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! 

Romans 8:1–39 (Continued)

February 12, 2013

Our future glory, and the hope we have in Christ Jesus:

"Everything God made is waiting with excitement for God to show his children's glory completely." Romans 8:19

E - V - E - R - Y - T - H - I - N - G! Everything was made useless so that ONLY through the blood of Christ "everything God made would be set free from ruin to have the freedom and glory that belong to God's children." (Romans 8:21) God's promises give us HOPE. Romans 8:24–25 - "If we see what we are waiting for, that is not really hope. People do not hope for something they already have. But we are hoping for something we do not have yet, and we are waiting for it patiently." The Spirit himself helps us. He goes to God on our behalf. He "even begs God for us with deep feelings that words cannot explain." (Romans 8:26)

If that doesn't bring tears to your eyes then I don't know what will. What a gift! What an unfathomable gift of love. God knows what is in people's hearts. HE KNOWS!! If your heart is pure—He knows. If the heart is wicked— He knows. The truth will reveal what God already knows. And because of that, we have hope! Romans 8:28–34 - "We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him... so what should we say about this? If God is with us, no one can defeat us. Who can say God's people are guilty? No one, because Christ Jesus died, but he was also raised from the dead, and now he is on God's right side, begging God for us."

Romans 8:35 - "Can anything separate us from the love Christ has for us? Can troubles or problems or sufferings or hunger or nakedness or danger or violent death?" NO! A thousand times—NO! Nothing can separate us from Christ's love! Not a sister's anger, deceit and relentlessness, not lawsuits, and not lies. NOTHING can separate us from God's love and the hope we have in Christ—NOTHING!

Romans 8:37–39 - "But in all these things we have full victory through God who showed his love for us. Yes, I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

What a vivid description:

EVERYTHING—God has provided EVERYTHING we need.

NOTHING—NOTHING can separate us from what God has already provided for us.

There is no room for a misunderstanding in that description. You cannot argue against "everything" or "nothing." ALL we need HAS BEEN provided and no "one" or no "thing" can remove use from His love.

Addendum: 3/30/16 ~ Romans 8:21 jumped out at me while reading this passage today.  "Everything God made would be set free from ruin to have the freedom and glory that belong to God's children."

Set free from ruin!

The lawsuit my sister and brother-in-law filed against us is ruinous. There is no other way to look at it. They were offered so many opportunities to recoup their investment and they turned down every single one without even the slightest hesitation or any discussion. The sale of the entire project; our offers to buy them out for their actual and legitimate investment; our offers to sell to them; all flatly turned down.

If the courts award them a large settlement my sister and brother-in-law would see it as a win-win. They can ruin us by "making us pay," while "winning" money to rebuild their house of cards that crumbled because of their own bad choices. Our lawyer said it best when he said their attitude is, "We win, you lose—you choose." There has never been even the slightest hint of any kind of sincere negotiations. None. Their goal is to ruin us and nothing less then total ruin will satisfy them. (Actually, our total ruin wouldn't satisfy them either. They only THINK it would satisfy. NOTHING outside of God can fill the void in their lives.) They believe they are in control, but they are not. They are laser focused on revenge and our destruction.

BUT GOD!! God is a God of justice. His will—WILL prevail. We believe their ruinous plans will come to naught. We believe in HIS promises—and that is enough. Romans 8:21 - "Everything God made would be set free from ruin to have the freedom and glory that belong to God's children."


Next Entry: Romans 9:1–33

Romans 8:1–39

February 04, 2013

There are two ways to live with two very different results.  

1. Live by following our sinful selves; or 
2. Live by following the Spirit.  

Paul lists the consequence of each.

Follow Self:  

• Think only about what you want
• This kind of thinking brings death
• When you follow self you are against God
• You are unable to obey God's laws
• You cannot please God
• You cannot belong to God
• You die spiritually

Follow Spirit:

• Think about the things the Spirit wants you to do
• This kind of thinking brings life and peace
• God lives in you
• The Spirits gives you life
• Christ makes you right with God
• You have true life
• You choose to let the Spirit lead you
• You are not a slave to fear
• You receive blessings from God
• You may be required to suffer as Christ suffered, but
• You will receive glory as Christ has glory

 (This was written while we were on a mission trip to the El Sembrador Boy's School in Honduras.)


Next Entry: The New Beginning: Go—Serve

Romans 4:1–25

January 29, 2013

It's ALL about faith. Romans 4:3 - "Abraham believed God, and God accepted Abraham's faith, and that faith made him right with God." It's not what you do that saves you. It's who you believe in that saves you. God's free gift of love wouldn't be free if we had to earn it.

Abraham was in a impossible situation. There was nothing he could do. BUT, he believed in God's promises and he continued to have hope in the completion of God's promises. He kept the faith. He believed. Time passed and he was still without children, but his faith grew stronger and he gave praise to God. Romans 4:21 - "Abraham felt sure that God was able to do what he had promised." He continued to praise God even during the long wait, and therein lies the key to his ability to keep the faith in God's promises.   

The Old Testament example of Abraham teaches us an important lesson. When you keep your focus on who God IS an amazing thing happens—it becomes impossible to remain focused on yourself and your problems. You are instead focused on the Creator of the universe and mankind; who is All-powerful; ALL-knowing; ALL-present; who has surpassing greatness; and you come to realize you can trust Him—and that becomes enough—more than enough as you put your faith in who He is. When you are focused on the ALL-mighty, the enormity of the problems in your life fade into the background and you TRUST HIM to fulfill HIS PROMISES in your life. THEN—when you have taken your hands are off of the situation—you get to see the hand of God at work in your life and there are no human words adequate to describe the joy and peace that gives you.

You begin to praise Him even more and He blesses you more. It's a continuing circle. Our praises lifted up to HIM and HIS blessings given down to us. Our hands are open in surrender to HIM and our hands are open to receive HIS blessings. There is complete freedom in surrender! What you fear in "giving up" turns into blessings as you receive God Himself. 


Next Entry: Romans 5:1–21

Acts 21 – 28 (Continued)

January 05, 2013

So Paul was sent to Caeser. Caeser was the Emperor of Rome and the Roman Empire, which at that time was almost all of the known world. It would be a long journey by ship. Julius was an officer in the Emperor's army and he guarded Paul during the long journey. Julius was very good to Paul and gave Paul much freedom. Paul was still a prisoner—yet he was free.

The journey was slow and they sailed for weeks. The trip had taken so long that it had become a dangerous voyage and was almost impossible to continue. The owner of the ship and the captain were in a very difficult situation because they couldn't harbor for the winter where they were. So, despite Paul's warning about the dangers ahead, they decided to push on. God sent them a warning, but they refused to listen and they eventually ended up losing their cargo and their ship.

As they disregarded God's warning and continued their trip, it first appeared as if they had made a good decision. The wind was blowing in the right direction and they thought all was well. But they thought wrong. THE STORM hit. The ship got caught in the wind and they could not sail or steer against it, so they had no choice but to let the wind take them wherever it was blowing. The storm was relentless. They tied ropes around the boat to try and hold it together; they threw out some of the cargo; they threw out the ship's equipment; and they didn't see the sun or the stars for many days. It was a horrible storm and they lost all hope of ever being saved.

