Matthew 26:1–75 (Continued)

June 30, 2012

Jesus tells His followers they will all stumble in their faith. Peter was adamant that he would never stumble, but he did. There is danger in being over-confident. We all are capable of (and will)—stumble. There is a huge difference though between Peter, who was a believer but stumbled, and Judas, who from all outward appearances appeared to be a believer but in reality was a religious unbeliever. He didn't stumble. He was arrogantly marching down a path of disobedience, making purposeful, calculated decisions in defiance of Christ. You can be on the right path and trip. Judas wasn't even on the right path.

Jesus went with His followers to Gethsemane, then He took Peter, James, and John farther with Him to pray. He was facing a formidable task. He said to them, "My heart is full of sorrow, to the point of death. Stay here and watch with me." (Matthew 26:38) He goes off alone to pray. When He comes back, He finds them asleep. He asks them, "Couldn't you stay awake for one hour?" He asks them to "... pray for strength against temptation. The spirit wants to do what is right, but the body is weak." He goes off by Himself a second time. When He came back He again found them asleep. He tells them the same thing and goes away the third time. After the third time He finds them asleep again. Jesus says to them, "Get up, we must go. Look, here comes the man who has turned against me." (Matthew 26:46)

Jesus shows us how to face the formidable circumstances in our own lives.

1. Be with like-minded fellow believers;
2. Seek out several close friends you can confide in;
3. Pray. Pray. Pray;  
4. But ultimately, you must do it alone.

No one else can do it for you. Pour your heart out to God. Then stand up and face whatever it is that you have to face.  

Then Jesus prayed to His father, "If it is possible, do not give me this cup of suffering. But do what you want, not what I want." (Matthew 26:39) That prayer is similar to the prayer I pray often.

LORD, please do not allow this lawsuit to get to the point where two sisters are sitting across a courtroom from each other. Please, LORD, do not allow their false accusations to continue. LORD, we are unwilling participants in this family feud and "competition." LORD, I have no desire to prove my sister wrong and expose their lies in a courtroom. I have no desire to participate in a courtroom battle. LORD, this whole lawsuit goes against everything your Word says. LORD, it is perverse, vile, filthy, and morally wrong. LORD, we believe your promises of protection. I am not wanting to avoid a fearful outcome. LORD, I just do not want to participate in something that is SO wrong. Please LORD, do not allow the charges they have brought against us to escalate to two sister confronting each other in a courtroom. I'm not asking for you to release us, you have already given us freedom. I am asking that you remove this lawsuit from their gripped fists, because they cannot seek you Lord, while they pursue us. LORD, that is my prayer. BUT! Matthew 26:39 - "Do what you want, not what I want." No matter what. If you want me to sit across from my sister in a court of law—I will do it. Whatever you want from me—I will do. I will stand up. I will go. I will do what ever it is you want me to do. Period.

Jesus finished praying, gathered His disciples and told them it was time. While He was still speaking Judas came up to him and said, "Greetings, Teacher" and kissed him. The ultimate betrayal. Acting as if you are a friend while stabbing him (essentially) in the back.

Right now I have a mental picture in my mind. My husband and I walked into the Mediation room (in the summer of 2008). My sister was on the opposite side of a large conference table. She immediately stood up and rushed around the end of the table to try and give me a hug. She has never ever given me a hug before in my life. If I would try to give her a parting hug she always stood as stiff as a board and maybe would take one hand and give me a couple of tiny pats on my shoulder. And here we are at mediation; my sister and brother-in-law have filed a lawsuit against us that is predicated on lies; they are seeking to destroy our entire livelihood and lives and to take what the Lord has given us as their own; and in an attempt to put on a false show of affection, my sister comes rushing around the end of the table and tries to give me a hug. The ultimate betrayal.

Jesus could have asked for legions of angels to come and save Him but He didn't. He instead withstood the accusations by the very people who should have recognized him as the Lord.

Betrayal. 


Next Entry: A New Year: A New Beginning is Coming

Matthew 26:1–75

June 29, 2012

The leading priests and leaders put together a plan to trap and arrest Jesus. Their plan was to have Jesus killed so they could get rid of their problem once and for all. Or so they thought. While the scheming and planning was being done in secret (again—or so they thought), Jesus was not taken by surprise. He knew exactly what they were thinking and planning, and He tried to prepare His followers for what was going to be happening. He knows. He knows our hearts and thoughts and He knows the heart and thoughts of those who attack us.

Judas, who up until now appeared to be one of the twelve in heart and soul, was actually a religious unbeliever. No one knew. He wasn't sought out by the enemies of Christ, he himself was an enemy of Christ. He went to the priests and asked them, "What will you pay me for giving Jesus to you?" They offered him thirty silver coins. For thirty silver coins, Judas was willing to expose himself for who he truly was and to turn Jesus over to the priests. He was a active participant. He sought out the priests, he received money, and he "watched for the best time to turn Jesus in." And all the while he is doing this, he continues to "act" like he is a follower of Christ and does not reveal he is an enemy to Christ.

Jesus sat down to have the Passover meal with His twelve followers. Only He and Judas knew that there were actually only eleven followers. As they were eating Jesus reveals the truth to them, "One of you will turn against me." The eleven are shocked and saddened. "Surely, Lord, I am not the one who will turn against you, am I?" Even Judas, knowing he is the one, has the audacity to ask the same question. What arrogance. Only a religious unbeliever could do what he did. The other eleven said, "Lord" is it me? Judas said "Teacher" (or Rabbi) is it me?

Jesus said, "How terrible it will be for the person who hands the Son of Man over to be killed." (Matthew 26:24) We look at Judas and (rightfully so) think what he did was unfathomable. But Hebrews 6:4–6 describes people who are nailing the Son of God to a cross again. "Some people cannot be brought back again to a changed life. They were once in God's light, and enjoyed heaven's gift, and shared in the Holy Spirit. They found out how good God's word is, and they received the powers of His new world. But they fell away from Christ. It is impossible to bring them back to a changed life again, because they are nailing the Son of God to a cross again and are shaming Him in front of others."

In Matthew 26:24 - Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man. He is not yet the sacrifice. In Hebrews 6:4 - He is called the Son of God. His death as a man for our salvation is complete, and He is now the heir of God. How terrible it will be—and was—for Judas. How terrible it will be for those who have turned their backs on God and by doing so nail Him to the cross again. "It would have been better for him if he had never been born."

Jesus led His followers in the Lord's Supper. What should have been a sacred and solemn moment evidently meant nothing to Judas. After the Lord's Supper was completed, they sang a hymn and left for the Mount of Olives. 


Next Entry: Matthew 26:1–75 (Continued)

Matthew 25:1–46

June 28, 2012

The "always be ready" message continues with the story of the ten bridesmaids. Five were foolish and five were wise. Five were prepared and five were not. The five prepared represent people who have heard the "good news," accepted it, and lived it. The oil represents the Holy Spirit. When Christ comes again, they are ready and prepared. The five unprepared "appeared" prepared. They were there, but they had no oil. It was appearances only. Oil doesn't come from a Christian heritage. It doesn't come from going to church or leading a Bible study. It only comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The unprepared try to borrow oil from the prepared. It doesn't work that way. It has to be your own. When the bridegroom came (the bridegroom is Jesus and the church is the bride) it was too late. The door was closed and locked. The unprepared heard Jesus say, "I tell you the truth, I don't know you." (Matthew 25:12) I can't imagine the horror of hearing those words reverberate through your mind for eternity. Be prepared! Don't wait! Matthew 25:13 - "So always be ready, because you don't know the day or the hour the Son of Man will come."

The story of three servants. God has entrusted us (man) with doing His work. The more we are faithful, the more He gives us to do. What He wants is our faithfulness and productivity in furthering HIS Kingdom. If we truly believe it is—Good News—then we should not want to keep it to ourselves. Jesus/God clearly shows His disdain for the one who was afraid and did nothing to further God's Kingdom. Matthew 25:30 - "Throw that useless servant outside, into the darkness where people will cry and grind their teeth with pain." The heart of that servant was revealed. He "appeared" to be God's servant, but he was not.

