By HIS Great Power

November 02, 2017

This morning, as I began to read Exodus 3 in my Bible (the next chronological chapter in my devotions), I was struck by several things.

1. God knows. Nothing was/is a surprise to Him. "I have seen... I have heard... I am concerned... I have come down to save them... I will bring them out... (I will) lead them... I have heard the cries... "
2. God is ever present. Moses was going about his daily business when he saw the bush on fire but not burning up. Moses didn't call out to God and then God finally arrived from some far away distant place. He was already there! BUT, Moses (and we) have to first look, and then draw closer in order to see Him.  
3. God promised HIS help. He is the great I AM. He was. He is. He will always be. He promised to go with them as He sent them out, and He promised to help them. "I care about you... I have seen what has happened to you... I promised I would take you out of your troubles... I will lead you..."
4. God has power. "Only a great power will force him to let you go, so I will use my great power... After I do that, he will let you go." God has "surpassing greatness" (Psalm 150). Nothing is beyond His capability. "Praise him for his acts of power..." (Psalm 150).  
5. God is in control. God used the ordinary to prove His authority. God took Moses' rod, something he used in his day to day life, to show Moses (and later the Egyptians) HE was in control and had the power and authority to save His people. Psalm 140:12 - "The Lord secures justice."
6. God will lead. He doesn't need our ability, He only wants our availability. Who has the power and authority? "It is I, the LORD. Now go! I will help you speak, and I will teach you what to say."

Thank you, LORD, for the reminders this morning. You are the great I AM. You are omnipresent and you are omniscient. Your promises are true. You have surpassing greatness. And no matter what, YOU are in control and you will continue to lead us while we are on this journey. We will continue to trust you and follow you on your footpath.

I still do not believe this path we are on includes sitting across from my sister in a court of law as "he said–she said" plays out in front of a judge. I do not believe a judge in the world's court system is going to determine our fate. (It took a considerable amount of courage to just put my belief down in writing—again!) It's not a comfortable position to be standing at the precipice of a cliff when you know you don't have any kind of safety line to protect you should you fall. I know I will look like a fool and much of what I have devoted seven years of my life to (reading through the Bible and keeping a journal of my thoughts now transcribed into this blog) will be totally discounted should I be proven wrong. BUT, with tears in my eyes I am going to step out on the edge of the cliff and say it again: I do not believe the path we are on includes a trial.

So, if I don't believe there is to be a trial, then what do I believe will happen? What I believe is found in the chapter I read this morning.  

"Only a great power will force him to let you go, so I will use my great power... After I do that, he will let you go." ~ From Exodus 3:19–20

I believe the only way we will be released from the traps my sister and brother-in-law set and from this lawsuit they've filed is by HIS great power. Not a judge. Not the skill of an attorney. Not by luck, happenstance, or a fluke. No. Only by HIS great power!

We have already seen that "time" is not the answer. The lawsuit has dragged on in the court system for over ten years. "Time" has changed nothing. When someone is fueled by revenge and evil intentions, no amount of "time" in and of itself, will ever change their mind.

We have already seen that "reasoning" is not the answer. A mediation attorney spent hours (literally) in their room trying to "reason" with them—and failed. A skilled settlement judge gave it his best effort. He tried to "reason" with them—and failed. All of our "reasonable" offers to sell, buy, or sell to a third party were flatly rejected without any consideration. "Reasoning" is not the answer or the lawsuit would be over.

Shockingly, even though my sister and brother-in-law's lives appear to be fueled by greed, "money" is not the answer either. They have already spent far more than they could ever hope to win even if the judge ruled in their favor on every one of their (false) charges. If you add what they will now have to spend to take the lawsuit on to trial to what they have already spent, it makes no logical or business sense. The judge at the Settlement Conference made a pointed effort to explain to them that even if they were successful in getting a judge to rule in their favor, all we would have to do is go down the hall to another office and file bankruptcy and they would be left with nothing. Yet, the risk of gambling and losing even more money is not enough to make them stop. Not only are they willing to risk spending more money they also rejected the possibility of receiving guaranteed money. We offered to walk away from any share of the money in escrow (over $140,000) if they dropped the lawsuit, and our offer was rejected. So, no amount of guaranteed "money" or no amount of risked "money" is the answer.

Even a ruling by a judge is not an answer. As the judge explained at the Settlement Conference, if you don't like the court's ruling you can always appeal, the lawyers would be glad to take your money.

Time. Reasoning. Money. A court's ruling. None of these are the answer. No earthly thing is the answer.

The way I see it that leaves only two options:

1. A heart and life change; or  
2. By HIS great power.

Oh, how I pray it will be #1. That has always been our prayer and it continues to be our prayer today. If there is a true heart change then their desire to pursue us would soon change and the lawsuit would end. That is still our hope, desire and prayer. However, even after ten years of Grace, there has been no heart change.

If there continues to be no heart change, then by default that leaves #2. "Only a great power will force him to let you go, so I will use my great power... After I do that, he will let you go." Brick by brick a wall being built to force a change in behavior. What a sobering thought. I can't imagine what it would take to force them to stop. I can't imagine, and I can't even allow my mind to go there.

Oh. My. Goodness. I just had a brand new thought!! Soon the judge will set a date for a trial. When we received the news, it felt like an end point was quickly coming and we were running out of time for some sort of intervention to block the impending trial. It felt like we were the ones running out of time. But. Oh. My. Goodness! What if they are the ones who are running out of time? Are the "days of Grace" God has so graciously extended to them these last ten years coming to an end? Are they running out of time to change their hearts and lives? Is there a day of accountability and reckoning coming?

I don't know. All I know is this: we are putting our faith and trust in Christ alone. I wish we could make the same decision for my sister and brother-in-law, but we can't. Only they can choose to surrender their hearts and lives to the King of kings and Lord of lords  I KNOW God wants my sister and brother-in-law's surrendered hearts even more than I want it for them. I KNOW God is a fair and just judge who can be trusted. I KNOW that no matter what, I can have peace and joy in all circumstances because HE is in control and my trust is in HIM.

