"Earnestly Contend for the Faith!"

 "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints." (Jude 3 KJV)

  "Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me - a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jeaus. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you." (2 Timothy 1:13-14 NLT)

 Please forgive me if I haven't been putting a "1" in front of the verses, as there are no more chapters in this book, than that of chapter "1"; therefore, I simply have listed the verses. Back in the day, maybe it was 25 years ago, I started a non-profit entitled, "Jude 2 Enterprises". It was meant to be a ministry that would provide venues for events; as it was, we had a Coffee Shop that had bands come out to play. It was really taking off, at least for a bit; until I got bitten! 

 As much as I could, I did everything I could to keep it together; but my personal life was totally wrecked, and I was doing all that I could just to keep it all together. Long story short, I flushed the non-profit and just focused on getting my life back on track. I needed to keep my business afloat, having to let everyone go, except my mother-in-law and Dave, my general pest guy.  

 Not that it really matters, but we live to survive in this world; and if you have someone to take care of, then you really make every effort to keep a place for them to live! Only my wife knew this about me; but I had a little red rag in my desk drawer, that every once in a while, I would stuff it into my back pocket and carry it around. Basically, what it meant was that I was wishing I could be pumping gas at a Gas Station, not struggling to keep a business afloat! 

 Anywho, "Earnestly Contend" is something that, believe it or not, means, "to struggle for". This is not just something we are easily able to do, as there are certain things that make us feel as though we are, shall we say, judgmental. The best thing we have, is the ability to judge ourselves first and foremost; making every effort to be sure of ourselves; knowing that our faith is in Christ, and that salvation is only available through Him, and Him alone! Only by the blood of Jesus are we saved...

"This is the message we have heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all our sin." (1 John 1:5-7 NLT)

"Danger!"

   "Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we share. But now I find I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God's marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ." (Jude 3-5 NLT)

"But there were false teachers also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." (2 Peter 2:1 KJV) 

 I am not saying that this will be easy, because I know for a fact that there are some that cannot believe or even want to hear sound doctrine. And don't get me wrong, I truly know that everyone can get off base from time to time, as some seem to do, (me included,) but when it comes to the foundation of our faith, there is nothing that can be changed or altered! 

 That said, I believe that there are some very stern and harsh things that will be brought up; some might be too hard to believe; while others, will hopefully enlighten us to watch out and know what to look for, as there really are wolves that enter into the sheepfold...

""Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."" (Matthew 7:15 KJV) 

"The Salutation" - To

 "Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied." (Jude 2 KJV)

  "O LORD, hear me as I pray; pay attention to my groaning. Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for I pray to no one but you. Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." (PSALM 5:1-3 NLT)

 I know it seems odd, but I do believe that there is something that opens up the point to Jude's reason for even writing this; never mind the reason that it has been placed, right where it belongs. First and foremost, there needs to be something that we never forget: that God is Holy! Without even questioning why things are what they are, we must believe that He holds everything together, and knows all things!

 I know that there are some who will doubt some of what I am saying, because it is easy for even myself to doubt, from time to time. But when I catch myself not believing what I already know is true, I have to simply ask for His forgiveness and remember He loves me! He love me more than I could ever imagine!

 That said, I truly believe that when God created the heavens and the earth, He knew before it was even made, that man would need salvation, that Satan would fall, and that this world would be destroyed. As much as it sounds, shall we say, hard to believe, there was something very special about His whole plan; which, believe it or not, was all about love!  

 Maybe there is a simple way to explain it, but the way things are is caused by our mistakes, not God's! And when I say mistakes, I am being nice; only because that is what we make them! To clarify what that means, the definition for mistake is: "an action or judgement that is misguided or wrong." Simply put, it is also what sin looks like, because we are misguided and we do wrong!

 But God already knows, and He has known it all along, that we are bound to make mistakes, (so we call them), but His plan all along was to cause us to love Him, unconditionally and thankfully, because He first loved us...

"Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." (1 John 4:7-10 NLT)       

"The Salutation"

 "Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied." (Jude 2 KJV)

   "So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, "Lord, has the time come for you to free Isreal and restore our kingdom?" He replied, "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."" (Acts 1:6-8 NLT)

 Just a little bit of information, for anyone that might be thinking about learning what the different cults believe and practice: DON'T GO THERE! You really don't want to dive into their bubble, because there is really no need to know what they believe; focus on the truth that you know and make that your weapon to counter what they might try to tell you.   

 Once upon a time I worked hard to learn those things. I even still have the "Cults Reference Bible," which was written by Dr, Walter Martain. Even Dr. Chuck Missler thought that Dr. Martain had been captured in his studies; as it was, he stopped believing in a pre-tribulation rapture, which was Dr. Chuck's concern that his friend had been lost in his studies. 

