II Chronicles 35:1 – 36:1

July 23, 2014

After Josiah and the people promised to follow the LORD, they celebrated Passover like it had not been celebrated since the prophet Samuel was alive. Things were going well.

Then thirteen years later...

The king of Egypt decides to go out to attack somebody. This battle had nothing to do with Josiah or Judah. Yet, after all he'd experienced  and learned, Josiah decides he is going to go against the king of Egypt. Why? The king of Egypt said—what are you doing? This isn't between you and me! God told me to attack these people. God is on my side, "So don't fight God, or he will destroy you." But, Josiah did not listen. He did not inquire of God to see if the king of Egypt was telling the truth. Josiah went into battle wearing different clothes thinking no one would know. But God knew, and Josiah was hit by an arrow and died. He did not receive the promise of, "so I will let you die and be buried in peace," which God had promised through the prophetess Huldah.

God never breaks His promises and He never goes back on His word. Josiah broke the covenant. He did not listen to or seek God's voice and insisted on plowing ahead on his own. When we receive a promise from the LORD, it does not give us carte blanche to do whatever it is we want to do, how-when-or-where we want to do it. We must still be faithful and obedient! His promises are what is available to us. Whether or not we receive His promise depends on the choices we make. 

To make it personal, we have received a promise from God that He would protect us, free us, and bless us with HIS presence. He will not go back on His word. However, if we break our covenant, if we make the decision to no longer follow after HIS ways, if we choose to follow after other gods with anything or anyone taking the place in our hearts and lives that should be reserved only for the LORD, then WE have broken the agreement and God's available promise is null and void.

LORD, we surrender ALL. We claim Your promises. We choose to serve YOU only. Psalm 140 - "But we say, YOU are our God.  Hear, O Lord, our cry for mercy!" (Her Name Was Jane)


Next Entry: II Chronicles 36:2–23

Revelation 4:1 – 6:17

July 29, 2013

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

Day and night the creatures never stop saying:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

III John 1–15

July 22, 2013

There is a line that separates what is good from what is bad.  You are on one side or the other.  You either do:

What is Good (Exampled by Gaius) 

• Truth was in his life
• He followed truth
• He helped others follow truth
• He loved like Christ loved
• He served others
• He wanted truth (God's kingdom) to grow

 _________________________________________________________

 What is Bad (Exampled by Diotrephes) 

• Was arrogant
• Would not listen to truth
• Was self promoting
• He was a liar
• He said evil things about the believers
• He refused to accept the believers
• He tried to stop their ministries
• He tried to stop others from believing truth 

John calls Gaius actions good and Diotrephes actions bad. III John 11 - "My dear friends, do not follow what is bad; follow what is good. The one who does good belongs to God. But the one who does evil has never known God."  

Truth produces love. It has too because God is love.  

"The truth was in Gaius, and Gaius walked in the truth. If the first had not been the case, the second could have never occurred; and if the second could not have been said of him, the first would have been a mere pretense. Truth must enter into the soul, penetrate and saturate it, or else it is of no value..." ~ From Morning and Evening by Charles H. Spurgeon

Next Entry: Jude 1–25

I John 3:1–24

July 18, 2013

We are loved by the Father so much that we are called "children of God." And that is what we are—"children of God." There is a reason why we don't fit in with the world. It is because we are strangers. The world cannot possibly understand us because they don't know Him.

Christianity is a concept you really cannot understand without experiencing it. As Christians, we know we were made in the image of God; we are children of God; and when Christ returns we will be made like Him because we will see Christ as He really is. What a day that will be!! While we eagerly await that day, it is a foreign concept to people who have not accepted Christ as LORD.

Until that time, we have the responsibility to live as Christ taught.

• Christ is love—we must show love
• Christ is pure—we need to keep ourselves pure
• There is no sin in Christ—we cannot go on sinning
• Christ is all that is right—we must do what is right
• Christ is light—we cannot have darkness in us

Those who are God's children do not continue sinning because the new life from God is in them. I John 3:9 - "They are not able to go on sinning because they have become children of God." I John 3:6 - "Anyone who goes on sinning has never really understood Christ and has never known him."

Those two statements are very clear. If Christ is truly living in you, then He is Master and you are not able to continue in sin. The reverse is also true. If you do not change your hearts and lives and you continue to sin and live a lifestyle contrary to God's Word, then the truth is you never really understood Christ; you've never truly known Him; you are not a child of God; and He is not your Father. The narrow road is in fact—narrow. I John 3:10 - "Those who do not do what is right are not God's children, and those who do not love their brothers and sisters are not God's children."

It doesn't get much plainer than that.

From the very beginning of the Bible there has been one clear message: you must love God and you must love others. And from the very beginning, both teachings were broken. Cain killed Abel because he was jealous of him. Cain was corrupt, his heart was evil, and he was out to destroy his brother who had done nothing against Him.   

Our actions reveal the truth about our hearts. Sin (darkness) and Truth (light) cannot co-mingle. It should be no surprise that people of the world (as slaves of Satan) seek to harm you and hurt you. However, it was shocking to us when our own family members purposely set out (using trickery and then this lawsuit) to seek our destruction, especially since we thought we were like minded with them. What we now know (by the evidence of their actions and by searching God's Word) is that my sister and brother-in-law's actions show the truth about their hearts. I John 3:15 - "Everyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderers have eternal life in them." Jesus taught in Matthew 5:21–26 that hating someone in your heart is the same as the act of murder.