For the last couple of days the song In Christ Alone has been running through my mind.  Here are the lyrics:

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell, no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Til He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

I will stand

I will stand, all other ground is sinking sand

All other ground, is sinking sand

Songwriters: Keith Getty/ Stuart Townend

Listen to In Christ Alone here.


Next Entry: THEN They Will Know!

Revelation 21:1 – 22:21

August 27, 2013

It is finished! Eternal heaven is about to begin. There is a new heaven and a new earth. There is a new Jerusalem that descends from heaven. There will no longer be a "cloud" of God's presence (like there was when God protected and led His people from their bondage in Egypt) because God Himself will be there with His people. Oh what a day! To be in the presence of the LORD God Almighty Himself!! 

Revelation 21:4 - "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain, because the old ways are gone." The One on the throne said, "Write this, because these words are true and can be trusted."

"It is finished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give free water from the spring of the water of life to anyone who is thirsty. Those who win the victory will receive this, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. But cowards (KJV - fearful), those who refuse to believe, who do evil things, who kill, who sin sexually, who do evil magic, who worship idols, and who tell lies—all these will have a place in the lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Revelation 21:6–8

The key to knowing God is found in the word I have underlined. You have to be thirsty. His water of life is available to anyone who wants it, but you have to want it. You have to desire it as if you were in a hot dry desert and desperately needing water to survive. If you sincerely want to know God and know more about God, He WILL show you Himself. God has never turned away an honest seeker. NEVER! When you seek Him, you will find Him. It is a promise from God that cannot be broken. 

There is no need for a temple in the New Jerusalem. The Almighty God and the Lamb are the temple. The city doesn't need a sun or moon because God is the light and the Lamb is the lamp. No thing or no one else is needed. We will walk in the light of God and the Lamb. There is no darkness there. There is no sin. Revelation 21:27 - "Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will enter the city."

The river of the water of life flows through the city. It flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb. The tree of life is on each side of the river. Nothing that God judges guilty will be there. Evil is forever gone. Surrounding the throne of God and the Lamb is God's servants—you and me—and we are worshiping the Lord God Almighty. Songs of praise are popping into my mind: I Can Only Imagine; What a Day That Will Be; The Cross Was Enough (Jesus, Son of God); How Great Thou Art.

Jesus as Lord says:

"Listen!  I am coming soon!... Obey my words!"

And again He says:

"Listen! I am coming soon! I will bring my reward with me, and I will repay each one of you for what you have done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the First and Last, the Beginning and the End. I, Jesus have sent my angel to tell you these things for the churches. I am the descendant from the family of David, and I am the bright Morning Star."

The Spirit and the bride (that's us) say,

"Come!"

Let the one who hears this say,

"Come!"

Let whoever is thirsty,

"Come!"

Revelation 22:17 - "Whoever wishes may have the water of life as a free gift."

Revelation 22:20–21 - "Jesus, the One who says these things are true says, "Yes, I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all. Amen."

*****

There is no more to say. The Cross of Jesus is enough. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. Come!


Next Entry: The Journey: Part Two 

Revelation 7:1–17

July 31, 2013

Yesterday I wrote about the six seals that were opened and the terrible things that were unleashed upon the earth. Today I write about the opposite, people being rescued and sealed for protection by God.

Destruction by wind was going to happen, but God had four angels prevent it from happening until the seal of the living God was put on the 144,000 who were to be protected and saved. The 144,000 came from every tribe of Israel. 12,000 from each of the twelve sons of Jacob.

After this, John looked again and he saw a large group of people who were too many to count. They were from every nation, every tribe, people and language of the earth. They were all standing before the throne wearing white robes and holding palm branches. They were shouting in a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." The angels, elders, and four living creatures all bowed down and worshiped God, saying;

"Amen! Praise, glory, wisdom, thanks, honor, power, and strength belong to our God, forever and ever. Amen!" Revelation 7:12

One of the elders turned to John and asked him where these people came from. John said, "You know sir." And the elder replied, these are the people who came out of the tribulation. They believed in Jesus so their sins were forgiven by his blood and His presence is with them. They will never be hungry or thirsty again. Jesus is their shepherd. The sun or heat cannot hurt them. Like Psalm 23, they will be led to the springs of water, every tear will be wiped away, and they will worship God before His throne.

Only Jesus, the Lamb of God, could open the seals that began the destruction. And only Jesus, the final sacrificed Lamb, can put the seal of salvation on His people. His people—the people who believe and trust Him no matter what—even if it means their physical death.

God's Protection

Psalm 17:8 - Protect me as you would your own eye. Hide me under the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 18:2–3 - The Lord is my rock, my protection, my Savior. My God is my rock. I can run to him for safety. He is my shield and my saving strength, my defender. I will call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise and I will be saved from my enemies.

Proverbs 2:8 - He makes sure that justice is done, and he protects those who are loyal to him.

II Thessalonians 3:3 - But the Lord is faithful and will give you strength and will protect you from the evil one.

It most likely meant physical death to those who came out of the tribulation. It takes dying to self for all of us if we are to gain eternal life with the One and the Lamb.


Next Entry: Revelation 8:1 – 9:21 

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

Revelation 4:1 – 6:17

July 29, 2013

The visions continued. John looked and there before him was an open door in heaven. The same voice that spoke to him earlier said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this." (Revelation 4:1) Immediately, John was in the Spirit and he was before a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. The person sitting on the throne was The One, God Himself. With beauty, imagery, and details that we cannot fathom and are beyond human comprehension, John begins to describe what he saw—the Majesty of God as He is surrounded by elders, spirits, and creatures.

Day and night the creatures never stop saying:

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty. 
     He was, he is, and he is coming."

"These living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the One who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever." (Revelation 4:8,9)

Then the 24 elders bow down before the One on the throne and they worship Him who lives forever and ever.  They lay their crowns down before him and say:

"You are worthy, our Lord and God,
     to receive glory and honor and power,
because you made all things.
     Everything existed and was made,
     because you wanted it."

