II Chronicles 25:1 – 26:23

July 18, 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Hebrews 1:1–14

June 02, 2013

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. It is all about you Jesus.

"God has chosen his Son to own all things, and through him he made the world. The Son reflects the glory of God and shows exactly what God is like. He holds everything together with his powerful word. When the Son made people clean from their sins, he sat down at the right side of God, the Great One in heaven. The Son became much greater than the angels, and God gave him a name that is much greater than theirs." Hebrews 1:2–4

A "name above all names." At the name of Jesus every knee will bow. He is King of all kings, and He is Lord of all lords.

After the writer of Hebrews explained who the Son was, he quoted Psalm 2:7; II Samuel 7:14; Psalm 97:7; Psalm 104:4; Psalm 45:6–7; Psalm 102:25–27; and Psalm 110:1. He quoted those scriptures from the Old Testament to show the Jews (and us) how scripture was fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Jesus and to prove that Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. The writer of Hebrews wanted to make sure the people knew that Jesus came to fulfill the law. It isn't Jesus plus the law. It isn't Jesus plus anything.

Jesus and God are One. (See John 1:1–18)  By confessing Jesus is Lord you bring honor and glory to God. (See Philippians 2:5–11) The only way to be made right with God is by accepting the grace he gave through His Son. (See Romans 3:22–25) Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. (See Revelation 21:13) Jesus is coming again. (See Revelation 21:20) His throne will last forever and He will rule with fairness. (See Psalm 45:6–7)

Jesus will remain:

• in all things 
• above all things    
• before all things, and
• after all things.

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. It is ALL about YOU!

JESUS!


Next Entry: Hebrews 2:1 – 3:19

II Timothy 3:1 – 4:22 (Continued)

May 29, 2013

From Jane's KJV:

Apostasy: "falling away" is the act of professed Christians who deliberately reject revealed truth. Apostasy differs from error concerning truth, which may be a result of ignorance, or heresy, which may be due to the snare of Satan, both of which may consist with true faith. Apostates depart from the faith, but not from the outward profession of Christianity. Apostasy in the church, as in Israel, is irremediable, and awaits judgment. Apostates reject the revealed truth: 1) as to the deity of Christ, and 2) redemption through His atoning and redeeming sacrifice.

From Life Lesson:

If you don't follow truth you are opening yourself up to following "false teachers who would tell them what (they) want to hear."

"The apostle Paul warned that many would follow the false teachers, not knowing that in feeding upon what these people say they are taking the devil's poison into their own lives. Thousands of people in every walk of life are being deceived today. False teachers use high sounding words that seem like the height of logic, scholarship, and sophistication. They are intellectually clever and crafty in their sophistry. They are adept at beguiling men and women whose spiritual foundations are weak... If Jesus Christ is not the son of God, nothing matters. But if he is, nothing else matters!" ~ From Storm Warning by Billy Graham

Next Entry: Titus 1:1 – 2:15

I Timothy 4:1 – 6:21 (Continued)

May 22, 2013

What is keeping you from surrendering? Why? What you give up to follow Christ doesn't satisfy you anyways. It is only when you surrender your all that you are truly free, happy, and blessed.

I Timothy 6:6 - "Serving God does make us very rich, if we are satisfied with what we have."
I Timothy 6:7 - "We brought nothing into the world, so we can take nothing out."

So—why on earth do people stop at nothing to obtain wealth when whatever "pleasure" it can bring is only temporary? It is here today and gone tomorrow. Having money isn't the problem. It's why you want it; how you go about getting it; and what you do with it that determines if it is a problem.

1. Why do you want it? Don't say so you can give to charities, etc. That is a cop out and an attempt to mask and cover-up your own selfish desires. You already have what charities need the most—your time.
2. How do you go about getting it? Is it part of every thought and scheme? Do you cheat others to benefit yourself? Is it honest pay for an honest days work? Do you neglect other things (time with God, family, helping others) to get it? Do you lie? Is it ill-gotten?
3. What do you do with it? Do you hoard it? Is there ever enough? Are you obsessed with how to keep it and grow it? Do you share generously? Is your opinion about yourself linked with what you "have"? Is it "mine" or is it God's? Is it a tool to help others or is it so you can be independent (even of God) and help yourself?

I Timothy 6:9–10 - "Those who want to become rich bring temptation to themselves and are caught in a trap. They want many foolish and harmful things that ruin and destroy people. The love of money causes all kinds of evil. Some people have left the faith, because they wanted to get more money, but they have caused themselves much sorrow." NIV - "Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

Most people desire money so they can be in control of their own lives. But who is supposed to be in control? Us? Or God? Matthew 6:24–34 promises us God provisions. We are not to worry. We are to surrender to God as Lord. Paul goes on to say in I Timothy 6:17–19 - "Command those who are rich with things of this world not to be proud. Tell them to hope in God, not in their uncertain riches. God richly gives us everything to enjoy. Tell the rich people to do good, to be rich in doing good deeds, to be generous, and ready to share. By doing that, they will be saving a treasure for themselves as a strong foundation for the future. Then they will be able to have the life that is true life."

Trust in God, not riches. That is true if you don't have money but wish you did, and it is true if you already have riches. Riches have no eternal value. Trusting God has eternal value that is immeasurable. Our forefathers knew what they were doing when on our minted coins and printed bills they wrote, "In God We Trust"! They did not write "In this we trust." Blessed with riches? In God We Trust! Struggling with little? In God We Trust! I Timothy 6:8 - "But, if we have food and clothes, we will be satisfied with that." No matter what—In GOD We Trust!!