God warned them about pursuing this path, but they ignored the warning and went their own way. The men on the ship had not eaten for days. Paul stood up and told them, "You should have listened to me... you should not have sailed... then you would not have had all this trouble and loss. But now I tell you to cheer up because none of you will die. Only the ship will be lost." (Acts 27:21–22) Paul goes on to tell them that an angel was sent to him from the God he belonged to and worshiped. (I like how Paul said, "...from the God I belong to." It clearly shows he understood and accepted the

God

↓

Man

relationship and that he was surrendered to the authority of God.) This angel told Paul not to be afraid. The angel said, "Paul, do not be afraid. You must stand before Caeser. And God has promised you that he will save the lives of everyone sailing with you. So men, have courage. I trust in God that everything will happen as his angel told me... but we will crash on an island." (Acts 27:24–26)

The storm raged for weeks. At one point the sailors thought they were nearing land, so they checked the depth of the sea. They went a little farther and checked again. Sure enough, it appeared they were getting closer to land. Some of the sailors wanted to get off the ship. They wanted to be in charge of their own destiny. So they lowered the life boat while they were pretending to put down anchors. Paul saw what they were doing and told the officer, "If these men do not stay in the ship, your lives cannot be saved." (Acts 27:31) So the soldiers cut the ropes and let the lifeboat fall into the water.   

That is where God wants us. He wants all of our own safety nets gone. He wants our total dependence on HIM and not on what we can accomplish ourselves. 

As I'm writing this, the word "lifeboat" jumps out at me. The analogy of a lifeboat was given to my husband and I years ago (2007) during our daily walks together while we prayed about "the storm." We were just about ready to leave the wooded part where we were walking and enter the open area. It was dark out. We were walking and praying as we did each day when suddenly the analogy of a lifeboat hit me. We stopped right at the edge of the clearing. The picture I saw in my mind was my husband and I in the lifeboat with Jesus. My sister and brother-in-law were floundering in the water.  Jesus was extending his arms out to them. All they had to do was reach up and take His hand and He would lift them to safety. But instead of taking His hand and accepting salvation, they kept pushing His hand aside and out of the way. They were so focused and intent on grabbing us and pulling us out of the lifeboat that they only saw Jesus' hands as being in the way even though they were in danger of drowning. Jesus wants us in HIS lifeboat and not our own. He will remove from us whatever it is that is keeping us from surrendering ALL to Him.

Just before dawn Paul persuaded all the people to eat something. It had been fourteen days of waiting, watching, and not eating. Acts 27:34 - "Now I beg you to eat something. You need it to stay alive. None of you will lose even one hair off your heads." When we go through trials, or have been taken into deep waters, we still need to live. When the Israelites were being held captive in Babylon they were told to build houses and settle in the land. They were told to plant gardens and eat the food they grew. They were told to get married and have children. They were told to LIVE even though they were in bondage—BECAUSE—God knew the plans he had for them and it was "... good plans for you, not plans to harm you. I will give you hope and a good future..." (Jeremiah 29:4–14) So Paul took bread, thanked God for it, and began to eat. Soon the others began to eat as well. There were 276 people aboard the ship. When they had eaten all they wanted they began to make the ship lighter by throwing all the grain into the sea.  

When daylight came they saw land. They didn't know what land it was but they hoped to be able to sail the boat to the beach. They cut the ropes to the anchors. They didn't haul the anchors back on board. They left them in the sea. They cut the ropes to free the rudders. They raised the front sail and began sailing toward the beach... and then they crashed. The ship hit a sand bank and was stuck. The front of the ship couldn't move. The back of the ship broke apart in the big waves. If they would have made it safely to land using their own efforts and conventional wisdom, they would have thought they saved themselves. God was not going to allow that to happen. He had promised Paul safety for all those on board but it would be done HIS WAY.

The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners so none of them could escape. But Julius wanted to let Paul live so he did not allow the soldiers to kill the prisoners. Julius ordered everyone who could swim to jump in and swim to land. The rest were to follow using wooden boards or pieces of the ship to hold them afloat. They committed themselves to the sea—total surrender. Acts 27:44 - "And this is how all the people made it safely to land."

All 276 of them arrived safely on shore. The land was an island called Malta. The people were very good to them. Because it was raining and cold the people built a fire for them. Paul was helping to gather sticks to put on the fire. A poisonous snake came out of the pile because of the heat and bit Paul on the hand. The people saw the poisonous snake hanging from Paul's hand and they thought, this guy must be guilty and he is getting what he deserves.

I am sure there were plenty of onlookers who looked at us the same way. A lawsuit was filed against us, hmm... I wonder what they did wrong, and we were watched to see what would happen to us. Paul shook the snake that came out of the fire off.  (BTW - snakes are like that. When the situation gets hot they strike to try and take advantage.) The people thought Paul would swell up or fall down dead. They waited, and they watched for a long time, but nothing bad happened to him. So, they changed their minds.

They were welcomed into the home of an important man on the island. This man's father was ill and Paul healed him. Paul healed other people on the island as well. They were there for three months, and were well taken care of. I love how God works the circumstances they were in for good even though the disobedience of others is what put them shipwrecked on an island. After the three months they got on another ship and continued the journey to Rome. God used other believers to encourage Paul along the way, and Paul thanked God for them.

They finally arrived in Rome. Paul was allowed to live alone with the soldier who guarded him. Paul sent for the leaders and told them what had happened—he had done nothing wrong but was arrested and turned over to the Romans. He explained how he was questioned, but they could find nothing wrong. The authorities wanted to let him go, but the evil people argued against it, and that was why he was now in Rome.

Paul was falsely and wrongly accused, yet he sought no revenge against those who were seeking his life. Acts 28:19 - "I have no charge to bring against my own people." (We are not seeking any revenge or damages from my sister and brother-in-law even though we have also been falsely and wrongly accused.) Paul was in prison because of his beliefs, not because of his actions. The people were interested in hearing about Paul's beliefs. A date and time was set to meet. They gathered together and Paul shared with them from the prophet's writings. He explained the kingdom of God, and told them about Jesus. Some believed—and some did not.

Not everyone will believe. It was Paul's responsibility to tell God's Truth. It is ours as well. It was not Paul's responsibility if some chose not to believe. It is not our responsibility either. Paul quoted to them what the Holy Spirit spoke to their ancestors through Isaiah the prophet.

"Go to this people and say: You will listen and listen, but you will not understand. You will look and look, but you will not learn, because these people have become stubborn. They don't hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might really understand what they see with their eyes and hear with their ears. They might really understand in their minds and come back to me to be healed." Isaiah 6:9–10

Acts 28:30–31 - "Paul stayed for two full years in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to visit him. He boldly preached about the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ, and no one tried to stop him." Not exactly what his accusers expected to happen to him.

What a journey Paul had. What a journey we are on.

It was six years ago today that I met Jane (Her Name Was Jane) for the first time.What an amazing divine appointment orchestrated by God. There will never be enough human words to adequately express our praise to the Lord of lords and our gratitude for ALL HE HAS DONE!  Psalm 8:1 - "O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is YOUR name in ALL the earth..." The best expression of our thanks it not words, it is our actions. We must BE! We must live our lives pleasing and obedient to HIM. Then (and only then), can HE receive all the Honor, Glory and Praise due HIM!

God has provided many insights to us along this journey. One insight he has not provided is how this journey is going to end. We know the end result. God promised us His protection through Jane's lips when she told us to read Psalm 140. That is a done deal. When God says "I will"—He does. What we don't know is the how. Will we go to trial or not?  We don't believe it will go to trial, but it may. Will the lawsuit be dropped? Will my sister and brother-in-law be like the Saul of the Old Testament or become like the Saul/Paul of the New Testament? Will the judge make a ruling? Will it continue in limbo for many more years? How will God make sure that only HE gets the Honor and Glory? I don't know, but it will be interesting to watch and see.

What we do know is this: God is our protector—and that is enough! Paul's years in prison were not wasted years. They were years of earnest seeking, meditation, and quietness. And from that time came the books of Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.