 The main point I am trying to make, is that we don't need to study what is wrong and false, because we fill our heads with bad information! You should know the term, G.I.G.O., which basically means, Garbage In, Garbage Out. Focus on the truth and defend what you know; using that as your weapon to witness and teach, by sharing the Truth...

"We are human, but we don't wage war as humans do. We use God's mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NLT) 

"Jude, the Servant"

"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:" (Jude 1 KJV)

  "After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, and Jesus' brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can't become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!" For even his brothers didn't believe in him." (John 7:1-5 NLT)

 History has it, that Jesus had four brothers who were, half-brothers; all four of them were born after Him, by Mary and Joseph. All though, depending on the Religion, there are some the say Joseph had these other sons before he married Mary; while others have other weird and strange ideas. It is the Roman Catholic Church that is set upon Mary having been kept a virgin, so it is said; as she is referred as, the mother of God, and prayed to, as if she too is a Deity.

 As much as there are different versions, of what is what, this little Book of Jude is one that shines the light on the reason; much like John shines the light on the spirit of the antichrist; which is very real and present in this very day. Believe it or not, there are several religions that I know for a fact are founded and continue to be growing based upon and controlled by that spirit; some of which will show their true colors if you get too serious about who Jesus really is; this much I know is certain! 

 Besides that, the Book of Revelation is used quite a bit by those false religions; mostly because of the, so called mystery of what is being said; most of which can be twisted and changed from what it is really meant to mean; even though it is clearly not what is said! 

 I know that is so, but that is something for another time and date. Having said all of this, there are some Christians that have very strange beliefs: some think that UFOs are going to be what takes us away in the rapture; there are some that think the earth is flat; and believe it or not, but there are some that truly believe that the earth is billions of years old...

"So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us. I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true - it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ." (1 John 2:24-27 NLT)       

"The Letter from Jude"

  "This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. I am writing to all who have been called of God the Father, who loves you and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ. May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love." (Jude 1-2 NLT)

  "Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given onto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Matthew 28:16-20 KJV)

 As many of us should now, this Jude that has written this letter is a brother of Jesus; who identifies himself as the brother of James: James is the author of the Book of James. Both James and Jude identify themselves as, "Servants of Christ." There are a few scholars that identify this Jude as the Apostle Judas (not Iscariot) in Matthew 10:2-3, also called Lebbaeus or Thaddaeus (Lk. 6:16 & Acts 1:13). 

 I really don't believe that this Jude was one of Jesus' disciples; but that is coming up in a different message. What I do believe is that both James and Jude were brothers, that had the same mother, who was Mary; the virgin mother of Jesus Christ. As that is the case, I also believe that the term, "Slave, or Servant" used by both brothers is given to mean, "His Bondman"; which, if you don't mind me saying, that it means, it was their way of saying that they were very sorry for the way they treated him, before He was crucified and rose from the dead! 

 Which is precisely the reason I doubt that this Jude was one of Jesus' Apostles. However, for the sake of knowing nothing, let me make it perfectly clear: both James and Jude were brothers of Jesus! Which, for the sake making my point, before I even try to go into the Book of Revelation, I felt as though I needed to do this Book first.

 I believe that there is good reason for this Book to come before Revelation; why that is, I have yet to figure it out; but I am truly convinced that there is a good reason...

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby, know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confeesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already it is in the world." (John 4:1-3 KJV)  

"That Which Affords Joy!"

 "Grace be with you all. Amen." (Hebrews 13:25 KJV)

  "Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in his glory." (Colossians 3:1-4 NLT)

 There are some things in this life that can bring us joy, regardless of whatever it is that we might be going through; just a special word from a friend, or the celebration of new life when a baby is born. These things are well and good, but that kind of joy will only last for a moment.

 The joy we are talking about here is something totally different, as it is based upon something we have for ever and ever! No matter what situation we might face on this earth, the grace that we have been given is something that overshadows even the worst thing that we might be going through; even the thought of death! 

 I know it might sound simple, just saying it; but what else can you do? There are some circumstances that you just can't change or get out of; but there is something you can always look forward to, and it can and it will change your perspective; I guarantee it!  

 Having a little difficulty choosing what is next. I am really considering Revelation; but I know that it will require more time and quite a lot of research. Whatever it is, it will be that which affords joy! Yes, that is what grace is meant to be, as it brings pleasure, happiness, peace, and everything else that is a delight! The whole meaning of grace is that of getting something you could never afford, not even in a thousand lifetimes...

"Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil - the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this; it is a gift from God." (Ephesians 2:1-8 NLT) 

"All the Saints!" - Too

 "Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you." (Hebrews 13:24 KJV)

  "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days. Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart." (1 Peter 1:18-22 NLT)

 Before I go, I would really like to do something real meaningful, besides whatever this 'living journal' might accomplish; if anything, worth talking about. My desire is to travel around to RV Parks that have senior saints, to share the importance of never forgetting their Wedding Vows, no matter what state or condition their better half might be in!

 To be completely honest, I do have days when I might challenge the situation we are in, wondering if it is all too weird or if she is actually not meant to live in the condition she is in. Every time I go there, I have to fall on my knees, asking God for forgiveness! He alone is the one that decides who stays and who goes; we have no right to take a life; especially not the life that obviously wants to keep living!   

 We had a chance to pray over a friend, that has great concern for his grandson, who has yet to be born. The baby has already been named, and needs to have spinal surgery, while he is in his mother's womb. Just before we started to pray, I had to tell him about the fetus that I posted a picture about, shortly after I started this blog. The little unborn baby was having a spinal surgery, one just like his grandson might be getting; and during the surgery, the child's little hand reached up and grabbed the Sergen's pinky, from out of the womb! 

 If you didn't know, Matt Drudge was fired from Fox News for making a big deal about this photo; mainly because he was pressing the point about real living life in the womb! Something we all should know and believe, based upon what we have learned in the Bible; the Living Word of God!  

 Anywho; we are either a Saint or we aint, but God is the Judge! We are only given a chance to prove to ourselves that we believe in what we believe; making every effort, as best as we can, to share the gift that we have been given...

"But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law that I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law - I stopped trying to meet all its requirements - so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die." (Galatians 2:17-21 NLT) 

"All the Saints!"

 "Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you." (Hebrews 13:24 KJV)

  "You see, we don't go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our power is from God, not from ourselves." (2 Corinthians 4:5-7 NLT)

 Well, I was going to share more about, "Set at Liberty," but I thought I had said enough about myself, even if it was part of the journey. But that doesn't stop me from sharing about the reason I used that title in the first place. As it was, Paul is talking about Timothy being released from jail, as being, "set at liberty," because he is no longer locked up. But my story was meant to be one that was about me being "set at liberty" even though I was still in jail! 

 Yes, I was incarcerated, but I felt absolutely FREE! That is what I meant about having real true faith; because, as Jesus said, "So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free." (John 8:36 NLT) To be perfectly honest, I really prefer the KJV of that verse, which I would use to share with anyone who is tied down, but has been saved: "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed."  

 Before I was saved, I felt as though I wanted to be set free; as it was, I was told I would be able to just serve on weekends, (which I never really believed would happen,) but instead it looked like I was going to stay for at least eight months. But, once I was saved, on that great and glorious day, I felt absolutely free! It was as if I had something important to do, right where I was; even though I still desired to be home with my wife and son, it pretty much just felt as if I needed to be where I was, as long as the Lord would have me there. 

 The reason I prefer that verse about being set free in the old KJV, is because it uses the word, "make," which is also in the NKJV and several others; but for some reason the NLT version uses "sets," which doesn't really make the point of how we got saved in the first place! 

 Without a doubt, I believe that it was God that made me move; it get up, off of my bunk, and to go down to the cafeteria room, in order to hear that message! I surely wasn't about to do it on my own; but it was the work of God that made me want to hear what was going to be said. Maybe that is not a thing you could believe; but when God calls you, it is not until you allow Him to change you, that you are really chosen...

"Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ's death was made as clear to you as it you had seen a picture of his death on the cross. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ. How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian life in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it? I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ." (Galatians 3:1-5 NLT)  

"Set at Liberty" - Too

 "Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you." (Hebrews 13:23 KJV)

  "But even before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace. Then it pleased him to reveal his Son to me so that I would proclaim the Good News about Jesus to the Gentiles. When this happened, I did not rush out to consult with any human being. Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to consult with those who were apostles before I was. Instead, I went away into Arabia, and later I returned to the city of Damascus." (Galatians 1:15-17 NLT)

 As it went, after a small stay in the County Jail, I was sent to an Honor Ranch, up by Majic Mountain. It just so happened that this Honor Ranch had a Church; not just a building, but an actual Church that was very similar to one you would see in any small town in America; with a bell and steps that went up to the door. 

 I did everything I could to avoid going into that Church; even though the chow-line was pretty much right in front of it, it was hard to not be close to the front door. I did however have a little New Testament that I read every day, usually at least a Book a day; and on the weekends I would read almost the whole Book. 