The contrast between the sheep (those who follow their shepherd Christ) and the goats (those who do their own thing) runs through out these chapters in Matthew. God's words are strong for those who have followed their own path. "Throw them out... I never knew you... lock the door... punishment forever..."

Oh, the consequences for the choices we make. The King will judge ALL people. As followers of Christ, our lives should be marked with service until the day Christ returns. Matthew 25:40,45 - "I tell you the truth, anything you did for even the least of my people here, you also did for me... I tell you the truth, anything you refused to do for even the least of my people here, you refused to do for me." (emphasis mine) The chapter ends with another contrast. "These people will go off to be punished forever, but the good people will go to live forever."

I have to think of all the care we are doing for my husband's brother. We do the things we do not out of a sense of duty or to fulfill what God is saying here. We do it because of our hearts. We do it because it is the right thing to do. Our hearts, the core of who we are, would never let us abandon the "least of these" no matter how difficult, emotional draining, or physically exhausting it may be. Our desire is to have our hearts be like the heart of God.

Addendum:  1/1/16 ~ Matthew 25:21 - "Come and share my joy with me." Matthew 25:23 - "Come and share my joy with me." Matthew 25:34 - "Come....receive..." What joy there is in seeing the hand of God at work in your life. JOY—even in the midst of pain and suffering. While we have been under this threat of destruction and "the storm" for nine years now, it is not a trial, it is a trail. It is an opportunity to follow HIS path. We are the recipients of a Blessed Event, and for that we are eternally grateful.  Thank you, Lord!!   Thank you, for sharing YOUR joy with us.


Next Entry: Matthew 26:1–75

End Time Prophecy 101

So what do you know about End Time Prophecy? I do not pretend to be an expert on End Time Prophecy at all. But when I discovered that my Sunday School girls knew almost nothing about it, I decided to immerse myself into learning more about it so I could teach them what I learned.

Back in the 1970's there was a lot of talk and preaching about End Time Prophecy in churches. Much of it (in my opinion) was fear based. And then time passed and the pendulum swung too far the other way and for years the church has been silent to the point that now several generations don't even have a clue about what is to come. Most people don't try to learn about prophecy because the perception is that prophecy is too difficult to understand and so why even try. The problem is most people get hung up in the detailed symbolism and end up feeling too overwhelmed by the forest that they don't look at the trees.

 "The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." Revelation 1:1–3

Revelation 1:1–3 clearly says the Book of Revelations is the revelation of Jesus (NCV); a message from Jesus Christ; and blessed is the one who reads it. It is God's message to us! We should want to know what it reveals about Jesus; what God's message to us is; and we should desire the blessings that come from reading it. Reading Revelations brings hope and encouragement. In it we are shown how to live; we are given a glimpse into the future; Satan is defeated once and for all; Jesus is victorious; and the final battle is won. It teaches us how to live NOW while we await the fulfillment of God's promises and our eternal reward.    

What follows is what I developed to teach my 7th graders. It is not an in-depth study. It is just a snap shot overview of the main points. It literally is basic 101 information. I hope it helps you understand more about prophecy and I hope it peaks your interest to learn even more. There are some excellent studies by people gifted in the ability to understand and explain prophecy which I would be happy to recommend for further study.

I hope as you read this it will not create any kind of fear in your heart. My prayer is that it will release you from any preconceived fears and free you to live the kind of life God has prepared for you. Let's start. Let's find out what Jesus has to say.

End Time Prophecy –101

The Bible clearly tells us we should always be looking for the day of Christ's return. But, how can we see it if we are not looking for it? And, how can we see it if we don't know what to look for?

Among other things, the Bible is a record of historical facts—things that have already happened. But, it also is a predictor of the future—telling us of things that are still to come. Many of the prophecies in the Bible have already been fulfilled and are therefore now part of history. The prophecies concerning the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ are examples of prophecies recorded in the Old Testament that were fulfilled when Jesus was born and are now part of history. Even our calendar is based off the birth of Jesus with AD (anno Domini) counting the years from His birth and BC (before Christ) used to label the years prior to his birth. 

Why is it important to know what the Bible says is going to happen? You can't be prepared if you don't know what to prepare for. It is easy to just go about life, planning our futures, and believing Christ is not going to return during our lifetime. The Bible shows us different examples of this happening. During the time of Noah, people were going about their lives as if God's judgment would not happen. (Matthew 24:38) For 120 years they were warned but no one was listening except Noah and his family. (Genesis 6:3; I Peter 3:20) There came a time when it was too late and the doors of the Ark were shut. 

Another example is what happened during the time Lot lived in Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord sent men to warn them... but no one was listening. They didn't want to change their lives. They didn't want to hear about consequences. But just because we would like to live with our heads buried in the sand, or are just too busy to listen, it doesn't mean we can alter for one second the reality of God's promised judgment. Just as we can see that God's promised judgment happened in the past, we can be assured that His prophecies about the future will happen as well.  

Even though the prophets foretold Christ's birth, how many people were actively awaiting or looking for the prophecy to be fulfilled? The wise men traveled from continents far away to find the Christ Child the prophets said was coming, yet God's people were going about their daily lives in an adjoining town and totally missed the event. Christ second returning may not happen in my lifetime or in your lifetime. But what if it does? We need to know what the Bible says. And we are responsible to make sure we share our knowledge and understanding with those around us.

Why study prophecy? Prophecy is truth—and the truth sets you free. Understanding prophecy brings you:

• Hope
• Security
• Knowledge
• Understanding 
• Peace

It should NOT bring fear. Prophecy is not intended to make you afraid and fearful of the future. Prophecy should instead bring hope for the future because you know the One who holds the future; security because the God who fulfilled all His promises in the past is the same God who will fulfill His promises for your future; knowledge in how to life your life today; understanding that it really is ALL about Him; and peace to know you are safe in His hands. So be encouraged. (I Thessalonians 5:11)

The return of Christ is mentioned 318 times (more times than there are chapters) in the New Testament. It's relevant. It's important to know; it is important to understand. See: Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; Revelation 1:1; Revelation 22:20

What does the Bible say about End Times? Jesus IS coming again. But how will we know when? Matthew 24:36 - "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but my Father only." Matthew 25:13 - "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hours in which the Son of Man is coming." Mark 13:32 - "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." No one knows. No man, no angel, and not even Jesus knew while he was on this earth. Only God the Father knows. If you hear someone predicting a date for Christ's return you can be assured it is a false statement. The Bible says ONLY the Father knows. 

The Second Coming of Christ has two parts with events that happen between them:

1. The Rapture of the Church—I Thessalonians 4:13–18 - Christ returns in the air and removes His Church from this earth before His judgment of the earth begins.The dead in Christ will rise first followed by those alive, and they will meet the Lord in the air. Jesus promised His return in John 14 - "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am there you may be also." This is when we will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and we will be judged and given crowns for the works we did while on earth. (Remember— works cannot bring you salvation or get you in heaven. Works are done because of your salvation!) This is not a judgment to separate believers from unbelievers or to determine if you go to heaven. This judgment is for believers only and happens after the Church is raptured.

The Tribulation—Revelation 11–18 - This is a seven year period of time that will be the worst time the earth has ever seen... a horrible, horrific time. There will be conflict, confusions, and wickedness like never known before. After the Church is raptured, the Holy Spirit's presence will be absent and great punishments will happen upon the earth and the people who are living during this time. The last three and one half years are known as the Great Tribulation. This is when the plagues and destruction multiplies. During this time there will be:

• Worldwide judgment (seals, trumpets, vials, etc. talked about in the Book of Revelation)
• Persecution of Israel (Jacob's trouble from Jeremiah 30:7)
• Salvation of many people who had never heard the Gospel because of the two witnesses and 144,000 people God sent. (Revelation 7; 11:3–14; 14:1)

It is dangerous (and probably wrong) to think you will have the time or the ability to surrender your heart to Christ once all the other Christians have been raptured. II Thessalonians 2:9–12 says a strong delusion will come upon those who heard but did not surrender to the Gospel prior to the Rapture. Many scholars feel scripture says those who refused to accept Christ before this time will not be given a second chance. The salvation of the multitude of people during this time is for those who have never heard. If they hear and believe, they will be saved, but it will probably cost them their lives.

