Galatians 6:1–18

April 18, 2013

If we know of someone who is doing something wrong, we are to go to them and gently help them to do right again. Gently. Not in an attitude of "look at me... see what I am doing?" If you go in that kind of attitude you are at risk for being brought down in the same way. We are not to stand by and watch others fall. It brings honor to Christ to gently bring others back to obedience. You have to do your part. They may listen, or they may not. (See Ezekiel 2)

Our responsibility isn't to obtain the end result, it is to try. This is why I am so grateful my journals (from Genesis to II Chronicles 11) went to my sister and brother-in-law, even though it seemed like a disastrous invasion of my privacy at the time. There was no other way for them to see my heart and for me to have a voice. Yes, they chose to twist my words and make more false accusations, but God's words went out to them. It wasn't "my" words, it was God's.

"If anyone thinks he is important when he really is not, he is only fooling himself. Each person should judge his own actions and not compare himself to others. Then he can be proud for what he himself as done. Each person must be responsible for himself." Galatians 6:3–5

IF—you are learning and growing, THEN—you must share that with others. It is impossible to keep it quiet.

Paul began to conclude his letter. Galatians 6:7–8 - "Do not be fooled: You cannot cheat God. People harvest only what they plant. If they plant to satisfy their sinful selves, their sinful selves will bring them ruin." What part of that very clear statement do people not understand? Insist on your own selfish sinful ways and you reap the results—ruin. But, if you plant to please the Spirit you receive eternal life from the Spirit. So, do not become tired of doing good. Galatians 6:9 - "We will receive our harvest of eternal life at the right time IF we do not give up." Paul goes on to say that if we have the opportunity to help anyone we should, especially those in the family of believers. God has a plan, and it will be done.

Interesting side note at the end of Paul's letter. Paul said that those who were trying to add things to the Gospel of Christ (in this case circumcision) weren't trying to convince others it should be done because it was the right thing, or because it was something they believed in and obeyed themselves. They did it so "they can brag about what they forced you to do." (Galatians 6:13) The same motive as today. The Bible isn't some antiquated and outdated non-relevant book. The sins in the Bible are the exact same sins of today. The Gospel of the Bible is still the only way to Christ. The Bible truly is—the Living Word.

My sister and brother-in-law are hoping to brag about what their lawsuit "forced" us to do by trying to enforce their fraudulent schemes. BUT! you harvest what you plant. You cannot explain it any other way. And Paul says it brings ruin.

LORD, our prayer for them remains the same. May they understand that without you they are nothing; and may they desire nothing but you.

Addendum: 5/3/16 ~ From the Life Lesson for this section:

"The Bible reveals that God has a plan for every life, and that if we live in constant fellowship with Him, He will direct and lead us in the fulfillment of this plan.  

Many of us have God's second or third best. However, if you have substituted the good for the best, do not despair. Wherever you are at this moment, yield your life unconditionally to God, and He can still make it a thing of beauty and an honor to His name. 

You cannot know the will of God for your life unless you first come to the cross and confess that you are a sinner and receive Christ as Lord and Savior. If you want the perfect plan that God has for your life, you will have to go by way of Calvary to get it. It is only through Christ that we can be on speaking terms with God and know God's plan for our lives." ~ From Unto the Hills by Billy Graham

Next Entry: Ephesians 1:1–23

Galatians 5:1–26

April 17, 2013

What happened? What went wrong? You started out running a good race. What changed? What caused you to add things to the very clear words of Christ? It isn't enough to believe in Christ and then add your own spin on it. You must be a Christ follower. Being a follower means setting your own desires, wants, and wishes aside, and committing yourself to following Him wherever He leads and whatever He asks. It means following His words ONLY and not adding anything to it or taking anything away from it. You started out that way. What happened? Christ made us free, but that doesn't mean you use your freedom as an excuse to do whatever you please! We are to serve each other, not manipulate others as a way to fulfill our selfish desires. We are to die to self and surrender to God. That is our freedom.

Selfish desires and surrendering to God don't mix. It is like oil and water. You cannot live by following the Spirit (Christ) while following your selfish sinful self at the same time. CANNOT! If you follow the Spirit, "... Then you will not do what your sinful selves want." (Galatians 5:16) You just can't have it both ways. Galatians 5:17 - "Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves. The two are against each other, so you cannot do just what you please." No wonder there is conflict in this world and among people. One side is pursuing their own selfish desires, and the other side is pursuing the desires of the Spirit. This is why you should not be unequally yoked in close friendships, marriage, business, etc. You are pursuing opposite goals and there will be conflict.

There is no middle ground here. You can't be in the middle of the road or sitting on a fence. You are either going to do what your sinful self wants—OR—you are going to commit yourself to doing what the Spirit wants. Believing in Christ but living how you want won't cut it. You must be a committed follower of Christ.

Paul compares the actions of  the followers of "self" to the followers of Christ. One list is "the wrong things the sinful self does," and the other is what following the Spirit produces.

Sinful Self Results:

• Sexually unfaithful
• Not being pure
• Taking part in sexual sins
• Worshiping gods
• Doing witchcraft
• Hating
• Making trouble
• Jealousy
• Anger
• Selfishness
• Making people angry with each other
• Causing divisions among people
• Feeling envy
• Being drunk
• Having wild and wasteful parties
• Doing other things like this 

Spirit Led Results:

• Produces the fruit of love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-control
• Die to self
• Give up old selfish feelings and evil things "self" wanted
• Have new life
• Is not proud
• Does not make trouble with each other
• Is not jealous of others

The contrasts between the two lists are striking, and you can soon see why the two should not be joined together and cannot mix. Paul said, "I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things (the sinful self list) will not inherit God's kingdom." (Galatians 5:21)

Psalm 1

Happy are those who don't listen to the wicked
   who don't go where sinners go,
   who don't do what evil people do.
They love the Lord's teachings,
   and they think about those teachings day and night.
They are strong, like a tree planted by the river.
   The tree produces fruit in season,
   and its leaves don't die.
Everything they do will succeed.

But wicked people are not like that.
   They are like the chaff that the wind blows away.
So the wicked will not escape God' punishment.
   Sinners will not worship with God's people.
This is because the LORD takes care of his people,
   but the wicked will be destroyed.

Stand strong. Christ has made you free, so you are free indeed.

Addendum: April 2016 ~ It has been eight years since Jane (Her Name Was Jane) spoke her last God-given words to us—"Jeremiah 33." My husband and I will read that chapter together again today. God's last promise of protection through the lips of Jane. The day is coming. The day is coming when God will set us completely free from "the storm."

Early this morning the song Give Me Jesus played over and over in my mind. In the morning when I arise—give me Jesus. When I am alone—give me Jesus. When I come to die—give me Jesus. You can have all this world—just give me Jesus. That is my heart's desire. In ALL things—just give me Jesus.  


 Next Entry: Galatians 6:1–18

Galatians 4:8–31

April 15, 2013

Paul talked to the people of Galatia about the one true way. Nothing needs to be added to the Gospel, and nothing should be taken away from it either. Other people were trying to influence them to follow their ways. Paul said, "It is good for people to show interest in you, but only if their purpose is good." (Galatians 4:18) Then he gave the example of Hagar and Sarah.

God promised Abraham so many descendants there would be too many to count. Abraham had two sons, but both their descendants were not counted as the descendants God promised. Only the descendants from Isaac were counted. One son was born in the normal natural way, but Isaac was born as a result of the promise of God to Abraham. Man-made efforts never work. You cannot manipulate God or God's plan. 

Isaac was the result of God's promise. As believers of Christ, we are the result of God's promise as well. Just as there were problems between Hagar/Ishmael and Sarah/Isaac (and still to this day between the Arabs and Jews), so there is also conflict between those who try to imitate the real thing (counterfeiters) and those who are the result of the promise.

"The son who was born in the normal way treated the other son badly. It is the same today. But what does the Scripture say?  Throw out the slave woman and her son. The son of the slave woman should not inherit anything. The son of the free woman should receive it all.' " Genesis 21:10

Strong, strong words. Are you a true believer (and follower) of Jesus? Or, are you taking matters into your own hands and taking control of your life yourself? Our actions reveal the truth. You are either a true follower and your actions prove it, or your actions show that your "faith" is counterfeit. 