Addendum: 3/16/16 ~  God has a purpose and plan. HIS will—will be done and HIS story—will be told. The Jews were out to kill Paul but God's plan was to get HIS story out, and He did. Paul was able to tell others about Christ because of the circumstances surrounding him, not in spite of his circumstances. Paul was right where God wanted him. It is just amazing to look at all the opportunities Paul had to share the Way of Jesus with the crowds and those around him, many of which he would have never had the opportunity to come into contact with in any other way. No matter what your circumstance, you will ALWAYS have the opportunity to share Christ. Wow!

As I was writing these verses Paul quoted from Isaiah 6:9–10, a brand new thought came to my mind.

 "Go to this people and say: You will listen and listen, but you will not understand. You will look and look, but you will not learn, because these people have become stubborn. They don't hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might really understand what they see with their eyes and hear with their ears. They might really understand in their minds and come back to me to be healed." Isaiah 6:9–10;  

In the past, when I have read these verses (and others like them), I have always thought it meant that because of their refusal to surrender they were blinded and could not hear or see truth. But this time as I was reading them I realized there is another explanation as well. They don't hear, and they don't understand, because they don't want to hear and they don't want to understand. IF—they heard, and IF—they understand, THEN—they would have to make a choice. They would either have to:

• Change their hearts and lives and get a new way of thinking, OR
• They would have to openly defy what God is saying and admit they are shaking their fists in the face of God.

As long as they refuse to hear and refuse to understand, then they can live with their heads buried in the sand and pretend that all is well and pretend they are not really rebelling against God. They can then continue their selfish and stubborn ways and think all is well. Not only are they blinded, they are also deceived.

The only ones they are fooling is themselves. They most certainly are not fooling God. Refusing to see or hear does not change TRUTH. Oh, what a dangerous path to pursue.


Next Entry:  Romans 1:1–32 

Acts 16:1–40 (Continued)

December 12, 2012

The last time Paul was in prison the angel led him out through the closed doors. This time the doors were wide open and they could have walked out completely in their own power and without any assistance. But that wasn't God's plan. So, they stayed put right where they were—in prison. They didn't run and they didn't hide.

The jailer awakes and assumes the prisoners have all left. He was ready to kill himself when Paul shouted, "Don't hurt yourself! We are all here." The jailer was astounded. He knew the story. He knew that Paul "escaped" last time through closed gates. That is why he put Paul in a center room and pinned his feet down in stockades. And now the doors were wide open and the prisoners were still there?!? You see, God doesn't want us doing things in our own power or we would be the ones getting the honor and glory. NO! He will share HIS glory with no one! The jailer recognized the absolute miracle that all were still there. He knew it could only be because of divine action. The jailer ran inside shaking with fear and fell down before Paul and Silas asking, "What must I do be saved?" They said to him, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." (Acts 16:31) The jailer did and he and his family were saved.

Before he and his family were baptized, the jailer knew there was something he needed to do. There was a wrong he needed to make right. He knew there were amends he needed to make. So, he cleaned the wounds of Paul and Silas that were wrongly inflicted upon them. Then he and his family were baptized. His actions weren't what saved him. Only God's grace can do that. But once he was saved, he knew there was something he needed to make amends for before he could grow in his new found faith. That's the way it works. When we receive God's grace, we want to make amends. 

Paul and Silas were in jail, but they were exactly where God wanted them. His word went out and people were saved. How cool that God wanted to make a difference in the jailers life and he took extreme measures to make it happen. We believe with all our hearts that we have been put into our lawyer's life for this very purpose. Oh LORD, may it be so. May our lives bring honor and glory to you.

The next morning the Roman officers sent the police to tell the jailer, "Let these men go free." The jailer told them to go in peace because they were now free. Kind of funny. God had freed them already, it wasn't man who set them free. We are still bound by this lawsuit legally, but we are already free! Praise the Lord!!! Paul and Silas were given permission to walk away from their physical jail but they said no. Acts 16:37 - "They beat us in public without a trial, even though we are Roman citizens. And they threw us in jail. Now they want to make us go away quietly. No! Let them come themselves and bring us out." When the Roman officers heard what they said they were afraid. They went and told Paul and Silas they were sorry and took them out of the jail and asked them to leave the city. Paul and Silas left the jail; went to Lydia's house; encouraged the other believers; and then left. Accountability happens. They were publicly accused and they were publicly released and cleared of any wrong doing.

We have been falsely accused publicly. We want to be declared innocent publicly as well. May it be so, LORD.

Addendum: 3/10/16 ~  Being declared innocent publicly used to be important to me. It really isn't important to me any longer. Yes, it would be nice, but it is not important. Our lives bear witness to the truth—and that is enough.  


Next Entry: An Opportunity To Serve

Acts 9:1–43

November 27, 2012

The conversion of Saul. A total about face. Saul went from being obsessed with persecuting his enemies (followers of Christ) to being totally passionate about telling others about Christ. You don't go from begin obsessed with harming others to the polar opposite of passionately telling others about Christ without a defining moment; a conversion; a change of heart; a new way of thinking. It is the only way!  There is no other way.

Saul was on a mission. He was threatening. His goal was to destroy the followers. He was aggressive. He was actively seeking out those who dared to believe in the Christ. He was committed to his cause. He was seeking to devour, destroy, and kill—words that sound a lot like the description of Satan's motives and actions. He was on a mission, and he was hell-bent on completing it. He had no doubts and no regrets. He was in the middle of his plan when God stopped him with a bright light. It stopped him in his tracks. Saul fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul!  Why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4) When someone sets out to devour and destroy a follower of Christ, it is the same as persecuting Christ himself. That statement ought to make all of us fall on our faces before God for Him to search our own hearts. Saul responds by saying, "Who are you, Lord?" The voice answered, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Get up now and go into the city. Someone there will tell you what you must do." (Acts 9:5) Get up—go! When God stops us in our tracks we need to listen for His directions because He has a plan! 

Saul got up from the ground and opened his eyes but he couldn't see. The people who were with him took him by the hand and led him to Damascus. For three days Saul could not see and did not eat or drink. Three days—the same amount of time that Jesus was in the grave. For three days Jesus kept Saul from being able to see. His independence was removed from him. Being self-reliant and believing in his own ways instead of submitting his will to God's will and becoming God-reliant was the very thing that caused him trouble in the first place. You have to wonder what would have happened if the blinding moment lasted just a few minutes. Would there have been a permanent change or would the change only been temporary? I suspect it would have only been temporary. God knows what we need. It is after "the dark days" that God can use us.

Yesterday I wrote about the divine appointment between Philip and the officer. Today there is a divine appointment between Ananias and Saul. There was a follower of Christ named Ananias. The Lord called his name. "Ananias!" And his response was, "Here I am Lord." He was ready and willing to be used by God. The Lord said, "Get up and go..." Then God gave him very specific directions. (See God's specific directions in Mark 11:3) God even told him what the man he was looking for was doing, thinking, and what the result of his visit would be.

Ananias answered: Lord, what you are asking me to do doesn't make sense. I've heard about this person. I know the reason he is here in Damascus is to cause harm to your people. Surely you don't want me to go see him?!? The Lord responded: Go—I have a plan. So Ananias went. He obeyed God even if it didn't appear to make any sense. He laid hands on Saul and said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus sent me. He is the one you saw on the road on the way here. He sent me so that you can see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 9:17) And immediately, Saul's eyes were opened and he could see again! Then Saul got up, was baptized, and he began to eat and regain his strength. He was a different man. He was blind but now he could see. He was lost, but now he was found. The old was gone and the new began.

