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

II Chronicles 32:24 – 33:25 (Continued)

July 22, 1014

After Manasseh suffered, "he humbled himself" before God and he begged the LORD for help. God heard his prayers and let him return to Jerusalem. IF—THEN.  II Chronicles 7:14 - IF my people who are called by name humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, THEN I will hear their prayers and heal their land.

There is always hope, but it first requires personal submission and action on our part in order for God to do HIS part. God is ready, willing, capable, and waiting. He speaks to us through his Holy Spirit, His Word, and others. He provides the ways. We must humble ourselves → seek → and turn. When we do that, HE does the rest.

Hope. There is always hope. But there comes a time when time runs out. Don't wait. Change your heart, mind and ways—TODAY!

Amon becomes king. He does what the LORD says is wrong. Amon does not humble himself or change his ways. Instead, he sinned even more. 


Next Entry: II Chronicles 34:1–33 

II Chronicles 29:1 – 32:23

July 20, 2014

There is so much to write about Hezekiah. But first I want to write about this morning's sermon with Dr. Gregg Chenoweth. It was about timing: TDD—Timing Deficient Disorder. There is horizontal timing (meaning things in chronological order) and there is the multiple layers of vertical timing. One is absolute. The other can be vague. While the timing may not be clear, there is one thing we know. There IS a when.

"We Know the What... But When?"

1. Coiled Christians say "wait" to a good cause when a greater one is available. They'll even say no to friends in getting there.
2. Coiled Christians say "now" with immediacy and courage if they have heard from God.
3. Coiled Christians know being misunderstood or criticized after their decision does not mean they had a TDD moment and got it wrong.

"There is a WHEN! Be ready for it. God will bless your faithfulness."

The text for Dr. Chenoweth's sermon was John 7:1-14. But during his message, Dr. Chenoweth quoted verses from Jeremiah 33 - "...pray to me and I will answer you..."; and Isaiah 30 - "...the LORD longs to show you compassion... if you go to the left or right... you will hear a voice saying go this way." The exact promises God gave us through Jane (Her Name Was Jane). WOW! Co-incidence? No. God-incidence.

We have been battling "the storm" for seven years now. That is a very long time to be caught in difficult circumstances. We know the what ... we just don't know the when. Dr. Chenoweth's message today encouraged us to hang on! Remember God's promises! There is a WHEN! Be ready for it! God will bless your faithfulness! Jeremiah 33 - "Pray to me and I will answer you..."; Isaiah 30 - "I will give you direction." (my paraphrase)

Thank you, LORD, for your perfect timing. Dr. Chenoweth's message was exactly what we needed to be reminded of. My husband says it's the LORD saying, "I've got you covered." We have been battling "the storm" for seven years. We will hang on. We will hang on to Your promises. There is a WHEN!

Now... about Hezekiah. The first thing he does upon becoming king is to open the doors to the temple that his father closed. He directed the Levites and priests to cleanse themselves to prepare the sacrifices and to rid the temple of anything that was unholy. He made it clear to everyone why they were in the predicament they were in; it was because their ancestors had been unfaithful to the LORD. Because their ancestors quit following the LORD; because they chose to reject His commands; because they shut the doors of the temple; and because they stopped burning incense—the LORD was now punishing them.

Hezekiah decided that he would not be like his father. He would break the pattern and return the people to following the LORD's commands. Everything was prepared. The burnt offerings (for the forgiveness of sins) were sacrificed. The people worshiped and praised the LORD with the cymbal, harps, and lyres (Psalm 150) as David commanded. Hezekiah ordered the Levites to, "Praise the LORD, using the words David and Asaph had used. So they praised God with joy and bowed down and worshiped." (We praise the LORD quoting the same Psalms the people quoted during Hezekiah's time. How cool is that?)

Hezekiah wrote a letter to be sent and read throughout the land. It said, "...return to the LORD... then God will return to you... don't be like your ancestors... don't be stubborn (KJV and the NIV both say "stiff necked")... obey the LORD willingly... serve the LORD... come back to the LORD... the LORD your God is kind and merciful. He will not turn away from you if you return to him." Did the majority of the people rush to repent? No. They laughed at it and instead made fun of the messengers. You have to do what God puts on your heart to do. How others respond to it is out of your control. In Hezekiah's case a few men were sorry for what they had done and they changed their hearts and repented.  

The people brought their tithes and offerings to the temple. They brought so much that there were piles and piles of offerings. II Chronicles 31:10 - "Since the people began to bring their offerings to the Temple of the LORD, we have had plenty to eat and plenty left over, because the LORD has blessed his people. So we have all this left over!" God bless when we willingly give back to Him what HE has blessed us with. 

Hezekiah "did what was good and right and obedient before the LORD his God." He did everything to the best of his ability. He tried to obey God's teachings and commands. He was successful because of his obedience.

But then...

"After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done," the king of Assyria attacked them. They weren't attacked because they were unfaithful to God. They weren't being punished because of the sin of their ancestors, and they weren't being held accountable for unfaithfulness. Hezekiah was doing everything right and they were being attacked. He encouraged his people saying, "Be strong and brave. Don't be afraid or worried... there is a greater power with us than with him. He only has men, but we have the LORD our God to help us and fight our battles." (II Chronicles 32:7-8)

The king of Assyria surrounded them and attacked them. He ridiculed them. He wrote letters insulting them. He tired to scare them. He did everything he could humanly do. BUT GOD! God fought the battle and God WON! The LORD saved them and took care of them.

These chapters show two different spectrum's: punishment for disobedience; and trials (trails) to be faced even in obedience. We've come to understand we are not being punished and we are not victims. Sometimes the trials we face are the result of someone else's disobedience. But take heart. God will use for your good what others intended for your harm. And in the process, you are given the amazing opportunity of seeing the Hand of God at work in your life.

There is a when! Be ready for it! The battle will end and the victory will be won. God's promises are true. Let's get that altar of stone started! The WHEN is coming!