Next Entry: Galatians 5:1–26

Galatians 3:1 – 4:7

April 15, 2013

Paul talks about faith, the law, grace, and blessings. Abraham had faith, and God blessed him for it. Galatians 3:11 - "Those who are right with God will live by trusting him." (Paul was quoting Habakkuk 2:4) That sounds like such a simple statement, but there is a whole lot of depth to it. IF—you are right with God, THEN—you will live by trusting Him. The reverse is true as well. IF—you live by trusting God, THEN—you will be right with Him.

Live → by → trusting. That means you aren't in charge and revenge or vengeance is not yours to handle. It means you have to let go of ALL, and you have made the decision to let God—a total surrender of your will to His. It is an understanding of the

God

↓

Man

relationship. The law is important. It can't save you, but it does show you if there is anything in your life that is not consistent with how God wants us to live. We cannot ignore God's warnings if we want to continue living right by trusting Him. 

You can be a good moral upright person and follow Commandments 5–10 and still be lost and out of fellowship with God. A New Testament example of this is the rich young ruler. (Matthew 19:16–24)  The first four Commandments are the key. They require total surrender. And if those four are followed, you don't even need to know 5–10, because they won't (and can't) be a problem. When the vertical commandments (1–4 and I call them vertical because they deal with our relationship to God) are followed, the horizontal commandments (5–10 and what I call the horizontal because they deal with our relationship to fellow man) will naturally be followed.

God made a promise to Abraham and He kept that promise. God never goes back on His word. His promises are always fulfilled.


Next Entry: Galatians 4:8–31

Galatians 2:1–21

April 12, 2013

Paul wasn't afraid to stand up and confront the issues. Paul was given the work of preaching to the Gentiles and Peter was given the job of preaching to the Jews. When Paul saw Peter responding to a situation that did not follow the truth of the Gospel he confronted him about it. He didn't talk to others, he went directly to Peter. The truth is this: "... a person is made right with God not by following the law, but by trusting in Jesus Christ." (Galatians 2:15) It is the only way. Being a good, moral, upright person doesn't cut it. The rich young ruler was that. He followed all the commandments that dealt with how to relate to fellow man (5–10), but he wasn't willing to surrender ALL to God and follow the commandments (1–4) that deal with our relationship with God.

When we accept Christ we are to—surrender ALL. 

"I was put to death on the cross with Christ, and I do not live anymore—it is Christ who lives in me. I still live in my body, but I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself to save me." Galatians 2:20

LORD,
I surrender ALL. When you want me to speak I will speak boldly. When you want me to listen I will listen. May my life bring honor and glory to Your name. Amen.


Next Entry: Galatians 3:1 – 4:7

Galatians 1:1–24

April 12, 2013

Paul was not chosen to be an Apostle by humans and he wasn't sent out to tell the Good News by humans either. He was chosen by Jesus Christ and God the Father. There was no strategic meetings or plans, he was simply chosen by God.

After his radical conversion, Saul went from attempting (in his own power) to destroy Christianity—to becoming Paul—no longer doing things in his own power but submitting his life to Christ and doing everything God called him to do in Christ's power. When God calls, God provides! He had to boldly address tricky issues. He faced persecution. He was falsely accused. He was disappointed in how quickly people turned from the Gospel; tried to add to the Gospel; tried to use the Gospel for selfish gain; or just plain rejected the Truth of the Gospel.  

"Do you think I am trying to make people accept me? No, God is the One I am trying to please. Am I trying to please people? If I still wanted to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." Galatians 1:10

Paul did not have any ulterior motives. He wasn't looking for self-recognition. He was a servant with one purpose, "to protect and serve. Or, said another way, "service above self." We hear those phrases and we automatically think of a policemen. Paul was acting in that way. His service to Christ was above himself. His mission was to tell and protect the true Gospel of Christ—above all else.

*****

Today is Dad's birthday. He has been gone two years now. So grateful for the 90 years we had together and all he taught me. Love you, Dad!

Addendum: 5/2/16 ~ The Life Lesson for this chapter has a quote from Wisdom for the Way by Chuck Swindoll that I just love.

"Some of the most profound ministries of the Spirit of God are not public or loud or large. Sometimes His most meaningful touch on our lives comes when we are all alone. I urge you to include in your schedule time to be alone with God... You do have places where you can get away for a long walk, don't you? I hope it's in a wooded area. The gentle breeze blowing through the forest is therapeutic. Sometimes just being alone out in God's marvelous creation is all that's needed for the scales to be removed from your eyes and for you to silence the harassment and the noise of your day and begin to hear from God."

Precisely why I love the woods so much and why hiking the Appalachian Trail has been so therapeutic for us. Yesterday, my husband and I went to Pokagon State Park and spent some time walking the trails, praying, relaxing, and enjoying the beauty of Spring in God's creation. We spent time praying for whoever God is going to bring to read this personal journey of faith while walking on His footpath. So, if you are reading this, that means we spent time praying for YOU.   


Next Entry: Galatians 2:1–21

II Corinthians 11:16 – 13:14

April 11, 2013

Paul starts closing his letter to the people in Corinth. He talks about being patient "with those who order you around, or use you, or trick you, or think they are better than you, or hit you in the face." (II Corinthians 11:20) He talks about the empathy he feels when other people struggle or are led into sin. He talks about his thorn in the flesh. Paul wanted his "problem" to be gone, but God said, "My grace is enough for you. When you are weak, my power is made perfect in you." (II Corinthians 12:9)

The number one danger any of us face is self-sufficiency. God wants us to be reliant on Him and He allows situations in our lives to accomplish that. Our goal should not be to get rid of our "problems" but to learn to depend on God in our problems.

"God does not spare us trials, but he helps us overcome them. God works in our weakness because when we are weak his strength accomplishes the task." ~ From Life Lesson

When you learn and accept this truth you really can have joy and contentment in and through your trials. Paul said, "For this reason I am happy when I have weaknesses, insults, hard times, sufferings, and all kinds of troubles for Christ. Because when I am weak, then I am truly strong." (II Corinthians 12:10)  God used the things that happened to Paul to strengthen other believers and to build His Kingdom. Even though there were times that things looked disastrous—ALL things worked together for good. II Corinthians 13:7–10 - "It is not important to see that we have passed the test, but it is important that you do what is right, even if it seems we have failed... the Lord gave me this authority to build you up, not to tear you down."

Paul was looked upon suspiciously and falsely accused, yet he stood firm on whose he was.


Next Entry: Galatians 1:1–24

II Corinthians 10:1 – 11:15

April 11, 2013

We live in the world but we should not be of the world. II Corinthians 10:4-5a - "We fight with weapons that are different from those the world uses. Our weapons have power from God that can destroy the enemy's strong places. We destroy people's arguments and every proud thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God." It has nothing to do with our abilities or capabilities. It has everything to do with the surrendering of our lives to the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is about whose we are not who we are.

To surrender does not mean just a passive waving of a white flag. It requires action, responsibility, and holding ourselves accountable. II Corinthians 10:5b - "We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ." Sin begins with a thought and grows from there. Psalm 7:14 - "He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment." (NIV) "There are people who think up evil and plan trouble and tell lies." (NCV) We are not victims of our thoughts, we are to be victors over our thoughts.

Look at the words Paul uses. We are to "capture" every thought and "make" it "give up" and "obey" Christ. Surrendering requires active participation in directing our will towards His will. Surrendering does not tear us down, it builds us up because of whose we are. We do not dare to compare ourselves with those who think they are important. They use themselves to measure themselves, and they judge themselves by what they themselves are. This shows that they know nothing... if someone wants to brag, he should brag only about the Lord. It is not those who say they are good who are accepted but those who the Lord thinks are good." (II Corinthians 10:12,17)

It isn't always easy to know if someone is a counterfeit. Some people are very good at camouflaging the truth. I am a trusting person. I would rather be trusting (even if it means being in the situation we are in), than to have a suspicious, doubtful, and fearful heart. God knows, and He will reveal the truth. II Corinthians 11:13–15 - "They change themselves to look like apostles of Christ. This does not surprise us. Even Satan changes himself to look like an angel of light. So it does not surprise us if Satan's servants also make themselves look like servants who work for what is right. But in the end they will be punished for what they do."

It is extremely freeing and comforting to know God is in control and the One responsible for judgment and punishment. We are totally free from any responsibility. It is up to God. He is the One who avenges and determines right from wrong. Our responsibility is to live a surrendered life. Live—active participation. Not a one time act but a lifestyle.

