"The Rather"

 "But I beseech you the rather to this, that I may be restored to you the sooner." (Hebrews 13:19 KJV)

  "Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took Paul's belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, "The Holy Spirit declares, 'So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles." When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But he said, "Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus." When it was clear that we couldn't persuade him, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."" (Acts 21:10-14 NLT)

 When we might ever get a chance to be pressed, it is very important that we make up our minds about how far we are willing to go, even if it means losing everything, possibly, even our freedom or our lives. I know that might sound a little extreme, especially in this country we live in; but there are several countries where that is actually happening, where people that confess to be followers of Christ are put in jail or killed, just for proclaiming that Jesus is their Lord!  

 We are not there yet, but I am sure that it is bound to happen, sooner or later! And if it does, we need to be ready and willing to go all the way; meaning that we must never stop saying that Jesus is our Lord, no matter what the consequences might be; we must be prepared for anything! 

 I know that might sound pretty harsh, but it is happening in several places all over the world; it could happen here too, without much effort. Things can change without much opposition; we should have figured that out, back in 2020. I remember planning a trip to Mount Rose with some family members. As I checked with the park a few days before we were going, they said that there was no place cleaner than 8,000 feet in the air. Yet, when arrived in Reno and checked into the hotel, Mount Rose was closed, and things got really weird. 

 People started telling other people to put on a mask, saying, "Don't you care about spreading Covid! Don't you care about the people around you!" It was really hard to resist, being shunned and put on the spot. There are still some people wearing mask even today; I have even seen people driving alone in their cars wearing a mask! It is really not that hard to turn the world upside-down, in hardly any time at all.  

 That said, "The Rather," is basically the same as saying, "What come what may!" Meaning, no matter what, Hold Your Ground...

"Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love." (1 Corinthians 16:13-14 NLT) 

"Accountability" - Too

 "Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly." (Hebrews 13:18 KJV)

  "Dear friends, I warn you as temporary residents and foreigners to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world." (1 Peter 2:11-12 NLT)

 As far as the world goes, there are certain things that are totally upside-down, when it comes to family matters and the things which the secular world allows; most of which is due to the fact that the church does not get involved in what the world does. The school system, which was once founded by churches, is now almost completely against anything that has to do with God. 

 Not that it wasn't meant to happen, because we all should know that it is all listed in the Bible, as all the things shall be in the last days! Whether you can except it or not, we are actually living in those days, waiting and expecting for the Lord to come and take us home! At least that is what I am waiting for, because I believe that it is going to happen, very soon! 

 That said, I pray that I am found worthy to be taken; not because of something I did, because I believe those things are already forgiven; but because of what I might do, that might not be right, something that does not please the Lord. I have seen to many that have fallen from grace, who I pray for to be made right again. It is just too easy for some to stumble, taking worldly desires over living honestly. 

 If we think that we are strong enough to not fall, we are going to find out that we are weak and frail; hopefully it will only be a lesson learned, and we recover. But there are some that don't recover and think they are doomed! It is never ever too bad that you cannot be forgiven, ever! The Lord is always willing to forgive us, no matter how bad we have been! 

 We must realize that we are all vulnerable; that we must depend upon the Lord to keep us on the right path! The moment we might think that we have won the battle and have what it takes to live rightly, is the moment we will discover that we don't have any strength at all...

"You adulterers! Don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. What do you think the Scriptures mean when they say that the spirit God has placed within us is filled with envy? But he gives us even more grace to stand against such evil desires. As the Scriptures say, "God opposes the proud but favors the humble." So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners: purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor." (James 4:4-10 NLT)  

"Accountability"

 "Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly." (Hebrews 13:18 KJV) 

  "This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don't participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires." (Romans 13:11-14 NLT) 

 This might not be a good time to bring this up, but this is another part of the book where Paul shows us that there is more than one person who is taking part in writing this; of which, as I have said before, that Mark and Luke were both with Paul while he was being held in prison. You might not think it matters much, but they were both not actually Apostles of Jesus, yet they ended up as two of the four Gospel messages, which were sandwiched between Matthew and John, who were His Apostles. 

 Don't try to figure out what that all means, because there were banners in the wilderness which had representation of all four of them, "The Four Gospels." I do believe I shared on that before; but there was also a formation the children of Isreal march through the wilderness in, and it was in the shape of a cross! 