I've just had an "aha" moment! Of course the A.T. needed to end! The trail (and my goal to hike it) played such an undeniably important role in our lives as we navigated "the storm." God's purpose for putting us on the trail has been fulfilled. There is absolutely no reason for us to continue. None! It seems so obvious now. The Appalachian Trail's role from now on will be one of remembrance.

The WHEN is coming! Blessed be the name of the LORD!!

LORD,
You just amaze me. You take the layers of our life and just keep peeling them away. The more we surrender to you the more you reveal of yourself. We stand in awe of who YOU are. Thank you for the opportunity to see YOUR hand at work in our lives. We love you, Father. How majestic is YOUR name in ALL the earth.

Addendum: 6/23/16 ~ The construction of the Praise Shelter is well underway. The shelter is up and stained. The fireplace is built and the old brick street pavers are laid in the one half. The stones engraved with the chapters Jane told us to read are going to be placed in the path this weekend. Soon. Soon it will be finished.

Addendum #2: 8/22/18 ~ Picture of the Praise Shelter and video of the cobblestone path.

Next Entry: II Chronicles 32:24 – 33:25

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  

II Chronicles 16:1 – 19:3 (Continued)

July 15, 2014

Jehoshaphat (king of Judah), became entwined with Ahab (king of Israel) because his son married Ahab's daughter. Ahab—who rarely followed God's teachings; and Jehoshaphat—who followed God's teaching. In Jane's (Her Name Was Jane) Bible she has written: danger ahead. Indeed. When you align yourself with those who are not like-minded with you, there is danger ahead.

Jehoshaphat knew he was going against God's commands, but he did it anyways.

Ahab wants to go to war and he wants Jehoshaphat to join him. Jehoshaphat wants to make sure it is God's will. Ahab just wants to do what he wants to do. He has a group of 400 "prophets" that will tell him whatever he wants to hear. Ahab despises the one prophet who is honest about what God wants. Jehoshaphat wants to hear what the LORD'S prophet has to say. Micaiah (the Lord's prophet) says—don't do it. Don't go to war. Your plans won't work. In fact, what you don't understand is this: God is fed up with your refusal to follow his teachings. You think those 400 men are just telling you what you want to hear. Wrong. They are being used by God to fool you into going into battle because of your refusal to submit to His authority. Ahab became angry. He refused to listen, and put Micaiah in jail. Ahab (in his typical arrogant fashion) said to only give Micaiah bread and water until he returned safe from the battle. Micaiah replied, "If you come back safely" then the LORD hasn't spoken through me.

"Remember my words, all you people."

So, Ahab does what Ahab wants to do and he goes into battle. But Ahab wasn't completely confident in his victory. Somewhere in the back of his mind there was some doubt and fear. So he tells Jehoshaphat to wear his royal clothes, but Ahab wore other clothes so no one would recognize him. How nice of him. He set up his "friend" as a means to protect himself. Ahab's plan most likely would have worked, but God stepped in and intervened. The only person the king of Aram wanted was Ahab. When they saw Jehoshaphat in royal clothing they were ready to attack him. But Jehoshaphat shouted, "... and the LORD helped him." And then, by chance, (God) a soldier shot a random arrow and it struck Ahab between his pieces of armor. Ahab was dead by sunset.

By chance, was actually the Hand of God. The army that was ready to attack Jehoshaphat was stopped by God. II Chronicles 18:31 - "The LORD helped him; and God moved them to depart from him." (KJV) God protects those who call on Him; He holds accountable those who have turned their backs on Him. We control whether we submit ourselves to the authority of God and obey His teachings. God controls all the rest.

Jehoshaphat returns. God sends a seer to him and asks, "Why did you help evil people? Why do you love those who hate the LORD?" Because of the choices Jehoshaphat made, the LORD was angry with him and he was faced with new troubles and the same problems of aligning himself with those who were not like-minded.


Next Entry: II Chronicles 19:4 – 21:3

II Chronicles 16:1 – 19:3

July 14, 2014

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

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

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

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

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


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

Revelation 20:1–15

August 26, 2013

The thousand year reign of Christ begins. An angel came down from heaven. He had the key to the bottomless pit and a large chain in his hand. It was his job to grab Satan, tie him up, and throw him in the bottomless pit. Satan was now powerless and his ability to deceive and trick the people of the world was suspended until the thousand years ended.  

During the 1000 year reign of Christ, those who during the seven year tribulation refused to follow the beast and the false prophet and instead chose to follow and be faithful to the message of Christ (and therefore were put to death), came back to life. Their souls joined Christ and ruled with Him and the other believers who had died before or who had been raptured by Jesus at the first part of His second coming.

After the 1000 year reign of Christ is completed, Satan will be loosed from the bottomless pit for a brief period of time before eternity begins. During this time he sets out to do what he has always done—deceive and trick people. He gathered an army so large that they were like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the earth full of pride and arrogance. They were determined to destroy God's people. They surrounded God's people and the city (Jerusalem) God loves.

They were full of confidence and they were in control—or so they thought. But they were deceived. They only thought they were in control. God was in control! Fire came down from heaven and burned them up—which was only the beginning. Judgment was going to happen. Satan's reign was over. Satan, the beast, and the false prophet were thrown into the lake of burning sulfur to be punished day and night forever and ever.

The Great White Throne—the final judgment of all those who refused to surrender to Jesus/God.

Oh my! Whenever I hear the words "Great White Throne" I immediately picture in my mind the events of the day in April of 2007 when my husband and I met with a lawyer to seek advice on how to remove ourselves from any business connections with my sister and brother-in-law. Our lawyer had just finished explaining the convoluted meaning of the documents my brother-in-law deviously created and deceitfully had us sign. I sat across the conference table from our lawyer. My husband sat on my right (our lawyer's left). I had just asked our lawyer if he felt my sister or brother-in-law would ever be held accountable for their vile actions. He didn't say anything. Instead, he took a plain piece of paper and wrote three words. He then picked up the paper, turned it over, and held it up for me to read. In large letters it said:

GREAT

WHITE

THRONE

I knew the Great White Throne meant judgment but I didn't understand the full meaning of it. Now that I have studied end-time prophecy and understand more about the Revelation of Jesus, the reality of what it means is even more disturbing than what I realized on that eventful day in our lawyer's office. While those three words were our lawyer's opinion, I'm so grateful that God is Faithful and True; we bear no responsibility for the choices and actions of others; and we can trust Him to make His judgments according to His righteousness.