As believers we are to run away from false teachings and thinking wealth is what will make us happy. Instead, we are to run toward living in the right way, serving God, having faith, love, patience, and gentleness. We are to "fight the good fight of faith, grabbing hold of the life that continues forever." (I Timothy 6:12) We were called... and we answered that call. NOW DO! I Timothy 6:14 - "Do what you were commanded to do without wrong or blame until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again."

God is in control. He is the One and only God, the King of all kings, and the Lord of all lords. He is the One. May all honor and glory be His forever. Guard what God has trusted you with. Stay away from foolish, useless things and of so-called "knowledge." I Timothy 6:21 - "By saying they have that "knowledge," some have missed the true faith." It is not about what you know. It is about what God teaches you.

Reading that verse reminds me of something my sister said as we were driving them to the airport after their December '06 visit. At the time I just thought it was another one of her arrogant outrageous statements. Now we realize what she said was symptomatic of a much larger and deep-seated problem. Here is the exact quote. She said (speaking about herself and her husband), "We are on the cutting edge of everything." She was speaking about all the "knowledge" they thought they'd gained from attending "guru" boot camps. They paid thousands of dollars to be taught (in my opinion) how to manipulate people and the system. Here is what I totally missed back in 2006:

1. It was not just an arrogant statement, it was a reflection of what was at the core of her life—pride; 
2. They were willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars in order to gain "knowledge" from the world's perspective;
3. It was all about their desire to gain extreme wealth;
4. They bought into the lies and participated in the manipulation of others under the guise of "financial freedom."   

Goodness. Paul (God) says to stay away from foolish, useless things and of so-called "knowledge."

Addendum: 10/27/16 ~ At the end of this chapter I have written notes from a sermon at church. I unfortunately did not write down who the speaker was so I don't know who to attribute the statements to. I have written the following:

"God did not give us wealth to raise our standard of living but to raise our standard of giving."

That is a powerful, powerful statement and worthy of reading over multiple times. It is NOT about us and what we can get!! It is ALL about HIM and what we can give. I also have written:

 Of all the verses in the Bible: 500 +/- deal with Faith; 500 +/- deal with Prayer; and 2000 +/- deal with Money, Wealth, or Possessions. There are 38 Parables. Almost half of them (sixteen) are about wealth.

I Timothy 6:10 - Some people eager for money have wandered from the truth and pierced themselves with many griefs.

"Pierced themselves." What an ironic statement. The very thing they think is going to bring them happiness brings hurt instead. What they thought would bring happiness to "self" ends up causing "self-inflicted" wounds. Money, wealth, or possessions will NEVER bring lasting happiness. Happiness is not determined by what you have. Happiness only comes from surrendering and serving the Lord. 


Next Entry: II Timothy 1:1–18

II Thessalonians 2:1 – 3:18

May 16, 2013

Stand strong and wait for the Lord. And until that happens—be productive and make a difference.

We are living in a sinful world. Evil will happen. And it is going to get worse... much worse. Prophecy tells us that during the end times the Holy Spirit will be removed and Satan and his forces will have full reign for a period of time. As evil as the world is now with the Holy Spirit and Christians still present, it is unimaginable to even fathom what it will be like during that period of time. Thank you, Lord for salvation from sin and from the evil one. II Thessalonians 3:3–5 - "But the Lord is faithful and will give you strength and will protect you from the Evil One... may the Lord lead your hearts into God's love and Christ's patience."

Paul asked the people of Thessalonica to pray for him. II Thessalonians 3:2 - "Pray that we will be protected from stubborn and evil people, because not all people believe." When you stand for something you will be a target from those who stand for nothing. And if you don't stand for something, you are at risk of falling for anything. But when you are the target, God is faithful and He does protect you. II Timothy 4:17 - "But the Lord stayed with me and gave me strength so I could fully tell the Good News to all those who are not Jews. So I was saved from the mouth of the lion."

That is our testimony as well.

• The Lord stayed with me
• He gave me strength
• I need to tell others
• I am saved from the mouth of the lion

God is faithful. Our hope is in HIM.

Addendum: 10/6/16 ~ Another reference to being saved "from the mouth of the lion." The story of Daniel gives us a visual picture of what it means to be saved "from the mouth of the lion." God literally prevented the harm intended for him. I've written before how God totally protected us and prevented the harm intended for us when we put our heads "in the mouth of the lion." But today, as I was writing about Paul describing it as "the mouth of the lion," I started to think about the lion, and what God truly protected him (and us) from.

We've all heard it said that the lion is the King of the Jungle. From a safe distance a lion appears beautiful and magnificent with its large stature and thick flowing mane. But looks can be deceiving. A lion is NOT a gentle giant. A lion uses its size and even its beautiful mane to intimidate those around it. A lion uses its roar (which can be heard up to five miles away) to assert power, intimidate, and control. A lion's claws are hidden until it is ready to attack... and attack it does. A lion sneaks up on his prey; it crouches down; it hides; and it patiently waits until his unsuspecting target gets closer, and then it attacks. A lion is a flesh eating and destroying carnivore. It uses its four long and sharp canine teeth to rip through the skin. The smaller front teeth are used to grip and hold onto its prey while the sharp teeth in the back of the mouth are used to cut through the flesh like a serrated knife. The attack is vicious, relentless, and deadly. Wow! And THAT is what God saved Paul (and Daniel and many others) from, and is an accurate description for what God has us from.

