II Chronicles 35:1 – 36:1

July 23, 2014

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

Then thirteen years later...

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

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

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

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


Next Entry: II Chronicles 36:2–23

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

July 22, 1014

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

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

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

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


Next Entry: II Chronicles 34:1–33 

II Chronicles 25:1 – 26:23

July 18, 2014

Amaziah becomes king. He does what is right, but it is more out of duty than a passion to follow the LORD's commands. When Amaziah became established, he held those who had killed his father accountable. He followed the laws of Moses and did not hold the children accountable for the actions of their parents.

Amaziah prepares his soldiers for battle. He also hires 100,000 soldiers from Israel for 75 pounds of silver. A man of God comes to him and says—what are you doing? Don't let the men from Israel go with you. Why are you trusting men instead of God? "You can make yourself strong for war, but God will defeat you. He has the power to help you or to defeat you." Amaziah says—but what about the money I have already spent? And the man of God replies—walk away from it. "The LORD can give you much more than that."

God has the power to help you OR defeat you. Put your faith and trust in Him. Rely on HIM, and only Him. It is HIS battle.

So Amaziah goes to war without the hired men and God provides the victory. But THEN, Amaziah brings home the idols of the people he defeated and started worshiping them. Why? Why would he do that? I've always said the most dangerous time isn't when you are facing a battle bigger than yourself because you know you need God's help. The danger comes when the battle has been won and you forget it was God who won the battle. The focus becomes, "look what I have done" instead of, "look what God has done."

Amaziah starts worshiping the idols that could not save those he had attacked and God had beaten. The LORD was very angry and sent a prophet to talk to him. Have you noticed that God always sent someone to warn people when they were getting off track? Unfortunately, it made Amaziah mad and he did not repent. His response was basically, "Who are you to tell me what to do?"

God provides each of us the opportunity for change, but the decision to listen and obey falls entirely upon our own shoulders.

Amaziah would not listen. He tried to align himself with Israel again. Instead of being joined with Israel he was defeated by Israel. He was captured by his enemies, and later he was hunted down and killed by his own people. "God caused all this to happen" because he sought help from others instead of God. Why? Why? Why? Why are some people so stubborn?

We all need to let go (of our pride) and let (surrender to) God.

Uzziah becomes king. He does what the LORD said was right. "As long as Uzziah obeyed the LORD, God gave him success." Therein lies the true secret to success. It is not our own abilities, but God's response to our servant-hood. Unfortunately, when Uzziah became powerful, "His pride led to his ruin." He became unfaithful to God and he thought he was above the rules. Only the priests were allowed to burn incense on the altar, but Uzziah decided that he would do it. The priests tried to warn him, "You have been unfaithful, and the LORD God will not honor you for this." Uzziah wouldn't listen. He became angry and he did what he wanted to do. Because of his actions, Uzziah developed a skin disease and he could no longer live in the palace. He was separated from being around other people for the rest of his life.

The most dangerous time is not when we are in a crisis. The most dangerous time is when things are going well.

LORD, I want to finish strong! May we follow hard after you now and when "the storm" is over.

From the Life Lesson in my Bible – "The humble are always at peace; the proud are often envious and angry." ~ From The Imitation of Christ by Thomas Kempis.

In my Bible margins I have written – "Isn't that amazing! The very thing they think will bring them stature and control actually binds them in a prison. A self made prison of envy and jealousy. What they thought would bring freedom is instead an albatross. A goal or "feeling" that can never be attained."

II Chronicles 25:9 - "...the LORD is able to give thee much more than this." Jane (Her Name Was Jane) has written in her KJV margins – Much More!  See Romans 5 - Uncle Amos's "much more's."

Addendum: 4/12/15 ~ "Walk away from it...the LORD can give you much more." Luke 6:38 - "Give, and you will receive. You will be given much. Pressed down, shaken together, and running over, it will spill into your lap. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you." We are watching this happen. "The storm" has battered our finances. In our human minds we think, but how can we be restored? How could that happen? How would God be able to do that? See II Kings 6:8 – 8:15.

Our human minds cannot begin to fathom the magnitude of God's love and abilities. Cannot. Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow. 


Next Entry: II Chronicles 27:1 – 28:27  

II Chronicles 16:1 – 19:3 (Continued)

July 15, 2014

Jehoshaphat (king of Judah), became entwined with Ahab (king of Israel) because his son married Ahab's daughter. Ahab—who rarely followed God's teachings; and Jehoshaphat—who followed God's teaching. In Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) Bible she has written: danger ahead. Indeed. When you align yourself with those who are not like-minded with you, there is danger ahead.

Jehoshaphat knew he was going against God's commands, but he did it anyways.

Ahab wants to go to war and he wants Jehoshaphat to join him. Jehoshaphat wants to make sure it is God's will. Ahab just wants to do what he wants to do. He has a group of 400 "prophets" that will tell him whatever he wants to hear. Ahab despises the one prophet who is honest about what God wants. Jehoshaphat wants to hear what the LORD'S prophet has to say. Micaiah (the Lord's prophet) says—don't do it. Don't go to war. Your plans won't work. In fact, what you don't understand is this: God is fed up with your refusal to follow his teachings. You think those 400 men are just telling you what you want to hear. Wrong. They are being used by God to fool you into going into battle because of your refusal to submit to His authority. Ahab became angry. He refused to listen, and put Micaiah in jail. Ahab (in his typical arrogant fashion) said to only give Micaiah bread and water until he returned safe from the battle. Micaiah replied, "If you come back safely" then the LORD hasn't spoken through me.

"Remember my words, all you people."

So, Ahab does what Ahab wants to do and he goes into battle. But Ahab wasn't completely confident in his victory. Somewhere in the back of his mind there was some doubt and fear. So he tells Jehoshaphat to wear his royal clothes, but Ahab wore other clothes so no one would recognize him. How nice of him. He set up his "friend" as a means to protect himself. Ahab's plan most likely would have worked, but God stepped in and intervened. The only person the king of Aram wanted was Ahab. When they saw Jehoshaphat in royal clothing they were ready to attack him. But Jehoshaphat shouted, "... and the LORD helped him." And then, by chance, (God) a soldier shot a random arrow and it struck Ahab between his pieces of armor. Ahab was dead by sunset.

By chance, was actually the Hand of God. The army that was ready to attack Jehoshaphat was stopped by God. II Chronicles 18:31 - "The LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him." (KJV) God protects those who call on Him; He holds accountable those who have turned their backs on Him. We control whether we submit ourselves to the authority of God and obey His teachings. God controls all the rest.

Jehoshaphat returns. God sends a seer to him and asks, "Why did you help evil people? Why do you love those who hate the LORD?" Because of the choices Jehoshaphat made, the LORD was angry with him and he was faced with new troubles and the same problems of aligning himself with those who were not like-minded.


Next Entry: II Chronicles 19:4 – 21:3

Revelation 17:1–18

August 21, 2013

God made us in His image. His plan was for us to live in fellowship with Him, but the sin of Adam and Eve changed all of that. Because of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins we have each been given a choice. We can choose to live in fellowship with Him—OR—we can choose to prostitute ourselves and align our life and actions with the evil one that is against God.

If we aren't in fellowship with God, we are aligned with what is against God. There is no middle ground. It really is one or the other. 

Revelation 17 describes an evil world system which is hostile towards God. This system had prostituted itself away from Truth and appeared to be in control. However, while evil may appear to be in control, the "control" is only temporary. God is in control and the final victory is His. Revelation 17:14 - "They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. He will defeat them with his called, chosen, and faithful followers."

