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 19:4 – 21:3

July 16, 2014

NCV - "You won't need to fight in this battle. Just stand strong in your places, and you will see the LORD save you... don't be afraid or discouraged, because the LORD is with you. So go out against those people tomorrow."

NIV - "You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you... Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.

KJV - "Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you... fear not, nor be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.

The reference for that verse is found in II Chronicles 20:17 and it is our prayer. Oh LORD, may it be so. May ALL know that it is YOU who saved us from "the storm." We have done all You have commanded us to do. We have taken up our positions. We are standing strong. We are putting our faith and trust in You. We are Walking by Faith, first and foremost praising Your name. Hear our prayer. Save us we pray. Amen.

Jehoshaphat repents for getting off track. He goes back to Jerusalem. He again does what he can to turn the people back to God. He appoints judges to settle disputes. He tells them to, "watch what you do..." the job you are doing is not for people, it is for the LORD. He says again, "watch what you do..." God wants you to be fair and he doesn't want your decisions to be influenced by money. He goes on to tell them, "You must always serve the LORD completely, and you must fear him... have courage. May the LORD be with those who do what is right."

Jehoshaphat is doing what is right and minding his own business when the Moabites, Ammonites, and some Meunites banded together and set out to make war against him. It was unexpected and Jehoshaphat was afraid. "So he decided to ask the LORD what to do." He gathered all the people together to ask the LORD for help. Jehoshaphat prayed. "LORD, you are God... you rule... you have power and strength... no one can stand against you... you forced out the people... you promised... you gave this land... IF trouble comes upon us we will come before you... we will cry out to you... THEN you will will hear and you will save us." LORD, here is the problem: people are coming against us. It is people you allowed to remain! Now they have come to force us out of your land that you gave us. "Oh God, punish those people." We have no power against those who are coming to attack us. "We don't know what to do, so we look to you for help."

Then Jahaziel stood up to speak. "Listen to me... the LORD says this to you:

'Don't be afraid or discouraged because of this large army. The battle is not your battle, it is God's.' "

Then God gave specific details. "Tomorrow go down there and fight those people. They will come up through the pass of Ziz. You will find them at the end of the ravine that leads to the desert of Jeruel." And then the promise found in II Chronicles 20:17 -

"You won't need to fight in this battle. Just stand strong in your places, and you will see the LORD save you... don't be afraid or discouraged, because the LORD is with you. So go out against those people tomorrow."

All the people bowed before the LORD in worship. Then some Levites stood up and started praising the LORD. (Psalm 150) The next morning the army headed out. Jehoshaphat stood before them and said, "Listen to me. Have faith in the LORD your God, and you will stand strong. Have faith in his prophets (the words He gave us through Jane), and you will succeed." And then Jehoshaphat did an amazing thing. He listened to the people's advice; he chose men to be singers of praise to the LORD (Psalm 8); and he put them in front of the army. As they marched out they said:

"Praise the LORD: for His mercies endureth forever."

And when they began to sing and to praise God, the LORD took over the battle and secured the victory. II Chronicles 20:22 - "As they began to sing and praise God, the LORD set ambushes... and they were defeated." They praised the LORD before the actual battle was won. They believed in God's promises. They praised the LORD before and after the battle... and ALL knew it was the LORD who secured the victory. (Psalm 140:12 - "I know that the LORD secures justice....")

Addendum: 11/14/14 ~ "You won't need to fight in this battle. Just stand strong in your places, and you will see the LORD save you..." I believe this. I truly believe this.

Addendum #2: 6/22/16 ~ HE will secure justice. HE will protect us. HE is the answer. HE is the One. What does the end of "the storm" look like? I have no idea. But it will be in HIS time and in HIS way. ALL will know it was the LORD who secured our justice. (Psalm 140:12) We absolutely STILL believe this.

Addendum #3: 4/26/18 ~ See the following updates:

By HIS Great Power
The Purpose
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!


Next Entry: II Chronicles 21:4 – 24:27

Revelation 13:1–18

August 08, 2013

The Holy Trinity       
God the Father                
Jesus the Son                  
Holy Spirit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Revelation 3:1–22 (Continued)

July 29, 2013

When Jesus/God sent His message to the seven churches in Asia, each message followed the same format.

1. They each started with who He is—The One who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lamp stands; The One who is the First and Last, who died and came alive again; The One who has the sharp, double-edged sword; The Son of God, who has eyes that blaze like the fire and feet like shining bronze; The One who has the seven spirits and the seven stars; The One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David; The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of all God has made. He is The One, the authority on and in ALL things.
2. I know—After his authority was established, he informed them that he knew. I know what you do; I know you work hard and never give up; I know you don't put up with the false teachings of evil people; I know what has happened to you; I know you are poor but that actually makes you rich; I know the bad things some are saying against you; I know where you live; I know you have stayed true to me even though you are surrounded by evil; I know what you do; I know about your love, your faith, your service, and your patience; I know you are growing; I know the truth behind the "why" of what you do; I know people think you are alive but you are really dead; I know what you do, I have put an open door before you; I know the truth about you, that you are not hot or cold. I know... I know... I KNOW. The One who has the authority in ALL things—KNOWS everything about us and KNOWS what we do.  
3. He tells them what is right and/or wrong—Nothing is left to guessing. "This is what I have against you." He step by step tells them where they have gotten off track. He also tells them what they are doing right. He clearly lays out a road map—a path for them to follow.
4. He offers them the solution—"Change your hearts and lives." There are no excuses. He clearly defines the problem and He clearly defines the solutions. He also clearly defines the rewards for obedience.
5. Finally, He says what He is going to do—What He decides to do hinges on our obedience to His corrections.The IF—THEN "I will" promises of God. If you choose disobedience: I will take away your witness; I will fight against you; I will cause suffering; I will destroy; I will repay you for what you have done; I will come like a thief when you do not know I am coming; I will make you bow down to those you have opposed; I will make you know that I have loved them. I will correct and punish those whom I love. Discipline is promised. But those who choose obedience receive blessings rather that discipline. To those who win the victory: I will give the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life; I will give them the crown of life; I will protect them from the second death; I will give them some of the hidden manna; I will give them a white stone with a new name written on it; I will give them power over other nations; I will give them the morning star; I will say they belong to me; I will keep you from the time of trouble; I will make them pillars in the temple of God; I will keep them secure; I will write on them the name of God; I will come in and fellowship with you; I will keep you with me. Two different choices. Two very different results.

