away we find the essential—and the essential is God... Exile reveals what really matters and frees us to pursue what really matters, which is to seek the LORD will all our hearts." ~ From Run With the Horses by Eugene Peterson.

Next Entry: The Last Chapters: Review 

II Chronicles 35:1 – 36:1

July 23, 2014

After Josiah and the people promised to follow the LORD, they celebrated Passover like it had not been celebrated since the prophet Samuel was alive. Things were going well.

Then thirteen years later...

The king of Egypt decides to go out to attack somebody. This battle had nothing to do with Josiah or Judah. Yet, after all he'd experienced  and learned, Josiah decides he is going to go against the king of Egypt. Why? The king of Egypt said—what are you doing? This isn't between you and me! God told me to attack these people. God is on my side, "So don't fight God, or he will destroy you." But, Josiah did not listen. He did not inquire of God to see if the king of Egypt was telling the truth. Josiah went into battle wearing different clothes thinking no one would know. But God knew, and Josiah was hit by an arrow and died. He did not receive the promise of, "so I will let you die and be buried in peace," which God had promised through the prophetess Huldah.

God never breaks His promises and He never goes back on His word. Josiah broke the covenant. He did not listen to or seek God's voice and insisted on plowing ahead on his own. When you receive a promise from the LORD, it does not give you carte blanche to do whatever it is you want to do, how-when-or-where you want to do it. We must still be faithful and obedient! His promises are what is available to us. Whether or not we receive His promise depends on the choices we make. 

To make it personal, we have received a promise from God that He would protect us, free us, and bless us with HIS presence. He will not go back on His word. However, if we break our covenant, if we make the decision to no longer follow after HIS ways, if we choose to follow after other gods with anything or anyone taking the place in our hearts and lives that should be reserved only for the LORD, then WE have broken the agreement and God's available promise is null and void.

LORD, we surrender ALL. We claim Your promises. We choose to serve YOU only. Psalm 140 - "But we say, YOU are our God. Hear O Lord, our cry for mercy!" (Her Name Was Jane)


Next Entry: II Chronicles 36:2–23

II Chronicles 34:1–33

July 23, 2014

Josiah becomes king at eight years old. By the time he was sixteen, he began to remove all the idols and places for worshiping other gods from the land. He broke up the wooden and metal idols and beat them into powder. He sprinkled the powder over the graves of those who worshiped the idols. (The golden calf the Israelites made while Moses was on the mountain with God was broken and made into powder as well. The Israelites were forced to drink it, and it ended up on the ground—useless.) Josiah rendered the idols useless, dust on the ground—gone. The people returned to dust and what they put their faith in returned to dust. It brought them nothing, totally destroyed and useless.

At the age of 26, Josiah made Judah and the Temple pure again. In the process of doing so, Hilkiah the priest, "found the Book of the LORD's Teachings that had been given through Moses." God's words—lost in His own Temple. God's words that were supposed to be given to each king—lost. God's words that were supposed to be read every day—lost.

When Josiah heard what was in the Book of the LORD's Teachings he was very upset. He wanted to know more. What does this mean? He sent Hilkiah and four other men to, "go and ask the LORD about the words in this book that was found." So Hilkiah and those the king sent with him went to talk to Huldah the prophetess. She was a simple woman, the wife of a man who took care of the king's clothes, yet she was used by God to be a prophetess.

Huldah tells the men that God's word is true. God will do what is written in his Book of Teachings.  Accountability for personal actions will happen. There are blessings for those who humble themselves before the LORD; there are curses for those who refuse to surrender their will to His. There are blessings for obedience; there are curses for disobedience. (See Leviticus 26:1 – 27:34; Leviticus 26:1 – 27:34 (Continued); Leviticus 26:1 – 27:34 (Continued); Deuteronomy 27:1 – 28:68; and Deuteronomy 28 (Continued) ) "I will bring all the curses that are written in the book that was read to the king of Judah. The people of Judah have left me and have burned incense to other gods. They have made me angry by all the evil things they have made. So, I will punish them in my anger, which will not be put out." Then, Huldah continued. Because Josiah had humbled himself and sought after the ways of the LORD, God promised to honor him and to not hold him accountable for his ancestors actions. God also told Josiah he would let him die in peace.

God's Word is true—period. He will do what He says—period.  

The men took Huldah's message back to Josiah. Josiah gathered all the people and went to the temple. There he promised to obey the LORD with his whole being and to obey the words in the Book of the LORD's Teachings. Josiah was doing God honoring things even before he knew what was in the book of God's laws. When he found out what was in God's Word (by seeking and searching) he sought to follow hard after the LORD; a blueprint for how we should live our lives. God fulfilled his portions of the prophecy He gave through Huldah.

Seven years ago, Jane (Her Name Was Jane) prophesied, and told us to read Psalm 150, Psalm 140. Jane then prayed a strong prayer of blessing over my life. I never thought of it as a prophecy until I heard my daughter-in-law telling someone that ... and I realized she was right.