 Anyhow, this is about accountability, not about history or who is what and why. Each and every one of us should have a good conscience when it comes to walking with the Lord. As I have shared before, and I will share it again, I probably ask the Lord to forgive me, at least six or more times a day. I don't even need to do anything wrong; but just thinking about something wrong is enough to ask for forgiveness. 

 Hopefully, this is something we all have some basic rule for, to ask the Lord's forgiveness when we might do something or think of something that is wrong. The thing about "willing to live honestly," is that which means that we are living the truth; meaning that there is no room for blame! 

 Don't get me wrong, I have many things in my life that I blame myself of doing wrong; but isn't that what asking for forgiveness is all about? We can count our blessings, naming them one by one; but we should also make sure we eliminated those things which we need forgiveness for, one by one; as soon as possible...

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my followers, you must turn from your selfish ways, pick up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in the glory of his Father and will judge all people according to their deeds. And I tell you the truth, some standing here right now will not die before they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom."" (Matthew 16:24-28 NLT) 

   

"A Servant's Heart" - To

 "Obey then that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch over your souls, as they that must give account, that they do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." (Hebrews 13:17 KJV)

  "Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on that day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless." (Philippians 2:14-16 NLT)

 Most all of us know what it's like to feel discouraged about failing to do something that you feel God has given you to do; even though we might try, we will sometimes give up, thinking that it is too much; as if there is just no way we can work it into our busy lives. Believe me, I have known what it's like, having wished that I did what I felt God told me to do; instead, I found an excuse, like providing for my family, or making my business work, in order to pay the bills. 

 All that said, I must not be discouraged about that which I cannot change or do over! Doing so is not good; nothing is good about feeling sorry for not doing what you thought you should have done. But if you really want to know, there are several ways that we can serve, without having to give up on our life of family, business, and whatever else is keeping us busy.

 We must be faithful in giving our tithes and offerings! Most of us don't really know, but there are only 5-10% of those in churches who actually tithe 10% of their income to their church. That is not an easy thing for a pastor to share about, because those who don't or won't give at least 10% will feel offended if the subject even comes up.

 Don't doubt me on this, because I was once in charge of counting the offering and doing the banking; it is pretty easy to see who pays a tithe and who does not! That said, we should all be willing to give what we can; it is not only Biblical, but it is the caring thing to do. You would be surprised to know how many senior Pastors actually have to work some sort of secular job, just to feed their own families. 

 What a difference it would make if the church had enough to spare and do things for their towns and families! What a difference it would be to have everyone giving a tithe; think of all the different things that could be offered and provided for the poor and the needy, instead of them having to depend upon the government; who will just keep them, shall we say, dependent and needy.

 All that said, I seriously doubt anything will change. Those who don't give, won't, because it is all about money! More than you know, God really does bless those who give; giving is also being a servant...

""I am the LORD, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed. Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies. "But you ask, 'How can we return when we have never gone away?' "Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! "But you ask, 'What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?' "You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, "I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe," says the LORD of Heaven's Armies."" (Malachi 3:6-11 NLT)    

"A Servant's Heart"

 "Obey them that have rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." (Hebrews 13:17 KJV)

  "For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body." (2 Corinthians 5:10 NLT)

 Good to know, who it is the rules over us, because we all must serve somebody, one way or another! As Bob Dylan said in a song, "Gotta Serve Somebody!" For whatever it's worth, I spent several decades being a servant of sorts; even during the first decade of my wife's condition; which has been the last 23 years. After having been discouraged in leadership, I decided that I would just chill out and focus on taking care of my wife. Yet, I still enjoy serving whenever there is an opportunity; never asking or expecting anything in return.  

 That isn't bragging, it is me telling you what it should be like for anyone that is in the ministry; no matter who you are or how hard you work; when it comes down to serving in the ministry, your real purpose is to serve the Lord! Even though you might be serving someone else, the one who holds you accountable is Christ Jesus; He is the judge who has the final say, whether we are good or bad, we will all stand before Him, and be judged accordingly, no matter who we are and what we have done.

 Having a servant's heart, although it doesn't always appear noticeable to some that we serve, it is always noticeable to the Lord! So don't complain, not even to yourself, because He will be listening; even if you just thought about it, even for a second! Always be grateful and ready to serve; knowing that it is the Lord you are serving, more than anyone else...

