April 20, 2012
FAITH—What a way to start a new journal! (This is journal #9)
Then there was the leader of the synagogue. His daughter died. He sought out Jesus to come touch her. Jesus goes. He tells the crowd gathered there to go away because the girl was not dead, she was only sleeping. The crowd laughed at Him. They did not believe Jesus could heal her. The interesting thing is, they did not get to stay and watch or participate in her healing. "After the crowd had been thrown out of the house," (THEN) Jesus went into the room, took her hand, and she was healed.
When Jesus left there two blind men began to follow (pursue) Him. They cried out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David." Calling him Son of David shows they knew who He was. Jesus asked them, "Do you believe that I can make you see again?" (Matthew 9:28) They answered "Yes, Lord" and they were healed because they believed. When the two men were leaving, some people brought (again pursued) to Jesus a man who could not speak because of demons. Jesus forced the demon out and the man could speak again. The crowd was amazed and said, "We have never seen anything like this in Israel." The Pharisees just refused to acknowledge Him as the Messiah, instead accusing Him of getting his power from the prince of demons instead of Father God.
Crowds followed Jesus and He healed many. Looking out over the crowds, Jesus felt sorry for them. He compared them to sheep without a shepherd. Then Jesus gave His great commission in Matthew 9:37–38. "There are many people to harvest but only a few workers to help harvest them. Pray to the Lord, who owns the harvest, that he will send more workers to gather his harvest."
Addendum: 12/3/15 ~ We received the Settlement demand letter from my sister and brother-in-law yesterday. It came after the deadline set by the judge. Both parties were to be trying to negotiate a settlement for the last three months. We sent them three separate letters requesting a response to our settlement offer—nothing. Literally nothing. Then after the judge's deadline, they sent a demand letter of what they would be willing to settle for. The amount (including what is remaining in escrow) was approximately three quarters of a million dollars. If we don't give them that amount then the letter included all sorts of threats and demands on what they will do. (The three quarters of a million dollars is in addition to the $250k they already took from the project funds and never returned.)
The amount they are demanding doesn't matter. It might as well have been three million. We don't have it, and they know it. What we did have has either been spent or mortgaged to defend ourselves against them. Even if we did have the ability to pay their demands we would not do it. We are innocent of ALL their charges. Period. The irony is this: What they are willing to settle for is less than what they would have received if they would have accepted the offer we had for the sale of the project back in 2007. But that would have been recouping their investment from someone else paying them the money. That was not good enough. The intent all along has been to (at the very least) monetarily destroy me. The amount of money they are asking for would accomplish that. Nothing less than my destruction appears to be acceptable.
Our lawyer made a comment yesterday that in just ten words summed up the situation. He said, "____ (my sister) is not always right, but she is NEVER wrong." That is it in a nutshell. Say that quote to ANYONE who has ever crossed paths with her and they would all nod their head in agreement. He also made another comment that was absolutely spot on. Just six words that perfectly captures why it has been impossible to deal in any reasonable way with my sister and brother-in-law these last eight years. Here is crux of the matter and why nothing has worked. Their attitude is: "We win, you lose, you choose." They leave NO room for any other alternative. That's it. "We win, you lose, you choose."
Addendum #2: 4/24/17 ~ There was another part of their settlement letter that I don't think I've mentioned before. I found it highly offensive. In the letter they offered to keep any payments we made to them confidential so "no one would ever need to know" we paid them to settle their claims against us. The implication was this: they were willing to allow us to atone for our (so-called) sins privately by allowing us to pay them what amounts to hush money. This would allow us to keep our leadership positions in the church and allow us to keep our reputation within our business and local communities without anyone ever needing to know what we had (supposedly) done. A cover-up. All very private. All very hush-hush.
What?!? A cover-up? Their accusations against us are not true. But even if they were, do they truly believe it would be appropriate to help someone cover up their "sin"? Where is that scriptural? Can't the Maker of eyes see and the Maker of ears hear? How does that fit with them telling our Pastors they were trying to follow Matthew 18? How does that bring a wandering believer back into fellowship with God? How does that restore a broken relationship?
To insinuate we would even consider such an action is offensive to me. It goes against everything we stand for and who we are. But it doesn't matter what is offensive to me. What matters is the why behind their actions. It is morally offensive and reprehensible. It is yet another example of them attempting to project their own behavior onto us. Just because they appear to be willing to do whatever they think is necessary to cover up their own actions, they assumed they could tempt us into doing the same. To say they were wanting to help us was just a smoke screen, another one of their own cover-up schemes. They were hoping to get us to cave to the fear of losing the lawsuit and possibly losing our ministries and reputation as Christ followers. They were hoping to entice us to take the issue of saving ourselves into our own hands. So, they offered to help us keep what is important to us by helping us cover up our (so-called) sins in a shroud of secrecy.
