The Purpose: To Bring Honor and Glory to the LORD!

November 09, 2017

Remember this day! 

Moses said to the people, "Remember this day, the day you left Egypt. You were slaves in that land, but the LORD with his great power brought you out of it." Exodus 13:3

"On that day you should tell your son: 'We are having this feast because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.' This feast will help you remember, like a mark on your hand or a reminder on your forehead. This feast will remind you to speak the LORD's teaching, because the LORD used his great power to bring you out of Egypt." Exodus 13:8–9

"From now on when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' you will answer, 'With his great power, the LORD brought us out...' This feast is like a mark on your hand and a reminder on your forehead to help you remember that the LORD brought us out of Egypt with his great power." Exodus 13:14–16 (emphasis mine)

When the Israelites left Egypt God did not lead them on the shortest route to the Promised Land. The shortest route would have taken them through the land of the Philistines and it would have involved a battle. While reading this passage this morning, something jumped off the page at me, something I never noticed before. The Israelites expected to have to go through the land of the Philistines to get to the Promised Land. How do I know this? Because they knew where the Promised land was; they knew the logical route took them through the land of the Philistines; they knew what type of people the Philistines were; and they knew passing through that land would involve a battle. So when they left Egypt, "The Israelites were dressed for fighting when they left the land of Egypt."  (Exodus 13:18)

How did I totally miss this important statement all the other times I've read the book of Exodus? The Israelites were prepared for battle!! They were expecting to have to face a battle on the way to their freedom. But, instead of going through the land of the Philistines (a much shorter route but a route which would have involved the Israelites participating in a battle), God led them through the desert toward the Red Sea (much longer and highly improbable route with an impossible obstacle)—a huge body of water between them and the path to the Promised Land. 

When the lawsuit was first filed by my sister and brother-in-law we fully expected it to go to trial. We knew our freedom lie on the other side of "the storm"; we knew a trial was the logical end of a lawsuit; we knew what type of people we were up against; and we knew the lawsuit was going to involve a battle. So, we prepared for the inevitable (or so we thought) battle of a trial. We expected a trial. But less than a year into the preparation, we began to believe there wasn't going to be a trial. We had no concrete evidence, we only had a strong feeling that the journey we were on did not involve a trial. One year passed. Two years passed. And instead of going through the process of a trial (which typically should have happened in a short amount of time and would have involved us entering into a battle), God has instead chosen to lead us on a much longer and highly improbable route with an impossible obstacle—this lawsuit— between us and our freedom. Mediation—failed. Settlement—failed. All offers—rejected. The ONLY thing left in the legal system is a trial. How on earth can we possibly be freed from a lawsuit without a trial?

God led the Israelites the whole way.

"The LORD showed them the way; during the day he went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud, and during the night he was in a pillar of fire to give them light." Exodus 13:21

They didn't travel on the fastest route. God even had them backtrack at times—all for HIS purpose.

"The king will think, 'The Israelites ares lost, trapped by the desert.' I will make the king stubborn again so he will chase after them, but I will defeat the king and his army. This will bring honor to me, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD.""

The Purpose: To bring honor and glory to the LORD and prove to everyone that HE is the LORD.

The Israelites "who were leaving victoriously" were chased again by the Egyptians. The Egyptians just absolutely refused to let the Israelites go. The Israelites are trapped with the Red Sea on one side and the entire Egyptian army advancing towards them. The Israelites are discouraged and wish they would have never left Egypt. Then Moses makes an audacious statement:

"Don't be afraid! Stand still and you will see the LORD save you today. You will never see these Egyptians again after today. You only need to remain calm; the LORD will fight for you.... I (the Lord) will be honored when I defeat the king.... the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." Exodus 14:13–18

By HIS great power!! The angel of God who led Israel's army moved behind them, and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of Israel's army to behind them. The pillar or cloud (Brick By Brick!) stood between them, protected them, and kept them apart all night. And then the impossible happens. God parts the Red Sea and the Israelites walk across to their freedom on dry land and the Egyptians who tried to follow them were swallowed up by the water.

"When the Israelites saw the great power the LORD had used against the Egyptians, they feared the LORD, and they trusted him..." Exodus 14:31

The Purpose: To bring honor and glory to the LORD and prove to everyone that HE is the LORD.

A trial in the world's court system is not the answer for our freedom. Even if we were leaving the courtroom victorious, I believe our accusers (just like the Egyptians) would change their minds and like the Settlement judge warned, all they would have to do is file an appeal and continue their pursuit of us. No, a trial is not the answer. I absolutely believe that God has led our paths during this ten year journey. My journals and this blog are a testament to it. I believe the pillar has moved behind us, and brick by brick, a wall is being built to stand between us, protect us, and keep us apart. Some day the impossible will happen, and God will somehow lead us to our freedom on dry land. I'm sure the Israelites could never have imagined in a million years that God would separate the waters of the Red Sea and make a path for them to cross on dry land. I cannot imagine how God is going to free us without a trial. Our backs are against the wall. A trial date is to be set for next year. Our pursuers are coming after us. Only God! Only God by HIS great power can do the impossible.

The Purpose: To bring honor and glory to the LORD and prove to everyone that HE is the LORD.

"I will sing to the LORD,
   because he is worthy of great honor. He has thrown the horse and its rider
   into the sea.
The LORD gives me strength and makes me sing;
   he has saved me.
He is my God,
   and I will praise him. He is the God of my fathers,
   and I will honor him. The LORD is a warrior;
   the LORD is his name.
The chariots and soldiers of the king of Egypt
   he has thrown into the sea.
The king's best officers
   are drowned in the Red Sea.
The deep waters covered them,
   and they sank to the bottom like a rock.
Your right hand, LORD,
   is amazingly strong.
LORD, your right hand
   broke the enemy to pieces.
In your great victory
   you destroyed those who were against you.
Your anger destroyed them,
   like fire burning straw.
Just a blast of your breath,
   and the waters piled up.
The moving water stood like a wall;
   the deep waters became solid in the middle
      of the sea.
The enemy bragged,
   'I'll chase them and catch them.
I'll take all their riches;
   I'll take all I want.
I'll pull out my sword,
   and my hand will destroy them.'
But you blew on them with your breath
   and covered them with the sea.
They sank like lead
   in the raging water.
Are there any gods like you, LORD?
   There are no gods like you.
   You are wonderfully holy,
   amazingly powerful,
   a worker of miracles.
You reached out with your right hand.
   and the earth swallowed our enemies.
You keep your loving promise
   and lead the people you have saved.
With your strength you will guide them
   to your holy place"

"Sing to the LORD,
   because he is worthy of great honor;
he has thrown the horse and its rider
   into the sea."