This is referring to the final battle, but it is truth in ALL areas and ALL times. People will battle against us, but Isaiah 54:17 says:

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD,
And their righteousness is from Me,"
Says the LORD.

The Message says it this way (Isaiah 54:11–17)

"Afflicted city, storm-battered, unpitied: I'm about to rebuild you with stones of turquoise, lay your foundations with sapphires, construct your towers with rubies, your gates with jewels, and all your walls with precious stones. All your children will have God for their teacher—what a mentor for your children! You'll be built solid, grounded in righteousness, far from any trouble—nothing to fear! Far from terror—it won't even come close! If anyone attacks you, don't for a moment suppose that I sent them, And if any should attack, nothing will come of it. I create the blacksmith who fires up his forge and makes a weapon designed to kill. I also create the destroyer—but no weapon that can hurt you has ever been forged. Any accuser who takes you to court will be dismissed as a liar. This is what God servants can expect. I'll see to it that everything works out for the best." God's Decree.

God is in charge. He used wicked kings in the Old Testament to accomplish His will. He can take any situation, even what appears to be disastrous, and make the end result His will. Revelation 17:17 - "God made the ten horns want to carry out his purpose by agreeing to give the beast power to rule, until what God has said comes about." (Emphasis mine)

Until! Evil thinks it is in control, but that is only until God says enough is enough. In the end ALL will know that Christ alone is King of kings and LORD of all lords.

"We should not be surprised when the righteous suffer.  It conforms us to the image of Christ. It gives us power in witness. It instills the valuable strength of God-sufficiency and reduces the risk in our ministry for God. It refines us to make us capable and usable. It catches the attention of a watching world so that God's glory may be seen as He becomes credible and visible through our suffering. It may even be used in a sphere far beyond ourselves to glorify God in the universe. 

Don't pity the righteous who suffer. They have a divine edge. Their resource in pain is the reality that God is there and they only experience what He permits. And all that he permits is guaranteed by the kind of God He is. The righteous suffer with the knowledge that Christ has conquered and gives grace, growth, and glory in the midst of pain." ~ From The Upside of Down by Joseph M. Stowell 

Powerful, powerful, words that we can absolutely attest to from personal experience. Suffering should not be avoided, denied, or ignored. It should instead be embraced. It is during times of suffering that God molds us into becoming more like Him.


Next Entry: Revelation 18:1–24

Revelation 13:1–18 (Continued)

August 09, 2013

In Jane's KJV Bible, Scofield lists the cosmic principles of Satan.

• Force
• Greed
• Selfishness
• Ambition
• Pleasure

They all boil down to one thing: The love of self above the love of God and a violation of God's very first commandment. Self = Master instead of Jesus = Master. 

The love of self and the promotion of self ALL end in naught. Those who refuse to surrender to Christ are in the end forced to surrender to the beast/Satan. Jesus won't force us to surrender to Him. Christ offered Himself as the final sacrificial Lamb and He offers us full forgiveness and undeserved grace. Offers, but does not force. He gives us every opportunity to accept His free gift of salvation, but He will not force us to accept it.

Satan on the other hand will throw everything in your path to keep you from surrendering to Christ. He will appear to be the answer, but later the truth will be exposed and he will FORCE you to become his slave and worship him.

TODAY, while there is still time, change your hearts and lives and surrender your love of self to Master Jesus.


Next Entry: Revelation 14:1 – 15:8

Revelation 13:1–18

August 08, 2013

The Holy Trinity       
God the Father                
Jesus the Son                  
Holy Spirit

The Unholy Trinity     
The Dragon—Satan
The Beast—The Antichrist
2nd Beast—False Prophet

The dragon stood on the seashore and a beast came up out of the sea. On it was a name against God. The Dragon/Satan gave the Beast/Antichrist all his power, his throne, and great authority.

Satan is a counterfeiter. He always attempts to counterfeit the real thing—God and the Holy Trinity. To counterfeit THE Christ, the Antichrist had a mortal wound that was healed. The whole world was amazed by this and they followed after him and worshiped the beast and the dragon.

Revelation 13:5 - "The beast was allowed to say proud words and words against God, and it was allowed to use its power for forty-two months."  It used its mouth to:

• Speak against God
• Speak against God's name
• Speak against the place where God lives
• Speak against all those who live in heaven

The beast had the power to war against God's people and to defeat them. He controlled every tribe, people, language, and nation. All the people whose name was not written in the Lamb's Book of Life worshiped him. BUT! The Lamb is the One who died for our salvation. The beast could/can only do what he is allowed to do, and his power is only allowed for a set period of time. God's will is God's will. Try as he might, there is nothing Satan can do to circumvent it.

Revelation 13:9 - "Anyone who has ears should listen." Now is the time to listen. 

"If you are to be a prisoner,
     then you will be a prisoner.
If you are to be killed with the sword, 
     then you will be killed with the sword.
This means that God's holy people must have patience and faith." 

Then a second beast came. This time it came from the earth. It looked like a lamb (again, trying to look like and counterfeit the Holy Trinity) but it spoke like a dragon. It had the same power as the first beast. Its purpose is to have people worship the beast/dragon. It/he performs miracles, even calling fire down from heaven to earth while people watched. (This time trying to counterfeit what Elijah did.) Revelation 13:14 - "It fools those who live on earth by the miracles it has been given the power to do."

Imagine how easy it will be for people to be fooled. Most people have heard "the stories" in the Bible. The world goes through tremendous tribulations, wars, disasters, and chaos. Now what is happening sounds vaguely familiar. Is this what I heard about as a child? Is this God? You can see how people will be easily fooled.

The whole purpose of the second beast/false prophet is not to just promote the Antichrist, but to force all people to worship the Antichrist/Satan. If anyone refused to worship the beast he had the authority to have them killed. The false prophet also forced all people, small and great, rich and poor, free or slave, ALL people to have a mark on their right hand or forehead. Without that mark you cannot buy or sell anything. Total dominance. Total control.

All the people who were unwilling to surrender to Master Jesus and accept his free gift of salvation are now forced to be a slave and worship the false Antichrist. Forced! What deep sadness I feel when I think about those who chose to reject God's lamb and refused to surrender their lives. Because of their choice they are now slaves to Satan and they subjected to cruelty and a nightmare that is only beginning. It makes me want to do ALL I can do to make sure the sphere of people within my influence have ALL the knowledge and every opportunity to accept Christ's free gift. There is just nothing more important than that. Nothing.

It used to be hard to fathom how the logistics of what John says the false prophet would have the power to do could possibly happen. How could people be forced to have a mark? How could the buying and selling process possibly be controlled? But now, with the advancement of technology, you can see how this could so easily happen. Almost no one uses cash any more. We drive under the toll road entrances and it automatically "reads" our information. The world economic system could be taken over so easily, and it probably won't even look like a hostile take over.

Oh LORD, the Church needs to wake up!! We as believers need to wake up! Whether Christ's return is today, tomorrow, or hundreds of years from now—time is short. Surrender to Master Jesus today!!

Addendum: 11/1/23 ~ 2020 showed us what we couldn’t have imagined. The world wide reaction and COVID rules and shutdowns revealed how total control could be forced upon us all. 


Next Entry: Revelation 13:1–18 (Continued)

Revelation 10:1–11

August 06, 2013

Then John saw a powerful angel come down from heaven. He held a small scroll in his hand. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. He shouted like a roaring lion and the voices of seven thunders began to speak.

John began to write down what he heard when a voice from heaven interrupted him and said, "Keep hidden what the seven thunders said, and do not write them down." Then the angel raised his right hand to heaven and he made a promise by the power of the One who lives forever and and ever; the One who made the skies and all that is in it; the One who made the earth and all that is in it; and the One who made the seas and all that is in it.