"As the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD." When people commend themselves, it doesn't count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them." (2 Corinthians 10:17-18 NLT) 

"Well-Doing" - Too

 "But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased." (Hebrews 13:16 KJV)

  "Don't be misled - you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 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 6:7-10 NLT)

 I know that I have shared on this verse before, several times already; but it is important that we always remember that we must be busy about our Father's business, in season and out of season! If you don't know what that means, it simply means, whether you feel like it or not, you should always be ready to do whatever the Spirit prompts you to do!

 If you want to know, one of the things the Holy Spirit prompts me to do, is to pray for someone, especially strangers. As I am having conversations with them, I feel the Spirit telling me, "Pray for this person," and it will be my duty to find an opening in the conversation, when I just simply say, "Can I pray for you?" Hardly anyone refuses to be prayed for!  

 You must understand that the Holy Spirit will not make you do things; but He will prompt you and guide you along the way. However, if you refuse to do that which He tells you, then He will simply leave you alone; and what a waste that will be! Think of all the characters that the Holy Spirit represents; each and every one is to be meant to strengthen us and make us useful, in one way or another. 

 The "but" in this verse is not meant as an exception, but is meant for motivation, to mean, "and" "now" "also" "nevertheless" and "moreover"! In other words, there are greater blessings in store for us, the more we do good and share the Good News! You don't really need to be well-taught to share, you just need to be willing...

"The woman said, "I know the Messiah is coming - the one who is called Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." Then Jesus told her, "I AM the Messiah!" Just then the disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, "What do you want with her?" or "Why are you talking to her?" The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?" So the people came streaming from the village to see him." (John 4:25-30 NLT) 

"Well-Doing"

 "But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifice God is well pleased." (Hebrews 13:16 KJV)

  ""Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' "Then these righteous ones will reply, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?' "And the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!'"" (Matthew 25:34-40 NLT)

 This might seem judgmental, or at the very least, something to think about, as you ask the Lord for opportunities to share and care for others; because I am certain that many of us don't do it as often as we should. Most of the time I am so busy just trying to keep up with my own busy schedule, that I do forget; even though I asked the Lord in the morning for opportunities and special encounters with people. It's as if the race I am running is not the race I wanted to run in! 

 Maybe it's just me, but if I could only slow down time, there might be more I could do that involves the work of sharing the Good News! But maybe that is the whole problem, making it work! If it is made into work, we can sometimes have a tendency to feel burdened by it, as if it is something we have to do; when in reality and in the way it should always be, it is a blessing! Just knowing Christ and sharing His love to others, is something that makes us have Running Water the flows through us, every time we share...

"On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, "Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, 'Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.'"" (John 7:37-38 NLT)     

"Sacrifice of Praise" - Two

 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." (Hebrews 13:15 KJV)

  "So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:15-20 NLT)

 Just to be clear, that message yesterday was meant primarily for me. It is not that I don't try to plan things out, because there are certain things that need structure and accountability; but when it comes to serving the Lord, each and every step is given to us one step at a time. Those who try to think they know what God has planned for them, as if they say, "I got this," risk the opportunity to be blessed by waiting and listening to God, by thinking they have it figured out! 

 That might not make sense to some, because this current world teaches us to plan and make things happen on our own; instead of waiting on the Lord and listening for Him to give us instructions. Whatever we do, we need to do it as unto the Lord, with His guidance and by praying for doors to open or shut, giving God the glory in everything, even those things that might not turn out well; everything counts, both good and bad, somehow or another! 

 Anywho; the thought I was looking to share about was based upon the word, "continually," as if it was not just thrown into the verse, but that it actually means something very important. Everything isn't always going to be roses and candy; there will be times where we are overwhelmed and feeling as though life is too hard, that we are being tormented, or nothing is working out the way we thought that it would. Even then, we need to give thanks! 

 Believe it or not, but even the hard things we might go through, as terrible as they might seem, they build character and cause us to draw closer to the Lord...

"Look here, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit." How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog - it's here a little while, then it's gone. What you ought to say is, "If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that." Otherwise you are boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil. Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it." (James 4:13-17 NLT) 

"Sacrifice of Praise"

 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." (Hebrews 13:15 KJV)

  ""Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory."" (PSALM 50:14-15 NLT)

 There are certain times when we feel totally useless when it comes to being useful to serving the Lord, even in the ministry or in doing things which we are actually felt called to do. It is really not that we are useless or incompetent, but it is more about letting go and letting God work through us, not us trying to work through God! 