It brings tears to my eyes to even imagine what it is going to be like to bow down before the presence of my Lord and God and to have the privilege of laying my crown down before Him and to worship The One who is worthy to receive ALL glory, ALL honor, ALL power, and ALL praise. No words will ever be enough to thank HIM for ALL He has done for us.  Oh, to be able to join with the throng saying:

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.  He was, He is, and He is coming."

What an honor it will be to bow before King Jesus as He sits on His throne; to lay our crown down before Him unashamed; to know you were obedient to His voice on earth; knowing you sought to honor Him and please Him with your life and actions; and knowing you gave Him your all. Oh, what a day that will be. Memories of singing old hymns flood my mind.  O, That Will be Glory and What A Day That Will Be.

Then John saw a scroll in the right hand of The One sitting on the throne. The scroll had writing on both sides and was kept closed with seven seals. An angel asked, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" (Revelation 5:2) But there was no one (small "o") anywhere that was worthy. No one in heaven or on earth or under the earth who could open it or look in it. John cried—hard— because there was no one who was worthy to open it.

Why would John have been so upset? I believe it was because he keenly felt the shortcomings of "man." We are not worthy—but JESUS is. The only one who is worthy is The One. One of the elders told John not to cry. Revelation 5:5 - "The Lion from the tribe of Judah, David's descendant, has won the victory so that he is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."

JESUS IS WORTHY!  He is worthy of ALL honor, ALL glory, ALL power, and ALL praise!


Next Entry: Revelation 4:1 – 6:17 (Continued)

Revelation 2:1–29

July 25, 2013

To the Church in Ephesus the One says:

"I know what you do."

• You work hard
• You don't give up
• You don't put up with false teachings
• You've tested those who say they are my followers
• You've discerned those who are liars
• You've had patience
• You've suffered much for my name

"But, I have this against you: You have left the love you had in the beginning. So remember where you were before you fell. Change your hearts and do what you did at first." Otherwise you will lose your witness.

Revelation 2:7 - "Every person who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. To those who win the victory I will give the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life, which is in the garden of God." Adam and Eve tried to be in control and "take" what wasn't theirs to have, and they did not own it for themselves. Only God has the right to give what is His.

To the Church in Smyrna the One who is First and Last says:

"I know" what has happened to you.

• You've had troubles
• You are poor, but you are rich in what is important
• Some people have claimed to be something they are not and have spoken badly against you

Revelation 2:9b - "They are a synagogue that belongs to Satan." Do not be afraid! You are going to suffer, but hold on! Remain faithful even if it costs you everything. Revelation 2:10b - "I will give you the crown of life."

Revelation 2:11 - "Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.  Those who win the victory will not be hurt by the second death."

"Smyrna – name of a herb when crushed gives off a beautiful scent and aroma. So the Smyrna church—persecuted/crushed—was to be a suffering church." (Jane's handwritten note in her KJV Bible.)

To the Church of Pergamum the One who has the sharp, double-edged sword says:

"I know where you live."

• You live in a corrupt area
• You have remained true to me
• You shared your faith in me even when it wasn't politically correct and it was dangerous

"But I have a few things against you." Some of you are starting to follow teachings that are not from me. You are starting to conform to the evil times of where you live. For those of you who haven't conformed—hold on. For those of you who have conformed—change your hearts and lives! Revelation 2:16b - "If you do not, I will come to you quickly and fight against them with the sword that comes out of my mouth." To the faithful—"I will give some of the hidden manna to everyone who wins the victory." (Revelation 2:17)

Revelation 2:17 - "Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."

To the Church in Thyatira the Son of God who has eyes that blaze like fire and feet like bronze says:

"I know what you do."

• You have love
• You have faith
• You do things for others
• You are patient
• You are doing more now that you did in the beginning

"But I have this against you." You let a domineering and corrupt leader remain in power. She claims to have special knowledge, but her knowledge does not come from me. I've warned her and I've given her time to change, but she has refused to change and a punishment of suffering is waiting for her and all those who have not rejected her false teaching. Revelation 2:23b - "I am the One who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you for what you have done." Some of you have not been sucked into following her ways or have not learned the so-called deep secrets of Satan. I will support you. "Continue in your loyalty until I come." Revelation 2:26 - "I will give power over the nations to everyone who wins the victory and continues to be obedient to me until the end."

Revelation 2:29 - "Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."

Addendum: 2/1/17 ~ From the Life Lesson for Revelation 2.

"Good things take time before they're good.... 

Develop an attitude of trust. God can change situations; His name is Deliverer...

One of the most often-repeated commands in the Bible is "wait on the Lord." Waiting on Him "grows you up"; it keeps your eyes off yourself and on Him; it gives you staying power...

John could have spent his time pacing that barren little beach, feeling bitter about what "they" did to him, and scanning the horizon every minute for a rescuer. But he didn't. Quieted under the hand of God into a position of trust and receptivity, John received the most fabulous revelation of Jesus Christ and His future that any man has ever received, and as a result he wrote the Spirit-breathed book of Revelation.

Do you feel as if you're on a "Patmos" in your life? Are you feeling caught and trapped? Settle down. Look up. Let God decide whether He will act according to One, Two, or Three. For you, it will be perfect...." ~ From You Don't Have to Quit by Anne and Ray Ortlund

Well said.


Next Entry: Revelation 3:1–22

Revelation 1:1–20

July 24, 2013

"This is the revelation (Truth) of Jesus Christ which God gave to him, to show his servants what must soon happen. And Jesus sent his angel to show it to his servant John, who has told everything he has seen. It is the word of God: it is the message from Jesus Christ." Revelation 1:1-2 (Emphasis and comments mine.)

God revealed truth to Jesus; Jesus sent His angel to tell his servant John; John wrote down everything he saw; and now the truth has been revealed to those who are the servants of Christ.