This is who I am.
This is what I know.
This is who you are.
This is what you need to do.
This is what I am going to do.

After each letter He said the exact same thing: "Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches." Some may be blinded to the truth, but if they listen to the Spirit of Truth they will no longer be blinded, and the Truth is what sets us free. Everyone who has ears should listen. We all have blind spots. It is the Holy Spirit who reveals those blind spots to us.

Listen! Change your hearts and lives. Surrender. Obey. Do.

Addendum: 2/2/17 ~ Jesus said the exact same statement seven different times to the seven churches. "Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches." What a powerful statement. Listen!

Why did God say seven different times—Listen? Why not look or let me show you? In the next chapter God showed John what was to come. John looked and saw an open door in heaven and God asked John to come up so he could have him look and see. But to the seven churches, He instructed the people to—Listen.

I've been thinking about the differences between listen and look and why I believe it is important to understand those differences. It all boils down to faith. When you listen it is all about by faith receiving the instruction of The One; by faith believing what He is saying is Truth; by faith accepting His words; and by faith changing your life to follow His Truth. When you accept by faith what He is saying then HE is the balm for your blinded eyes, HE is revealed to you, and your faith increases. The emphasis is on you receiving (hearing) and then by faith responding. It all goes back to obeying the very first commandment and understanding the

God 

↓

 man 

relationship. He is to be MASTER of our lives and we are to—Listen!

 Hebrews 1:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (KJV)  

Belief by sight is entirely different than belief by listening. When you need proof you are no longer trusting. You put your faith in the known (seen) rather than the unknown (unseen). Depending upon what you see, you will make the decision on whether or not you will believe. Show me and then I will decide. The God to man relationship changes and instead of trusting and being reliant on God, it becomes an attitude of telling God what you want, how you want it done, and what you need in order for you to believe. Instead of listening to Master Jesus and being God-reliant, you become self-reliant, you want proof, and faith becomes (wrongfully so) irrelevant.

God wants us to listen! He wants us to believe Him by faith first. IF—we believe by faith He becomes the balm for our eyes and THEN—we can see Truth.  It is in that order. Faith comes first.

Listen!! Believe!! See!!


Next Entry: Revelation 4:1 – 6:17

I John 1:1–10

July 13, 2013

"When it comes to salvation, there aren't several roads... there is only one road... there aren't several ways... there is only one way... there aren't several paths... there is only one path. And that path is Jesus himself. Jesus is not one of many options. He is the only option or nothing at all. ~ From NCV Introduction to John

I John 1 is comprised of only ten short verses, but those ten short verses are packed full of TRUTH. If the only page you had of the entire Bible contained I John 1, it would be all you needed to understand God and the way to salvation. 

John knew Jesus. He was there. He heard Him. He saw Him. He watched Him. He touched Him. He knew about God through Him—and he couldn't keep it to himself. He had to tell others what he knew. He wrote it down and he announced to others who Jesus/God was/is and how we can be in fellowship with God and what prevents that oneness with God from happening.

Here is John's message (my paraphrase):

God has always existed. Jesus is the "Word" and the Word gives life. Jesus walked, talked, and lived among man. His life continues forever. Jesus is part of the trinity. He was with God before the world began. God was revealed to man through Jesus during His time on earth. The way to God is through His Son Jesus. Knowing God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ brings joy to your life and unity with other believers. Jesus shows us that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. None. Sin puts a barrier between God and ourselves. Denying the barrier doesn't make it go away. To think sin does not cause a barrier is only fooling ourselves and calling God a liar. The only way to remove the barrier is to confess our sins. IF—we confess our sins, THEN—the blood of Jesus cleanses us from every sin. We can trust God. We can trust God to do what is right. We can live each day in God's light.

You cannot have darkness (sin) in your life and also be in fellowship with God. I John 1:8 - "So if we say we have fellowship with God, but we continue living in darkness, we are liars and do not follow the truth." Continuing to live in sin is refusing to be a servant to Master Jesus. It is asserting your own will over the will of God.  It is self choosing to live in darkness while saying you are a follower of God who is light. Light and darkness cannot co-exist. Light is a symbol of goodness and truth. God is light. If God allowed darkness in it would alter the Light of God.

God cannot change and cannot be changed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. But, while God is eternal, man is mortal. If we have accepted God's Light into our lives and then allow darkness in, it doesn't change who God is but it does change us. Our light loses its brightness and if we do not get rid of the darkness, the darkness takes over. I John 1:7 - "But if we live in the light as God is in the light, we can share fellowship with each other. Then the blood of Jesus, God's son, cleanses us from sin." The only way to have fellowship with God (and others) is to live in the light of God's truth.