Job 4:10–11 - "Lions may roar and growl, but when the teeth of a strong lion are broken, that lion dies of hunger. The cubs of the mother lion are scattered."


Next Entry: I Timothy 1:1 – 2:15

Ephesians 6:1–24 (Continued)

May 01, 2013

Put on the full armor of God. Don't try to go into battle in your own power and using your own protection. The battle isn't ours to fight! The only way to be strong is "in the Lord and in His great power." It isn't our strength that matters, it is our obedience. I'm not pretending it is easy. It isn't because you are in the line of fire. But it is freeing to know that you aren't in charge and God is in control. The battle is His; the battle plan is His; the length of the battle is His; and the battle victory is His. Our job is to stand strong, rely on Him, and wait for Him. So stand strong by putting on the full armor of God. Ephesians 6:13 - "And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing."

So stand strong with:

• The belt of truth tied around your waist
• The protection of right living on your chest
• The gospel of peace on your feet so you can stand
• The shield of faith which you can use to stop ALL the burning arrows of the wicked
• Let God's salvation be your helmet (Psalm 140 - "...who shields your head in the days of battle.") 
• Arm yourself with the sword of the Spirit which is God's word
• Pray always, in the Spirit, for God's will and God's plan in your life. (Psalm 140 - "Rescue me O Lord from evil men...")

THEN WAIT! Don't give up! Stand strong! It is the Lord who "secures justice and upholds the cause of the needy. Surely the righteous will praise his name and the upright will live before him." (Psalm 140:12) So stand strong. Spread the message. Encourage others. Bring honor, glory, and praise to HIS name.

Addendum: 5/9/2016 ~ I am going to be taking a short break from transcribing my journal entries. I leave tomorrow and will be spending the next week staying with two of my grandchildren while their parents take a vacation. Since they will be in school all day I am going to have a lot of uninterrupted time on my hands, something I would never have available to me while at home. So, I am going to use that time to go back to the beginning (again) and read through all the entries for a final proof reading, making sure links work, adding any new labels, etc. I don't know how far I will get, but it will be interesting to read my journal in an uninterrupted continuous way.  It will also be interesting to see what God wants to show me and teach me this time. Whenever I have paused in the past, there has always been something I was to learn. So, I am ready and willing, Lord. Show me what it is YOU want me to learn.  

Journal #11 is finished. When I pulled out Journal #12, I noticed there was one more entry for Ephesians—today's journal entry. I thought I would wait to begin Journal #12 until after my break, but then decided to finish Ephesians. I'm so glad I did. What an encouraging message to read as I once again hit the pause button before the final push to finish Journal #12 and Journal #13.

THEN WAIT! Don't give up! Stand strong! It is the Lord who "secures justice and upholds the cause of the needy. Surely the righteous will praise his name and the upright will live before him." (Psalm 140) So stand strong. Spread the message. Encourage others. Bring honor, glory, and praise to HIS name.

It is getting so close to the end to this part of the journey, only one and one half journals left. It is exciting and a little frightening at the same time. I'll be sad to see it over, but I am also very curious to see what God has planned for our next steps.

Addendum #2: 7/16/2018 ~ When am I ever going to learn? In May of 2016, I thought I was doing a final read through and edit. Now it is July of 2018, the lawsuit is ongoing, and I am doing yet another read through and edits. You just never know what you don't know. After a several month break from working on the blog, I suddenly realized the initials I used to protect people's identities were very distracting. So, for the past months I have once again been reading through all my entries to remove and replace all proper names and initials with descriptive words instead. Is this my final time through? I have no idea. All I know is I'm following HIS lead and when HE is ready for me to change the private box to public I will know and I will obey. Until then, I will continue to prepare the way for the release of:

Walking By Faith: A True Story of God's Faithfulness

and 

Walking On His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead)

Next Entry: It's All Coming Together

John 6:1–71

October 22, 2012

"We believe and know...!" Spoken by Peter in John 6:69 and our testimony as well. We believe and know that God is our Lord; His Word is true; and He is our Savior, both now and forever more. He is in control. He knows ALL things.

He knew –

• What He was going to do when He asked Philip where they could buy enough bread for the five thousand.

He knew –

• That a young boy would have several loaves of bread and a few fish with him. Think about that! Someone either packed this for him or he packed it himself. They/he had no idea Jesus would use him as a way to further His will. We are never to young or old to be used by God if we are prepared and available.

He knew –

• The people were planning to come and take Him by force so they could make Him king, so to prevent it He left and went to the hills alone. You cannot manipulate God into doing what you want. To be an earthly king was not God's will—so He left.

He knew –

• Judas was going to betray him. It was God's will for Him to become the sacrificial lamb—so He stayed.

He knew –

• When the people came looking for Him it wasn't because they wanted to serve Him.  t was for what He could do for them; feed them; heal their diseases, etc. It was all about them. 

He knew –

• That when the people asked Him to perform more miracles so that they could believe Him, it was still all about them. If you do this for us then we will believe you.

He knew –

• The only way to true life is to believe in the One God sent— Jesus Christ himself.

 He knew –

• Some of the people began complaining about His audacity to claim He was/is the bread of life. They were thinking, "Who does He think he is? Isn't he the son of Joseph? What does He mean He is the Son of God?"