"Happy is the one who reads the words of God's message, and happy are the people who hear this message and do what is written in it. The time is near when all of this will happen." Revelation 1:3  

Happy is the person who reads the words of God's message; happy is the person who hears the message from Jesus Christ; and happy is the person who does what is written in it. Happy and blessed. Yet so many people do not read this message from Jesus because it seems daunting to them. God doesn't send His message of truth to us without also sending His Holy Spirit to explain it to us. While not everyone will understand all the symbolism (I certainly don't), Revelation is the message of Jesus and there is much we can all understand. Revelation is God's Word. It is the message of Jesus Christ. It is Truth. And it is for each one of His servants.

John records Jesus' message to the seven churches in Asia. John makes it clear this is not just him writing another letter. This message is from the LORD God Himself. Revelation 1:4b–5a - "The One who is (present) and was (past) and is coming (future)... and from Jesus Christ."

Jesus is the "faithful witness." He is the fulfillment of God's plan for redemption; He was the first among those raised from the dead; He is the ruler over the kings of the earth; and He is coming again. Revelation 1:5–6 - "He is the One who loves us, who made us free from our sins with the blood of his death." He is the One! It is because of Him that we can be servants of God. "To Jesus Christ be glory and power forever and ever! Amen." (Revelation 1:5–6)

This isn't John's message. This is the message of Jesus. John was chosen to tell it because he was a faithful servant. He knew what it was to suffer for doing what was right. He was punished and sent in exile to the island of Patmos because he was preaching the word of God and spreading the message of Jesus.

It wasn't in spite of all that happened to John that God could use him. No. It was because of all that happened to him that God could use him. He was a faithful servant to God, and he was faithfully telling God's message. Because of that John was exiled on the island of Patmos. He was being punished, but he wasn't being punished by God. He was exactly where he was supposed to be. God took what was meant for John's harm and turned it to be used for the good of all mankind. God chose to reveal His truth to him while he was alone and separated from outside interruptions. Because John was faithful he was chosen to be the recipient of a Blessed Event. Thankfully, John did not keep all he experienced to himself. He wrote down all he saw and heard and shared it with the world.  

Revelation 1:7a - "Look, Jesus is coming with the clouds, and everyone will see him."

Everyone! Even those who witnessed His first crucifixion and those who have nailed him to the cross again by their refusal to submit to His authority. (Hebrews 6) Everyone!! Saint and sinner alike.

This is the first coming of Jesus where He comes in the clouds but does not descend all the way to the earth. The Holy Spirit and all believers are removed from the earth with those who are dead in Christ rising first. For believers this is a joyous time of redemption. For the "religious" unbeliever and non-believers this is the beginning of a horrific time. Revelation 1:7b - "And all peoples of the earth will cry because of him. So shall it be. Amen."

As we await the return of Christ there should be no fear, only great expectation. There also should be a sense of urgency. What does God want me to be doing? Who can I reach for eternity? Is there something I should stop doing? LORD, what is it you want from me? How can I best serve YOU? 

"The Lord God says, "I am the Alpha (beginning) and the Omega (end). I am the One who is and was and is coming. I am the Almighty." Revelation 1:8

I AM

John's heart was the same whether he was in the midst of good times or experiencing tough times. Even though he was alone and imprisoned on Patmos, he knew what day it was. It was the Lord's day and he was worshiping in the Spirit. Difficult times did not decrease his worship. I suspect the opposite was true, and that during the worst of times his praise to his Master increased.

As he was worshiping he heard a loud voice behind him. John turned around. When God speaks, pay attention! John saw someone "like a Son of Man" and he fell at his feet like a dead man. This "man" who looked like the sun shining at its brightest time put His right hand on John and said, "Do not be afraid. I am the First and Last. I am the One who lives; I was dead, but look, I am alive forever and ever! I hold the keys to death and to the place of the dead. So write the things you see, what is now and what will happen later." Revelation 1:17–18  (Emphasis mine)

• Pay attention
• Understand His Majesty
• Listen to what He says
• Do not be afraid
• He is the great I AM
• He reveals truth
• Tell others

Addendum: 2/4/17 ~ God often uses what we think are our valley experiences to teach us what He wants us to learn. It is often during the valley times in our lives that He has our undivided attention. We have learned this first hand.

When you look back over those times in your life, He gives you perspective, and you learn that valley experiences are not something to be avoided or tolerated, but are instead an opportunity to learn and grow. And who knows, that valley experience may just turn out to be a Blessed Event.

God amazingly used the Appalachian Trail to teach us this valuable lesson. Just like a valley is beautiful when viewed from a mountain overlook, so are those tough times in our lives when we look at them from a higher perspective. 


Next Entry: Revelation 2:1–29

John 8:1–59

October 25, 2012

John 8 is a chapter of contrasts and choices. We are given a choice of how to live our lives.

Light   

• life                                                               
• belief in Him                                              
• truth                                                              
• obedience                                                    
• freedom                                                        
• family                                                          
• understanding                                             
• accepts what God says                                
• promotes truth                                              
• brings honor to God                                     
• eternal life                                                    
• knows truth                                                  
• forgiving 

Contrast those words with the words used to describe darkness.                                                   

Darkness

• death
• refuse to believe
• lies
• disobedience
• bondage
• slave 
• deceived
• refuses to accept
• against truth
• wants honor for self
• eternal death
• denies truth
• accusing

"I am the light of the world. The person who follows me will never live in darkness but will have the light that gives life." John 8:12

"If you continue to obey my teaching, you are truly my followers. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32

"So if the Son makes you free, you will be truly free." John 8:36

"I tell you the truth... I AM." John 8:58


Next Entry: John 9:1–41

John 5:1–47

October 19, 2012

God gave Jesus the authority to save and to judge. "In fact, the Father judges no one, but he has given the Son power to do all the judging so that all people will honor the Son as much as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him." God sent his Son so we may believe and have life, (John 3:16) and He has given him the position to judge who has believed and who has not. "Those who did good will rise and have life forever, but those who did evil will rise to be judged guilty." There is no need for fear, we can trust Him to judge fairly. "I can do nothing alone. I judge only the way I am told, so my judgment is fair. I don't try to please myself, but I try to please the One who sent me." Jesus is our Savior and our Judge and we trust Him.