God still arranges divine appointments today. We need to obedient—and GO! I have sometimes wondered, "What if?" What if on the morning of January 05, 2007, when God told me to GO, I had not went? What if I had listed all the reasons why it wasn't a convenient time for me? I haven't slept all night, Lord; I look a mess; my eyes are red and swollen; I've just been hurt by someone I love; I'm busy; I'm this...; I'm that...; I... I... I. What if? What if I had refused to do what I KNEW the Lord was prompting me to do? What if? Oh, how I shudder to think how my life would have been different for the past almost six years now. The divine appointment with Jane would have been missed. God's blessings would have been missed, and the experience of seeing God's hand work in our lives would have been missed. I can't even begin to put it into words. I want to always listen for God's voice and be obedient to HIS words.

Saul was a changed man. He went from trying to harm the followers of Christ to staying with them and standing up in the synagogues proclaiming that, "Jesus is the Son of God." What a change. What a radical revolution in his life. All the people were amazed. How can this be? This is the same guy who was trying to destroy those who trusted in the name of Jesus. This is the same guy who came here to arrest the followers of Jesus and take them back to the priests. It was the same man on the outside but a totally different person on the inside. His testimony was so strong that no one could argue with him or refute it. So, if you can't argue with it or refute it what do you do?  Surrender and believe yourself? No. They plotted to kill him and set traps for him. God revealed the evil plans, and he escaped to safety. Saul went back to Jerusalem.

The apostles weren't sure if they could trust Saul. Who could blame them? They had seen with their own eyes this man's deeds. They were afraid of him and didn't believe he was really who he "said" he was. But Barnabus accepted him and showed the others how Saul's life was changed. These weren't just words he was saying. His actions matched his words. There was proof he was a changed man. So they accepted him and he boldly proclaimed the Good News of Christ. The apostles became his strong supporters, protecting him from those who were seeking his harm.

The church had a time of peace and became stronger. Acts 9:31 - "Respecting the Lord by the way they lived, and being encouraged by the Holy Spirit, the group of believers continued to grow." The power of the Holy Spirit was continuing to use Peter to heal the sick and to raise the dead. ALL for the purpose of bringing honor and glory to the name of the Lord. The people saw the miracles and many, many people believed in the Lord.

*****

I have written many times before in this journal that we feel my sister and brother-in-law will either be like the Saul of the Old Testament or the Saul of the New Testament. I don't believe there is any middle ground. I truly believe it will end up like one or the other.

The Saul of the Old Testament was called by God, but somewhere along the way it became ALL about him and not about God. He clearly and willfully disobeyed God. God gave him so many chances to repent and sometimes it appeared he would, but it was only temporary changes, it was not a change of heart and a new way of thinking. He was jealous, revengeful, full of anger, paranoid, and suspicious—and he went to his grave that way. So many possibilities—so much wasted. If he would only have submitted to the authority of God instead of insisting upon being the god of his own life. Pride was his downfall. He tried to blame others, but he only had himself to blame.

His actions caused harm to many others. Sin does that. It sends out a ripple effect. But try as he might, he could not destroy David. Samuel made it clear to Saul (I Samuel 15 and I Samuel 15 Continued) that he could not blame his downfall on anyone else. I Samuel 15:22–23 - "What pleases God more: burnt offerings and sacrifices or obedience to his voice? It is better to obey than to sacrifice. It is better to listen to God than to offer the fat of sheep. Disobedience is as bad as the sin of sorcery. Pride is as bad as the sin of worshiping idols. You have rejected the Lord's command. Now he rejects you as king." The Lord tore the kingdom away from Saul and Samuel never saw Saul again for the rest of his life. This of course made Samuel very sad because he loved Saul. Then the Lord said to Samuel, "How long will you continue to feel sorry for Saul?" (I Samuel 16:1) This is between him and me and I reject him. Now get up and get on with what I want you to do—and Samuel obeyed. Saul never "got it" and died a broken defeated man—and Samuel moved on.

The Saul of the New Testament is an entirely different story. There was a total transformation in his life. He went from aggressively seeking harm against Christ-followers and following his own path, to stopping in his tracks at the call of God and radically changing his life in total submission to God. He became Paul and wrote a large portion of the New Testament. Many people then, and many people since, have come to know Christ because of his teachings.

What a difference between Saul of the Old Testament and Saul of the New Testament. Saul of the Old Testament never "got it" and died a broken man. Saul of the New Testament radically changed and then radically changed others.

So which is it going to be for my sister and brother-in-law? I don't know. If it is Saul of the Old, then I, like Samuel, will be very sad. But also like Samuel, I will pick myself up and get about God's business. This isn't about me/us and them. It is between God and them. We are only observers. If it is Saul of the New, there will be rejoicing over changed lives, and there will be no doubt about it. What will it be? No matter what—either way—we will praise the Lord.

What I know right now is there has been no change. You cannot behave like my sister did this past week and have a changed heart. You cannot drop in unannounced (from almost 2,000 miles away) on your widowed 83 year old mother (with whom you have a very strained relationship) and impose yourself upon her for four days without any notice. This is something they have repeatedly done. My Mom cannot even feel safe in her own home because she never knows if or when they will show up and for how long they will stay. That goes beyond rude, it is cruel.

My sister and brother-in-law did not come for any kind of reconciliation with her or anyone else. They came for purely selfish reasons; to see what they could learn about us, eat at my sister's favorite restaurants, and shop at her favorite stores. Nothing more. You also do not verbally assault your 83 year old mother. My sister, after being here for only a day and a half, attacked mom verbally. Non-stop. It is abusive behavior. Mom tried to just be quiet hoping that would get her to stop. But nothing will stop her. If you remain quiet she accuses you of being angry. If you speak up she accuses you of being out of control. There is no win, lose, or draw with my sister. She just cannot seem to stop herself as she relentlessly pushes on.

Her need to try and prove herself successful has not changed. She appears to have incredibly low self-awareness and self-esteem. She does not understand that she alone—without things, wealth, prestige, or fame—is worthy of God's love. She tries so hard to prove herself worthy with things that can never bring her happiness. It is so sad. But it isn't between me/us and them. It is between God and them. In man's eyes it appears hopeless, but that is what people would have said about Saul of the New Testament. While there is breath, there is hope.

What will it be? I don't know and I can't control it. What I do know is this: we will praise the Lord, and we will have hope. The rest is in God's hands. No matter what—we will PRAISE THE LORD.

"It is our job to hate the sin. But it's God's job to deal with the sinner. God has called us to despise evil, but he's never called us to despise the evildoer." ~ From Christ Through the Bible by Max Lucado

Addendum: 3/5/16 ~ Almost three and one half years have passed since I wrote this entry in my journal. Unfortunately, the Settlement Conference clearly showed there still has been no heart change. There is still hope. While there is breath there is hope. What I KNOW is this: God is faithful and He has given them many years of grace. But I also know there is a day of accountability coming—for all of us. Oh, how I hope they will change their hearts and get a new way of thinking like Saul of the New Testament. But I have no control over that. So, I leave it in God's hands.

Several weeks ago I was thinking about "what ifs" again? What if I received a phone call? What if I was told my sister was ill or needed help? Would I go? Would I still try to help her? The answer is: YES. I would still go. I would be wise and not go alone, but I would go. The only way I would not go is if God clearly showed me that I was to step aside and the answer was no. I clearly understand that I may not be given that opportunity, but I am willing. God already gave me the opportunity to say all I needed to say when my journal from Genesis to II Chronicles was sent to her during discovery. What looked disastrous at the time was actually a gift to me (and her) from God. God gave me a voice through my written words. He put in their hands our prayers and concern for them. I will be forever grateful for that gift.