From Exodus 15:1–13; 21

THEN they will know! Then ALL will know HE is the LORD and HE saved us by HIS great power!  May it be so, LORD.  May it be so.

Brick by Brick!
By HIS Great Power
THEN They Will Know!
The Proof Came—AFTER
The Purpose: To bring honor and glory to the LORD and prove to everyone that HE is the LORD.  

Remember this day!!  


Next Entry: HIS Story

The Proof Came—AFTER

November 07, 2017

I have read Exodus many, many times before, but because of our current situation, I am reading it with new eyes. Moses felt very inadequate for the job God was giving him. God was asking him to go see the king and to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. The problem was (in Moses' mind), he wasn't an important person! How was he—just an ordinary man tending sheep for the past 40 years—going to get an audience with the king? And how in the world was he supposed to lead a group of people who weren't even looking for a leader?

You have to love God's response to Moses' questions. Even though God is a God of details, He didn't give Moses some play-by-play description and written-in-stone proof of how this was all going to work out. Instead, He tells Moses that the proof will come after he is successful and when they are all worshiping God on the mountain.

God said, "I will be with you. This will be the proof that I am sending you: After you lead the people out of Egypt, all of you will worship me on this mountain." Exodus 3:12

The proof came—AFTER! 

AFTER—Moses completed everything God asked him to do; AFTER—the people were set free; THEN—they would worship the Lord on the mountain; and that would be the proof. The proof of God's faithfulness came AFTER Moses chose to believe God's promises and AFTER he chose to follow God's path of obtaining the Israelite's freedom.

The proof came—AFTER.  

There is another "after" referenced in Exodus 3.

But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go. Only a great power will force him to let you go, so I will use my great power against Egypt with all the miracles that will happen in that land. After I do that, he will let you go."  Exodus 3:19–20

Their freedom came—AFTER!  AFTER—God used His great power, AFTER—God did everything He said He was going to do; THEN—His people were freed; and all would know that He is the LORD.

The proof came—AFTER.

We all like to live our lives in the land of "before." We like having concrete evidence of something and knowing exactly how everything is going to come together BEFORE we begin. We like to know everything that is expected of us BEFORE we start. But here God is saying the freedom comes AFTER He uses His great power; and the proof Moses isn't crazy will come AFTER God frees them and they worship HIM on HIS mountain.

AFTER. We have a lot of "after" situations in our lives. The only way to prove we aren't crazy when we say we believe this lawsuit is not going to go to trial—is AFTER it doesn't go to trial. The only way the story of Jane E. Wolfe can be proven authentic—is AFTER everything she said comes true. The only way we will ever be truly free from our accusers—is AFTER God uses His great power to free us. The only way for HIS story to be told and Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead) or Walking By Faith: A True Story of God's Faithfulness to be made public—is AFTER we are somehow released in a permanent way without any risk of appeal of the current lawsuit or any future lawsuit, which my brother-in-law has already threatened to file.

Why "after"? The answer is found in the first few verses of Exodus 10. God used the Egyptians stubbornness to give them proof of HIS great power. "I have made him and his officers stubborn so I could show them my powerful miracles." I love the next verse. "I also did this so you could tell your children and your grandchildren how I was hard on the Egyptians. Tell them about the miracles I did among them so that all of you will know that I am the LORD."

AFTER—His promises have proven true, THEN—all will know that HE is the LORD. It all goes back to the very first chapter Jane asked me to read and the very first step in understanding why we have been taken on this long journey. Purpose. It is all about HIM. This is HIS story. All honor and glory belong to the LORD.

So, we are going to remain standing on the edge of the precipice even if it means we don't have a safety net or rope to save us should we fall. God has a purpose for this journey we have been on these last ten and one half years. He is either going to fulfill His promises and free us in a miraculous way by HIS great power—or—we are going to look like fools. Either way, we choose to stand firm in our beliefs and we will remain faithful to HIS purpose.

We will wait for—the AFTER.


Next Entry: The Purpose: To Bring Honor and Glory to the LORD!

THEN They Will Know!

November 6, 2017

I am continuing to read in Exodus and I feel as if God is taking me on a journey down memory lane.

See this? Do you remember when I showed you this before?
See over here? Have you forgotten the things I did in the past?
Do you remember I Kings 18:36? Do you remember why you prayed those exact words?
Do you need to be reminded of what MY purpose is? Have you forgotten the very first thing I showed you as you began this journey?
Have you lost sight of who I AM? I AM faithful.
Are you going to trust MY plan? I AM in control.
Do you see? Keep your eyes on me.
Do you remember? Trust me. Keep your faith in who I AM.  
Are you beginning to understand? I AM the LORD. There is none beside me. 

I see, LORD.
I remember.
Thank you, for the reminder of WHO you are. My trust is in YOU and YOU alone.

God gave Moses (and then Aaron) very clear, detailed, and specific directions on where to go, what they would find, what to say, what to do, and what was going to happen. God clearly knew the complexities of the entire situation and He left nothing to chance or happenstance. He didn't leave Moses and Aaron stranded out on a cliff to fend for themselves. He was step-by-step directing their paths and the Israelites' path to freedom.  

1. "I will lead" my people on their journey to freedom.
2. "I will punish" those who are holding my people captive.
3. "I will bring" my people out of their captivity so they can worship me."
4. "THEN THEY WILL KNOW I AM THE LORD."

The phrase—"Then they will know I am the LORD"— just keeps repeating over and over in my mind.

THEN they will know I am the LORD.
Then THEY will know I am the LORD.
Then they WILL KNOW I am the LORD.
Then they will know I AM the LORD.
Then they will know I am THE LORD.

It's the purpose!! It's the reason for everything. It's ALL about Him. HE is the LORD. It is HIS story. And HE, in HIS great power is the ONE who will save us from the captivity of this lawsuit which will then allow HIS story to be told. Then ALL will know HE is the LORD. That has been our prayer and continues to be our prayer. May it be so, LORD. May it be so.

Do you remember? Are you beginning to understand?

Thank you, LORD, for the journey down memory lane. I remember. I understand. It's ALL about you, LORD. It's All about YOU.    