"We sometimes think that power comes only through aggressive self-promotion, but Jesus made it clear that this was not so. He explained to his disciples very bluntly that power and authority in his Kingdom is based on servant-hood." ~ From Stories of Faith by Ruth A. Tucker

God's ways are not the ways of the world. To be a good leader you must first learn to serve, not step on everyone else in an attempt to reach the top of the ladder.


Next Entry: II Corinthians 11:16 – 13:14

II Corinthians 8:1 – 9:15

April 10, 2013

II Corinthians 8:2 - "Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity." Give. Give. Give. Then give some more. First—give your self to God. Then—give yourself to others.

Giving brings: 1) joy; 2) an increased ability to give in accordance to that which has already been given; 3) an increased thankfulness to God; and 4) God is given more honor and glory. ~ From Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) KJV

We have witnessed this first hand. Giving (when I talk about giving I am not talking about just giving money, I'm also referring to the giving of one's self, time, effort, etc.) has always been part of our lives. When we were faced with the most severe trial of our lives, my very first thought was to give—I have to go and do something for someone else. I went to the nursing home even though I felt awful and looked terrible. God has richly blessed our lives, the lives of others, and HE has received honor and glory all because of one simple step of obedience—Go... and give. When I think about these last six plus years, I realize we have given more (during our most severe trial) then we have probably given in all the other years combined. We didn't have extra time, but the more we gave the more God helped us accomplish. Amazing how that works. You don't figure out ahead of time how you can make everything work. You just go—give—and God works out the details.

"Remember this: The person who plants a little will have a small harvest, but the person who plants a lot will have a big harvest. Each one should give as you decided in your heart to give. You should not be sad (reluctant) when you give and you should not give because you feel forced to give. God loves the person who gives happily. And God can give you more blessings than you need. Then you will always have plenty of everything—enough to give to every good work." II Corinthians 9:6–8

"God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and bread for food. He will give you all the seed you need and make it grow so there will be a great harvest from your goodness... This service you do not only helps the needs of God's people, it also brings many more thanks to God. It is proof of your faith. Many people will praise God because you obey the Good News of Christ—the gospel you say you believe—and because you freely share with them and with all others... thanks be to God for his gift that is too wonderful for words." II Corinthians 9:10–15

Thanks be to God. The more we give the more HE gives. His faithfulness continues forever. Blessed be the name of the Lord.


Next Entry: II Corinthians 10:1 –11:15

II Corinthian 6:14 – 7:16

April 09, 2013

"You are not the same as those who do not believe. So do not join yourselves to them. Good and bad do not belong together. Light and darkness cannot share together." II Corinthians 6:14

Join—this is talking about more than marriage even though that is the most obvious and perhaps the most critical one not to violate. Join also means partnering in business, close friendships, etc. "You are not the same as those who do not believe." At least you shouldn't be. If you are the same then a much deeper problem exists. Good and bad—don't belong together. Light and darkness—don't mix. We are all a work in progress, but there should be (and must be) a difference between those who say they believe and those who don't believe. The difference cannot be in just what our tongues say. It must also be in the way we live. Our bodies are the temple of Christ, and we must live as if we believe that to be true.

We would have never... NEVER... NEVER!! joined with my sister and brother-in-law in a joint business project if we had know the truth about them. NEVER! We can verify this teaching from painful personal experience: good and bad do not belong together. It won't work. You (our family) have witnessed what happened when we refused to compromise our standards. You (our family) have witnessed the depths they have gone to further their agendas for ill-gotten gain. It has been ugly, very ugly, and we've all been subjected to their anger and pursuit of revenge in "the storm." We didn't knowingly walk into this "joining" of opposites, but some people do, and there is a price that is paid. Don't ever willingly and stubbornly disobey God's standards. If you ignore God's standards you are inviting discord, hurt, sorrow, tension, regret, and trials into your life.

There is a kind of sorrow God wants. It is a sorrow that causes people to change their hearts and lives. II Corinthians 7:10 - "This leads to salvation, and you cannot be sorry for that." When facing difficulties don't try to pray them away! Learn from them!! What does God want to teach me? Is there anything I am doing that He wants me to stop? Is there anything I'm not doing that I should be doing? Use the sorrow and/or difficulty to propel you towards God. Do whatever it takes, Lord, to draw _____ (insert name) to you. Do whatever it takes, Lord, to draw me closer to you! That kind of sorrow leads to salvation, and you can't be sorry about that!!

Scofield (in Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) KJV) describes separation as being twofold. 1) From—whatever is contrary to the mind of God; and 2) Unto—drawing closer to God. It is impossible for God to bless or use His children who compromise with, or are in complicity with, evil. Impossible. Who would want to willingly remove God's full blessings?

The one way to separate ourselves TO God is to separate ourselves FROM whatever goes against HIS Word and heart. 


Next Entry: II Corinthians 8:1 – 9:15

II Corithians 4:16 – 6:13

April 08, 2013

So, we don't give up. Our physical bodies are six years older, but our spirits are renewed every day. Our troubles are temporary—our reward is eternal. "We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see... we live by what we believe, not by what we can see." (II Corinthians 4:18 & 5:7)

Our lives on earth are fleeting. We should be living to please God whether it be on earth or in heaven. Someday we all will stand before Christ and give an accounting for the things we have done. Because He died for us we should no longer live for ourselves, we should live for Him. If we belong to Christ there should be a visible change, the old should be gone because we are a new creation. All of this happened because God gave Christ as a sacrifice for us. He made peace between us and Himself. And when that happens you can't help but tell others of the peace He gave and we can have. It is our responsibility to tell others. We are His voice and His messenger.

So, we speak, with our words and actions. We "show we are servants of God: in accepting many hard things, in troubles, in difficulties, and in great problems...we show we are servants of God by our pure lives, our understanding, patience, and kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by true love, by speaking the truth, and by God's power. We use our right living to defend ourselves against everything. Some people honor us, but others blame us. Some people say evil things about us, but others say good things. Some people say we are liars, but we speak the truth. We are not known, but are well known. We seem to be dying, but we continue to live. We are punished, but we are not killed. We have much sadness, but we are always rejoicing. We are poor, but we are making many people rich in faith. We have nothing, but really we have everything." (II Corinthians 6:4–10)

We defend ourselves by our right living. We are falsely accused, but we know the truth, and we will stand firm. We will not bend, we will not bow, and we will not break. We were reminded this past week of another scripture we used to quote often but haven't for a while. It is the prayer Elijah prayed before God sent fire down from heaven. It is still our prayer—maybe even more so now.

"Lord, you are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Prove that you are the God of Israel and that I am your servant. Show these people that you commanded me to do all these things. LORD, answer my prayer so these people will know that you LORD, are God and that you will change their minds." I Kings 18:36–37

Amen. Answer our prayer so ALL will know HE is God and HE is the One who saved us. There was no doubt that it was God who sent the fire down and burnt the sacrifice, wood, stones, water, and ground around the altar. May there be no doubt that it was GOD alone who saved us.

Addendum: 4/25/16 ~ I love how Paul said, "We have nothing, but really we have everything." (II Corinthians 6:10) So true. Nothing else matters. Nothing! False accusations, illness, circumstances beyond your control, the morality of our country disappearing, ________ (fill in the blank) all mean nothing when your faith is in Christ. IF—Christ is your salvation and is Lord of your life, THEN—NOTHING else matters. Nothing. Because when you have Christ, you have everything.


Next Entry: II Corinthians 6:14 – 7:16

II Corinthians 3:1 – 4:15

April 05, 2013

"We can say this, because through Christ we feel certain before God. We are not saying that we can do this work ourselves. It is God who makes us able to do all that we do." II Corinthians 3:4-5 

It is God—and God alone—that has enabled us to do all we have done these past six plus years. And if He asks us to enter the slime and filth again He will give us the strength to do so. I hope God's plan does not include going back into the evil mire of "the storm." We believe God's promises so we believe the outcome is certain. II Corinthians 3:12 - "We have this hope so we are very bold." Throughout these six plus years we have not tried to strategize plans or manipulate things to create scenarios which would point to or prove an outcome that we want. We have simply chosen to believe and to have faith in what we believe God has revealed to us. It has been faith—alone.

After the judge made some rulings last Friday some angst began to set in concerning what time consuming "process" might lie ahead. Then Monday God reminded me who we were waiting on. We aren't waiting on a judge—we are waiting on the Lord—and we returned to believing by faith His promises; even if there is more mire to wade through.