My conscious is clear. I can only control my life choices. The result of their life choices is out of my hands. We will continue to pray. We will continue to hope. But ultimately, it is between them and God. And that is enough. We will trust HIM. We will serve HIM. We are following HIS path—wherever it leads.

I Am No Longer a Slave to Fear and  We Will Not Be Shaken.


Next Entry: Acts 10:1 – 11:30

The New Beginning: We Are Being Prepared to Be Sent Out!

November 15, 2012

Jesus is getting ready to send them out and He wants to make sure they understand a few things:

• Try to do this on your own and you will fail.
• Follow my direction and you will be amazed by the results.
• Make sure that everything you do is based upon the right foundation—your love for me.
• I am all you need. I don't need you to provide for me. Come to me. I will provide for you.
• Go! Feed my sheep. Take care of my lambs. 

We feel this is part of the NEW BEGINNING. We are being prepared to be sent out. Today I finished writing about the Gospels and today is two years and 364 days since I began this journey of reading through the Bible and writing my thoughts in this journal. Tomorrow, as I begin Acts—the sending out of the Church—it will be the third anniversary of when I began this journey. We believe God is preparing us to be sent out. How? When? Where? We don't know. What we do know is God is enough—and that is enough. We will follow Him and His direction.

The Exploration verses today were about people who did not follow God's direction. Achan—who disobeyed and kept things for himself. His actions affected ALL the Israelites and ultimately led to his death. Saul—who disobeyed and kept the best from the Amelkites instead of destroying it all. He tried to blame others and refused to humble himself. The king he spared (King Agag) thought enough time had passed so that the threat of death had passed. But that was not the case. Samuel finished what God told Saul to do. Then Samuel and Saul went their separate ways and Samuel never saw Saul again. There are many examples throughout the Bible of successes (people who chose to follow God's directions) and failures (people who chose to follow their own desires).

We will follow the LORD. Period. No ifs; ands; or buts. We will not bend, we will not bow, we will not break. Lord, we commit ourselves to you. Use us for YOUR service. Send us out. 

"Be strong and brave, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged, because the LORD God, my God, is with you  He will not fail you for leave you until all the work for the Temple of the LORD is finished." I Chronicles 28:20

We stand amazed.

Addendum:  2/29/16 ~ I keep reading my summary of the instructions Jesus gave His followers over and over.... and over and over again.   

• Try to do this on your own and you will fail.
• Follow my direction and you will be amazed by the results.
• Make sure that everything you do is based upon the right foundation—your love for me.
• I am all you need  I don't need you to provide for me. Come to me. I will provide for you.
• Go! Feed my sheep. Take care of my lambs. 

O LORD, I want to live my life following YOUR instructions. It's all about YOU, LORD. It's all about YOU. Use me however YOU choose. May YOU always find me faithful, LORD. May YOU always find me faithful.


Next Entry: Acts 1:1 – 2:47   

John 18:1–27

November 12, 2012

Jesus taught publicly in the temple. He went about openly teaching. Yet He wasn't arrested during any of those times. They instead waited and "set traps along his path." Judas knew where Jesus went with His followers to be alone, and they chose that place—in the dark of night—to arrest Jesus.

Jesus didn't run. He didn't try to hide behind His followers. Jesus approached them and said, "Who is it you are looking for?" They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." "I am he." When they heard that, they moved back and fell down. It would have been a perfect time to run and try to escape. But Jesus didn't run. He stood His ground and asked again, "Who is it you are looking for?" They again replied, "Jesus of Nazareth." And Jesus said, "I told you I am he. So if you are looking for me, let the others go." 

I don't know if the phrase "let the others go" ever connected with me before. Jesus was soon going to die as God's final Lamb of sacrifice for all of mankind's sin, but here He is—KNOWING what He will soon face—and He is protecting His followers. "Let the others go." His words fulfilled what He said in John 17:12 - "I kept them safe by the power of your name..." 

Jesus. Our Defender. Let the others go!

What you do to the least of these, you do for me (Jesus). The reverse would be true as well. What you do (or attempt to do) to my followers is what you are actually doing to me (Jesus). It is Jesus who stood in front of His followers and protected them and kept them safe. He does the same for us. He is the shield. When Peter tried to take things into his own hands, Jesus said—No, I'm handling this.

And that is enough for me. 


Next Entry: John 18:28 – 19:42

God's Amazing Love (Continued)

October 25, 2012

It was 5:15 AM... and I was just starting to awaken. I quoted Psalm 8 several times as I slipped in and out of sleep. Then, all of a sudden, I realized I was "singing" another old hymn in my sub-consciousness. Another song about the love of God.

The Love of God

The love of God is greater far

Than tongue or pen can ever tell

It goes beyond the highest star

And reaches to the lowest hell

The guilty pair, bowed down with care

God gave His Son to win

His erring child He reconciled

And pardoned from his sin.

Could we with ink the ocean fill

And were the skies of parchment made

Were every stalk on earth a quill

And every man a scribe by trade

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry

Nor could the scroll contain the whole

Though stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

The saints' and angels' song.

(Listen to it here.) 

For some reason, God has me entirely focused on His love. As I was writing/singing this song I started singing, "O How He Loves You and Me" from yesterday. Then I started singing the chorus from another old hymn. "Such love, such wondrous love, Such love, such wondrous love. That God should love a sinner such as I, How wonderful is love like this."

I don't know what is going on, but something is. I am grateful that no matter what it is there is no fear because God is LOVE. I'm not going to try to determine what it is that God is preparing me for. To do so would create anxiety, fear, worry, etc., all things that are not from God. No. I am instead going to rest in Him KNOWING that God is LOVE—and that is enough.

"Whatever befall me Jesus doeth all things well."


Next Entry: John 8:1–59

Luke 21:1 – 22:71 (Continued)

October 09, 2012

Life is so fragile. Why on earth would anyone spend their time seeking revenge and practicing deceit? Friday, while running errands, I caught little bits and pieces of Chuck Swindoll, David Jeremiah, and James McDonald on the radio.

Here is the summary:

1)  God will not allow HIS Glory to go to another
2)  Honor your mother and father so it will go well with you. If you do not—it will not go well.
3)  There is a sin that leads to death. There will come a time when God says—enough is enough. Step aside—and He forcibly removes those who insist on continuing their actions.

I have no idea how God is going to end this lawsuit. What I do KNOW is He has promised us His protection and He very clearly told us many years ago to step aside. And we have. It's the weirdest thing. I try to pray for my sister and brother-in-law and no words come. I don't think we are even to do that anymore. God knows the cry of our heart. He knows our desire to see them change their hearts and lives. He knows. He cares. He doesn't need our help. So, for months now I have had no knowledge of them whatsoever, and I believe that is how God wants it.

With all the hurt, dying, sick, and lost people around us, how can even one second be spent on deceit and revenge? Luke 21:34–36 - "Be careful not to spend your time feasting, drinking, or worrying about worldly things. If you do, that day might come on you suddenly... so be ready all the time." God is in control.

"The chain of command is clear. Satan does nothing outside of God's domain, and God uses Satan to advance the cause of his kingdom." ~ From When Christ Comes by Max Lucado

Next Entry: Luke 23:1–56   

The New Beginning: Keep Moving Forward

October 4, 2012

What a mess! We have been living in total chaos for several weeks now. We've decided to repaint the living room. We've never been fond of the color, probably due in part because my sister picked it out and insisted it was the best color to use. (And I of course relented and finally did what she said.) Even though it wasn't a favorite color, we would have never went through all this work to just change colors. The walls are tall and you could see smoke build up on the studs from burning the fireplace. So, we removed everything from the large antique pieces of primitive furniture and put the boxes in our bedroom. Some furniture was taken to our bedroom and the rest was put in the kitchen. The majority of the things in the loft were taken to the garage. You literally could only walk sideways between the stove/counters and the furniture. You couldn't open the refrigerator door far enough to get out a gallon of milk. Total mess!!