 One evening, after dark, I was sitting out in the field about 50 yards from that Church, and I starting to pray for the inmates that were in there. I could see them through the windows; raising their hands and singing songs. I started to weep and thought that I was crying for them; as crazy as it might sound in reality, I believe it was myself that I had pity on! 

 Anywho, long story short, I had a 'store', which basically means that I sold things to certain inmates that couldn't get anything do to their work duties. Mostly just cigarettes, candy bars, and instant coffee. I did pretty good; and would usually make at least $50 a week, sometimes more. Actually, the instant coffee was one of my biggest deals; as the only coffee available at night was in the Officer's dining room.   

 One Sunday, I was having a visitation with my wife. The visitation room was rather large, and there was probably 20 guys at a time that were visiting with someone. I handed my wife a fist full of money, without realizing that someone could see me. After the visitation was over, I went back down to the barracks and was jump for my money. Unfortunately for them, I only had $10 left; but regardless, the guy that had his hand on my windpipe wanted my Bible; and I wasn't about to let go of it. 

 When the ordeal was over, I was called up to the Office over the loudspeaker. When I arrived at the Office, the officer told me that he had heard I was jumped, that he knew who they were, but that he also thought they would think that I finked. So he told me that I was being moved to another facility. 

 The place I went to did not have a church, of any sort. I felt safe, because I really had no respect for organized religion or churches. You might say that my guard was down; because it wasn't long after I got there, that one Sunday morning the loudspeaker came on, and a Chaplain was making a seemingly serious call for men to come down to hear something. 

 Seriously, I really didn't know what it was he meant, but I had a certain need to go check it out. I started out walking down to the cafeteria, where the event was; but before I knew it, I started to run. When I got there, they had already started worship, so I stepped inside and took a seat towards the back.

 After worship, a black man came up to the podium and took off his watch. He held it up and made sure that everyone saw it, and he said, "Do you see this watch? This watch tells me that somewhere out there, is a Watch Maker. And you, me, and all that we see, tells me that there is a Creator! And I have come here today to tell you, that Creator is Jesus Christ!" 

 When I heard him say that I was overwhelmed; I actually closed my eyes and started to cry, as I saw a vision in my mind of Jesus on the cross. It was like something I could have never known on my own, even though I had been reading that little New Testament, every single day! As I envisioned Jesus on the cross, I thought to myself, "The Creator of heaven and earth died for me on that cross!" 

 As the Pastor made the call for those who wanted to be saved to raise their hands, I raised both hands, and that was the day I will never forget! That is when I discover what real true faith looks like...

"For the time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you." (2 Timothy 4:3-5 NLT) 

"Set at Liberty" - To

 "Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty: and whom, if he come shortly, I will see him." (Hebrews 13:23 KJV) 

  "Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." (Hebrews 10:23-25 NLT)

 If you didn't know, or haven't heard, I was totally against any and all religions; having no desire to even think about going into a church. I was pretty much settled with reading the Bible on my own, praying to God, in my own way, and having my own private fellowship, with a God I really didn't know! If that sounds strange to you, that is totally fine; because it really was strange; and it was wrong! 

 After I was arrested, back in the day, I focused quite a bit on getting things in order; as it was, I felt that I was going to prison, as the judge who sentenced, me back in the late 70's for dealing drugs, came out of retirement to put me away. However, there was about 5 or 6 of us that were getting tried, and everyone had a lawyer, except me; I thought I would defend myself, because I felt that I wasn't doing anything wrong, selling drugs to my friends. 

 When we rented a place to stay, the guy who owned it had a termite company, and I started out working on his rentals; but he saw that I was a hard worker, so he trained me to do termite work. I had another job, which was driving a truck for Napa auto parts; but on January 1st, 1981, I was totally working for him, at least 12 hours a day, six days a week. 

 Early in the spring he sat me down and asked if I wanted to be licensed to do inspections, and he began to get me ready for the test I would be taking. The day we were filling out the application, we were sitting on his Livingroom floor, and he was filling out the questions, as I answered them. When it came to the spot where it asked, "Have you ever been convicted of a felony?" I told him that I had not yet, but I was going to court for a felony charge. 

 When I told him what the charge was, and that we had been going to court for at least eight months already, he asked me if I had a Lawyer. I told him I did not, and that I was defending myself. So he asked me what my defense was going to be; and I told him, "I believe in the Bible, and in the Bible, it says that God created the Herbs, and He said it was good; and I was just about giving good Herbs to my friends." 