I decided to research women prophets in the Bible. There are five listed specifically with the title of prophetess in the Old Testament. A prophetess is a female prophet called by God to be the mouth piece of the One who sends her. She speaks on behalf of the sender. A prophet (prophetess) is considered a seer because God has given them the gift of foreknowledge. God reveals His secrets to the prophet (prophetess). True prophecy is initiated by the Holy Spirit.

I absolutely believe God used Jane to prophecy to us. There can be no other explanation. Her prophecy about praising the LORD taught us a brand new principle/concept. Her prophecy of Psalm 140 describes two kinds of people: 1) people who refuse to obey the LORD's teachings; and 2) those who choose to rely on the LORD for His protection. The same basic principles prophesied by Huldah. Blessings—verses—Curses. Jane's subsequent prophecies of Psalm 1 and Isaiah 30 give the same message. We have a choice. You can choose blessings or you can choose curses. Jane's last prophecy to us was Jeremiah 33—God's promise of restoration. God chose Jane to speak His Holy Spirit inspired words because of her years of faithfulness, her godly character, and her surrendered heart.

Thank you, LORD, for using Jane to be YOUR mouth piece and messenger to us. LORD, Jane spoke words to us that she could not have said within her own ability or knowledge. They were YOUR words, LORD, and we thank you. LORD, we choose to surrender our hearts, lives, and whole beings to YOUR authority. We praise YOUR name LORD, for being the King of all kings and the LORD of all lords. How majestic is YOUR name in all the earth. We humble ourselves before YOU and we claim YOUR promises. Blessed be YOUR name. May all honor and all glory go to YOU for all that YOU have done and will do. Amen.


Next Entry: II Chronicles 35:1 – 36:1

II Chronicles 32:34 – 33:25 (Continued)

July 22, 1014

After Manasseh suffered, "he humbled himself" before God and he begged the LORD for help. God heard his prayers and let him return to Jerusalem. IF—THEN.  II Chronicles 7:14 - IF my people who are called by name humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN I will hear their prayers and heal their land.

There is always hope, but it first requires personal submission and action on our part in order for God to do HIS part. God is ready, willing, capable, and waiting. He speaks to us through his Holy Spirit, His Word, and others. He provides the ways. We must humble ourselves → seek → and turn. When we do that, HE does the rest.

Hope. There is always hope. But there comes a time when time runs out. Don't wait. Change your heart, mind and ways—TODAY!

Amon becomes king. He does what the LORD says is wrong. Amon does not humble himself or change his ways. Instead, he sinned even more. 


Next Entry: II Chronicles 34:1–33

II Chronicles 32:24 – 33:25

July 21, 2014

After all Hezekiah did right, he ended up becoming prideful and arrogant. He didn't remember who was in control.

God

 ↓  

Man

Hezekiah no longer thanked God, and God became angry. When the people sought forgiveness God forgave, but how much better it would have been if Hezekiah had not become so full of pride. I pray that we never forget to thank God for all He has done. It is not about what "I" have done, it is ALL about what HE has done.

Hezekiah dies and his son Manasseh becomes king. Manasseh rebuilt the places for idol worship that Hezekiah tore down. He put idols in the temple. He totally turned against the LORD's teachings. "God's people" did more evil than the people God forced out of the land Moses led the Israelites to.

God spoke to Manasseh and "his" people but they refused to listen. Later, the king of Assyria comes to attack them. They captured Manasseh and bound him. This is the same army that came unprovoked to attack Hezekiah and God protected them and soundly defeated the army because of Hezekiah's faithfulness. This time because of Manasseh's unfaithfulness, God caused the Assyrian army to attack, and "God's people" were soundly defeated.

Our actions determines God's response. When we are faithful—He provides protection. When we are unfaithful—His protection is removed. 


Next Entry: II Chronicles 32:24 – 33:25 (Continued)

II Chronicles 29:1 – 32:23

July 20, 2014

There is so much to write about Hezekiah. But first I want to write about this morning's sermon with Dr. Gregg Chenoweth. It was about timing: TDD—Timing Deficient Disorder. There is horizontal timing (meaning things in chronological order) and there is the multiple layers of vertical timing. One is absolute. The other can be vague. While the timing may not be clear, there is one thing we know. There IS a when.

"We Know the What... But When?"

1. Coiled Christians say "wait" to a good cause when a greater one is available. They'll even say no to friends in getting there.
2. Coiled Christians say "now" with immediacy and courage if they have heard from God.
3. Coiled Christians know being misunderstood or criticized after their decision does not mean they had a TDD moment and got it wrong.

"There is a WHEN! Be ready for it. God will bless your faithfulness."

The text for Dr. Chenoweth's sermon was John 7:1–14. But during his message, Dr. Chenoweth quoted verses from Jeremiah 33 - "...pray to me and I will answer you..."; and Isaiah 30 - "...the LORD longs to show you compassion... if you go to the left or right... you will hear a voice saying go this way." The exact promises God gave us through Jane (Her Name Was Jane). WOW! Co-incidence? No. God-incidence.