Next Entry: The Proof Came—AFTER

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 16:1 – 19:3

July 14, 2014

Asa went from relying and depending on the LORD, to relying on his own strength and seeking out others to join him as he went out to battle.

The LORD had already proven himself faithful. He had already helped Asa and Judah win against other very powerful kings. Why change now? Why did Asa start deciding he was capable without God's help? Success breeds pride, and pride/success has ruined many people. The danger comes when you start believing in your abilities and depending on your strength, instead of depending on the LORD and acknowledging your success comes from HIM.

The most dangerous time isn't when you are facing a great crisis. The most dangerous time is when the crisis is over, and the victory is won.

A seer named Hanai went to Asa to warn him about the consequences. Instead of repenting, Asa became angry and put Hanani in prison. Instead of looking inward and accepting responsibility, Asa blamed others. Even when Asa was faced with disease he did not turn to God. He died soon after.

Jehoshaphat (Asa's son) becomes king. Jehoshaphat relied on the LORD and he obeyed God's commands. He wanted to obey. It takes intentional desire and effort to follow God; surrendering your will to the LORD's will does not happen automatically or accidentally. Jehoshaphat then did what should come naturally when you are surrendered and following the LORD—he told others. He sent his officers and leaders to teach others. They took God's words and went throughout the towns so everyone would know who God was and would know His teachings. The LORD blessed Jehoshaphat and protected him.


Next Entry: II Chronicles 16:1 – 19:3 (Continued)  

The Lost Chapters

March 26, 2017

When I finished writing my journal entry for Revelation 22 on August 27, 2013, I thought I had completed my journey of reading the entire Bible while writing my thoughts in a journal. But in July of 2014, while I was transcribing my journal entries for II Chronicles into this blog, I was surprised to realize there was a section of the Bible which I had not yet written anything about. I call that section: The Lost Chapters.

Below is my journal entry from July 02, 2014.

July 02, 2014

When my private journals became entangled in "the storm," I lost all confidence in my future writings remaining private. As a result, I quit writing in my journals for a period of time. I continued my Bible readings, but I quit writing. That is why my journal entries (The Journey: Part One) ended on November 08, 2010 with what I wrote about II Chronicles 10:1 – 11:17 and didn't begin again until November 26, 2010.

When I summoned the courage to begin writing again, I started with where I was reading—Ezra. Because I wasn't sure if my journals would remain private in the future, for several months I was very cautious about what I put down in writing. As time went along, I once again opened up and shared my thoughts and feelings. In August of 2013, I completed my journey of reading through the Bible while keeping a journal. I then began to record my journal entries into Blogger.

When it was time to enter II Chronicles 11:17 – II Chronicles 36:23, I realized those chapters were missing from my journals. I had totally forgotten about skipping a section of II Chronicles during my hiatus from writing. I now call the missing section: The Lost Chapters. It is the only part of the Bible I have not completed.

I don't remember any of the specifics or the contents of these chapters. It will be interesting to read and see what God has to say in these chapters and/or what He wants to remind us of as we are approaching the seven year anniversary of "the storm."  

My handwritten journal entries for this section will be in my last journal (Journal #13), following what I wrote about Revelations. After I finish reading and writing about this section, I will enter The Lost Chapters in chronological order in Blogger. 

I had totally forgotten about these chapters; I can't wait to find out what is in them.

The Lost Chapters—which I had totally forgotten about. It was incredibly amazing to read the missing section and realize it was saved aside by the providence of God for such a time as this. The lost chapters were divinely orchestrated by God to become the last chapters of my journey through the Bible. It was as if the Coach (God) was gathering the team together for one last meeting of preparation, instruction, and encouragement before sending me out to do HIS work.

I wrote that last statement and then went out for a walk. As I was walking, I suddenly realized the time frame between the time I read these "lost" chapters (July 2014) and when God began to reveal to me what He wanted done with my journals in October 2014.  LORD – What Am I to Do?; The LORD Answers!; I Didn't Know—BUT GOD DID!!

I'm not sure if I ever noticed the correlation before. If I had, I'd forgotten. It was just three months later. AFTER—I'd finished reading from Genesis to Revelation; AFTER—I had filled thirteen journals with my personal thoughts; and AFTER—I finished reading and writing about the "lost" and "last" chapters—THEN. Only THEN did God reveal that Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead) was not just my story to privately share with my family and friends. Instead, it was the way HE wanted HIS story to be publicly told. The Coach was in fact preparing me to be sent out to do HIS work.

Now here I am again, preparing to enter the "lost" and "last" chapters from my last journal into this blog, and I feel as if Coach God is once again using these chapters to call a meeting to prepare, instruct, and encourage me before sending me out to do HIS work. What exactly is the New Beginning and HIS work going to look like? I don't know. I could have never imagined my private journals going public. I can't begin to imagine how God intends to use them. All I know is that with HIS help, I am available to do whatever He asks of me.

Even though I've already transcribed the missing journal entries into Blogger to chronologically complete the section between II Chronicles 11:17 and II Chronicles 36:23, I believe it is important to also record them here, after the completion of Revelation, in the exact time frame in which they were read and in the place where the "lost" and "last" chapters appear in my hand written journals.

Revelation is finished. Now let's finish the rest of Journal #13 with the Lost (and last) Chapters entries for II Chronicles 11:17 to II Chronicles 36:23 written from July 12, 2014 to July 24, 2014.


Next Entry: II Chronicles 11:18 – 15:19 

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 12:1–18

August 07, 2013

Revelation 12 symbolizes the conflict between God and Satan. It's a conflict that Satan doesn't and cannot win, but that does not stop him from trying to create havoc along the way.

God reveals (and John describes) a battle between a woman and a giant red dragon. The woman represents God's plan for man's salvation through the birth and death of Jesus. The red dragon represents Satan. Satan was determined to stop God's plan for salvation before it even began. The dragon "stood in front of the woman who was ready to give birth so he could eat her baby as soon as it was born." His plan to destroy God's plan failed, and the child and the mother were protected by God.

I have a whole new appreciation for what Mary must have endured before, during, and after the birth of Jesus. I'd never really given much thought to how Mary's life was impacted by Satan's desire to thwart God's plan for salvation. Stopping God's plan for man's salvation was/is the driving force behind all of Satan's actions. Understanding this also gives us more perspective on how Jesus as God/man was the target of Satan's attacks. Jesus was God's Son and His plan for the salvation of man. It wasn't "just" the temptations in the desert, it would have been daily attacks. Satan would have been relentless and would have stopped at nothing—all to try and circumvent and prevent God's plan. He thought he was successful when Jesus was nailed to the cross, but Satan (praise the Lord) can never stop God's power. Since he couldn't thwart God's plan through Mary or Jesus, he has turned his attention to "man."