The angel promised: "There will be no more waiting!"

7th Trumpet—When the angel is ready to blow this last and final trumpet—it will be finished. God's secret of His Good News will be realized and Jesus will return for the final battle on earth and then eternal heaven will begin.

We have a choice. We are either:

• Entering through the small gate or the wide gate (Matthew 7:13–14)
• Traveling the narrow road or the wide road (Matthew 7:13–14)
• Building on the rock or sand (Matthew 7:24–27)
• Wise or foolish (Matthew 25:2)
• Prepared or unprepared (Matthew 24:45–51)
• Fruitful or fruitless (Matthew 25:14–27)
• Heaven called or hell bound (Mark 16:15–16)

~ From Just Like Jesus by Max Lucado.

Next Entry: Revelation 11:1–19 

Revelation 8:1 – 9:21 (Continued)

August 02, 2013

6th Trumpet—Destruction was unleashed. One-third of all the people on earth were killed by fire, smoke, and sulfur. Revelation 9:15 - "And they let loose the four angels who had been kept ready for this hour and day and month and year so they could kill a third of all people on the earth."

There is an hour, day, month, and year planned and already determined for this judgment to occur. Judgment WILL happen. There is no avoiding it. One-third of ALL people were killed by fire, smoke, and sulfur—and their hell was just beginning.

INCREDIBLY, the "people who were not killed by these terrible disasters still did not change their hearts and turn away" from their own selfish ways. Revelation 9:21 - "These people did not change their hearts and turn away from murder or evil magic, from their sexual sins or stealing."

I want to scream WAKE UP!! Now, before it is too late, CHANGE YOUR HEARTS AND LIVES!!!  Please!! There is an hour, day, month, and year planned. I Peter 3:20 says that God waited patiently for Noah to finish building the boat before His judgment happened. Just because judgment hasn't happened yet doesn't mean that judgment it isn't going to happen. God waited patiently for Noah to finish the boat, and THEN judgment happened.

God is waiting patiently. He wants you to surrender and repent. But there comes a time when the waiting is over and accountability happens. Do it now. Change your hearts and lives TODAY while there is still time. 

Addendum: 2/10/17 ~ Today, while reviewing and editing Revelation 8, I suddenly realized I need to explain what I mean when I talk about "change your heart and life." When my journals were written they were for my (and my family's) personal use so no explanation of what I meant was needed. But now that God has revealed His plan for how He wants HIS Story told, and my private writings are going to be made public, I suddenly realized not everyone will understand what "change your heart and life" means; who the message is for; why it is such a prevalent theme all throughout scripture; and how you go about changing your heart and life.

Change your heart and life is not referring to the need for a personal self-improvement course so you can become a better person. It's not about what we change—it is about who changes us. It's about accepting God's free gift of Salvation given for all mankind. The gift is free and available, but it is something each one of us must accept for ourselves. It's the only way to change your heart and life. 

Read about The Path to Salvation here or click on the next journal entry.


Next Entry: The Path to Salvation

III John 1–15

July 22, 2013

There is a line that separates what is good from what is bad.  You are on one side or the other.  You either do:

What is Good (Exampled by Gaius) 

• Truth was in his life
• He followed truth
• He helped others follow truth
• He loved like Christ loved
• He served others
• He wanted truth (God's kingdom) to grow

 _________________________________________________________

 What is Bad (Exampled by Diotrephes) 

• Was arrogant
• Would not listen to truth
• Was self promoting
• He was a liar
• He said evil things about the believers
• He refused to accept the believers
• He tried to stop their ministries
• He tried to stop others from believing truth 

John calls Gaius actions good and Diotrephes actions bad. III John 11 - "My dear friends, do not follow what is bad; follow what is good. The one who does good belongs to God. But the one who does evil has never known God."  

Truth produces love. It has too because God is love.  

"The truth was in Gaius, and Gaius walked in the truth. If the first had not been the case, the second could have never occurred; and if the second could not have been said of him, the first would have been a mere pretense. Truth must enter into the soul, penetrate and saturate it, or else it is of no value..." ~ From Morning and Evening by Charles H. Spurgeon

Next Entry: Jude 1–25

I John 4:1 – 5:21 (Continued)

July 22, 2013

So, how do you love God?

You love God by obeying His commands. I John 5:3–4 - "Loving God means obeying his commands. And God's commands are not too hard for us, because everyone who is a child of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world—our faith."

Faith. Believing all of what God said is true. Believing in the Trinity and that Jesus is the Son of God. Believing Jesus' life, death and resurrection was the sacrifice that fulfilled God's plan of redemption for a lost world. Believing His sacrifice was necessary for your personal salvation and accepting Him as your Savior.

Believing means action. It means confessing, repenting, and surrendering your will to the King of kings and Lord of lords. Believing by true faith and obedience. Not just a simple nodding of the head and saying, yeah... I believe all those things, while having no outward sign of a changed heart or life. Only giving lip service to God when His act of Love requires us to acknowledge Him as Lord and to accept His position as Master of our lives, is like spitting in the face of God and calling Him a liar.  

To believe—means to obey all His commands. If you refuse to obey His commands, then it means you really don't believe. I John 5:12 - "Whoever has the Son has life, but whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life."  What does has/have truly mean? What is the definition of "has"?  I looked it up in my old 1957 Thorndike-Barnhart Dictionary.

To possess; be obliged; obtain; show by action; experience; allow; permit; maintain; keep; retain; know, understand; hold in the mind; be in a certain relation to, etc.  

We can't just say He is the Son of God, we must have Him as the Lord of our life. When we have Him as Lord of our lives we can "ask God for anything that agrees with what He wants" and we can know that He hears us. I John 5:15 - "If we know he hears us every time we ask him, we know we have what we ask from him." When He is in us and our desires line up with His desires, then we can know that He hears our prayers, because our prayers are not selfish or self serving. It is ALL about Him and doing His will.

God has given us everything we need to understand and know Him. I John 5:20 - "We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we can know the True One. And our lives are in the True One and in the Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and the eternal life."

"God's holiness demands that all sin be punished, but God's love provides the plan and way of redemption for sinful man. God's love is the cross of Jesus, by which man can have forgiveness and cleansing. It was the love of God that sent Jesus Christ to the cross!" ~ From Peace with God by Billy Graham

God used these chapters, really the entire book of I John, to explain a lot of TRUTH to me. I John puts in condensed form the message of the entire Bible: the promises of blessings for obedience and the inescapable consequences for disobedience. It breaks my heart that people we know and love are missing out on the blessings God has made available to them and are instead living lives of consequences for the choices they have made. Instead of a life of joy, they appear to be living a life of punishment and torment.

Last Friday morning (July 19, 2013), as I was reading I John 4:1–5:21, I literally wept when I began to understand the meaning of what God's word was saying. It was a new Truth to me. It explained the "why" behind my husband's mom actions and the resulting issues we have been having to deal with—and I wept.

My husband and I have been both disgusted and frustrated with his mother's behavior. She is literally consumed by fear and has been for as long as we can remember. She is manipulative and uses "I didn't know" lies as a means to excuse her unacceptable behaviors. I personally had been getting more and more frustrated and even angry that she has gotten by (and keeps getting by) with that kind of inexcusable behavior—for years!

But then I read I John 4:18. It is punishment to live a life of fear. Punishment!! She isn't "getting by" with anything! She is living a tortured, tormented, punished life for the years she has refused to surrender all to God, and my heart broke for the consequences she is living and in compassion for her—I wept. There was no more anger. Just a broken heart for her.