 The thing that makes this seem easy to understand, is not really a plan or making a list of what you should do; because those are the things that we have been taught through secular understanding. God's way of doing things in our lives are simple, one step at a time; where He makes the way, even when there is no way; because it is His plan and not our own. 

 Hopefully that makes some kind of sense to someone; because it is not us that has the wheel; thankfully! If there is anything that goes wrong, and it is not us trying to make things happen, then it will be God's fault; but His faults, (so to speak,) are always for good reasons...

"In that day you will sing: "I will praise you, O LORD! You were angry with me, but not and more. Now you comfort me. See God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory."" (Isaiah 12:1-2 NLT) 

"God-Pleasing Sacrifices"

  "Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don't forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God. Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit. Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do. And especially pray that I am able to come back to you soon." (Hebrews 13:15-19 NLT)

  "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there is any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8 KJV)

 Hopefully I haven't complained too much about the trials of the journey, because in this world, as the Lord has said, we will have trials and tribulations. But what we do while we are faced with anything that is overwhelming, is to give it completely over to God, look for the good in every situation, and for whatsoever it's worth, let joy come forth from your heart, so that others will know that you trust in your Heavenly Father!   

 After all, those are the chances and opportunities we get to show our faith is real and certain...

"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." (2 Peter 3:13-14 KJV) 

"Undone!" - Too

 "For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come." (Hebrews 13:14 KJV)

  "For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down, (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. We grow weary in our present bodies and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit." (2 Corinthians 5:1-5 NLT)

 As I was pondering the thought of what I should follow up with, the Lord spoke into my heart about the things that we see in the Scriptures about the bad things and wrong choices many have done; and yet, even though these things were bad or wrong, God was able to use what they did for something good. We are only able to see certain things as if the glass is half full; not in our lifetime will that which has been turned from bad to good, be something always for us to see, at least not in this life.

 To give you an example of what that looks like, Abraham had done wrong when Sarah asked him to use her handmaid to fulfill God's promise, as if that was the means for a child to come through her. The birth of Ishmael was not what God promised; it actually was thing produced by human means, not by the will of God! 

 Yet, a few generations later, a band of Ishmaelites, who happened to be slave traders, had shown up when Joseph brothers were going to kill him; making a way for Joseph to be taken to Egypt. I guess we all know what happen with that! So even that which was wrong, God used it to do something good! The whole human race of Isreal was saved...

"But now that their father was dead, Joseph's brothers became fearful. "Now Joseph will show his anger and pay us back for all the wrong we did to him," they said. So they sent this message to Joseph: "Before your father died, he instructed us to say to you: 'Please forgive your brothers for the great wrong they did to you - for their sin of treating you so cruelly.' So we, the servants of he God of your father, beg you to forgive our sin." When Joseph received the message, he broke down and wept. Then his brothers came and threw themselves down before Joseph. "Look, we are your slaves!" they said. But Joseph replied, "Don't be afraid of me. Am I God, that I can punish you? You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. No, don't be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children." So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them." (Genisis 50:15-21 NLT) 

 

"Undone!"

 "For here have we continuing city, but we seek one to come." (Hebrews 13:14 KJV)

  "But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control." (Philippians 3:20-21 NLT)

 Okay then, having thought this through, with a very sincere heart, there is really nothing I can do to undo what has been done. It is just the way things are in the world; you create something that is, shall we say, a mess, and we pay the price for it, one way or another! This is the complete and tragic lesson we must be aware of, here in this broken world in which we live. Because it has been broken, we too are broken along with it; at least that is the case for us, as long as we are here!

 The Good News, is, none of that really matters! Like that racer in the 60's movie, who breaks off his rearview mirror, and says, "What's behind me is of no concern!" or something to that effect! The whole point to the title, "Undone," is that all of our sins and things we have done that were wrong, they have been UNDONE! Jesus has washed them all away, and forever more that which was, is no more; we will be as white as snow, nothing to see here, that was part of all that went on in this broken world...