Hatred. Is there another way to describe the actions of my sister and brother-in-law. I wish there was. To purposely deceive and trick us and then file a lawsuit to try and ruin us—is hatred. Oh, they've couched it as "business" or "unfortunate" or whatever, but the bottom line is that in their interest of self-promotion, everything is on the table and nothing is sacred even if it means the destruction of others. There is a whole of list of other family and friends (as evidenced by my brother-in-law's list of broken relationships) who were victims of the same thinking, and there are others who are still unaware of the truth behind the scenes. I'm sure my sister and brother-in-law don't see their actions as a hatred of others. Whatever happens to the other person is just collateral damage to what they want or think they deserve. But, it is hatred. I've witnessed first hand the clenched teeth, the pointed fingers, and the squinted eyes.

God in the Old Testament and Jesus in the New Testament taught the same message. They commanded that we love one another. I John 3:18 - "We should love people not only with words and talk, but by our actions and true caring." You cannot be a child of God and seek the harm of other people. Cannot. I John 3:23 - "This is what God commands (not suggests): that we believe in his Son, Jesus Christ (Him as Master and we as servants) and that we love each other, just as he commanded."  (Emphasis and comments mine.)

You cannot purposely and intentionally choose to go against God's teachings and Jesus' clarifications and still have the blessing of being at one with God. I John 3:22 - "God gives us what we ask for because we obey God's commands and do what pleases him." This verse isn't referring to selfish "things." When we do what He commands and when we do what pleases Him, THEN our desires align with His desires and God gives us what we ask for, and we are in fellowship with him. I John 3:24 - "The people who obey God's commands live in God, and God lives in them. We KNOW that God lives in us because of the Spirit God gave us." Reminds me of the old camp song, "We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord.... they will know we are Christians by our love."

Matthew 22:37–39 - Jesus said (quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18), "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and most important command. And the second is like the first: Love your neighbor as yourself."


Next Entry: I John 4:1 – 5:21

I John 2:1–29 (Continued)

July 16, 2013

I don't know where the line is. How much leeway is there between saved and lost? How narrow is the narrow road? 

After carefully reading, studying, and writing about God's Word for these past 44 months, it seems as if the road is even more narrow than I thought. What I know is this: I want to be as close to the center of that road as I can get. I do not want to flirt with the ditches and become accustomed to the edges.

John describes the enemies of Christ. These were people who used to be part of the group of "believers" but they left the group which showed that they weren't "believers" at all. What they said they believed and the truth about their lives, were polar opposites. I John 2:21b–22 - "No lie comes from truth." He goes on. "Who is the liar? It is the person who does not accept Jesus as the Christ. This is the enemy of Christ: the person who does not accept the Father and his Son."

This is the point where people start going through a check list to convince themselves that they are OK.

1)  Have no other gods
          ✔  I don't do that
2)  Don't take the Lord's name in vain
          ✔  I don't do that
3)  Don't grieve the Holy Spirit
          ✔  I don't do that
4)  Accept Jesus as the Christ
          ✔  Yup—I've done that

WAIT A MINUTE!! WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE?!?

We say we have no other gods, but is anything in my life more important than Him? Self? Work? Family? Christian "service"? Anything? We say we don't take the Lord's name in vain, well maybe you aren't swearing, but what about the times you should have told someone about Christ and you didn't? What about that? You say you don't grieve the Holy Spirit by cursing His name, but any time you choose to not follow God's commands and instead do things your way, you are indeed grieving the Holy Spirit. You say you accept Jesus as the Christ—really? Is He Master of all areas of your life or are you using Him for (what you think will be) your get-out-of-hell free card?

Much of modern Christianity has made Jesus into this feel-good, lukewarm, I-just-want-you-to-be-happy guy. Where do you hear Him being talked about as Master and how often do we hear messages about being a "servant" of Christ? We don't want to hear that! We want to be our own master. Jesus is our back-up plan. We are capable. We will be in charge—thank you very much.

The problem with that way of thinking is that it is heresy. It is not God's teachings. We sure have messed things up. We strive to teach our children from little up to be self-confident, independent, and critical thinkers. Where is that scriptural? Scripture says our confidence comes from Him, it is in whose we are not who we are. Our dependence should be on Him, that is where freedom comes from. Our thoughts should be like His thoughts.

Where on earth did this Americanized view of Christianity come from? Certainly not the Word of God. World view says make it to the top—Christ says serve. To confess Jesus as Lord does not mean mere lip service. He must be LORD!

God has given us everything we need. Jesus clarifies everything in the Old Testament. His teachings show us how to live. His Holy Spirit is in us. I John 2:27 - "Christ gave you a special gift that is still in you so you do not need any other teacher. His gift teaches you about everything, and it is true, not false." He is Truth and His Spirit guides us. I John 2:29 - "If you know that Christ is all that is right, you know that all who do right are God's children."

I've still been thinking about II Peter 2 and the concept of servants—verses—slaves. Jesus is to be our Master Jesus. If He is Master we are servants. If we aren't HIS servant, we are a slave to whatever controls us, our own lusts, selfish desires, and ultimately—Satan. Hmm. Servant to Christ—OR—slave to Satan. We are one or the other. We are not our own boss. We are either surrendered to the Lordship of Christ and we are HIS servant, or in our futile effort to remain in control, we have relinquished ourselves to Satan and we become his slave.

Master Jesus—kind, loving, compassionate, Father, gentle, patient, etc. As His servant we are the beneficiary to all those things and we in return live our lives in service to Him. We bend our knee and allow Him to guide us and direct us, and our hearts desire is to follow His commands and to bring honor and glory to Him.

Satan on the other hand is a cruel dictator that seeks to kill, steal, and destroy. Like a roaring lion he devours. And while you think you are independent and master of your own domain, you are not. Instead you are a slave to a cruel dictator whose only mission is to destroy your soul.