He knew –

• That it all comes down to one thing—Believe. Whoever believes in Jesus as the Son of God has eternal life. "Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me." *

Our response is the same as Peter's.  We believe and know that you are the Holy One from God." We are ALL in. Use our lives—even if it is just a few loaves of bread and a few fish—to bring honor and glory to YOU. It is ALL about YOU! You are our bread of life and we will learn and live off of YOU.

*This verse is another example of the importance of reading the Old Testament. When you learn about the Father you understand Jesus.  


Next Entry: John 7:1–53

Luke 5:1–39

August 26, 2012

"It is not yet time... but that time is coming soon... it may seem like a long time, but be patient and wait for it, because it will surely come; it will not be delayed." Habakkuk 2:3

What Jesus asked the disciples to do made no sense. They had been fishing all night and caught nothing. Jesus told them to take the boat into deep water and they would catch fish. Deep water. I wonder if that was where they would typically fish? I would bet not. It's the "deep water" situations in our lives (times where we can do nothing to help ourselves), that God either shows up or we fail.

Jesus told his disciples to go out in the deep. Peter's response is important. It doesn't make sense Lord, "but you say to put the nets in the water, so I will." He was willing to Go! → Follow! → Do!—even if it didn't make sense. And the result? God blessed them beyond measure. They caught so much fish they had to have others come to help them. Both boats were so full they were almost sinking. When God sends you into deep water situations and you obediently follow, HE blesses you beyond measure.

We are experiencing those blessings right now, and it is beyond measure. It is an amazing thing to watch the Hand of God work in ways that you KNOW has nothing to do with you other than your obedience. I'd rather be where God wants me, even if it is in deep water, where only God can provide and rescue, than to be self-sufficient and in (what we only think is) control.

It is not yet time...but it is coming soon. 


Next Entry: Luke 6:1–49 

Luke 3:1–38

August 23, 2012

John the Baptist went throughout the land preaching about changed hearts and changed lives. Many came to be baptized and oddly, John called them "vipers." Why vipers? Because they wanted to give the appearance of changing their hearts, but their hearts weren't changed. They were just trying to "run away from God's coming punishment," so John called them vipers.  

"Rescue me O Lord from evil men, protect me from men of violence, who devise evil plans in their heart and stir up war every day. They make their tongues as sharp as serpents; the poison of vipers is on their lips."  (Psalm 140:1–3) 

John tells them to,"Do the things that show you really have changed you hearts and lives." (Luke 3:8) Don't rely on the fact that you call yourself children of Abraham (or Christian). DO what is right! Change you hearts and lives. Show it by what you do. Luke 3:9 - "The ax is now ready to cut down the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."  

"Happy are those who don't listen to the wicked, who don't go where sinners go, and 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 the 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)

So the people ask John, "Then what should we do?  And John replies—share. Don't be a taker. Share what you have with others. The tax collectors asked, "What should we do?" And John replies—be fair. Don't collect more than you are supposed to take as a way to make extra for yourself. The soldiers asked, "What about us?  What should we do?" John replies—don't do "violence" (KJV) to any man. Luke 3:14 - "Don't extort money and don't accuse people falsely." (NIV) "Don't force people to give you money, and don't lie about them." (NCV)  Be satisfied with what you have. Don't be willing to lie, trap, steal, extort, to get more for yourselves.

"Rescue me O Lord from evil men, protect me from men of violence... keep me O Lord, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from men of violence who plan to trip my feet. Proud men have hidden a snare for me; they have spread out the cords of their net and have set traps for me along my path." (Psalm 140:4–5)

John explained to them that he was not the Christ, he was preparing the way for Christ who, "will come ready to clean the grain, separating the good grain from the chaff. He will put the good part of the grain into his barn, but he will burn the chaff with a fire that cannot be put out."  (Luke 3:17)

"...But the 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)

Absolutely amazing how the words of Luke 3 correlates with Jane's God-given words of Psalm 140 and Psalm 1.

The Family History of Jesus—Luke takes Jesus' lineage all the way back to Adam. Matthew took it to Abraham. Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) KVJ says this genealogy is of Mary. I never noticed that before. Last year one of my Sunday School girls asked me how Jesus could be the Son of David when Joseph wasn't the father. I had never thought about that. Since Luke's record of Jesus' genealogy is through Mary then that totally explains it for David was Mary's ancestor too. Someday I want to take the time to compare the lineage of Jesus as Matthew wrote it to the lineage of Jesus as Luke wrote it. I think it will be a very interesting study.  


Next Entry: Luke 4:1–44

Mark 12:1–44

August 16, 2012

From the Life Lesson:

"... Love for Christ is a deliberate setting of the will to carry out His commands at any cost. It is the fixed attitude of the heart that decides to do his will at all times. It is the desire and delight of accomplishing our Father's purposes, no matter how challenging.." ~ From Lessons From a Sheep Dog by Phillip Keller

"Having pressed the grapes of service, we drink life's sweetest wine—the wine of giving. We are at our best when we are giving. In fact, we are most like God when we are giving." ~ From He Chose Nails by Max Lucado

Contrast those statements with the words and actions of the Pharisees and Sadducees—religious unbelievers. They each sought trickery instead of surrender, trying to trap Jesus for their own gain. They didn't seek to learn from Jesus. They were only interested in furthering their own agendas. They hid (or so they thought) their agendas through deceit, flattery, and the appearance of going to Him for answers. But it was for appearances only, and God knew it.