Sometimes when you start one thing you end up opening a whole can of worms. We realized the exposed beams weren't going to look right with the new color, so the beams in the high areas were stained before the walls were painted. Then we realized that while all the stuff was out of the room we should re-do the wide plank wood floors. So, I've spent days on my knees cleaning, staining, oiling, buffing with steel wool, and then putting on another coat of Tung oil. Then we moved everything from the kitchen into the living room and the process started all over. All the beams are now done. The floors are done. The walls (except for the kitchen and bedroom) are done, and a few things have been put back into the loft. I've had no place to write these last weeks. Hopefully I'll be able to start putting everything back in its place next week.

Doing all this work made me stop and think about all we have done these last five plus years of lawsuit. The irony is conventional wisdom would say—you are under the threat of losing your home because of your sister's and brother-in-law's deceit and false accusations, so don't put any money or effort in maintaining or improving the property until you know how the "the storm" ends. But wisdom that comes from God says—I have promised you protection, so live your lives doing what is right. Take care of and improve what I have given you.

So, during the last five years we have:

• Totally redesigned and renovated the front porch. Took off the deck; lowered the deck; changed the entrance; and put on new cedar boards with new front steps on both porches.
• Used old street paving bricks to make new sidewalks and driveway
• Totally revamped landscaping
• Removed the peninsula in the lake
• Put in pier
• Added stone around pond
• Planted more trees
• Re-stained outside of house
• Added guttering
• Painted office; bathroom; living room; and downstairs rooms
• Refinished wood floors, etc.

We have continued living our lives doing the necessary and right things. We have not and will not live in fear of the unknowns. Our "unknowns" are known by God, and that is enough. In Jeremiah God told His people who were being held captive to continue to live, and that is what we are doing. It was only after we removed all the lawsuit junk (See The New Beginning: Out With the Old) from our home that we realized it was time to make the improvements. We would never have tackled the renovations while all the lawsuit "stuff" was still in the house.

In the process, I also came to realize that I have way too much other stuff. It's time to rid the space of unnecessary clutter. I collect Gene Stratton Porter books, but there is absolutely no reason to have doubles of some of the books stored behind the others. So, the extra stuff is out of here.

10/9/12 Update:

The kitchen is now done. Everything is slowly being put back into place. We are very happy with everything. We sometimes ask ourselves "why now"? Why was it time to totally renovate the house? I don't know. Is this part of the NEW BEGINNING? None of what we've done has come from an "I want" attitude. There is a completely new and different look to the house. Like my husband said, "Now this looks like us." We're home.

Thank-you again, LORD, for the home you provided for us.

Addendum: 2/10/16 ~ It was indeed part of the NEW BEGINNING. God instructed the Israelites in Jeremiah 33 to keep on living while they were still captive. They were to build houses, plant gardens and keep moving forward. Waiting on the LORD to free you doesn't mean you sit on your hands doing nothing. You get rid of the things that were part of the past. It's an opportunity to have a fresh start. Keep living. Keep believing. Keep moving forward.


Next Entry: Luke 21:1 – 22:71 (Continued)

Luke 20:1–47

September 25, 2012

Luke 20:2 - "What authority do you have?"
Luke 20:2 - "Who gave you this authority?"

Jesus is in the Temple. He is teaching people the Good News of Salvation and many are listening and surrendering. Yet there are those who just refuse to accept the truth and believe—and Jesus becomes a stumbling block and a crushing stone instead of a cornerstone to build upon.

"The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone." (Jesus quoting Psalm 118:22.) "Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken, and the person on whom it falls, that person will be crushed!" (Luke 20:17-18)

Strong words—Jesus' words. The leading priests (Sadducees) and the Pharisees (religious unbelievers) KNEW He was talking about them, but still they would not surrender. Instead, it made them all the more determined to prove they were right and all the more determined to prove Him wrong. And Jesus says, "Beware of the Pharisees (religious unbelievers). They like to walk around wearing fancy clothes, and they love for people to greet them with respect in the marketplaces. They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues and at feasts. But they cheat widows and steal their houses and then try to make themselves look good by saying long prayers. They will receive a greater punishment." (Luke 20:46–47)

There will come a time when enough is enough. The God of Achan; Eli's sons; Sodom and Gomorrah; Aaron's sons; and Lots' wife of the Old Testament, is the same God of Ananias and Sapphira and Romans 1 of the New Testament. And there will come a day when enough is enough.

God's Grace, so freely given, is described in Acts 4.

• Prevenient (a pulling towards)
• Saving
• Sanctifying
• Dying
• Sustaining
• Living

Grace—given to us by God to be used—often times becomes misused and abused instead. (Acts 5) It becomes a license for some. A license or "permission" to do what they want when they want because after all, God is a God of grace. As our Pastor said last Sunday:

• Never underestimate the awfulness of sin
• Hold in one hand the beauty of Grace and in the other hand the awfulness of sin

"Ananias and Sapphira were not so much misers as they were thieves. They wanted the credit and prestige for sacrificial giving without the inconvenience of it. So in order to gain the reputation they had no right to, they told a brazen lie." ~ John Stott

• God desires to protect his people
• God desires to keep pure and healthy that which is his

"The act of deceit interrupts the victorious progress of God's people." ~ F.F. Bruce

• Grace removes the deadly infection that could destroy the body (God's people)
• God removed Ananias and Sapphira—BUT what he really did was SAVE THE CHURCH!!
• God reaches a point where he says, "Enough is enough!"

I never thought about what God was saving (His people; His church; His ministry; His will) when He removed the cancerous people. They were removed because of their choice to follow self instead of submission to God, and because of the harm they would inflict on the overall body of Christ.

While there is still time, before God removes His Spirit, please—repent! There will come a time when enough is enough and time will have ran out.

II Chronicles 7:14 - "Then if my people, who are called by my name, are sorry for what they have done, if they pray and obey me and stop their evil ways, THEN I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land."

IF—THEN. It's up to you. It's up to me.


Next Entry: Luke 21:1 – 22:71

Luke 6:1–49

August 27, 2012

"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord' but do not do what I say?" (Luke 6:46)

In this chapter Jesus makes it very clear there are differences between those who hear and do and those who call Him Lord but do not change their hearts and lives. They don't—do.

• A good tree produces good fruit 
• A bad tree does not produce good fruit.
• You will know the tree by what it produces
• Good things/actions comes out of what is stored in the heart of good people  
• Evil things come out of the heart that stores evil
• People speak/do the things that are in their heart
• When floods come—the house built upon Christ stands 
• When floods come—the house built upon self falls
• Those who "do"—understand it is not their place to judge or condemn  
• Those who hear only—take it upon themselves to accuse and pass judgment  
• Those who "do"—forgive, love, show mercy, bless others, pray for others, seek to help others, give, do good. They do to others what they would want.  
• Those who hear only—pursue, hold grudges, seek revenge, take from others, destroy. It is all about them and what they want and it doesn't matter how or who they have to hurt to get it.  

Jesus makes it clear that it won't be easy. Luke 6:22 - "People will hate you, shut you out, insult you, and say you are evil because you follow the Son of Man. But when they do, you will be happy." (Emphasis mine)  Jesus says the ones who hear and "do" will be blessed. Luke 6:38 - "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." Those who "do"—give. Those who only hear—take.