Servant to a Loving God

OR

Slave to a cruel dictator

It truly is one or the other. I choose to surrender and bow my knee in submission to Master Jesus, to live my life in service to Him, to listen and accept His instructions, and to do everything I can to bring honor and glory to His name. When my life on this earth is over, I want to hear the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." (Matthew 25:21–23)  

Being a servant to Christ brings freedom. Selfish desires only brings bondage. 


Next Entry: I John 3:1–24

II Peter 3:1–18

July 12, 2013

Jesus will come again. Just because it is 2013 and it hasn't happened yet doesn't mean it isn't going to happen. To the LORD, one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years are like a day.

God isn't slow—He is patient—and I am so grateful that He is. He doesn't want anyone to be lost. He wants ALL people to change their hearts and lives. So, He patiently waits. He patiently waited until Noah finished building the boat. He patiently waits—and for six years He has extended "days of Grace" to my sister and brother-in-law while having a judge withhold judgment.

Our prayer continues to be that my sister and brother-in-law would change their hearts and lives and that they would become servants of the Master Jesus. Whether we live or die, the only thing that truly matters is how we lived our lives for Him. Whether He comes in 2013, whether we live to a ripe old age, or whether today is our last day—none of that matters. The ONLY thing that matters is HIM. 

We don't know when our time is up, so "you should live holy lives and serve God" (II Peter 3:11) as you wait for Him. II Peter 3:13 - "We are waiting for a new heaven and a new earth where goodness lives." We are waiting for Him. While we are waiting we should not be idle. We need to grow in grace and knowledge; we need to be without sin and without fault; we need to be actively pursuing Him; we need to be doing our part to build His kingdom; and we need to be ready.

LORD, I pray that you will actively pursue my sister and brother-in-law. Get in their face. Make it impossible for them to ignore YOU. Please continue to be patient with them. Give them another opportunity to surrender to YOU. Amen.


Next Entry: I John 1:1–10

I Peter 5:1–14

July 09, 2013

Continue to do what is right—no matter what. Don't give up. Stand firm and continue to do what is right. Be humble and serve others. "God is against the proud, but he gives grace to the humble." (I Peter 5:5 and Proverbs 3:34)

Your humility should not come from a "I'm no good" attitude. That isn't humility. Humility is understanding the awesomeness of God and the

God

↓

man

relationship. It's ALL about Him. I Peter 5:6 -"Be humble under God's powerful hand so he will lift you up when the right time comes." He will do the rescuing. It isn't us who have to pull ourselves up to save ourselves. The key is to let Him (surrender) and wait for Him. Only He knows the "right time." In the meantime,  I Peter 5:7 - "Give all your worries to him, because he cares about you."

Don't hold on to worries or fears because that is a reflection of you trying to assume control. Let go and trust Him. Control yourself—NOT the situation. Be careful to keep yourself grounded in God's Word. The devil prowls around looking for someone to devour. He is "like a roaring lion." There are times your head is in the mouth of the lion because you are doing the right thing. It is not your power that saves you, it is God's power that prevents the mouth of the lion from shutting and harming you. Our responsibility is to stand strong and refuse to give in to him (the evil one) or the fear he wants to create.

I Peter 5:10 - "After you suffer for a short time, God, who gives all grace, will make everything right. He will make you strong and support you and keep you from falling. He called you to share in his glory in Christ, a glory that will continue forever. All power is his forever and ever. Amen."

So stand strong. He is in control. Pass it on. Share who HE is and what HE has done. Mentor others. I Peter 5:2 - "I beg you to shepherd God's flock, for whom you are responsible. Watch over them because you want to not because you are forced." Do it because it is the right thing. Be happy to serve. Don't do it because it is a way to make a monetary gain or to bring notoriety to yourself. Don't do it to be in charge. As a servant of Christ—serve. As a recipient of Grace—give grace. "This is how God wants it." (I Peter 5:2) In everything you do, please God—not self.

"When the temptation of pride comes knocking... as it will... we must lock the door against it—whatever that takes... The best protection I have discovered is accountability. Since we all have blind spots, we must, as we mentioned earlier, submit ourselves to those who can see the logs floating in our eyes." ~ From The Body by Charles Colson

Next Entry: II Peter 1:1–21

I Peter 4:1–19

July 08, 2013

Change your hearts and lives. You WILL have to give an account of your life and explain your actions to the only Judge that truly matters. Be done with the old, get rid of sin in your life, and LIVE for the will of God. Think clearly, control yourself, pray, love each other, be giving, serve others, give grace. Don't serve for recognition of self. Serve so that God will be honored and praised. ALL power and ALL glory belong to Him forever and ever. 

Don't be surprised or upset by troubles that come your way. I Peter 4:12 - "Do not think that something strange is happening to you." Be happy and full of joy!

When people insult you because of Christ you aren't hurt—you are blessed. If you are suffering because your problems are coming from sin in your life, there is no happiness, joy, or blessings. I Peter 4:15–16 - "Do not suffer for murder, theft, or any other crime, nor because you trouble other people. But if you suffer because you are a Christian, do not be ashamed. Praise God because you wear that name."

Judgment will happen for all people. We will all be held accountable for what we have done in our lives, whether it be the good we did for the cause of Christ or the evil acts we did against Him. "If it is very hard for a good person to be saved, the wicked person and the sinner will surely be lost." (I Peter 3:18 and Proverbs 11:31)

I Peter 4:19 - "Those who suffer as God wants should trust their souls to the faithful Creator as they continue to do what is right."

