"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) 

"Wellpleasing in His Sight" - To

 "Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:21 KJV)

  "So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transformed us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins." (Colossians 1:9-14 NLT)

 I am sorry if I offended anyone with my closing statement. It is something I felt strongly about when I left the church I was a pastor at, back in 2018 or 2019; actually, I don't remember when; except that my niece was going to start going to Country Christian School, and I used that as a way out; bring her family to LCC and making it my opportunity to go there also. If you don't understand what I mean, it is really not that hard to understand: You shouldn't leave a church simply because you might have been offended; but you could leave a church if you have a good reason, that is justifiable. 

 Maybe you still didn't get the point; but it is really more about structure than anything else. We are not really meant to rebel against anything we might have issue with; especially anything that might cause others to also be concerned or upset about. I have seen that happen too many times in certain churches, and it is ugly and causes many to actually fall away from church, all together. 

 My leaving was done in a celebratory manor; where everyone prayed over me and my family, as we were departing to be a part of another fellowship. Believe it or not, it was all about tithes and offerings; as crazy as that might seem. I believed that it should be out in the open and structured; where there is actually a passing of the plate or bag. As it turns out, that isn't what we do at the current church either...

"Let the message about Christ in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:16-17 NLT)  

"Wellpleasing in His Sight"

"Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (Hebrews 13:21 KJV)

  "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowances for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful." (Colossians 3:12-15 NLT)

 I have a feeling to not spend any time doing this blog during Man Camp this weekend. I have always committed myself to do this as much as I could; these last few visits in the hospital have given me the opportunity to slip away from this, a few days at a time; even not feeling guilty! That said, this has been something that causes me to dive into the Bible, each and every day; something that I failed doing prior to starting this journey, back on January 1st, 2010. 

 Before my first hospital visit, I had never missed a day; even though I might have had to be late, I still made every effort to stay committed to not missing a single day. As I have said before, there are times when I feel as though I am too committed, as if this has been too much of a journey. But since my first stay in the hospital, I feel that two or three days off is really actually refreshing. 

 Anywho, this passage reminds me of a message I heard back in the late 90's, which was a time I felt as though I needed to go to a Calvary Chapel Conference, in San Jose. It was a very critical time in my life, as the business was having financial issues and the IRS was pressing me to get caught up on my taxes. I almost had another side that didn't want to go; but my heart felt that it needed to happen. 

 The first speaker was Pastor Damian, who I had never heard before. As he opened up the message, he asked us to open our Bible's up to a certain Scripture, which I can't recall. But as soon as he read the very first word, by heart was broken, and I began to weep. As much as I have been to many different gatherings, this was the very first time that this had ever happened. 

 As Pastor Damian continued, my mind was focused on everything he had to say. He began speaking about this passage that I typed out this morning, from Colossians 3. As he was illustrating certain actions, involving laying out clothes, he was actually motioning out what it might look like to lay out clothes on a bed. There were a couple other Pastor's nearby, who were laughing to each other, as if what he was demonstrating was a joke. 

 My heart felt a little broken, for a moment; but I soon realized it was actually not that unusual for some Pastor's to mock each other's teachings...

"And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight. And remember, our Lord's patience gives people time to be saved. This is what our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him - speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters to mean something quite different, just as they do with other parts of Scripture. And this will result in their destruction." (2 Peter 3:14-16 NLT)    

"Our Great Security!" - Too

"Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd on the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant," (Hebrews 13:20 KJV)

  "Once you were like sheep who wandered away. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls." (1 Peter 2:25 NLT)

 Maybe I didn't make my point strong enough, seemingly the way I explained myself wasn't fit for some, shall we say, that might not believe that our eternal Salvation is something that can never be taken away, even if we might fall away! If that might be something you can't except, that is totally up to you; but I feel sorry for you, if you think that falling away is a deal-killer, and that is enough to cancel your Salvation. 

 Over the last 45 years, I might have fallen away at least half-dozen times; each and every time, there has been something that has caused me to come back; each and every time I have learned that I am always welcomed back: His arms are always wide open, ready to hug me and welcome me home! 

 This fallen away I am talking about is not really about turning my back on the Lord, if you think that is what I mean. The falling away that I mean is that of doing things that I should not, things that cause my fellowship with the Lord to draw distant, for a season. I am just being honest, because I know it isn't just me; there are several people I know that slipped down that slippery slope from time to time. 

 One thing is sure; I have never really forsaken fellowship! I might have missed a few services from time to time; but I truly believe that we must not quit trying! Even if we fall, we must aways get up and stay loyal to Christ and our fellow believers! Whatever it is that has caused up to slip away, however you think that looks like, we are always still part of the family of God, always! 