There are two end-time judgments described in Revelation.

The Judgment Seat of Christ—is for believers. It is when Christ-followers will stand before Christ and be judged for the things they have done and given crowns for the works they did while on earth. This judgment is for believers only and happens after the rapture of the Church.  

The Great White Throne—is the time when all those who have refused to confess that Jesus is Lord are judged. It is too late. There are no arguments and there is no defense. Their choice was made when they refused to change their hearts and lives, and the sentence has already been determined. Their names are not written in the Book of Life. They are judged for the things they did and the sentence is sure—eternity in hell.

I just can't imagine the horribleness of this. It is absolutely beyond human comprehension and words. But, even though it is difficult and painful to think about, it does not change this fact: IT IS TRUTH.

So, why don't we live as if we believe it is Truth? Understanding what the Bible says is going to happen should make us want to live each day as if it were our last. Do the important things—TODAY! Tell your lost family members and friends about Christ—TODAY! Live your life the way Christ would want you to live—TODAY!  

Do you believe God's Word? Do you believe Jesus could return at any time? If you believe that, then how does that belief change your life? What would you do differently? Even if Christ didn't return for another thousand years, what if you only had a few months or weeks to live? What would you do differently if you knew when your earthly life would soon end and your eternity was ready to begin?

• What is it that you are doing now that you would stop doing?
• What are you not doing now that you would start doing?

The truth is ALL of our lives are terminal. Whatever it is you would change—DO IT NOW! 

Philippians 2:10–11 says every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus is Lord. DO IT NOW—while there is still time. Change your hearts and lives and surrender your life to the King of kings and Lord of lords. Surrender your life to Master Jesus—TODAY!  


Next Entry: Revelation 21:1 – 22:21

Revelation 16:1–21 (Continued)

August 20, 2013

The seventh angel and bowl—The bowl was poured out into the air, then a loud voice came out from the throne in the temple, saying, "It is finished!" When Jesus was crucified and the Plan for Salvation was completed, Jesus said "It is finished" and the ground shook. Now the time for salvation is over, and this time God said, "It is finished!" and flashes of lightning, noises, thunder, and the worst earthquake ever experienced by man, happened on the earth. The cup of God's anger was forced upon those who refused to surrender to His Lordship. Cities were destroyed, mountains and islands disappeared, and giant hailstones weighing about 100 pounds each fell from the sky upon the people. And still—people cursed God, because this disaster was so terrible. Yet all these horrible disasters combined, pales in comparison with the eternal punishment awaiting those who refuse to change their hearts and lives. 

Revelation is full of so much imagery. Imagery that often times just gets lost, glossed over, or ignored. People are accustomed to watching fictional graphic movies on TV or going to the theaters and seeing 3-D movies of horrific events. When the show is over they either just switch the channel or leave the theater and return to their normal daily routines without thinking anything about it. The imagery of Revelations is often treated the same way. Read it (if it's read at all), put it aside, and then forgot about it. But the events John saw in the Revelation of Jesus are not part of a fictional horror movie. It is Truth. It will happen. And it should cause us to change our hearts and lives.

Don't read it and go back to your normal daily routine. 

Read it—and change your hearts and lives.
Read it—and reach out to the lost and dying.
Read it—and praise the name of the One who is, was, and is to come. 


Next entry: Revelation 17:1–18

Revelation 14:1 – 15:8

August 15, 2013

God's judgment arrives. The time has come; the time for patiently waiting (as in the time of Noah) is over; and the time for judgment is here. Only those who are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb are protected from God's anger. 

John looked—and before him was the Lamb and 144,000 of the redeemed who were saved out of the tribulation. They were singing a new song of praise to the Lamb. Then John saw three angels.

The first angel proclaimed the Gospel of Christ. This happens right at the end of the tribulation and immediately before the judgment of the nations. This message is not about grace and salvation—it is about judgment. The only people it is "Good News" for is Israel and the 144,000.

The second angel announced the destruction of Babylon—false worship. (Revelation 17 & 18 tells us more about Babylon.)

The third angel—accountability happens! Anyone who went along with, followed, and/or worshiped the beast (this boils down to everyone who does not obey and worship Christ as Master) "will drink the wine of God's anger which is prepared with all its strength in the cup of His anger. And that person will be put in pain with burning sulfur before the holy angels and the Lamb. And the smoke from their burning pain will rise forever and ever." (Revelation 14:10–11) There will be no rest, day or night, for those who worship the beast and his idol or who get the mark of his name.

I'm sure there will be plenty of people who think they would never worship the beast so they think none of this applies to them. But wait! Let's examine what the Truth is. 

As a true believer (one who has surrendered their will to God's authority and accepted His free gift of Salvation) your body is a temple of the Lord. Temple—the one and only place where sacrifices were performed. Jesus Christ was the sacrifice for our sins. When we accept His sacrifice and receive Him as our personal Savior our bodies literally become the temple of the Lord. As a repentant believer, your actions show there has been a change in your life.

BUT! There are "religious" unbelievers (people who say they believe but their actions show otherwise) whose bodies are synagogues of Satan. Synagogue—a building, a gathering place, a "town hall" of sorts. It is ran by people, financed by people, and is a place of worship and study. As "religious" unbelievers, one's body cannot be a temple of the Lord. Instead, because there has been no true repentance and change of life, their bodies become a synagogue and gathering place of Satan. 

Unless you are surrendered by word and deed to Master Jesus, and your body is the temple of the Lord because He lives in you as the sacrifice for your sins—you are living in the "synagogue of Satan" (Revelation 2:9; 3:9) and John's message does apply to you!