This should not bring us fear. When we are surrendered to Jesus we are protected by Him and Satan has no power over us. But, it sure does explain why Satan works so hard at keeping people blinded and ignorant to Truth. He knows God's Truth is what will set them free. Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life..." (John 10:10)

Revelation 12:7 - "Then there was a war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back." The dragon and his angels cannot be a victor over God's angels, and the dragon and his angels lost their place in heaven and were thrown out—down to earth. Then John heard a loud voice in heaven say:

"The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God
     and the authority of his Christ have now come.
The accuser of our brothers and sisters,
     who accused them day and night before our God,
     has been thrown down.
And our brothers and sisters defeated him
     by the blood of the Lamb's death (First and most important)
     and by the message they preached.(and by the testimonies of His followers)
They did not love their lives so much  
     that they were afraid of death. (They were totally surrendered)
So rejoice, you heavens
     and all who live there!
But it will be terrible for the earth and the sea,
     because the devil has come down to you!
He is filled with anger,
     because he knows he does not have much time."
     (Revelation 12:10–12 ~ Emphasis and comments mine)

When the dragon/Satan realized he was thrown out of heaven he was angry and full of vengeance. He sought (seeks) to destroy anyone who is a follower of God, starting with the woman who gave birth to the Son. God prepared a place of safety for her, but still Satan did not give up. He poured water out of his mouth like a river to carry her away, "But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that came from the mouth of the dragon."

Satan doesn't take defeat lightly. He was very angry, "and he went off to make war against all her other children—those who obey God's commands and who have the message Jesus taught."

Obviously there is a lot of symbolism and deeper meanings here which I don't understand. But the bottom line is this:

• God is more powerful than Satan
• We know who wins the final battle
• God provides protection for His people
• To have that protection we must obey His commands (not just know them, we must OBEY them) and we must have the message that Jesus taught (not just head knowledge of Christ, we must HAVE a personal relationship with Christ).

Satan is defeated by the blood of Christ's death and (incredibly) by our testimonies. Our testimonies of God's salvation plays a role in defeating Satan's plan. What an incredible thought.

God is in control. Satan may try to wreck havoc, but he is not in control. We can depend on God for our strength, courage, and victory.

Addendum: 3/4/17 ~ I was thinking this morning about the length of time between Satan's success in getting Adam and Eve to believe they could assert their self-sufficiency over God's authority in the Garden of Eden to when God's plan of salvation culminated in the virgin birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

Thousands of years passed between the downfall of man and the birth of Jesus. No wonder Satan was so adamant at trying to prevent the fulfillment of God's plan of salvation. He thought his plan was working. Thousands of years had passed. 

Time is of NO importance. God's will—WILL happen and nothing can stop it. Now, thousands of more years have passed since the resurrection of Christ, and Satan is still trying to prevent as many people as possible from accepting God's plan of salvation.

The blood of Jesus defeated Satan's plans and our testimonies bear witness to his defeat. Satan has spent thousands and thousands of years trying to thwart God's plan of salvation and trying to prevent humanity from accepting it. No wonder there is such a battle. He wants God's position. He doesn't have the power to come up with his own creation so he tries to counterfeit God's position. He's relentless. He's determined. But no matter what he does, his ultimate defeat is guaranteed.

The end of the story is already written. The outcome is certain.

Revelation describes the battle. For a period of time Satan will have what he thinks is full control. He doesn't understand that God allows him only so much time and power. I take that back. I think he does know that God is in control, and it makes him angry and he fights back even more. BUT! There is coming a day when his rule of terror will permanently end and his eternity of punishment will begin.

On that day, on that planned day, all of creation will rejoice. God's will—WILL be done.

There is coming a day! Oh what a day that will be.  


Next Entry: Revelation 13:1–18

Revelation 4:1 – 6:17 (Continued)

July 30, 2013

Then ALL creatures in heaven and on earth and under the earth joined in saying:

"To the One who sits on the throne
     and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power forever and ever."

The four living creatures said, "Amen" and the elders bowed down and worshiped.

Are we "getting" this? Have we even begun to understand that life, our temporary time on this earth, is NOT about us and what we want? If our eternal lives in heaven are spent worshiping and praising and giving honor and power and glory to the great I AM and to the LAMB, then why do we think our lives on earth (which are like a mist) are about what we want, when we want it, and how we want it? And then we have the nerve to tell the great I AM what He should do for us?!?

Oh my goodness! Who do we (people) think we are? Certainly not servants of Master Jesus. What has America done with Christianity? What have we done with Christ's message? Where did the idea of prosperity "religion" or this feel-good-God-just-wants-us-to-be-happy "religion" originate? The answer is from selfish desires and from pride. It's from disregarding God's very first commandment and worshiping ourselves instead of God. And out of a selfish heart we present God with a laundry list of our wants. The prayers of the "saints," which should be a sweet smelling aroma to our heavenly Father, are instead a stench in the nostrils of the Most High God.

I want my prayers to be ones of worship, honor, glory, and praise to the only One who is worthy and to the Lamb. I want my prayers to be a sweet smelling aroma in the nostrils of my heavenly Father. 

The Lamb began to open the seals. One of the four beasts told John to "come" and see  So, John looked and recorded what he saw.

1. The first seal was opened. John looked and there before him was a white horse. Its rider had a crown and bow and it went out to conquer "determined to win the victory." Revelations 19 talks about Jesus coming on a while horse and being called Faithful and True. I don't believe this white horse and rider is Jesus. Instead, I believe it to be the Antichrist whose mission is to counterfeit the Christ as part of Satan's plan. He is determined to conquer, but not for the good of man. It is instead for man's destruction.
2. The second seal is opened and a red horse came out  Its rider was given power to take away peace from the earth. Violence runs rampant. Evil abounds.
3. The third seal is opened. A black horse came out. Its rider held a pair of scales. Famine takes over the land. Desperation and starvation are everywhere.
4. The fourth seal is opened. A pale horse emerges and its rider is death, and Hades followed close behind. War, starvation, disease, and death by wild animals kills a fourth of the people of the earth.  
5. The fifth seal is opened. John saw under the altar the souls of the martyred believers who were killed because they were faithful to God and His words and message. Their souls cried out "Holy and true Lord, how long until you judge the people of the earth and punish them for killing us?" Each of them were given a white robe and were told to wait a short time longer because it wasn't quite time yet. There were still more believers who were going to be martyred. When the time is right, THEN judgment will happen.
6. The sixth seal was opened. There was a great earthquake. Total chaos ensued. The sun became black, the moon became like blood. The stars fall to earth from the sky. The sky closed up and disappeared. Every mountain and every island was moved from its foundation. Total chaos. Fear was everywhere and no one was exempt. From the richest to the poorest, from kings and rulers to those who were free or slaves, everyone was terrified. They realized there was indeed a God and that He was showing His wrath. They called on the rocks and mountains to fall on them in a futile attempt to hide from God's wrath. They understood they could not stand up against the holy wrath of the One who sits upon the throne and of the Lamb. What they didn't understand is this: even the rocks, the very thing they were trying to hide under, understood the majesty of God and that He deserves our praise.