Continue on. Stand strong. 


Next Entry: I Peter 5:1–14

I Peter 1:1–25

June 30, 2013

Praise. Hope. God's Power.

Praise—First, foremost, and always! Praise— to God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. When your life is filled with praise there is hope, a living hope.

Hope—because Jesus rose from the dead. Hope—because God blesses his children. Hope—because those blessings cannot be destroyed or spoiled. Hope—because His blessings are eternal, will never lose their beauty, and are kept secure for us in heaven.

God's power—above all, in all, and through all. I Peter 1:5 - "God's power protects you through your faith...." God's power— protects you through troubles and storms. Through! It does not say prevents troubles and storms, and it does not say helps you avoid trouble and storms.

Like I've said before, the "deep" is not a place to avoid, it is a place to embrace. "Deep" water times come to grow us, change us, strengthen us, and get us ready for HIS service. And while it may be hard, difficult, and at times cause sadness, it is worth every moment. I Peter 1:7 - "These troubles come to prove that your faith is pure. This purity of faith is worth more than gold, which can be proved to be pure by fire but will ruin." And that purity of faith brings blessings beyond measure. And as a result, "You are filled with a joy that cannot be explained, a joy full of glory. And you are receiving the goal of your faith—the salvation of your souls." (I Peter 1:8)

God used the prophets of the Old Testament to teach others HIS truth. God uses us and the situations we are in to grow us, but it is also for the purpose of teaching others what we have learned. I Peter 1:13 - "Prepare your minds for service and have self-control... be holy in all you do just as God, the One who called you, is holy."

We are to live our lives with respect for God. We were bought for a price, a very steep price. We were bought by "the precious blood of Christ, who was like a pure and perfect lamb." (I Peter 1:19) If we believe that and understand that, we cannot live our lives the same again. We are changed and we have no desire to go back to our old life. Our faith and hope are in God, and we make our souls pure by obeying the truth, and love for others flows out of that. I Peter 1:22 - "So love each other deeply with all your heart."

The things we do bears witness to the truth (or lie) about our lives. Words are easy. Our actions prove whether our words are truth or lies. Our lives on this earth are so short. Scripture says we are like a mist that is only here for a short time, or like grass that dies or flowers that fade away, but that "the word of the Lord will live forever." (I Peter 1:25 and Isaiah 40:8) The only things that matter are eternal things.  

How are you doing? How much time this last week was spent on things that are temporary with no eternal value and how much time was spent on things with Kingdom value? Do any changes need to be made? Remember:

Only one life, 'twill soon be past,
Only what's done for Christ will last.
C.T. Studd

Next Entry: I Peter 2:1–25 

Titus 1:1 – 2:15

May 29, 2013

God cannot lie!

"God always speaks truth. When he makes a covenant, he keeps it. When he makes a statement, he means it. And when he proclaims the truth we can believe it. What he says is true." ~ From Just Like Jesus by Max Lucado.

God cannot lie. His truth is TRUTH. Titus 1:1-2 - "I was sent to help the faith of God's chosen people and to help them know the truth that shows people how to serve God. That faith and that knowledge come from the hope for life forever, which God promised to us before time began. And God cannot lie."

As believers, His truth should be reflected in our lives. You cannot receive God's grace and remain the same. It changes you. Understanding grace means you can never live your life in the same old way again. Grace is not a license to live however you please. Not only is it not a license, it should not be abused and our lives cannot remain status quo. Instead, understanding grace should lead us on a path towards holiness.

That's why Paul again lists the attributes of an elder. Our Senior Pastor always says that you cannot lead someone where you have never been. So true. An elder (leader) is a manager for God, so his (or her) life should reflect God's. A leader in the church:

• Must not be guilty of doing wrong
• Must not be selfish
• Must not become angry quickly 
• Must not drink too much
• Must not like to start trouble
• Must not try to get rich by cheating others

A leader must be hospitable, love what is good, be wise, live right, be holy, and be self-controlled. They must hold onto truth and help others by using true teaching. Their life example and work points out the truth to those who are against true teaching. But even when you live right and do right, you will still run into people who just refuse to acknowledge and accept truth. Titus 1:11a - "These people must be stopped." It's not just that they are harming themselves so ignore them and let them go. They are harming others and hurting the cause of Christ. These people:

• Hurt and upset entire families by their actions and teachings which they do to get rich by cheating people.
• "They are liars, evil animals, and lazy people who do nothing but eat." (A quote from one of the Cretans prophets in Titus 1:12)

Titus 1:13–16 - "So firmly tell those people they are wrong so they may become strong in the faith... to those who are pure, all things are pure, but to those who are full of sin and do not believe, nothing is pure. Both their minds and their consciences have been ruined. They say they know God, but their actions show they do not accept him. They are hateful people, they refuse to obey, and they are useless for doing anything good." That is why they must be stopped. KJV - "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him. being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." NIV - "They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good."

So, is this why? Is this why "these people must be stopped"? We have said those very words many times. We strongly felt my sister and brother-in-law had to be stopped because of their actions. Their purpose was to "use" and "abuse," and because of that, we felt "these people must be stopped." So, (as our lawyer commented) we put our heads in the mouth of the lion to do it. But now for the first time, I am understanding more of what "these people must be stopped" means. Us knowing "these people must be stopped" involved so much more than putting a stop to their use and abuse of others and situations. So much more.

It is for the reasons listed in Titus 1:10–16 that they must be stopped. It isn't for the purpose of destroying them, it is for the purpose of restoring them," so they can become strong in the faith." Like we have said so many times, my sister and brother-in-law will either be like the Saul of the Old Testament (destroyed) or the Saul of the New Testament (restored). Once you have known Truth there is no middle ground. You either accept Truth and follow His ways, or you reject Truth (Him) and follow your own destructive, evil ways which will ultimately lead to judgment by the one true and holy Judge.