It isn't enough to know the Word, you must know the One who is the Word. "You carefully study the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. They do in fact tell about me, but you refuse to come to me to have that life." You can dutifully read the Bible every day; you can attend church every Sunday; you can participate in every Bible Study that is offered; you can read all the latest books by Christian authors; you can listen to the preachers on TV and radio; you can do it all being very diligent—and still miss the boat. Jesus says, "Come to me." KNOW me! I AM the WORD. Open your eyes so you can see. Open your ears so you can hear. Come to me. I will teach you. I will guide you. I will heal you. I will protect you. I will help you. I will restore you. I will give you rest. Salvation is found in no one else or nothing else. Salvation is only found in Me. Come to ME! You don't need others to explain ME. Come to ME! Be like a child and I will teach you.

The crippled man lay beside the pool that could heal him, but by his own effort he couldn't get there. For 38 years he was crippled, but it took only one encounter with Jesus to change his life. Jesus asked him, "Do you want to get well?" In his own power he couldn't do it, but he was still there in the position and place where it could happen. Jesus said to him, "Stand up. Pick up your mat and walk." And immediately he was healed and he picked up his mat and walked. Someone else had to help the man get to the place where he could be healed, but it was Jesus alone that had the power, authority, and ability to heal. Books, preachers, bible studies, even dutifully reading the Word can point you towards God, but it is Jesus alone whom we should seek.

The best way I have found to KNOW what Jesus wants is to literally ask Him. God (Jesus)—What do you want me to do about ___________? What do you want to teach me today from your Word? What would Jesus do? And Jesus, what do you want me to do? It's all about you, Jesus—it's all about YOU.


Next Entry: The New Beginning: No Matter What... Follow Me

Mark 14:1–72

August 18, 2012

Thoughts from Chapter 14:

• Worship (true worship) of Jesus is more important than good works (service). Service is a by-product of worship and praise. If service is first it becomes about us. If praise is first it becomes all about Him.
• The specifics of God's directions. He gives us specific directions to follow  Mark 14:13–15 - "Go into the city and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. When he goes into a house, tell the owner of the house, 'The Teacher says: Where is my guest room in which I can eat the Passover meal with my followers?' The owner will show you a large room upstairs that is furnished and ready. Prepare the food for us there." He doesn't give us a role to play and then leave us to wander about aimlessly. When God calls—God provides.
• Some people just will not listen to God's warnings. Judas heard these words: "How terrible it will be for the person who hands the Son of Man over to be killed. It would be better for him if he had never been born." After hearing those words (Mark 14:21) Judas went out and betrayed Jesus. If we, having once known Christ, turn from His ways then we are like Judas "... because they are nailing the Son of God to a cross again and are shaming him in front of others." (Hebrews 6:6)  
• After having the Lord's Supper they sang a *hymn. I would love to know what they sang. Was it one of the Psalms? Which one?
• We are all capable of stumbling in our faith. It is not in our own strength that we can finish the race without stumbling. It is in God's strength and God's alone.  
• Friends can go with us, but ultimately we must face our trials alone. It is between us and God.
• The goal is to get to the place where you can say like Jesus said, "Do what you want, not what I want."
• It's amazing there were still people who did not know who Jesus was and therefore couldn't recognize Him. They needed Judas to betray him and point him out. How did they not know Him? Thousands gathered around Him. He taught in the temple. He was very visible. Yet some people did not know Him. Kind of like today. The Bible is readily available. News about Christ is everywhere. Yet some people choose to either discredit Him or just ignore Him.  
• Jesus didn't try to argue with those who accused Him. But when they asked Him if He was the Christ He responded, "I am."
• Jesus was condemned for speaking the truth.  
• Jesus had a purpose and He fulfilled that purpose. 

* While reading Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) KJV, I noticed a cross reference for the word "hymn" that made me curious. The cross reference? Psalm 150. Wouldn't it be awesome if what Jesus and the disciples sang after the Lord's Supper was Psalm 150? Psalm 150—The first thing Jane told me to read; a new concept of praise we now live our lives by; and a chapter (hymn) we quote often.

"Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.  Praise him for his mighty acts; praise him according to his excellent greatness.  Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals; praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let everything that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD." (Jane's King James Version)

What a way to end Journal 9 and begin Journal 10.  Indeed—Praise the LORD!


Next Entry: Mark 15:1–47

Matthew 6:1–34 (Continued)

April 2, 2012

Forgiveness—the gift you give yourself and an attitude God honors.

"Yes, if you forgive others for their sins, your Father in heaven will also forgive you for your sins. But if you don't forgive others, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins."

Life is not about you/me. It is not up to us to decide if someone is "worthy" to be forgiven. God is the judge. When we refuse to forgive, we are attempting to put ourselves on the throne that only HE has the right to occupy and our actions show we are not surrendered to the Lordship of God. In our selfishness we decide we will be in control. We will hold on to the hurts, we will hold on to our anger, etc. Our actions are the evidence of what "truth" is. We have either given over the "wrongs" to God—or we haven't. We have either chosen to trust God—or we haven't. We have either surrendered to God—or we haven't.

God is saying—Look! I want you to understand this! You are not in control! You are not God! I AM. Keep your hands off. Surrender to me. I am the judge, so you quit trying to judge. I am the One who avenges, so let go of your revenge  I will decide if there needs to be vengeance. If there does it will be my holy vengeance and not your human spite. Don't come to me half way, I won't have it. (Revelation 3:15,16) Don't say I am your Father in heaven when your actions show you are your own god. If you want my forgiveness—give forgiveness. If you want me to be your Father in heaven—then be my child. The child does not decide what the Father should or should not do. The child surrenders and trusts, KNOWING the Father loves him and will do what is best for him.

*****

Today, our grandson (our son's son) asked me to help him pray for Jesus to forgive his sins. Woo Hoo!! What a precious gift and how appropriate with what I am writing about tomorrow. Nothing this world can offer compares to loving God. Thank you Jesus for his willingness to surrender his heart.  