When one of the teachers came to Jesus with honest questions (verse 28) Jesus responded with truth. What is the most important commandment? He said, "Listen people... The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. (Quote from Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and the essence of Commandments #1 – #4.) The second command is this: 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' (Quote from Leviticus 19:18 and the essence of Commandments #5 – #10.) There are no commands more important than these."

Jesus' response to the Pharisees questions was: "Why are you trying to trap me?" 

His response to the Sadducees: "Why don't you understand? Don't you know what the scriptures say, and don't you know about the power of God?"

His response to the honest seeker: "You are close to the kingdom of God." The honest seeker understood. The bringing of sacrifices to God is not what is important. It is the obedience to what God says that is important.

For the honest seeker Jesus became the cornerstone. "The stone that the builders rejected became the cornerstone." For the Pharisees and the Sadducees He became the stumbling stone. "The person who falls on this stone will be broken, and on whomever that stone falls, that person will be crushed." (Matthew 22:42–44)

We are called to surrender, obey, and serve. Jesus never turns away an honest seeker.

Life Lesson ~ When you are fed up with life and utterly exhausted, look for a way to love someone around you. Being patient and maintaining a caring attitude when you don't feel like it shows that you have experienced God's love.


Next Entry: Mark 13:1–37

STOP! Turn Around! GO BACK!

June 15, 2012

Stop. Turn around. Go back. These five words came to my mind multiple times during the night last night.

STOP! 
Turn Around! 
GO BACK!

As those words would come to my mind, I would pray for my sister and brother-in-law. The analogy between the narrow path we travel as Christ-followers and the well-worn footpath of the Appalachian Trail is amazing. The occasional white blaze on the Appalachian Trail lets you know you are on the right path. If you haven't seen any blazes for a while, and if you retrace your steps and still don't see any blazes, then you KNOW you are on the wrong path. If you keep going down the wrong path you cannot make it become the Appalachian Trail by just wishing it to be so or willing it to be so. It is no longer the Appalachian Trail! You can't decide to bush whack across country to try and find the correct trail because you have no idea where the trail is. If you want to remain on the trail, you only have one option.

STOP! 
Turn Around! 
GO BACK!

The distance you need to travel may be short or long; the hills, rivers, and valleys you need to cross may be few or many; but you will have to go the whole distance until you come to the point where you made the wrong turn. Depending on how far you traveled down the wrong path, the return to the right path may be difficult and exhausting. But it is the only choice you have if you want to get back on the right trail/path.

Our Christian walk is the same. The Bible gives us clear direction. We have guideposts. If our lives are not matching up with the Word of God then we have gotten off on the wrong path. We can't make it the right path by rationalization or declaring it the right path. Our walk must match up to God's Word or it is no longer HIS path! We can't try to take a short cut and bush whack our way back. We must:

STOP! 
Turn Around! 
GO BACK!

No matter how far. No matter how difficult. No matter how humbling. (Which after all is the whole point!) There is no other choice. We must go back to the point where we made the wrong turn in order to find the correct path. We must right our wrongs. Only then! Only then can we once again be on the right path and enjoy the rewards and blessings God has for us.

STOP! 
Turn Around! 
GO BACK!

That has been and will continue to be our prayer for my sister and brother-in-law.

*****

LORD, May we live our lives following YOUR Word. May YOUR Word be a lamp for our feet, and a light for our path. (Psalm 119:105) Lord, We pray that you will continue to instruct us and teach us on the way we should go. LORD, We ask that you would continue to counsel us and watch over us. (Psalm 32:8) May we always understand that you are the one who answers our prayers and watches over us. May we take comfort in knowing that you are like a green pine tree and that our blessings come from you. (Hosea 14:8) Help us to trust in you with all our hearts and not depend on ourselves.  Direct our paths as we acknowledge you.  (Proverbs 3:5–6)


Next Entry: Matthew 20:1–34

Matthew 18:15 – 19:30 (Continued)

June 12 - 14, 2012

We often hear the story of how Jesus welcomed children. "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them, because the kingdom of heaven belongs to people who are like these children." 

When we read and hear these stories we often think of "children" in the sense of the age of the child. When Jesus refers to the kingdom of heaven belonging "to people who are like these children" I don't believe He is just talking about age. He is talking about child-like attributes.

• Innocent
• Trusting
• Wanting to learn
• Dependent upon
• Childlike humility
• Faith
• Eagerness  

It is understanding the gap between

God

↓

  Man/Child.

Jesus wants us—all of us. Not our abilities; not our strength; not our plans. Just us. Simply all of us. When He has that THEN He can work in us, through us, and with us, to bring about HIS will for our lives.

A rich young man goes to Jesus and asks what He must do to have eternal life. Jesus responds that He must obey the commands. The rich man asks "Which ones"? How is that for a non-committal answer/question? Which ones? How about all of them? There are ten of them!! Jesus' answer is quite interesting. He lists six of them, Commandments 5–10. He left out the first four for a reason. The rich man replied, "I have obeyed all these things. What else do I need to do?"

The rich man was a good man. He was upright, moral, and honest man—all good things. But there was one thing he was not. He was not a man who was surrendered to God. So when he asked what else he needed to do, Jesus responded by showing him what his problem was, Commandments 1–4 of the Ten Commandments. It is not enough to be a "good" person. We must be a Godly person.  