IF we say we have not sinned we make God a liar and we are fooling ourselves. IF that is our attitude then the bottom line is we have rejected God's teachings and His truth is not in us. But IF—we confess our sins, THEN—He WILL forgive us of our sins and He WILL cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But it all hinges on one thing: IF we confess.

"We cannot be in a right relationship with God unless we live humbly, honestly, and dependently on him." (Life Lesson Observation)

Max Lucado, in his book The Applause of Heaven says it this way:

"If we confess our sins..." The biggest word in Scriptures just might be that two letter one, if. For confessing sins—admitting failure—is exactly what prisoners of pride refuse to do.

Justification. Rationalization. Comparison. These are the tools of the jailbird. They sound good. They sound familiar. They even sound American. But in the kingdom, they sound hollow...

When you get to the point of sorrow for your sins, when you admit that you have no other option but to cast all your care on him, and when there is truly no other one that you can call, then cast all your cares on him for he is waiting."

Excuses. We are all good at making excuses and rationalizations. Well I'm not perfect but I'm better than so and so. I'm not that bad. It's not really sin... at least not the big ones. I do a lot of good. I'm certainly not worse than most. I read my Bible... sometimes. I put money in the offering plate... sometimes. I give the things I don't want to charities. I'm a good person... at least most of the time. I'm sure God is glad I'm part of His team. Excuses. Excuses. No more excuses!!

God is faithful with the THEN, but it all hinges on the IF. 

IF—we confess our sins... THEN—I will forgive. 

IF—my people who are called by my name... THEN—I will hear. (II Chronicles 7:14)

 "True repentance is not just confession of sin but a sincere willingness to not do that sin again." ~ From Life Lesson for Hebrews 9

Next Entry: I John 2:1–29

II Peter 1:1–21

July 10, 2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jane can be explained in no other way.


Next Entry: II Peter 2:1–22

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 

II Timothy 2:1–26 (Continued)

May 27, 2013

II Timothy 2:25–26 - "Then maybe God will let them change their minds so they can accept the truth. And they can wake up and escape from the trap of the devil, who catches them to do what he wants." The NIV says it this way, "... that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil who has taken them captive to do his will."

I want to be captive to the will of the Lord, not caught in the trap of the devil. To do that, you must stop doing wrong (turn away from) and you must follow Christ's true teaching (turn to).

"In a large house there are not only things made of gold and silver, but also things made of wood and clay. Some things are used for special purposes, and others are used for special jobs. All who make themselves clean from evil will be used for special purposes. They will be made holy, useful to the Master, ready to do any good work." II Timothy 2:20–21

God saves us → we make good choices → He uses us → we are made holy → we are useful to Him → we are ready to be used by Him → in whatever way He chooses. It is a progression of steps. It has to start with salvation. We must make good choices and follow His teachings. THEN we can be used by Him for special purposes. 

"And for you who make the journey—who leave the heap and enter the fire, dare to be pounded on God's anvil, and doggedly seek to discover your own purpose—take courage, for you await the privilege of being called, 'God's chosen instruments'." ~ From On the Anvil by Max Lucado

Next Entry: II Timothy 3:1 – 4:22 

II Timothy 2:1–26

May 24, 2013

Paul told Timothy to stand strong and to teach people he could trust the things Paul taught him. Then they will be able to teach others. II Timothy 2:2 - "People whom you can trust..." Not everyone will listen to you. People you cannot trust will take your words, twist them, take them out of context and use them to try to hurt you.

Been there... received that.

Paul tells them to be like a soldier, working hard to please the enlisting officer, sharing in the troubles, and realizing that everyday matters, really don't matter. He goes on and give the example of an athlete and how you have to obey the rules to win. If you try to falsely enhance who you are (through drugs, steroids, etc.) it is cheating, and when caught the prize is stripped from you.

God knows our hearts. We can't fool Him. What we do should not be to advance ourselves. All we do should bring honor and glory to HIS name. Even though people put Paul in prison and bound him with chains, it did not stop the message of Christ from going out. In fact, I believe it actually increased it.

We are bound by a lawsuit, but our testimonies and our opportunities to tell God's Story about His faithfulness has increased, and His message is going out. It has been an amazing thing to watch. Paul was bound in chains like a criminal, but "... God's teaching is not in chains. So I patiently accept all these troubles so that those whom God has chosen can have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus.  With that salvation comes glory that never ends." (II Timothy 2:9b–10)

It is not about me/us. It's about HIM and who HE wants to reach, and save, and grow because of the story HE has given us to tell.

"If we died with him, we will also live with him. If we accept suffering, we will also rule with him. If we refuse to accept him, he will refuse to accept us. If we are not faithful, he will still be faithful, because he cannot be false to himself." II Timothy 2:11–13

IF—THEN. Our choices have consequences—both good and bad.

II Timothy 2:14–15 - "Continue teaching... make every effort to give yourself to God as the kind of person he will accept. Be a worker who is not ashamed and who uses the true teaching in the right way." Stay away from foolish, useless teaching that only destroys. What is important—the true teachings of Christ—is what is important! Wandering from the truth and listening to foolish, useless teaching is dangerous. II Timothy 2:17 - "It spreads like sickness inside the body." It is a cancer of the soul and it destroys the faith of some people. 

But, the foundation of God is strong because it is built on truth. II Timothy 2:19 - "The Lord knows who belong to him." If you want to belong to the Lord you must stop doing wrong. Must! There is no other option. Run away from evil; try hard to live right; have faith, love, and peace; surround yourself with people who have the same foundation; stay away from stupid and foolish arguments because they only lead to trouble; be kind to everyone; be a good teacher; be patient; and gently teach those who disagree. Do all this so that those who are lost can see the truth, and the truth will set them free.  