How many times have we excused my mother-in-law's or my sister's behavior by saying, "Oh, that's just _____ (my sister) or "that's just _____ (my mother-in-law)?  NO!! NO! A thousand times NO! It isn't "just so and so," it is SIN!! Let's call it what it is—SIN! My sister is living a life of fear, anger, revenge, lies, and control because of SIN! My mother-in-law is living a tormented punished life of fear because of SIN!

What are we going to do about my husband's mom? We don't know yet. We are praying and asking God what, when, and how He wants us to do something. One thing we know. We cannot have this truth revealed to us and do nothing. Love requires action. Eternity is at stake.

When I quit making excuses for my sister's behavior and when I finally accepted the whole ugly truth it broke my heart. There was no anger, only a deep concern for her soul. I wanted to reach out to her because love does require action. But what could I do? We are in the middle of a lawsuit. There is no communication. It seemed hopeless.

When I felt led to begin this journal I had no idea God would use it to allow my voice to go to my sister as a witness to her of God's truth. It certainly wasn't anything I orchestrated. When the judge reopened discovery over some random issue and I realized I was going to have to send my private words and thoughts to someone who was seeking our ruin, it seemed like my worst nightmare. Yet, it was God's plan to reach my sister with HIS words and to free me from any responsibility for her ultimate choices. Now, we are seeking God's will for how He wants us reach out to my husband's mom. We will continue to seek His plan and wait on His leading.

Understanding scripture better has explained so much. I used to wonder why it would drive me crazy to be around my sister for very long. I've often wondered why there were times I found it difficult to even like my mother-in-law. I loved both my sister and mother-in-law, but there were times it was very difficult to like them. I've discovered it has nothing to do with a difference in personalities, it is because of the difference of who we are at our very core. It wasn't my sister's clutter, or the fidgeting, or the obsession with my brother that was driving me crazy; it was the difference in our core values that was separating us. It wasn't my mother-in-laws fears and unacceptable behaviors that was driving me crazy; it was the difference in our core values.

And my heart breaks and my soul weeps for both of them.

LORD, thank you for giving me an opportunity to share Truth with my sister. LORD, I pray that you will give us direction on who should speak Truth to my husband's mom. LORD, I pray that they will each understand that without you they are nothing and that they would both desire nothing but you.  LORD, may they surrender their hearts to Master Jesus, and change their hearts and lives. May they each live to see the day where they understand for the first time the fullness of your amazing Love.  LORD, we surrender them both to you. We lay our concern for them at your feet.

Addendum: 1/3/2017~  So, what happened? I wish I could say there was some sort of miraculous change in my mother-in-law's life. There wasn't.

I had two different opportunities to talk in depth with my mother-in-law. The first was in early 2014. We had recently moved both of my husband's parents to an Assisted Living facility. My mother-in-law developed an UTI which required a visit to the emergency room. While in the emergency room, the nurses wanted her to get up and walk a few steps before they released her. Even with two big burly men on each side of her, and even though their arms were wrapped securely around her in total support, my mother-in-law was paralyzed by the fear of falling and would not attempt a small single step. In the privacy of her room I talked to her about surrendering her fears. She didn't want to hear anything about it.

The last opportunity I had was shortly before my mother-in-law died in August of 2015. She would look up and smile whenever a nurse came into the room but she rarely ever acknowledged the presence of any of her family members. Knowing she could hear me, I went through all the steps of salvation even though I knew she grew up knowing them. I sang hymns to her, and I prayed for her. There was no visible response. While I believe her salvation was secure, I wanted to make sure she had every opportunity to surrender ALL.

The only thing we have any control over is our own personal response to Jesus. As for me, I choose to surrender—ALL.

All to Jesus I Surrender


Next Entry: II John 1:1–13 

I John 3:1–24

July 18, 2013

We are loved by the Father so much that we are called "children of God." And that is what we are—"children of God." There is a reason why we don't fit in with the world. It is because we are strangers. The world cannot possibly understand us because they don't know Him.

Christianity is a concept you really cannot understand without experiencing it. As Christians, we know we were made in the image of God; we are children of God; and when Christ returns we will be made like Him because we will see Christ as He really is. What a day that will be!! While we eagerly await that day, it is a foreign concept to people who have not accepted Christ as LORD.

Until that time, we have the responsibility to live as Christ taught.

• Christ is love—we must show love
• Christ is pure—we need to keep ourselves pure
• There is no sin in Christ—we cannot go on sinning
• Christ is all that is right—we must do what is right
• Christ is light—we cannot have darkness in us

Those who are God's children do not continue sinning because the new life from God is in them. I John 3:9 - "They are not able to go on sinning because they have become children of God." I John 3:6 - "Anyone who goes on sinning has never really understood Christ and has never known him."

Those two statements are very clear. If Christ is truly living in you, then He is Master and you are not able to continue in sin. The reverse is also true. If you do not change your hearts and lives and you continue to sin and live a lifestyle contrary to God's Word, then the truth is you never really understood Christ; you've never truly known Him; you are not a child of God; and He is not your Father. The narrow road is in fact—narrow. I John 3:10 - "Those who do not do what is right are not God's children, and those who do not love their brothers and sisters are not God's children."

It doesn't get much plainer than that.

From the very beginning of the Bible there has been one clear message: you must love God and you must love others. And from the very beginning, both teachings were broken. Cain killed Abel because he was jealous of him. Cain was corrupt, his heart was evil, and he was out to destroy his brother who had done nothing against Him.   

Our actions reveal the truth about our hearts. Sin (darkness) and Truth (light) cannot co-mingle. It should be no surprise that people of the world (as slaves of Satan) seek to harm you and hurt you. However, it was shocking to us when our own family members purposely set out (using trickery and then this lawsuit) to seek our destruction, especially since we thought we were like minded with them. What we now know (by the evidence of their actions and by searching God's Word) is that my sister and brother-in-law's actions show the truth about their hearts. I John 3:15 - "Everyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderers have eternal life in them." Jesus taught in Matthew 5:21–26 that hating someone in your heart is the same as the act of murder.

Hatred. Is there another way to describe the actions of my sister and brother-in-law. I wish there was. To purposely deceive and trick us and then file a lawsuit to try and ruin us—is hatred. Oh, they've couched it as "business" or "unfortunate" or whatever, but the bottom line is that in their interest of self-promotion, everything is on the table and nothing is sacred even if it means the destruction of others. There is a whole of list of other family and friends (as evidenced by my brother-in-law's list of broken relationships) who were victims of the same thinking, and there are others who are still unaware of the truth behind the scenes. I'm sure my sister and brother-in-law don't see their actions as a hatred of others. Whatever happens to the other person is just collateral damage to what they want or think they deserve. But, it is hatred. I've witnessed first hand the clenched teeth, the pointed fingers, and the squinted eyes.

God in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament taught the same message. They commanded that we love one another. I John 3:18 - "We should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring." You cannot be a child of God and seek the harm of other people. Cannot. I John 3:23 - "This is what God commands (not suggests): that we believe in his Son, Jesus Christ (Him as Master and we as servants) and that we love each other, just as he commanded."  (Emphasis and comments mine.)

You cannot purposely and intentionally choose to go against God's teachings and Jesus' clarifications and still have the blessing of being at one with God. I John 3:22 - "God gives us what we ask for because we obey God's commands and do what pleases him." This verse isn't referring to selfish "things." When we do what He commands and when we do what pleases Him, THEN our desires align with His desires and God gives us what we ask for, and we are in fellowship with him. I John 3:24 - "The people who obey God's commands live in God, and God lives in them. We KNOW that God lives in us because of the Spirit God gave us." Reminds me of the old camp song, "We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord.... they will know we are Christians by our love."