My sister and brother-in-law's actions did not begin or end with us. It has been a lifetime of choices. I don't know why God chose us to stand up against the lies, but He did, and we will. "These people must be stopped." Not just for the harm they have inflicted on others, but "so they may become strong in the faith." I pray my sister and brother-in-law will choose to surrender, change their hearts and minds, and follow the Truth. Everything we have went through has been worth it because of all we have learned and been taught. How awesome it would be if they would understand this waiting period was their day of Grace, and they would stop and change their ways.

That is our desire and prayer. However this ends, we are grateful for all God has done in our lives, and we are also grateful for the days of grace He has extended to my sister and brother-in-law. Titus 2:8 - "Speak the truth so that you cannot be criticized. Then those who are against you will be ashamed because there is nothing bad to say about us." So live by following the true teaching. Be self-controlled, serious, wise, strong in faith, strong in love and in patience, be holy, be wise and pure, be kind, work hard, submit to authority, encourage others, do good deeds, be honest. In other words: let your walk match your talk.

Titus 2:11–14 - "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to  say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good."

Titus 2:15 - "These, then are the things you should teach.  Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you."

TEACH!


Next Entry: Titus 3:1–15

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

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)

I Timothy 1:1 – 2:15

May 19, 2013

Get rid of false teachings and focus on what is important—LOVE. I Timothy1:5 - "A love that comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a true faith." Paul goes on to talk about God's grace. He was the worst of the worst. He was "religious" but not a Christ follower. He was a religious unbeliever. But by God's grace he was saved and given the work of "serving him."

Serving God → serving others. We went straight from caring for my husband's terminally ill brother to caring for my husband's parents. I am exhausted and weary. I handle all his parent's medications (over fifteen different kinds each); arranged for and am the liaison for home health care; go to their house three times a day for his mother's insulin shots; handle all doctor calls and visits; develop and keep records to handle the results of their medications; do the grocery shopping; take them meals, etc. If you've ever been the caretaker for someone else you know what I am talking about. It is exhausting and overwhelming.

I always want to be sensitive to whatever it is that God is wanting me to do and I never want to stop doing the right thing just because I am tired. We have honored our Mothers' and Fathers' and we will continue to do so. But there comes a time when we are enabling and not "serving."  We are not honoring God if we don't speak truth and support lies no matter what the age of the person. We have had to confront some behavior issues which are not age related but good old fashioned sin and pride. God is slow to anger and has patience without limits, but He is never "done" with us and we are never given a pass to no longer be obedient just because we are 87 and 86.

We are to fight the good fight to the end. We are to die to self and live for Christ to the end. We are to understand that God is God and we are not to the end. It is not about us!  It is ALL about Him—to the end.

"To the King that rules forever, who will never die, who cannot be seen, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." I Timothy 1:17

There is only one way to God—Christ. We can choose to love God—OR—love self. It can't be both. We either die to sin or we don't.  


Next Entry: I Timothy 3:1–16

I Thessalonians 4:1 – 5:28

May 15, 2013

"God wants us to be holy and does not want us to live in sin. So the person who refuses to obey this teaching is disobeying God, not simply a human teaching." I Thessalonians 4:7–8

People somehow do not reconcile the truth of that statement with their actions. If you are not obeying God's teaching, you are in fact disobeying God himself. You are literally shaking your fist in the face of God.

One of His teachings is to have love for your brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to do all we can to live a peaceful life with each other. You cannot have selfish desire, greed, deceit, revenge, etc. and love at the same time. Cannot. We are not to be thinking only about ourselves, we are to look out for the best interest of others as well. We are to take care of our own business and do our own work. We are to live in peace. We are to help warn and guide other people. We are to encourage others in their faith. We are to help those who are weak. We are to be patient with each other. We are to make sure that no one seeks revenge or tries to pay back wrong with wrong. We are to do what is good for each other and all people. We are to always be joyful. We are to pray continually. We are to give thanks—no matter what. 

I Thessalonians 5:18 - "This is what God wants for you in Christ Jesus." To refuse his teaching, or to do anything less, is to shake our fist in the face of God. I choose to follow His teachings.

These chapters are also a part of prophecy. Jesus is coming again and those who have already died will rise first. (Dad, MaMaw... you will all be going first!) After that, those believers "who are still alive will be gathered up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." (I Thessalonians 4:17)  I can't help but sing: "What a day that will be, when my Jesus I will see, when he takes me by the hand and leads me to the promised land... what a day glorious day that will be."

So—Be ready. You are children of the light, so live like it. I Thessalonians 5:8 - "We belong to the day, so we should control ourselves. We should wear faith and love to protect us, and the hope of salvation should be our helmet." (Psalm 140:7 - "O Sovereign Lord, our strong Deliverer who shields our heads in the day of battle...) God provided for our salvation through His Son Jesus. He died for us so we can live for Him. So, we should encourage each other; always be joyful; pray continually; and give thanks whatever happens. Don't hold back. Don't treat prophecy as unimportant. Test everything. Keep what is good and stay away from everything that is evil.

I Thessalonians 5:23–24 - "Now may God himself, the God of peace, make you pure, belonging only to him. May your whole self—spirit, soul, and body—be kept safe and without fault when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. You can trust the One who calls you to do that for you."

We do trust Him. He is our rock. He is our salvation. 

My life verses:

Psalm 32:8 - I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go. I will counsel you and watch over you.