Next Entry: Matthew 6:1–34 (Continued)

Zephaniah 1:1 – 3:20 (Continued)

February 18, 2012

Zephaniah ends with this amazing promise:

"I will take away the sadness planned for you, which would have made you very ashamed. At that time I will punish all those who harmed you. I will save my people who cannot walk and gather my people who have been thrown out. I will give them praise and honor in every place where they were shamed. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you back home. I will give you honor and praise from people everywhere when I make things go well for you, as you will see with your own eyes," says the LORD."

Following those verses in the margin of my Bible I wrote the following:

Praise the Lord!

5-19-08 ~ When fear attacks we will claim these verses. We will NOT be afraid and we will NOT give up. We WILL wait on the Lord. Oh, that our lives would be such that He rejoices over us and sings because of us. Hear our cries for mercy, Lord. Restore the land. Save us from those who planned evil against. us. May all honor and glory be yours. Praise the Lord.

What a way to end the Old Testament. When I wrote those words on 5-19-08, I had no way of knowing that on November 16, 2009, I would begin keeping a journal(s) of my journey reading through the Bible and that on February 18, 2012, I would finish the Old Testament with the words that I wrote in the margin of my Bible three years and eight months earlier. 

I read those words from 2008 and I can feel the pain and hurt that person was feeling. What a change there has been. The pain and hurt has been replaced with peace and joy. My faith and confidence in the LORD has grown immeasurably. Even the way I wrote/write Lord has changed. LORD to me now is all caps: I AM; Yahweh; the God who is. We have been on quite a journey these last five years. It has been a path of unknowns, but we have been led the entire way by the great I AM. How well I remember those first unsure steps as we began our faith journey. God is faithful and I believe He has found us faithful. 

"The LORD your God is with you; the mighty One will save you... you will see with your own eyes."

Praise the LORD.

Addendum:  10/4/15 ~ And now, three and one half years later, I am transcribing my writings, the lawsuit has been going on for over eight years and the judge has ordered a Settlement Conference. Unless God intervenes, the Settlement Conference will be an act of futility. BUT—like I first wrote in my margins over seven years ago:

When fear attacks we will claim these verses. We will NOT be afraid and we will NOT give up. We WILL wait on the Lord. Oh, that our lives would be such that He rejoices over us and sings because of us. Hear our cries for mercy, Lord. Restore the land. Save us from those who planned evil against us. May all honor and glory be yours. Praise the Lord."

A "new day" is coming. "At that time" God's promises will be fulfilled. "As you will see with your own eyes." We believe—WE BELIEVE! 

Life Lesson: "Hear God's Word through his faithful prophet—surely he will judge sin. But there is hope, deliverance, and salvation for those who trust in Him.  The storm is over; take a walk in the sun!"


Next Entry: Old Testament Epilogue

Zephaniah 1:1 – 3:20 (Continued)

February 17, 2012

Gather together! Gather together!

"Do it before it's too late, before you are blown away like chaff, before the LORD's terrible anger reaches you, before the day of the LORD's anger comes to you. Come to the LORD, all you who are not proud, who obey his laws. DO what is right. Learn to be humble. Maybe you will escape on the day the LORD shows his anger." Zephaniah 2:1–3

The LORD pleads with the people. He begs them! Do it before it's too late! Please! Do it! Now! Don't wait!! There will be a day when it's too late! Do it now! Before! Before you are blown away like chaff. Come to me! Do you hear me? Come to me!! It will mean you have to put yourself aside, you will have to lay your pride down. Lay your pride down! Come to me! Put your own dreams, wishes, and demands aside. Obey my laws! Come to me! Don't try to help yourself! Don't go to others for help! Come to me! Do what is right! Get a new way of thinking! Learn to be humble! You are going to have to change their hearts and get a new way of thinking. You are going to have to learn to be humble and to put me above anything and everything! Come to me! Do it before it is too late!!

God so wants His people to repent and return to Him. He pursues them and gives them every opportunity. But there comes a time when the day of grace is over and punishment happens. 

"How terrible it will be..." There will be a distinguishable difference between those who have chosen to follow me (God) and those who have chosen to follow their own ways. Ruin and destruction will come to those who think they are in control of their own lives; who think they have safely protected themselves; who think their deeds (actions and actual) are hidden; who thinks there is no one else as strong or as smart as they are; who say to themselves, "I am, and there is none besides me. (Zephaniah 2:15)

What a revealing quote. They think they are the "I am." They think "there is none besides me." God is the only I AM. God is the one who said, "I AM, and there is none besides me."(Deuteronomy 32:39; Isaiah 43:11; Isaiah 44:6–8; Isaiah 45:5,21; Hosea 13:4) Their thoughts reveal the root of the problem. It was pride and self—the problem of "I." The

God

↓

Man

relationship was not acknowledged. There was no surrendering of the heart. They had elevated themselves to the position of god. They trusted in their own wisdom, own power, own strength, own business savvy, own devices, own schemes... it was all about them. The first two commandments were broken, and the breaking of all the rest soon followed.

We look at the quote of their thoughts and we think—what arrogance. Yet sadly, that is the way the vast majority of people "live" even if they don't have the brashness to "say" their thoughts out loud. Our actions reveal the truth. We may try to fool ourselves and we may be successful in fooling others, but we are not fooling God. He knows the truth. We may try to honor God with our lips but our actions belie the truth.

God says, "How terrible..." for the people who are wicked, stubborn, who hurt their own people, will not obey, refuse to be taught to do right, won't trust the LORD, won't worship the LORD, who attack people, who are proud, who can't be trusted, who break God's teachings, who are not ashamed of their actions. I (God) have already held them accountable in many ways. I said, "Surely now (they) will respect me and will accept my teaching." Then I would not have to punish them. "But they were still eager to do evil in everything they did." And the LORD, the LORD who is good, the LORD who can do no wrong, the LORD who judges fairly, the LORD who can be trusted (Zephaniah 3:5) says:

"Just wait, someday I will stand up as a witness."

The wicked will be punished and my people will be protected. A new day is coming. The proud will be removed, but I will leave my people who are humble and they will trust in me. They will not do wrong. They won't tell lies. They won't trick people with their words. They will eat and lie down. They will go about their day-to-day lives and no one will make them afraid.