John says, "This means God's holy people must be patient. They must obey God's commands and keep their faith in Jesus."(Revelation 14:12) Then John heard a voice from heaven saying, "Happy are the dead who die from now on in the Lord... they will rest from their hard work, and the reward for all they have done stays with them." (Revelation 14:13)

Rest and reward—verses—the cup of God's anger that never ends. Psalm 75:8 - "The Lord holds a cup of anger in his hand; it is full of wine mixed with spices. He pours it out even to the last drop and the wicked drink it all." (For other verses that speak of the Lord's cup of anger see: Jeremiah 25:13–15; Isaiah 51:23; Jeremiah 49:12; Ezekiel 23:32; and Luke 22:42–43.)

Then John looked—another angel came out of the temple and said to the One who looked like the Son of Man, "Take you sickle and harvest from the earth, because the time to harvest has come, and the fruit of the earth is ripe." (Revelation 14:15) So, the earth was harvested by the One. The final believers are now removed from the earth.

Then another angel came out of the temple and he also had a sharp sickle. And then from the altar came a third angel who had power over fire, and he told the second angel, "Take your sharp sickle and gather the bunches of grapes from the earth's vines, because its grapes are ripe." This isn't a harvest of redemption. This is a harvest for destruction. The angel swung his sickle and harvested the grapes, "and he threw them into the great winepress of God's anger."

Total. Violent. Destruction.

Addendum: 3/7/2017 ~ Revelation 14:10–11 - "...will drink the wine of God's anger which is prepared with all its strength in the cup of his anger. And that person will be put in pain with burning sulfur before the holy angels and the Lamb. And the smoke from their burning pain will rise forever and ever."

What a horrible, horrific thought. I don't think I ever thought specifically about the source of the smoke from Hades/Hell before. But this verse says the smoke comes from "their burning pain." Oh. my. goodness. An eternity of pain, “their burning pain," evidenced by the smoke that arises from the pit of hell!!

This just became very personal. "THEIR burning pain..." Who is the "their" in your life? Who do you know that is at risk for being part of this group of people whose burning pain will create the smoke that arises from Hell? There IS eternal accountability!    

Do we believe this or not? Because if we believe this then we CANNOT remain the same. We first need to make sure we are living our own lives surrendered to Master Jesus. And then we need to make sure we are doing everything possible to lead others in our sphere of influence to the Path to Salvation.

There is nothing more important. NOTHING!! Eternal accountability is at stake. 


Next Entry: Revelation 14:1 – 15:8 (Continued)

Revelation 13:1–18 (Continued)

August 09, 2013

In Jane's KJV Bible, Scofield lists the cosmic principles of Satan.

• Force
• Greed
• Selfishness
• Ambition
• Pleasure

They all boil down to one thing: The love of self above the love of God and a violation of God's very first commandment. Self = Master instead of Jesus = Master. 

The love of self and the promotion of self ALL end in naught. Those who refuse to surrender to Christ are in the end forced to surrender to the beast/Satan. Jesus won't force us to surrender to Him. Christ offered Himself as the final sacrificial Lamb and He offers us full forgiveness and undeserved grace. Offers, but does not force. He gives us every opportunity to accept His free gift of salvation, but He will not force us to accept it.

Satan on the other hand will throw everything in your path to keep you from surrendering to Christ. He will appear to be the answer, but later the truth will be exposed and he will FORCE you to become his slave and worship him.

TODAY, while there is still time, change your hearts and lives and surrender your love of self to Master Jesus.


Next Entry: Revelation 14:1 – 15:8

Revelation 13:1–18

August 08, 2013

The Holy Trinity       
God the Father                
Jesus the Son                  
Holy Spirit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Revelation 12:1–18

August 07, 2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Next Entry: Revelation 13:1–18

The Path to Salvation

February 10, 2017

All throughout scripture there is a recurring theme: Change your heart and life. But what exactly does that mean?

Our hearts are sinful by nature. Sin entered this world because of the actions of Adam and Eve. Eve chose to believe Satan's lie and she chose to go against the authority of God. Adam chose to follow her example and by doing so he also chose to disregard God's authority. They both chose to not listen to TRUTH and instead chose to listen to the lie. Because of their choices, all of mankind is now born with a bent towards sin.

You don't have to teach a child to lie, to take from others, or to say MINE! Mine—the original sin and the cause of most (if not all) other sin. I will be in control; I will get what I want; I will do what I want; and I want it so I will have it. Pride. It's all about "I."

P

R

S I N

D

E

Notice what letter intersects pride and sin. The letter "I." Notice also the shape created when pride and sin intersect. It is the shape of a cross.

In the Old Testament, God's very first commandment laid the foundation for all the others. Exodus 20:3 - "You shall have no other gods beside me." Nothing! Not ourselves, not others, not things—NOTHING. The first four commandments all deal with our relationship with God. The rest of the commandments all deal with our relationship with fellow man. Vertical commands: how we relate to God. Horizontal commands: how we relate to our fellow man. When you put a vertical line (｜) and a horizontal line ( ─ ) together you once again get the shape of a cross.

In the New Testament, Jesus gives us the Great Commandment. Matthew 22:37-38 - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment." Jesus teaches that it requires a change of heart and life to obey the Great Commandment. When our hearts are surrendered and when the sin which pride produces is confessed and repented of, we can then live the second part of the Great Commandment. Matthew 22:39 - "And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."

P.r.I.d.e is what keeps us from obeying God's commandments and surrendering ourselves to His authority. Obedience requires a change of heart and life.

To change your heart and life doesn't mean you take a self-improvement course in an effort to become a better person. We can't do it on our own. No self-effort will ever be enough. The only remedy is the cross. God gave his Son Jesus to take the penalty for our sins. He lived, died, and was raised from the dead so that we might have eternal life.

To change your heart and life means:

• you understand you are a sinner;
• you admit you need a Savior;
• you repent of your sins and seek forgiveness; and 
• you surrender your life to Master Jesus. 