Jesus looked at His followers and said—I am enough. I will be the one that takes care of you and blesses you. No matter what situation you are in—poor, hungry, or sad—I am enough. Through me you will receive happiness, joy, blessings, and complete satisfaction.

But woe to those who insist on being in charge and do not "do." How terrible it will be for those who have decided that I was not enough. You worked hard for wealth, no matter what it took to get it. You filled yourself. You laughed at those you felt beneath you. You thought you were in control. You thought people should come to you and you would tell them how to get wealth. You thought. But Jesus says, "Woe to you... how terrible it will be." For all you have gained is temporary. It doesn't mean anything in the light of eternity.

DO!! Hear the message of the Lord, and DO! Change your hearts and lives. DO! "DO to others what you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31) And when you DO, you will be blessed. 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." 

Don't be a "taker"—DO! When you DO—GOD GIVES!!


Next Entry: Luke 7:1–50

Mark 4:1–41 (Continued)

July 20, 2012

"Those who have understanding will be given more. But those who do not have understanding, even what they have will be taken away from them." (Mark 4:25)

The miracle of a seed. A tiny speck planted in the ground and miraculously life breaks out of it and pushes itself out of the ground. God's grace, the gift of salvation is free. Free!! We can't create it; we can't manufacture it; we can't earn it; we can't work for it; we can't buy it; only God can give it. Only God can take something that was dead and make it spring into life. Our responsibility is to first accept the gift, and then to nurture the gift.

Jesus uses the tiny mustard seed as an example of faith. God takes the tiniest of seeds to produce the largest of garden plants and tells us that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, nothing is impossible for us to do. The key is who you have faith in! When our faith is in GOD we can do all things because HE gives us the strength. Faith in ourselves is worth nothing. Faith in God is worth everything. No matter what storms we face—Jesus IS in control. The winds may come up. The waves may crash over the sides of the boat. It may be frightening to us but it is not frightening to Him. Mark 4:40 - "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

When it is time for the winds to calm, HE will calm them. Until then, we will believe and we will continue to have faith in the Creator of ALL things, the Giver of life, and the Savior of our souls. No matter what. No matter when. WE BELIEVE!!

*****

It's been five years since we received word that my sister and brother-in-law were suing us and "the storm" began. We stand absolutely amazed and in awe of the God we serve. Human words could never express our gratitude and the thankfulness we feel because of what we have been able to experience these last five and one half years. We have seen the hand of God working in our lives. We have no regrets. We KNOW we are right where God wants us, and there is no better place to be. We have learned and continue to learn what it means to wait on the LORD. We are at peace. We are happy. We are content. We do not know what the future will bring, but we do know WHO is in control of our future, and that is more than enough.

God had us pause and reflect on the many, many things HE has done in our lives. And, HE has shown us that HE is beginning to prepare us for a NEW BEGINNING! 

LORD, we surrender ALL. Use us. Guide us. Teach us. Fill us. Mold our lives so that ALL we do brings HONOR and GLORY and PRAISE and POWER to YOUR HOLY Name.  Blessed be the Name of the LORD. 

Thank you, Jesus.

Addendum:  1/7/16 ~ Three and a half more years have passed since I first wrote this entry. The Settlement Conference failed. We don't know what the future will bring, but we STILL believe that HE is in control and we are content to wait on Him. I have written many times that we do not want the lawsuit to go to a trial. Not because we are fearful of the result but because of the ugly process. We are not willing participants in this battle between family members. It just feels so wrong (on so many levels) for two sisters to be sitting across from each other in a court of law. While we do not want this to go to a trial—we are willing.

One thing we KNOW. This lawsuit will not accidentally go to trial. IF it goes to trial then it means GOD is allowing it to do so; it is HIS path for us; and we will follow. Our faith remains in HIM. We will trust HIM. We will follow HIS footpath.  


Next Entry: It Wasn't Random—It Was God's Plan

Lamentations 3

December 21, 2011

Yea! I'm excited. After writing about the warnings of Jeremiah for the last three months (and Isaiah before that), today I get to write about something encouraging—HOPE! Jeremiah was discouraged.  Jerusalem was in ruins. He was battered from the storms. He was worn out. And then he writes, "But I have hope when I think of this:

     "The LORD's love never ends
          his mercies never stop
     They are new every morning;
          LORD, your loyalty is great.
     I say to myself, "The LORD is mine,
          so I hope in him."        (Verses 21–24)

     "The LORD is good to those who hope in him,
          to those who seek him.
     It is good to wait quietly
          for the LORD to save."        (Verses 25–26)

"The LORD will not reject his people forever. Although he brings sorrow, he also has mercy and great love. He does not like to punish people or make them sad." (Verses 31–33) He sees, and He knows!! "He sees if someone is treated unfairly before the Most High God; the LORD sees if someone is cheated in his case in court." (Lamentations 3:36)

God is in control. He sees! He knows! Lamentations 3:37–38 - "Nobody can speak and have it happen unless the LORD commands it. Both bad and good things come by the command of the Most High God.

That should (and does) give us so much hope, peace, and confidence—in the LORD. He is in control. Nothing has, and nothing ever will, happen to us that has not first passed through HIS hands. NOTHING! He sees! He knows! Oh what joy and contentment comes from knowing that, even during the midst of "the storm" and battles of our lives.

"Let us examine and see what we have done and then return to the LORD. Let us lift up our hands and pray from our hearts to God in heaven..." "You came near when I called to you; you said, "Don't be afraid." "Lord, you have taken my case and given me back my life. LORD, you have seen how I have been wronged. Now judge my case for me. You have seen how my enemies took revenge on me and made evil plans against me. (KJV says "imaginations"; NIV says "plots") LORD, you have heard their insults and all their evil plans against me. The words and thoughts of my enemies are against me all the time. Look! In everything they do they make fun of me with songs. Pay them back, LORD, for what they have done. Make them stubborn, and put your curse on them. Chase them in anger, LORD, and destroy them from under your heavens."

Jeremiah's prayer started with, Lord, you are my God (Adonai). Acknowledgment that he is the Lord of his life. The rest of the time (four different times) LORD is in all caps, signifying the "I AM"; "Yawheh"; LORD of Lords; God of all gods. HE is the judge. HE is the avenger. HE is the LORD of our lives... the rest is up to Him.

Years ago I marked this passage in Jane's NIV with a piece of sticky note. As I was reading this now I was wondering why I specifically marked it. Then I knew. Hope! Confidence. Peace. Joy. Contentment. The verses found in Lamentation 3:57–66 are reminiscent of Psalm 140. (Her Name Was Jane) God is in control! We will wait on Him.

Life Lesson: 

"... time spent in the fog of pain could be God's greatest gift. It could be the hour that we finally see our Maker... maybe in our suffering we can see God like never before..." ~ Max Lucado

Next Entry: Lamentations 4:1 – 5:22

Jeremiah 30:1 – 33:26 (Continued)

November 11, 2011

"After hearing that, (God's promises of hope and restoration) I, Jeremiah, woke up and looked around. My sleep had been very pleasant." The peace that God gives, even in very troubled times, truly is a "peace that passeth all understanding."

"Peace, Peace, wonderful peace. Coming down from the father above. Sweep over my spirit for ever I pray, in fathomless billows of love." (Wonderful Peace)

There is nothing better than the peaceful sleep God gives—nothing. We are so grateful for the peace God has continually filled us with.