Sing! Shout for joy! Be happy! Rejoice! The days of trial and punishments are over! Your enemies have been sent away! The LORD is with you! Never again will you fear any harm. Zephaniah 3:16–17 - "On that day (you) will be told,

Don't be afraid... don't give up. The LORD God is with you; the mighty one will save you. He will rejoice over you. You will rest in his love; he will sign and be joyful about you."

Wow! Wow! A thousand times—Wow! Such emotion. God—the God all of creation, the God who is worthy of ALL praise, ALL honor, ALL glory both now and forevermore—not only is with us and will save us, but He will rejoice over us! He will sing and be joyful about us! We will rest in HIS love! Not because of who we are—NO! Because of WHOSE we are! We are children of THE King. We sing and lift our praises to HIM—the LORD of ALL. And when we "get it," when we understand the

God

↓

Man

relationship, when we surrender ALL, when we finally say, "I'm all in GOD" no matter what, YOUR will be done—THEN! God rejoices over us and sings and is joyful about us! Oh, what a picture. Our God and Savior rejoices over us. What could ever be better than that? Fame? Wealth? Power? Esteem? No. Nothing. NOTHING can compare or even come close to the joy in knowing that your surrendered life brings joy to the God of ALL creation. Nothing.

"I will take away the sadness planned for you, which would have made you very ashamed. At that time I will punish all those who harmed you. I will save my people who cannot walk and gather my people who have been thrown out. I will give them praise and honor in every place where they were shamed. At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you back home. I will give you honor and praise from people everywhere when I make things go well again for you, as you will see with your own eyes," says the LORD." Zephaniah 3:18-20

I'm speechless. There are no words.

To God be the Honor and Glory!  Praise the LORD!

Addendum: 10/3/15 ~ Oh the contrast between "I think" of the people who insist on being in charge of their own lives; the "I know" of the people whose faith and trust is in God alone; and the "I will" promises of God. I don't want to "think." I want to "know." God passionately pleaded for His people to return to Him. What a contrast between God pleading for His people to return to Him and His reaction to those who are surrendered to Him. Pleading—verses—Singing and joyful rejoicing over us. I want my life to be such that it brings joy to my Savior. 


Next Entry: Zephaniah 1:1 – 3:20 (Continued)

Zephaniah 1:1 – 3:20

February 16, 2012

It's hard to believe. When I finish writing about Zephaniah I will have finished the entire Old Testament. Because I followed the sequence timeline Jane (Her Name Was Jane) had written beside Ezra in her KJV, I read and wrote about Haggai 1:1 – 2:23 on November 29, 2010; Zechariah 1:1 – 6:8 on November 30, 2010; Zechariah 6:9 – 8:23 on December 01, 2010; Zechariah 9:1 – 14:21 on December 02, 2010; and Malachi 1:1 – 4:6 on December 29, 2010.

What a journey this has been. On November 16, 2009, when I started this journey I had no agenda planned. I just knew I was supposed to start.I had no preconceived ideas about what I would write about or how much I would write. Now, two years and three months, and seven and a half full sized notebook journals later, the Old Testament is coming to an end. On one hand, I hate to see it be over. On the other hand, it is exciting to be entering the New Testament.

I have learned so much. God is faithful! His mercies are new every morning. It was amazing to watch what God would show me in His Word. I stand amazed and am in awe of the great I AM. The prevailing message of the Old Testament is precisely that: I am the I AM. I AM the LORD. There is NO other God. Come to ME! Have no other Gods before ME. Come to me FIRST and ONLY! Have no other gods in addition to me. I AM. Trust me! Trust only me! Come to me!  I AM the LORD!

The other thing that stood out to me in the Old Testament is this: There really are no "new" sins. The sins of today are exactly the same as in the Old Testament times. Pride. Greed. Revenge. Self-reliance. Refusal to trust and surrender to God's authority. It all goes back to the first two commandments: No other gods and no idols. The root of all sin comes from Pride and Self. Change your hearts and lives! Get a new way of thinking. I AM—the I AM.

God demands our respect. He wants us to give it to Him willingly, however, He will have it one way or another. In the margins of my Bible I have written: As for me and my house, we choose to serve God.

Throughout the Old Testament there are two choices: Respect me—and receive blessings; Refuse me and serve yourself—receive judgment. God was not happy with the path of sin many people had chosen and he clearly warned them of the consequences.

• I will sweep away
• I will ruin
• I will punish
• I will remove
• I will destroy

That was His promise for those who worshiped things other than Himself; those who worship other gods in addition to Him (Exodus 20:23); "and those who turned away from the LORD, and those who quit following the LORD and praying to him for direction." Zephaniah 1:7 - "Be silent before the LORD God, because the LORD's day for judging people is coming soon."

• On that day...
• On that day...
• On that day..
• At that time...

God has the day planned. There are no accidents, coincidences, or lucky happenstances with God. THE day is planned. And on that day:

"I will punish those who are satisfied with themselves (NIV - complacent) who think, 'the LORD will do nothing, either good or bad.' Their wealth will be plundered and their houses destroyed. They may build houses, but they will not live in them. They may plant vineyards, but they will not drink any wine from them. The LORD's day of judging is coming soon; it is near and coming fast." Zephaniah 1:12-14

"That day will be a day of anger, a day of terror and trouble, a day of destruction and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of alarms and battle cries... on that day God will show his anger, neither silver nor gold will save them." (Zephaniah 1:15-18)  

A day of accountability and consequence is planned and will happen.  

Addendum: 10/3/15 ~ The people were just so sure that nothing would happen and they could get by with their actions and there would be no accountability. They truly thought they were invincible. Yet in Chapter 2, in very descriptive terms, Zephaniah paints a picture of the destruction that will happen. What was once thriving is now abandoned. I picture a ghost town with a tumbleweed blowing down a now empty dirt street; a shutter, hanging by one remaining screw, creaking as it sways in the wind; the piercing sound of a crow's call at twilight; and the haunting sound of a hoot owl in the still night air. 