The consequences for disobedience kept increasing with each seal that was opened. It reminds me of Leviticus 26 where God talks about the reward for obeying God and the punishments for not obeying God. Each time the people refused to obey, the punishment increased seven fold. Leviticus 26:1 - 27:34; Leviticus 26:1 - 27:34 (Continued); and Leviticus 26:1 - 27:34 (Continued). 

What a contrast between the rewards given for obedience and the punishment set aside for those who have chosen disobedience. What a contrast from praising the Father and the Lamb in Revelation Chapters 4 and 5 and the tribulation described in Chapter 6.

If you are a believer: Stand strong and continue in the faith.

If you are a non-believer or a "religious" unbeliever: Change your hearts and lives while there is still time. Do it today!!

Addendum: 2/7/17 ~ I've been thinking about the number seven. Creation took seven days. In Leviticus the punishments increased seven-fold. In Revelation there were seven seals. I've always known the number seven is significant throughout scripture, but I've never taken the time to study it. Today as I was adding the links to Leviticus, I was reminded once again about the importance of the number seven in the Bible.

I wanted to learn more so I googled the question, "Why is the number seven important in the Bible"? and I found this website: Gotquestions.org

"What is the biblical significance of the number seven "7"?

"The first use of the number seven in the Bible relates to the creation week in Genesis 1. God spends six days creating the heavens and the earth, and then rests on the seventh day. This is our template for the seven-day week, observed around the world to this day. The seventh day was to be “set apart” for Israel; the Sabbath was a holy day of rest (Deuteronomy 5:12).

Thus, right at the start of the Bible, the number seven is identified with something being “finished” or “complete.” From then on, that association continues, as seven is often found in contexts involving completeness or divine perfection. So we see the command for animals to be at least seven days old before being used for sacrifice (Exodus 22:30), the command for leprous Naaman to bathe in the Jordan River seven times to effect complete cleansing (2 Kings 5:10), and the command for Joshua to march around Jericho for seven days (and on the seventh day to make seven circuits) and for seven priests blow seven trumpets outside the city walls (Joshua 6:3–4). In these instances, seven signifies a completion of some kind: a divine mandate is fulfilled."

You can read the rest of the very interesting answer here:  "What is the biblical significance of the number seven "7"?

Several different people have said to us over the years that maybe the lawsuit would end on year seven—but that didn't happen. The year 2014 came and went, and the lawsuit continued on. After reading the explanation of "seven signifies a completion of some kind: a divine mandate is fulfilled" I thought to myself—well of course the lawsuit didn't end on year seven. My sister and brother-in-law deciding to file a lawsuit was a direct violation of God's written word. It most definitely was not part of a divine mandate. It was selfish pursuit of evil plans and a desire to circumvent God's authority by using the world's court system to get what they wanted.

Several weeks ago a new thought came to me. I was writing The Beginning of the End on 1/11/17 when it suddenly occurred to me that it is has been seven years since I knew I was supposed to begin keeping a journal while reading through God's Word again. I began the process of reading and writing on November 16, 2009. When I finished the almost four year journey of reading and writing, I knew I was to transcribe my journals into a format where I could organize and label the contents of my journal. So, the plan to create this (private) blog began. The blog was just for my own personal use. Then along the way, while transcribing my journal entries, the unexpected happened:

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

And for the first time, I realized what I had been working on since November of 2009 and what I thought was just for my own personal use was—THE Book. I knew I was to tell HIS Story, but never did I imagine my journals were the way HE wanted HIS story told.

Now it's early 2017, I am transcribing my journal entries for Revelation from my final journal; I am understanding for the first time that it has taken me seven years to complete the telling of HIS Story; I'm reminded of the importance of the number seven; I look up why the number seven is significant in the Bible; and I read the quote, "In these instances, seven signifies a completion of some kind: a divine mandate is fulfilled."     

Is there any correlation?  There is still editing to complete, but the actual writing and telling of HIS Story, the divine mandate I was given, has taken seven years. HIS Story cannot be released until the lawsuit has permanently ended, so until that time, we will wait. God waited patiently while Noah finished building the boat, and then His judgment began. We will wait patiently for God to reveal His timing. In the meantime, it makes me smile to realize this journey of reading and writing has taken seven years. How cool is that?

Here is what I do know. We are just very ordinary people. I'm 62 years old. I am not college educated. You really can't get more ordinary than we are. But, this isn't our story—it is HIS story—and we serve an extra-ordinary God. I don't know why we were chosen to be the recipients of a Blessed Event. All I know is that God has a plan and I want to be faithful.

There is so much that has happened that had absolutely nothing to do with us. So much. It's humbling to realize the path we have been on has been ordained by the great I AM. It turns out it wasn't my idea to:

• Hike the Appalachian Trail
• Begin going to visit the residents of a nursing home on Christmas mornings
• Go to the nursing home on that fateful day in January 2007
• Start a journal
• Begin to pray and prepare for a New Beginning
• Purge our home of all the lawsuit stuff while it was still ongoing
• Begin Walking On His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead)
• Open up my private journals for the world to see

And the list could go on and on. These weren't just random events. I'm convinced they were/are all "divine mandates" that had nothing to do with us—and after seven years—they are almost all completed. Is there more that needs to happen?

So, when or how is the lawsuit going to end? When can HIS Story become public? I have no idea. Nothing about this journey we have been on has been "ordinary." God has done so many amazing things along this path that it's hard to believe the lawsuit would end in some sort of ho-hum way. So, we wait, and we trust.  