 I remember a Men's Meeting we had back in the 90's, out in Palo Cedro. Pastor Bill was sharing about the fact that we were all members of the Body of Christ. There was a brother who stood up, who didn't think he was good enough to be a member of the Body of Christ, saying, "If I am a member of the Body of Christ, then I must be a Hemorrhoid!" 

 Hopefully that doesn't offend anyone, because we all got a kick out of the way he said it. None of us are perfect! We all mess up from time to time; but we also have one great thing in common: We are saved! As long as we have been saved, we have been given eternal life in Christ! This eternal life can never be taken away, because it is secure, waiting for us in heaven...

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see." (1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT) 

"Our Great Security!"

 "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant," (Hebrews 13:20 KJV) 

  ""My sheep listen my voice; I know them, and they know me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from my Father's hand. The Father and I are one."" (John 10:27-30 NLT)

 Because we aren't perfect, yet, we have some difficulties trying to live perfect lives; which is a thing, pretty much everyone has to deal with, from time to time; we struggle now and then with doubting our security. It's not that we don't feel saved, because I believe all of us that have been saved remember that day of our salvation; but we feel unworthy from time to time, as if we don't fit the mold.

 When I first got saved, both my wife and I would go forward if an alter call was given, just to renew our commitment to follow Jesus, probably once or twice every other month or two. Call it being cautious, if you will. But the only reason we did was because we weren't feeling perfect! 

 In this world there is nothing that is perfect; the whole world has been cursed ever since Adam did what God told him not to do. Before that time there was no cancer, no dying; everything was perfect in that Garden; even all the animals got alone and lived together, as it was, the lion and the lamb would hang out together, (so I have been told.) 

 My point is very simple, and I will hold onto it with all my heart: Jesus is my Savior, He died on that cross to pay the penalty for my sins, (even the sins I do now and the sins I will do tomorrow,) and He rose from that tomb as the First Born to eternal life; and He is coming back to get me, whether I am alive or in the grave, to take me with Him, for all eternity! 

 Now, if you have an issue with that, you can take it up with the Father, and see what He has to say about all of that; because it was the plan of both the Father and the Son, to get it done...

"How are these things possible?" Nicodemus asked. Jesus replied, "You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won't believe our testimony. But if you don't believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him."" (John 3:9-17 NLT)  

"Benediction"

  "Now may the God of peace - who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood - may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

 "I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation. I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released from jail. If he comes here soon, I will bring him with me to see you. Greet all your leaders and all the believers there. The believers from Italy send you their greetings. May God's grace be with you all." (Hebrews 13:20-25 NLT)

  "We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.) Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things." (2 Corinthians 6:1-10 KJV)

 For what it is worth, there are so many things that we go though in this life, whether we win or lose, in the end, we are still winners! As I have said, several times, over and over: When Jesus says we are going to the other side, we are going to the other side; regardless of the storm and the threat of death or despair; nothing, absolutely nothing, can keep us from making it to the other side! 

 Whatever you think that looks like, if your heart is set upon believing in the salvation you have been given, then nothing in this life can take your salvation away! You are the only one that can make any sort of harm to yourself; and even then, He still loves you! Never stop believing...

"This then is the message we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. I we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:5-10 KJV)   

"The Rather" - Two

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

  "Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!" (Philippians 3:8-11 NLT)

 If I could, I would do whatever it takes to be a missionary or serve somewhere that gives me the chance to minister to those who feel as though their life doesn't matter; because we must all believe that our lives matter to God! To be more positive and direct, our death also matters to God, because death is our door that opens to fellowship with God in person; which is what faith and hope is all about! 

 As it is, my purpose in this life right now is caring for my wife, which is something I have been doing for over 23 years now; and I am willing to do is another 23 years, if the Lord keeps us going. At that time, I would be 91 years old, and my wife would be 88; but I would rather the Lord come back much sooner than that, then we both would be perfect, in every way! 

 Today I am taking my wife and her mother to the movies; which I really enjoy doing, as Marianne will be super attentive to the big screen; and her mother will also enjoy hanging out with us. It really isn't about enjoying the entertainment, but more about just having some time together and relaxing from the rigors of life. My wife's mother is also busy at home taking care of her husband; besides putting up working for me, 30 hours a week.

 All that said, I feel blessed, far more than I deserve! God keeps providing more and more; even when I think it is time to quit, He gives me the strength and desire to keep on going! We must believe that our lives matter! We are here for a reason, and rather you believe it or not, the Lord is working through you, even if you don't realize it, He will never give up on us...

"LORD, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing. You guard all that is mine. The land you have given me is a pleasant land. What a wonderful inheritance! I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever." (PSALM 16:5-11 NLT)   

"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)