This week has been filled with praise and singing. Wednesday (two days ago) some new thoughts began to form in my mind, thoughts I had never considered before. I've been thinking about the amazing things God has already remarkably done for us throughout this long process. Facts and logical examples we can see with our own eyes, things which are now part of history and are logical and factual proof. As I've said before, we are walking this path God has set before us by faith alone, believing in our hearts what we cannot see and looking forward with anticipation to the fulfillment of His promises. But now, God is beginning to have me consider some of the logical and factual things that have already happened, things we have experienced firsthand and have seen with our own eyes.

Yesterday I listed a few of them. We have walked this path entirely by faith, but now we also have the benefit of hindsight and being able to recognize the reality of what has already happened. And it is clear. Past history of God's protection points to God protecting us in the future. For over three years I have written in my journals that we KNOW (by faith and believing alone) that God is going to protect us and fulfill His promises in Psalm 140 which He gave us through Jane. (Her Name Was Jane) But now for the first time, I realize that we don't just KNOW by faith that God is going to protect us, I now realize that God has SHOWN us what HE is going to do—protect us.

To KNOW something in your heart without seeing any proof of it—is faith. We are now able to look back and realize that God has SHOWN us His fulfillment of His promises through actual events—logical and actual proof. Thank you, LORD, for showing me that you have given us proof. through historical facts. Your promises are true. Blessed be the name of the LORD. We will continue to believe.

Throughout scripture God has a history of protecting and providing for His people. i.e. The Israelites, Moses, Abraham, Jacob, David, etc. to name just a few. He never provided for them most of the way and then abandoned them and/or allowed them to fail at the end. I cannot think of one time that happened in scripture as long as His people stayed true to following His commands. God did not protect the Israelites while they were in Egypt; provide protection during Passover; lead them while they were escaping; part the Red Sea so they could cross over on dry land, only to then drown them when they were almost to the other side. What we believed by faith (how many times did I tell people what we believed had NO logic behind it) now also makes logical sense and has been factually proven.

Why would God provide Jane; why would God provide in such a remarkable way a buyer for our joint project that would have provided a way out following biblical principle; why would God have orchestrated the bank to save us from a debt that my brother-in-law had us alone locked into (one year to the day of Jane saying to read Jeremiah 33); why would God bless our business and family so richly these last six plus years; why would God do ALL THAT and then say—Oh, never mind—I am going to allow your sister and brother-in-law's vile plans and false accusations to prevail; I am going to allow you to be found unworthy to carry on my message; I am going to allow you to be found guilty of what my Word calls evil even though you are innocent; and I am going to allow your sister and brother-in-law, by their deceitful practices, to take from you everything I have given you. How or why would that make any sense? I get it that God's ways are not our ways, but logically that makes no sense at all.

While all of this is interesting and a new thought, I am so grateful that our belief first came from faith and faith alone and had nothing to do with logic. We believe in our hearts that God has promised to protect us from my sister and brother-in-law's false accusations. We believe it with all our hearts, and now we also believe it through intellect. But first and foremost—our hearts.

God keeps revealing more and more to us because we are following HIS ways. The exact opposite is true for those who have not surrendered to His ways. II Corinthians 3:14 - "But their minds were closed... that covering is taken away only through Christ." Without Christ there is a covering over their minds. It is only "when a person changes and follows the Lord, that (the) covering is taken away." (II Corinthians 3:16) Then and only then can we be changed to be like Him. When you follow Christ there is no trickery, no manipulation of His Word, no secret or shameful ways. Only truth and honesty. Then all can KNOW who we are, and they can KNOW what kind of people we are in God's sight.

The only ones that cannot see it are those who are lost because "it is hidden only to those who are lost. The devil who rules this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe." (II Corinthians 4:3–4) See writings and Life Lesson for Proverbs 2. God said, "Let the light shine out of the darkness." (II Corinthians 4:6) Jesus is that light. When we reject Him and His ways we reject the light and therefore are only left with darkness.

II Corinthians 4:7–9 - "We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treasure. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us. We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed." (Emphasis mine) "We believe, and so we speak." God raised Jesus from the dead, and He will raise us as well. All of this is being done so that the grace of God will be given more and more and that it will bring "increasing thanks to God for his glory." (II Corinthians 4:13b–15)

We believe with our hearts—so we speak. Our prayer is that God will receive all the honor and glory for what HE has done and for what HE will do.

Addendum: 4/22/16 ~ As I was awakening this morning a song was playing in my mind. Finally the words came to me. Our God Saves It is in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit that there is hope. We come to YOU, Lord. We call on YOU. We fall on YOUR grace. Hear the joyful sound of our offering to YOU. We bow to YOU, Lord. We lift up YOUR name. We will rise with YOU on YOUR wings. And the world will see that OUR GOD SAVES! We give YOU songs of praise, Lord. Thank YOU, Lord. There is hope in YOUR name. Mourning will turn to songs of praise.

LORD, may ALL know that it was YOU who saved us from "the storm." 


Next Entry: II Corinthians 4:16 – 6:13

II Corinthians 2:5–17

April 04, 2013

In I Corinthians 5 Paul tells the believers to put an unrepentant sinner out of the church. In II Corinthians 2, Paul is telling the believers to forgive and accept the repentant person back into their lives. In the one instance the person was unrepentant—and they were to separate. In the other, the person was repentant—and they were to accept him back.

Forgiveness is such an important truth. Even in separation there should be forgiveness. To forgive doesn't mean you accept the other person's actions. To forgive acknowledges that we are not the judge and that Christ forgave us. To harbor resentment and anger only harms yourself and those close to you. It does nothing to the person who inflicted the harm. I've always said it this way, "Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself." Always forgive! Forgive always! You don't forgive by your feelings. You do—and the feelings will follow.

There is victory, and it comes from Christ. II Corinthians 2:14 - "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in victory through Christ. God uses us to spread his knowledge everywhere like a sweet smelling perfume." To those being saved we are the scent of life that brings life, meaning to fellow believers we are an encouragement and reflection of Christ. But to those who have chosen not to follow God's ways we are the stench of death. Christ didn't change and the smell didn't change. What changed was the way the person perceived it. To the believer it is encouragement. To the one who has refused Christ we are a reminder of what they are fighting against and we are repugnant to them.

Paul asks, "So who is able to do this work? We do not sell the word of God for a profit as many other people do. But in Christ we speak the truth before God, as messengers of God." (II Corinthians 2:16–17)

Again—TELL THE STORY! We must tell the story of what God has done. How interesting that II Corinthians 2:17 says they do not sell God's word for a profit. From the time we finally understood we were to tell HIS story and the story of Jane (Her Name Was Jane) we KNEW we were not to personally profit from it. The story isn't ours. The story is God's and God's alone.

*****

I wish I could remember the two songs running through my mind last night. Every time I awoke I would repeat it so I could remember to tell my husband in the morning. But alas, by the time morning came the songs were gone. They both were songs I have not heard in years, and they were both about God's protecting love. God has been reminding us of His faithfulness throughout this process. Jane; providing a buyer for our joint project (refused by my sister and brother-in-law); God's protection exactly one year from Jane's last God-given words of restoration; blessing our business; blessing our family; and that is just part of the list. HE is in control—and we trust Him. He did not separate the waters and have us walk on dry land only to drown us as we near shore. 

God, we continue to believe. LORD, rise up, face the enemy and throw them down. Save us, O LORD, by your sword. Save us, O LORD, by your power. Amen.

Addendum: 4/15/16 ~  I'm in II Corinthians already!! I only have two more journals to transcribe. How can that be? Everything seems to be moving along at break-neck speed. Our Praise Shelter is coming along. The structure is finished. The old street brick fireplace is finished. The engraved stones are finished. Now it is time for me to start laying the street brick and cobblestone "floor." On one hand it is very exciting to see everything coming together and close to completion. On the other hand, I want to yell SLOW DOWN!! There are mixed emotions as we realize this portion of our journey is nearing an end. What happens next? When do I uncheck the private box and check the public box instead on this blog?