Just like Mt. Kathadin is the goal for those planning on hiking the entire Appalachian Trail, Heaven is the goal for a believer who is following HIS path. There are valleys to cross, mountains to climb, and obstacles to overcome, but there is no safer place to be than on HIS path. We will wait to see what God has planned for our next steps. We will take a step, the next step, and the next step. The journey WILL unfold before us. 

 Walking on His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead).  

Addendum #2: 2/15/19 ~ Two more years have passed—and the lawsuit continues. I just realized (this past week while reading through my entries) that another seven is coming up.  It was in July of 2012 (while hiking the Appalachian Trail), that God brought it to our minds to begin praying about a New Beginning. Without our knowing it at the time, the New Beginning represented a turning point in our lives. You can read about The New Beginning: The Path Unfolds here.

Addendum #3: 6/26/19 ~ And then there was: A New Path—A New Journey


Next Entry: Revelation 7:1–17

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 2:1–29

July 15, 2013

Just because we have a Savior who will forgive us from our sins doesn't mean we have a license to sin. We are to become holy as He is holy. If we do sin Jesus is our intercessor between us and God. But we most certainly are not to remain in sin. There are two simple questions to ask yourself if you don't know where you stand in your fellowship with God.

1)  Am I obeying His commands? Yes or No? Remember, He is Master Jesus and we are to be His servants. We don't get to pick and choose which commands we want to obey. 

2) Do I say I know God but still follow my own ways and do not obey His commands? Then the answer is simple—He is not your Master. The disobedience of His commands show you are are not willing to be a servant to Master Jesus.

John says you are a liar and the truth is not in you if you say with mere words that He is Lord but your actions don't support your words. I John 2:6 - "Whoever says that he lives in God must live as Jesus lived."Jesus explains the teachings of the Old Testament.  We must go to Jesus for salvation, instruction, guidance, direction, clarification, etc. I John 2:9 - "Anyone who says, "I am in the light" (Christian) but hates a brother or sister, is still in the darkness."

Someone who lives in the light will not hate a brother or sister and will not harm anyone. But someone who hates (hate = angry, seeking revenge, harm, etc.) a brother or sister is:

• in darkness
• lives in darkness
• does not know where to go, and
• the darkness has made them blind.

Darkness—the absence of light. What a horrible way to live. When you "say" you are a Christian but your actions show you are out to get your brother or sister then the truth is not in you, and you are in darkness, you live in darkness, you wander around without clear direction, and you are blind because of the darkness. Your actions trump your claims.

I clearly remember how disturbing it was to watch and listen to my sister and brother-in-law's depositions in early 2009. There were just so many conflicting lies in their answers. On the way back home our hearts were just broken for them. At one point, my husband and I looked at each other and said, "There is no truth in them." Now in July, 2013, I understand more about the accuracy and horribleness of that statement.

The Truth/God can set them free. But standing in the way of God's forgiveness is that little (big) word—IF. There has to be confession AND repentance. There has to be a turning from and a turning towards. 

I John 2:15 - "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you. These are the ways of the world:

• Wanting to please our sinful selves
• Wanting the sinful things we see 
• Being too proud of what we have

None of these come from the Father, but all of them come from the world. The world and everything that people want in it are passing away, but the person who does what God wants lives forever."


Next Entry: I John 2:1–29 (Continued)

I Peter 2:1–25 (Continued)

July 02, 2013

I Peter 2:20–21 - "But if you suffer for doing good, and you are patient, then God is pleased. This is what you were called to do..." Wow. How do those who support the idea of a "feel good, God just wants you to be happy" religion reconcile that "belief" with what Peter says about suffering? "This is what you were called to do..."

Christ suffered for us and gave us an example of how to suffer and be patient. I Peter 2:21 - "So you should do as he did."

• He was innocent—He had not sinned
• He was truthful—He did not lie
• He was insulted—but He did not seek to strike back at those who accused Him
• He suffered—but He did not threaten

I Peter 2:23 - "He let God, the One who judges rightly, take care of him." He let God. What a powerful statement and a creed we should all live our lives by and be known by.

He let God!

Christ suffered and took our sins so we would:

STOP—living for sin

START—living for what is right 

When we suffer we need to examine our lives.

1. Is there anything I need to stop doing?
2. Is there something I should begin doing?

If you have wandered away—accept God's healing, and return to the Shepherd and Protector of souls. If you are falsely accused and suffering unfairly—hold on, be patient, endure the pain, and LET GOD TAKE CARE OF IT!

As my husband and I were talking about this passage, my husband began to reflect back on what happened to him while we were on a missions trip to El Sembrador boy's school in Honduras. I don't think I've written about it before. I want to make sure it gets written and not lost so I am recounting it here.

We arrived in Honduras on a Saturday. On Sunday we went to their church service in their simple but beautiful chapel. All the boys sat up front. We sat on the hard wooden pews towards the back. The worship songs were in Spanish and the preaching was also in Spanish. We understood little to nothing that was spoken, however the Spirit of the Lord was there and we understood much.

During the service my husband became very emotional. He sat there and wept with tears running down his face. I put my arm around him. I didn't know what was happening. Was he thinking about his brother who had just passed away a few weeks earlier? What was going on? What was causing him to become so emotional?

Later my husband shared with the group what was happening. God was running the events of the last six and one half years of "the storm" through his mind and God was grilling him with questions.

"You wanted to go on mission trips but because of the lawsuit you thought it was impossible. Where are you sitting? You thought there was no way your business could pay for its portion of the expenses caused by the lawsuit. What did I do for your business in 2007? What am I still doing today? You thought because the economy tanked and because of the lawsuit and the loss of revenue for services rendered that your business wouldn't be able to survive. Look at what I have done!! You are now in a specialized field and busier than ever!"  

And the tears rolled as God replayed the events of the last six and one half years through his mind. Jane, our walks, the sky opening up, witnessing the hand of God, and on and on. You thought—verses—the reality of God's power and His plan. God is so good. I Peter 2:19–20 - "A person might have to suffer even when it is unfair, but if he thinks of God and stands the pain, God is pleased... if you suffer for doing good, and you are patient, then God is pleased."

Christ suffered. But He let God, the One who judges rightly, take care of Him. We have chosen to let God, the One who judges rightly, take care of us.

He has proven Himself faithful!!


Next Entry: I Peter 3:1–22

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)  

James 4:1–17

June 26, 2013

Do you want to know where fights and arguments come from? James tells us. They come from our selfish desires that war inside of us and spill out to those around us. It's that simple. Selfishness. And selfishness is breaking God's first commandment of—"No other gods" and His royal law of—"Love your neighbor as you love yourself."