Matthew 22:37–39 - Jesus said (quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18), "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and most important command. And the second is like the first: Love your neighbor as yourself."


Next Entry: I John 4:1 – 5:21

I John 2:1–29 (Continued)

July 16, 2013

I don't know where the line is. How much leeway is there between saved and lost? How narrow is the narrow road? 

After carefully reading, studying, and writing about God's Word for these past 44 months, it seems as if the road is even more narrow than I thought. What I know is this: I want to be as close to the center of that road as I can get. I do not want to flirt with the ditches and become accustomed to the edges.

John describes the enemies of Christ. These were people who used to be part of the group of "believers" but they left the group which showed that they weren't "believers" at all. What they said they believed and the truth about their lives, were polar opposites. I John 2:21b–22 - "No lie comes from truth." He goes on. "Who is the liar? It is the person who does not accept Jesus as the Christ. This is the enemy of Christ: the person who does not accept the Father and his Son."

This is the point where people start going through a check list to convince themselves that they are OK.

1)  Have no other gods
          ✔  I don't do that
2)  Don't take the Lord's name in vain
          ✔  I don't do that
3)  Don't grieve the Holy Spirit
          ✔  I don't do that
4)  Accept Jesus as the Christ
          ✔  Yup—I've done that

WAIT A MINUTE!! WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE?!?

We say we have no other gods, but is anything in my life more important than Him? Self? Work? Family? Christian "service"? Anything? We say we don't take the Lord's name in vain, well maybe you aren't swearing, but what about the times you should have told someone about Christ and you didn't? What about that? You say you don't grieve the Holy Spirit by cursing His name, but any time you choose to not follow God's commands and instead do things your way, you are indeed grieving the Holy Spirit. You say you accept Jesus as the Christ—really? Is He Master of all areas of your life or are you using Him for (what you think will be) your get-out-of-hell free card?

Much of modern Christianity has made Jesus into this feel-good, lukewarm, I-just-want-you-to-be-happy guy. Where do you hear Him being talked about as Master and how often do we hear messages about being a "servant" of Christ? We don't want to hear that! We want to be our own master. Jesus is our back-up plan. We are capable. We will be in charge—thank you very much.

The problem with that way of thinking is that it is heresy. It is not God's teachings. We sure have messed things up. We strive to teach our children from little up to be self-confident, independent, and critical thinkers. Where is that scriptural? Scripture says our confidence comes from Him, it is in whose we are not who we are. Our dependence should be on Him, that is where freedom comes from. Our thoughts should be like His thoughts.

Where on earth did this Americanized view of Christianity come from? Certainly not the Word of God. World view says make it to the top—Christ says serve. To confess Jesus as Lord does not mean mere lip service. He must be LORD!

God has given us everything we need. Jesus clarifies everything in the Old Testament. His teachings show us how to live. His Holy Spirit is in us. I John 2:27 - "Christ gave you a special gift that is still in you so you do not need any other teacher. His gift teaches you about everything, and it is true, not false." He is Truth and His Spirit guides us. I John 2:29 - "If you know that Christ is all that is right, you know that all who do right are God's children."

I've still been thinking about II Peter 2 and the concept of servants—verses—slaves. Jesus is to be our Master Jesus. If He is Master we are servants. If we aren't HIS servant, we are a slave to whatever controls us, our own lusts, selfish desires, and ultimately—Satan. Hmm. Servant to Christ—OR—slave to Satan. We are one or the other. We are not our own boss. We are either surrendered to the Lordship of Christ and we are HIS servant, or in our futile effort to remain in control, we have relinquished ourselves to Satan and we become his slave.

Master Jesus—kind, loving, compassionate, Father, gentle, patient, etc. As His servant we are the beneficiary to all those things and we in return live our lives in service to Him. We bend our knee and allow Him to guide us and direct us, and our hearts desire is to follow His commands and to bring honor and glory to Him.

Satan on the other hand is a cruel dictator that seeks to kill, steal, and destroy. Like a roaring lion he devours. And while you think you are independent and master of your own domain, you are not. Instead you are a slave to a cruel dictator whose only mission is to destroy your soul.

Servant to a Loving God

OR

Slave to a cruel dictator

It truly is one or the other. I choose to surrender and bow my knee in submission to Master Jesus, to live my life in service to Him, to listen and accept His instructions, and to do everything I can to bring honor and glory to His name. When my life on this earth is over, I want to hear the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21–23)  

Being a servant to Christ brings freedom. Selfish desires only brings bondage. 


Next Entry: I John 3:1–24

II Peter 2:1–22

July 11, 2013

Watch out for false teachers. Who is a false teacher? Someone who is master over their own life and not a servant of the Master Jesus. There are many people who say they believe Jesus is the Son of God; who say He is the way to salvation; who even say they are "Christian"; and yet they refuse to become a servant to the Master Jesus. The only person they "serve" is self. They are the masters over their own destiny, and their outcome is sure.

II Peter 2:1 - "...they will bring quick ruin on themselves." Everything they do is motivated by self.

Peter calls the actions of people who live their lives motivated by self—evil. If you don't follow God's way then you are against God's way. It really is that simple. If you are not for you are against. If your actions are not following God's teachings, then your actions are against HIS words and you are leading people (being a false teacher) away from Christ by your actions. You have chosen to ignore the fact that Master Jesus bought your freedom with His life and you have installed yourself as master.

"Those false teachers only want your money, so they will use you by telling lies." That one sentence, found in II Peter 2:3, in just fifteen words explains the basis for the lawsuit my sister and brother-in-law filed six years ago.

Peter describes the attributes of a false teacher:

• They are bold
• They do anything they want
• Nothing is sacred to them—nothing is off limits
• They speak as if they have knowledge—but they don't
• They are like animals—they act on instinct
• They cause many people to suffer
• They are proud of their acts—"we are on the cutting edge of everything"
• They delight in trickery while eating meals with you —they have no conscience
• They plan and strategize their trickery methods
• What they want—they go after
• They always want more—they are never satisfied
• They lead others into the trap of sin
• They are greedy
• They've left the right road—they've lost their way
• They cannot be used as God intended—they are void of kingdom value (springs without water)
• They brag about things that mean nothing
• They scheme ways to entice other people to follow them so they can fulfill their own evil desires of power, wealth, fame, etc.
• They promise "freedom" when they themselves aren't free 
• They are slaves to things—but those "things" never satisfy
• They think they are in control—but they are actually slaves to what drives them and what drives them ends up controlling them
• They hate authority

You cannot be the person Peter just described and also be a servant of the Master Jesus. Cannot. God is either God of everything or He is a god of nothing. You can't pick and choose. Either you surrender to His will or "self" is in control and you are master of your own life—or so you think. "Thinking" you are in control is a false illusion. God is in control whether you surrender or not. Your actions cannot change that irrefutable truth. God is in control. Period.

Peter describes the facts of what will happen to those who refuse to surrender to the Master Jesus.

• Their actions will bring quick ruin on themselves
• They won't get by with their actions
• "Their judgment spoken against them long ago is still coming."  

Just because accountability hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it isn't going to happen. God's timing will determine the "when." It isn't "if," it is "when." I Peter 3:20 - "God waited patiently until Noah finished the boat."