We have NOTHING to hide. We have not sinned against them or anyone else, and we will not try to save ourselves from their evil plans. Our trust and faith is in the One who created the heaven and the earth. The LORD—HE is the One who will save us from their agendas. Thinking it appropriate to make that offer unfortunately proves they have no knowledge of who we are or the One we believe in. You cannot possess true knowledge of the LORD Jesus Christ and come up with a plan to help someone hide "sin." That is what is most unsettling. The heart of the matter was once again exposed.
The TRUTH of Christ is what sets you free. In Christ Jesus there is no fear. True freedom doesn't come from being in control, true freedom comes when you give up your need to be in control and surrender your fears, pride, (fill in the _____) to Christ. I find their offer to cover-up (their own false accusations) in a secret settlement just as revealing as their offer to settle for approximately one million dollars. You can only come to the conclusion they are no longer following any kind of godly compass—and that is disheartening.
O LORD, please give them another opportunity to surrender their hearts and lives to your authority. LORD, we continue to pray they would open their eyes to Truth and choose to change their hearts and lives. LORD, you know that if we could make the choice for them we would, but it doesn't work that way. Thank you, LORD, for being patient. Thank you, LORD, for these ten years of grace. No matter what they decide—we trust YOU. No matter what—we are following YOU.
Next Entry: Matthew 10:1 – 11:19
FAITH—What a way to start a new journal! (This is journal #9)
"I know there used to be a stone in front of a tomb. And I do know it was moved. And I also know that there are stones in your path. Stones that trip you and stones that trap. Stones too big for you.
Please remember, the goal of these stories is not to help us look back with amazement, but forward with faith. The God who spoke still speaks. The God who forgave still forgives. The God who came still comes. He comes into our world. He comes into your world. He comes to do what you can't. He comes to move the stones you can't budge. Stones are no match for God. Not then and not now. He still moves stones." ~ From He Still Moves Stones by Max Lucado.There were plenty of stones facing the people in Matthew 9. A leader of the synagogues daughter had just died. A woman was afflicted with a bleeding disease for twelve years. Two men were blind. Another man couldn't speak because of demons. They (and others) came to Jesus—and Jesus healed them. They all sought Him. They all believed. They all were healed. The woman who was bleeding just wanted to be able to touch His clothes. She didn't feel worthy to be able to speak to Jesus but she understood His power. Jesus said to her, "Be encouraged, dear woman. You are made well because you believed." (Matthew 9:22) And the woman was healed from that moment on.
Then there was the leader of the synagogue. His daughter died. He sought out Jesus to come touch her. Jesus goes. He tells the crowd gathered there to go away because the girl was not dead, she was only sleeping. The crowd laughed at Him. They did not believe Jesus could heal her. The interesting thing is, they did not get to stay and watch or participate in her healing. "After the crowd had been thrown out of the house," (THEN) Jesus went into the room, took her hand, and she was healed.
When Jesus left there two blind men began to follow (pursue) Him. They cried out, "Have mercy on us, Son of David." Calling him Son of David shows they knew who He was. Jesus asked them, "Do you believe that I can make you see again?" (Matthew 9:28) They answered "Yes, Lord" and they were healed because they believed. When the two men were leaving, some people brought (again pursued) to Jesus a man who could not speak because of demons. Jesus forced the demon out and the man could speak again. The crowd was amazed and said, "We have never seen anything like this in Israel." The Pharisees just refused to acknowledge Him as the Messiah, instead accusing Him of getting his power from the prince of demons instead of Father God.
Crowds followed Jesus and He healed many. Looking out over the crowds, Jesus felt sorry for them. He compared them to sheep without a shepherd. Then Jesus gave His great commission in Matthew 9:37–38. "There are many people to harvest but only a few workers to help harvest them. Pray to the Lord, who owns the harvest, that he will send more workers to gather his harvest."