I like how James describes it when he says "(it) wars within you." I don't think I've ever noticed that before. But it's true. Selfishness harms you first before it strikes out at others. You want things → you don't have them → it makes you mad → you are jealous → you are ready to do whatever it takes to get them → you argue → you fight → you try to be in control → if you can't have it then you try to make sure the other person doesn't have it either → it grows → it festers → it wars within you → it destroys your joy → it destroys your relationships with other people → you strategize and maneuver → you use whatever means necessary to get what you want → nothing you try works → you don't give up → you try all the harder → and the turmoil within you grows. You should know better. You know the truth and you know the truth will set you free, but you want what the other person has, whether it be their "things" or their peace and joy. You don't want your peace, you want their peace.

And it doesn't work.

When you love the world/self it actually means you are hating God and you become God's enemy. Did you hear that? God's enemy!!! Do you understand the seriousness of that? Is your desire for selfish control worth being an enemy of God? James 4:5 - "Do you think the Scripture mean nothing that says, 'The Spirit that God made to live in us wants us for himself alone?' " Of course there is going to be a war going on within you when you are trying to fight against the way God made you. James quotes Proverbs 3:34 - "God is against the proud, but he gives grace to the humble." There is only one way to have peace. James 4:7 - "So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you. Come near to God, and God will come near to you."

• Give yourself to God. You have to "give" yourself. God will not take you by force.
• Stand firm against the devil. With God on your side the devil cannot harm you.
• Come. The closer you go to God the more He comes to you.

You can't follow God and the world/self at the same time. It won't work. You need to make your thinking pure and clean out the sin from your lives. Repent. Be sorry—truly sorry—for what you have done. Humble yourself before God and HE will make you great. Don't concern yourself with what others are doing. Only be concerned with your relationship with Christ. You are not the lawmaker or the judge. James 4:12 - "God is the only Lawmaker and Judge. He is the only One who can save and destroy." Leave it ALL up to Him. Let go—let God. God is a fair and just God. Trust Him to make things right.

Our lives are but a mist. It is not about our agenda. It IS about God's will. We cannot claim ignorance. James 4:17 -  "Anyone who knows the right thing to do, but does not do it, is sinning." It really is that black and white. Disobedience = sin. Delayed obedience = sin. It is faith + action. Our walk MUST match our talk.

I find great comfort in knowing that God is our Judge. Our faith and trust is in Him alone. 

"As you confess that God is in charge, you admit that your aren't. As you proclaim that God has power, you admit that you don't. And as you give God all the applause, there is none left to dizzy your brain." ~ From The Great House by Max Lucado. 

Next Entry: James 5:1–20 

James 2:1–26

June 22, 2013

James 2:6–7 - "The rich are always trying to control your lives.  They are the ones who take you to court. And they are the ones who speak against Jesus who owns you."

As believers, we are "owned" by Jesus. The rich (and the wannabe rich and live-as-if-we-are-rich) see themselves as being in control, and they totally disregard the authority of Jesus and instead decide they will be in charge and make the decisions. They view themselves as "owners" and others as subservient. 

I should make a disclaimer here. Not every "rich" person fits this description and there are also plenty of people who do not have great wealth but still live their lives trying to be in control. What God is talking about here is the temptation for the wealthy to rely on themselves and their own capabilities rather than being God-reliant. It is extremely difficult and rare for the very "rich" to remain totally dependent on God and not fall into the trap of self-sufficiency.

The #1 trap for any of us is to become self-reliant instead of God-dependent. Having monetary riches exacerbates the temptation and many will start relying on their own means to get what they want. It isn't just that they have money and so therefore can afford to use the world's court system to exert their control. The problem is they have also developed the attitude of "I am in control... I will get what I want." The problem is "I." I want and therefore I will get! I... I... I... and so they go against God's teachings and do whatever they want. They may not use actual words to "speak against Jesus" but their actions speak volumes. Hebrews 6 graphically describes how their actions "are nailing the Son of God to a cross again and are shaming him in front of others."

God's teachings, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself" means nothing to the self-reliant person. God saying that if you love others as yourself "you are doing right" doesn't matter to them either. God says to never think some people are more important than others. We are all created the same and are equally important.

God says in James 2:4 - "What are you doing? You are making some people more important than others, with evil thought you are deciding that one person is better." If we don't show mercy God will not show mercy to us. James 2:13 - "The person who shows mercy can stand without fear at the judgment."

James talks about faith AND good works. It is not faith "or" good works, it is not faith "because" of good works, and it's not faith "instead" of good works. It is faith AND good works. James 2:14 - "If people say they have faith, but do nothing, their faith is worth nothing. Can faith like that save them?" James 2:17 - "In the same way, faith that is alone—that does nothing—is dead."

Those are strong words. We can say whatever we want, but it is our actions that will show what we truly believe. We can say Jesus is Lord, but if we insist on being in charge and in control, then he is not Lord. We can say we love others as our self, but IF—we do things to harm others so we can benefit ourselves, THEN—we are not only lying to ourselves and others, but we are lying to the God of creation. Our actions reveal the heart of the matter and if our walk does not match our talk, then he is not Lord. We can say we believe there is one God, but even the demons believe that, and they tremble in fear. IF—our actions don't show that we believe there is only one supreme God, THEN—we are worse off than the demons who tremble with fear because we are in effect thumbing our nose at the One and only true God. 

What arrogance. What foolishness! Faith that does nothing is worth nothing! Abraham believed and acted before he saw the fulfillment of God's promises "and his faith was made perfect by what he did." We have no excuse. We have God's Word and we have the benefit of being able to look back and see God's faithfulness and the fulfillment of His promises. We must believe and act. Our walk must match our talk. Talk is easy and walking can be difficult, but walk we must!! James 2:26 - "Just as a person's body that does not have a spirit is dead, so faith that does nothing is dead!"

Faith—AND—Good Works. Not one or the other—BOTH! 

Addendum: 3/24/19 ~ Our value is not determined by who we are, what we do, or what we own. Our value comes from who we are IN Christ.   


Next Entry: James 3:1–18 

James 1:1–27 (Continued)

June 19, 2013

There is nothing wrong with wealth itself, but our culture has it ALL wrong. The world tells us we should desire wealth and that wealth will brings us independence and happiness, freedom, power, prestige, status, etc. All things that sound good. But! with wealth also comes a hidden (or not-so-hidden) danger.  