It's all about surrendering your life and being willing to follow HIS footpath wherever it leads. Salvation cannot be obtained through good works or by being or becoming a good person. There is only one path to Salvation, and that is through the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus paid the price with His death on the cross. Because of His Grace, salvation is a free gift available to all mankind.

 

 

 

God's amazing gift of Grace can be yours. You don't have to change yourself. When you accept Jesus Christ as God's free gift of Salvation, HE will change your heart and life. HE will free you from the bondage of sin (which leads to eternal death); HE will give you the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus. Faith in Jesus Christ is the only path to salvation. When you follow the path God provided, you can be absolutely assured of your salvation.

Here is how you follow HIS footpath which leads to Salvation:

ADMIT you are a sinner and because of man's sinful nature you deserve eternal separation from God.  Romans 3:23 - "All have sinned and are not good enough for God's glory."

ACKNOWLEDGE it is only by His sacrificial Grace that you have been offered the free gift of Salvation.  Romans 5:8 - "But God shows his great love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners."  

BELIEVE by faith that God took on human form in the virgin birth of Jesus, and that although He was innocent of any sin, Jesus took on your sin and accepted death on a cross so you could choose eternal life.  John 3:16 - "God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him may not be lost, but have eternal life."

ACCEPT by faith that God provided the final sacrificial lamb and that He raised that Lamb—His Son, Jesus Christ—from the dead.  HE has the ability to save you from a life of sin and eternal death when you believe and call upon Him.  Romans 10:13 - "Anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved."   

CONFESS that Jesus is Lord.  Confess your sins and believe by faith that you are indeed saved.  Because of your confession, Christ Jesus through His Spirit now lives in you.  Romans 10:9-10 - "If you use your mouth to say, "Jesus is Lord," and if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you will be saved.  We believe with our hearts, and so we are made right with God.  And we use our mouths to say that we believe, and so we are saved."  

LIVE your new position. You are a child of the King. You are no longer guilty of the sins in your past. You are free from the penalty of sin. You are saved.  Romans 8:1 - "So now, those who are in Christ Jesus are not judged guilty."  

If you have never followed God's footpath to salvation, why not do it now?  You simply follow the path. Here is a prayer of confession. Read it. Think about it. If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your own personal Savior, consider sincerely praying this prayer. Make it your own.

Lord, I admit I am a sinner. I acknowledge it is only by Your Grace that Salvation is available to me. I believe You sent your Son Jesus Christ to be born of a virgin. I accept that Jesus died for my sins and that He arose three days later so that I might have eternal life. Lord, I confess to you my sins and I repent of them. Please forgive me by the blood you shed on the cross. Please change my heart and mind. Give me a new way of thinking through your Holy Spirit. With the Spirit's guiding, help me live my life in a way that is pleasing to you. I surrender ALL to you. I will follow you on Your footpath wherever it leads. Thank you, Jesus, for your promise of Salvation. Thank you, Jesus, for giving your life for me.  Amen.

If you've prayed this as your prayer of confession then Hallelujah! By faith, you have accepted God's free gift of Salvation. Praise the LORD!! I John 1:9 - "But if we confess our sins, He will forgive our sins, because we can trust God to do what is right. He will cleanse us from all the wrongs we have done." God is a promise keeping God. When He says He will—HE WILL!!

Now what?   

REMAIN in Him. Read His Word. Continue to grow. Obey His commands. Continue to surrender your will to His will. Get plugged in to a local church where a body of Believers will encourage you and hold you accountable. Tell others. Do what His Word says. At some point you will want to follow God's instructions on baptism as a symbol of your new faith. Doing all these things is not what brings you salvation because we cannot earn our salvation. You do these things because of your salvation.

RESULT: You have a changed heart and your life changes. You are not who you once were. You have a new way of thinking. Your desire is to follow the Master and not your own selfish pride. You choose to turn from the sinful nature you were born with and instead make decisions which are God-honoring. If you fall, you pick yourself back up and confess your failure. You repent of it and make amends if necessary. Your changed heart produces a changed life.

The only way to salvation is by accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. If you have any questions or would like help in any way please contact me. I would love to help you. If you have prayed a prayer of repentance for the first time, please let me know. I would love to pray for you as you begin your own personal journey of:

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

Still on the fence? Still deciding? Why? What on earth is worth risking your destiny for all of eternity? Don't wait any longer. Do it today while there is still time. A day of accountability IS coming. There IS a heaven and there IS a hell. Eternity IS at stake. Nothing on this temporary earth is worth holding onto at the risk of your eternal soul.

Pride keeps us from wanting to surrender. But while you are deciding understand this: You WILL be a servant or a slave to something. You will either be a servant to Master Jesus—a kind, loving, faithful, generous Savior, OR, you will be a slave to Satan—a conniving, lying thief, and destroyer. There is no middle ground. It IS one or the other.

There are only two paths with two very different end results. The path you choose to take determines your eternal destination. I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but the truth is the TRUTH. What would be harsh is for me not to tell you the truth and to stand aside while knowing you were following a path that WILL lead to your destruction.

It is a decision only you can make. Jesus is waiting—but time is of the essence. There is a year, a month, a day, and an hour planned for when accountability WILL happen. No one will escape it. There is coming a day when our lives on this earth will be over and eternity will begin.

Change your heart and life. Surrender your will to HIS will. Follow the Path to Salvation. Do it today. The reward is eternal life. Obedience is a decision you will NEVER regret!

If you have any questions please contact me: walkingonhisfootpath@gmail.com


Next Entry: Revelation 10:1–11

Revelation 8:1 – 9:21 (Continued)

August 02, 2013

6th Trumpet—Destruction was unleashed. One-third of all the people on earth were killed by fire, smoke, and sulfur. Revelation 9:15 - "And they let loose the four angels who had been kept ready for this hour and day and month and year so they could kill a third of all people on the earth."