Zephaniah 2:14–15 says, "The owls and crows will sit on the stone pillars. The owl will hoot through the windows, trash will be in the doorways, and the wooden boards of the buildings will be gone. This is the happy and safe city that thinks there is no one else as strong as it is. But what a ruin it will be..."

They were so sure. They were just so sure they were safe and nothing would happen. But a day is planned. And on THAT day accountability WILL happen.


Next Entry: Zephaniah 1:1 – 3:20 (Continued)

Micah 6:1 – 7:20

February 14, 2012

It is the LORD who brings peace. (Micah 5:5)

Micah 6:1–2 - "Hear what the LORD says: Get up; plead your case in front of the mountains; let the hills hear your story... listen to the LORD's legal case... listen, the LORD has a legal case... and he will accuse." Micah 6:8 - "The LORD has told you what he wants from you: to do what is right (act justly) to other people, love being kind to others, (love mercy) and live humbly obeying your God."

The voice of the LORD calls. The wise person listens and chooses to honor Him. Micah 6:9 - "Pay attention to the rod of punishment, pay attention to the One who threatens to punish."

• Are you still hanging on to those things that I call wicked?
• Are you still using cursed false measures?
• Can I forgive people who cheat others with wrong weights and scales?
• Are you still doing cruel things?
• Are you still telling lies?

As for me (the LORD), this is what I will do:

• I will attack
• I will ruin
• I will make you sick
• You will not be satisfied
• You will work and work but you won't be successful
• You will plant but you won't harvest
• You will try everything but nothing will come of it

This is because you chose to follow other gods instead of following me, "so I will let you be destroyed." Micah goes on to say that it is your own family that will turn on you, setting traps, doing evil, untrustworthy, ruthless, anything to seek their own gain. But! The LORD is kind. Micah 7:7 - "I will look to the LORD for help. I will wait for God to save me; my God will hear me." The NIV says it this way: "But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior, my God will hear me."

What a contrast between the statement, "My God will hear me" in Micah 7:7 and, "They will cry to the LORD but he won't answer them" in Micah 3:4.

God is in control (Micah 7:9–10):

• He will defend me
• He will bring about what is right for me
• He will bring me out into the light
• I will see HIM set things right
• My enemies will see this
• They will be ashamed

Micah 7:10 (NIV) - "She who said, 'Where is the LORD your God?' My eyes will see her downfall; even now she will be trampled under foot like mire in the streets."

Micah 7:15 - "As in the days when I brought you out of Egypt I will show them miracles." Then they will know that I AM the LORD. Micah 7:18 - "There is no God like you. You pardon sin. You forgive the transgressor. You are full of mercy and compassion. There is hope for the lost."

LORD, please give my sister and brother-in-law another opportunity to change their hearts and minds. Wrestle from their hands anything that is keeping them from turning to you. May they know that you are the LORD God All-Mighty. Amen.


Next Entry: Nahum 1:1 – 3:19

Ezekiel 43:1 – 48:35

January 12, 2012

The vision of the Temple continued. Ezekiel saw the glory of God coming from the east with a sound like rushing water. It was like the vision he saw prior to the destruction of the city and also like the vision he had at the Kebar River.

Ezekiel did the only thing you can do when you see the glory of God—he bowed face down on the ground. God's Spirit took him inside the Temple. God himself spoke to him. God told Ezekiel to "tell the people" about who God is. Tell them about the temple (God) so they will be ashamed of their sins. "Let them think about the plan of the Temple." (Remember, it has been 25 years since they were taken captive and 14 years since the Temple was destroyed.) Let them think about what the Temple used to be. Let them think about its beauty. Let them think about how it was made. Let them think about how and why it was destroyed. "If they are ashamed for all they have done" let them know what you have seen. Tell them what I (God) am showing you. "Let them know the design of the Temple and how it has been built." Show them everything—its exits, its entrances, its designs. Also tell them all its rules and teachings. Ezekiel 43:11 - "Write the rules as they watch so they will obey all its rules and teachings."

Just like God used Moses to guide His people generations before, He was now using Ezekiel to guide His people in restoration. Tell them—maybe they will be ashamed. Let them think—maybe they will repent. Let them know—I'm giving them another opportunity. I AM the LORD. I AM Holy. The Glory of the LORD filled the temple.

In Ezekiel 40:4 - the man spoke to Ezekiel and said, "Pay attention... this is why you were brought here.. tell the people." This time the LORD himself said, "Pay attention.  Use your eyes to see, and your ears to hear. See and hear everything I tell you about the rules and teachings of the Temple of the LORD. Pay attention to the entrance to the Temple and to all the exits from the Temple area. Then speak to those who refuse to obey." Say this to the people, "This is what the LORD God says: Stop doing all your acts I hate." (Ezekiel 44:5-6)

Hate is such a strong word. What an awful thought, doing things God hates. When you truly consider the Glory of God (Exodus 15:11; Deuteronomy 5:24; Psalm 8:1; Luke 2:9,14; Hebrews 1:3; Revelations 21:23) how can you even consider continuing to do the things God hates? I guess the answer might lie in the first word of that sentence—when. If you don't consider His Holiness, then you don't have to face reality. The thing is—reality IS reality whether you want to face it or not.

God told Ezekiel that the Levites must be punished for their sins. The Levites were the priests, the leaders and the caretakers of the Temple. Of all people they should have known better. But they were the ones who allowed sin into the Temple. They were the ones who no longer followed God's rules and teachings, and they were held accountable. They lost their position of leadership. All of them except the Levite priests who were descendants of Zadok.* Zadok had not compromised. He stood strong and took care of God's Holy Place. So his descendants were the only ones allowed to continue the honor of being the priests. As our Pastor says, "Leaders are held to a higher level of accountability."

*Zadok references: I Samuel 12:35; II Samuel 8:17; II Samuel 15:24–29; II Samuel 20:25; II Chronicles 27:1; Ezekiel 44:15


Next Entry: Ezekiel 43:1 – 48:35 (Continued)