• Their ruin is certain
• They will suffer like they have caused others to suffer
• They are paid back (by God) for what they have done 
• God will punish them
• They are slaves to what controls them—temporary and earthly "things"

God is the one who separates the wheat from the chaff. When angels sinned God did not ignore it. He separated them from those who did not sin and He sent them to caves of darkness where they are held for judgment. In the days of Noah God brought a flood to destroy the world that was full of evil people. But first He provided a way of salvation and He saved Noah and seven others. He separated and protected the righteous while He judged the people who lived against Him.

The same thing happened with Lot. He provided a way of escape and He saved Lot, but He destroyed those who chose to live "filthy lives." God provides a way out for those who have surrendered their lives to Him. He separates the righteous from the wicked. II Peter 2:9 - "So the Lord knows how to save those who serve him when trouble comes."

In Jane's KJV she has written: "The Lord knows how to ______ fill in your need." We can have complete confidence in that. The Lord KNOWS! We don't have to do anything but trust, obey, and believe Him to protect us and right the wrong.  Psalm 140:12 - "I KNOW the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy."

Those who insist upon being their own god are walking a very dangerous path. They at one time were made free by knowing Jesus, but if they insist upon returning to their evil ways, they become blinded. They fool themselves into thinking they are still free, when in reality they are actually controlled by their sin and it will be worse for them than if they had never known the truth of Christ. Peter says they are like a dog that returns to his vomit or a pig that returns to the mud after being washed.

You will be a servant of something. I choose to be a servant to the Master Jesus rather than a slave to sin. One choice ends in reward. The other ends in destruction.

I found this chapter disturbing to write about. The reality is difficult to think about. But, if I am going to be a servant of Christ, I must accept ALL of His teachings and I must accept that a judgment does await those who refuse to bow to His authority. Unfortunately, I believe the description of a false teacher that Peter describes, line by line describes the actions of my sister and brother-in-law.

LORD, may they change their hearts and lives before it is too late.


Next Entry: II Peter 3:1–18  

II Peter 1:1–21

July 10, 2013

We have everything we need for life and godliness IF—we know Him. We have the very words of God available at our fingertips. It is through His words that we have knowledge of Him and we can receive His power and promises. THEN—we have everything we need to live a successful godly life. He has made it ALL available to us.

For too many years I didn't take full advantage of His Words. I wish I would have because:

• We have these things—because we know Him.
• Through these—He gives us promises and power.
• With these—you become more godly.

Our protection from the world's snares come from KNOWING Him, and the only way to truly KNOW Him is to be carefully reading HIS words.

II Peter 1:5 - Because you have these blessings, do your best to add these things to your lives: Faith (it all begins here)  →  Goodness (virtue)  → Knowledge (of God) → Self-Control (temperance) → Patience (perseverance) → Service for God (godliness) → Brotherly kindness (no selfish motives) → Love (Charity; Christian love)

It all begins with faith IN Him, knowledge OF Him, and action THROUGH Him. 

II Peter 1:8 - "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." If you don't have these qualities growing in your life, then you are not effective and you can no longer clearly see truth and are instead blind to what truth is, your faith experience is in the distant past, and you are in danger of falling away. If you follow God's plan "you will never fall" and you will be able to do great things for Him and by Him, and you will be welcomed into eternal heaven by Jesus with a "well done thou good and faithful servant."

Prophecy—God showed Peter what lay ahead for him. His life was going to end in martyrdom. Peter didn't moan and groan. He spent his time building up fellow believers and doing as much for the cause of the kingdom as he could in the time he had left. He saw the greatness of Jesus with his own eyes and he was forever changed. He heard God tell Jesus that He loved him with his own ears and it increased his faith. He stood strong, and he continued on.

God sent a light in the darkness. He did it with the prophets in the Old Testament, the apostles in the New Testament, and He still does it today.  II Peter 1:20 - "Most of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in the Scriptures ever comes from the prophet's own interpretation. No prophecy ever came from what a person wanted to say, but people led by the Holy Spirit spoke words from God."

Jane can be explained in no other way.


Next Entry: II Peter 2:1–22

I Peter 3:1–22 (Continued)

July 04, 2013

The phrase I wrote about yesterday—"God waited patiently"—keeps running through my mind. The world was full of evil; God warned them; He put in place a plan by which they could be saved; Noah by faith was obedient; and then I Peter 3:20 - "God waited patiently for them while Noah was building the boat." The judgment had already been decided. The years of waiting was God's "day of grace." In the end only eight people took God's way of salvation. The rest of the people refused to repent and change their ways and they rejected God's plan for salvation. The "day of grace" was over; the rains began; and the people who rejected God's plan were destroyed. God gave them every opportunity. He waited patiently for them, and then the rains began.

For the last several years, whenever anyone has asked why we think the judge still has not made a ruling on the lawsuit, I have had one response—we believe it is God's "day of Grace" for my sister and brother-in-law. I didn't have a Bible reference to point to, I just strongly felt that it wasn't because a judge decided on his own not to rule yet. I felt the delay had to be God-arranged. Somewhere along this process we started to believe it was God's "day of Grace" for my sister and brother-in-law. I believe this scripture in I Peter 3 confirms that belief, and this time of waiting is indeed God's "day of Grace" while "God waited patiently for them while Noah was building the boat."

As God reminded me in the shower (after the judge made a ruling on some insignificant motions several months ago) we are NOT waiting on a judge. We are waiting on the Lord.

July 05, 2013

I went back to read the account of Noah in Genesis. It talks about how God's heart was filled with pain because of the peoples' evil actions. That is what our sin does to the heart of God. God came up with a plan on how He was going to deal with the evil, and then He waited patiently. The people had a choice. They could have repented, changed their hearts and lives and climbed aboard the boat for safety, but they didn't do that. They ignored the warnings. They convinced themselves that Noah was a fool and nothing was going to happen. But there came a day when the opportunity for grace was over and the door of the ark was shut and the destruction began. Only Noah—who was a good man; who was innocent; who walked with the Lord; who obeyed God's commands; and who pleased the Lord—was saved. He and his family.

Will my sister and brother-in-law accept God's day of Grace? Will they repent and change their hearts and lives? Will they get on the boat provided for salvation? Will they disregard God's warnings? Will they continue to live the way they want believing nothing will happen? I don't know. What I do know is God is patiently waiting until something is completed. O Lord, may they heed your call and get on the boat.

From early 2007 to this day, we have often used the analogy of a boat to describe the lawsuit situation we are in. I never once thought about our boat analogy in comparison to the ark Noah built, but it all fits. The analogy we have always used is this: we are in the boat with the Lord; my sister and brother-in-law are in the water in danger of drowning; God is extending His hand for them to cling to so He can bring them safely aboard the boat; and my sister and brother-in-law refuse to grasp His hand.  Instead of reaching for His hand, they are intent upon grabbing our hands to pull us out of the boat, so they push His hand out of their way. God has offered them salvation, but He will not force them. They have to surrender their desires and reach for HIS hand.

As I went back to Genesis to look for the story of Noah, the heading for Chapter 9 jumped out at me—The New Beginning. The flood is over, the destruction is complete and there is a NEW BEGINNING. 

My heart jumped. What? New Beginning?? That is what it was called?? Let me explain. 

It was one year ago (July 2012), that my husband and I went back to hike the Appalachian Trail for the first time since the "the storm" began. We were hiking the A.T. in July 2007 when we found out my sister and brother-in-law were most likely going to sue us. Now here it was five years later, and we unexpectedly had the opportunity to return to the trail we love. On the drive out we spent the entire time reminiscing and recounting the incredible blessings God had provided for us. It was humbling and overwhelming as we began to realize anew how the Hand of God had been on our lives throughout this process. God has been so faithful, and the tears flowed in gratitude and gratefulness for His mercies so abundantly given.