Jesus told him if he wanted to be perfect he must go and sell his possessions and give the money to the poor. This really wasn't about money. It was about the root of the problem, which was the disobedience of the commandments that deal entirely with a heart surrendered to God. Jesus was in effect asking him, "Are you willing to give up your self reliance, your self effort, your need for self control, and your self made riches?" I know you are a good man. But, are you willing to surrender everything you think you are in control of to me?

There was a reason why the rich man asked which commandments he needed to obey. There is a reason why Jesus separated the commandments when He answered him. You can be a good person and obey Commandments 5–10 with self effort and still not obey Commandments 1–4. But, being a "good" person is not enough.

The Kingdom of Heaven (Salvation) is only obtained by obedience to Commandments 1 through 4.  When 1–4 (the "vertical" commandments that deal with our relationship to God) are obeyed then 5–10 (the "horizontal" commandments that deal with our relationship with fellow man) are automatically followed and obeyed. Jesus was pointing out to the rich man what the root of the problem was—the letter "I." What must "I" do to be saved. God doesn't want our self-effort. What He wants is our surrendered self. Sadly, the rich man was not willing to give up his self-reliance and become God-reliant. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:23) Not because of the money itself. No, it's because of what having wealth tends to do, which is make you feel self-reliant.

When you don't need any thing you don't need any One, and it is easy to become or remain self-reliant instead of learning to trust God and become God-reliant. It becomes all about "me" and what "I" want instead of about God and what HE wants. It's p.r.I.d.e, with a capital "I." It's breaking the first commandment of no other gods before God or in addition to God. (Exodus 20:3, 23) You have to be willing to give all and leave all.   

"And all those who have left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or farms to follow me will get much more than they left, and they will have life forever. Many who have the highest place now will have the lowest place in the future. And many who have the lowest place now will have the highest place in the future." (Matthew 19:29-30)

I surrender ALL.


Next Entry: STOP! Turn Around!  GO BACK!

Matthew 14:1–36 (Continued)

May 22, 2012

Jesus walks on the water.   

Immediately after feeding the five thousand Jesus sent His disciples and the crowd away and He spent a considerable amount of time alone with God. It was probably between three and six in the morning when Jesus walked out to the boat where the disciples were. It was storming. The wind was blowing. The waves were huge. It was the middle of the night. The disciples are frightened and they see a figure walking towards them. They think it is a ghost  Jesus says to them, "Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid." (Matthew 14:27–29) Peter said, "Lord, if it is really you, then let me come to you on the water." Jesus said, "Come."

Peter began to walk on the water towards Jesus. But when he looked around and saw the waves, and heard the wind, he became afraid and began to sink. He shouted, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out, took his hand, and saved him. Jesus said, "Your faith is small. Why did you doubt?" (Matthew 14:31) When they got into the boat the winds calmed, and all those who were in the boat worshiped Jesus and said, "Truly you are the Son of God."

Some observations:

• There will be storms in our lives
• If we look at our circumstances fear will come
• When we remain focused on Christ we don't see the circumstances
• People watch to see how we respond to our circumstances
• Our actions and reactions should point people to Jesus—only He is worthy of glory, honor, and praise
• Only Jesus has the power to calm the storms in our lives
• We must keep our eyes focused on Him and Him alone

"As long as Jesus is one of many options, he is no option. As long as you can carry your burdens alone, you don't need a burden bearer. As long as your situation brings you no grief, you will receive no comfort. And as long as you can take him or leave him, you might as well leave him, because he won't be taken half-heartedly." ~ From The Applause of Heaven by Max Lucado.  

Next Entry: Matthew 15:1–39   

Matthew 8:1–34

 April 13, 2012

Jesus has the power, the strength, the ability, and the authority to free us from anything that holds us bondage. Not only does He have the ability, He wants to do it. "Lord, you can heal me if you will." And Jesus replies, "I will."

In Matthew 8 a man with leprosy went to Jesus; a Roman soldier went to Jesus; people with demons and other illnesses were taken to Jesus. We need to go to Jesus with whatever obstacle we are facing. He is willing. We need to have the desire. There was also another healing in this chapter. Jesus went to Peter's house and saw that his mother-in-law was ill. Jesus touched her hand; she was healed; and she go up and began to serve Jesus. I call this a "just because" healing. Jesus knew what she needed and He did it, just because. She was healed and then she began to serve Jesus. 

When Jesus healed the man of leprosy He told him not to go and tell others about it. He instead told him to go and follow the laws Moses (God) commanded in the Old Testament, once again linking the Old Testament to the New Testament. By following the commands of the Old Testament, Jesus and His authority, would be revealed.

The Jews, even though they were God's chosen people, were now living under Roman rule because of their ancestors choices. A Roman soldier comes to Jesus to seek healing for his servant. A Roman! This was not someone who was raised with knowledge of God. He was not someone who was part of God's chosen people and therefore knew (or should have known) about Jesus' coming as foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament. No. He was someone who was in power over God's people, but he humbled himself, sought Jesus, and asked for healing for his servant. Jesus offered to go and heal him. The Roman soldier replied that he wasn't worthy for Jesus to come to his house. He said, "You only need to command it, and my servant will be healed." An outsider understood the power Jesus had, believed Him, and had faith in Him. And Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this is the greatest faith I have found, even in Israel." (Matthew 8:10)

Jesus' next statement is sobering. There will be many people, even "His" people, who knew of Him but did not know Him who will be left outside the gate.