Of course we want the lawsuit to be over, but we don't want the days of grace for my sister and brother-in-law to run out. This morning as I was walking and praying I said the same prayer we have prayed for years now: LORD, may my sister and brother-in-law understand that without you they are nothing, and may they desire nothing but you. As I prayed that last line, I recalled an article I read which they (my sister and brother-in-law) wrote for an online forum where my brother-in-law made the statement "living the lifestyle I desired so much." He was referring to wealth, success, exotic vacations and lavish lifestyles. What a contrast to what we have been praying for them these last nine years. What a chasm between their desires for wealth and our prayer that they would desire nothing but God. Goodness.

Francis Chan does a great illustration of what is truly important. Watch it here. Life is short—eternity is forever. 

II Corinthians 2:14–16 contains some very interesting thoughts. When we spread His knowledge we are like a sweet smelling perfume and it is an offering to God. It is pleasing to God like the smell of the burnt offerings of the Old Testament. It is also pleasing to other believers, but to the non-believer (or the religious unbeliever) we are a stench. This explains so much. It's easy sometimes to wonder why there are some people who just really seem to dislike you for no apparent reason. The answer is found right here—we are a stench to them! Not because of who we are but because of whose we are. It is the heart of the person that determines whether the aroma is sweet smelling or a stench. What is sweet smelling to God and His followers is repulsive to the world.  


Next Entry: II Corinthians 3:1 – 4:15

II Corinthians 1:1 – 2:4

April 03, 2013

God has a purpose for everything that happens in our lives and it is always twofold: 1) for us; and 2) for others.

Paul tells the people in Corinth, "God is the Father who is full of mercy and all comfort. He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us." Paul goes on, "We had great burdens there that were beyond our own strength. We even gave up hope of living. Truly, in our own hearts we believed we would die. But this happened so we would not trust in ourselves but in God, who raises people from the dead. God saved us from these great dangers of death, and he will continue to save us. We have put our hope in him, and he will save us again. And you can help us with your prayers. Then many people will give thanks for us—that God blessed us because of their many prayers." (II Corinthians 1:8–11)

When "the storm" first started, it felt very overwhelming in many ways. How could a sister and brother-in-law do this? There were physical, financial, emotional, and time requirements. We can now look back at all that was involved with the lawsuit and say "thank goodness for the lawsuit" because while we believe the Lord has promised us His protection from it, the single most important thing He saved us from was self-sufficiency. And that is what Paul is saying, "This happened so we would not trust in ourselves but in God." In our culture we are taught it is a good thing to be self-sufficient, but there is nothing more dangerous or contrary to Scripture than "self" being in charge. We are to be God-reliant NOT self-sufficient. In ALL things—dependence on God.

The greatest danger we faced was ourselves, and God saved us (and continues to save us) from that trap. Our hope is in HIM. He will save us from the trap set by others. I have written, "Tell the story!" by this section. We must tell the entirety of His story throughout this process. I'm pretty sure I have shared this part before, but clear back when we first realized we were supposed to tell God's story, I wondered how in the world it could be done without telling the messy and petty details of the lawsuit. Then a year or so ago, as I was in the shower and thinking about God's story, I literally laughed out loud when I realized HIS story has nothing to do with the details of the lawsuit!!

What an amazing journey this has been!! Our hearts are honest and sincere. (I Corinthians 1:12) We have no ulterior motives. Our consciences are clear. Everything we are and have accomplished is because of God's grace and not earthly wisdom. II Corinthians 1:22 - "He put his mark on us to show that we are His, and he put his Spirit in our hearts to be a guarantee for all he has promised." Amen. Thank you, Jesus.

From Life Lesson: God's comfort and deliverance are certainties, even in the middle of difficult trials. We can confidently rely upon him as we make our plans.

"God is good and all-knowing... nothing catches him by surprise. God knows... he is working." ~ From On Eagle's Wings by Dave Veerman

Next Entry: II Corinthians 2:5–17

I Corinthians 16:1–24

April 02, 2013

Paul finishes his letter to the people in Corinth:

"Be alert. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage, and be strong. Do everything in love." (Verse 13–14)

A few verses later Paul also includes a warning:

"If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be separated from God—lost forever! Come, O Lord!" (Verse 22)

What a contrast of statements. What a difference in realities. What we sow we reap. What we receive in this life and the hereafter is a direct result of the choices we make.

 

Blessings—verses—Curses 

I've just went back and re-read Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26. You can read what I wrote about those chapters here: Deuteronomy 28; and Deuteronomy 28 (Continued); Leviticus 26; Leviticus 26 (Continued); and Leviticus 26 (Continued). Why would you ever choose to live on the "curses" side of the equation? The simple answer all boils down to one thing: selfish pride and a refusal to surrender to God's authority. The rich young ruler obeyed the horizontal (relationship-to-man) commandments (5–10), but he could not bring himself to surrender to the vertical (relationship-to-God) commandments (1– 4).

While someone is still alive there is always hope. 

"But maybe the people will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors; maybe they will admit they turned against me and sinned against me... if these disobedient people are sorry for what they did and accept punishment for their sin, I will remember my agreement... I am the LORD." Leviticus 26:40–45

Hope.  Until the final breath there is hope.


Next Entry: II Corinthians 1:1 – 2:4

I Corinthians 15:1–58

April 01, 2013

Sunday morning came. Yesterday we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord and Savior. I Corinthians 15 talks about the Good News of Christ. I Corinthians 15:2 - "You are being saved by it if you continue believing what I told you. If you do not then you believed for nothing." We will continue to believe, not only in God's salvation power, but also in the promises He has given us.

Our Pastor spoke yesterday about following Jesus to—LIFE. Jesus wants to move people from Death to Life, and He does that one person at a time. Christ isn't concerned with how many days we live. He is most concerned with HOW we lived our days. Then our Pastor pointed out three truths:

1. He sees your need
2. He feels your pain
3. He helps clean up your messes

God has come to help His people.

Our hope is in the LORD, for this life AND for eternity. Death came because of what one man (Adam) did. Life came because of what one man (Jesus) did. Paul admonished the people in Corinth to not stop believing in the raising of the dead. I Corinthians 15:33 - "Bad friends will ruin good habits." Don't be fooled. I Corinthians 33:34 - "Come back to your right way of thinking and stop sinning. Some of you do not know God – I say this to shame you." Sin and death have NO power over us. Christ has won the victory. I Corinthians 33:57–58 - "But we thank God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ... stand strong. Do not let anything change you... give yourselves fully to the work... (it) is never wasted."

Our spirits are quieted this morning. As I was in the shower this morning, God reminded me of this truth: We are not waiting on a judge. We are waiting on the LORD!!! It's amazing how God renews your strength when you obey His word and keep putting one foot in front of the other in obedience to Him. Any "angst" we felt—is gone! This is not our problem to handle—it is His. He will give us whatever we need to faithfully complete this path that HE has us on. And we are willing to let go—and let God. Praise the Lord!


Next Entry: I Corinthians 16:1–24

Sunday is Coming!

March 30, 2013

Yesterday was Good Friday. Jesus' followers didn't know that Sunday was coming. They had to live through three long and dark days of fear, disappointment, and not knowing what their future was going to hold. We have the benefit of looking back and KNOWING that Sunday is coming. The wait can seem long and there may be anxiety at times, but this one thing we KNOW—Sunday is coming. Jesus did rise from the dead and He is our Savior.

Last night our lawyer called us at 8:00 PM. The judge ruled on two of our motions. He approved our refiling of our response to the Summary Judgment motion and also agreed to hear arguments for a judge—verses—jury trial. The communique said his decision would be sent separately. Our lawyer feels his decision could be soon as in maybe Monday, or it could be a year from now.

My hearts starts pounding when I think about what may lie ahead. I so do not want to immerse myself into all of my sister and brother-in-law's lies and filth again—but I will do it if that is what God is calling me to do. I so do not want to sit across a courtroom from my sister as they spew out false accusation and we try to expose their lies—but I will do it if that is what God is calling me to do. For the last several days, my husband and I have been praying a scripture we used to quote often.

"Lord, rise up, face the enemy and throw them down. Save me from the wicked by your sword. Lord, save my by your power."  Psalm 17:13

We want it to be clear to ALL that it was/is the LORD who saves us. When looking up the reference for that verse, I came across Psalm 7 and 8; my husband's "aha" moment. It was where we were reading on the morning of my sister and brother-in-law's depositions back in January of 2009. The Life Lesson sent us to read Psalm 140:12 - "I KNOW the LORD will get justice for the poor and will defend the needy in court."