Next Next: II Timothy 2:1–26 (Continued)

I Timothy 4:1 – 6:21

May 20, 2013

I Timothy 4:1–2 - "Now the Holy Spirit clearly says that in the latter times some people will stop believing the faith" and follow other teachings that come "from the false words of liars whose consciences are destroyed as if by a hot iron." The NIV calls them "hypocritical liars." Don't fall for the lie! Stand strong in God's truth. 

I Timothy 1:8 - "Train yourself to serve God..." Training your physical body brings obvious health benefits to your body while on earth, but it does nothing for eternity. When we "train ourselves to serve God" it helps us in all ways by bringing blessings in this life and for eternity as well. I Timothy 4:10 - "This is why we work and struggle: We hope in the living God who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe."

Do what God has called you to do. Tell the story! Be an example with your words, your actions, your love, your faith, and your pure life. I Timothy 4:14 - "Use the gift you have..." Continue to do all these things. Give your life to doing them so everyone can see the difference it has made in your life. Be careful in your life and in your teaching. Don't fall... and don't fail. I Timothy 4:16b - "If you continue to live and teach rightly, you will save both yourself and those who listen to you."

What an awesome responsibility and opportunity!

Paul gives instructions on how we should care for others, especially our own family members. I Timothy 5:8 - "Whoever does not care for his own relatives, especially his own family members, has turned against the faith and is worse than someone who does not believe in God." Pretty appropriate to be reading this while barely keeping our heads above water while caring for first my husband's brother and now his Mom and Dad. Some people are really good at giving opinions on what should be done but are missing in action when there is actual work to do. We are exhausted, but we won't turn our backs on my husband's parents. We will continue to do what is right.

I wrote several weeks ago about the promise God gives for honoring your parents. Paul takes it even farther including other family members. Children and grandchildren have the duty to help take care of those who have gone before. I Timothy 5:4 - "... let them first learn to do their duty to their own family and to repay their parents and grandparents."

Paul talks about a widow who is truly alone and how she puts her faith and trust in God. A woman during Bible times had no means to make it on her own. If she didn't have family to help or if she didn't have a family that would help she was truly alone. In those cases the body of believers would step in to help her.

As I read through these verses I noticed something I'd somehow missed before. I'd totally missed that there were guidelines that had to be met before the church stepped in to help a widow. I always thought a widow was a widow, and help was automatic. But that wasn't the case at all. Widows who were younger than 60 were free to marry again. But if a widow was over the age of 60, there were certain qualifications that had to be met before she was eligible for help, and those guidelines all had to do with the widow's life choices.   

To qualify for help the widow had to be at least 60 years old; must have been faithful to her husband; must have been known for doing good works; been hospitable and welcoming to strangers; known for having a "serving" heart and humility; must have been the type of person who helped those in trouble and "the least of these"; and must have devoted her life to helping others and doing good deeds—which all boils down to someone who throughout their life was committed to serving the Lord and following HIS ways over their own selfish desires. And that person was taken care of by the church and therefore received God's blessings in their older years. But for the widow who did not follow God's ways the results were entirely different. She did not receive the help or God's blessings.

Our life choices DO matter. Accountability happens. It's the IF—THEN situations illustrated throughout the Bible which I have so often written about. I Timothy 5:6 - "But the widow who uses her life to please herself is really dead while she is alive."

We, as believers, have a responsibility to take care of the widows in our family. "If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should care for them herself. The church should not have to care for them. Then it will be able to take care of those who are truly widows." (I Timothy 5:16)

I am grateful for the choices we have made concerning my husband's brother and his now widowed wife; my Dad while he was living; my now widowed Mom; and my husband's parents.

Addendum: 10/19/2016 ~ How interesting to be writing about the care of widow's when I have just spent the last week trying to undo the hurt inflicted upon my mother after she received a letter from my sister. My sister is notorious for sending long (ten plus type written pages) letters to my Mom. She rarely ever actually talks to Mom, just long rambling letters with a $100 check enclosed on Mother's Day, Mom's birthday, and possibly Christmas.

Her last letter did what it was intended to do—hurt my Mom. After several pages of my sister rambling on about how wonderful and busy her life is, the accusations and not-so-veiled attacks began. You aren't friendly anymore; you have changed; you are absent in our lives; you should learn how to text; you've disappointed me; you've disappointed your grandson; even if we come to your area we probably won't come to see you again; if we don't come anymore it's your fault; and on and on. And then my sister told my Mom to respond to all these accusations by letter. Mom is 87 years old, blind in one eye, no longer enjoys writing because of the difficulty she has in seeing, and she is supposed to respond to my sister's viciousness in writing. 

The letter was obviously upsetting to my mother. Unfortunately, the letter came while we were gone and at our annual family outing in Brown County so I wasn't home to immediately help her. I call my Mom every night. When I called her from our cabin, I could tell something was wrong. She didn't want to tell me about it while we were gone, but she finally told me what happened and asked me to read it when I got home.

My sister's actions are just wrong on so many levels. Wrong and cruel. Mom is 87. Who does such cruel things? Even if my sister believes those things and even if all the things she was accusing Mom of were true (which they aren't!!), who says those kind of things to their 87 year old widowed mother? Who flies in from across the country or drives the several day trip from the western part of the United States and purposely NEVER tells Mom they are coming so they can arrive at her door unannounced? My sister and brother-in-law have done that to Mom many times, sometimes arriving late at night and expecting to stay (and be fed) at Mom's house. It is NOT for the purpose of giving my Mother a pleasant and welcomed surprise. It's rude. It's unacceptable. And it is calculated behavior to be in control and catch someone off guard. Who does that to anyone let alone your widowed mother who is in her 80's? Mom (understandably) isn't comfortable having house guests and cooking for others anymore. Especially with no notice, and especially when that person has been verbally abusive in the past and is not someone you share a warm relationship with. My Mom feels vulnerable, and I can completely understand.     