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."" (Revelation 21:1-4 NLT)

"A Gust of Wind!" - Too

 "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach." (Hebrews 13:13 KJV)

  "So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. If you suffer, however, it must not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people's affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name! For the time has come judgment, and it must begin with God's household. And if judgment begins with us, what terrible fate awaits those who have never obeyed God's Good News? And also, "If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?" So if you are suffering in a manner that pleases God, keep on doing what is right, and trust your lives to the God who created you, for he will never fail you." (1 Peter 4:14-19 NLT)

 So, the title that I went with yesterday, and today, was based upon the definition of the word, "bearing," which has several meanings, such as: "to bear up, to be moved inwardly, endure; to be conveyed or borne, with the suggestion of force or speed." What we are looking at is the opposite of sitting in church and trying to be the best Christian you can be; it is going out and fighting in the trenches, bearing His reproach, which was meant to be actually going outside the camp and making people aware of who you represent and why it is that your burdens are not the things that hurt you! 

 As I thought about this, crazy last couple of days, I couldn't help but remember: "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28 NLT) How that works out, we sometimes never know; but rest assured, we will one day know more than we could have ever imagined...

"For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory. What can we say about such things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?" (Romans 8:29-31 NLT)   

"A Gust of Wind!"

 "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach." (Hebrews 13:13 KJV)

  "Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weakness, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT)

 Where do I start? Let's just say that I should start by asking for forgiveness and for taking my hand off the wheel! Better yet, that I left thinking about the Lord's blessing, and focused more upon what I thought was my determination and quest to get back home, as quick as possible. Whatever we do in this life, we must always remember to ask for the Lord's direction, protection, and most of all, His anointing upon all that we do!

 When I left the lot on Wednesday, I just focused upon the journey ahead, giving the task all the energy and thought, I could do. Unfortunately, the task was blown apart at a Toll Booth, at about 4am Thursday morning! As I passed through the booth, I heard a crash, something that shocked me to my core. I pulled over to the side of the road and looked at the side of the RV, seeing nothing was damaged; but I forgot to look up! 

 Apparently, the awning was what made that noise, and seeing it was heartbreaking, to say the least; I was so overcome by what had happened, I wanted to cry but couldn't even get a single tear to come out. As I traveled down the road, really not knowing what to do, I heard another crash; it was the passenger side mirror, that was totally gone! Apparently, the head of the awning was disconnected, and it came down with force and literally took off the passenger side mirror.

 When I went to the first area I could to pull over to, I got out and saw all that had happened, and wanted to die, right there on the side of the road! There just so happened to be a sign with a number to call for help, and the dispatcher I spoke to called for Services and Highway Patrol. 

 The weather was so completely crazy; that there was actually a tonnato warning; and there was lightening, wicked winds, and sever rain dumping down. The service provider showed up first and tried all he could to help; but things just got worse. The awning unrolled itself, and we now were dealing with a sail! I quickly retrieved some bungy cords and tried to secure it to the cargo compartments.

 The weather continued to get worse, and the poor service guy was hiding behind the sail trying to keep it from breaking free. After the storm calmed, the Highway Patrol showed up, and we went through all the things that happened; which involved a situation for hitting the side of the toll booth.

 A tow truck driver arrived, and we slowly drove to the nearest gas station, where we actually took off the awning, and he ended up driving off with it on his flatbed. As I sat in the parking lot, seriously astounded and weak from the devastation, I decided to make some calls; and ended up talking with this wonderful person at the NEWMAR factory; which just so happened to be about 4 and a half hours away.

 On the way there, I went through several tolls, and I went through one where there as actually a person that collected the money. I pulled in and tried to get close enough to reach her; and as I pulled away, bang! The driver side mirror was taken out! I was overwhelmed and totally undone! I pulled over to the side of the road and cut to wires that were all that was holding it up; and stowed the mirror in one of the compartments.

 Crazy as it seems, when I got to the NEWMAR plant, I was totally and completely at peace! Within less than an hour they had the mirrors replaced; which actually look better than the first ones. They are coming back out this morning to calibrate and adjust the mirrors and take down what's left of the awning. That replacement will be for another day! 

 As I set in the parking lot, with at least 60 or more beautiful motor homes, this has turned out to be an experience, more than anything else! Whatever we do, no matter how much you might think you have even the slightest chance of being in control; make sure that you pray for the Lord's guidance and protection, for every bit of the journey...