Psalm 7

"LORD my God, I trust in you for protection. Save me and rescue me from those who are chasing me. Otherwise, like a lion they will tear me apart. They will rip me to pieces, and no one can save me.

LORD my God, what have I done? Have my hands done something wrong? Have I done wrong to my friend or stolen without reason from my enemy? If I have, let my enemy chase me and capture me. Let him trample me into the dust and bury me in the ground.

LORD, rise up in your anger; stand up against my enemies' anger. Get up and demand fairness. Gather the nations around you and rule them from above. LORD, judge the people. LORD, defend me because I am right, because I have done no wrong, God Most High. God, you do what is right. You know our thoughts and feelings. Stop those wicked actions done by evil people, and help those who do right.

God protects me like a shield; he saves those whose hearts are right. God judges by what is right, and God is always ready to punish the wicked. If they do not change their lives, God will sharpen his sword; he will string his bow and take aim. He has prepared his deadly weapons; he has made his flaming arrows.  

There are people who think up evil and plan trouble and tell lies. They dig a hole to trap others, but they will fall into it themselves. They will get themselves into trouble; the violence they cause will hurt only themselves.

I praise the LORD because he does what is right. I sing praises to the LORD Most High."

Psalm 8

"O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens. From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger.

When I consider you heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?  You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler over the works of you hands, you put everything under his feet: all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the fields, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the path of the seas.  

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth."

Life Lesson for Psalm 7:1 – 8:9  "Depend on God to bring justice. God judges perfectly when you are falsely accused."

"There is not a crisis that goes beyond the bounds of God's creative power... it is the prerogative of God to rearrange, reconstruct, reinterpret, and realign the situation to bring glory and praise to His Name... since God is just all that He permits is consistent with His justice... God's justice guarantees that ultimately all that is unfair will be dealt with... it is only safe to realize that God is just and that in His time and in His own way He will deal with both the injustice and those who have been unjust."~  From The Upside of Down by Joseph Stowell

LORD, Rise up face the enemy and throw them down. Save us by your sword. Save us by your power.

Addendum: 4/13/16 ~  I am just SO thankful this morning. As I was proofing this entry I started to sing the Doxology in my mind. Praise God from Whom ALL Blessings Flow! My heart is just full of gratitude, with no words adequate to express the worship I feel towards the God of ALL creation. Emanuel—GOD WITH US!  


Next Entry: I Corinthians 15:1–58

I Corinthians 14:1–40

March 29, 2013

Speaking in tongues: Between you and God; does not build other people up; and is a witness for non-believers.

Prophesying: Spirit led for the purpose of building up people. It is for people who believe.

"I would rather speak five words I understand in order to teach others than thousands of words in a different language." I Corinthians 14:19

Prophecy is meant to give strength, encouragement, comfort, build up the whole church, and to reveal new truth or new knowledge, which is an accurate description of what Jane E. Wolfe (Her Name Was Jane) did for us. I never thought of it in that way until I heard our daughter-in-law say she had told someone about Jane prophesying—and I realized she was right.

God used Jane to prophecy words of strength, comfort, hope, encouragement, and new truths and knowledge. We have said from early on that the single most important thing Jane taught us was the importance of praise—first and foremost. We (my husband and I) have been part of the church our whole lives. We were both saved by God's grace as children. Yet, we had either totally missed or didn't understand the full concept of "praise." Praise is ALL about WHO God is. It is not about what He has done for you—that is thankfulness.

Next time you are in a church setting listen carefully to the "praises" people give. They most often sound something like this: "God has done such and such for me"; "God answered my prayer for _______"; "I'm so blessed", etc. Me, my, and I. The "praises" are really about us. There is a difference between thankfulness for what he has done for us and praising Him for who HE is.

Praise is exemplified in Psalm 150 and Psalm 8. In Psalm 8 it says that God "ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." In this world we are going to have troubles and opposition. We will have foes (enemies that are many times hostile) and avengers (someone who tries to get revenge for themselves and seeks to punish others). Because of what God knew we would face, HE ordained (ordered; fixed; decided; appointed; decreed; prescribed) PRAISE as a way to silence those who attack us. This is a HUGE concept. When someone sets out to attack you, as a foe and avenger, they want two things: 1) harm you now; 2) harm you later. They want to inflict punishment NOW and then ultimately cause destruction as soon as they can down the road. PRAISE prevents that from happening. It blocks (silences) their evil intentions.

We have been the targets of my sister and brother-in-law's attacks for over six years now—BUT—because of Jane teaching us this new truth/knowledge, the attacks they have sent our way have not harmed us. Nothing they have thrown at us has stuck; everything has literally rolled off of us. PRAISE THE NAME OF JESUS!! He is our ROCK. He is our COMFORTER. He is our SHIELD. He is our DELIVERER. He is our LORD. He is our SAVIOR. Psalm 8:1 - "O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth."

LORD, thank you for Jane's faithfulness in serving you. Thank you, for her words of encouragement, hope, comfort, strength, and revelation of new truths and knowledge. May YOUR name be praised forevermore.

Addendum:  4/7/16 ~ Praise doesn't stop the foe or avenger's actions. Instead, PRAISE stops the intents of their actions. Their intent is to put you in bondage to them and their threats, but man CANNOT put into bondage the one whom God has set free. PRAISE reminds you of whose you are and that understanding silences their actions and frees you from their intentions. The poison from their arrows cannot penetrate and harm you because PRAISE becomes the shield from which God forms a protective barrier between you and them. They can hurl anything they want—but as long as you remain focused on WHO God is—fear and anxiety CANNOT take hold. PRAISE keeps your heart and mind balanced, focused, and gives you perspective and peace. When you even begin to grasp who HE is, who or what the avenger is attempting becomes irrelevant.

John 8:36 - "So if the Son sets you free you are free indeed."


Next Entry: Sunday is Coming! 

I Corinthians 12:31b – 13:13

March 28, 2013

A noisy resounding gong, or a crashing clanging cymbal. That is what we are if we don't have charity (Christian love) for our fellow man. We can have all sorts of gifts; we can attain great knowledge; we can possess great faith; but without charity for others—it is worth nothing. We can do outward "good" things by giving to the poor and even offering of ourselves as a way to boast, but again, it is worth nothing without charity for others from a pure heart.

Charity (love) is: patient; kind; not jealous (wants the best for others and is genuinely happy for the accomplishments of others); does not brag (lifts others up, not self); is not proud (is humble); is not rude (is considerate); is not selfish (is giving); does not get upset with others (is patient and understanding); does not count up wrongs (is forgiving); is not happy with evil (rejoices with truth); patiently accepts all things (does not need to assert authority or be in control); it always trusts (is not suspicious); always hopes (thinks the best); always remains strong (does not give up); never ending (is everlasting). Everything else will end, but love remains. We see dimly now but there will come a day when we shall see clearly. Now we see only a part, but then we will fully understand.

A noisy, irritating bell. A clashing cymbal! Fingernails on a chalkboard. All descriptions of someone who doesn't have charity (love) verses the beautiful description of someone who does have charity. I want to be known as someone who is gentle, kind, forgiving, etc.

I Corinthians 13:13 - "So these three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love."


Next Entry: I Corinthians 14:1–40

I Corinthians 11:2-34 – 12:1-31a

March 27, 2013

One Spirit; different gifts; different ways to serve; and different ways that God works through people. BUT! There is only ONE God and ONE purpose: to bring honor and glory to Him.

Today is Holy Week. I Corinthians 11 talks about being under authority and the Lord's Supper. I Corinthians 11:28 says - "Look into your own hearts before you eat the bread and drink the cup."

• Do I know of any unconfessed sins?
• Am I using my gifts for Him?
• Is there anything He wants me to change?
• Can He use me like He wants?
• What am I not doing that He wants me to do?
• What am I doing that He doesn't want me to do?

God wants us to take a look at our own lives; a serious, introspective review of our lives. What is it that God sees when He judges us? God is a just judge and He will go to great lengths for our souls. I Corinthians 11:32 - "When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world."

"We are to follow him...to the cross." (A quote from our Pastor)

We know about Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, but there is much we can learn from the rest of Holy Week as well.  

Sunday
     Jesus rode on a borrowed donkey.  He is teaching us about obedience, humility, and servanthood.
Monday
     Jesus teaches that the temple must be clean. We need to have personal holiness.
Tuesday
     Jesus rebukes the fig tree for not producing. We have a purpose, we need to have faith, and we should be producing fruit.
Wednesday
     Silence.  Be still and KNOW that I am God.
Thursday
     Jesus—as the Lamb of God—shares the Passover. We are to become one with Him.