There is an hour, day, month, and year planned and already determined for this judgment to occur. Judgment WILL happen. There is no avoiding it. One-third of ALL people were killed by fire, smoke, and sulfur—and their hell was just beginning.

INCREDIBLY, the "people who were not killed by these terrible disasters still did not change their hearts and turn away" from their own selfish ways. Revelation 9:21 - "These people did not change their hearts and turn away from murder or evil magic, from their sexual sins or stealing."

I want to scream WAKE UP!! Now, before it is too late, CHANGE YOUR HEARTS AND LIVES!!!  Please!! There is an hour, day, month, and year planned. I Peter 3:20 says that God waited patiently for Noah to finish building the boat before His judgment happened. Just because judgment hasn't happened yet doesn't mean that judgment it isn't going to happen. God waited patiently for Noah to finish the boat, and THEN judgment happened.

God is waiting patiently. He wants you to surrender and repent. But there comes a time when the waiting is over and accountability happens. Do it now. Change your hearts and lives TODAY while there is still time. 

Addendum: 2/10/17 ~ Today, while reviewing and editing Revelation 8, I suddenly realized I need to explain what I mean when I talk about "change your heart and life." When my journals were written they were for my (and my family's) personal use so no explanation of what I meant was needed. But now that God has revealed His plan for how He wants HIS Story told, and my private writings are going to be made public, I suddenly realized not everyone will understand what "change your heart and life" means; who the message is for; why it is such a prevalent theme all throughout scripture; and how you go about changing your heart and life.

Change your heart and life is not referring to the need for a personal self-improvement course so you can become a better person. It's not about what we change—it is about who changes us. It's about accepting God's free gift of Salvation given for all mankind. The gift is free and available, but it is something each one of us must accept for ourselves. It's the only way to change your heart and life. 

Read about The Path to Salvation here or click on the next journal entry.


Next Entry: The Path to Salvation

Revelation 3:1–22 (Continued)

July 29, 2013

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

God 

↓

 man 

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

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

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

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

Listen!! Believe!! See!!


Next Entry: Revelation 4:1 – 6:17

Revelation 3:1–22

July 26, 2013

To the Church in Sardis the One says this:

"I know what you do."

• People say you are alive (a believer)
• But you are really dead (religious unbeliever)
• Wake up!
• You are doing less than what God wants
• Strengthen what little truth is left in you
• Don't forget what you've heard and received
• Obey it!
• Change your heart and lives!
• You must wake up!

Or, when you least expect it, "I will come like a thief and you will not know when I will come..." and your name will be erased from the Book of Life. There are a few of you who have remained servants of God. To those who have won the victory I will call worthy and "I will say they belong to me before my Father and before his angels."

Revelations 3:6 - "Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."

To the Church in Philadelphia the One who is holy and true, who holds the key of David says:

"I know what you do."

• I have put an open door before you
• A door that no one else can close
• I know (and you've known too) that by yourself you have little strength
• But you have obeyed my teachings
• You were not afraid to proclaim my name
• You did not give up your faith

As a true believer your body is a temple of the Lord.

Temple—The one and only place where sacrifices were performed. Jesus Christ was the sacrifice for our sins. When we accept His sacrifice and receive Him as our personal Savior, our bodies literally become the temple of the Lord. There are those who say they believe, but their actions show otherwise. They are "religious," but the truth is they are unbelievers, and their bodies are "a synagogue that belongs to Satan." (Revelation 2:9b)

Synagogue—A building, a gathering place, a "town hall" of sorts. It is ran by people, financed by people, and is a place of worship and study. As religious unbelievers, one's body is NOT a temple of the Lord, but instead it is a synagogue, a gathering place—of Satan.

Revelation 3:9b–10 - "I will make them (religious unbelievers) come before you and bow at your feet and they will know that I have loved you. You have obeyed my teachings about not giving up your faith. So I will keep you from the time of trouble that will come to the whole world to test those who live on earth."

God put an open door before the Church of Philadelphia. When He opens a door no one can close it. When He closes a door no one else can open it. So, hang on and continue strong in your faith. Then no one can take away your crown. Revelation 3:12 - "I am coming soon... I will make those who win the victory pillars in the temple of my God." Their position with me and my Father is secure.

Revelation 3:13 - "Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."

To the Church in Laodicea, the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of all God has made says:

"I know what you do."

• You are not hot or cold
• Your are just blah—lukewarm
• I am ready to vomit you out of me
• Your attitude/actions are not compatible with my Holiness and I am close to rejecting you
• You think you are rich
• You have worked to become wealthy
• You think you are in control and self-sufficient
• You don't get it—what you are working for (material things) means nothing
• You think one thing—but the truth is you are miserable, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked 
• The very things you don't want to be—is what you really are

The only way to get what you desire is to come to me. When you depend on me and keep your faith in whose you are instead of who you are, I will bring you through the fires of life as pure gold—tested and true. THEN you will be rich in the only thing that matters—ME. Surrender and submit to me as Master Jesus and your nakedness will be covered and you will be clothed in forgiveness. Come to me. When you search for me I will be as a balm for your eyes, and your eyes will be opened to truth and you will be able truly see.

Revelation 3:19–20 - "I will correct and punish those whom I love. So be eager to do what is right, and change your hearts and lives. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice (everyone who has ears should listen) and open the door (you have to respond) I will come in and eat with you, and you will eat with me."

He is ready and waiting. He doesn't want anyone to be lost. He is knocking, but He won't take us by force. We must listen and respond to Him by opening the door, by inviting Him in, and by obeying His teachings. THEN we have the promise of winning the victory and (you) "will sit with me on my throne..."

Revelation 3:22 - "Everyone who has ears should listen to what the Spirit says to the churches."

From Christ Through the Bible:

JESUS: The One Who Stand at the Door

"Let me state something important. There is never a time during which Jesus is not speaking. Never. There is never a place in which Jesus is not present. Never. There is never a (place)... that the ever-present, ever-pursuing, relentlessly tender Friend is not there, tapping gently on the door of our hearts—waiting to be invited in.