When I returned home from our vacation, I went to my Mom's and read the last pages of the letter. I called my brother over and we both reassured Mom that the accusations were false and not fair. Mom doesn't want $100 dollar checks for a birthday and Mother's day. What Mom wants is for her oldest daughter to treat her with love and respect. What Mom wants is for her oldest daughter to quit creating conflict in the family. What Mom wants is for my sister to get over her obsession with my brother and to stop her lawsuit attacks against me. That is what Mom wants. She doesn't want money. The best possible gift my sister could give to our elderly mother is a changed heart and life which in turn would remove the conflict from our family. 

I don't know when accountability happens, but it will happen. As for me and my house, we are going to continue to honor Mom with our words and actions. I will be there for her always. She (on her own) decided she should no longer be driving so I take her to all of her appointments and errands. Her mind is still sharp and she is still physically active, but I am noticing her beginning to get more and more frail. If there comes a day when she can no longer live alone, there is a plan in place. She is welcome in our home. We WILL take care of her. She is a blessing to us, and I want to be a blessing to her.


Next Entry: I Timothy 4:1 – 6:21 (Continued)

Galatians 6:1–18

April 18, 2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Next Entry: Ephesians 1:1–23

Galatians 3:1 – 4:7

April 15, 2013

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

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

God

↓

Man

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

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

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


Next Entry: Galatians 4:8–31

Roman 6:1–23

January 31, 2013

We all have a choice to make, and that choice is found in Romans 6:16.   

"You can follow sin, which brings spiritual death";  

OR

"You can obey God, which makes you right with him."

The choice is ours. There is so much danger in abusing God's grace, in thinking we can live however we want because God's grace covers all our sins. God's graces does cover all our sins, but that does not eliminate our responsibility to put to death our old sinful selves and to live for Christ.  

IF—we choose to continue to follow sin (even after receiving God's grace) THEN—we are purposely defying God's authority and will for our lives, and purposely defying God's authority brings spiritual death. IF—we choose to surrender all and become a servant to righteousness, THEN—that makes us right with HIM, which is the only thing that truly matters in life.

Romans 6:23 - "When people sin, they earn what sin pays—death. But God gives us a free gift—life forever in Christ Jesus our Lord."

The choice is ours. Spiritual Death—or—Abundant Life. I choose to surrender ALL.


Next Entry: Romans 7:1–25

Romans 5:1–21

January 30, 2013

Faith is what makes us right with God, and when you are right with God you have peace with God as well and an inexplicable peace settles over you—no matter what the earthly circumstances of your life. The surrendering of our will and the acceptance of Jesus' death as payment for our sin, opens the door for God's grace and blessing to flood into our lives.

And the result is:

• We have hope when things look hopeless; 
• Joy even in the midst of trouble; 
• Patience is built in the midst of trouble as we wait on the Lord; 
• And that patience builds character that cannot be obtained in any other way.  

 As you change, you find yourself having more hope; and God promises that "this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts." (Romans 5:5) It's ALL about Him. IF—we surrender and accept his gift of salvation, THEN—we change, and we develop hope, joy, patience, character, and back to hope. All because of His love being poured into our lives. We can't do it on our own. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit.

It is only because of the love of God pouring out His love through the Holy Spirit that hope is possible even in the worst of circumstances. Faith produces hope; hope produces joy; joy produces patience; patience develops character; character produces hope; and the circle of faith continues. 


Next Entry: Romans 6:1–23

John 15:1 – 16:4a

November 07, 2012

Remain! Remain! Remain!

John 15:4 - "Remain in me and I will remain in you." Jesus is the vine; God is the gardener; we are the branches. It is

God

↓

Man

It is not God = Man or

Man

↓

God.

We must understand this! The branch cannot exist without the vine; it will wither and die; be thrown into the fire; and burned. It cannot produce fruit without the vine. It must remain with the vine. To produce fruit, to produce much fruit, the gardener (God) must trim away the dead or anything that hinders the production of fruit. The pruning process makes the branch thrive and the branch produces even more fruit—fruit that lasts.

The branch doesn't decide what to change—the gardener decides. It is our responsibility to remain. Remain connected to the vine. Remain committed to the vine. Remain in submission to the vine. Remain in the flow of life and love from the vine. Remain dependent upon the vine. To remain means to submit yourself to the authority of the vine and gardener. To truly understand the

God's Will

↓

Man

relationship. John 15:7 - "If you remain in me and follow my teachings, you can ask anything you want, and it will be given to you." There are some who read a verse like this and selfishly think it means they can use God like a puppet or benefactor so they can ask for anything they want and they can get it, as if God is their own personal servant. But look at it more closely. "If you remain in me and follow my teachings..."if you do those things, then your will and God's will, will be aligned and your heart will desire what His heart desires. John 15:16 - "Go and produce fruit, fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you anything you ask for in my name." IF—THEN.

One of the fruits we are to produce is LOVE. John 15:12 - "This is my command: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:17 - "This is my command: Love each other." Pretty clear and straight forward. Those commands leave no room for anger, revenge, greed, deceit, force, control, or selfish desires. Those actions absolutely remove you from the vine and the ability to produce fruit. The fruit God wants is: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This is what God wants. The only way to achieve those fruits is to remain. Remain in the vine. Welcome the pruning of the gardener. The producing of fruit is worth it all.