Addendum: 12/3/15 ~ We received the Settlement demand letter from my sister and brother-in-law yesterday. It came after the deadline set by the judge. Both parties were to be trying to negotiate a settlement for the last three months. We sent them three separate letters requesting a response to our settlement offer—nothing. Literally nothing. Then after the judge's deadline, they sent a demand letter of what they would be willing to settle for. The amount (including what is remaining in escrow) was approximately three quarters of a million dollars. If we don't give them that amount then the letter included all sorts of threats and demands on what they will do. (The three quarters of a million dollars is in addition to the $250k they already took from the project funds and never returned.)
The amount they are demanding doesn't matter. It might as well have been three million. We don't have it, and they know it. What we did have has either been spent or mortgaged to defend ourselves against them. Even if we did have the ability to pay their demands we would not do it. We are innocent of ALL their charges. Period. The irony is this: What they are willing to settle for is less than what they would have received if they would have accepted the offer we had for the sale of the project back in 2007. But that would have been recouping their investment from someone else paying them the money. That was not good enough. The intent all along has been to (at the very least) monetarily destroy me. The amount of money they are asking for would accomplish that. Nothing less than my destruction appears to be acceptable.
Our lawyer made a comment yesterday that in just ten words summed up the situation. He said, "____ (my sister) is not always right, but she is NEVER wrong." That is it in a nutshell. Say that quote to ANYONE who has ever crossed paths with her and they would all nod their head in agreement. He also made another comment that was absolutely spot on. Just six words that perfectly captures why it has been impossible to deal in any reasonable way with my sister and brother-in-law these last eight years. Here is crux of the matter and why nothing has worked. Their attitude is: "We win, you lose, you choose." They leave NO room for any other alternative. That's it. "We win, you lose, you choose."
Addendum #2: 4/24/17 ~ There was another part of their settlement letter that I don't think I've mentioned before. I found it highly offensive. In the letter they offered to keep any payments we made to them confidential so "no one would ever need to know" we paid them to settle their claims against us. The implication was this: they were willing to allow us to atone for our (so-called) sins privately by allowing us to pay them what amounts to hush money. This would allow us to keep our leadership positions in the church and allow us to keep our reputation within our business and local communities without anyone ever needing to know what we had (supposedly) done. A cover-up. All very private. All very hush-hush.
What?!? A cover-up? Their accusations against us are not true. But even if they were, do they truly believe it would be appropriate to help someone cover up their "sin"? Where is that scriptural? Can't the Maker of eyes see and the Maker of ears hear? How does that fit with them telling our Pastors they were trying to follow Matthew 18? How does that bring a wandering believer back into fellowship with God? How does that restore a broken relationship?
To insinuate we would even consider such an action is offensive to me. It goes against everything we stand for and who we are. But it doesn't matter what is offensive to me. What matters is the why behind their actions. It is morally offensive and reprehensible. It is yet another example of them attempting to project their own behavior onto us. Just because they appear to be willing to do whatever they think is necessary to cover up their own actions, they assumed they could tempt us into doing the same. To say they were wanting to help us was just a smoke screen, another one of their own cover-up schemes. They were hoping to get us to cave to the fear of losing the lawsuit and possibly losing our ministries and reputation as Christ followers. They were hoping to entice us to take the issue of saving ourselves into our own hands. So, they offered to help us keep what is important to us by helping us cover up our (so-called) sins in a shroud of secrecy.
We have NOTHING to hide. We have not sinned against them or anyone else, and we will not try to save ourselves from their evil plans. Our trust and faith is in the One who created the heaven and the earth. The LORD—HE is the One who will save us from their agendas. Thinking it appropriate to make that offer unfortunately proves they have no knowledge of who we are or the One we believe in. You cannot possess true knowledge of the LORD Jesus Christ and come up with a plan to help someone hide "sin." That is what is most unsettling. The heart of the matter was once again exposed.
The TRUTH of Christ is what sets you free. In Christ Jesus there is no fear. True freedom doesn't come from being in control, true freedom comes when you give up your need to be in control and surrender your fears, pride, (fill in the _____) to Christ. I find their offer to cover-up (their own false accusations) in a secret settlement just as revealing as their offer to settle for approximately one million dollars. You can only come to the conclusion they are no longer following any kind of godly compass—and that is disheartening.
O LORD, please give them another opportunity to surrender their hearts and lives to your authority. LORD, we continue to pray they would open their eyes to Truth and choose to change their hearts and lives. LORD, you know that if we could make the choice for them we would, but it doesn't work that way. Thank you, LORD, for being patient. Thank you, LORD, for these ten years of grace. No matter what they decide—we trust YOU. No matter what—we are following YOU.
Next Entry: Matthew 10:1 – 11:19
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