Hosea 14:8 - I the Lord, am the one who answers your prayers and watches over you. I am like a green pine tree, your blessings come from me.

In Jane's KJV she has the following parallels between John 14 and I Thessalonians 4:16–18 written:

I will come again → The Lord himself shall descend (not an angel)
And receive you unto myself → Then we which are alive... in the air
Where I am there ye may be also → So shall we ever be with the Lord
Let not your heart be troubles → Wherefore comfort one another

Psalm 17:15 - I shall be satisfied
Isaiah 53:11 - He shall be satisfied

From Life Lesson:

"The end will come. For those who live for this world, that's bad news. But for those who live for the world to come, it's an encouragement. You're on a land mine, my friend, and it's only a matter of time: 'For in this world you will have trouble...' Next time you are tossed into a river as you ride the rapids of life, remember his words of assurance. Those who endure will be saved. The gospel will be preached. The end will come. You can count on it." ~ From The Angels Were Silent by Max Lucado

Ephesians 4:28 - Those who are stealing must stop stealing and start working. They should earn an honest living for themselves. Then they will have something to share with the poor.

WORK—not to amass things. WORK—so you can give!! 


Next Entry: II Thessalonians 1:1–12

Colossians 4:2–18

May 13, 2013

Continue praying. Keep alert. Be thankful to God ALWAYS!

Still in deep waters? Continue praying, keep alert, and be thankful to God ALWAYS. Heading out into deep waters? Continue praying, keep alert, and be thankful to God ALWAYS. Back on shore with no storm in sight? Continue praying, keep alert, and be thankful to God ALWAYS. No matter what the situation or circumstance in your life, the advice is the same. Continue praying. Keep alert. Be thankful to God ALWAYS!  

Paul closes his letter by asking them to pray for him.

"...pray for us that God will give us an opportunity to tell people his message. Pray that we can preach the secret that God has made known about Christ. This is why I am in prison. Pray that I can speak in a way that will make it clear, as I should." Colossians 4:3–4

That is my plea as well. Pray for us—not that we will be released from this lawsuit. No, pray for us—so that God will give us an opportunity to tell His message and that He will "enlarge our territory" and our sphere of influence. Pray for us—that we can clearly share with others what God has taught us. We are convinced this is why we are in the prison we are in. We are not being punished, we are being taught. Pray for us—I am not a speaker or writer, so please pray that I am available for God to get His message out; that I remain totally surrendered and committed to telling the amazing story of Jane (HIS story); and all HE has taught us as we have followed HIM on HIS footpath.

Colossians 4:5 - "Be wise in every way... making the most of every opportunity... When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should."

LORD, I pray you will give us the opportunity and the words to tell YOUR story. Enlarge our territory, keep us from evil, and may we harm no one. May YOUR name be glorified. May YOU receive all the honor and glory. LORD, let us know when you are ready for us to tell your story. Give us YOUR words. We will do whatever it is YOU ask us to do.

Addendum: 9/28/16 ~ How interesting to be reading this today. Our daughter just asked me yesterday if we would be willing to share our story with the people in their Connect Group this coming Sunday evening. The answer is—Yes! We never turn down an opportunity to tell HIS story. It is HIS story—it is not ours.

LORD, thank you for this opportunity. LORD, I pray we could clearly communicate what you have taught us throughout this journey. LORD, I pray you take the words you give us to say and speak truth to those who will hear them. We are available.We will do whatever you ask.

When this journal entry was originally written (May 13, 2013) we were praying for the opportunity to tell HIS story. We could have never imagined God's plans. Never.

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


Next Entry: I Thessalonians 1:1–10

Colossians 3:1 – 4:1

May 09, 2013

"Think about the things in heaven, not the things on earth. Your own sinful self has died, and your new life is kept with Christ in God. Christ is our life, and when he comes again, you will share in his glory." Colossians 3:2–4

 So, put out all evil things your old self wanted.

Old Sinful Self:

• Sexual sinning
• Doing evil
• Letting evil thoughts control you
• Wanting things that are evil
• Greed
• Anger
• Bad temper
• Doing or saying things to hurt others
• Using evil words to harm
• Lying

Put out the old and live your new life in Christ.

New Life in Christ:

• Show mercy to others
• Be kind
• Be humble
• Be gentle
• Be patient
• Get along with each other
• Forgive each other
• Love each other
• Have unity
• Let God's peace control your thinking
  
• Always be thankful
• Use wisdom to teach and instruct others

Colossians 3:17 - "Everything you do or say should be done to obey Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the Father through Jesus." Jesus must be Lord of your life and not just someone you attempt to use as a "get out of hell" free card. "Lord" means someone you are subject to. He is LORD of all lords. Our lives should reflect our servant-hood to Master Jesus.

Colossians 3:23 - "In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work as if you were doing it for the Lord, not for people." You are serving Christ and he will give you your reward. If you are serving self, any "rewards" are at the best temporary and the end result is punishment. 

It has to be either/or. It cannot be both. You are either serving the Lord—or you are not. You cannot serve yourself and God. Cannot. You cannot serve two masters. Either God is Lord of your life—or He isn't. If He is Lord you receive an eternal reward. If He is not Lord, you receive punishment. Psalm 1 lays it out very clearly. There are two ways to live with two very different end results. The choice of how we live our lives is ours. The consequences for our choices are set by God.

Psalm 1:6 - "The Lord takes care of his people, but the wicked will be destroyed." You can't color it any other way. It is what it is.

Colossians 3:24–25 - "Remember... you will receive your reward from the Lord, which he promised to his people... but remember... anyone who does wrong will be punished for that wrong." The Lord is an equal opportunity God. Obey—receive my reward. Disobey—receive my punishment.