You may have heard the terms, "pre-tribulation", "mid-tribulation"; or "post-tribulation." These are timelines when different people believe the rapture will take place. I believe scripture to say that God's people will be raptured prior to the beginning of the tribulation.* (Romans 8:1) Whether it is "pre", "mid", or "post" isn't what is important and shouldn't be something we get stuck focusing on. What is important is Jesus IS coming again and we need to be ready.

The Antichrist—II Thessalonians 2 - The Bible does not tell us who he will be, but we do know the Antichrist is Satan's counterfeit to Christ. Christ came from heaven to bring salvation to the lost. The Antichrist comes from hell and is empowered by Satan for the purpose of destroying. The Holy Trinity is God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The unholy trinity is Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet. In the Book of Revelations, he is called "the beast." The Antichrist will be a world leader. He will be charismatic. He will be cunning. He will have the ability to attract people to himself and turn people away from the true Christ. And, scripture says he will be cruel. (Daniel 7:23)  He wants to dominate the world, and he will do anything to get what he wants. The world is going to be looking for someone who can bring peace. It will appear that he has all the answers. He will orchestrate peace in the Middle East, and for three and one half years it will appear there is peace. But his promise of peace is only a facade and he begins to persecute Israel.

The Bible says the Antichrist will be assassinated. Whether he was truly dead or whether it was all a clever trick, by the power of Satan he comes back to "life," again trying to counterfeit the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The world sees this and his power increases even more. Following the plan of Satan, the Antichrist orders the False Prophet to demand that all people receive "the mark of the beast." (Revelation 16:2; 19:20) Those who receive the mark will be able to buy and sell. Those who refuse to receive the mark will face starvation and death.

The Antichrist uses fear as a method to get people to worship him. (What does the Bible say about fear? Does fear ever come from the Lord?) Jesus was the "Lamb of God", the False Prophet looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon. (Revelation 13:11–12) Satan created a false lamb, again trying to imitate Christ. The false prophet will be able to do "great signs" and miracles. Satan doesn't have the same power as God, but he is a master of manipulating circumstances and situations and making things appear to be equivalent to what God has done. He is an expert in counterfeiting.

Years ago, I used to wonder how in the world this could ever happen. With all the changes in technology I have witnessed in my lifetime, it is now very simple to understand how this could happen. Everything we purchase now has a bar code. The first bar code was introduced in 1974. We seldom use cash anymore. We use debit cards instead. We put microchips in our pets so they can be identified if lost. Microchips (about the size of a grain of rice) have been implanted into humans for identification. We use electronic devices like I-Zoom. We just drive through a toll booth or under an overhead pole and our "information" is read. It is just so easy now to understand how the entire world could be turned into a "one-world"  system and controlled by the unholy trinity. The Antichrist ultimate purpose is to set up himself as the one to be worshiped in the temple of the Jews in Jerusalem. Again trying to counterfeit the true One who reigns as the King of the Jews. BUT Satan does not get the last word.

Battle of Armageddon—Revelation 16:13–16 - The earth's final Great War. All the nations of the world gather for battle against Israel and eventually Christ. Satan wants nothing more than to destroy Israel—God's chosen people.  Israel is surrounded on all sides.  The blood shed is incomprehensible.  (Revelation 14:20)  This battle sets the stage for the second part of Christ's Second Coming.  Christ returns to defeat the enemies of Christ. 

2.  The Return of Christ the King to the Earth—Revelation 19:11–21 - The doors of heaven open, and Christ surrounded by armies of saints (you and me), and the angels descend to the earth and God brings judgment, justice, and avenges the wickedness of the world. Jesus leads the battle against evil, He saves Israel, and the Beast and False Prophet are captured and "cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone."

Millennium—Satan is bound for one thousand years, and Christ reigns and rules over an earthly kingdom (what the Jews expected Him to do during His first coming), and there will be universal peace, justice, and joy—a taste of heaven on earth. The saints (you and me) will reign with Christ during this time. Our rewards, responsibilities and positions will be determined by our faithfulness in this life. (Matthew 25:14–30)

Great White Throne Judgment—Revelation 20:1–10 - At the end of the 1000 year Millennium, Satan is set free for a brief time and then he and his angels are cast in the lake of fire to remain there for eternity. The Great White Throne Judgment begins. This is the judgment time for all who have refused to bow their knees and confess that Christ is Lord. There is no defense and no argument. Scripture says every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Christ is the Lord. (Philippians 2:10–11) However, for those who stand at the Great White Throne Judgment it is too late. They have made their choice and their sentence has already been determined—eternity in hell. 

Eternal Heaven—Revelation 21–22 - There is a new heaven and a new earth. The New Jerusalem descends from the sky. "It is finished. I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give free water from the spring of water of life to anyone who is thirsty. Those who win the victory will receive this, and I will be their God, and they will be my children."

"Jesus, the One who says these things are true, says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20

Prophecy isn't about being frightened about the future. It should instead encourage us, give us hope, and prepare us for the future. Understanding what the Bible says is going to happen should make us want to live each day as if it were our last. Do the important things—TODAY! Tell your lost family members and friends about Christ—TODAY! Live your life the way Christ would want you to—TODAY!

Diagram of Pre-Millennial Doctrine:                                     

                                              

If you knew Jesus was coming at any time:

1. What are you doing now that you would stop doing?  
2. What are you not doing now that you would start doing?

Change your heart and lives—TODAY!

Addendum: 9/15/2020 ~ * While I believe the Bible to say the Church will be raptured pre-tribulation, there are many Bible scholars and theologians who believe the Bible says it will be mid-tribulation or even post-tribulation. Either way, I want to be ready and able to discern the times in which we live. With the many disturbing events of 2020, it has become even more apparent that we are living in a time when scripture is unfolding before our very eyes. 

Even so LORD Jesus, come!

Next Entry: Matthew 25:1–46

Matthew 24:1–51

June 27, 2012

Jesus prophesies about His second coming in this chapter. Several month ago while talking to my Sunday School girls about Hunger Games and the similarities between that story and what the Bible says about end times, it became very apparent that they were totally unaware of what the Bible says about Jesus' second coming, the tribulation, and the Great White Throne judgment. So, I spent a lot of time studying it myself so I could teach it to them. The end result was four pages of information for them. End Time Prophecy 101 is included in this journal. The girls were very interested. We've since shared it with our daughter and son-in-law and will soon be sharing it with our son and daughter-in-law. Many other people have requested a copy of it as well.

Jesus prophesied about His second coming while sitting on the Mount of Olives, exactly where the prophet Zechariah predicted the Messiah would stand when He comes to establish His kingdom. It is just amazing how scripture is intertwined with prophecy foretold and prophecy fulfilled. See End Time Prophecy 101 for a summary of His second coming.

A few things stand out in this chapter:

1. Don't be afraid
2. Those who keep their faith will be saved
3. Always be ready

We don't know the "when" of His second coming, but Matthew 24:32–33 says we can determine the "season." Don't be afraid. Keep the faith. Always be ready.   

"Simeon reminds us to "wait forwardly." Patiently vigilant. But not so patient that we lose our vigilance. Nor so vigilant that we lose our patience." ~ From When Christ Comes by Max Lucado

Next Entry: End Time Prophecy 101

Matthew 23:1–39

June 26, 2012

Jesus exposed the religious leaders for who and what they really were. They had authority and they should have been the example to follow—but they were not. They told people what to do but they themselves were not willing to do it. They put heavy responsibilities on others, but they themselves would not lift a finger. It was all about appearances.

They did good things not because it was the right thing to do. They did them so other people would see them and they could gain prestige. It was all for show. They wanted the best seats. They loved to be the center of attention. Anything to make themselves look good, anything to promote themselves. Instead of being humble and pointing others to God, they used God and their position to bring glory to themselves. Matthew 23:12 - "Whoever makes himself humble will be great." 

Then Jesus starts with the "How terrible it will be" statements. (See Isaiah 3–5)

How terrible for you—You who should be leading people towards Christ are actually turning people away from Christ. Your actions are preventing others from entering the kingdom of heaven and you yourself will not enter.