Next Entry: I Corinthians 12:31b – 13:13

I Corinthians 10:1 – 11:1

March 26, 2013

• Don't be ignorant of the facts!
• You do reap what you sow. 
• Don't count on a "religious heritage" or "religious knowledge."  

Look at the Israelites. They were all part of God's chosen people. They were all under God's protective cloud. They all crossed through the Red Sea. But, they did not all make it to the Promised Land.

Because of their sins, many of them died. They were held accountable for their actions even though they were God's chosen people. We can't put our faith or confidence in who we are, we can only rely on whose we are.  I Corinthians 10:12 - "If you think you are strong, you should be careful not to fall." When you think you have it all together is when you are the most vulnerable and at risk, because it has become about who you are and not whose you are. When our eyes are on him, HE will give us the strength to withstand whatever comes our way.

"You can trust God, who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand. But when you are tempted, he will also give you a way to escape so that you will be able to stand it." I Corinthians 10:13

It's not about us—it is about HIM. It's not about our wants and wishes—it is about the "good of others." Whatever we do—"Do it ALL for the glory of God."


Next Entry: I Corinthians 11:2 – 12:31a 

The New Beginning: The Path Unfolds

Excerpt from I Corinthians 8:1 – 9:27 originally written on March 20, 2013:

Jane's story—the story about God's faithfulness during these last six years. I haven't written much about what I know God is asking me to do lately, but that isn't because I no longer believe I am supposed to write or tell His story. Quite the contrary. It is not my choice—it is my duty. On my own I would have no desire to write, but it is not my story—it is His—and I have no right to refuse to tell it. It is my duty. So, LORD, I am available. I will accept my duty. I will wait for your guidance and direction. When you are ready, we will start. It will be "we," your words and my pencil. This isn't a path I would have chosen, but I accept the path and will walk in it. And I will give you my best.

Reading what I wrote in 2013 brings tears to my eyes. I just had NO idea! NO idea at all of God's future plans for my journals. I'm actually grateful I didn't know. I had no plans, agenda, or aspirations, so I wasn't writing for any purpose or motive. I was just reading the Bible and writing my personal thoughts. NEVER did I imagine it was anything more than that.

What a journey it has been:   

• Knowing—I was to begin keeping a journal in late 2009
• Starting—the process of obedience feeling so unsure and timid
• Innocently—thinking my journey of reading through the Bible and writing about what I was learning was private and personal
• Fearful—when I learned my private thoughts from Genesis to II Chronicles 11:17 would have to be given to the very people who were seeking our ruin
• Thankful—when I realized what I feared was actually a gift from God to give me a voice
• Grateful—for God extending His grace to my sister and brother-in-law and putting HIS words directly into their hands
• Cautious—as I began to write again after taking a break while my journals were being copied and prepared to be sent
• Choosing—to listen to and believe God's promises
• Refusing—to cave in to "what-if" fears
• Deciding—to continue to follow His path; no matter what
• Surprised—when we began to feel we should be praying about a NEW BEGINNING
• Confused—what did a NEW BEGINNING mean?
• Astounded—to look back and see HIS Hand working as HE slowly began to reveal what the NEW BEGINNING meant and to see the progression of the steps HE was leading us on.  

We were walking on the NEW BEGINNING path without even realizing it. The path didn't begin to become clear until I began to record my untitled journal entries into this blog.

None of the following entries had a title in my journal. They were just my thoughts written over a seven month period of time beginning in July of 2012 to February 2013. They were not part of my normal Bible reading or writings about specific chapters. Since they didn't fit within a scripture reference I wasn't quite sure what to do with them when I began to enter them into Blogger three years after they were written.

The entries needed to have a title, so as I recorded them, I would add a title. It was like pieces of a puzzle coming together when I realized the entries showed a pattern and progression of steps. My untitled journal entries were all part of the NEW BEGINNING! It was an "Oh.My.Goodness" moment. When I realized my newly titled entries were all part of the NEW BEGINNING path, I went back and added "The New Beginning" to each of the titles.

The New Beginning: Where and How it Began
The New Beginning: Out With the Old
The New Beginning: There Must Be a R.O.M.
The New Beginning: A Role to Play
The New Beginning: Just Do It!
The New Beginning: Don't Look Back
The New Beginning: We Are Crossing the Jordan
The New Beginning: Keep Moving Forward
The New Beginning: Tell His Story
The New Beginning: No Matter What—Follow Me
The New Beginning: Momentum is Building
The New Beginning: We Are Being Prepared to be Sent Out!
The New Beginning: Go—Serve

We were randomly "pressed in the Spirit" to begin praying about a NEW BEGINNING. We didn't have a clue what that meant. But now we understand God was guiding us down a path without us even knowing it.

Between when the NEW BEGINNING journal entries were handwritten in 2012 and when they were entered into Blogger in 2016, a lot more of the path was revealed.         

• Discovering—the path we are on is not a "trial," it is a trail. The Journey: Part One 
• Amazed—by the relevance and importance of the missed chapters in II Chronicles that I didn't write about until completing Revelations. The Lost Chapters: Preview 
• Stunned—by how God chose to end my journey through the entire Bible. The Lost Chapters: Review
• Shaken—when I started to question what I was to do with my journals
• Driven— to my knees seeking to understand HIS will
• Praying—for wisdom LORD – What Am I to Do? 
• Recognizing—that Time Is of NO Importance, it is the journey that matters
• Discerning—where the journey was leading. The LORD Answers! 
• Willing—to do whatever HE wants me to do
• Understanding it is ALL about Him. I Didn't Know—BUT GOD DID!
• Believing—His promises are true
• Praising—HIS Holy Name!  

We have been on quite the journey. God's hand has guided us the entire way. It will be interesting to see what else we uncover in His plans as I continue recording the rest of my journals.

It is ALL about Him. I am willing. I will follow Him wherever He leads.

Addendum:  9/19/16 ~ The New Beginning: Wait For His Justice  


Next Entry: I Corinthians 10:1 – 11:1

I Corinthians 8:1 – 9:27

March 20, 2013

I Corinthians 8:2 - "If you think you know something you do not yet know anything as you should." It's not about us! It is ALL about Him. I've always said it this way—you don't know what you don't know. It's not about our abilities that we can use for Him. It is about being available for Him to use us! And the only way for Him to use us in the way that most pleases Him, is for us to understand that principle. To accept the

God

↓

Man

relationship. It isn't because of our knowledge and our abilities that He should be glad we are on His team. It is because He is our Savior that we should be willing to give up all, follow Him, and be available for whatever position and role HE wants us to play in furthering HIS kingdom and to bring honor and glory to HIM. It isn't what we know, it is being KNOWN by Him.  

"If you think you know something, you do not yet know anything as you should. But if any person loves God, that person is known by God... for there is only one God—our Father. All things come from him, and we live for him And there is only one Lord—Jesus Christ. All things were made through him, and we also were made through him." I Corinthians 8:2–6

It's not about us, it is about Him.

I Corinthians 9:16–17 - really spoke to me. It clearly articulates my feelings. "Telling the Good News does not give me any reason for bragging. Telling the Good News is my duty—something I must do. And how terrible for me if I do not tell the Good News. If I preach because it is my choice, I have a reward. But if I preach and it is not my choice to do so, I am only doing the duty that was given to me." And then, the "reward" is the Lord's, and all honor and glory is HIS.

Jane's story—the story about God's faithfulness during these last six years. I haven't written much about what I know God is asking me to do lately, but that isn't because I no longer believe I am supposed to write or tell His story. Quite the contrary. It is not my choice—it is my duty. On my own I would have no desire to write, but it is not my story—it is His—and I have no right to refuse to tell it. It is my duty. So, LORD, I am available. I will accept my duty. I will wait for your guidance and direction. When you are ready, we will start. It will be "we," your words and my pencil. This isn't a path I would have chosen, but I accept the path and will walk in it. And I will give you my best.