Few hear his voice. Fewer still open the door.

But never interpret our numbness as his absence. For amidst the fleeting promises of pleasure is the timeless promise of his presence...

There is no chorus so loud that the voice of God cannot be heard... if we will but listen."  ~ From In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado

Next Entry: Revelation 3:1–22 (Continued) 

The Beginning of the End

January 11, 2017

All my reviews and edits from Genesis to Jude are done and I am ready to begin recording my last entries from my last journal and the last book of the Bible.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

I once again am filled with excitement, anticipation, and a little hesitancy. Seven years. It has been seven years since I first began keeping a personal journal of my thoughts while reading through the Bible and then began recording those handwritten journal entries into this format. I'm almost finished.

It's the beginning of the end.

I have so many questions. When I began keeping a private journal on November 16, 2009, I had no idea where this journey was going to take me. I was only doing what I KNEW I was supposed to be doing. Almost four years (2013) and thirteen full size journal notebooks later, as I was finishing up Revelation and wondering what to do next, I suddenly KNEW I was supposed to take my private journals and enter them into a format where I could organize them and create labels for different topics.

NEVER could I have imagined what happened a year later in 2014. Read about it here.

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

Once I began to understand what God was asking me to do, it literally shook me to the core. What? This is "The Book"? Really? But God, the lawsuit! How could it ever be public? Are you sure, God? I know we are supposed to tell the story of Jane and Your faithfulness, but I always pictured a short story in something like Guideposts. My journal is the plan?  What I KNEW I was supposed to start, and what I KNEW I was supposed to put into this format wasn't just something I was doing? It was part of YOUR bigger plan all along?

I was shaken, but then I surrendered all, even though I knew logistically it would be impossible for my journals (and this blog) to become public while the lawsuit is still ongoing.

My private journals* contain conversations between us and our lawyer; reveals mediation and settlement details; reveals much we would use as our defense; reveals things we know and could use against the plaintiffs (my sister and brother-in-law); reveals the ugly details of their deceit, trickery and accusations; reveals my personal opinions about their lives and actions; and my journals also reveal that we would in no way ever go after them for anything—all information which cannot become public knowledge while someone is trying to ruin you. The only way it would ever be acceptable for this journal/blog to go public is if the lawsuit is finalized and over—permanently.

But how or when will the lawsuit end? It's been going on for almost ten years now. Why would it suddenly be over now? Is there going to be a trial? Nothing is on the docket. Even if the judge would decide to set a trial date, it probably couldn't be scheduled until sometime in late 2017 or 2018 at the earliest. It's been ten years already. Why would the judge reverse course and suddenly schedule a trial after what our lawyer calls a "pocket veto" for the last ten years?

We have said from early 2008 on that we somehow believe this lawsuit will never go to trial. We have nothing to back up that statement—except faith. It is just something we KNOW. It seems kind of crazy to believe it won't go to trial. Mediation failed. Settlement failed. A trial is the next step and the only thing left in the legal process. So, why wouldn't it proceed to trial? We don't know, but we are sure. We only know what we believe, and it is by faith that we say we don't believe the world's court is going to be what determines our fate. 

At the Settlement Conference, the judge made it clear that our American laws grant each of us the "right" to sue. My sister and brother-in-law have a legal "right" to sue whether their claims are based on merit or based on greed and vengeance. The judge also pointed out that if you don't like the outcome of the trial it doesn't mean it is over because lawyers will always be glad to take your money and an appeal can be filed. So, it is their "right" as Americans and they can always appeal if they aren't satisfied with the results. 

Even knowing they have the right, and even knowing it is the next legal step in the process, we still don't believe this is going to trial! I know God's ways are not our ways, but what would be the point (now ten years later) of a trial? If there is going to be a trial now, why wasn't there a trial years ago? If the judge thinks if he gives my sister enough time she will eventually stop this personal vendetta, then he doesn't know my sister. She will stop at NOTHING. No earthly thing will ever convince her to stop, and nothing will convince her that what they did (and are doing) is wrong. NOTHING. It truly will take an act of God.

I can't imagine what a trial would be like ten plus years after the facts. During my sister's and brother-in-law's depositions in early 2009 they were confused much of the time. After breaks they would come back in and "clarify" something they said earlier while under oath. When your testimony is based on truth the facts aren't hard to remember. But imagine what it would be like for them now that it is eight or nine years later. I believe there are many ways that our lawyer could show their contradictions and catch them in their lies. But we don't believe it is going to be "man" that protects us.

GOD is the One who is our protector. HE is the One who will deliver us. This battle belongs to the LORD. The glory and honor for what HE is going to do belongs to HIM and HIM only. 

So, the only way I can humanly see the lawsuit ending (and therefore allowing this blog to be made public) is either by trial (and then appeals which would take many years), or by my sister and brother-in-law deciding to drop the lawsuit with prejudice, meaning it could not be brought up again. Either way looks completely impossible. It was only a year ago at the Settlement Conference that the judge could not get them to look at anything realistically. Why would there be any change now when there hasn't been a change for ten years?

Our prayer, desire, and hope, has always been for my sister and brother-in-law to change their hearts and lives. How often have we said that they will either be like the Saul of the Old Testament, who in his anger, revenge, and twisted thinking never understood and/or accepted Truth and went to his grave disillusioned, self-sufficient, and determined to "get" David—OR—they will become like the Saul of the New Testament who was stopped in his tracks, changed his heart and life, and became a servant of Christ. We continue to pray they will understand they are nothing without God and will desire nothing but God. We continue to pray they will be like the Saul of the New Testament.

That is our prayer.

Will they change? Barring a miracle there is little hope, BUT, while there is breath there is hope. So, we will continue to hope and pray, understanding it is a choice only they can make. We cannot make it for them. We would if we could, but we can't. It has to be their own personal choice. 