How terrible for you—It isn't enough for you to be traveling down the wrong path. No, you go out and look for others to join you. You present yourself as a believer when in truth you are a religious unbeliever. Those who follow your ways are on the path to destruction.

How terrible for you—You try to lead people but you yourself are blind. You make up your own rules and want others to join you, but you have it all wrong. You are blind, but you don't know it. You are stumbling in the darkness yet you call it light.

How terrible for you—You are proud of obeying the law about tithing, but you don't obey (and totally ignore) the really important teachings of the law. Things like "justice, mercy, and being loyal." These are the things you should be doing in addition to your 10%. You are blind. You worry about a gnat in your drink, but you swallow a camel.

How terrible for you—You keep up an outward appearance of being holy and of being a believer. But you are instead a religious unbeliever. The outside appears clean, but the inside is anything but clean. You have obtained the things you got "by cheating others and by pleasing only yourselves." You are blind! Clean up the inside. Then the outside will be truly clean.

How terrible for you—"People look at you and think you are good, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and evil." (Matthew 23:28) It's all a facade. You are like a tomb. The outside looks fine, but on the inside it is full of dead bones. The sad thing is you believe your own lies.

How terrible for you—You act like you are different than your ancestors. You show honor to the graves of prophets. But you aren't different at all. Your actions give proof that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets. You are completing the sins that your ancestor's started.

"You are snakes! A family of poisonous snakes! How are you going to escape God's judgment?" (Matthew 23:33) Oh how I wanted to protect you and gather you under my wings like a hen does to her chicks. Matthew 23:37 - "But you did not let me." (emphasis mine) So now you will reap what you have sown.

I was half way through writing this before I realized something. In Isaiah 3–5 it is, "How terrible it will be." A future tense promise. But in this passage Jesus makes it very personal. It is, "How terrible for you." A present tense declaration. This is my fulfilled promise. Another IF—THEN. You could have had my blessings. I would have protected and guided you. But you did not let me. You made the choice to leave me and serve yourself. How terrible it will be for you is a direct result of the choices you have made.

Straight from the lips of Jesus. "How terrible for you." How incredibly sad. It could have been different. It could have been, "Well done thou good and faithful servant."(Matthew 25:21) The "IF" you choose determines the "THEN" you will receive.

(Found out today that our newest grand baby is going to be another boy. :) Can't wait to meet him.

Addendum:  1/1/16 ~  That "little" guy is now three years old!! He has brought so much joy to our lives. 


Next Entry: Matthew 24:1–51

Matthew 22:1–46

June 25, 2012

A story about a Wedding Feast. Jesus tells the people that the kingdom of heaven is like a king (God) who has prepared a wedding for His son (Jesus). When the feast was ready the king sent His servant to tell the people but they refused to come.

So the king sent other servants to tell those who were invited that everything was ready, and they refused to listen. Not only did they not listen, but they grabbed the servants, beat them and killed them. They were too interested in their own businesses to be bothered with what was offered to them. The king was furious and sent his army to hold them accountable. The murderers were killed and their cities were burned. The king sent his servants out again. This time they were told not to bother with the people who refused to come or refused to listen. They were to open the feast up to everyone.

The wedding hall was filled with guests. When the king came he saw a man who was not dressed for a wedding. The man was thrown out. There was no defense and there was nothing he could say. He was thrown into the pit of darkness. The Great White Throne judgment has the same result. There is no defense. Nothing can be said. The unbelievers fate is sealed.

"Yes, many people are invited, but only a few are chosen." (Matthew 22:14) 

Three different groups of people tried to trick Jesus. The Pharisees (a sect that were strict followers of the law); the Herodians (Jews who supported Herod); and the Sadducees (Jews who did not believe in the super-natural ability of God). All three groups were determined to try and trick Jesus and therefore destroy Him and His ministry. They tried to trick Him about whether taxes should or should not be paid—and they were amazed at His answers. They tried to trick Him with questions about what happens after death if a woman was widowed from different brothers—and they were amazed with His answers. They tried to trick Him with questions about which commandment was the most important. Jesus answered by quoting from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:19:

" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.' This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "

Then Jesus asked them a question. As much as they thought they knew scripture, they just didn't get it. They were trying to trick THE Christ—and they couldn't answer His questions. Jesus quoted Psalm 110:1 to them:

"The LORD said to my Lord: Sit by me at my right side, until I put your enemies under your control."

Until! "The Lord has made a promise and will not change his mind... the Lord is beside you to help you." Psalm 110:4–5.

 "Jesus did not retaliate. He left the judging to God. He did not take on the task of seeking revenge." ~ From No Wonder They Call Him Savior by Max Lucado.

Until then...we wait.

Addendum:  12/22/15 ~ UNTIL!! We will continue to wait. "The Lord has made a promise and will not change his mind." We believe in HIS promises. Both His promises of blessings and His promise of consequences.

My heart has been really burdened for my sister lately. I've spent time fasting and praying specifically just for her. For some reason this seems like a crucial time. Jesus IS three kinds of stone: a cornerstone, a stumbling stone, and a crushing stone. My prayer is that for my sister He will become a cornerstone. If I could make the choice for her I would. But unfortunately, I cannot make it for her. So, I fast and pray for her to make the choice that she can build her life upon. 


Next Entry: Matthew 23:1–39

Matthew 21:1–46

June 20 - 21, 2012

Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling what the prophets said in Isaiah 62:11 and Zechariah 9:9. The people were excited. Here was their long awaited earthly king—or so they thought.

They still did not understand. They thought He was a great prophet and king, an answer to their immediate problems, when actually He came to be the answer for all eternity. When He arrived in Jerusalem He went to the temple. God had given specific instructions on how to build and use the temple. It was to be a place of prayer and personal gifts, commitments, and sacrifices to God. The rules had purpose and meaning. But now, it was no longer about a personal relationship and a sacrificial heart. It was about ritual only. You didn't bring your own gifts and sacrifices. No, you just went and bought a dove or two and gave that. It no longer had meaning. It required no personal commitment. Just a "been there—done that" ritual.

Jesus made it clear how much He despised that kind of thinking, attitude, and actions. He threw over the tables and removed those trying to profit off of what was supposed to be gifts to God. Once the temple was cleared of the evil, then Jesus began to heal the blind and crippled. The Pharisees and leaders saw the wonderful things Jesus was doing and witnessed the children praising Him. All they saw and heard made them very angry. They were the experts in the law, so Jesus asks them, "Haven't you read the Scriptures?" and then he quotes Psalm 8:2 - "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." (Emphasis mine)  Praise—the most important thing Jane (Her Name Was Jane) taught us. Not only does it bring you into a closer understanding and communion with God, it also silences the foe and the avenger.

The next day, as Jesus was walking back to the city, He passed a fig tree that was without fruit. Jesus said to it, "You will never again have fruit"... and the tree dried up. The disciples were amazed. Matthew 21:21–22 - Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will be able to do what I did to this tree and even more. You will be able to say to this mountain, 'Go, fall into the sea.' And if you have faith it will happen. If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer."   

Our lives are to produce fruit. That is what God designed and called us to do. If we are not producing fruit then our lives are worthless in furthering God's kingdom, and we are in danger of being removed from His presence. IF—we believe, THEN—He will answer and He will give us the desires of our hearts. This isn't saying you can do whatever you want and demand what you want. No, when our desire is to serve, obey, and please God, then our desires line up with the heart of God, and our prayers will be in keeping with HIS word. IF—we do that, THEN—He will hear and will answer our prayers because we will want what HE wants. Our will is aligned with His.

The leaders and priests just could not accept that Jesus was God/man. They tested Him. They tried to trick Him. They did everything they could to oppose Him. Even when they knew He was talking about them and to them, they still refused to accept His teachings and acknowledge Him as LORD. Refused. They were so focused on trying to "get" Him that they totally refused to listen to Him. Jesus told them two parables. The first was a story about two sons. The first son refused to obey but later changed his mind and followed his father's orders. The second son "said" he would obey but never followed through with his commitment and did not follow his father's commands. Jesus asked them, "Which son obeyed his father?" They replied, "The first son." Jesus compared their actions to that of the second son. "Even after seeing this, you still refused to change your ways and believe him." 