Matthew 8:12 - "But those people who should be in the kingdom will be thrown outside into the darkness, where people will be cry and grind their teeth with pain." 

We can't put our faith in going to church. We can't claim safety because of a long ago sinners prayer. We must know Him. We must live out our faith. We must surrender ourselves to Him. We must believe. Our actions must match our words. And Jesus said to the Roman soldier, "Go home.  Your servant will be healed just as you believed he would." (Matthew 8:13) And his servant was healed that same hour.

There is a cost to following Jesus. Great crowds began to follow Jesus. People were enthused by all He was doing and saying. They wanted to join in on the movement. Jesus warned them. There is a cost in following me. You will have to give up your dreams and your security to follow me. This is not a "get well" quick movement. This is not a "get rich" quick scheme. This is a take up your cross and follow ME movement. It will cost you, but it will be worth it all.

Addendum: Today is Thanksgiving 2015. We had a wonderful time with family. We are so thankful for all God has done for us and for giving us the strength and stamina to survive these last nine years of "the storm."


Next Entry: Matthew 8:1–34 (Continued)

Matthew 6:1–34 (Continued)

April 4, 2012

Don't worry about the things you need. God knows what you need.

There is a constant struggle within one's self to be self-sufficient. It's disguised in many ways. We try to rationalize it by saying we don't want to bother God with trivial things. We even try to promote it. Look at all the emphasis we place on self-esteem in our culture. We applaud someone who is a "self-made man." We have it all wrong.

God does not want our self-sufficiency. He wants us to rely on Him. He wants our view of ourselves to be from His eyes. He wants us to "get it." We are nothing without Him and everything comes from Him. He wants us to understand and surrender to the

  God

  ↓

  Man

relationship He ordained. He takes care of everything He has created. The birds of the air, the lilies of the field, the grasses of the field. We are so much more than the "things" God created. We were created in His image. We were created to worship Him. He loves us so much that He sent His own son to die so that we could have life.

He is a God of details. He knows what we need—and He will provide it. But when we have ourselves on the throne we become worried. What if? Will there be enough? Jesus says, "You cannot add anytime to your life by worrying about it." (Matthew 6:27) So then if that is true, why do we do it? It is wasted time and energy. Jesus says, "Don't have so little faith! Don't worry and say, 'what will we eat?' or 'what will we drink?' or 'what will we wear?' " (Matthew 6:31) Our worries show the problem—it is all about me/we. Matthew 6:32 - "The people who don't know God keep trying to get these things, and your Father in heaven knows you need them." Trying! Self effort. Trying to do for ourselves what God is willing (and far more capable) of doing.

"The thing you should want most is God's Kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you." (Matthew 6:33) We should want what God wants and not what we want. When we get the

God 

↓

Man

relationship in the correct order; when we understand we are not equal to God; then we understand it is not God = man, it is not man > God; it is

God

↓

Man.

When we want Him more than anything else, THEN—"All these other things you need will be given to you." When we search for Him with all our hearts, "You will find me!  I will let you find me..." (Jeremiah 29:13) But, when we try to do it on our own, "You will look for me, but you will not find me. It is because you rejected knowledge and did not choose to respect the LORD. You did not accept my advice and you rejected my correction." (Proverbs 1:28)

What we receive in life is our choice. Surrender to God and we receive everything we need. Try to go it alone—and we are alone. Life is not about we/me. It is about God. He is in control. Our job is to trust Him. 

"So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries.  Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34

Next Entry: Matthew 7:1–29

Matthew 5:1–48 (Continued)

March 26, 2012

Jesus teaches about sexual sin, again talking not just about the letter of the law but of the intent of the law. Someone who follows the letter of the law says I didn't commit the actual sexual act so therefore I did not sin. But Jesus says, I don't want someone who is a rule-follower, I want heart-followers. A heart follower understands the intent of the law, and understands that Christ wants pure hearts, changed lives, and a new way of thinking. (Ezekiel 18:30–32) We only fool ourselves when we think we are hiding our sinful thoughts and evil intentions in our hearts.

God knows our heart and thoughts. Jesus clearly explains that evil thoughts (even without action) is still sin. Thoughts generally turn into action, and Jesus says—get rid of your evil thoughts. Get rid of anything that causes you to sin. Change your hearts. Why live as close to sin as you can and hope not to get burned. Why not instead live as close to the heart of God as you can? Striving each day to be more Christ-like in your thoughts, words, actions, and deeds.

As for me, I choose to learn and grow each day. I choose to live as close to the heart of God as possible, understanding that I will never be finished with growing and learning while I have earthly breath. I choose to be a heart follower of Jesus Christ. 


Next Entry: Matthew 5:1–48 (Continued)

Matthew 4:1–25 (Continued)

March 02, 2012

More observations:

• If Jesus used Scripture to combat the devil's lies, how much more should we use the same method. This means we have to KNOW scripture in order to be able to use it.
• Jesus was not being disciplined while He was in the desert. He was specifically led there by the Spirit. It is a mistake to think all trials we face are for discipline purposes. We need to be able to discern what God is desiring to teach us.  
• Jesus was being prepared. "Sometimes God has to work in us in order to work through us." (A quote from one of our pastors.) Before Jesus' ministry began He went through the desert and was victorious over temptation.
• Jesus had everything He needed to defeat the devil's temptation. Through Jesus we have everything we need to be able to stand up and stand firm, no matter what attack Satan may try to use against us. We are not powerless. There is no such thing as "the devil made me do it." We are not victims.
• Every one of Jesus' response affirmed submission to God.  