"Dear friends, don't be surprised at the fiery trails you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad - for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to the world." (1 Peter 4:12-13 NLT)      

"Wherefore Jesus!" - Thrice

 "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." (Hebrews 13:12 KJV)

   "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God's right hand. And he told them, "Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God's right hand!" Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." He fell to his knees, shouting, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin!" And with that, he died." (Acts 7:55-60 NLT)

 Forgive me for having missed doing yesterday's post, as I was hardly in my right mind, driving in the early hours of the night, having rain and lightning flashing all around me, as I just tried to make up a little more distance, hoping to make another hundred miles of my trip. Just so you know, I didn't forget to do my blog, because I did actually think about all the things I was going to say. By the way, this post has been started basically yesterday, as of a quarter to midnight; so I will count it as a twofer, and that pretty much matches the "Thrice." 

 Most of you know this story of Stephen, and how he saw Jesus standing at God's right hand; there is something very interesting about that, Jesus standing, because to be absolutely sure, Jesus was honoring Stephen, as he was going to be the first Christian to be killed, for announcing Jesus on His throne! A throne that He would usually be seated at, at the right hand of the Father! 

 When I read this illustration of what they did, 'putting their hands over their ears and shouting,' it really reminds me of what would happen when I would try and persuade one of my J.W. relatives or friends about who Jesus really was and is; they cover their ears, as if what I said has the power to curse them, or worse than that, it might cause them to believe the truth! 

 As I was driving yesterday morning, I kept thinking about all those who Jesus dealt with, how were actually moved beyond and above, by just knowing who He really was; not just a man, but God! The woman at the well, as well as all of her countrymen; the man that had a legion of demons, who actually wanted to follow Him, but Jesus told him no, and told him to go home, showing his family that he was changed! 

 The one that really kept me thinking about, was Peter, the first to declare the He was LORD; and then, almost right away tell Him, "Not so, Lord," as Jesus was sharing the things that were about to happen! Three times Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?" As I thought of that, I was reminded of the three times that Peter denied that he even knew Jesus; he even cursed when someone said, "I know you were with Him!" 

 And then I thought about those times, (oh my goodness,) times of doing things that were totally wicked and perverted, even though I confessed to be a Christian! I thought it didn't matter, as if it was a private thing, and I wasn't hurting anyone, just myself! Even stupid fools can be forgiven! Thank God for that...

"So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story, "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest." David was furious. "As surely as the LORD lives," he vowed, "any man who would do such a thing deserves to die!"" (2 Samuel 12:1-5 NLT) 

"Wherefore Jesus!" - Two

 "Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate." (Hebrews 13:12 KJV)

  "It was now about noon on the day of preparation of the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, "Look, here is your king!" "Away with him," they yelled. "Away with him! Crucify him!" "What? Crucify your king?" Pilate asked. "We have no king but Caesar," the leading priests shouted back. Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away. Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it." (John 19:14-20 NLT)

 Well, we that have the truth within us, know that this was not just something that the Jewish leaders had plotted and carried out; as it was the reason Jesus came to this earth, to be nailed to a cross and to die for our sins! What makes this illustration from John so complete, is the way he describes everything in such detail, especially the other two that hung beside Jesus; one on each side of Him! 

 If you don't know already, all the other disciples were off at a distance, as they were afraid to be seen in the public, especially in the crowed of Jewish leaders. Only John was brave enough to stand at the foot of the cross, having Jesus' mother right beside him. There was something about John that made him, somehow, entitled to hang around those of authority; as he previously got Peter into the courtyard, because John was acquainted with the high priest. 

 Anywho! The two men on either side of Jesus is an illustration of "Right and Left." I know it might be a little hard to understand, but there are several religious groups that have the belief that, if you have not been baptized, you have not been saved. Well, there was one of those that was on the side of Jesus, who was saved; and the other was left! 

 You could probably make the case that his crucifixion was a form of baptism; but I would beg to differ, as there are many people I know of, who never get a chance to be baptized. They get saved at some sort of church or other way, and next thing you know, they have been killed in some sort of accident. Being baptized is only us showing the outer expression of an inner happening; or as they say, "It is an outward ceremony representing spiritual changes in a person's life." 

 Whatever the case might be, salvation is given to us by accepting Jesus Christ into our heart and confessing that He is LORD! Which is all that thief who was right had to do...  

"One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself - and us, too, while you're at it." But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."" (Luke 23:39-43 NLT)