Then Jesus tells the story about a man who owned a vineyard. He protected it; he watched over it; he did everything to make it the best possible. When he left for a trip he leased the land to some farmers. When it was time for the harvest he sent his servants for his share of the grapes. But the farmers didn't want to lose any of the profit. They wanted it all for themselves, so they beat one of the servants the owner sent and killed two of the others. So the owner sent even more servants the second time. He gave them a second chance, but they responded in the same way. So, the owner decided to send his own son thinking, "They will respect my son." But when the farmers saw the son they not only didn't want to lose a portions of the profits, they realized they could lose the whole vineyard because the son would inherit the land. They said, "If we kill him it will be ours." So they grabbed the son, threw him out, and killed him. Then Jesus asked the priests and leaders, "So what will the owner of the vineyard do to these farmers when he comes?" The priests and leaders answered, "He will surely kill those evil men. Then he will lease the vineyard to some other farmers who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time." Then Jesus said, "Surely you have read this in the scriptures."

"The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes." Psalm 118:22–23

"So I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to people who do the things God wants in his kingdom. The person who falls on this stone will be broken, and on whom ever that stone falls, that person will be crushed." (Matthew 21:43–44)

The leaders and priests knew Hwas talking about them, but they didn't change their hearts and lives. They instead wanted to have Him arrested, but held back because they were afraid of the people's reaction since the people believed Jesus was a prophet. They were faced with truth, but just would not surrender.

Jesus, as a "stone" is described in three different ways.

1. A cornerstone—someone to build your life upon.
2. A stumbling stone—someone who doesn't fit what you think He should be, or do what you think He should do. He doesn't fit your mold, so you decide to find your own way, and you end up tripping over what God puts in your path.  
3. A crushing stone—someone who avenges and administers justice to those who refuse to believe and surrender themselves to Him.

Jesus Christ. Built upon; stumbled over; or broken by. I choose to build my life on the Cornerstone.

Addendum:  1/1/16 ~ Our God pays attention to details. There are no maybes, ifs, or happenstance situations with God. As I went back and was reading Matthew 21 this morning I was struck again by God's attention to detail.

Jesus told his disciples to, "Go to the town you can see there. When you enter it, you will quickly find a donkey tied there with its colt. Untie them and bring them to me...." He didn't say to go and try to find a donkey, to search the alley ways and streets and to find someone who will let you do what I am telling you to do. No, He gave clear directions. This is where you should go; this is what you will find; this is what will happen.

We often don't know the "details" in the trials we face in life, but God does. HE HAS IT UNDER CONTROL! That "trial" you are facing really can become a "trail"—an opportunity to follow the ONE who has it all under control.

Our faith remains in HIM!


Next Entry: Matthew 22:1–46

Matthew 20:1–34

June 18, 2012

Grumbling. Grumbling comes about because of comparisons. Did they get more than me? Grumble. Grumble. Are they more important than me? Grumble. Grumble. Do they have more than me? Grumble. Grumble.

Jesus tells the story of the landowner who hired servants to work his vineyard. Some were hired for the entire day and some were hired for one hour, yet they each received the same pay. Grumble. Grumble. Jesus compares this to the kingdom of heaven. Some have spent lifetimes "saved" while others are "saved" on their death beds. The grumbler says, "How can this be fair?" What a ridiculous question. The life-timer had the privilege of serving God and seeing the hand of God working in their lives. What does it matter—when? It only matters—that! I like how the NIV says it, "Are you envious because I am generous?" A grumbler thinks it is all about him. He forgets it has nothing to do with him. It is all about GOD!

Ambition. Personal ambition brings about another reason to grumble. James and John's mother goes to Jesus to see whether her sons can sit on either side of Jesus in heaven. She has no idea what that would involve, she was only thinking about a place of honor and glory for her sons (and therefore herself). She didn't realize it meant drinking from the cup of sorrow and anguish. When the other disciples heard about it, they (you guessed it) grumbled. Jesus explained, "Whoever wants to become great among you must serve... whoever wants to be first... must serve." (Matthew 20:26–27)

Jesus came to serve. We must do the same. Life is not about us. It is about God, FIRST and ONLY.


Next Entry: Matthew 21:1–46

STOP! Turn Around! GO BACK!

June 15, 2012

Stop. Turn around. Go back. These five words came to my mind multiple times during the night last night.

STOP! 
Turn Around! 
GO BACK!

As those words would come to my mind, I would pray for my sister and brother-in-law. The analogy between the narrow path we travel as Christ-followers and the well-worn footpath of the Appalachian Trail is amazing. The occasional white blaze on the Appalachian Trail lets you know you are on the right path. If you haven't seen any blazes for a while, and if you retrace your steps and still don't see any blazes, then you KNOW you are on the wrong path. If you keep going down the wrong path you cannot make it become the Appalachian Trail by just wishing it to be so or willing it to be so. It is no longer the Appalachian Trail! You can't decide to bush whack across country to try and find the correct trail because you have no idea where the trail is. If you want to remain on the trail, you only have one option.

STOP! 
Turn Around! 
GO BACK!

The distance you need to travel may be short or long; the hills, rivers, and valleys you need to cross may be few or many; but you will have to go the whole distance until you come to the point where you made the wrong turn. Depending on how far you traveled down the wrong path, the return to the right path may be difficult and exhausting. But it is the only choice you have if you want to get back on the right trail/path.

Our Christian walk is the same. The Bible gives us clear direction. We have guideposts. If our lives are not matching up with the Word of God then we have gotten off on the wrong path. We can't make it the right path by rationalization or declaring it the right path. Our walk must match up to God's Word or it is no longer HIS path! We can't try to take a short cut and bush whack our way back. We must:

STOP! 
Turn Around! 
GO BACK!

No matter how far. No matter how difficult. No matter how humbling. (Which after all is the whole point!) There is no other choice. We must go back to the point where we made the wrong turn in order to find the correct path. We must right our wrongs. Only then! Only then can we once again be on the right path and enjoy the rewards and blessings God has for us.

STOP! 
Turn Around! 
GO BACK!

That has been and will continue to be our prayer for my sister and brother-in-law.

*****

LORD, May we live our lives following YOUR Word. May YOUR Word be a lamp for our feet, and a light for our path. (Psalm 119:105) Lord, We pray that you will continue to instruct us and teach us on the way we should go. LORD, We ask that you would continue to counsel us and watch over us. (Psalm 32:8) May we always understand that you are the one who answers our prayers and watches over us. May we take comfort in knowing that you are like a green pine tree and that our blessings come from you. (Hosea 14:8) Help us to trust in you with all our hearts and not depend on ourselves.  Direct our paths as we acknowledge you.  (Proverbs 3:5–6)


Next Entry: Matthew 20:1–34

Matthew 18:15 – 19:30 (Continued)

June 12 - 14, 2012

We often hear the story of how Jesus welcomed children. "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children." 

When we read and hear these stories we often think of "children" in the sense of the age of the child. When Jesus refers to the kingdom of heaven belonging "to people who are like these children" I don't believe He is just talking about age. He is talking about child-like attributes.

• Innocent
• Trusting
• Wanting to learn
• Dependent upon
• Childlike humility
• Faith
• Eagerness  

It is understanding the gap between

God

↓

  Man/Child.

Jesus wants us—all of us. Not our abilities; not our strength; not our plans. Just us. Simply all of us. When He has that THEN He can work in us, through us, and with us, to bring about HIS will for our lives.

A rich young man goes to Jesus and asks what He must do to have eternal life. Jesus responds that He must obey the commands. The rich man asks "Which ones"? How is that for a non-committal answer/question? Which ones? How about all of them? There are ten of them!! Jesus' answer is quite interesting. He lists six of them, Commandments 5–10. He left out the first four for a reason. The rich man replied, "I have obeyed all these things. What else do I need to do?"