We were staying in our favorite area of Carlisle, PA. We had been there for just a day or so when during the middle of the night I very clearly understood that we were to begin praying about a "New Beginning." It was a random thought out of nowhere, but I KNEW. The next morning during breakfast, I told my husband I felt we were to begin praying about a "New Beginning." We didn't know what that meant or what it was, but we began to include praying about a "New Beginning" in our prayers.

It was shortly after we returned from hiking the A.T. that I KNEW we were supposed to remove all "the storm" things from the house. It seemed crazy, but we purged our home of everything that had anything to do with the lawsuit. It was during this same time that I updated our written testimony of Jane to include the phrase "a New Beginning is coming." We didn't know what the "New Beginning" was, but we were praying for it; we were listening for God's directions; and we were being obedient to His leading.

Life went on. Another year passed. And now I am reading in I Peter 3 about Noah and how "God waited patiently for them while Noah was building the boat." God shows us this is indeed my sister and brother-in-law's day of Grace; the analogy of a boat available to them for their salvation is an accurate description; God is waiting patiently for them; and a NEW BEGINNING is coming.

I am just amazed. You can't make this stuff up. God is real. He is in control, and we trust Him. Our prayer remains the same. May my sister and brother-in-law understand they are nothing without God, and may they desire nothing but Him. I'm so glad that we serve a loving God who is willing to wait patiently in order to save those who will turn to Him.

I have come to understand an important truth. When God has a thought or phrase get "stuck" in my mind there is something more He wants me to learn. Thus was the case with "(He) waited patiently for them while Noah finished the boat." Thank you, Lord, for continuing to show me YOUR truth.

Addendum: 1/15/17 ~ Here is a link to what we've learned about the "New Beginning" since I originally wrote this entry. The New Beginning: The Path Unfolds

I clearly remember when the analogy of a boat began to form in my thoughts. It was almost ten years ago. I could take you to the exact spot. My husband and I were doing what we did every day; we were walking hand and hand and praying aloud as we walked together. It was dark outside. As we were just about to leave a wooded area and enter the clearing, the analogy of us being safe in the boat with Christ; my sister and brother-in-law struggling to stay afloat in the water; Christ leaning over the edge of the boat to extend His hand of salvation to them; and my sister and brother-in-law rejecting His hand while grabbing at and attempting to pull us out of the boat—visually came to my mind. I shared my thoughts with my husband. We stopped and stood there at the edge of the woods talking about this new thought, then we joined hands and once again prayed for my sister and brother-in-law to accept God's offer of salvation.

Seven years after the God-given analogy of a boat came into my consciousness, we became the grateful owner's of a beautiful antique wooden flat bottom row boat that is almost 90 years old. It was the summer of 2014. It happened in the most unusual way.

We were looking for a new "old" cupboard for our kitchen. I found one on Ebay that was located near where our daughter lived in northern Ohio. We drove out to take a look at it. The home was located towards the back of a subdivision. We found the home, loved the cupboard, and told them we would take it and left to get the cash to pay for it. On our way back out of the subdivision, we drove past a home we passed on the way in. In the yard, leaning against a tree was a wooden boat with a sign that said—FREE. Free? Really? We stopped, backed up, and got out to see it. It wasn't in the yard when we drove past the house just ten minutes before. 

The boat was beautiful and in almost perfect condition, and it was free. It turned out a family was getting ready to move their elderly parent into assisted living (something we had just done as well) and they were giving this boat away. They had just walked back into the house from setting the boat out when we drove past. It had been stored in the garage for years, but now because of the changing circumstances the family was ready to get rid of it.   

We live by a seven acre pond and we loved the boat. We weren't sure what we were going to do with it, but we were happy to have it. Maybe the best part was getting to meet the elderly gentleman whose boat it was. He was in his late 80's or early 90's and he remembered going with his father to buy this brand new wooden boat when he was only four or five years old. He loved that boat and recalled the many times he and his father would go fishing on Lake Erie. We took a picture of him standing beside the boat. He beamed with happiness knowing the boat was going to someone who loved it.

We brought it home. It amazingly is still float worthy. We stored it in our shop for several years still not sure what to do with it. And then last year, as we were finishing the Praise Shelter, we decided to take the boat out of storage to see what we could do with it. Maybe it would fit hanging under the shelter eaves, or maybe we could make it into a table—something. So, we got the boat down and took it to the shelter. It took up too much room to hang from the eaves. As we were talking and brainstorming other ideas we started talking about the analogy of the boat we had been given seven years earlier and how God has so graciously been our protector.

We finally decided it was crazy to keep the boat stored in a shop building where no one could see it. So, even though it is going to weather over time, we decided to display the boat as a symbol of God's faithfulness in front of a pine tree we planted by the shelter. The pine tree has special meaning to us. One of my life verses is Hosea 14:8 - "I, the LORD, am the one who answers your prayers and watches over you. I am like a green pine tree; your blessings come from me." (New Century Version) What a blessing to have this old boat beside the pine tree. Matthew 4:19 says we are to be "fishers of men." So, I am having a sign made that says, "Gone Fishing" with the reference of Matthew 4:19. The sign, along with an authentic old fishing net, will be hung on a post behind the the old boat.   

The boat fits perfectly with the simple timber peg construction Praise Shelter, the cobblestone path of God's promises engraved in stone, the fireplace/altar of praise, the pine tree representing God's blessings, and the boat representing His safety. I'm hoping we will have many opportunities to share our story—which is HIS story—with all those who come to our home. 

A beautiful old wooden boat—FREE! Set out along the road during the small window of time we were going to be driving by. What are the random chances of that? An old wooden boat symbolizing His protection and our purpose. "Follow me...and I will make you fishers of men." A NEW BEGINNING is coming.

Next Entry: I Peter 4:1–19

I Peter 2:1–25

July 01, 2013

So, how do you live your life making sure you are focused on doing things that have eternal value? You start by getting rid of all the evil in your life. Get rid of all lying, get rid of all hypocrisy, get rid of all jealousy, and get rid of all evil speech. Get rid of the old and desire the pure and simple teachings of God. Build your life on the "cornerstone" of Christ. I Peter 2:5 - "Let yourselves be used to build a spiritual temple." We are to be holy people whose lives bring praise to His name. Christ is to be the cornerstone, the very foundation, for us to build our lives upon. When we build our lives on Him and not upon our own giftedness, abilities, finances, or desires, we will never be disappointed. Isaiah 28:16 - "Anyone who trusts in him will never be disappointed." NEVER!

To those of us who trust Him, He gives the understanding of what a valuable gift He has given us. But to those who have chosen not to put their trust in Him, a shield is over their eyes and they cannot even begin to understand the concept of trusting in Him alone. To them He becomes "a stone that causes people to stumble, a rock that makes them fall." (Isaiah 8:14) What a difference. To those who trust in Christ He becomes the solid cornerstone that cannot be moved but for those who do not trust and obey Him He becomes the very thing that trips them up, "which is what God planned to happen to them." (I Peter 2:8)

I cannot imagine being on the receiving end of God's plan to make someone stumble. Who would want to trade God's blessings for God's punishment? Psalm 1 says it so clearly. There are two ways to live and two choices to make, but with two very different end results. We either believe, obey, and trust Him—and receive His blessings. Or, we instead rely on self, and we fool ourselves into thinking we are in control when in reality we are not—and we receive His punishment. When we are surrendered, God can use us for His glory. I Peter 2:9 -  "You were chosen to tell about the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

We have a God-given testimony to share, and we need to share it. Not everyone will be supportive. Peter warns that people who do not believe (non-believers and religious unbelievers) are all around us and most likely will try to discount our testimonies or try to prove us wrong. Peter says not to stoop to their levels and to continue to do what you have been doing. Live good lives; live as free people; live as servants of God; show respect for all people; love others; and respect God. Continue to do good in spite of what others say. The truth will be revealed, and the truth brings honor and glory to God.