Next Entry: The New Beginning: The Path Unfolds

I Corinthians 7:1–40

March 19, 2013

Chapter 7 talks about marriage. We've just celebrated 40 years together with our family trip to Florida. I'm so grateful that our marriage relationship is based upon our mutual love of God—He is the head of our marriage. The best way to show how that works is the picture of a triangle:

The closer each of you become to God the closer you become to each other,  and the end result is a happy marriage. John Garmo in Lifestyle Worship says it this way:

"...if you and your spouse allow lifestyle worship to permeate your marriage, you will save yourselves a lot of grief and anxiety and give yourselves a lot of joy and peace. And God will be glorified in you."

Chapter 7 also talks about being single. Jane (Her Name Was Jane) has the following phrases underlined in her KJV:

• "But every man hath his proper gift of God" 
• "But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called everyone, so let him walk"
• "therein abide with God" 
• "(the unmarried woman) careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in both body and in spirit" 
• "(that ye) may attend upon the Lord without distraction" 
• "only in the Lord"  

That is how Jane lived her life.

Whatever we have been called to do "the important thing is obeying God's commands." (I Corinthians 7:19)


Next Entry: I Corinthians 8:1 – 9:27

I Corinthians 5:1 – 6:20 (Continued)

March 18, 2013

I Corinthians 6. I can't believe I have come this far in the Journal and it is actually time to write about I Corinthians 6. And amazingly—the lawsuit is still ongoing. Chapter 6 is so clear: DO NOT resort to lawsuits to settle you differences. DO NOT!!

It can't get any clearer than that!! DO NOT!! People who profess to be followers of Christ have NO business using the world's court system as a way to further their own agendas. Chapter 6 says even the least capable person in the church should have the ability to discern what should be done when there is a dispute between believers.

After my sister and brother-in-law rejected God's way out (the sale of our joint project to a 3rd party for over 1 million dollars), God opened other doors for a resolution—again using His ways. I've written about this before. Our Pastor offered to facilitate arbitration (using someone of their choice from a Christian organization they said they were affiliated with), exactly following God's plan for the settlement of disputes among professed believers. And God's way was flatly rejected again (for the second time) and soon after they filed this lawsuit against us.

Oh, how this must have grieved the heart of the LORD. He already knew what we didn't know—the truth. He was not surprised by my sister and brother-in-law's actions and in His Sovereignty, all the pieces of the puzzle were in place. The Appalachian Trail; our Christmas morning visits to a local nursing home; and Jane E. Wolfe was re-positioned and now living in Indiana. Everything was perfectly aligned and ready. His precious promise of protection was given soon after.

"I know the LORD will get justice for the poor and will defend the needy in court. Good people will praise his name; honest people will live in his presence." Psalm 140:12

Chapter 6 says that the very fact that you decide to use the world's court system to try and gain your objectives shows you are already defeated. It goes on to ask why are you seeking revenge? Why do you need to be in control? If you have been wronged—what is wrong with letting God handle the perceived wrong? If you've been cheated—what is wrong with letting God take care of making the injustice right? The same type of person who must be in charge and on the offensive, is the same type of person who is doing the wrong and doing the cheating, all the while calling themselves "believers." They are doing this to other believers in front of unbelievers thereby making a mockery of God. (See John 13:34–35)

Chapter 6 goes on: Surely you know—

"Surely you know that the people who do wrong will not inherit God's kingdom. Do not be fooled." I Corinthians 6:9

Do not be fooled into thinking you can do whatever you want to do, whenever you want to do it and not be held accountable. Do not be fooled. Accountability will happen. God's will, not ours—WILL be done. And God will not be mocked. So here we are, almost six years since "the storm" began and the lawsuit continues on. It will be interesting to see what all transpires in the future. Our hands are off. We don't know the "how" or "when," but by faith we believe we've been promised the "what."

"But we say, You O Lord are our God. Hear O Lord our cry for mercy. O Sovereign Lord, our strong Deliverer, who shields our heads in the days of battle. Do not grant the wicked their desires O Lord. Do not let their plans succeed or they will become proud. Let the heads of those who surround us be covered with the trouble their lips have caused. Let burning coals fall on them; may they be thrown into the fire, into miry pits never to rise. Let slanderers not be established in the land; may disaster hunt down men of violence. I KNOW that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. Surely the righteous will praise your name and the upright will live before you." Psalm 140:6–13

I KNOW—the only thing Jane has marked in her KJV Bible for Psalm 140. We believe! We know!

Hebrews 11:1 - Faith means being sure of the things we hope for and knowing that something is real even if we do not see it.

Addendum: 4/3/16 ~  The phrase "...shows you are already defeated" keeps resonating in my mind and spirit. Shows you are already defeated; shows you are already defeated; shows you are already defeated.

Oh my. I'm beginning to understand some things in a new light. To use the world's court system shows you are no longer following Christ's teachings; shows you are not surrendered to the Lordship of Christ; shows you are no longer living a victorious Christian life; and shows you are already defeated. It isn't the cause of a failed Christian life, it is instead showing the result of a refusal to surrender your will to HIS ways.

It goes back to what I wrote about why my sister and brother-in-law chose to use the world's court system in an addendum I wrote for Acts 18:1–28 (Continued).

It is even more frightening when you look at the "why" behind their decisions. Of course they chose the world's way. How could they not? It was their ONLY option. In God's design for solving disputes there is NO defense for lies, cheating, devious conduct, evil traps, stealing, etc. Those things have NO place in a Believer's life. To chose God's ways would have meant "change your hearts and lives and get a new way of thinking." They purposely have rejected God's ways and incredibly, they have also rejected any solution the world's way has offered because it didn't include them winning ALL. Throughout this whole process, my sister and brother-in-law have consistently exhibited one attitude, which our lawyer has accurately characterized as, "We win, you lose—you choose."

They couldn't use God's design and have a defense for their lies and trickery. To use God's design would have meant they had to give up the evil agenda they'd spent years putting into place. And the result of their refusal to surrender their will to God's will is that the world's way was their ONLY option, which in turn "shows you are already defeated."

That is a staggering thought to me. Like I have said before, back in 2004 when we began our joint project, and continuing on to the start of the breakdown in early 2007, we felt we were like-minded and equal in spiritual values and beliefs with my sister and brother-in-law or we would have NEVER entered into any type of joint business venture with them. As the truth slowly began to be revealed we KNEW we could not remain linked with them in any way. Even now, with the benefit of hindsight, it is still staggering to me as I continue to comprehend the depth of differences between us.

They didn't get "off track" and file a lawsuit. Their capability to resort to a lawsuit against a sister and brother-in-law was the result of life choices made contrary to God's Word—for years!!! Their decision to file a lawsuit didn't put them in the ditch. The filing of this lawsuit shows they had been in the ditch for years!!

The decisions they made were so baffling to us. We couldn't understand why they just didn't seem to respond in ways that followed conventional wisdom and would have been in their best interest. Why the over-the-top method of trickery? Why all the broken promises? Why the threats? Why the refusal of an arbitrator? Why the refusal of a Pastor's counsel? Why not sell our joint project to an outside investor for over a million dollars? Why a lawsuit? Why not mediation? Why not buy us out? Why not sell to us?  Why not accept a settlement? Why not accept what the judge said? Why the attitude of "we win, you lose—you choose"? Why? Why does there still seem to be no sense of personal responsibility? Why do they blame us for their own multiple failed business ventures? Why all the lies to us, the banks, the courts, and other "investors"? Why? How can someone call themselves "Christ-followers" and make these kind of choices? And continue to make them? How? Why?

Chapter 6 says that using the world's court system "shows you are already defeated." But, you don't have to remain defeated. Stop! Turn! Change your hearts! Get a new way of thinking! The results will change when the heart is changed!

I was thinking all these thoughts, and then at church this morning, our Pastor ended his message with an admonition that was just eight words long but felt like—WHAM!

Our Pastor was relating the story of Alexander the Great and how he found a soldier sleeping on his watch. The soldier's name was also Alexander. Alexander the Great, appalled at the behavior of this soldier who shared his name, told the soldier to either change his name or change his conduct. Our Pastor paraphrased Alexander the Great's response to the soldier and said:

"Christian!  Change your name or change your conduct!"    

Wham! There it is in a nutshell. If we call ourselves Christian we better act like it—at all times. If our conduct is not "Christian" then we have a choice. Either change our conduct so our actions are befitting of our name—OR—face the truth, get rid of the false name, and quit faking it. It's one or the other.

Our actions DO speak louder than words. "Christian! Change your name or change your conduct!" 


 Next Entry: I Corinthians 7:1–40