Colossians 3:25b - "The Lord treats everyone the same." We are ALL held to the same standard. Whether we excel or fall short is up to us and is a result of the choices we've made. God has given us everything we need to succeed.

Exploration Verses from Life Lesson:

Acts 3:19 - So you must change your hearts and lives! Come back to God, and He will forgive your sins. Then the Lord will send the time of rest.

Romans 5:1–5 - Since we have been made right with God by our faith, we have peace with God. This happened through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has brought us into that blessing of God's grace that we now enjoy. And we are happy because of the hope we have of sharing God's glory. We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. He gave us his love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given us.

I Corinthians 6:9–11 - Surely you know that the people who do wrong will not inherit God's kingdom. Do not be fooled. Those who sin sexually, worship idols, take part in adultery, those who are male prostitutes, or men who have sexual relations with other men, those who steal, are greedy, get drunk, lie about others, or rob—these people will not inherit God's kingdom. In the past, some of you were like that, but you were washed clean. You were made holy, and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

II Corinthians 1:21–22 - Remember, God is the One who makes you and us strong in Christ. God made us his chosen people. He put his mark on us to show that we are his, and he put his Spirit in our hearts to be a guarantee for all he has promised.

I Peter 3:8 - Finally, all you should be in agreement, understanding each other, loving each other as family, being kind and humble.


Next Entry: Colossians 4:2–18 

Ephesians 6:1–24

April 30, 2013

Honor your mother and father so it will go well with you and you will have a long life on the earth. Commandment #5—the only commandment that has a promise attached to it. Honor your parents and "everything will be well with you." If that is true, then the reverse would be true as well. Dishonor your parents, and you are guaranteeing things will not go "well with you."

Pretty ironic that I am reading this while we are absolutely buried under the weight of honoring our parents, but I would not have it any other way. While we are most definitely carrying a huge load, it is with joy, love, and our privilege to do so. It is getting closer and closer to the time when my husband's parents are going to have to move to assisted living. Our number one priority is their safety. The bonus promise God attached to His commandment is nice, but we would do the same things we are doing right now with or without the promise. The reward is in the giving. You sleep well and you have no regrets when you know you have treated your parents with respect and honor. The memories of your time together are sweet. I am so grateful for the time we invested in my Dad's life and are now investing in Mom and my husband's parents' lives. When we honor our parents we are honoring God, and it doesn't get any better than that! 

Frustrating at times? Yes. Ready to throw up my hands at times? Yes. But, happy to do it? Absolutely.

From what we know about my sister's behavior and my brother-in-law's behavior with his mother and her estate, I would sure hate to be in their shoes. I don't want to miss out on God's promise of blessings for those who honor their parents.

Addendum: 7/16/2018 ~ My sister has totally abandoned our mother. She has not called my Mom more than once or twice in the past several years and when she did call, the call only lasted for a few minutes. (We know this because we provide Mom with a cell phone and there has been no phone calls in over a year. Mom's land line phone is connected with my brother's home which is right next door and there has been no phone calls to the land line number either.) When Mom tried to call her she either doesn't answer or doesn't return the call. Mom is almost 89.

My sister has no idea Mom has recently begun to struggle with some memory issues and she has no idea Mom is declining physically as well. The past several months have been difficult as my brother and I have worked together to try and figure out what is best for our Mother. My brother and I are doing everything we can to honor our Mother and give her the best quality of independent living we can. My sister doesn't care—at all. She sends Mom a long rambling letter (written jointly to both my Mom and another lady) about twice a year. The letters are all about what she is doing, where she is going, etc., but there is no personal contact or concern. There is no "honoring" of our Mother. There is only abandonment.


Update:  Mom passed away 8/31/18. See the 3/27/19 Addendum for: A Mother's Love 


Next Entry: Ephesians 6:1–24 (Continued)

Ephesians 4:1 – 5:20

April 26, 2013

Wow! There is a lot of depth in these two chapters. Paul clearly defines how we as believers should live, and he clearly states the things that should be gone and abandoned from our lives. It all goes back to Paul's lists of comparisons I wrote about for Galatians 5 on April 17 & 18. Our lives reflect which list we are living. We are to be humble, gentle, patient, bearing with each other in love. Ephesians 4:3 - "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." The "bond of peace" is quite the contrast from the "men of violence" described in Psalm 140.

When we were first given God's promise of Psalm 140 by Jane, and when we were beginning to memorize it, I used to wonder about the words "men of violence." Those words seemed so strong, so harsh. This was back during the time when we still did not understand what all lie beneath the surface in my sister and brother-in-law's lives. When what was hidden began to be exposed, I was naive. I now realize I was in a state of denial. I just couldn't believe the people we loved could have purposely set out to harm us. It took me a long, long time to come to terms with "truth." The truth is their actions were not accidental, their actions were well thought out and planned, and their actions were deliberate, purposeful, and intentional. Now we know their underhanded actions with us were not (and are not) isolated actions, but are instead part of a pattern of behavior that has happened both before and after us. Now I can clearly see their actions are indeed acts of violence and a breaking of the "bond of peace" believers are to live and produce in their lives.

These "acts" of violence are not just committed against man (which results in fractured relationships and explains the list of many names in my brother-in-law's notebook which turned out to be a list of friends and family they used to be close to but are now estranged from), but the "acts" of violence are ultimately against God himself and his clear instructions for how we are to live our lives.

Do people realize when they insist on their own selfish ways their actions are not just against man, but against God himself? Do they know and not care? Would they change if they understood? Have their hearts been hardened to where they don't care?