Remaining in Him does not mean a trouble free life. The world hated Jesus and the people of the world may hate you. But, we are not alone because we are part of the vine. John 14:16–17 - "I will send you the Helper... he is the Spirit of Truth." People who hate you may try to destroy you, but they cannot be successful. They cannot separate you from the vine. The gardener's pruning is what makes you strong. It's makes you understand that life is not about you—it is about Him. Jesus tells us what we do for the "least of these" is what we do for Him. The reverse of that is true as well. When someone does something to try and stop us or destroy us, their actions are actually against Christ because we are part of the vine. They may try to stop the production of fruit, but it isn't just the branch they are attacking, they are attacking the vine. It isn't our fight. It's God's. So let Him handle it.  Leave it in His hands.

We have one responsibility—Remain! Accept the pruning. Produce MUCH fruit.

Addendum: 7/4/2018 ~ As I was reading this post this morning the words of John 15:16 stuck out to me. "And I gave you this work: to go and produce fruit, fruit that will last." Fruit that will last. This has new meaning to me. It is the only thing that is important and truly lasts.

We've all heard the saying that you "never see a U-Haul behind a hearse," meaning you can't take your earthly possessions with you when you die. But it is so much more than that. In the months before my father-in-law's death, he lost all of his cognitive skills. It was a very sad thing to watch. In life, he was a very prideful man. He was proud of his business, his awards, his trips and vacations, his accomplishments, etc. But now, at the end of his life, he lost all memory of the things he was so proud of. He forgot he had taken those trips, he forgot about his awards and accomplishments, he forgot about the business he started, and in the most part, he forgot about his family. It was all gone. And then it hit me. It isn't just your possessions you don't take with you. You don't take your goals and accomplishments, your awards, the things you take pride in—you don't take anything earthly with you. 

The only thing that matters is "fruit that will last," the things you have done that brings Honor and Glory to God.

Who did you lead to Christ? Who did you help in His name? Who did you encourage in their walk with Christ? What have you done that holds Kingdom value? Because if your life accomplishments don't hold Kingdom value, if it isn't "fruit that lasts," then it really doesn't matter.

The poem by C.T. Studd says it all. 

Only One Life

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, yest only one,
Soon with 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 clays 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 Thy 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.

Next Entry: John 16:4b–33

Luke 20:1–47

September 25, 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Next Entry: Luke 21:1 – 22:71

Luke 13:1–35

September 10, 2012

Change your hearts and lives. CHANGE YOUR HEART AND LIVES. CHANGE YOUR HEART AND LIVES!!! This is the message throughout this chapter and throughout the Old Testament and New Testament. Someday I want to do a study of all the "change your hearts and lives" in the Bible. It is the prevailing theme and I would be curious to find out how many times it is referenced in each book.

Jesus provided the way, but He will not force us to change our hearts. It's the one thing we must do our self. We must be willing. We must act. He will prune. He will allow testing. He will put circumstances in our paths. He will send messengers. He will do all He can, but He will not force us. Only we can do it—and some people refuse. The door is narrow, and not everyone will enter. Luke 13:27 - "But he will say to you, 'I don't know you or where you came from. Get away from me, all you who do evil.' "

Psalm 1 compares the righteous ("...  a tree planted by the river. The tree produces fruit in season and its leaves don't die. Everything they do will succeed"), to the wicked ("... like the chaff that the wind blows away.")  Luke 13:6–9 talks about the useless tree that will be cut down if it doesn't produce fruit. Jesus gives it time, care, and fertilizer—everything it needs—but if it does not bear fruit, then it is useless and will be cut down.

"Happy are those who don't listen to the wicked, who don't go where sinners go, who don't do what evil people do. They love the LORD's teachings, and they think about those teachings day and night. They are strong, like a tree planted by a river. The tree produces fruit in season, and its leaves don't die. Everything they do will succeed. But wicked people are not like that. They are like the chaff that the wind blows away. So the wicked will not escape God's punishment. Sinners will not worship with God's people. this is because the LORD takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed." Psalm 1 

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

Psalm 51:17 - "The sacrifice God wants is a broken spirit. God, you will not reject a heart that is broken and sorry for sin." (See I Samuel 15:22)

Proverbs 28:13 - "If you hide your sins, you will not succeed. If you confess and reject them, you will receive mercy."

Ezekiel 18:30–32 - "... I will judge each of you by what you do... change your hearts and stop all your sinning so sin will not bring your ruin. Get rid of all the sins you have done, and get for yourselves a new heart and a new way of thinking... I do not want anyone to die, says the LORD God, so change your hearts and lives so you may live."

Matthew 3:2 - "... 'Change your hearts and lives because the kingdom of God is near.' "

Acts 3:19 - "So you must change your hearts and lives! Come back to God, and he will forgive your sins."

II Corinthians 7:10 - "The kind of sorrow God wants makes people change their hearts and lives. This leads to salvation and you cannot be sorry for that. But the kind of sorrow the world has brings death."

I John 1:9 - "But if we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done."


Next Entry: Luke 14:1–35

Mark 7:24 – 8:38

August 08, 2012

As I was reading about all the miracles Jesus did in these verses, the old song "Only Believe" came to my mind. I don't remember all the words, but some of them are, "Only Believe, Only believe; all things are possible, only believe. Only believe, Only Believe; all things are possible, only believe.

I googled the rest of the words.

Only Believe

Fear not, precious flock, from the cross to the throne

From death into life He went for his own

All power in earth, all power above

Is given to Him for the flock of His love.

Fear not, precious flock, he goeth ahead

Your shepherd selects the path you must tread

The water of Mara, He will sweeten for thee

He drank all the bitter in Gethsemane.