LORD, I pray again what I said in my journal a few days ago. Get in their face. Rattle their cages. LORD, if it takes bringing them to their knees and blinding them like you did Saul in the New Testament, then bring them to their knees and blind them. LORD, they are already blinded to Truth. LORD, I pray you blind their eyes to the false truth they have been believing so they can open their eyes and like Saul, be able to see Light and Truth for the first time. And like Paul, may they choose to get a new way of thinking. We boldly come before your throne and ask you, in the name of Jesus, to give them one more opportunity to change their hearts and lives. Thank you, LORD, for these ten years of Grace you have so lovingly given them. LORD, please give them one more chance. Whatever it takes, LORD. Whatever it takes. We surrender them to you.

We've come to understand we are NOT victims of a lawsuit. We are the recipients of a Blessed Event. The path we are on isn't a path we've created. It is a God-ordained path and we have chosen to follow the Master's lead on HIS footpath—no matter where it leads. To even begin to realize the awesomeness of our Heavenly Father in even the most minute of ways, has been very convicting and humbling. Following HIS footpath has taught us so much about faith and trust. We trust HIM—period. Our faith is in HIM—period. No matter what the circumstance, there is no safer place to be than following the Master on HIS path. You truly can let go of the need to be in charge and let God lead.   

It's been quite the journey. My crazy idea to begin hiking the Appalachian Trail? It turns out it wasn't my random idea. The idea to start going to a nursing home on Christmas mornings which put everything in place for HIS divinely arranged appointment with Jane? Not my random idea. The idea to start a journal while reading through the Bible? Not my random idea either. Now we understand it wasn't my idea to enter my journal into Blogger. It wasn't my idea to come up with the notion of praying about a NEW BEGINNING. It wasn't my idea to purge the house of all lawsuit files almost five years ago. It most certainly wasn't my idea to make our personal journey public. Unbeknownst to me, God was scripting a plan.

This isn't my story—this is HIS Story.

We absolutely believe without a shadow of a doubt that it is God's will for my private journal and this subsequent blog to be made public. But how can it happen? When? I'm almost finished recording my personal journal entries. The separate blog created to chronicle the story of Jane (Walking By Faith: A True Story of God's Faithfulness) is close to being done. Everything I've been led to do is almost finished. I know of nothing else I am supposed to finish. But, the lawsuit is still ongoing. What else needs to happen before God decides it is time for the lawsuit to end and the public release of the blogs to begin?

It's the beginning of the end.

Why did God show us (in 2013) how He waited patiently until Noah finished the boat before He brought judgment and the New Beginning began? Does the New Beginning after the flood correlate with the New Beginning we were led to pray about in 2012? Does I Peter 3:20 - "God waited patiently while Noah finished the boat" have anything to do with our situation? Is God waiting for something to finish? Is He waiting until my journal/blog and Jane's blog is completely finished? Is He waiting for us to start, stop, or finish something? Is there something else I am to do? 

Seven years. It has been seven years since my journey through the Bible began, and I have loved every minute of it. There has not been even one single day that I felt like I wanted to quit. Not one. There were times I was surprised how long it would take me to do something, but never a time of being bored, tired, or wanting to stop. I learned along the way that God's timing—is God's timing. We are just following Him. And I am okay with that.

It's the beginning of the end.  

I've been thinking a lot lately about this part of the journey being "over." There is hesitancy because I have loved every minute of it, but there is also excitement. What does God have planned? How would anyone even find this blog of our journey and my walk through His Word? How will God use His Story? It been seven years in preparation, what are the next steps? I can't imagine, and that is a good thing because it isn't mine to imagine. 

I have a lot of questions. But you know what? None of them matter. I don't need to know the answers because I trust the One who does know, and that is enough. We don't know how or when this journey will end. We only know that we are Walking On His Footpath (Following the Master's Lead). We only know that God is faithful and we want to be found faithful.

For the last several nights I have been praying specifically for God to use us however He wishes. A few nights ago, I was praising God and praying during one of my wakeful moments. I was praying about this blog and whoever may someday find it. It's taken me seven years to complete. In my mind I literally took these last seven years and my writings and presented them to God as a gift of my love. I once again surrendered to HIS Lordship ALL I know to surrender. I've given my journals and this blog to Him and I've asked Him to accept my gift of love and to use it in whatever way He desires.

During these last several nights as I have been praying and thanking God for his love, there was a melody running through my mind with a few snippets of words. I couldn't quite remember what song it was or the words. Then it finally came to me. I heard this song for the first time when a friend of mine from Texas posted the video from First Baptist Church to Facebook after the horrific shooting of the police officers in Dallas. 

Listen to it here if you have Facebook: Take Me to the King!  If you don't have Facebook you can listen to Tamela Mann sing it on YouTube here: Tamela Mann: Take Me to the King  
 

Take me to the King. That's my plea. Nothing else matters, LORD. Thank you, Jesus, for providing the way. It's all about you, Jesus. It's all about you. 

It's the beginning of the end.

I'm ready to begin recording my journal entries for the last book: The Revelation of Jesus. Show me once again LORD what it is you want to teach me. I'm ready. I'm listening. Let's go.

Addendum: 7/30/18 ~ While it took me seven years to read, write, and then transcribe my journal entries into this blog, it has taken me several more years to work on edits.  After taking a several month break from working on it, a friend of mine began to read the blog. In going back to read some of the entries, I realized the initials I used to protect people's identity were very distracting. So, I once again started over from the beginning, this time to edit out all initials and insert descriptive names instead. And now here I am, once again ready to start Revelations. Once I complete that, I plan on reading through it one more time to check links and to make sure I didn't miss any name corrections. It's close—it's very, very close.

It's the beginning of the end.

*****

*2020 Update: For privacy reasons, I decided to remove from Blogger the portions of my handwritten journals which included private details about my sister and brother-in-law's lives, their behaviors and actions, and the lawsuit they filed. The ugly details are not what is important. HIS Story is not about them—HIS Story is about our journey while following HIS footpath and how the amazing Hand of God protected us from them.  


Next Entry: Revelation 1:1–20