The rich man was a good man. He was upright, moral, and honest man—all good things. But there was one thing he was not. He was not a man who was surrendered to God. So when he asked what else he needed to do, Jesus responded by showing him what his problem was, Commandments 1–4 of the Ten Commandments. It is not enough to be a "good" person. We must be a Godly person.  

Jesus told him if he wanted to be perfect he must go and sell his possessions and give the money to the poor. This really wasn't about money. It was about the root of the problem, which was the disobedience of the commandments that deal entirely with a heart surrendered to God. Jesus was in effect asking him, "Are you willing to give up your self reliance, your self effort, your need for self control, and your self made riches?" I know you are a good man. But, are you willing to surrender everything you think you are in control of to me?

There was a reason why the rich man asked which commandments he needed to obey. There is a reason why Jesus separated the commandments when He answered him. You can be a good person and obey Commandments 5–10 with self effort and still not obey Commandments 1–4. But, being a "good" person is not enough.

The Kingdom of Heaven (Salvation) is only obtained by obedience to Commandments 1 through 4.  When 1–4 (the "vertical" commandments that deal with our relationship to God) are obeyed then 5–10 (the "horizontal" commandments that deal with our relationship with fellow man) are automatically followed and obeyed. Jesus was pointing out to the rich man what the root of the problem was—the letter "I." What must "I" do to be saved. God doesn't want our self-effort. What He wants is our surrendered self. Sadly, the rich man was not willing to give up his self-reliance and become God-reliant. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:23) Not because of the money itself. No, it's because of what having wealth tends to do, which is make you feel self-reliant.

When you don't need any thing you don't need any One, and it is easy to become or remain self-reliant instead of learning to trust God and become God-reliant. It becomes all about "me" and what "I" want instead of about God and what HE wants. It's p.r.I.d.e, with a capital "I." It's breaking the first commandment of no other gods before God or in addition to God. (Exodus 20:3, 23) You have to be willing to give all and leave all.   

"And all those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or farms to follow me will get much more than they left, and they will have life forever. Many who have the highest place now will have the lowest place in the future. And many who have the lowest place now will have the highest place in the future." (Matthew 19:29-30)

I surrender ALL.


Next Entry: STOP! Turn Around!  GO BACK!

Matthew 18:15 – 19:30 (Continued)

June 08, 2012

The people continued to gather and Jesus continued to heal. And the Pharisees (the religious unbelievers), continued to try and trick Jesus asking Him if it was okay for a man to divorce his wife for any reason he chooses. I love how Jesus responds by pointing out to them their own claims. "Surely you have read in the Scriptures... A man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and the two will become one body," (quoting from Genesis 2:24). "So there are not two, but one.  God has joined the two together, so no one should separate them." 

God joined together. Marriage vows before God. To divorce is to also break a vow with God. You are defying God and scrambling eggs that cannot be unscrambled. Our hearts need to be right before marriage. We need to make sure our lives are surrendered to God's will and not following our own selfish desires. It is not the will of God for a believer to marry an unbeliever. Can God later bless that marriage? Sure. Can God forgive failures? Sure. But God perfect will has been lost, and there will be consequences. I like the description of the triangle.

The closer each becomes to God the closer they each become to each other. Marriage is God's plan. Do it His way!!

Addendum:  Yesterday (12/17/15) was our 43rd anniversary. I'm so thankful we chose to do marriage God's way. 


Next Entry: Matthew 18:15 – 19:30 (Continued)

Matthew 18:15 – 19:30 (Continued)

June 06, 2012

Forgiveness—A gift you give yourself. Peter asked, "How many times must I forgive?" And Jesus replies seventy times seven. Matthew 18:15 tells us what we are to do, "If your fellow believer sins against you." In Matthew 18:21, Jesus tells us how many times we should forgive, "When my fellow believer sins against me."

We are to forgive—period. No ifs, ands, buts, (or nasty lawsuits) about it. Whether it is a falsely perceived sin or legitimate sin, there is only one choice—FORGIVENESS. Holding on to bitterness only hurts yourself. Seeking revenge (lawsuit) only hurts yourself. Anger and revenge is a cancer of the soul. 

Jesus tells the story of a man who owed a king a very large amount of money. The king was going to hold him accountable, but when the man begged for mercy, the king forgave him the millions he owed. This man, who was just forgiven for millions went to his servant who owed him a few dollars and demanded payment. When the servant asked for mercy the man refused to forgive him his debt and threw him in prison. When the other servants saw what happened, they went and told the king. The king called him in and said, "You evil servant! Because you begged me to forget what you owed, I told you that you did not have to pay back anything. You should have showed mercy to that other servant, just as I showed mercy to you." (Matthew 18:32) The king was angry and put the man in prison until he could pay everything he owed.

There is more than one kind of prison. There is the physical kind (with four walls) and then there is the prison of deceit, revenge, anger, and control that locks you up and prevents you from receiving the forgiveness and blessings God has for you. Jesus went on, "This king did what my heavenly Father will do to you if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart." (Matthew 18:35) Forgiveness is not just an option, it is a requirement. If we want God's forgiveness we must give forgiveness.

"Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who sinned against us."  Matthew 6:12

God freely sacrificed His son so we could be forgiven. A gift we did not deserve and cannot earn. How much more we should forgive those who have sinned against us.

Salvation and forgiveness: 
     a gift God gave us.  
Forgiveness of our fellow believers: 
     a gift we give ourselves.

Forgiveness of anyone and everyone is a gift to ourselves and the people we come into contact with.  

Holding a grudge brings poison and toxicity into every situation. Grudges. Anger. Vengeance. All cancers of the soul.

Addendum:  12/17/15 ~  Oh. My. Goodness! How did I miss this before? A flood light went on as I was entering what I wrote about the man who was forgiven millions and then went out and refused to forgive someone who owed him a small amount money. Oh. My. Goodness!

I wrote yesterday about the failed Settlement Conference where my sister and brother-in-law insisted we pay them an absurd amount of money. This was an amount they came up with. This is what they wanted. This was their demand. We don't have access to that kind of money even if we sold everything we own, but more importantly—WE DON'T OWE THEM ANYTHING!!

They are trying to recover from us the losses caused by their own bad decisions. They could have had their entire investment in our joint project back many, many times—but they refused every single offer. They appear to be driven by anger and revenge because the decisions they have made do NOT make any financial or logical sense.

My sister and brother-in-law have now failed at three separate businesses and they can't stand that we have a long-standing successful business. They aren't just trying to recoup a loss, they are also trying to profit off of us. They are continuing to try and force us to pay them a debt we don't owe, even though they were released from the MILLIONS they owed on one of their failed projects!! This failed project had nothing to do with us. They were also released from hundreds of thousands from what they owed on another property (again unrelated to us); and my brother-in-law was not held accountable for the $250k he took for his personal use from our joint project's Line Of Credit which he never returned.

Sadly, I don't think they feel gratitude for being released from such large debts. I'm fairly confident they feel like they saved themselves by being "smart" in sly business practices. But, the truth is they were released from very large debts and now they are trying to take from us what they have decided they want in spite of the fact that we don't owe them anything.

Oh. My. Goodness!! They are walking on very dangerous ground.

LORD, I pray you stop them in their tracks. Remove from them this lawsuit. Force them to release their grip on anger and revenge. LORD, I am not asking you to release us from this lawsuit, I am asking you to remove the lawsuit from them. What they have meant for our harm you have used for our good. What they thought would bring them good is destroying them. LORD, they will not stop on their own. So, in the strong name of Jesus I ask that you do whatever it takes to remove it from them. May the light of your truth reveal the lies, deceits, manipulations, and anything else that would keep them from being able to see truth.


Next Entry: Matthew 18:15 – 19:30 (Continued)

Matthew 18:15 – 19:30

June 05, 2012

What To Do When a Person Sins Against You

I am always amazed at how God takes His Word and reveals Truth. When I read Matthew 18:15–17 it was an "Oh my goodness!" moment. Most everyone knows these verses, but oh how often they are abused. Jesus tells us when a fellow believer sins against you (key words underlined) we should:

1. Go the person in private and tell him what he did wrong. After repentance there is restoration.
2. If he refuses to listen, then try again by taking several other people with you so there are witnesses.
3. If that doesn't work "tell the church"
4. If the person still refuses to accept truth, then treat him as an outsider.