There is no shame in being falsely accused. We can personally attest to this. When "the storm" first began we thought we would feel shame, but that was very short lived. We soon discovered there is no shame when you are innocent before Christ. I Peter 2:19 - "A person might have to suffer even when it is unfair, but if he thinks of God and stands the pain, God is pleased."

Peter goes on to say in verses 20–21, "If you are beaten for doing wrong, there is no reason to praise you for being patient in your punishment. But if you suffer for doing good, and you are patient, then God is pleased. This is what you were called to do..."

Addendum: 1/17/17 ~ "We have a God-given testimony to share, and we need to share it." A little over a year after writing this I realized for the first time how He wants me to share that testimony. It came as a complete surprise. As I look back over my writings, I can see how God was laying out the plan for years before He eventually revealed His plans to me. 

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

We were totally unaware. The key is this: Be available and remain faithful. You never know how God may choose to use your life.


Next Entry: I Peter 2:1–25 (Continued)

James 5:1–20

June 27, 2013

James issues a warning to rich people who are self-sufficient and think they are in charge because of their wealth. He said:

• Listen!
• Trouble is coming your way
• Your riches have rotted
• Your clothes have been eaten by moths
• Your gold and silver have rusted
• You will be proved wrong
• The worry and anxiety will eat your body
• You saved your treasure but you found out it was only temporary and could not save you
• The wrongs you did against others cries out against you
• God has heard the cries of those you walked over in your selfishness
• You spent your time on earth thinking only about yourself, pleasing yourself, and doing what you wanted
• You lived the "rich" lifestyle
• You made yourself fat by indulging yourself
• You made yourself judge and jury
• You have harmed innocent people who were not against you
• You've hoarded, exploited, and self-indulged

And it is all for nothing. Instead of waiting on the Lord you have relied on yourself and wealth. You are your own god. You didn't understand that wealth and self-sufficiency is not the answer. It is here today and gone tomorrow. It is temporary only. If your health fails, it cannot save you. And when you die you can't take it with you. So, why? Why spend so much time and energy on something that is temporary and doesn't matter? Eternal things are the only things that matters. We should be focused on kingdom building not material wealth.

How tragic the day when the rich find out it was all for naught. Oh, what time was wasted.

Only One Life  by C.T. Studd

Two little lines I heard one day,
Traveling along life's busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart,
And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet,
And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,
Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave,
And to God's holy will to cleave;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,
Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its days I must fulfill,
Living for self or in His will;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,
When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way,
Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,
In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e'er the strife,
Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,
And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone,
Bringing thee pleasure on They throne;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,
Now let me say, "Thy will be done";
And when at last I'll hear the call,
I know I'll say "twas worth it all";
Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
And when I'm dying, how happy I'll be, 
If the lamp of my life has been burned for Thee."

Wow! So well said. I want that to be my life's testimony. Even if we live to be a hundred years old, our life is still brief. Like James said, "Your life is like a mist." Jane E Wolfe's physical body is dead and gone, but look at what she has left behind. What is not dead and gone is her love and faithfulness to Christ and the mercy and encouragement she gave to others because of that life. "Only one life, 'twill soon be past. Only what's done for Christ will last."

Addendum: 12/5/16 ~ For the last several weeks I have been contemplating "life." How interesting to come across this writing from 2013 about this very subject. On 11/21/16 I sent a friend of mine the following text:

"Want to know what I have been contemplating? I have (probably at the most) twenty years left where I can make an impact. What is it I want to accomplish? I may only have one day. I don't want to waste any time."

I received a quick phone call to see what was going on. I assured her all was well, we talked, and she said she also has been contemplating the same thing lately.

I am 62 years old. Two-thirds or three-fourths of my life is over and I have no idea how much time I have left. The breakdown in the relationship with my sister and brother-in-law and their subsequent filing of a lawsuit against us has been going on for almost ten years now. Ten years!! What a colossal waste of time, energy, and money they have spent on earthly and temporary things in their attempt to "get" us. The last ten years have flown by. With (at the best) only twenty years or so left I want to make sure I don't waste any of the time I have remaining by being busy but not accomplishing anything of true importance. When my time on this earth is up I don't want to have any regrets about "I wish I would have ______."

So what is important? Material "things" are not important. Personal "I" accomplishments are not important. The only thing important is people and eternity. We take nothing of what the world deems important with us.

My husband and I were just talking about this the other day. Usually when you hear that statement you think of material things. But it's so much more than that. You also don't take your personal "I did this" accomplishments, your degrees, your goals, your pastimes, your work, the prestige you've worked to obtain, the honors you've accumulated—nothing.

My father-in-law is 90. He has congestive heart failure and for the last year and half has resided in a nursing home. The effects of Congestive Heart Failure and age have taken a toll and he now has memory loss. Watching the changes in his mind this past year and seeing all the other people in the nursing home is probably what triggered my "contemplating." We have literally watched my father-in-law lose all the "things" the world would deem important. Not only is he not taking any material "things" or accomplishments with him when he dies, he is already living without them.

All the personal "I" accomplishments are gone and forgotten. All that time spent worrying about whether he would "have enough" doesn't even process in his mind anymore. It has been sobering to watch. The knowledge of owning a business, the awards he won, the vacations he took, the pride of his personal accomplishments, many of his family memories—ALL gone while he is still physically alive. We have a living example of what it means to leave this earth with literally nothing sitting right in front of us. 

And that makes me contemplate.

The emphasis our culture places on what is important is all messed up. Watching someone lose everything they once felt important is very sobering. You can only come to one conclusion: The ONLY thing that is important and the only thing that lasts is the Kingdom impact you've made while building relationships with others as a servant of Christ.

That's it. That's the only thing that matters. I want to make sure that in the busyness of life I keep what is important—important. I want to hear "well done" and I want to know I've lived my life (for however many days I have left), in a way that brings both salvation, joy, and happiness to others here on earth and for eternity.

Update: 12/6/16 ~ My father-in-law passed away this afternoon. While his health had been declining in the last months, his condition had seemed to plateau and we fully expected him to live at least several more months. However, this morning that all changed. The nursing home called to let us know what was happening and that his body was shutting down. My husband and I had the opportunity to spend the afternoon with him, reading the Bible to him, praying, and saying our earthly goodbyes. We left to do our evening chores and were going to return a short time later but he passed away an hour after we left.

C.T. Studd was right. Watch "Only One Life" video here.

Addendum #2: 1/19/2017 ~ I just came across my notes from the 2014 Global Summit Leadership Conference. Obviously I have been contemplating life for quite some time now. In my notes I have written:

Legacy Leadership has to be intentional! What will be my legacy? What will I leave?

And then I wrote,

"Oh, LORD—Thank YOU for having me write the journal."

I am grateful for my journals. I wrote that statement in the summer of 2014, before I knew what God's plans were going to be for my journals. I never could have imagined. I thought it was a legacy I was leaving for my family only. I had NO idea my journals would someday become public.

My prayer is that our story—which is HIS story—will be used to bless others and help others to choose to get on HIS path no matter where it leads. Thank you, LORD.

"What you are is God's gift to you. What you do with your life is your gift to God." ~ A plaque given to Carly Fiorina by her mother. 2014 Global Summit Leadership  Conference

Next Entry: James 5:1–20 (Continued)