"In the Lord's name, I tell you this. Do not continue living like those who do not believe. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. They have lost all feeling of shame, and they use their lives for doing evil." Ephesians 4:17–19

I guess that answers my questions. I wish it didn't, but it does. The people of Ephesus knew better. They were taught the truth of Jesus. They were taught to leave their old self behind and to stop living in the way they lived before. When you don't stop and change your ways, "that old self becomes worse, because people are fooled by the evil things they want to do..." and you sink deeper into the mire of sin. As believers in Christ, the old should pass away because we are a new person. Ephesians 4:23 - "That person is made to be like God, made to be truly good and holy."

The people of Ephesus were trying to do both. Know the truth of God, but live following after their own selfish desires. It cannot be done. If we are not purposely drawing closer to God, we are falling farther away from God and "self" becomes our god and God's plan for our lives falls apart. 

God gave His people gifts for the purpose of building up, teaching, caring for, and serving—all for the purpose of making the body of Christ stronger. None of that can happen when self is in control. 


Next Entry: Ephesians 4:1 – 5:20 (Continued)

Ephesians 2:1–22

April 24, 2013

In the past.

In the past before you were followers of Christ, you lived the way the world lives "following the ruler of evil powers" and doing whatever your sinful selves wanted. But that way of living should be in the past. God's mercy is great. Because of His great love He gave us new life in Christ and we are saved through God's grace which was a free gift from God. Therefore, we are new creations, and we should not be living as we did in the past. 

We did not and cannot "earn" our salvation by our own efforts or by what we do or don't do. Christ alone is the One who can save us. But it doesn't stop there. He saves us and creates in us the desire and responsibility through Christ Jesus to do "good works." This was God's plan. It isn't good works that gives us salvation. Our salvation demands good works! And that in turn brings honor and glory to God and fulfills His plans for us. There should be a distinct difference between our past way of living and our new life in Christ. 

"But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away from God are brought near through the blood of Christ's death. Christ himself is our peace." Ephesians 2:13–14

Christ's message of peace was for "those who were far away from God, and to those who were near to God." (Ephesians 2:17) He is the cornerstone that our lives should be built upon. If He isn't the foundation then our lives will crumble. He is either the cornerstone (the first and most important stone in a building), or He isn't. You cannot live a life of deceit, lies, grudges, deception, etc. and have your life built upon Christ.

The Cornerstone demands a life of good works. 


Next Entry: Ephesians 3:1–21

Galatians 5:1–26

April 17, 2013

What happened? What went wrong? You started out running a good race. What changed? What caused you to add things to the very clear words of Christ? It isn't enough to believe in Christ and then add your own spin on it. You must be a Christ follower. Being a follower means setting your own desires, wants, and wishes aside, and committing yourself to following Him wherever He leads and whatever He asks. It means following His words ONLY and not adding anything to it or taking anything away from it. You started out that way. What happened? Christ made us free, but that doesn't mean you use your freedom as an excuse to do whatever you please! We are to serve each other, not manipulate others as a way to fulfill our selfish desires. We are to die to self and surrender to God. That is our freedom.

Selfish desires and surrendering to God don't mix. It is like oil and water. You cannot live by following the Spirit (Christ) while following your selfish sinful self at the same time. CANNOT! If you follow the Spirit, "... Then you will not do what your sinful selves want." (Galatians 5:16) You just can't have it both ways. Galatians 5:17 - "Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves. The two are against each other, so you cannot do just what you please." No wonder there is conflict in this world and among people. One side is pursuing their own selfish desires, and the other side is pursuing the desires of the Spirit. This is why you should not be unequally yoked in close friendships, marriage, business, etc. You are pursuing opposite goals and there will be conflict.

There is no middle ground here. You can't be in the middle of the road or sitting on a fence. You are either going to do what your sinful self wants—OR—you are going to commit yourself to doing what the Spirit wants. Believing in Christ but living how you want won't cut it. You must be a committed follower of Christ.

Paul compares the actions of  the followers of "self" to the followers of Christ. One list is "the wrong things the sinful self does," and the other is what following the Spirit produces.

Sinful Self Results:

• Sexually unfaithful
• Not being pure
• Taking part in sexual sins
• Worshiping gods
• Doing witchcraft
• Hating
• Making trouble
• Jealousy
• Anger
• Selfishness
• Making people angry with each other
• Causing divisions among people
• Feeling envy
• Being drunk
• Having wild and wasteful parties
• Doing other things like this 

Spirit Led Results:

• Produces the fruit of love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-control
• Die to self
• Give up old selfish feelings and evil things "self" wanted
• Have new life
• Is not proud
• Does not make trouble with each other
• Is not jealous of others

The contrasts between the two lists are striking, and you can soon see why the two should not be joined together and cannot mix. Paul said, "I warn you now as I warned you before: Those who do these things (the sinful self list) will not inherit God's kingdom." (Galatians 5:21)

Psalm 1

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 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' 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.

Stand strong. Christ has made you free, so you are free indeed.

Addendum: April 2016 ~ It has been eight years since Jane (Her Name Was Jane) spoke her last God-given words to us—"Jeremiah 33." My husband and I will read that chapter together again today. God's last promise of protection through the lips of Jane. The day is coming. The day is coming when God will set us completely free from "the storm."

Early this morning the song Give Me Jesus played over and over in my mind. In the morning when I arise—give me Jesus. When I am alone—give me Jesus. When I come to die—give me Jesus. You can have all this world—just give me Jesus. That is my heart's desire. In ALL things—just give me Jesus.  


 Next Entry: Galatians 6:1–18