Here is my "Oh my goodness!" moment  First, you have to understand the groundwork. For weeks now I have been gripped by the new thought (to me) of religious unbelievers. People who are planted by, used by, and deceived by—the Evil One.

When anger, revenge, and greed is the fruit that comes from someone's trees, how can you come to any other conclusion but that they are religious, yet unbelievers and therefore deceived. So, yesterday when I read these verses and I think, "Oh my goodness!" it is because I realized for the first time that in my sister and brother-in-law's (what I believe is their) deceived hearts they actually think they have obeyed Biblical truth. What appears to be their level of deceit, both in what they believe and in what they project, is just absolutely gut-wrenching. It breaks my heart to realize the deceit they are bound by.

O LORD, please open their eyes. Reveal truth to them. LORD, give them another opportunity for repentance. LORD, may they confess, surrender, and save their souls. May their eyes be open to see Truth, and may the Truth—YOUR Truth—set them free.

Here is why their belief that they've followed Biblical principles is flawed.

Step #1:

You are to go to your fellow believer IF they have sinned against you for the purpose of restoring that person's relationship to Christ with Christ which in turn would typically also restore their earthly relationships.

My sister and brother-in-law (in what I believe is their deceived state) have chosen to believe and have convinced themselves that we have sinned against them. Therefore, they think they've obeyed Step #1 by asking to meet with us in the infamous January '07 meeting. They now say the sole purpose for the meeting was so they could "just listen" to our concerns. Nothing could be farther from the truth. They didn't come to listen. They didn't come to restore a broken relationship between us and Christ. They didn't come to restore a broken relationship between sisters. They came to our home for one reason and one reason only—to restore their own agenda. They saw the plan they carefully crafted and secretly put into was place falling apart and they were panicked and angry. What they wanted to restore was our submission to them. They did not try to restore a relationship by listening or by engaging in honest conversation. They tried to restore their own evil agenda by domination, deceit, threats, accusations, vicious lies, manipulations, and control.

Trying to restore a fellow believer from heading down a wrong path and trying restore you own evil agenda of trickery and false accusations is as different as night and day. Yet, in their minds (deceived state), they have convinced themselves they followed Step #1 of God's principles.

Step #2: 

Jesus says to take other people with you if Step #1 doesn't work.

My sister and brother-in-law "believe" this is what they were doing when they contacted our pastors multiple times. My brother-in-law called one of our Associate Pastors, introduced himself, and told him there was a broken relationship between themselves and leaders within the church. He told our Pastor they were trying to follow Matthew 18 and Step #1 had failed so they were contacting him to ask his help in facilitating a meeting between us. Sounds biblical doesn't it? Yet, the purpose wasn't for reconciliation. It was for manipulation. Our Pastor, with God's wisdom, knew something wasn't right. He told them he would speak to us and call them back.

Our Pastor called me on my cell phone. It was my day to watch our grandson and I was taking him for a stroller ride to the park. Our Pastor told me about receiving a phone call from my brother-in-law and he asked me if Matthew 18:15 had been tried. I told him there definitely was a break down in our relationship but this was not a situation where my sister and brother-in-law were looking for personal restoration. I explained it was our business "partnership" that had to end and we were trying to break free from any type of business ties with them. I shared with him some of what we were learning about their personal lives and business practices; I shared with him what happened in the January '07 meeting and the revised "agreement" they tricked us into signing; I shared how we had already sought counsel with the Senior Pastor about the situation; I explained how my sister and brother-in-law were demanding we compromise our belief system and that once we became aware we did not share the same core principles and values as my sister and brother-in-law, we knew we had to separate ourselves from them. It was a good conversation.

Our Associate Pastor called my brother-in-law back and declined to set up a meeting. My sister and brother-in-law were angry that our Pastors would not help them with their agenda. Their son later told us that this Associate Pastor was a "moron." Can you imagine what that meeting would have been like? Oh, my sister and brother-in-law would have appeared so concerned; they would have said how during the first meeting they came back just to listen; they just don't understand what is going on; they never asked us to lie or compromise our beliefs; I must have misunderstood; I was emotionally unstable; they don't know if they will ever be able to trust us again; they didn't trick us into anything; yadda, yadda, yadda. God would have revealed truth to our Pastors, but thank-you, Lord, that we were spared from that!

Our Associate Pastor called me back to tell me the conversation with my brother-in-law did not go well and to be careful. He felt they were unpredictable and may try to arrive at our house unannounced to confront us. Sure enough, several days later we arrived home late at night to find my nephew sitting on our dark porch waiting for us to return so he could confront us. We live in a secluded area. He had parked his car (off the road and hidden) in a woods adjoining our property and trespassed across multiple farm fences and fields to arrive at our porch.

In their mind's eye, they "believe" they are following Jesus' instructions. How do you get into a deceived state? By compromise and disobedience. There has to be a purposeful turning away FROM following truth. You aren't forcefully overtaken and it doesn't happen as a victim of circumstance. It is instead the direct result of the choices you make. A "little" sin never remains little and before you know it, wrong becomes right and right becomes wrong.

After their Step #2 scheme (not obedience) failed, they moved on to the next step.

Step #3:

Tell the church.

And so they did. More phone calls. Emails. Letters. Trying to manipulate our Senior Pastor (manipulation is how our Senior Pastor described it) and force the church to remove us from our leadership positions by implying threats and embarrassment to the church through intimidation. All to continue to try to further their own agenda and not for the purpose of restoration. All night and day different from what Jesus was saying in Matthew 18:15–17.

I've said this before. My sister and brother-in-law somehow believe (or at the very least project) themselves to be like us (upright, honest, trustworthy, believers) and they project their actions (dishonest, untrustworthy, liars, unbelievers) upon us. Incredible. Our actions and lives speak for themselves, and so does theirs. The things we have learned through this lawsuit, discovery, and the passage of time, have shown us more of the iceberg—the truth. You cannot deny the facts. Like Jesus said: A good tree cannot produce bad fruit and a bad tree cannot produce good fruit. As much as they want to claim they are a good tree, I believe their actions speak otherwise.

In their deceived state they can't figure out why Step #1 – Step #3 didn't work. In a letter to our Senior Pastor, my sister and brother-in-law said they were "mystified" about why none of the steps to restoration worked and so now they were "forced" to file a very public lawsuit against us as a "defensive move." And that brings us to the next step.

Step #4:

Break all ties.

"The storm" begins. The "big guns" (my brother-in-law's words) are brought out and they file a lawsuit against us as a "defensive" move. Trying to make us pay them three quarters of a million dollars doesn't sound like a "defensive" move to me.    

My sister used to say that you had to take everything our Mom and Dad said and turn it 180 degrees. Now I understand that is what I have to do with her actions. She projected her problems on to Mom and Dad. Now, my sister and brother-in-law are projecting their moral, ethical, legal, and religious failures on to us, or at least they are attempting to. By their actions you would think we were the ones who tricked them into a "revised agreement"; lied about it; promised to change it; removed $250k from the project funds for our personal use; refused to return the money or sign a promissory note for it; refused to remove the "revised agreement"; and then filed suit against them.

My sister and brother-in-law, think they followed the biblical principles of Matthew 18. But then they follow it up with a direct violation of both Old Testament standards and the written instructions of the New Testament, and they file a lawsuit against a fellow "believer." And not just any lawsuit, but the most personal, vindictive and vicious lawsuit our lawyer has seen in years if not ever.

How do they explain that to themselves? I guess by saying it was a "defensive" move they rationalize they didn't do it and once again project their actions on to us.   

Twisted, sick, and deceived thinking. Lord, have mercy on them.

Addendum: Well the Settlement Conference is over, and it was not successful. The judge was awesome. He was so wise and did his very best. But you cannot deal rationally with people who are irrational.