Our biggest enemy is SELF. We must understand and submit to the

God

↓

Man

principle. In ALL things, at ALL times, in ALL places—whether in a desert experience or on the mountaintop. Because of SELF, sometimes the mountain tops are more dangerous than the deserts.

Jesus told the devil to go away—and he left. Immediately the angels came and took care of Jesus. When we deny SELF and stand firm upon God's Word, we can be free of the effects of Satan's attacks and we can rest, literally rest, in God's protection and promises.  


Next Entry: Matthew 4:1–25 (Continued)

Our Family Legacy: HIS Story is Passed Down

August 02, 2015

Our 5th annual Nanna Camp was this week. It's been a busy, busy week. But wow, what a great time.

Well, our four oldest grandchildren now all know about "the storm." Yesterday my husband and I gathered all of them in the tent and I read them the letter I wrote them in 2011. There were lots of questions and some tears but thank the Lord, what they don't have is fear. From the youngest to the oldest, their faith in God has grown. We all prayed together and then we went for a walk. We wanted them to see first hand where we were when Pop-Pop was praying and God miraculously parted the skies in the deepest of fogs to shine his brilliant sun at us for just a few seconds before the dense fog once again enveloped us. We showed them where we were walking when the sun came up and cast our shadows far in front of us and how the warmth of the sun of our backs made us realize that God had covered our backs and protected us. We told them the story of Jane and my husband and I quoted Psalm 150; Psalm 140; Psalm 1; and Psalm 8 while we walked. We asked God once again to: 

 "Bless us and bless us indeed. Enlarge our territories. May we see YOUR hand working in our lives. Protect us from evil that we would harm no one."

Everything is on the line. It is a scary thing to expose young children to the risks of what we are facing AND to tell them of our faith in God's protection. Because "what if"? What if we aren't protected? What then? What would it do to our grandchildren's faith in God if He didn't do what we said He has promised? What if? What if? What if?

Fear WILL NOT control us!! Our faith is in God and HIM alone. If you could have only heard our youngest grand-daughter (at just five years old) with folded hands and in the sweetest of voices pray, "Our dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for Nanna writing us this letter. I'm glad she read it to us. It was important for us to know."  

Thank you, LORD, for the awesome opportunity to share YOUR love with our precious grandchildren. LORD, as they each now have the ability to watch and see with their own eyes YOUR hand at work protecting us it just brings tears to my eyes. Then they will KNOW! They are going to be able to SEE!! They are going to be able to experience YOU! YOUR hands! YOUR promises! YOUR protection! And they will understand that they can trust YOU in all things. Oh LORD, thank you! May YOU use this to make a deep and indelible stamp in each of their hearts. May they each always love and serve you. May they each make an impact on the world around them. LORD, as we build a Praise Shelter as a remembrance of YOUR faithfulness may it always be a symbol that reminds all of us of YOUR hand in all of our lives. Thank you, LORD. Thank you.


Next Entry: Jeremiah 40:1 – 45:5 (Continued)

Isaiah 54:1 – 55:13

September 07, 2011

Isaiah 54:4 - "Don't be afraid, because you will not be ashamed. Don't be embarrassed, because you will not be disgraced." NIV - "Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated."

God is the one who saves. "Mountains may disappear and hills may come to an end," but God's love never ends. "I will build you using fairness. You will be safe from those who would hurt you... If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you."

"No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me, says the LORD." God is in control. No "man" can "forge" anything against us. Who made man? Man can think he has the power to make the fire hot and forge a tool, but it is GOD who made man... and it is God who is in control.

If you are thirsty—come to me (God). Why waste your time running after things that cannot satisfy? Come to me—and listen; listen to me so you can live. Return to the LORD so He can have mercy on you. Come to our God for forgiveness.

The LORD says, "My thoughts are not like your thoughts. Your ways are not like my ways. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Rain waters the ground, the same can be said of my (God's) words. "They will not return to me empty.  They make the things happen that I want to happen, and they succeed in doing what I sent them to do."


Next Entry: Isaiah 56:1 – 57:21

Proverbs 7

June 27, 2011

This chapter talks about the importance of having wisdom and understanding. It's not enough to know, you must also do. 

In order to stand strong, don't put yourself in situations where temptation can happen. The example this Proverb gives is a young man walking alone at night down the road where a prostitute lived. He put himself into a situation where he could fall victim to her ploys. Proverbs 7:23 - "Like a bird caught in a trap, he didn't know what he did would kill him." Something else I always tell my Sunday School girls. You don't know what you don't know.

• Guard yourself!  
• Listen to wisdom!  
• Get understanding!  
• Make good choices!  
• Have a plan!  
• Know God's Word!  
• Follow Him!

"We cannot stand firm against the lies of the world unless we are firmly grounded in Christ. Be diligent to read God's word and pray often." ~ From Life Lesson Application

"The world rams at your door; Jesus taps at your door. The voices scream for your allegiance; Jesus softly and tenderly requests it." ~ From In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado

Addendum:  Interesting to compare the description of the woman described in Proverbs 7 with the Good Wife described in Proverbs 31.


Next Entry: Proverbs 8