Fear not, precious flock, whatever your lot;

He enters all rooms, the doors being shut

He never forsakes, He never is gone

So count on His presence in darkness and dawn.

Only believe, only believe: all things are possible only believe.
Only believe, only believe: all things are possible, only believe.

I wonder how many years it has been since I have heard that song? Listen to it here.

The woman whose daughter had evil spirits—believed—and her daughter was healed. The man that was deaf—believed—and he was healed. The blind man—believed—and his sight was restored. Jesus fed the five thousand. Jesus fed four thousand. He healed the blind, the deaf, the sick, and what do the Pharisees ask for? A miracle from God. What do they think they were witnessing?

The truth is they didn't want a miracle  Their only purpose in asking was to try and trap Jesus. Jesus' response is interesting. He sighed. He had to be thinking, "they just don't get it." How much more would it take? They were set in their "religious" ways and they weren't going to submit to the authority of Jesus. And Jesus sighed. Then He told them, "No sign will be given to you." (Mark 8:12) Jesus warned His followers about the danger of listening to the Pharisees. What they appeared to be and who they really were, was as different as night and day. They appeared to be religious when in fact they were religious unbelievers.

Jesus told the crowds and His followers that it would cost them to follow Him. They/we must be willing to give up everything. EVERYTHING! They/we must be willing to submit ALL to His authority. What we try to save is what we will lose. What we are willing to give up is what we will gain. "It is worth nothing for them to have the whole world if they lose their souls." (Mark 8:36)

We are willing. We choose to submit our ALL to Him.

"Only believe, only believe: all things are possible ONLY BELIEVE." We believe.

Addendum: 1/13/2016 ~ What stood out to me today was the phrase, "Your shepherd selects the path you must tread" from the song Only Believe. The shepherd selects the path. IF—we are His sheep, THEN—He selects the path and we must tread on it. He is in control. The shepherd wants the best for His sheep.  e doesn't take them down a path to harm them. His path is for our safety! Where there is bitter water, HE sweetens it.

We are on His path, and we will follow His lead.  


Next Entry: The New Beginning: There Must Be a R.O.M.

Matthew 23:1–39

June 26, 2012

Jesus exposed the religious leaders for who and what they really were. They had authority and they should have been the example to follow—but they were not. They told people what to do but they themselves were not willing to do it. They put heavy responsibilities on others, but they themselves would not lift a finger. It was all about appearances.

They did good things not because it was the right thing to do. They did them so other people would see them and they could gain prestige. It was all for show. They wanted the best seats. They loved to be the center of attention. Anything to make themselves look good, anything to promote themselves. Instead of being humble and pointing others to God, they used God and their position to bring glory to themselves. Matthew 23:12 - "Whoever makes himself humble will be great." 

Then Jesus starts with the "How terrible it will be" statements. (See Isaiah 3–5)

How terrible for you—You who should be leading people towards Christ are actually turning people away from Christ. Your actions are preventing others from entering the kingdom of heaven and you yourself will not enter.

How terrible for you—It isn't enough for you to be traveling down the wrong path. No, you go out and look for others to join you. You present yourself as a believer when in truth you are a religious unbeliever. Those who follow your ways are on the path to destruction.

How terrible for you—You try to lead people but you yourself are blind. You make up your own rules and want others to join you, but you have it all wrong. You are blind, but you don't know it. You are stumbling in the darkness yet you call it light.

How terrible for you—You are proud of obeying the law about tithing, but you don't obey (and totally ignore) the really important teachings of the law. Things like "justice, mercy, and being loyal." These are the things you should be doing in addition to your 10%. You are blind. You worry about a gnat in your drink, but you swallow a camel.

How terrible for you—You keep up an outward appearance of being holy and of being a believer. But you are instead a religious unbeliever. The outside appears clean, but the inside is anything but clean. You have obtained the things you got "by cheating others and by pleasing only yourselves." You are blind! Clean up the inside. Then the outside will be truly clean.

How terrible for you—"People look at you and think you are good, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and evil." (Matthew 23:28) It's all a facade. You are like a tomb. The outside looks fine, but on the inside it is full of dead bones. The sad thing is you believe your own lies.

How terrible for you—You act like you are different than your ancestors. You show honor to the graves of prophets. But you aren't different at all. Your actions give proof that you are the children of those who murdered the prophets. You are completing the sins that your ancestor's started.

"You are snakes! A family of poisonous snakes! How are you going to escape God's judgment?" (Matthew 23:33) Oh how I wanted to protect you and gather you under my wings like a hen does to her chicks. Matthew 23:37 - "But you did not let me." (emphasis mine) So now you will reap what you have sown.

I was half way through writing this before I realized something. In Isaiah 3–5 it is, "How terrible it will be." A future tense promise. But in this passage Jesus makes it very personal. It is, "How terrible for you." A present tense declaration. This is my fulfilled promise. Another IF—THEN. You could have had my blessings. I would have protected and guided you. But you did not let me. You made the choice to leave me and serve yourself. How terrible it will be for you is a direct result of the choices you have made.

Straight from the lips of Jesus. "How terrible for you." How incredibly sad. It could have been different. It could have been, "Well done thou good and faithful servant."(Matthew 25:21) The "IF" you choose determines the "THEN" you will receive.

(Found out today that our newest grand baby is going to be another boy. :) Can't wait to meet him.

Addendum:  1/1/16 ~  That "little" guy is now three years old!! He has brought so much joy to our lives. 


Next Entry: Matthew 24:1–51

Matthew 21:1–46

June 20 - 21, 2012

Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling what the prophets said in Isaiah 62:11 and Zechariah 9:9. The people were excited. Here was their long awaited earthly king—or so they thought.