The judge told us that less than 2% of civil lawsuits ever make it to trial. I guess we are going to be in that "special" 2%. I'm guessing that the rest of the cases that make the 2% are like ours and not really about the merits of the case at all but are about personal vendettas and revenge. What they wanted was absurd. The good thing about it is that it was so absurd that there was no doubt what our answer had to be. So, we will wait to see when a trial will be scheduled. The judge tried to tell them that we don't have that kind of money and their response was, "they have a successful business." Our business is a small business with expensive equipment but it is not a cash cow. If you sell your equipment then you don't have a business. We couldn't come up with that much money if we sold everything we own.

The judge clearly saw what the motives were behind the issues.

The Lord is faithful, and He once again gave them another opportunity to do the right thing and drop this lawsuit. My sister and brother-in-law always accuse us of "digging in," another projection on to us of who and what they do. I'm learning that this projection, both the projection of assuming our qualities upon themselves and asserting their actions upon us, is symptomatic of a personality disorder.

It has been several years since we have seen them. Whenever we see them I find it very shocking. They both arrived in court in blue jeans. My brother-in-law's jeans looked like he had worn them for days or weeks without washing. They both looked very disheveled, hard, and unhealthy. Their personas do not portray any kind of peace or contentment in their lives. It is so sad. So very, very sad. LORD, what is it going to take? Will they ever understand how to have peace and contentment in their lives? Will they ever turn FROM the lies and turn TO truth—YOUR TRUTH?

On a side note: Today the guys came to begin building the shelter that is a symbol of God's protection in our lives. They should be finished tomorrow and the antique lithograph store manger scene that I bought last year (but didn't know what I was going to do with it) will go in the shelter the next day. This shelter represents what God told the Israelites to do during the Feast of Shelters. They were to build a shelter on their property to remind them of how God took care of them while they were in the wilderness. That is why we are building this simple shelter. It is a reminder to ourselves, the generations that follow us, and all that come to our home—HE IS THE ONE—who protected us and took care of us while following HIS path in this trial.


Next Entry: Matthew 18:15 – 19:30 (Continued)     

Matthew 17:1 – 18:14

June 1, 2012

Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain by themselves. While they watched, Jesus' appearance changed. His face became bright like the sun and His clothing appeared white as light.  Then Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with Jesus. Just imagine! Talking with Jesus!

Peter, James, and John were with Jesus in the present. Moses and Elijah were talking with Jesus from their future. Someday we will meet Him face to face from the past. Whether past, future, or present—just imagine—meeting and speaking with Jesus face to face. You just have to love Peter's reaction. His first response was to break into action, to "do." He wanted to build them all a tent. Isn't that what we often want to do? Sometimes God doesn't want us to be busily "doing." He just wants us to "be." Be still... and KNOW that I am God. A cloud covered them, and out of the cloud spoke a voice. Matthew 17:5 - "This is my Son, whom I love, and I am very pleased with him. Listen to him!" Before we "do" we should listen and "be." When they heard the voice they were afraid. Jesus went to them, touched them, and told them, "Stand up.  Don't be afraid." Then Jesus begins to tell them about His death.

When they came back down the mountain, a man brought his sick boy to Jesus. The disciples had tried to heal him but they were unsuccessful. Jesus spoke the words and the boy was healed. His disciples asked, "Why couldn't we do this?" Jesus answered that their faith was too small. "I tell you the truth, if your faith is as big as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' and it will move. All things will be possible for you." (Matthew 17:20) It isn't about demanding things we want. It is about searching for and understanding God's heart. It's about taking His truth, believing it, and putting it into action. It's all about God and what HE wants. It is NOT about us and what we want unless what we want lines up with and mirrors what God wants.

"To the One who sets on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever." Revelation 5:13

The disciples didn't get that. They started asking who would be the greatest in heaven. What does that matter? ALL honor, and ALL praise, and ALL glory, and ALL power belongs to God. Jesus answered them by saying, "I tell you the truth, you must change and become like little children... the greatest person in the kingdom of heaven is the one who make himself humble like this child." (Matthew 18:2–4) You have to make yourself humble like a child. It does not come naturally. We need to understand the

God 

↓

Man

relationship. God IS God—and I am not. We "make" our self humble by giving up our self and humbling and surrendering ALL to God. Jesus goes on and tells about the importance about not doing anything that would cause an innocent child who has not been tainted by the world to sin. Sin will happen. Matthew 18:7 - "But how terrible for the one who causes them to happen!" How terrible! Get rid of whatever is causing you to sin. Get rid of it! Put safeguards in place. Make yourself accountable to someone else. Do whatever it takes! Humble yourself like a child. DO IT!!

Addendum: Today is the Settlement Conference.  There is so much I want to say this morning but I don't have the time to write it right now. When I get back I will write about the call we received last night and where God sent us to read in one of my old journals.

My notes about the Settlement Conference are in my next entry. But now, to finish what I didn't have time to write this morning. If you have read other parts of my journal you know that we have always felt that we were to memorialize in a tangible way the faithfulness of God during this now nine year faith journey we have been on. In the Old Testament God told the Israelites to take stones from the Red Sea and the Jordan River and to set up a memorial for the themselves and the generations to come. From those references we knew we wanted to do something with stones. We've talked about how our whole family, from the oldest to the youngest will come together to gather stones. We've talked about engraving the promises God gave us through Jane (Her Name Was Jane) on the stones. And then, almost exactly one year ago while I was reading about the Feast of Shelters, we KNEW what we were to do to memorialize what God has done!! (See Nehemiah 8:1–18 – Feast of Shelters)

So, we started to plan. How would we build it? What would it look like? We wanted something simple for both the cost factor and the purpose but most importantly for the purpose. We wanted something that pointed to what God has done and not something that distracted from what HE has done. I found one design that I loved, but then decided that wasn't it. I then came up with an idea for a much simpler design with very simple construction. We found a local Amish man who cuts wood using timber peg construction like they used in the construction of barns years ago. We took him my drawing and he used ash trees that had died because of the destructive ash borer and cut the beams and posts for timber peg construction.

This gentleman's brother was experienced in constructing buildings using timber pegs so we contacted him. The wood was ready. All we needed was to have it put up, but we had no idea when the builder would be able to begin the construction of our shelter. And then, the night before the Settlement Conference, at about 9:00 at night (unusually late for the Amish to be making phone calls) we received the call. "Would it be okay for us to come and start constructing your shelter tomorrow?"

We of course said, YES!! And then my husband and I looked at each other and just smiled. Are you kidding me? Thank you, God. We are heading to a Settlement Conference and the night before God reminds us that—I'VE GOT THIS! Don't worry about anything. The shelter is going up. There WILL come a day when this portion of your journey WILL be over and this shelter of simple timber peg construction with a floor made of cobblestone engraved with my words WILL memorialize that day.

Thank you, Jesus. We went to the Settlement Conference with peace, contentment, and joy in our hearts.

After that phone call, I decided to look up a journal entry my sister referenced in their Settlement Offer Letter. (The courts had ordered the two parties to try and negotiate a settlement for the three months prior to the Settlement Conference. We asked them to respond to our last offer which we had never gotten a response from. The three months passed without them responding to anything we sent. And then the day after the deadline set by the courts for negotiating, we received their offer. Pay them about three quarters of a million dollars.) In the Settlement letter my sister referenced one of my journal entries and was implying that I was somehow crazy and listening to voices from God in my head and who knows what I would do. I thought the date she referenced was 5/10/10. So I got out the journal and began to read it aloud to my Mom. (I should explain here that my 86 year old widowed Mother was staying with us because she was fearful my sister and brother-in-law would show up and want to stay at her house while they were here for the Settlement Conference. My sister is notorious for showing up unannounced and it would have been very upsetting to my Mother.)

I began to read the 5/10/10 journal entry to my Mom. Oh my goodness. Crossing the Jordan... and gathering stones. You can read my journal entry here. After I finished reading, I realized the entry I just read didn't have the account of what my sister referred to so I went to get the letter and discovered the actual journal date she referenced.

Wow! A thousand times—Wow! Never in a million years would I have went back to read both of those entries the night before Settlement Conference. God used the words my sister wrote (in a negative way) to get me to go back and to read about HIS faithfulness. Thank you, Lord. Your faithfulness is beyond measure. I stand in awe of your Amazing Love.   


Next Entry: Matthew 18:15 – 19:30