 Well, that didn't go so well; as he instantly jumped up off the floor, and said, "I am getting you a Lawyer!" He put a $5,000 retainer down for some hotshot Lawyer, and in May of 1981 I was sentenced to one year in the County jail. The new judge we had, (because the first one gave up trying to convict me, as the trial just kept dragging on and on), gave me a lesser sentence, because I was gainfully employed; he even gave me a month to get my affairs in order; and on June 15th, 1981, I got a ride to the L.A. County Jail...

"Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: "Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked him. "Only God is truly good. But to answer your question, you know the commandments: 'You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.'" The man replied, "I've obeyed all these commandments since I was young." When Jesus heard his answer, he said, "There is still one thing you haven't done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."" (Luke 18:18-22 NLT) 

"Set at Liberty"

 "Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you." (Hebrews 13:23 KJV)

  "For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. But you, Timothy, and a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, alone with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:10-12 NLT)

 Well, I must say that I am not sorry for missing a chance to share this yesterday; we had to get ready for the final meal, and breakfast was going to be at 6:30, so I felt that I needed to be there between 4:00 and 4:30. Men at the Cross will be this coming Saturday; which is when I wake up at 2:30; but since I am at home, I feel more comfortable to pray quicker and have had at least 45 minutes to do this blog. 

 Having shared this before, it might seem as though it's old news; but the more I share it, the more I feel as though I keep holding tightly to the eternal life I have been given! We need to make every effort to keep the faith; and when I say, "the faith," I am talking about that moment when we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts; which is the moment that you were actually saved!

 Faith is not just what you believe, but what you know! I know, 100%, that my life was changed on that special day; there is no doubt, whatsoever! Don't ever forget, because that is the real true faith that Paul is talking about...

"Dear brothers and sisters, I want you to understand that the gospel message I preach is not based on mere human reasoning. I received my message from no human source, and no one taught me. Instead, I received it by direct revelation from Jesus Christ. You know what I was like when I followed the Jewish religion - how I violently persecuted God's church. I did my best to destroy it. I was far ahead of my fellow Jews in my zeal for the traditions of my ancestors." (Galatians 1:11-14 NLT) 

"Word of Encouragement" - Three

 "And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words." (Hebrews 13:22 KJV)

  "So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone - especially to those in the family of faith." (Galatians 6:9-10 NLT)

 Just to inform you, if you didn't know, the four Books, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, or easier to find in order if you can remember: Gentiles Eat Pork Chops. Just in case you didn't know that I thought you should know...

"For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault." (Colossians 1:19-22 NLT) 

"Word of Encouragement" - Two

 "And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words." (Hebrews 13:22 KJV)

  "Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But - "When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth, and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life."" (Titus 3:3-7 NLT)

 If you take just a moment to search out some of the words that are being said, some of what is meant will look totally different than what you might think. Take the word, "suffer," as a good example of what I am talking about. Just taking that word in the context it is shown, it would seem to be something of a burden or anguish; when it actually is talking about endurance and to forbear. 

 Much of what is being said, if it is taken in context with what was previously said, is all about positive things, whether or not they are good or bad, whatever there is that we go through, God will make a way for the bad to be good and for the ugly to be beautiful; everything, no matter what it is that might seem as though we are suffering, will not hurt us: we are special, indestructible, and no matter what, we will be ending up totally fine! 

 When Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta, as he was gathering up some firewood, and he was bitten by a poisonous snake. He should have been killed by the bite; but he actually just shook it off and went on gathering wood. If you don't know the story, it is Acts 28. But the point I am trying to make is about why Paul was not concerned about dying from the snakebite; it was because the Lord told him that he would be going to Rome, and to minister to the Gentiles. (Acts 23:11) 

 Maybe that isn't enough to convince you; but I know for a fact that Jesus saved me! That is something I will never forget; and yes, I have had some ups and downs; but no matter what, I am fully confident that I will be making it to the other side, because Jesus told me so...

""I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me, just as my Father knows me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep. I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd."" (John 10:14-16 NLT) 

"Word of Encouragement"

 "And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words." (Hebrews 13:22 KJV)

  "And all of this is a gift from God who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:18-21 NLT)

 More than anything else, I want to finish well! Yet, the more I persevere to be holy, the more I feel that I am not; as weird as that might sound, it just is what it is! To be totally honest, I think that is how it is meant to be: We are what we are, and whatever we try to do to correct ourselves, we seldom can make it happen. It's like when you tell yourself, 'Don't think of pink elephants,' and you struggle to get the pink elephant out of your head! 

 So, this is what I believe, whether it works or not, it is something we must strive for and make every effort to make it our goal...

"Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again - rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7 NLT)