They still did not understand. They thought He was a great prophet and king, an answer to their immediate problems, when actually He came to be the answer for all eternity. When He arrived in Jerusalem He went to the temple. God had given specific instructions on how to build and use the temple. It was to be a place of prayer and personal gifts, commitments, and sacrifices to God. The rules had purpose and meaning. But now, it was no longer about a personal relationship and a sacrificial heart. It was about ritual only. You didn't bring your own gifts and sacrifices. No, you just went and bought a dove or two and gave that. It no longer had meaning. It required no personal commitment. Just a "been there—done that" ritual.

Jesus made it clear how much He despised that kind of thinking, attitude, and actions. He threw over the tables and removed those trying to profit off of what was supposed to be gifts to God. Once the temple was cleared of the evil, then Jesus began to heal the blind and crippled. The Pharisees and leaders saw the wonderful things Jesus was doing and witnessed the children praising Him. All they saw and heard made them very angry. They were the experts in the law, so Jesus asks them, "Haven't you read the Scriptures?" and then he quotes Psalm 8:2 - "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." (Emphasis mine)  Praise—the most important thing Jane (Her Name Was Jane) taught us. Not only does it bring you into a closer understanding and communion with God, it also silences the foe and the avenger.

The next day, as Jesus was walking back to the city, He passed a fig tree that was without fruit. Jesus said to it, "You will never again have fruit"... and the tree dried up. The disciples were amazed. Matthew 21:21–22 - Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will be able to do what I did to this tree and even more. You will be able to say to this mountain, 'Go, fall into the sea.' And if you have faith it will happen. If you believe, you will get anything you ask for in prayer."   

Our lives are to produce fruit. That is what God designed and called us to do. If we are not producing fruit then our lives are worthless in furthering God's kingdom, and we are in danger of being removed from His presence. IF—we believe, THEN—He will answer and He will give us the desires of our hearts. This isn't saying you can do whatever you want and demand what you want. No, when our desire is to serve, obey, and please God, then our desires line up with the heart of God, and our prayers will be in keeping with HIS word. IF—we do that, THEN—He will hear and will answer our prayers because we will want what HE wants. Our will is aligned with His.

The leaders and priests just could not accept that Jesus was God/man. They tested Him. They tried to trick Him. They did everything they could to oppose Him. Even when they knew He was talking about them and to them, they still refused to accept His teachings and acknowledge Him as LORD. Refused. They were so focused on trying to "get" Him that they totally refused to listen to Him. Jesus told them two parables. The first was a story about two sons. The first son refused to obey but later changed his mind and followed his father's orders. The second son "said" he would obey but never followed through with his commitment and did not follow his father's commands. Jesus asked them, "Which son obeyed his father?" They replied, "The first son." Jesus compared their actions to that of the second son. "Even after seeing this, you still refused to change your ways and believe him." 

Then Jesus tells the story about a man who owned a vineyard. He protected it; he watched over it; he did everything to make it the best possible. When he left for a trip he leased the land to some farmers. When it was time for the harvest he sent his servants for his share of the grapes. But the farmers didn't want to lose any of the profit. They wanted it all for themselves, so they beat one of the servants the owner sent and killed two of the others. So the owner sent even more servants the second time. He gave them a second chance, but they responded in the same way. So, the owner decided to send his own son thinking, "They will respect my son." But when the farmers saw the son they not only didn't want to lose a portions of the profits, they realized they could lose the whole vineyard because the son would inherit the land. They said, "If we kill him it will be ours." So they grabbed the son, threw him out, and killed him. Then Jesus asked the priests and leaders, "So what will the owner of the vineyard do to these farmers when he comes?" The priests and leaders answered, "He will surely kill those evil men. Then he will lease the vineyard to some other farmers who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time." Then Jesus said, "Surely you have read this in the scriptures."

"The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes." Psalm 118:22–23

"So I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to people who do the things God wants in his kingdom. The person who falls on this stone will be broken, and on whom ever that stone falls, that person will be crushed." (Matthew 21:43–44)

The leaders and priests knew Hwas talking about them, but they didn't change their hearts and lives. They instead wanted to have Him arrested, but held back because they were afraid of the people's reaction since the people believed Jesus was a prophet. They were faced with truth, but just would not surrender.

Jesus, as a "stone" is described in three different ways.

1. A cornerstone—someone to build your life upon.
2. A stumbling stone—someone who doesn't fit what you think He should be, or do what you think He should do. He doesn't fit your mold, so you decide to find your own way, and you end up tripping over what God puts in your path.  
3. A crushing stone—someone who avenges and administers justice to those who refuse to believe and surrender themselves to Him.

Jesus Christ. Built upon; stumbled over; or broken by. I choose to build my life on the Cornerstone.

Addendum:  1/1/16 ~ Our God pays attention to details. There are no maybes, ifs, or happenstance situations with God. As I went back and was reading Matthew 21 this morning I was struck again by God's attention to detail.

Jesus told his disciples to, "Go to the town you can see there. When you enter it, you will quickly find a donkey tied there with its colt. Untie them and bring them to me...." He didn't say to go and try to find a donkey, to search the alley ways and streets and to find someone who will let you do what I am telling you to do. No, He gave clear directions. This is where you should go; this is what you will find; this is what will happen.

We often don't know the "details" in the trials we face in life, but God does. HE HAS IT UNDER CONTROL! That "trial" you are facing really can become a "trail"—an opportunity to follow the ONE who has it all under control.

Our faith remains in HIM!


Next Entry: Matthew 22:1–46