We have been battling "the storm" for seven years now. That is a very long time to be caught in difficult circumstances. We know the what ... we just don't know the when. Dr. Chenoweth's message today encouraged us to hang on! Remember God's promises! There is a WHEN! Be ready for it! God will bless your faithfulness! Jeremiah 33 - "Pray to me and I will answer you..."; Isaiah 30 - "I will give you direction."(my paraphrase)

Thank you, LORD, for your perfect timing. Dr. Chenoweth's message was exactly what we needed to be reminded of. My husband says it's the LORD saying, "I've got you covered." We have been battling "the storm" for seven years. We will hang on. We will hang on to Your promises. There is a WHEN!

Now... about Hezekiah. The first thing he does upon becoming king is to open the doors to the temple that his father closed. He directed the Levites and priests to cleanse themselves to prepare the sacrifices and to rid the temple of anything that was unholy. He made it clear to everyone why they were in the predicament they were in; it was because their ancestors had been unfaithful to the LORD. Because their ancestors quit following the LORD; because they chose to reject His commands; because they shut the doors of the temple; and because they stopped burning incense—the LORD was now punishing them.

Hezekiah decided that he would not be like his father. He would break the pattern and return the people to following the LORD's commands. Everything was prepared. The burnt offerings (for the forgiveness of sins) were sacrificed. The people worshiped and praised the LORD with the cymbal, harps, and lyres (Psalm 150) as David commanded. Hezekiah ordered the Levites to, "Praise the LORD, using the words David and Asaph had used. So they praised God with joy and bowed down and worshiped." (We praise the LORD quoting the same Psalms the people quoted during Hezekiah's time. How cool is that?)

Hezekiah wrote a letter to be sent and read throughout the land. It said, "...return to the LORD... then God will return to you... don't be like your ancestors... don't be stubborn (KJV and the NIV both say "stiff necked")... obey the LORD willingly... serve the LORD... come back to the LORD... the LORD your God is kind and merciful. He will not turn away from you if you return to him." Did the majority of the people rush to repent? No. They laughed at it and instead made fun of the messengers. You have to do what God puts on your heart to do. How others respond to it is out of your control. In Hezekiah's case a few men were sorry for what they had done and they changed their hearts and repented.  

The people brought their tithes and offerings to the temple. They brought so much that there were piles and piles of offerings. II Chronicles 31:10 - "Since the people began to bring their offerings to the Temple of the LORD, we have had plenty to eat and plenty left over, because the LORD has blessed his people. So we have all this left over!" God blesses when we willingly give back to Him what HE has blessed us with. 

Hezekiah "did what was good and right and obedient before the LORD his God." He did everything to the best of his ability. He tried to obey God's teachings and commands. He was successful because of his obedience.

But then...

"After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done," the king of Assyria attacked them. They weren't attacked because they were unfaithful to God. They weren't being punished because of the sin of their ancestors, and they weren't being held accountable for unfaithfulness. Hezekiah was doing everything right and they were being attacked. He encouraged his people saying, "Be strong and brave. Don't be afraid or worried... there is a greater power with us than with him. He only has men, but we have the LORD our God to help us and fight our battles." (II Chronicles 32:7–8)

The king of Assyria surrounded them and attacked them. He ridiculed them. He wrote letters insulting them. He tired to scare them. He did everything he could humanly do. BUT GOD! God fought the battle and God WON! The LORD saved them and took care of them.

These chapters show two different spectrum's: punishment for disobedience; and trials (trails) to be faced even in obedience. We've come to understand we are not being punished and we are not victims. Sometimes the trials we face are the result of someone else's disobedience. But take heart. God will use for your good what others intended for your harm. And in the process, you are given the amazing opportunity of seeing the Hand of God at work in your life.

There is a when! Be ready for it! The battle will end and the victory will be won. God's promises are true. Let's get that altar of stone started! The WHEN is coming!

I've just had an "aha" moment! Of course the A.T. needed to end! The trail (and my goal to hike it) played such an undeniably important role in our lives as we navigated "the storm." God's purpose for putting us on the trail has been fulfilled. There is absolutely no reason for us to continue. None! It seems so obvious now. The Appalachian Trail's role from now on will be one of remembrance.

The WHEN is coming! Blessed be the name of the LORD!!

LORD,
You just amaze me. You take the layers of our life and just keep peeling them away. The more we surrender to you the more you reveal of yourself. We stand in awe of who YOU are. Thank you for the opportunity to see YOUR hand at work in our lives. We love you, Father. How majestic is YOUR name in ALL the earth.

Addendum: 6/23/16 ~ The construction of the Praise Shelter is well underway. The shelter is up and stained. The fireplace is built and the old brick street pavers are laid in the one half. The stones engraved with the chapters Jane told us to read are going to be placed in the path this weekend. Soon. Soon it will be finished.

Addendum #2: 8/22/18 ~ Picture of the Praise Shelter and video of the cobblestone path.

Next Entry: II Chronicles 32:24 – 33:25