Jeremiah 32 - I love this chapter. I love how God uses creative ways to get His message out. Zedekiah has put Jeremiah under arrest in the courtyard of the guard. Zedekiah decided to put Jeremiah in prison because he didn't like what Jeremiah was saying. "Why have you prophesied the things you have?" Zedekiah doesn't "get it" that Jeremiah's message was God's message and not Jeremiah's. Zedekiah had spent his years as king doing the things God said was wrong. (II Chronicles 36:11) He doesn't recognize God's voice. He doesn't realize that Jeremiah is relaying God's message and not his own. So Zedekiah blames the messenger instead of heeding the message. Jeremiah said, "This is what the LORD says." I will soon hand (you) over to the king of Babylon and he will capture (you)... (you) will be confronted face to face... (you) will see this with your own eyes (then you will know!)... if you fight against what I have decided will happen, "you will not succeed." So Zedekiah becomes angry with Jeremiah, and he puts him in prison.

Now comes the part I love. Jeremiah is stuck in prison; he has been telling everyone what God has said: the Babylonians are going to come; they are going to take over the land; and you will be taken away as captives. Not good news. And yet, while Jeremiah is in prison, God speaks to him and says—Jeremiah, your cousin is going to come and ask you to buy his field. And sure enough, his cousin comes to visit him in the prison and asks him to purchase his field, just as God said it would happen. In man's eyes this land was worthless! The Babylonians were already there. Jeremiah was saying they were all either going to be taken away captive or they were going to be destroyed. If that were true, who on earth would want to waste their money buying a piece of property that was either already captured or soon would be? But Jeremiah believed the message God gave him to tell. Not only were they going to be taken captive, they were going to be restored. Jeremiah had the opportunity to show them his walk matched his talk, and he bought the field.

You just gotta love the irony of it all.

I have no idea what his cousin's motive was in wanting to sell his field. I don't know if he wanted to make a quick profit off of worthless ground. I don't know if he wanted to put Jeremiah on the spot. Or maybe he was just following what the LORD wanted him to do. I don't know, and to me the motive doesn't matter. It is the result that matters. And Jeremiah, while he was stuck in prison, had the opportunity to step out on the edge of faith and proclaim the word of the LORD. "This is what the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: In the future my people will once again buy houses and fields for grain and vineyards in the land of Israel."

It took courage for Jeremiah to step out on the edge. He prayed to the LORD, "Oh Lord God, you made the skies and the earth with your very great power. There is nothing too hard for you to do." You show love and kindness, and you also punish. "Great and powerful God, your name is the LORD All-Powerful. You plan and do great things. You see everything that people do, and you reward people for the way they live and for what they do." You've done great things God. You brought them out of Egypt. You gave them the promised land, but they did not do the things you commanded. "So you made all these terrible things happen to them."

"Look! The enemy has surrounded the city and has built roads to the top of the walls to capture it." (Think about how long that took and the anxiety they would have felt watching it happen!) Jeremiah goes on, "Because of war, hunger, and terrible diseases, the city will be handed over to the Babylonians who are attacking it. You said this would happen, and now you see it happening. But now, LORD God, you tell me 'Buy this field with silver and call in witnesses.' You tell me this while the Babylonian army is ready to capture the city." (You want me to do what?!?)

Then God responds. "I am the LORD, the God of every person on the earth. Nothing is impossible for me." I'm going to tell you what is going to happen Jeremiah.

Then He starts in...


Next Entry: Jeremiah 30:1 – 33:26 (Continued)

Whose Path Are You Following?

June 26, 2015

Whose path are you following?

We have a choice. We ALWAYS have a choice. We can choose to surrender our will to God's will and follow HIS path until our earthly life ends and the promise of our eternal salvation begins; or we can refuse to surrender our will to His, choose our own path to follow, and in so doing follow a path that leads to our destruction. Our ability to choose the path we will follow ends with our last breath. We control the choices we make but God controls our consequences—both the good and bad. If we choose to be in control and choose our own self-made path, we are only fooling ourselves. We are NOT in control. Any control we may think we have is only temporary.

Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead) means not always knowing where the path leads but having the faith to trust the One who is leading and knowing with-out-a-doubt that we can have complete assurance of where it ends up. I feel like we are at one of those times again, not knowing what is coming up around the next bend.

LORD, where is this path leading?

This is what I KNOW:

• God has good plans for us
• We trust Him
• We are committed to following HIS path no matter where it leads
• God's hands are at work in our lives

And that is enough. We are following HIS path—no matter what.

What about you? When you get to the end of the path you are on, will it take you to where you intended to go? We are each going to reap what we sow. Our final destination is determined by which path we choose. We have made our decision. As for me and my house, we choose to follow HIS path.   

Addendum: 6/27/15 ~ We received a phone call from our lawyer today. Late last night (after I had finished writing the "Whose Path Are You Following" post), he received notice from the courts about some new motions/developments in the lawsuit. Whenever we get word that something new has happened, my heart starts beating faster, but then the peace that only God can give soon fills us again.

HE is our safety. HE is our judge. HE is in control.

The lawsuit my sister and brother-in-law filed has been going on for almost eight years now. They filed a Motion for Summary Judgment almost six years ago. For that same period of time, the courts have been uncharacteristically silent. I'm sure the judge has thought that if he waits long enough that the parties would solve this matter between themselves. If that is the case, he doesn't know how stubborn my sister can be. I don't think any earthly thing can or will stop her; she appears dead set upon seeking revenge and total control.

It was ten years ago when my sister and brother-in-law came up with their get-rich-quick scheme and implemented their trickery against us. When we discovered the trickery and averted their plans, they resorted to Plan B—file a lawsuit.We have tried everything possible to peacefully end the breakdown in our joint business project and relationship... many, many times. Everything we've tried has been flatly rejected. We tried to buy out their interest—they refused. We tried to sell them our interest—they refused. We had an offer from a third party for over one million dollars—they refused. We offered them all the remaining funds in escrow (over $100,000)—they never responded. Mediation—failed. It appears there is only one thing my sister wants—everything I have. It is nearly impossible to deal rationally with someone who is thinking irrationally. And now, even though it has been languishing in the court system for eight years, they evidently still cannot let go of their greed, anger, and revenge.

The lawsuit makes NO logical or fiscal sense whatsoever. It will cost more to take the lawsuit through to trial than they could ever hope to recover from our assets. They are willing to spend more money that they could possibly ever gain if it means they can take us down. Their latest effort is basically telling the judge to hurry up; we are tired of waiting on you. Hurry up and find them (my husband and I) guilty NOW; we want everything they (my husband and I) own signed over to us NOW; we want to see them (my husband and I) destroyed NOW; we have waited long enough; we want what we want NOW!

For the almost eight years that we have been in "captivity," we have done what the LORD told Jeremiah to tell the people to do. Live your lives; build your home; and make plans. We've made extensive and continued improvements to our property and home that hangs in the balance. Two more grandchildren have been added to our family. Our family owned business has flourished. We have been happy and content on our island of safety even with "the storm" brewing around us. We have seen God's Hand at work in our lives and we have LIVED our lives secure in knowing we are: Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead).

We believe God will take what was meant for our harm and use it for our good. We will someday hear the words, "You are free to go." When? We don't know and it doesn't matter. What we absolutely DO know is that we are NOT victims of a vile and vicious lawsuit; we are the recipients of a Blessed Event. God is a God of Justice and we choose to trust HIM to fulfill His promises.

Isaiah 48:11 (NLT) - "I will rescue you for my sake—yes, for my own sake! I will not let my reputation be tarnished, and I will not share my glory with idols!"

We claim the promises God gave us through Jane. Psalm 140:12 - "I KNOW the LORD secures justice for the poor (NIV) and will defend the needy in court (NCV)." Great is HIS faithfulness!!


Next Entry: What Kind of Trail Are You Leaving?