The biggest danger that comes from wealth? Independence. When you are self-sufficient it is hard to be God-reliant. The temptation is to believe in and rely on yourself and therefore not rely on God. James 1:9–10 - "Believers who are poor should be proud, because God has made them spiritually rich. Those who are rich should be proud because God has shown them that they are spiritually poor." 

Money, power, and control are temporary earthly pleasures. Heaven and hell are eternal realities.  James describes someone who relies on and lives their lives seeking wealth as a wildflower in the grass. The sun comes out with its scorching heat and it dries up the flower and its blossoms fall off, the plant withers, and the beauty is gone. The "rich" are busy doing business and trying to accumulate more wealth. They are busy being "in charge" and they don't even recognize that they are being scorched by the Son and that they are in danger of losing it all. They dig their heels in and try all the more thinking, "I will be in charge," but it is to no avail and they wither up and disappear.

God is in charge. He is Lord. We are to understand His sovereignty; submit ourselves to His authority; and place our dependence totally upon Him. Rare is the person who can have abundant wealth and still remain reliant on God. 


Next Entry: James 1:1–27 (Continued)

James 1:1–27

June 17, 2013

James lets us know that troubles are something we should embrace and not try to avoid. Yet in our culture, the exact opposite attitude of "avoid trouble at all cost" is the norm. Listen carefully the next time you hear prayer requests being shared. The prayer "requests" are often about some sort of trouble someone is trying to avoid. It is through our troubles that we grow and become more like Christ.  

"Deep water" times in our lives is where we best learn patience and perseverance. During difficult times we begin to understand the totality of our inabilities and our need for complete dependence on Christ and wisdom that can only come from God. When we empty ourselves of "self" and fill ourselves with Christ, we have complete joy in spite of our circumstances.

James 1:5 - "But if any of you need wisdom, you should ask God for it. He is generous and enjoys giving to all people so he will give you wisdom." It isn't that you just flippantly ask God for wisdom and—voila—you have wisdom. When you seek wisdom you must be willing to:

• Open yourself up to examination
• Surrender yourself to God's will
• Believe
• Hold on and not doubt

James describes someone who asks for wisdom and then doesn't believe and starts doubting as a "wave in the sea, blown up and down by the wind." When you are wavering back and forth you cannot make any progress and you will not "receive anything from the Lord." You have to ask; listen; and then act.

*****

Jane has written in her Bible:

Wisdom—"The quality of judging rightly and following soundest course of action."
Heavenly Wisdom—"Able to discern divine dealings of God in your life and able to relate joyfully to them in order to profit to the fullest from them."

"Ask in faith!"


Next Entry: James 1:1–27 (Continued)

Hebrews 12:1 – 13:25

June 17, 2013

So, how do you live by faith? You follow Jesus' example; you put one foot in front of the other; and you hold on. Hebrews 12:1 - "So let us run the race that is before us and never give up."

To be successful at living a life of faith you first have to remove anything in your life that would block your relationship to Christ. You must remove any and all sin. You can't be successful if you allow those things to continue in your life. You have to look only to Christ and not to your own abilities or to the abilities of others—only to Christ. He is the One who began our faith and He is the One who helps us to live it out. He is our example. He suffered death on a cross, but he accepted the humiliation and shame as if it were nothing. "He held on" even while wicked people were doing evil things to Him. Hebrews 12:3 - "So do not get tired and stop trying."

Our struggles and sufferings are against sin. Don't give up. Don't try to avoid the pain.

Hebrews 12:7 - "So hold on through your sufferings..."

God will change you and grow you, and He will be faithful to His promises. What God puts in our lives or allows in our lives is meant to help us to become more like Him. It isn't easy, and it isn't always fun, but it is meant for our good.

Hebrews 12:11 - "It is painful, but later, after we have learned from it, we have peace, because we start living in the right ways."

So be careful how you live. Try to live in peace with all people. You cannot control the actions of others, but you can control yourself. Be careful not to allow sin to creep into your life.

Hebrews 12:14 - "Anyone whose life is not holy will never see the Lord." Be careful who you associate with.

A "religious unbeliever" can cause many problems for you. Be careful not to get caught by the trap of sexual sin or to believe the lie that wealth is the answer. Eternal rewards are worth far more than any short term discomfort.

Our lives should be different from those around us because we have met Jesus. Hebrews 12:22–24 - "You have come to Mount Zion...you have come to thousands of angels gathered together with joy... you have come to the meeting of God's children... you have come to God... you have come to Jesus... you have come to the sprinkled blood..." So, you really have no excuse.

Be careful! Hebrews 12:25 - "Do not refuse to listen when God speaks." To refuse to listen to Him before you knew Him is bad enough. But to refuse to listen to Him after you have met Him is SO much worse. So, hold on—and be thankful. God has prepared a kingdom for us that cannot be shaken. God is in control and we can trust Him. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Deuteronomy 31:6 - "I will never leave you. I will never forget you."   

We can be confident in Him because He is trustworthy. Psalm 118:6 - "I will not be afraid, because the Lord is my helper. People can't do anything to me." Hebrews 13:15 - "So through Jesus let us always offer to God our sacrifice of praise, coming from lips that speak his name."

PRAISE—what keeps everything else in perspective. It keeps your heart calm even in the midst of "the storm." It keeps your focus on what is important. Praise keeps the

God

↓

Man

relationship in the correct order. It is what allows you to live a life of faith. So, hold on. Do good to others. Share the faithfulness of Christ with those you meet. We can be assured that the God of peace will give us every good thing we need so we can do what He wants.

Hebrews 13:21 - "I pray that God will do in us what pleases him, through Jesus Christ, and to him be glory forever and ever. Amen."

It is all about Him. May our lives bring honor and glory to Him. May this lawsuit (which was begun in direct violation of God's principles but which has been used by God to strengthen and purify us and to take His message forward) continue to be used to bring honor and glory to His name.

*****

Jane as the following written in her Bible after Hebrews:

Enoch 
  - pleased God - had faith - brought blood sacrifice
  - walked with God
  - walked contrary to world - a separated life of holiness
  - a supernatural walk - "step by step"
  - our trust is in God, not Social Security
  - walked in same direction as God - don't take a vacation from God - be consistent
  - game Methuselah as example of godliness

Prayer - "confidential conversation with God"; "a fellowship of our thought with His thoughts."


Next Entry: James 1:1–27